While Val was still lying in Howard’s bed recuperating, Rowdy showed her the photos Howard had taken of the dead man, but she didn’t know the man. “Did you send them to headquarters?” she asked Jillian.
“Yeah. They’re running them through their database.”
Val glanced at the clock. “How long has Howard been gone?”
“An hour,” Rowdy said. “I’ll get back to watching things.” He returned to the living room.
“Howard’s been gone too long. He shouldn’t be off by himself.” Val couldn’t shake loose her concern that Howard could get into real trouble on his own after what had happened to her. She had a better chance of helping him than a human or a wolf shifter would. But she had such a severe headache that she didn’t even know if she could shift without passing out. Still, she couldn’t let him risk his life when he had no backup.
And she always felt better getting back on track with the mission after she’d been wounded, to prove she wouldn’t be beaten.
“I agree, but I don’t think you’re in any shape to go running after him.” Jillian had just given Val medicine for the headache, while Rowdy was armed and watching out the windows. But he couldn’t see half as well as they could in the dark.
Val couldn’t quit worrying about Howard. “I need to go. I can help him fight other jaguars. I need to be there for him.” She climbed out of bed, still naked, and shifted. A sharp pain shrieked through her skull. She quickly sat down on her rump to settle the dizziness.
“Are you sure you’re going to be all right?” Jillian placed her hand on Val’s head, her brow furrowed with concern.
Val nodded.
“You’re not experiencing double vision, are you?”
Val shook her head. She stood and prowled toward the bedroom door. She wasn’t certain wolf shifters made good teammates to deal with rogue jaguars. They just weren’t as powerful.
Jillian followed her out of the bedroom and hurried to unlock the front door and open it for her.
“Whoa, she’s not going out on her own, is she?” Rowdy asked Jillian, eyeing Val.
“Yeah, she’s worried about Howard. So am I. He’s taking too long. What if he had to deal with crocodiles again?” Jillian asked. “Or another jaguar?”
Val agreed and wasn’t waiting for him to return. She ran out of the cabin and leaped to the ground. She followed the path Howard had taken to her cabin and then raced off through the rain forest along the path where Howard had dragged the dead man. She continued to run all the way to the river, but she didn’t see any sign of the man’s body or of Howard. She did see a crocodile sitting on the opposite riverbank. Unfortunately, Howard hadn’t left a scent. Had he followed Benny somewhere? Alone? He probably was at Benny’s cabin. She could bite Howard if he was, especially now that they suspected others might be involved.
When she raced off to get closer to Benny’s cabin, a jaguar shot out of his doorway, and her heart gave a start. Howard. She let out her breath in relief. He turned to see her, then just stared at her for a moment as if he couldn’t believe she’d be out here after what had happened to her. Then he ran straight for her, and as soon as he reached her, he nuzzled her face and growled a little. Then he shifted. “Benny’s not here. His wallet was on the bedside table. The woman is inside asleep,” he whispered to Val. “He must be running in the rain forest.”
She rubbed her body against Howard, which was a way of declaring he was her territory among cats, leaving her pheromones on him, just as he’d done with her. Then she shifted. “Let’s find him and take him out.”
Howard ran his hands down Val’s arms in a caring caress. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Yes. If we can find him, we need to do this.”
“All right. But we stick close together.”
“Right.” Val shifted, and for the first time since she’d had her partner on a mission, she was glad to have someone—Howard—on her side.
Together, they ran in a different direction this time, both smelling for any fresher scents indicating where Benny had run. Val began to feel apprehensive when they got close to Rowdy’s cabin. She smelled Benny’s scent around Rowdy’s place on the far side of the resort from their cabins and could tell he’d followed the detective there. His scent hadn’t been here before. He must have known Rowdy was onto him.
They heard someone coming, and both Val and Howard slipped underneath the cabin resting on its stilts.
“Hey,” Rowdy said, his voice hushed. “Howard? Val?”
They moved out from under the cabin and joined him.
“Your phone rang several times, and Jillian and I went to your cabin to check if it was your boss calling. Your mom called and said they were in trouble. She said if you could come and help, bring Howard and Jillian.”
The three of them hurried to return to her cabin.
Val’s heart was racing as she ran up her cabin steps, shifted, opened the door, and dashed inside.
Howard went in with her, though his clothes were at his cabin. She knew he came with her to watch over her.
“We’ll get ready to leave,” Rowdy said.
“But who’s going to take Benny down?” Val asked from her bedroom as she hurried to dress. “We can’t all leave here. He’s still here somewhere.”
“Did you see any sign of him?” Rowdy asked.
“No. But his car is still here. And Howard said his wallet was on the bedside table. The girlfriend was sleeping in their bedroom.” Val finished dressing and tossed some spare clothes into her bag. She joined Howard and Rowdy in the living area, and they went outside with her. She locked up the cabin, then they hurried through the forest to Howard’s cabin. “Two of us need to stay here. And two of us can go. Or I’ll go and check on my parents. That would mean three of us against the bad guys, and three of you here.”
Rowdy opened the door to Howard’s cabin, and Howard ran inside.
“What are we doing? I’ve packed our bags in the event we’re leaving,” Jillian said.
Howard disappeared into his bedroom.
“I’m staying here,” Rowdy said. “After I learned Lucy’s husband had murdered her, I made a promise to myself that I’d take this bastard down.”
Howard came out of his room, carrying his bag. “Jillian, we’re supposed to stay together.”
“Sometimes we get separated when we’re doing a mission. Just like when I had to go after a shooter that I learned was a rogue jaguar shifter, and you and Vaughn went after the other jaguar. We each have our roles to play. I was going to go with you, but if Rowdy’s staying, he’ll need my help. If you and Val go to her parents’ aid, Rowdy and I can keep track of things here. I can smell if Benny’s around. Once you’ve aided Val’s parents, you can return and help us, if we haven’t taken care of matters already.”
Howard opened his mouth to speak, but Jillian added, “Before you say anything about what Vaughn would say, I’ve already messaged him. He trusts us to do what’s right. I think he’s finally coming to grips with the fact that sometimes we have to go on separate missions, and he can’t constantly worry about me when he has a job to do too.”
“All right, but don’t take any unnecessary risks,” Howard said. “If you run into Benny and he’s a jaguar, shoot him.”
Jillian took a deep breath. “You and Val either. Rowdy and I might not have the claws and teeth the two of you do, but we’re packing. If we manage to take him out, we’ll move his body to the river and let the crocs handle the rest of him.”
“You’re sure the two of you are going to be okay?” Howard figured this was the best option for them, but he still worried about them.
“Yeah, we’ll be fine,” Jillian said, and Rowdy agreed.
“Let me know if anything comes up,” Howard said.
“Same with you,” Jillian said.
Howard offered to drive Val’s rental car because of the way she was feeling, and she let him. Then they headed to where her parents were. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Yeah. I’m worried about them. They should have retired last year. They nearly died after three male jaguar shifters about our age attacked them on a case. Sure, they have the training, but they’re not as fast as they used to be. And yes, anyone could have been in as much danger if they’d been outnumbered like that. But early in their career, they wouldn’t have gotten themselves into that bind in the first place,” Val said, directing him to her parents’ location.
“Are you sure? Anyone, no matter their age or training, can get themselves into trouble. Hell, even I did a few times.”
“A few times?”
Howard smiled. “I was a hothead and thought I could do anything, that I was invincible. I have a dad who believes if you are going to be great at anything, you have to take chances, no matter how difficult or insane the task. I took his words to heart. And I’ve made some god-awful mistakes, nearly getting myself killed any number of times. Hell, that was before I was even twenty.”
She chuckled. “But you lived.”
“Yeah. It wasn’t easy at times. I appreciated my dad’s comment though. I might never have had the courage to do what I’ve done if it hadn’t been for him.”
“What did he do for a living?”
“He’s a Guardian. So is my mother. When he told me I had to take chances, he thought I would join the Guardian force like them. It was too tame for me. I wanted to prove to my dad I could do just what he said I could do.”
She laughed. “I bet you gave him early gray hairs.”
“I did. He’s told me that every year since I joined the Enforcers. He and Mom weren’t sure about me transferring to the USF. He thought it could be as dangerous as the Enforcers’ jobs. And it can be.”
“Same with the Guardians, if they tangle with the wrong people.” Val was texting on her phone.
“Which was what Dad was referring to when he said I had to take chances if I was going to be great at my job. He and Mom both have had some death-defying challenges while trying to protect shifters or jaguars from the rogues.” He glanced at her. “Are you trying to reach them?”
“Yeah, first my mom, then Dad, but neither are texting back.”
“Were they glad that you joined the same force as them? My parents wished I had joined the Guardians. They never thought I’d want to be an Enforcer.”
“No, actually, they wanted me to be a Guardian. It was all right for them to be Enforcers, but they didn’t want to worry about me. They met in the Enforcer branch, and they’ve always had each other to work with. They haven’t liked that I’ve been working alone.”
“Which is why they contacted my boss to see if I’d watch your back.”
“Yeah. I can’t believe they did that. Or that Martin Sullivan and my boss approved it. I have to admit you saved me back there. Thanks for that. Jillian said you had to fight off a crocodile to stop him from making me his supper.”
“True. There were actually two of them, but I convinced the other one to get lost so I didn’t have to kill him too.”
“Why in the world were you in Benny’s cabin alone, with no backup? I was ready to bite you for it.”
He smiled at her. He suspected she was serious. “I was angry he might have hired someone to take you out. But he wasn’t there.”
“What about the woman? What if she’d seen you?”
“The guy is dangerous to you, me, and most likely the new girlfriend. If he’d been there, I was going to…convince him to leave with me so we could have a talk. Privately.”
“So that’s part of your living-dangerously creed.”
“The other man could have easily killed you. I wanted the truth out of Benny. Had he been involved in the attempt on your life? I’d say yes.” Howard let out his breath. “When did you leave your cabin? You should have texted me you were coming.”
“Around four. I couldn’t sleep. I was anxious to be out there.”
“So you hadn’t gone anywhere close to his place?”
“No. I’d left my cabin, intending to wake you if you weren’t up yet. Out of the dark, the jaguar attacked. Of course, at first, I thought it was Benny, but then I realized it wasn’t his scent. It all happened so fast that I didn’t even have a chance to warn you I was in trouble. I was angry with myself for letting him get the drop on me. Here I hadn’t even wanted you or Jillian’s protection. I was damn glad you had come with me and saved my life. I would have died if you hadn’t.”
“Hell. I was texting Rowdy to join Jillian to watch her back. I was angry I hadn’t gotten to your place sooner. I would have taken the bastard out before he had a chance to injure you.”
“You shouldn’t have had to. This could very well mean our whole mission has escalated to something more serious.” Then she changed the subject. “Enough about that. It’s done. Your parents haven’t retired either?”
“No. They love what they do. Their work as Guardians isn’t usually as dangerous as what Enforcers do on a regular basis. I think their boss gives them more low-key assignments unless he needs them for something more challenging. I understand why your parents want to keep doing their job though. It gives them a sense of purpose. I also understand how you feel about it.”
“I’m sure they worry about me as much as I do about them. My dad is so controlling that I couldn’t work with him.”
Howard smiled at her. “I wanted more excitement in my life. I couldn’t imagine being a Guardian agent.” He let his breath out. “I hope Benny doesn’t injure either Jillian or Rowdy.”
“I hope not.” Val looked out the window.
“Can’t you get ahold of either of your parents yet?”
“No. If Eric, the drug pusher, has hurt them… Well, even if he hasn’t, if I get ahold of him, he’s dead. My parents won’t need to finish their mission.”
“That was your parents’ mission… Take him down, but just him, correct?”
“Yeah. But what if there are more jaguar shifters involved in this? My parents haven’t had any luck in pinning him down.”
“If he has any jaguar muscle helping him, we’ll take them all down.”
“If he’s just got humans protecting him, we’ll have to turn them over to the local police force.”
“We will, if we don’t have to fight them and take them out to protect ourselves or your folks.” Howard wasn’t about to mention what he feared had happened. Her parents were already dead. He was certain Val had already thought the same thing.
“Good. I hoped you would feel that way. Do you think you would ever want to work as an Enforcer again?”
“If I had the right incentive. The right partner.”
“You would work with a partner again in the Enforcer branch, even after what had happened to you before you began to work solo?” she asked.
“Yeah. Working with agents of other branches, and now other kinds of shifters, has really helped me to see the advantage of sharing ideas and using one another’s skills to accomplish the job with fewer casualties on our side. What about you? Would you ever be interested in joining another branch?”
“If I had the right incentive. The right partner.”
He smiled. Sure, he could return to work as an Enforcer, but he really did like working with the mix of people he was with. They truly were a team.
They were quiet after that and had driven for a couple of hours when Val finally pointed to the street. “Okay, this is the area. The drug house is down the street to the right. It should be the third house. White siding. There’s a vacant lot first. And another on the other side of it. It’s a mix of homes, vacant lots, trees, shrubs, a few businesses. Looks like this area is zoned commercial.”
“Do you know what vehicle your parents were driving?”
“Yeah. A gray Nissan Versa.”
“I don’t see one in the area.” He drove by Eric’s house, looking for a place to park that wouldn’t make them stand out too much. “Laundromat, café, gas station, and grocery store are nearby.”
“If we walk around at all, we’re going to be noticed.”
“Screw it. If your parents are in danger, I don’t want to wait.” Howard drove around the block until he was back on the street where the house was located. He pulled up next to the treed front yard. “Ready?”
“Knife, throwing stars, gun. Yeah, I’m ready.”
“Okay, let’s do this.”
Howard and Val exited the car.
Three vehicles—a blue pickup and a couple of sedans—were sitting on the dirt road leading up to the side of the house. A couple of cars and trucks were parked along the street a few lots down.
“Could be more than we bargained for here,” Val warned, motioning to the three vehicles parked at the house.
“Yeah. You still want to do this, don’t you?”
“Yeah. If my parents are in trouble, we need to. Besides, we’ve already made our move, and if anyone’s watching, they know it.”
The two of them walked together, eyeing the windows to see if they noticed any movement. That was the advantage of their jaguar sight. They could detect the slightest movement that humans might be incapable of seeing.
“Window to our left, a woman peeked out,” Val said.
“I noticed. They’ll be ready for us.”
They were close to the door when they heard a man say to someone, “Hell, you shot the agents. Now look at the damn mess you got us into.”
Howard glanced at Val to see if she’d heard. He felt sick to his stomach, thinking that whoever the man was, he’d killed her parents. She looked pale as Howard knocked on the door, his free hand in his pocket where he had a switchblade. He’d rather take care of a jaguar shifter as a big cat, but for now, he didn’t have any choice.
A woman answered the door but only opened it narrowly. She was a petite blond with blue eyes, her gaze darting from him to Val. And she was a jaguar. “Y-yes?” she asked, her voice stuttering a little with nervousness.
He hated that Eric and his partners had used a woman to cover for them. Unless she was involved in the drug deals. She looked sweet and innocent, but since she was here, she most likely knew all about the drug business. Unless she was here against her will.
“We’re looking for Eric. Is he here?”
Her eyes widened again. “I don’t know anyone by that name.”
Howard pushed his way into the house. “He’s a jaguar like you. Like us. Where is he?”
“Y-you’re jaguars?” The woman looked shocked. Since they were still wearing hunter’s spray, she hadn’t detected their scents.
Val quickly shut the door, then secured the woman’s arms behind her back. Even though she appeared mousy and unable to fight them, she could be just as dangerous as them if she shifted.
They heard movement in the kitchen. Val took the woman’s arm, and she and Howard moved toward the kitchen.
“Who else is here?” Howard asked the woman, his voice hushed.
“Just a cat. He must have gotten into my plants again.”
“Jaguar?”
“No, no, little cat.”
He didn’t believe the woman for a moment. “We heard men talking.”
“Lie down on the floor,” Val said to the woman. “Don’t move.” She showed her the gun she was carrying. “I’m an Enforcer. I won’t hesitate to take you down if you interfere or try to run.”
The woman’s eyes rounded.
Yeah, tell someone you were an Enforcer, and that got the jaguar’s attention. Howard had to admit mentioning being one of the Enforcers, who took a lethal approach in their missions, had a lot more of an effect on a perp than telling him he was a USF agent. Most shifters still hadn’t heard of the newly formed branch, so he often used the Enforcer card when he wanted to impress upon the individual how serious his business was.
Howard and Val moved into the kitchen where a window was wide open, the breeze whipping the bright-pink curtains about. “Out back,” Val said.
They peered through the window and saw two men running, both dressed in jeans, sneakers, and T-shirts, the one dark-haired, the other blond.
“I’ll go after them. You get what you can out of the woman,” Howard said.
“We’re supposed to stay together.”
“Right. But she might have the information we need. We don’t want to lose her too if I miss catching up to either one of these guys. She might know what happened to your parents. If not, we can’t afford to lose these men.”
“All right.” But Val didn’t sound happy about it.
Howard ran through the house, racing out the front door and around to the back. There were no fences around most of the small houses; all had sizable lots with fruit trees and other vegetation that helped to separate the properties. He hoped he’d catch up to at least one of the men. They weren’t wearing hunter’s spray like he was, so he easily followed their trail through the properties. The problem was that they could have friends in the neighborhood who would offer them safe harbor. Maybe even provide backup for them.
He hadn’t wanted to leave Val behind. He seriously hoped she could get something out of the woman about where her parents were. Though he did worry the guys he was chasing might call for support to protect the woman in the house or to take her out so she didn’t talk. Which would put Val at more of a risk.
For now, he was running as fast as he could to catch up to the two men, hoping he’d have only two to handle at the same time.