Page 96 of Meant for Her

“If it was in self-defense, I can’t imagine him receiving a big sentence. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you both don’t want Pete to be charged with murdering your dad if he’s alive, right.”

“Right.” Only Ryan answered.

“If your dad is willing to let the authorities know that he’s alive—so Pete doesn’t spend the rest of his life in jail—maybe have him turn himself in up in Bozeman. Why? I bet I can find out which lawman is a shifter. I’m thinking my uncle will know.”

The two looked at each other. While it bothered her when they communicated telepathically, she’d let it slide for now.

Luke faced her. “Give your uncle a call and see if he can tell us a name. It might come in handy. Most likely, Dad has a fake driver’s license and a few other fake things, too, all of which are illegal.”

That meant he might spend some time in prison. Hopefully, it would be in a jail designed for shifters. “I will.”

Malia called her Uncle Adam and more or less explained the situation. It would take a while to give him all of the details. “Do you know of any lawmen around Bozeman who are werewolves? We’d rather have one handle their father.”

“I know of two. I’ll text you their names. You can have either of them call me if they have questions.”

“Thanks, Uncle Adam.”

“You bet. And good luck.”

She told the men what her uncle said. Luke must have already started preparing dinner because something smelled good. “When are we eating? I can’t think on an empty stomach.”

“Oh, shit,” Luke said. “I forgot about the casserole.”

He quickly pulled it out of the oven. While he let it cool, the three of them set the table.

“I think we should go first thing tomorrow morning,” Luke said.

“I’ll call Pam and tell her she needs to cover my shift. She already agreed should I need her.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

* * *

Ryan drove while Luke navigated. He was having second thoughts about Malia coming with them, but if they were going to make this threesome work, she needed to know everything they were going through.

“Take the next right. It should be up ahead,” Luke said.

Both Ryan and Malia had begged him to keep his cool, but Luke had so much pent up anger against his father for disappearing that he wasn’t sure he could control himself. His only saving grace might be that with Malia there, he wouldn’t want to make a fool of himself.

He looked around the area. It was all ranch land. Nice ranch land in fact. His father’s luck must have changed. Luke could only hope it was by legitimate means.

They’d timed their arrival for around dinner time so that if—and that was a big if—his father actually had a job, he’d most likely be home. Though from the looks of it, his dad might have decided to be a rancher again—only with horses as well as cows.

The road to the small ranch house didn’t have a sign above the entrance, though he wouldn’t be surprised if Dad called his place the Circle J or the Circle E Ranch.

“I see a truck. That looks like the truck in the photo,” Ryan said.

He parked, and Luke wondered if they were making a mistake. He inhaled, trying to psyche himself up. “Let’s do this.”

All three of them walked up to the door and knocked. Someone pulled back the curtain, only Luke couldn’t see who it was. A good thirty seconds passed before the door opened.

Their father glanced from Luke to Ryan to Malia. “How did you find me?”

“Hello to you, too, Dad,” Ryan said. “Can we come in and talk?”

“Might as well.” He stepped to the side so they could enter.

The home was actually better looking than where they lived—and neater too. Luke wasn’t ready to think his dad had changed.

---