Savage Hunger(25)

It should’ve been easy enough. The concern that flickered briefly in his eyes made her wonder if she was turning blue. She willed the muscles in her throat to relax. Let the air in the room suck into her deprived lungs.

She took another breath. Repeating the process and holding Warrick’s gaze until she felt her heart decrease from its wild gallop.

“I don’t understand how anyone could possibly think I did this,” she whispered.

His gaze darkened, flickered with unease. But she didn’t need him to reply. She’d seen the answer as clearly as if she’d looked into his head.

“The camera.”

It was the camera, the one Warrick had pointed out she hadn’t disabled. They’d seen her in there, assumed she’d burned the lab down.

“Oh my God. Of course they think I did. You warned me, Warrick. You warned me this would happen and I’d be in trouble. But I didn’t burn down the building. I swear to God I—”

“I know you didn’t.” Warrick’s brows drew together and he curled his fingers around her shoulders and drew her forward into his arms, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. “You couldn’t possibly have. When someone set this fire you were an hour out of Portland with us.”

She leaned into him, wanting to feel the usual relief and safety that should’ve come. But even being in Warrick’s arms did little to stop the pounding of her heart or ease the fear that chilled her blood.

“Someone else definitely set that fire, Ms. Peters,” Larson said quietly as he entered the living room. “And they wanted to make sure you took the blame.”

Sienna pulled away from Warrick and accepted the glass of water Larson held out to her. She lifted the glass to her lips, her hands unsteady as she took a sip. The cool water slid over her tongue and down her dry throat.

“Thank you.” Her fingers clenched around the drink. “I don’t understand why they would go so far as to burn down the lab? If they saw the video and knew it was me, why not just go after me?”

Larson and Warrick exchanged glances, but both their expressions were unreadable to her. Frustration gnawed in her gut, and she hoped like hell they’d share whatever they were both thinking.

She turned back to face him. “Warrick?”

He didn’t look at her right away, but stared at Larson, seemed to seek approval to speak before giving a slight nod. “Our guess? Whoever is behind the shifters’ confinement and torture doesn’t want any evidence hanging around. Especially now that the shifters have been freed. With your picture all over the place, wanted for questioning, it’s easy to pick you up and bring you in. Have you cornered, essentially.”

Oh God, she really didn’t like the sound of that.

But surely there was more evidence than just the shifters. The files Leo had given her must’ve come from somewhere. Probably the computers in the lab… Her stomach cramped.

Oh right. Computers that had just been destroyed in the fire. And if the unidentified body was who she suspected it was… That meant it was entirely possible that, besides the people behind everything, she was the only one with actual physical proof of what had been done to the shifters. Of course the shifters were witnesses too, but if by some chance they didn’t survive…

Strong fingers curled around hers and she glanced up to meet Warrick’s questioning stare.

“Sienna?”

Tell me. She could almost hear his silent request and her tongue went thick in her mouth with the need to explain everything.

“Larson, I’d like permission to take Sienna outside for a bit,” Warrick requested, his gaze not leaving hers.

“You’ve got it. Rafferty and Hilliard are going to be sleeping for a few hours, so stay close in case I need you.”

“Will do.” Warrick stood from the couch and grabbed her hand, pulling her to her feet. “Come on, kid. We’re going to take a walk.”

Sienna’s pulse jumped. He was taking her out alone so he could question her, just as he’d threatened to do since he’d discovered her in the lab last night. And it was going to be so hard not to confess about the jump drive.

They stepped outside onto the wood porch, the boards creaking beneath their footsteps. As they moved down the stairs and away from the house, she glanced around at her surroundings for the first time in daylight.

Her steps faltered and a silent gasp slid past her lips. The beauty around them momentarily distracted her from the nightmare that had become her life.

The landscape was a lush embodiment of green trees, bushes and grass that scattered around and beyond the property. In the distance, thrusting sharply in a vision of white-tipped glory, was Mt. Hood.