wasn’t being paranoid. The presence hadn’t shown up until he’d picked her up, and it worried him that she could be right about being followed. Although, that’s all he’d picked up on—a feeling. Whoever or whatever it was, did a good job of masking itself.
They walked into the single-story, slightly rundown building and crossed the white linoleum floor to the chest-high counter. A young girl with brown pigtails and large brown eyes greeted them with a warm-hearted smile. “How can I help you?”
Ayden relaxed as Kalissa’s mood softened. “I’m Kalissa Bradenton. I’m here about the royal blue Mercedes.”
The girl bobbed her head up and down and went to the computer. With a few clicks on the keyboard, she printed out some paperwork and brought it to Kalissa to sign. Ayden took the paperwork from her and sensed her irritated glare on him. “What are you doing?” Kalissa hissed through her teeth.
Ayden smirked. “Just checking everything.”
“And does everything look okay, Sheriff?” Kalissa asked with a hint of teasing.
“Yes. Everything’s in order,” he answered after reading over the report. He smiled widely at her and passed it back.
With a dramatic sigh, she took the papers from him, signed her name, and handed them back to the girl, along with her credit card to pay the fees.
After the payment had been processed and the papers stamped, the girl met Kalissa’s stare. “Do you have things to remove from the vehicle?”
“Yes. My suitcase from the trunk.” Kalissa dug through her purse for the keys.
The teen walked to the side of the counter, unlocked the half door, and advanced toward them. “I have to walk you out to the car.”
Ayden followed them out to the yard and didn’t miss that Kalissa had tensed up again. Something she seemed to do when he got close to her. Her emotions screamed out to him, even though he’d tried to block them since breakfast. Conflict rolled off her in waves. She was nervous one minute, turned on the next, and then annoyed with him in between. He was starting to get seasick riding the emotional tidal wave.
But it was the hint of fear he picked up on that worried him.
Noticing her curiosity as she looked around at the wrecked vehicles lined up in rows and landing her gaze on the back of the lot where a row of new cars were parked, Ayden whispered into her ear, “Drug busts.” He smiled as the heat of desire rolled off her when his breath touched her ear and neck. Okay. So he liked some of her mood swings.
When they arrived at her car, Kalissa gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Anger bubbled up in him. How in the hell was she walking after that? The front of the car was smashed in on both sides all the way up to the doors. The driver door and the roof of the car were peeled back like a sardine can. It was obvious that they’d used the Jaws of Life to get her out.
The girl cleared her throat. “I could lose my job for saying anything, but I heard about the accident. They said it was a hit and run, right?” Kalissa nodded. “My dad owns a garage in town, and he had a white Beemer come in with royal blue paint on the passenger rear quarter panel this morning. I may be able to get the license plate number for you.”
“That would be great. And no one will ever know where it came from,” Ayden said. He’d take any lead he could get. The plate wouldn’t do the humans any good except to lead them to the owner of the car, whom they would charge and throw in jail for thirty days. But for him, if that owner was a demon—and he was certain it was—it’d be one more piece to the puzzle. If it turned out to be just a drunken human, then he’d just turn the information over to the Charlotte police as an anonymous tip. But if it was a demon….
Ayden pulled out a business card and handed it to the girl. “Just text the tag number to my cell.”
The girl beamed. “I sure will. I hope that guy gets what’s coming to him. It’s not