Wolf Tracks - Bianca D'Arc Page 0,55

claim over Jim, and she didn’t want to scare him off too soon by acting like a jealous cow.

“I had to do a perimeter sweep to see if I could find anything out of the ordinary,” he said between shoveling food into his mouth. He wasn’t a messy eater, but he ate a lot.

“And did you? Find anything out of the ordinary, I mean.”

Jim nodded as he swallowed his food. He paused to have a sip of water before answering. “Actually, I did.” A frown marred his near-perfect brow. “I’m very concerned that we may be dealing was something similar to what your sister found in West Virginia.”

Helen felt the bottom drop out of her stomach. “Black magic? Is that what you mean?” She was filled with dread at what he might answer.

When he nodded again, she shut her eyes and searched for her center quickly. Focused once more, she tried to see his discovery in a positive light. At least he knew what to look for now, after that near-fiasco in West Virginia. He had approached the situation cautiously and had probably found something everybody else had missed.

“What does Joe say?” She knew he must have reported his findings to the Alpha of this territory right away. Something that important couldn’t wait.

“None of the locals noticed what I did,” Jim said quietly. He wasn’t bragging. He was just stating a fact. “Then again, none of them saw what I saw in the aftermath of the action your sister was involved in.”

Kiki had been a little more than involved. She’d been held prisoner by an evil witch who was using her as bait to catch Kiki’s mate, Jack, in werebear form. That sorceress would have killed him for his power, as she’d killed the others they’d since discovered. She’d almost killed Kiki, too, but little sis had outsmarted the witch and brought about her downfall. Helen was so darn proud of that kid.

“But they’re going to check it out?” Helen asked, worried for the town and the nice people she’d met here, so far.

“I’m going to check it out, with their help. This may be a little beyond the local talent’s experience. Heck, it’s beyond some of my experience, as well, but I’m not going into this unprepared. In fact...” He took his buzzing phone out of his pocket and laid it on the table next to his rapidly emptying plate. “Yeah, I figured this would happen,” he said as he read the text message that had just come in. “We’re doing a conference call in fifteen minutes. Will you be okay for a couple of hours?”

Chapter Thirteen

Jim stood from the table and bussed his and Helen’s dirty plates to the area set aside for them. She stood as well, any thought of lingering over coffee or a cinnamon bun forgotten.

While Helen was somewhat disappointed not to be included in the strategy session, she understood. She was the new kid on the block as far as Jim’s mission went. The boys who had planned it and sent him here were all familiar with their own abilities, but nobody really understood what she could do to aid the mission any more than she already had.

She had probably surprised everybody when she’d saved Jim’s life in Virginia Beach. Frankly, she had surprised herself, as well. Of course, she wasn’t about to admit that to anyone. Helen was confident that she had more to contribute, but she wasn’t altogether certain that she would get the chance. However, she wasn’t going to force her way in, if she wasn’t wanted. Things would unfold, she was confident, as the Mother of All intended.

With that thought in mind, she decided she was going to spend the morning shopping. Even her enormous bag couldn’t hold enough clothing for an indefinite stay. She was down to her last outfit and wouldn’t mind picking up a few things that were more suitable to this warmer climate. She would get another bag too, she decided. A real suitcase, since she was going to be flying out of a real airport once this adventure was over and she was on her way home. She’d always wanted a slick wheelie bag that she could maneuver every which way, and she’d seen some colorful examples in one of the shop windows they’d passed on their stroll through town the evening before.

“I’ll be okay,” Helen told Jim. “I need to do a little shopping, anyway.”

“Take my credit card. Get whatever you need,” he offered,