“What’s that?” He fumbled to pause the screen. Why did his muscles feel thick and slow? Everyone peered around his finger. The smallest and youngest of the bastards. The guy had tossed his hoodie back to reveal a baseball cap turned backward on his head. The emblem on it showed up clear as day. “It’s an A,” he said, trying to figure out what the stylized letter meant. It had triangles down the left edge.
“Diamondbacks,” Carl said. “Phoenix baseball team.”
Mark frowned, his mind spinning through sports images. Who the hell rooted for an Arizona team in Michigan?
“That’s not much to go on,” Tonya said. “But it’s more than we had a minute ago.”
Meanwhile, the paramedic was drawing his blood. She’d muttered something about it not being her specialty, but he hardly cared. And just when he was about to snap at her for the painful stab at the crook of his elbow, something else flashed on the screen.
With one arm restrained by the paramedic, he couldn’t manage the video. Thankfully Tonya was there before him, steadying the tablet and the image. And there, slinking through the shadows, was a woman with short, sandy hair, long legs, and a grim expression.
Sour. Middle-aged. Bitter. Smooth carriage. Bitch. Shifter. “Who the hell is that?”
“Want to bet it’s Theo’s Crazy Cat Lady?” Tonya asked.
Carl rubbed his thumb down the screen. “Maybe. But I know her. I just can’t remember where.”
Mark jerked. “Figure it out!”
The explosion was meant for himself, not his alpha. Too much brain work. Too many thoughts. And zero control of the mental whirlwind. Thankfully, Carl didn’t snap back at him. Meanwhile, the paramedic jerked Mark back to face her. For a little thing, she sure had some strength.
“Unless you want me to snap this needle off in your arm, you’ll stay still.”
“Who the hell are you?” he asked. Damn his grizzly nose for being off-line right now. He couldn’t smell anything.
“Friend of Bryn’s,” Carl answered without really paying attention. His gaze was still on the screen.
Mark frowned at the woman. She was a wolf? Or just a normal in on the shifter secret? And why the hell did he care when Julie was with those bastards? Part of his brain was busy ticking off the seconds, counting up all the things those assholes could do while he was standing here with his thumb up his ass. It wasn’t helpful and it sure as hell wasn’t what he wanted to do. But at the moment, he was completely useless with his brain out of control. And in the middle of his frustration, a female voice interrupted his mental screaming. It was Julie’s mother, her face tight with suppressed panic.
“Will someone please tell me what is going on? Where is Julie?”
Tonya moved smoothly to take hold of the woman’s arm. Her voice was surprisingly gentle as she spoke. “I know this is upsetting, but please try to remain calm.”
“Calm my ass!” snapped the professor as he pushed unsteadily to his feet. “I demand to know what the hell is going on. Where is my daughter?”
Tonya took a deep breath and began to explain things in an edited fashion. In the blink of an eye, she went from irritated no-nonsense police officer to sympathetic, calming influence. The tiny part of Mark’s brain that was paying attention was impressed.
“She’s a cat woman.” Carl speaking. Who the hell was a cat? “Was she one of the cougars? From the wolf–cougar war?”
Oh. Bitch woman. Were the others cats? He hated the smell of cats. Made his nose twitch. They had Julie? Why?
Carl kept talking, his words slow as he searched through his memories. “Not one of the primaries, I think. Maybe support staff?”
Mark ground his back molars together. He wanted to bellow and yet no sound came out. He just hadn’t the strength. Not with everything in his brain spinning at random. Another car coming up the lane. Police cruiser with the forensics guy Joey in the back. Everyone called him Mr. Science. Except his hair was more movie-star flowy. Where the hell was Julie? Gladwin wasn’t large enough to have a full team. Mr. Science was shared with neighboring counties. Joey might find something they couldn’t.
Julie!
“Mark! Go to the hospital,” Carl snapped. An order. “There’s nothing you can do here and a ton that can be figured out there.”
Spinning out of control and so weak. Mark didn’t have the focus to argue.
Carl gestured at the paramedic. “Make sure he gets full blood panels and the like.”
She snorted. “Like anyone’s going to listen to me.”
He glared at her. “Use your nose. Figure out who’s a shifter and tell them I said to do it. And if they need confirmation, then call me!”
She swallowed. “Got it, sir.” Then she looked at Mark. “Please come with us.”
