Page 80 of Into the Lion's Den (Secrets of the Northland Shifters)

“Reese?” Joe asked.

I clenched my teeth, not wanting to tell him the truth but knowing I couldn’t avoid it now. “Dad’s gun didn’t accidentally discharge.”

Joe’s eyebrows drew together. “What do you mean?”

Sarah looked at me with wide apologetic eyes.

I gave her a small smile, telling her it was okay. Then I poured myself another jigger.

“He was shot.” I tossed back the whiskey and winced against the burn. “We think by a hunter.”

The scent of Joe's adrenaline spiked in the air. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“We don’t want law enforcement involved.” It was the simplest answer to a much more complicated situation. “We’ll take care of it ourselves.”

Joe shook his head. “Think carefully, Reese. Vigilantism is never rewarded.”

“I’m no vigilante, Uncle Joe.”I was something else entirely.

I met Sarah’s wide gray eyes, and she lifted that obstinate chin of hers. I could see in her expression that she still had no intent to run away from the crazy world she'd stumbled into. My inner cat always got smugly satisfied every time I realized how brave Sarah truly was.

“Besides,” I added, “the chance of us finding the hunter are slim to none.”

“Not exactly,” Sarah said.

“What?” I asked.

“Reese,” she said, a satisfied smile spreading across her beautiful face. “That patch with the partial logo… I finally got a lead!”

The end…for now.

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