~/~/~/~/~
After knocking several times on Josiah’s door with no response, Reeve Nicolet turned the knob and, finding the door unlocked, opened it and stepped inside. He quickly realized the Alpha’s house was empty—deserted would be a better description. Though he knew Josiah was long gone, he’d ordered the search partly to flush out any remaining perpetrators who might have been involved in the crime.
Searching each room for evidence Josiah and his wife may have left behind in their haste to flee, Reeve found a house devoid of warmth except for CeCe’s and Suzie’s bedrooms. They were bright and colorful and filled with stuff teenage girls loved. Closing their doors, Reeve headed downstairs.
Reaching the last step, Reeve heard the front door open and Heath, his second, walked in. He could already tell the search had proved fruitless. “No luck, huh?” he asked.
Shaking his head, Heath said, “Nope, according to the few enforcers whowerewillingto talk to me, Josiah left several days ago.”
“Did anyone say where he was going?”
“Consensus is Rudy would know since Josiah never interacted with the pack enforcers, treated them like shit.”
Reeve’s eyebrows shot up at that piece of news.
Seeing his boss’s reaction, Heath chuckled. “Yeah, a real gem…what Alpha does that?”
“Someone who thinks he’s a deity,” Reeve muttered. “Look around…he made this into a fucking shrine extolling his perceived greatness.”
“While his pack members were barely getting by,” Heath muttered, his eyes taking in all the gold objects and likenesses of Josiah resting on every available surface. “Do you think any of these are real?’
“You mean solid gold?”
“Yeah…cuz if so, it explains what I saw today.”
“My guess is when the Council auditors get finished reviewing the pack’s financial records, Josiah will be facing more charges.”
“Like it matters,” Heath muttered. “He’s already facing a death sentence.”
“Yeah…well,” Reeve said, ushering Heath out of the pack house. “Did the rest of the team arrive?”
“Yes, the Council enforcers have already replaced Josiah’s enforcers who are confined to their quarters for the moment,” Heath answered.
“Good. Where are the investigators?” asked Reeve.
“They’re setting up in the conference room next to Josiah’s office. They’ll be ready in about an hour.”
Nodding, Reeve strode over to his truck. “No one leaves until they are cleared by my team…is that understood?”
“Of course…other than the Shaman, I don’t think anyone else wants to leave.”
Reeve’s eyes narrowed. “What’s with the pack’s Shaman?”
“When we were conducting the search for Josiah, I came across the Shaman packing up his car. I told him he couldn’t leave yet…not until he spoke to the investigators and that’s when he attacked me.”
“What the fuck…”
“Yeah…dumb, right?” Heath said, chuckling. “Right now, he’s cooling his heels in a cell.”
“What happened to peace, love, and all that bullshit Shamans love to spout?”
“I dunno,” Heath muttered. “He didn’t strike me as one of those.”
“Well, let him discover the joys of a jail cell. In the meantime, I have a pack meeting to handle,” Reeve said, climbing into his truck. “Make sure our enforcers are there just in case there’s a rebellion after I deliver the news.”
“Already done…but after speaking to a few pack members, I think you’ll find them cheering instead.”
“Let’s hope so.”
