She hobbled across to the car and flung open the door. "Nice job of bandaging," she said after a few seconds. "And you used the herbs."
"Why wouldn't I? I've seen them work, remember."
"That you did." She patted his arm. "Put her in my bed for the time being, Detective, because your boss isn't that far behind you."
He raised an eyebrow as he lifted Kat. "How?"
"I called him after you left. I thought you might have needed some backup."
Then they must have just missed each other, and for that he was grateful. Benton would have insisted on sending Kat to a hospital. She was far better here, under her grandmother's care, though only a day ago he wouldn't have admitted that.
He carried her into the cabin and placed her into bed, stripping off her shoes but leaving on his jacket. She was asleep, and he didn't want to disturb her any more than necessary. He ran his fingers down her cheek to her lips, then bent and kissed them. Lightly, gently.
She stirred, murmuring something he couldn't quite catch. "Sleep," he murmured against her lips. "I'll be here if you want me."
She didn't respond, and he spun, leaving the room before he could give into the urge to do anything more.
"I'll wait for Benton in the other cabin," he said to Gwen. And hide any evidence that Kat and he had shared a bed. Mark might know the truth, but there was no need for Benton or anyone else to know what was going on between them.
Gwen nodded. "I'll be in after he arrives. Then you can fill us all in on what happened."
He snorted softly. "Benton is not going to believe anything you or I say."
"Wouldn't he have seen the werewolf?"
"Yeah, but Kat caught him early in the change. He looked more like a deformed and hairy man, rather than a wolf." And that was a good thing — he had no real wish for Benton to start believing in werewolves.
"A man whose teeth measurements will probably fit the marks left on the last victim's bones."
"Which will make him think the wolf killed the kid, and Kat says that's not true."
"And it isn't, as you know." Gwen patted his hand again. "Go clean up and rest while you can. It's going to be a long night once your boss gets here."
A long and noisy night, Ethan thought sourly, and headed into the other cabin.
* * * *
"Goddamn it, Morgan, I distinctly remember telling you to keep away from this case."
"Keep your voice down." Ethan crossed his arms and leaned a shoulder against the wall. "Katherine's asleep in the other cabin."
Benton threw a hand out as he continued to pace. "I don't care who's asleep. I want to know what's going on."
"You won't believe what's going on." Nor did he want the captain to believe. But he had a suspicion Gwen planned otherwise.
"What was that thing we found in the restaurant's restroom?" Unlike Benton, Mark kept his voice low. He was sitting on the sofa and looked as tired as Ethan felt. "It sure as hell didn't look entirely human."
He shrugged. "I think maybe he was some kind of mutant."
"So how is a mutant connected to the case?" Benton stopped his pacing and glared at Ethan for a moment. "And why did it attack Miss Tanner?"
"He was apparently working with the woman behind all the kidnappings and murders." He paused, then added, "I think if you check the bite marks on the last victim, you'll find they match the mutant's."
They both stared at him for several seconds, then Benton swore and resumed his pacing. "So Tanner was tracking it?"
He nodded. "It must have spotted her, because it attacked her in the restroom."
"And she killed it." The captain shook his head. "I should have her head on the block. We needed that man for questioning."