"We need to call the police and file a report before you can start cleaning this up, Danny."
My heart sank. "The police?"
I wasn't sure that was a good idea.
"If you want to catch these guys, then there needs to be a paper trail."
I still wasn't sure that was a good idea.
"I have a recording of them breaking into my house and destroying it," I said. "Will that work?"
Abe's dark eyebrows lifted nearly to his hat. "You recorded it?"
I rubbed my arms as I nodded. I really needed to get my house back. My skin was crawling, and it had nothing to do with being an ocelot. The rage I felt over my private domain being invaded was growing every time I looked around.
Someone had tried to destroy my safe place.
They obviously didn't know who they were dealing with. I didn't know what I was going to do, but I'd do something.
Maybe.
"Who did this, Danny?" Abe asked.
"I don't know who they are, but they killed Michael earlier tonight."
"Michael?"
"Oh…um…he's a student at the university. We use the same lab."
"Tell me what happened to Michael. How did he die?"
"They killed him."
Hadn't I said that?
"Just tell me what happened, Danny."
I frowned then rubbed at my temple. I could feel a headache of epic proportions coming on. "I had left the lab and was headed home when I remembered I'd left my gloves back at the lab, so I went back. I had just reached the second floor landing when I spotted Professor Bradley talking to some guy out in the corridor. They seemed to be having a pretty heated discussion, so—"
"Did you hear what they were arguing about?"
I shook my head. "They stopped talking when Michael walked out of the lab. He was just going home for the night. He didn't do anything. They shot him in the back as he walked away." I sniffled as tears began to fill my eyes. "They just shot him."
The biggest arms in the universe wrapped around me, hugging me. It was a unique experience for me. I usually didn't like people touching me. I really liked Abe touching me. I almost purred in my human form.
"I remember you, you know," Abe said.
I tilted my head back. "We've met?"
I was pretty sure I would have remembered that.
"When Cooper and Andrew got into trouble with Cavetti. I was there at the hotel room when that asshat showed up with Max and Lake."
I frowned as I searched my memory. I wasn't that good with remembering people, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't forget meeting this man. "Are you sure we've met before?"
Abe chuckled. "I'm sure. We didn't talk, but I remember you. You spent most of your time on your computer or in the bathroom."
"Yeah." I winced as I dropped my eyes and stared down at my fingers. I started picking at my thumbnail. "I'm not much of a fighter. The guys usually make sure I'm out of the way if things get violent."
