Page 4 of Midnight Whispers
Iven sighed. “Guess it wouldn’t do for everyone in town to know the sheriff screwed up his son.”
“It was his mother who screwed him up, right?” Cass didn’t know enough to say whether that was true. All he knew was the kid’s mother had been a drunk, and the kid took care of her his entire life, even when he was a child. But she’d died not that long ago.
“I let it happen. I should have fought for custody when he was small.” Iven tapped on the wheel and shook his head. “Instead, I let myself believe Riley was safe with her.”
Cass stiffened. “Did something happen?”
“Other than he’s had to clean up after his mother’s vomit and probably pick up her empty liquor bottles his whole life. And for the last few years that kid has been the sole breadwinner.”
Cass relaxed. “So, he grew up too fast. It could be a lot worse.”
“There’s no evidence that he’s abusing drugs or alcohol. I don’t think he even smokes cigarettes or marijuana recreationally. But that’s the thing. I don’t know for sure.” Iven sighed again. “I don’t know my own son. Hell, the last time he visited, he was seventeen and worried about his mother the entire week.”
Cass couldn’t help but wonder if maybe Iven’s guilt was spot on. Still, it sounded as though his kid was more responsible than most. “He seems like a good kid.”
“He is. No thanks to me and his mother.”
“Does her being gone make it easier for you to get to know him?”
“It should, shouldn’t it? But Riley is grieving. And he’s never needed me to save him.”
“He’s needed you, Iven. He just hasn’t let you in. There’s a difference.”
“I did offer to send him to college.” Iven shrugged. “Griffin didn’t want to go. But I’m hoping Riley does.”
Cass smiled. “Griffin can’t sit still long enough to learn in a classroom setting.”
Iven smiled, too, as if he were proud of his oldest son. “That boy is all about everything mechanical.”
“He’s a fucking genius with all that shit.” Cass had asked Griffin for help on more than one occasion.
“Just like his mother.” Iven and Zinnie’s relationship might have gone south after only a few years, but they had a great friendship. Iven respected the hell out of Griffin’s mom.
“Zinnie’s great.” She owned Fortune Falls Inn which was just off Main Street. Griffin maintained everything for her.
“I got lucky. Not so much with Vivianne.”
“Do you think Riley will take you up on the offer?”
“I hope so. He’s all alone down there. He needs his family.” Sounded more like Iven needed to be a dad to his kid. It was his way of making amends, but was the kid resisting help? Was he just so used to being on his own that he didn’t know how to ask for help? If the latter was the case, then Iven was in for heartbreak. Iven was the sheriff of Fortune Falls. The whole damn town needed him. He excelled at being needed.
They pulled up to the address. The house was out of town, surrounded by fields of what used to be corn, but the farmers had harvested the corn months ago. They’d tilled the ground, preparing for winter. The house was a white farmhouse that sat on top of a hill. It was a pretty setting.
As soon as Cass exited the SUV, he smelled three wolves and a hell of a lot of blood.
Cass put his hand over his gun, ready to pull it free from the holster if necessary. “Someone’s injured.”
A wolf came around the corner. It limped and then shifted into a man when he saw them. The man was slight and thin to the point of emaciation. He was bleeding from his cheek and clutched his side as if something hurt. He had blonde hair thatseemed as if it hadn’t been washed in days. Maybe even longer. His feet must be frozen. He’d die of hypothermia within a few minutes if he didn’t either shift back into his wolf or put clothes on.
He stopped walking right before his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Cass caught him before he fell.
Iven pulled his gun, holding it as he approached the house.
“There’s one more wolf shifter on the property. This one isn’t pack, but the other one is.” The third wolf was also pack, but his scent was weaker, as if he’d only come and gone once or twice and hadn’t returned. All other scents were days older, if not longer. Cass couldn’t glean any more information.
Cass called in the scene, requesting an ambulance and backup, after he carried the man to their SUV. The cab was still warm, and they had blankets in the back.
Cass laid him on the seat and grabbed three blankets. Tucking them around him.
