“Good.”
“You and Stanhill follow in your car. Mine will be too full of mobsters on the way back.” Merrow unhooked his keys from his belt and a few minutes later, Hugh and Stanhill were tearing up the mountain road toward Carraway Lane behind the sheriff.
Hugh followed the patrol car into a driveway, unsure of where the sheriff was headed. Carraway was the next road, not more than a quarter of a mile away. Merrow parked and got out, so Hugh and Stanhill did the same.
Stanhill looked at Hugh. “We must be going on foot from here.”
“Makes sense.” Hugh looked around. The trees were covered in green and despite the warm day, the scent of woodsmoke wafted through the air. Tourists who rented the cabins up here liked to use the fireplaces no matter what the season. Made it harder to pick up other scents but hopefully that wouldn’t be an issue for the shifters.
Merrow was speaking into his radio as they approached him. “We’re here. We’ll meet you in five minutes.” He let the button go and glanced at Hugh. “Nick, Jenna and Alex have pinpointed the house. There are men stationed at the front and back, and they think at least two more inside. Maybe three.”
Four or five didn’t matter. He could take them all if he had to. Any sign of Delaney?”
“No, but both Alex and Nick confirm her scent there is strong.” Merrow hesitated. “You should stay here.”
Hugh stared at the man. “You know that’s not going to happen.”
Merrow sighed. “Ellingham, Alex and Nick also confirmed the scent of blood.”
A chill zipped down Hugh’s spine. Blood. Images, none of them good, spun through his head. “If they’ve hurt her—”
“They’ll be dealt with. Legally. I don’t want to arrest you today, you understand what I’m saying?”
Hugh stepped into the sheriff’s personal space, let his fangs slide down and spoke with slow deliberation. “If they have hurt her, I will do what needs to be done.”
Merrow’s radio went off. “Sheriff, one of the men is leaving in a black Chevy Tahoe.”
Hugh jabbed a finger at Merrow. “If you don’t want to arrest me today, maybe you should go after him instead.”
“I don’t have a choice,” Merrow shot back. “No one else has a car but you and me, and I’m sure as hell not sending you.” He yanked the door to the squad car open. “Go rescue Delaney. Just keep it legal.”
A black SUV rumbled past them. Merrow jumped into his car and went after it.
Hugh narrowed his eyes at Stanhill. “I’m not that concerned about legal.”
Stanhill shook his head. “That’s for bleedin’ sure.”
Hugh stared into the trees. The scents of the other supernaturals danced at the edge of his sensory perimeters. Then another stronger, more familiar smell broke through.
Blood. Delaney’s blood.
With a growl, he started forward, racing along the scent lines of the other supernaturals. Stanhill followed. They joined the gargoyle and the two deputies near a small hollow in the mountain side just as Julian, Sebastian and Titus jogged toward them from the other side of the ridge.
“Hank went after the one that left since he had the squad car.” Hugh nodded at Nick. “Where’s the house?”
“Other side of this rise.”
“Any better idea of how many are inside?”
“Since that one left, we think there’s only three. One at each exit front and back, and one inside.”
“With Delaney,” Hugh added.
Nick nodded.
“Julian and Sebastian have the rest of you beat for speed, so they can take out the guards. As soon as they do that, Nick, you get to the electric box and cut power to the house. Then Stanhill and I will go in and deal with whoever’s left in there. And I’ll find Delaney.”
Alex held out his hands. “What about Jenna and I?”
Hugh’s mouth bent into a wry smile. “I wouldn’t want you to have to arrest any of us for doing something your boss might not approve of. You two stay here. Maybe Merrow will come back.”
Jenna leaned against a tree and shrugged. “Less paperwork. I’m cool.”
Hugh gave the rest of them a nod. “Here we go.”
Fat Eddie jerked Delaney’s chin up, his thick fingers bruising her skin.
She yanked at the zip ties restraining her hands, causing them to cut deeper into her skin. Her desire to shove him away was greater than the pain.
He laughed at her struggles. “When my boy gets to that house and finds that computer, you’d better give me the password on the first go or things are gonna get ugly.”
“Uglier, you mean,” she managed. “I’m already looking at your face.”
He shoved her chin away and balled his hand into a fist, threatening her with it. “It’s like you want me to hit you.”
She glared at him. “I swear to God, you have no idea how much trouble you’re going to be in.”
He snorted. “Is this another story about how your big bad boyfriend is gonna tear my throat out?”
“Yes,” she hissed. Please let Hugh be home. Please let him figure out what was going on. Please, please let him rescue her. “He’ll probably do it literally. He’s a pretty scary guy. Do you have any bladder issues? Because you might pee yourself when you see him.”
“You’re getting on my last good nerve, you know that?” Fat Eddie leaned in. “I don’t usually whack women on account of them being women and all, but I’m kinda looking forward to this.”