Page 13 of Blood Bearon
“Absolutely not. You’re a suspect. How many times do you have to be told that you’re under arrest?” She turned into a building. “I don’t see a fire.”
“Me neither,” he said, feeling unsettled. “You need help, Detective. Let me out. You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”
She turned to look at him coldly. “Then tell me, or I’ll arrest your ass again for obstruction.”
Khove looked away. “Let me out,” he repeated.
“That’s what I figured.” She got out of the car, headlights blazing across a warehouse with the name Granted Holdings emblazoned on it. “Stay here.”
Khove didn’t reply. He watched her get out and head toward the building, gun drawn. Why wouldn’t she believe him that he was on her side? She was so desperate to prove he was a criminal, she was making a mistake by leaving him in the car.
The longer she was gone, the more worried he grew, until he could take it no longer. Offering a silent apology, he ripped off the door covering and manually lowered the window until he could reach outside and lift the handle. The door opened quietly and he jogged toward the building.
Reaching the entryway, he ducked inside, only to come to an abrupt halt as he stared down the barrel of her service pistol.
“I told you to stay in the car,” she hissed.
Khove, growing irritated at having the weapon pointed at him so much, casually reached up and took it from her hand. It was over in a second, leaving the detective shaking her hand to ease the sting in her fingers.
“I. Am. Not. Your. Enemy,” he said, voice growing deeper and angrier with each punctuated word. “Let me back you up.”
She looked ready to protest again, but at the last second, it seemed she decided otherwise. Where the sudden trust in him had come from, he wasn’t sure, but he was glad it was there.
“Fine. I suppose I don’t really have a choice, do I? You can apparently break cuffs, open doors to cop cars, and disarm me faster than I can see it happening. I guess if you really wanted to hurt me or escape, you’d be gone by now, instead of actively insisting on helping me.”
Khove smiled. “Why, Detective! I do think you’re coming to like me.”
She stared at him flatly. “Give me my gun back.”
He did, and together they crept into the back of the warehouse. It appeared empty. He couldn’t see any fire. Opening his nostrils, he tested the air. The sharp musky odor of Canim assaulted them almost immediately. It was strong, cloying the air. They had been here, and recently, at least three.
Following the scent, he left the detective to explore the rest of the large warehouse and out back. The danger was in this direction where the Canim were. Not where she was.
Intent on finding out just what was going on here, he crept deeper into the warehouse, focused on stopping the danger before the detective got involved. That was his only concern.
8
Step by step, she moved deeper into the warehouse, flashlight moving back and forth as her pistol tracked across the emptiness.
The building wasn’t truly empty. Various heavy machinery, work tables and even a small cargo van were there, casting crazy shapes off the wall when her light struck them. Still, there was no sign of life, anddefinitelyno sign of fire.
All that she’d seen so far was the forced entry at the main door. That seemed to indicate a robbery. But why had whoever called said the building was going up in flames? That was bound to bring a big emergency response presence to the area. It didn’t make much sense.
“Any signs of anything missing?” she asked quietly, wondering if his eyes had picked up anything she’d missed.
There was no response.
“Hey, pay attention,” she snapped, turning to look over her shoulder.
He was gone.
“Dammit.” The word was a quiet hiss.
Anger spiked at the betrayal. Rachel had trusted him for some unknown reason. A hunch, trusting the feeling of peace and safety he exuded that was so strong, she could practically feel it. All along, she’d ignored it, trying to play things by the book and keep him under arrest, even as her gut told her to believe him, to use him as an ally.
This was the last time she’d be doing that! Whatever strange aura he gave off, the giant stranger was not on her side. Not at all.
Bringing her hands back up, she continued to survey the building, moving into the back where boxes were stacked high against the walls. There was no time to worry about it now. She knew where he lived. How hard could it be to drive out there with a warrant and arrest him? With his height and build, the man would stand out like a sore thumb in any crowd. She would get him later.
