Page 26 of Secrets and Ruin

Pick up, Niko. I need you to pick up…

He didn’t, so I texted him, trying to get him to understand there was an emergency. It went unread.

Not saying anything, I went to my office, turned on my computer, and got onto the program Davor had developed for the family. I messaged Niko and tried to call him, but no one picked up. A moment later, someone did call back. A man I didn’t recognize showed up using Niko’s account, standing in his office.

“Hello. I’m Ansel. I am Nikolaus’s assistant. He’s not in currently. Can I take your message, Miss Leon?”

“Oh…” I rocked back. “Where is he?”

“He went into the forest some hours ago and said he would get back as soon as he was able,” Ansel explained, putting on a professional air.

“Do you know where Dirk is? Dirk Brandt. His son. He’s visiting right now. He’s been living with me for a few years. I need to get a hold of them, but neither picked up their phones.”

Ansel looked around and left the screen for a moment. I heard a door close, and he came back.

“Nikolaus went into the forest suddenly, but before that, he had been trying to find Dirk. He was due back and never came home. He’d done it before, and Nikolaus didn’t seem worried since Dirk often did this before he was sent to work for you. As for Nikolaus’s absence…he ran into the forest as he does when another werecat enters his territory to challenge him. I’m not sure the two are related.”

I dropped into my desk chair, covering my face.

“And? How bad is this, Ansel?”

“We’re on lockdown, Miss Leon. Nikolaus asked us to keep all the doors locked and not to leave the premises. This is standard procedure, so we’re not concerned currently.”

“Are you supposed to be telling me this?”

“No, but Nikolaus trusts my judgment when it comes to situations and telling his family what I might know. The coincidence that you are calling after Nikolaus and Dirk when Dirk hadn’t come home can’t be ignored. Also, I’ve heard Dirk talk about you. If anyone would need to know something might be wrong, I think you are at the top of that list.”

“Let me know when they come back….” I checked the time. “Two hours. If they aren’t back in two hours, either of them…call me back.”

“Of course. What should I tell them if they do come back? I assume you want them to contact you.”

“That my werewolves were attacked, and I need to know Dirk is safe,” I answered. “Thank you, Ansel.”

“Of course, Miss Leon.”

I hung up and walked back into the living room, only finding grim faces.

“I assume that could have gone better,” Heath said, no one else daring to say anything. “You rushed in there, and…”

“Niko ran out of there hours ago. Into the forest, his assistant said. Dirk… never got home from Berlin, but apparently, that’s common for Dirk.”

“Dirk promised me he wouldn’t be stupid,” Landon snarled. “He wouldn’t have missed his meeting time with Niko….”

“Landon, I need you to calm down,” Heath said, not looking at his son. He was still staring at me. “Jacky?”

“Two hours. Both of them have two hours to get home or call me from wherever they are, or Ansel, Niko’s assistant, will call me. If Ansel tells me no one has sent word, I’ll fly to Germany and figure things out over there while you all figure out how to help these three.”

“If we follow Landon’s train of thought and say it was Fenris, what sort of evidence should we look for?” Shamus asked.

“Financial records, like purchasing a plane ticket,” Ranger answered quickly, clearly falling into his experience as a former member of law enforcement. “That’s the easiest one.”

“See, I understand that Fenris is scarred, thanks to Niko, but flying across an ocean? That seems personal,” I pointed out. “He’s fine with me. It took some time and a few near-death experiences, but we’re good….” I didn’t want it to be Fenris. I needed this to be unrelated. “An elaborate scheme? None of this feels in character for him.”

“It doesn’t,” Heath agreed. “But we have to consider it.”

“What about these three? Do any of you have an idea about how to wake them up?” I wanted to shove the idea that Fenris betrayed us out of my mind and live in denial for a little while. I wanted the problem in front of me to be solved, and maybe they would have the truth.

“I asked Piper to find us some smelling salts. She’ll be back soon. Aside from that, we might need to reach out to the hospital and get them sent up there. If this was magical in nature, they would be able to untangle it. They’ll be safe in Mygi as well. I know we have some evidence to the contrary, but….”

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