have a history, and that’s how small Shifter towns are. But the recent crimes really set things on fire. They were inexplicable and brutal. It’s been a pain in the ass for the higher authority to keep sending out a Vampire to scrub memories and alter documents. They couldn’t erase a body, but they made them believe that some were suicide. That’s how the news was reporting some of them, but Shifters knew better.”
“How?”
He stopped and turned to face me. “Because the women belonged to them.”
“Meaning the outside packs and rogues, not the tribes.” So that was why Lakota was undercover. Too many deaths would draw attention—FBI kind of attention. And the murders were all Shifter women who lived in the community.
He scratched the side of his nose. “The locals think the tribe is responsible. Some are calling it human sacrifice, others a crime of passion.”
“Passion?”
“A few of the women were rumored to be having secret love affairs with some of the men in the tribe. Since the packs believe we’re nothing but savages who can’t control our impulses and violent tendencies, it lends belief to their theory.”
“Do you think that’s true? About the love affairs, I mean.”
He shrugged, his eyes swinging skyward. “I don’t know. Shikoba’s warned his men to stay away, but he does it for the sake of protecting his people from scandal. It’s frowned upon, but you can’t stop folks from doing what they want in secret. Most of the younger people think differently than their elders.”
“Is that why there weren’t any women at the bar?”
“I don’t know what the outside packs are doing, but you’re right. Fewer local women have been going out to the bars—especially where tribes are allowed. I suppose they’re either scared or were ordered to stay home and out of trouble.”
“But what about Koi? He was a victim. Doesn’t that prove the tribes aren’t behind these murders?”
He stopped and faced me. “Koi’s death links the tribe to the murders, and the local Shifters will draw whatever conclusion they like. You’ve heard of witch hunts. It still plays out in the media and small towns among humans. Here you’ve got a bunch of ancients who won’t let go of the past. People don’t want to accept that one of their own is capable of committing these crimes.” Lakota’s eyes skated down to my arm, and he gingerly took my elbow. When he noticed the red marks, he glowered. My pulse jumped when I saw dark fury flickering in his eyes. “Who put that mark on you?”
I glanced down at the red marks on my arm, which were threatening to bruise. Knowing Lakota might do something foolish like start a fight, I replied with humor and gently pulled away. “You did. All that spooning last night.”
But Lakota wasn’t laughing. I’d never seen him look so menacing. “Don’t play with me, female. I would never put a mark on you. Who did it?”
I centered my eyes on his. “Lakota, I need you right now. You’re the only thing standing in the way of those men shifting and tearing me apart. Don’t blow your cover because of a bruise. You’re the only one who can stop these murders.” I worried my lip before giving him what he wanted. “It was Kaota.”
He released a controlled breath and briefly touched the ends of my hair before putting distance between us. “Come on, Freckles. Let’s go inside.”
Chapter 10
While Shikoba’s family prepared for the ceremony, Lakota and I made ourselves scarce. We sat in the kitchen for a spell and talked as if we were strangers, always aware that someone might overhear us. When I noticed the signal on my phone had bars, I excused myself to the bathroom to call Hope.
“Are you surviving up there?” she asked. “I thought you’d be on your way home by now.”
“I’m still alive.” I put the toilet lid down and took a seat. “It’s just taking longer than usual. How did everything go with dealer number two?”
After a pregnant pause, she said, “It fell through. Oh, Mel. Everything’s a disaster. I had high hopes for this guy, but I found out he doesn’t deal in gemstones I like to use. He was pushing the expensive ones. I don’t have any interest in diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. That’s not the kind of jewelry I design. What are we going to do? I’ll have to cancel all these orders, and no one is going to trust me again. Once my current inventory sells out,