“How can we be sure she’s not making this up?” a strange wolf asked.
“We can’t,” Declan said, examining the surrounding area. He took a careful sniff of the air. “Even if whatever caused the smell is gone, I should still be able to catch something.”
For that matter, the smell should have continued into the bar. It hadn’t. At least, I didn’t think it had. It’s possible I hadn’t noticed the difference.
I examined the alley. There had to be something they’d missed.
“Could they have had a dampener?” I looked up to find four sets of eyes once again on me.
Brax was the one to ask, “What do you mean a dampener?”
I straightened and looked around. The woman and stranger looked disgruntled and suspicious, while Brax and Declan regarded me with a steady gaze.
“Like what you have in the bar, but instead of hiding sound it hides smell.”
“Then, how would you have been able to pick up the scent,” the woman challenged.
“Proximity? Bad timing? A sound dampener can hide sound, but if you get too close it doesn’t work. I assume something that hides smells would work the same way. I could have just come through the alley right after the murderer left the bar.”
Declan looked over at his alpha, “It could explain why I didn’t smell blood until she opened the office door. We should have smelled something the moment he was wounded.”
I shrugged at the skepticism the others aimed my way. “It’s what I would use if I wanted to murder someone in a bar of super sniffers.”
Brax bent his head and rubbed his jaw. “Shit. That would mean a witch is involved in this somehow.”
No one looked happy with that assessment.
He tilted his jaw at me. “Return her to the cage then report back. We need to compare this to the other scene now that there’s possible new information.”
The woman nodded and glared at me, tilting her head toward the bar when I didn’t move fast enough.
Guess they were done speaking with the captive. The other three had already walked away, leaving just the woman and me.
The sky was beginning to show the faintest signs of sunrise. It was a barely discernable lightening of black. Given my present limitations, I’d had a lot of experience guessing when that pesky ball of fire in the sky was going to start playing havoc with my life. Didn’t want to get caught out without cover. By the looks of things, I had an hour, maybe an hour and a half, before dawn.
I might not get a better chance. I needed to make my move now. If I waited any longer, they’d know what I was when the sun rose. There wasn’t a window in the basement to light me up, but the coma-like slumber would be a dead giveaway to anyone with half a brain.
I couldn’t let her put me back in the cage. I was never going to be able to get out of that. Not unless I learned how to pick a lock in the next hundred steps.
Bolting wouldn’t work either. As a werewolf, she’d probably beat me in speed. At least, I assumed that was the case since Brax trusted she was strong enough to escort me back to the cage.
Or did he? Perhaps he was counting on me seizing this chance so he could trick me into lowering my guard. He could be waiting for me to lead him back to my client. It would be the sort of thing an experienced hunter would do. Track its prey back to its den.
No. I couldn’t think like that. I’d psych myself out of taking any action. Remaining wasn’t an option if I wanted my secrets to stay secret.
My moment came on the stairs leading to the basement. I waited until she nudged me to continue down into the dark before twisting to the side and sticking my foot between her legs. I timed it perfectly—waiting until right before she completed a step.
It threw her off balance and allowed me to help her tumble down the stairs, leaving me standing at the top. I didn’t care how fast or strong you were. I just need the right leverage to take you down. Of course, if I’d mistimed my move by even a little, it’d be me taking the tumble.
CHAPTER FOUR
I WAS OUT the door and in the alley before she even finished falling.
A howl rose from the basement.
I cringed. It was so loud.
I needed to get to Jerry’s car before her racket alerted the pack. I ran in that direction.
