The Werewolf Dates The Deputy - Kristen Painter Page 0,69
now. I would die for your brother.”
Bridget’s hard expression softened. “I just hope he’s not about to do the same for you.”
There was something horrifyingly full circle about being back in the hospital. Jenna sat by Titus’s bed, wishing with everything she had that he was going to be okay while also wondering what in the seven hells had happened with Ingvar and the wraith and the trap that had gone completely belly up.
At least he’d regained consciousness long enough to shift back to his human form before they’d arrived at the hospital.
Birdie strode into the room without knocking. “How is he?”
Jenna looked up from her thoughts. “Still out.”
She nodded and sat beside Jenna. “He probably will be for a while. It’s all right. His body is working that poison out. Have you had any sleep? It’s nearly three in the morning. Security only let me up here because I told them it was official sheriff business. That and Darnell Mansfield has always been a little sweet on me.”
“No, not sleep. I can’t. Not with him like this.”
Birdie nodded. “I understand.” But then she gave Jenna a hard look. “It’s just as well you’re awake. We need to talk.”
Jenna sighed. “I know you’re mad at me. I am so, so sorry. I swear on my sword that I don’t know what—”
“Take a breath, Deputy. That’s not what I want to talk about. I know you’re not to blame.”
“You do?”
Birdie laughed softly. “Honey, you love him. You said as much. No woman who’s newly in love with a man, especially a woman who’s been keeping men at arm’s length for a while, is going to do anything to jeopardize that budding relationship. Not on purpose.”
“But Bridget said—”
“Bridget is just being protective of her brother. Weren’t you like that when Tessa got involved with Sebastian?”
Jenna sighed. “Yes. But I don’t want Bridget to hate me.”
“She doesn’t hate you. She’s probably already mad at herself for snapping at you.”
Jenna frowned. “I hope you’re right.”
Birdie tipped her head. “Am I ever wrong?”
“Not often, no. I owe all of you a thank-you for showing up tonight. You weren’t supposed to be there, but I’m so glad you were. I couldn’t see much of what was going on outside the circle. What happened exactly?”
“We met Titus on the hill above the circle. There’s an outcropping of rock there. Made a great vantage point. Anyway, as soon as she lit that thing up, we came down. Titus was antsy. But we could all smell the wolfsbane. I don’t know how much she used in her magic, but she used a lot. I don’t know if it was supposed to be a part of the spell or if she was trying to keep him out. It was enough that it should have.”
“But it didn’t. Because of me.”
Birdie put her arm around Jenna’s shoulders. “Fire wouldn’t have kept him out.”
Jenna groaned. “Why would she do that? I told her Titus wouldn’t interfere. And he didn’t. Until I called for him.”
“He wasn’t going to let you be hurt.”
Jenna was at a loss for words. Then her brain kicked in. “If me being to blame isn’t what you wanted to talk about, then what is?”
Birdie’s brows went up, and her mouth puckered. “I did a little deep dive on your friend. Ingvar.”
Jenna sat up. “You did? And?”
“And something seems off. Her pattern changed.” Birdie pulled a file from her enormous floral handbag. She opened the file to reveal several printouts.
“Pattern?”
Birdie looked at the first sheet as she spoke. “Up until a week ago, her routine was so consistent you could set your watch by it.”
Jenna stared at the paper, but lack of sleep and too much worry made it hard to focus. “Show me.”
Birdie pointed at the first line. “If you look at the dates, you can see she does the same things every day, based on her credit card receipts. Every Monday morning, she fills her tank at the same gas station. After that and on all other mornings, she gets a tall chai tea at the Green Leaf Tea House. In the middle of the day, she buys what I’m assuming is lunch at the Peas and Love Café, which happens to be across from the Norse Studies Institute. Every third day, around six thirty, she makes a purchase at the same grocery store.”
She looked at Jenna. “Ingvar’s a creature of habit. Most of us are. That’s not the unusual part. Now look at last week.”