The pool tables were empty when he passed between them, everyone up front while the Black Diamond pack hid out in the rear. Makai must have already made his greetings because he was seated in the booth, with a spot on the outside open for Spencer to take. He sat with a respectful little nod for the two werecreatures seated across from him, passing the extra beer to Makai.
The woman wore a pair of dark jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, the fleece vest over it unzipped. Her blonde hair was tied back in a simple ponytail, face bare of makeup as she studied him with light brown eyes.
“Brooke Emerson, alpha of the Black Diamond pack. Isaac is her beta,” Makai said by way of introductions in a low voice that wouldn’t be heard over the music playing from the surprisingly modern jukebox in the corner. “This is SOA Special Agent Spencer Bailey.”
“Just Spencer for tonight,” he demurred.
“I’d like some privacy for our talk,” Brooke said. She must have smelled his magic, which wasn’t surprising since he wasn’t shielded. It was easy enough to draw out a silence ward on the underside of the table, trapping them in a bubble of quiet. Brooke took a sip of what was probably Jack and Coke before setting it aside. “I heard about the crash the other night. I sent a pack member to check out the forest once the cops cleared out. Were you the cause of the new clearing in the woods?”
Spencer winced. “It was the unfortunate side effect of the spell I used.”
“That area is protected land. Specifically, it’s my territory.”
“Yeah.” Spencer drew the word out, wondering if Takoma knew about her claim. “The trees will grow back. But I’m not here about the forest. I’m here about one of your pack members who might be compromised. Has that number changed?”
“You’re the expert here.”
“And you’re the one who called me in. I can’t check them if they aren’t here. Are they at least close by?”
Isaac nodded. “Angie doesn’t know we’re stopping by for a visit. Her house is down the road, past the cemetery.”
“What tipped you off she might be possessed?”
Brooke and Isaac shared a quick look he couldn’t read before Isaac shrugged. “She acts like herself for the most part, but there was a moment a few weeks ago where her scent was different.”
Brooke tapped a fingernail against the side of her glass. “I wouldn’t think anything of it except we got a warning from the Tacoma god pack about demons, and I mentioned my concerns. Next thing I knew, the Seattle god pack said they were sending you. Didn’t think we rated the feds.”
“Ah, well. Your potential problem is intersecting with a case of mine, but I would have come anyway. Won’t even charge you for it,” Spencer said.
“Good. I’d be even happier if you kept our names out of your paperwork.”
Spencer knew what privacy meant for the packs who could pretend to be human. God packs existed to take the punches for the werecreatures who could hide what they were, whose eyes didn’t mark them asother.
“That’s easy enough to do. My intention isn’t to cause you harm.” Spencer took a couple of swallows of beer before deciding he was finished with it. “The weather is crappy, so mind if we head out now?”
Brooke smirked at him. “The weather is normal. You’re not local, are you?”
“California raised,” Spencer said easily enough. “I miss the sun.”
“We don’t miss you people moving up here.”
Spencer raised his hands in mock defense. “Hey, I have a government salary. Do you really think it’s enough to buy a house up here?”
“Leaves plenty for the rest of us, I suppose.” Brooke downed the rest of her drink in a long swallow before smacking the glass down on the table. “Let’s get out of here.”
Spencer broke the silence ward, and sound rushed back around them. The bar hadn’t gotten any fuller, and the weather hadn’t gotten any better when they walked outside, Brooke yelling a friendly goodbye over her shoulder at the bartender. The misting sort of rain made the ends of her hair curl a little as she jerked her thumb at a muddy Ram pickup truck. “We’ll lead the way.”
Fatima showed up again when Spencer unlocked his car, having already claimed the front seat, much to Makai’s displeasure. The dire sighed in annoyance and got in the back seat again without arguing. Spencer got in the driver’s seat and reached over to scratch between Fatima’s ears. “Where did you go?”
There are ghosts around, Fatima said.They wander where they should not.
Spencer blinked at her. “Where do they typically wander?”
Cemetery. But they walk the roads.
“We can check out some spiritual hitchhikers after we deal with the werecreature problem first.”
Fatima bobbed her head in a little nod before getting comfortable on the front passenger seat. Brooke’s truck was already pulled out of their spot and waiting to turn onto the road. Spencer started the engine and reversed out of their parking spot, ready to follow her. He switched the windshield wipers on to counteract the rain and the spray from Brooke’s truck once they got on the road. Fatima stayed sitting so she could look out the window, ears twitching every now and then.
