“An old town.”
“An…old town?” Demetria asked. “Small though? Not many people live there?”
“Just ghosts. Only got one house left.” Corey raised one finger.
“A…ghost town?” Demetria asked, her jaw hanging.
“Yeah, but I didn’t see no ghosts.”
“But it’s called a ghost town?” Everett asked.
“All the people left, and the town just blew away. That’s what Mommy and Daddy said. ’Cuz Angie got scared we’d see ghosts. But there aren’t any. Nick said he saw one, but Mommy said he was fibbing ’cuz there aren’t any ghosts.”
“Do you live where the ghost town used to be?” Demetria asked.
“Nah. Daddy and my uncles builded cabins. We live in them.”
“Do you know the name of the ghost town?” Everett asked.
Corey shook his head.
Demetria did a Google search. “Okay, an incomplete listing of ghost towns in Minnesota gives us fifty-one.”
“The list is incomplete,” Everett said.
“Right.” Demetria started listing them to see if Corey recognized any of them.
Corey just shook his head at the names each time.
“That’s a lot of ghost towns, and it’s not even all of them,” Everett said.
“Let’s go over the maps of Minnesota and see if we can locate ghost towns near lakes and rivers.” Everett cleared the table of dishes and looked up a map of Minnesota.
“And since towns need water to survive,” Demetria said, raising her brows at Everett, “and because the state has ten thousand lakes…”
“They probably all are by some source of water.”
“We need more to go on,” Demetria said, sounding exasperated.
After breakfast, Everett and Demetria took Corey to his birthday party at the day-care center. Mary had decorated everything with a dinosaur theme, since Corey had been having so much fun putting the dinosaur puzzle together.
But the best part? Demetria noticed that three new figures had been painted on the jungle mural. One was a little white wolf pup poking his nose at a leaf covered in raindrops, while below that, a jaguar cub was catching the falling drops on his tongue. And peeking out from behind a tree was a jaguar wearing angel wings.
“Look, Corey, that’s you,” Everett said, taking the boy by the hand and showing him the picture.
Corey pointed to the jaguar cub. “That’s Lacy ’cuz she always wears wings.”
Demetria and Everett smiled at the painting. She loved seeing the new additions. It was like a new beginning between the wolf and jaguar shifters.
“Okay, Corey, we’re going to look for your parents some more. Are you going to be all right playing with the other kids and with my mom?” Everett asked.
Five other moms were there to help out, all smiling at Corey.
“You’re not going to stay?” Corey asked.
“We’ll come back and get a piece of cake and a scoop of ice cream in a little while and see all the cool presents you got,” Demetria said.
“Okay.” Corey gave them a thumbs-up.
Everett laughed and ruffled his hair. “Okay, we’ll be back in a couple of hours.”
Demetria gave Corey a hug, but he wanted one from Everett too.
“He’ll be fine,” Mary said. “We’ll have fun.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
They returned to JAG headquarters, where Everett worked with a sketch artist to draw a picture of the woman and her triplets he’d seen at the mall. Demetria verified that the picture looked like the woman and kids. Then they’d make a copy and send it to all the agents in the branches. They figured there was always the possibility that the MacPhersons had run across a pack in Dallas at some point, as much as they moved. Martin also wanted to touch base with any wolf shifters in Dallas to offer them the branches’ services if they needed them.
Howard hadn’t been able to find any sign of Paddy but was still on the case.
Tammy had a little more information that Belinda had recalled about the trip up north. They had stopped to eat at a couple of places, and she had receipts for gas. This was good news and got them closer to the location where Corey’s family lived. But one thing was troublesome: Paddy had apparently taken a wrong turn, having no signal for the GPS out there, and they’d ended up somewhere they’d never been before. They’d had to take lots of winding country roads and he’d sworn constantly, worried they weren’t going to find their way back to civilization before they ran out of gas. Would Paddy remember the location if they could find him?
They sure hoped so.
Chapter 17
With the new information from Belinda, Everett and Demetria studied the map of the States again. The more Tammy had talked with Belinda, the more the woman had recalled about the route she and Paddy had taken. They’d started out on Interstate 35 from Dallas all the way to Highway 61, which took them to Gooseberry Falls State Park in Minnesota, where they camped for a few days.
But after that, the route they took became a blur. They had been headed to Bear Head Lake State Park but missed their turnoff and took another road. Belinda had taken medication for nausea because of all the winding rural roads Paddy was driving on, and she had slept for the duration, so she wasn’t sure where they had ended up.
Paddy had told her he’d given up on trying to find the right road, parked, and fished on the river where he and Belinda had the fight. But he hadn’t known the name of the river.
“It could be anywhere up in that area,” Everett said. “We still need to narrow it down.” He glanced at the clock. “Want to have lunch at the mall?”
“Yeah, sure. I suspect we might become regulars there while we’re trying to track down wolf shifters, when I rarely went there before. I was thinking maybe now would be a good time for you to talk to my dad.”
“About him getting out of Dodge?” Everett wasn’t sure if she meant that, or if she wanted him to tell her dad what his intentions were. He was ready for either.
“Yeah. Tell him to quit coming home and upsetting Mom.”
“I can do that. What do you want to do in the meantime? Do you want to come with me, or do you want me to drop you off at the day care and you can watch Corey?”
“Let’s have lunch, and then you can drop me off at the day care and see my dad.”
They ate at a fish-and-chips restaurant, which reminded Everett of Belinda and Paddy and fishing. Everett hoped that when they found Paddy, he’d recall where he and Belinda had camped so the JAGs could get closer to the actual area where Corey’s parents lived.
Both Everett and Demetria had been taking deep breaths practically the whole time they were walking through the mall, but neither had seen any sign of the mother and her young boys who had smelled of wolves or even caught a whiff of others who smelled like that. But they did see lots of jaguar agents and jaguar families wandering through the mall.
“If they live in this area and shop here, the wolves are going to wonder why they’re smelling so many cat lovers all of a sudden.” Demetria waved at yet another family with small children that they knew.
“They’ll never suspect a thing unless Dr. Denali gets in touch with a local wolf pack in Dallas and shares the news about our existence.”
“True.”
After enjoying lunch, Demetria said, “Okay, I texted my dad and he’s going to meet you at O’Flaherty’s Pub.”
“Wait… The same place Brayden Covington’s dad, Lucian, goes to? And Paddy O’Leary?”
“Yeah. I suggested it to my dad so you could still be working the case if Paddy’s there.”
Everett paid for the meal and smiled at her. “You are such a taskmaster.”
“You love me for it. Besides, I’m the Guardian so I’ll be doing my job by staying with Corey for a while. I don’t want you to
be goofing off.”
He laughed. “Works for me.” He was glad she had thought of it. They made a great team.
When Everett left her off at his mother’s day care, Demetria gave him a hug and kiss. “Don’t kill my dad. Just tell him he’s not welcome.”
“Will do.” Everett gave her a hug and kiss back, thinking they should have gone to his place or hers for a little extra loving before they went back to work. He figured she wouldn’t go for it if he suggested it now.
She smiled at him as if she knew very well what he was thinking. “Yeah, too late now. Later.”
* * *
Everett arrived at the appointed hour to meet with Demetria’s father, Joel MacFarlane, at O’Flaherty’s Pub, which was dark and smelled of testosterone, cologne, sweat, and alcohol. An Irish drinking song played overhead as conversations filled the air. Christmas lights reflected in the dark mirror behind the bar. Some of the men drinking at tables glanced in his direction, checking out the stranger in their midst.
A group of four homicide detectives that Everett recognized were sitting at one table.
The shifters didn’t really work with the police on cases, but they shared information with them if they came across a case that strictly had to do with humans. The police appreciated their help because they never stuck their noses in the police department’s business beyond that.
One of the detectives raised his beer to Everett, and he smiled and nodded in greeting. He really hadn’t expected to see anyone he knew, let alone that might be on the police force.
Riley Keefer, a homicide detective, motioned for him to have a seat with them, which indicated to the rest of the patrons that Everett was welcome. He joined them to say hi but told Keefer he needed to meet someone.
Then he saw Demetria’s dad, same dark hair and eyes as she had, but his face was chiseled granite, his eyes narrowed at Everett. He didn’t look happy to see him. Everett felt likewise.
Everett took leave of the detectives and headed to Joel MacFarlane’s table. He reminded himself that he had to handle this right. He wanted to get her father’s approval to marry Demetria, even if her father hadn’t been there for her and her mom. It was just something Everett had been brought up to believe in. And he really didn’t know her father or his issues, so in all fairness, Everett wanted to keep an open mind.
“So, what do you want of me?” the man growled.
“Are you Joel MacFarlane?”
“Yeah, and you’re the guy chasing after my daughter.”
Everett took a seat at the table. “We’re working together on a mission.”
“You’re doing a hell of a lot more than that.”
“I’m Everett—”
“I know who you are. You were best friends with Matt, the guy my daughter was seeing before he was killed in Costa Rica a year ago, trying to save a little girl. And yeah, I know you brought them both home. I know about your current mission, who your family is, and a hell of a lot more.”
“Demetria told you—”
“My daughter and I don’t speak much.”
“Hell, you sound like my dad.” Then Everett frowned, thinking suddenly how much he thought the circumstances could be the same. Some covert operatives maintained families, like his father. Others, afraid their families would be at risk, abandoned them. Like Demetria’s father?
“Yeah, I know Roy Anderson too.”
Everett raised his brows. Her father didn’t say he knew of him, as in researched his background, but knew him.
“Here’s the deal. It’s none of your damn business why I’m back in town unless you think you’re trying to protect my daughter. But she doesn’t need protecting. Not from me.”
“And her mother?”
Joel smiled in a sinister way. “You don’t know anything about me. But what I want to know is, where is this going between you and my daughter?”
“We’re getting married.” Everett didn’t know why he said that so definitively, especially when he hadn’t even discussed it with Demetria. But Everett intended to, first chance he got. He wished he’d done so before he had said anything to her dad. Then again, she and her father didn’t talk to each other much, so Everett figured he was safe.
“When?”
A server came to take Everett’s order. “Beer.” When the woman left the table, Everett said, “We haven’t set a date yet.”
“Well, set it already. My daughter’s not getting any younger. I’ll give you an early wedding present so you can get down to business. White wolves have been spotted up near Blue Hill.”
“How do you know—”
“Let’s just say I have my sources. You need to get that kid home to his family, and you need to set a date.”
The server brought Everett’s beer and he paid her. After she left, he asked Joel, “Why are you here?”
“My daughter asked me to meet you.”
“Why are you in town?” Everett asked, exasperated.
Joel leaned back in his seat, finished his beer, and set the empty mug on the table. “You tell me.”
Everett drank some of his beer. “You still love your wife, and you love your daughter. You come around to check on them, sometimes letting them know and other times not. It’s not something you’re happy with, but if you ever decide to retire from the job, you’ll return to your family. In the meantime, you’re trying to keep them safe by making it appear that you don’t care anything about them.”
“How do you figure?” Joel asked.
“One of my father’s friends in the business is the same way.”
Joel gave him a little smile. “Keep treating my daughter right, and you’ll live a long and healthy life.”
“We’ll send you a wedding invitation. Do you think you’ll show up?” Everett finished his beer.
Joel rose and tossed a tip on the table, grabbed his leather jacket and pulled it on. “You ought to ask my daughter if she’s going to marry you first, don’t you think?” He chuckled darkly and stalked out of the pub.
Everett stared after him. Hell. Then he glanced around the pub to see if Paddy was in the place, just in case. He called Demetria to say things went well with her father, but that he needed to ask her an important question.
“Hey, Demetria, still at the pub. Met with your father and everything seems to be fine with him.”
“Concerning?”
“Everything with you and your mother. He loves you both. I’ll explain when I get there.”
“And about the wedding?”
Everett glanced back at the door to the pub. Hell. How had her father told her already?
He left a tip on the table. “Uh, yeah, about that…”
“My father gave you permission to marry me.”
“Yeah.” Everett cleared his throat. “About that. I meant to ask you first—”
“But you’re your father’s son, Everett. And you wanted to get my dad’s permission even if you didn’t need it.”
“Yeah. Hey, can you hold on for just a second? I’m checking the poker room for Paddy.” Everett pulled open the door to the room where the guys played poker. Lucian was there, but Paddy wasn’t among the players. He must have suspected he might be in trouble and was lying low. Lucian frowned at Everett and began to rise from his chair as if he thought to have a word with him about his son. But then Everett noticed one of the players at the table was missing. Was it Paddy? Was he in the men’s room?
“Has anyone seen Paddy O’Leary?” Everett asked.
“What’s it to you?” one of the men asked, but Lucian’s brows rose a bit.
He was probably wondering why the JAG agent would be interested in a non-shifter.
“He’s missing. We’re worried about foul play,” Everett said.
“Why would that concern you?” Lucian asked.
“He’s a cop.
Can’t you tell?” one of the men said. “He has it written all over his face.”
Detective Riley Keefer came in behind Everett. “You need any help?”
Everett shook his head. “I’ve got this one. But thanks, Riley.”
“No problem.”
Then Everett gave Lucian a hard stare, wondering if the man really did know where Paddy was but was holding out until they gave him his son back.
Everett turned and left, heading for the men’s room.
At the sink, a red-haired man was mopping up a bloody nose.
“Are you Paddy O’Leary?”
The man narrowed his green eyes at Everett. “What’s it to you, buster?”
“Cheating at poker?”
“I don’t have anything to say to you.” Paddy pressed wadded-up toilet paper to his nose and looked back at his reflection in the mirror.
“Let’s have this conversation somewhere more pleasant.” Everett flashed his badge.
“Okay, so are you supposed to be the good cop and the other guy was the bad cop? Only he didn’t flash any kind of a badge, just a fist.”
“What other guy?” Everett asked. No one on the force would have beaten this man for the truth, unless maybe he was a frustrated Enforcer agent.
“The big guy wearing the leather jacket. Hell, he must’ve been a middleweight boxer the way he laid into me before I even had a chance to come out punching.”
Demetria’s dad? “What did he ask you?”
“About…” Paddy grew silent, as if he realized Everett might not be there for the same reason.
“He was asking about where you’d picked up the little boy?” Everett asked.
Paddy’s eyes rounded a little.
“So what did you say?”
“Blue Hill, okay?”
So that was where Demetria’s father had gotten his information. His source. The man himself. With one punch to the nose. Everett smiled, then he frowned at Paddy. “You’re coming with me. Don’t give me any trouble, and we’ll get along just fine. Or I can cuff you. Your choice.”
“The kid just got in the damn trailer. It wasn’t my fault.”