“Added to that,” a deep voice joined the conversation. “Until the investigation is complete, all information is confidential.”
Jackie nearly sighed with relief when Caleb Bennett, the town sheriff and alpha shifter extraordinaire stepped up next to her. “Ladies.” He nodded at them all.
“Investigation?” Mrs. Vernon latched on to that word like a leech on blood. “What kind of investigation?”
“Ma!”
“Of what happened last night.” Caleb solemnly responded.
Mrs. Vernon blinked. “Well? What happened last night?”
“That’s what we’re investigating, ma’am.”
Jackie bit her lip to keep from laughing while Penny sent Caleb a saucy wink. Then she rested a hand on her mom’s arm, halting more questions. “Look, Mom. I just saw Mrs. Hargrove pass by. Didn’t you need to speak to her about the Senior’s Bingo this Tuesday?”
“Oh. Yes. Yes I did. Come along, Penny.” Barely acknowledging a goodbye, Mrs. Vernon hurried as quickly as she could down the aisle and around the corner.
Penny shook her head. “That woman will be the death of me. Now I gotta go rescue Mrs. Hargrove.” Then she pushed the loaded cart after her mom.
When both women were out of sight, Caleb turned to Jackie, all business. “I have the,” he then mouthed the words “silver bullet”. One could never be too careful in a town full of shifters and gossips.
Jackie glanced around. “Specific target or should all shifters be concerned?” Her tone was barely audible but she knew Caleb would have no trouble hearing her.
“Gut says specific, but I can’t say for sure. And if we can’t find this person in the next seven days, it won’t matter.” Meaning that when the full moon comes up, whoever shot at Zan will know there’s more than one werewolf in Woodcliff.
While many shifters choose to stay that night at Moon Haven, locking up nearly two hundred males—including the juveniles—would make this individual suspicious. And forcing the shifter populace to remain in their own homes for the change would not only be cruel, it would be next to impossible to enforce. There were maybe ten male shifters in town that could resist the pull of the full moon, not enough to handle the job. Not even with the help of the female shifters who couldn’t turn. The females, and certainly not the humans that knew about them, didn’t have the physical strength to subdue a full-grown wolf. Either they would have to tranquilize the male shifter populace, repeatedly throughout the night, or the shooter needed to be caught. And soon.
“No leads?”
“Footprints that lead to a dirt side road out of the forest. Guy obviously got in a car and probably didn’t get on the main road until it was clear. We’re asking around without being obvious we’re asking around. Last thing this town needs is another...” He paused to wind his finger next to his temple.
Jackie grinned. “That your professional opinion?”
Caleb flashed his teeth. “Yes, ma’am. Better get what Tess sent me out for and get home. Otherwise she just might change her mind about making chicken pot pie for dinner.”
The sparkle in his eyes made Jackie want to sigh. Caleb was newly mated to Kaylie’s older sister, Tess, and was still walking on clouds. Jackie longed for that feeling.
Just not with Zan Sutton.
Jackie frowned as Caleb walked away, her inner beast whispering seductively in her head.
Caleb has a dangerous job, but it didn’t stop Tess from being with him.
Compared to Zan’s job, Caleb’s was a cake walk.
Not to Tess. It wouldn’t matter if Caleb sat on the couch all day, Tess would still worry. That’s what a mate does. Loves and worries. You heard Kaylie’s worry over Dean last night, and that wasn’t even physical.
Zan’s playing a dangerous game and the odds are stacked against him. Jackie argued back.
And you could be hit by a drunk or unaware motorist as you push your cart out of this very store. You don’t know what’s going to happen.
I do.
Chicken.
Shut up!
If Jackie didn’t know that her wolf could speak to her she’d think she was going insane. As it was, she figured it was her beast that was insane. Her human half was the smart one in this situation, and needed to remain so.
But if that car her wolf warned her about didn’t zoom out of the parking lot and kill her, she was afraid this tug-of-war between her wolf, her body, and her brain just might.
Chapter Seven
Restlessness plagued her all Sunday night and by Monday early afternoon Jackie was ready to pull out her hair. Normally she enjoyed her days off, but right now she could really use a distraction from herself.