* * *
"Daddy, Winkler's trying to explain things to the Sacramento Packmaster," Kellee giggled while she whispered into her cell phone. "He isn't happy, Daddy."
"Just hold tight, baby, we're going to come out of this smelling like a rose," Karl assured his daughter. It was such a stroke of luck that Kellee had gotten pregnant. Karl had sent her after Winkler—to seduce him. Karl was hoping a marriage might come about—after all, his little girl was model gorgeous and Winkler should have fallen for her like a ton of bricks. They'd been on the outs, though, and Kellee was about to get sent packing when she discovered she was pregnant. No doubt about it, his little girl could turn on the waterworks when she needed it. Now, he and his daughter were in Dallas and Karl was about to take over the vast Winkler empire. Karl left his wife in Boise; she fretted over things like this and there really wasn't any need to worry—Karl had things well in hand.
* * *
Six hours had passed since the van was stolen and there was no word. Winkler sent some of his Pack out, checking the major highways out of town, but nothing had been found or reported. This was the needle in the haystack and the only one who might have been successful at tracking the van would be Lissa herself. Instead, she was zipped inside a body bag in the back of a stolen van. At least he hoped she was still zipped inside it and not burning out in the sun somewhere.
* * *
Elias passed a sign indicating the distance to Hobbs, New Mexico. He had fifty miles to go to complete his mission, make his last phone call and arrange to collect the money in two days. He would be very glad to walk away from all this. The latex gloves he wore were hot; he'd been compelled to wear them so his fingerprints wouldn't be found. Now, his hands were sweating and slick inside them. He had the A/C turned as high as it would go—it was quite warm in west Texas and New Mexico would be the same if not warmer. Elias made sure he drove the speed limit. Even with replacement tags on the vehicle and temporary decals covering the originals, the van itself might raise suspicions if he were stopped. Elias didn't want to risk it.
Forty minutes later, Elias pulled off the highway and went in search of a farm road so this job could be finished. It was around four, perhaps a little after, and the sun was still high but falling toward the horizon. Elias found what he wanted—a dirt road past a small town. He turned onto that. After making sure nobody was watching, Elias stopped the van. "I don't know what the hell he wanted all the bags opened up for, but hey, fifty grand ain't nothin' to sneeze at," Elias mumbled, jerking the van's back doors open.
"Hello," Griffin smiled at Elias and allowed his long legs to swing out of the van.
Chapter 12
Elias backed up so fast he fell, raising a small dust cloud on the dirt road as he hit the dry surface. Griffin was standing now and that caused Elias to crab backward. "You can't get away," Griffin said pleasantly. "You may as well stop now." Elias was shaking his head but his limbs suddenly refused to obey, forcing his body to drop onto the dusty road.
"We'll wait for sunset, I think," Griffin went on, scanning the sky. He returned to the van and sat on the back edge, allowing the roof of the van to shade his face.
* * *
I was still zipped inside the body bag when I woke and that shouldn't be. That always terrifies me, as I'm slightly claustrophobic. My claws were fully extended as I ripped my way from the bag—I was wild-eyed, fanged and clawed when I slashed my way through the thick, black material. The man lying on his back in the dust behind the van shrieked and rolled over in an attempt to rise and run at the sight of me. He shouldn't have done that. I was on him in two blinks, hauling him back by the collar and shaking him. He tried to fight me until I held a single, lengthy claw against his throat, which deflated him immediately.
"Would you care to tell me where I am and who you are?" I placed compulsion. He shook his head as best he could since I still had a claw against his neck. "Let me rephrase that, then," I said. "Tell me who you are and where I am."
"E-Elias Garber," he stuttered. "Just south of N-Nadine, New Mexico."
* * *
"We should be hearing from her soon if she's still alive," Weldon lifted an edge of the heavy drapes covering his guesthouse window. The sun had finally set. Thomas Williams and Kipp North were both in the living area with the Grand Master and Thomas was clearly upset.
"And what if we don't hear from her?" Thomas rose from his seat and paced in an agitated manner.
"Then I hope we find the van," Weldon sighed.
"For the f**king bags?"
"To give Lissa a proper funeral," Weldon corrected.
* * *
"That's right, sir. I opened the bags, just like you said." Elias placed the phone call as instructed.
"And what did you see?" The voice on the other end queried.
"Somethin' turned to ash. Just burned right up," Elias replied.
"Very good. Excellent. You've earned your money. I'll send it to the place we agreed upon," Karl Johnson's voice was almost gleeful. "Dump the van. You didn't leave fingerprints, did you?"
"No, sir. Wore gloves the whole time."
"Perfect. You've done me good service." The phone went dead.
Elias held the phone out to me, his eyes still empty. I held him under compulsion and he'd spilled everything, including giving me the description of the man who'd hired him for the job. Kellee's daddy wanted me dead for sure. He probably had some thug coming in that would kill whoever Winkler put forward, just so he and his scheming little bitch girl could take what Winkler had built. I might have been pissed at Winkler, but Kellee and her daddy were the scum of the earth. If Winkler's Second died, Winkler's life might be forfeit as well. At least that's what Tony said. He was well versed on werewolf politics, since his mother was a werewolf and his werewolf stepfather was Second in the Denver Pack.
Taking the phone away from Elias, I grabbed my laptop from the back of the van, along with my cooler of blood and the ripped-up body bag.
"You'll forget you ever saw me alive," I said. "You're free. Go on," I nodded at Elias.
"I can pick up my money?"
"Absolutely," I said. He jumped into the van and drove off. I pulled out my cell and placed a call to Tony.
"No, I don't want Winkler to know," I said after Thomas Williams Jr. nearly shouted with relief while listening in on my phone conversation with Weldon. "He'll think I'm dead, just as Karl and Kellee think I'm dead. Actually, Karl thinks he knows I'm dead."