Under the Midnight Cloak Read online

  The chasovye opened the door and walked in. Jamison trailed behind and tried not to show her surprise. Frank Chiesel was not exactly as she expected. Although he was her height and easily twice her weight, that wasn't what caught her off guard. It was his grizzled, unkempt appearance. Lines marred his face and hands, and worry colored his slightly cloudy gaze.

  This alpha had been leader of the Felidae for a long time and was clearly past his prime. Only love and loyalty kept him in that position because, Jamison thought, any young lion could probably defeat Chiesel in a challenge.

  Frank assessed her appearance quietly, starting at her head and moving all the way down to her feet before traveling upward again. Only then did he look at the guard. "Give us ten minutes, Xander."

  Really? Jamison fought the urge to roll her eyes. She was an official envoy of the Panthera and here on legitimate business. She'd submitted to all their paranoid security procedures without one word of complaint, but this was too much.

  "Is that ten whole minutes, or...?" Jamison shrugged and lifted her brows to make the point.

  Chiesel's jaws tightened and he looked at the sentry again before reiterating, "Ten minutes."

  Xander nodded once and backed out of the room, pulling the door shut as he did.

  As soon as they were alone Chiesel began sternly, "I don't know who you think you are, but this is my pride. I give the orders here and no one questions them."

  "I think I'm here at the behest of the Panthera Council of Elders. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but it took just as long to get in here to see you as it did to drive down from Harmon."

  "What did you expect?" He sat on a low-backed sofa without offering her a seat. "I'm like the President of the United States around here. Did you think they'd escort you in without question? Just because we're expecting an emissary doesn't mean that's you. Anyone could intercept a phone call."

  Paranoid, just like I thought.

  "All right, I accept that. But ten minutes hardly seems like enough time for what we need to discuss."

  "On the contrary, I consider it quite sufficient. Although you've wasted a whole minute of it arguing with me. Why don't we just get down to it? I have a community to run."

  Jamison took a deep breath in an effort to calm down. Things had not started out the way she expected and she was only going to get more frustrated if she continued.

  "Elder Kessler explained the situation to you?"

  "She did, but I fail to see what I can add."

  Darlene had said Frank seemed to be hiding something during the call and that he might be more willing to open up about it in person. So far, Jamison couldn't imagine this man cooperating no matter who spoke to him or in what setting. She decided to try one of Hank's tactics. The direct approach.

  "I investigated the most recent kill of a Belted Galloway bull and there was the scent of lion all over it. How do you explain that?"

  Frank's eyes narrowed. "What are you implying?"

  Nice, answer a question with a question. Classic diversionary tactic.

  "Alph...are you trying to waste my time?" Jamison deliberately kept the question soft, as though she really wanted to know instead of making a direct accusation. "You know there are no other lion shifters in this part of the country. The only place such a shifter could come from is here. To answer your question, I'm not implying anything. I'm asking if it's possible that you have a rogue on your hands?"

  "No. It's not possible. We've had no recent incidents of the kind your elders described."

  "Recent? Does that mean you've had these kinds of things happen in the past?"

  Frank considered the question carefully. "I do remember something a little similar, but it was years ago. I wasn't alpha at the time. I couldn't give you the details."

  Can't or won't, Jamison wondered. The way the Coalition leader kept avoiding eye contact told her there was something he wasn't saying.

  "How many years ago?"

  "I don't remember exactly."

  "Can you at least tell me who the perpetrator was?"

  "No!"

  Frank stood abruptly and walked over to one of the large windows that overlooked the rear of the compound. His hands were clenched tightly behind his back and, over his shoulder, Jamison could see people coming and going from one of the metal buildings. Some of them carried food trays and she figured it was some sort of cafeteria. Such a thing hinted of a self-contained sanctuary. If they had enough food supplies the Felidae could dig in here indefinitely.

  As long as they had electricity, she amended silently. Then she saw the commercial grade generators sitting next to each of the two outside structures. Supposing there was one for the house too, the plantation property was a veritable fortress.

  She kept quiet, waiting for him to add more. She didn't yet know if his negative answer was a denial of any knowledge or a brusque refusal to answer her question.

  Finally, in a much quieter tone he said, "We never found out."

  Chiesel had been uncomfortable before, but the more she pushed the more flustered he seemed to become. Definitely atypical behavior for an alpha, especially one safely ensconced in his own pride. His scent shifted abruptly and nervous sweat coated his body in a light film.

  He's lying.

  "Now, if you don't have any more questions? I believe your ten minutes is up."

  Jamison glanced at her watch. It had only been seven, but what was the point of haggling? He wasn't going to answer any more of her questions. Even if he did, she couldn't trust what he would say.

  "Thank you for your time, Alpha."

  Jamison looked at the man once before leaving the room, but he never left the window. As soon as she walked out, Xander flanked her and escorted her back to the front door. He followed her down the steps and toward the Chevy and she wondered if he'd pursue her back to the highway. When she got into the truck, he stood there like he wanted to say something.

  "What is it?"

  "Nothing. Have a safe trip home."

  Jamison's eyes narrowed. Whatever it was, he clearly wasn't going to tell her. "Thanks."

  She drove back down the narrow lane without incident, surprised to see the Nissan Armada was already out of her way. Someone must have contacted the chasovye.

  As soon as she safely could, Jamison pulled into a rest area and used her cell phone to contact her mother.

  "Hi. It's me."

  "That was fast." Darlene sounded amused. "What did you find out?"

  "Other than the fact that these Felidae are really paranoid? Not much. You're right about Chiesel, he knows something and I'm pretty sure he lied to me about not knowing who was doing this."

  "But?"

  "But unless I'm prepared to make an outright accusation and risk our alliance with absolutely no proof, there's nothing I can do."

  "Clearly, we can't do that," Darlene said. Jamison heard the frustration in her voice. "Okay, all we can do is try. Anything new with the hunting teams?"

  "No, I checked in with all of them before I came out here. Dalton's group is on tonight, but so far our predator has been quiet for the last few days."

  "All right. Come on home. I'll inform the rest of the Council."

  "That's one order I'm happy to follow. Goodbye, Mom." Jamison was already planning to call Lee before she'd even hung up.

  "Bye, Jami."

  Chapter Ten

  LEE HUNG UP the phone after speaking with Jamison and sat back on the sofa. "Okay, Cleo. Looks like it's just me and you."

  Cleo cocked her head and then tore off across the living room floor to her toy box. She tried to stop and slid the last few feet before snatching up the Frisbee and racing back toward Lee.

  Lee laughed and took the offered toy. "Fine, but we're going outside to do this. I don't need your claws tearing up the hardwoods."

  She hurled the Frisbee across the yard and Cleo raced after it. At just the right moment, she leaped upward as far as her short legs could carry her and snatched it out of the ai
r. She was an active dog, accompanying Lee each morning on her daily run, but this was her favorite thing to do. Lee appreciated that fact because it was sure to wear her out. After only ten minutes, Cleo flopped onto the grass panting with her tongue hanging out. No matter how hard she tried, Lee couldn't get the dog to play anymore.

  "Come on, girl. Are you sure?" She held the disc out and shook it tantalizingly, but Cleo only rolled over with her tummy exposed. "Slug," Lee accused affectionately and squatted down to rub the furry belly. "Does that mean you don't want to go on a run with me?" Cleo rolled upright, but didn't bother to stand. "I guess that's my answer." Lee patted her thigh to encourage the dog to follow and walked toward the house.

  She changed into running clothes and grabbed one of the hiking trail maps that she had printed out the first week at Mafdet. She made sure Cleo's bowl was full and locked the dog door before stepping outside. Lee didn't want her to change her mind and try following in the woods when she was already miles away.

  Standing near the side of the house, she took a moment to stretch and then studied the map. Jamison had said she lived eight miles due east through the woods. Lee didn't intend to run the entire sixteen mile round trip, but halfway there and back was a possibility. She had enjoyed running for years and it wasn't unusual for her to traverse ten miles during her workout.

  Meacham Lake was marked clearly at the end of one of the hiking trails.

  For a second she felt like a stalker, but that didn't change her mind. It wasn't like there was any chance of her actually bumping into Jamison. Lee tucked the map into the waistband of her shorts and set off at a steady pace through the woods. The trees created a canopy overhead, allowing only mottled sunshine onto the trail. The scent of growing things and the fresh breeze surrounded her as she ran, her footfalls muffled by the decaying vegetation that had dropped onto the path. Lee never ceased to be amazed by the beauty in the Adirondack forest.

  For a long time she just ran, concentrating on her form and leaping over minor obstacles in her path. Eventually, she began to think about all that happened since arriving in Harmon. Those thoughts led her to remember a recent conversation with Jamison concerning Aunt Chris. She said Chris enjoyed throwing a bash for the whole town twice a year and that the party was always held at Mafdet Manor.

  Should she continue the tradition? It was true that she didn't know the townspeople and they didn't know her, but what better way to break the ice? Lee had planned to make the relocation permanent from the beginning and her time here only reinforced that decision. The air was clean, the people friendly and close-knit, and she had the feeling of being displaced in time.

  For one thing, the pace was slower and there wasn't a sense of claustrophobia from being surrounded by millions of people. Sirens didn't scream at all hours and there was no threat of being attacked simply walking down the street. On the other hand, Harmon had no all night restaurants, nightclubs or movie theaters. Museums and art galleries were non-existent.

  That's all right, I'm not that social anyway and New York doesn't have Jamison.

  She grinned. She hadn't expected to be interested in another woman so soon after Debbie, but she couldn't deny the thrill every time she looked at the tall, dark-haired park ranger.

  Lee estimated she was close to the halfway mark of her workout and slowed to swing back toward the house. She didn't bother to check her heart rate like many runners she knew because she'd feel it if her heartbeat was too fast. She did glance at her watch, pleased to see she had cut about thirty seconds off her usual four-mile time.

  Something moved in the brush to her right and she instinctively dodged in the other direction. She spun toward the movement and stopped running, trying to peer into the undergrowth. Whatever creature had been there, it must have fled.

  "Sorry about that," she huffed. "Didn't mean to scare you."

  There were so many animals in the woods that unless it came out onto the trail and attacked her, Lee wasn't concerned. She started toward home and reached up to wipe the sweat out of her eyes. Her breath came easily as she ran and she allowed herself to drift on fantasies of what it would have been like to enjoy a romantic dinner with Jamison.

  When she got home, Lee said hi to Cleo, opened the dog's personal exit then headed into the shower. The run had left her feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of the day. A long hike seemed like just the thing and Cleo could get some exercise.

  After her shower, she packed the back of the truck with a couple of different camera cases, lenses, flashes and a tripod. She added a backpack loaded with water and snacks for them both to the stack before she whistled for Cleo and put the dog in the cab. Yesterday, Jamison had taken them up to the summit of St. Regis Mountain and the view and the company alone had been worth the walk. As an added bonus, Lee had seen signs of deer along the path near the trailhead. She thought there might be a small herd in the area and wanted to try for some clean shots of them.

  She drove into the parking area at the base of Keese Mills Road. Checking carefully for oncoming traffic, Lee let Cleo out and slipped the backpack over her shoulders. She stuffed her largest camera case with what she thought she'd need, locked the vehicle and headed up the trail.

  They walked for about twenty minutes before Lee spotted the tracks from the day before. While Cleo sniffed around the area, Lee squatted down and touched the edge of one of the prints. It was soft and yielding, just like the surrounding soil that had yet to dry completely after the torrential rain two nights passed.

  "What do you think? Are they fresh or am I deluding myself with this Daniel Boone act?"

  Cleo looked at her and cocked her head. After a second, she huffed loudly and dropped onto the ground.

  "Oh, no you don't. You already missed out on the run and you need some exercise. That little game of catch earlier doesn't count."

  She pulled a bottle of water from the pack and took a long drink before offering Cleo her bowl. Lee always carried a plastic container with a tight, screw top lid full of water for Cleo when they went hiking. As usual, Cleo sniffed the contents and then shambled away. She preferred to drink when they got home, but that didn't mean Lee wasn't going to offer at regular intervals.

  Repacking the water before heading up the trail, Lee spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon hiking around and looking for wildlife. She took pictures of flowers, birds and a few lizards, but didn't find the deer. Several times she ran across more tracks, but that was all. The next time she looked at her watch, three hours had passed. After the long run and the time spent walking back and forth down the game trail, Lee was ready to go home and rest.

  Although she was tired, she felt good. She smiled and took a deep breath as they walked out of the path and onto the paved surface of the parking area. The dirty, brown pickup sat alone and undisturbed.

  "Right where I left it. Huh, why am I surprised?" Lee mused dryly.

  She replaced the equipment in the pickup and unlocked the door to lift Cleo inside. The beagle hopped over to her own side and sat panting as she stared out the side window. Lee slammed the door and put the key in the ignition. She was already thinking about what to microwave for dinner. An elaborate meal had been planned for the evening with Jamison, but she didn't intend to go to all that effort for one person.

  Lee rolled down the window and turned the key. Nothing. The engine whirred, but refused to start. Frustrated, she thumped her forehead against the steering wheel.

  "Not again."

  After a second, she tried to start the pickup again but the result was the same.

  "Great, this is just what I need." She glanced over at Cleo. "What we need."

  Lee popped the hood release and got out of the vehicle, leaving the door ajar. Cleo jumped out as she raised the hood and propped it open then leaned on her hands to peer inside. She stood there for a minute and then had to laugh at her actions. Lee had never been inside an engine compartment in her life and had no clue what she was looking at. She could o
nly check to see the hoses were still connected, but she didn't have the knowledge to find anything wrong no matter how hard she tried.

  "Do you need some help?"

  The voice caused her to twist around and Cleo to bark protectively. A man stood only a few feet away and Lee started to respond when his appearance finally registered. He was tall, but very thin and bent over slightly. The stranger was dirty and Lee could smell his unwashed body when the wind gusted toward her. From the grime covering him, she couldn't be sure what color his hair was but it looked oily and stubble covered his cheeks.

  He took a step in their direction but Cleo moved fast, leaping in front of her. When she began to bark furiously, the stranger stopped and narrowed his eyes at the dog. He looked angry and for a moment, Lee feared for their safety.

  "I'm not going to hurt you," he finally said in what she assumed was meant to be a reassuring tone. "It's just that I'm good with cars and maybe I can get it running."

  "You know, I really appreciate it, but I can just call for a tow."

  Before the strange man could answer, Lee whipped out her i-Phone and thumbed it on. She was so accustomed to counting on the device that it came as a bit off shock when she couldn't get any reception.

  "The mountains block the signal and there aren't any cell towers until you get closer to Harmon."

  He looked like a vagrant and Lee was hesitant to take him up on his offer, but she was running out of options. "What did you say your name is?"

  "I didn't, but it's Bruce if that means anything. Now why don't I take a look?"

  Intuition made Lee back away as he approached and she was pleased to see that Cleo followed. The dog's hackles were raised and she curled her upper lip back exposing her teeth. Dogs weren't usually influenced by appearance, but for some reason Cleo obviously didn't care for this man regardless of his helpful attitude. That was enough for Lee.