Leader of the Pack by Lynn Richards Read Free Book Online Page B

downstairs.
    Jared had prepared chicken salad sandwiches and chips. She wanted to refuse the food, but one look at his face told her that might not be a good option. Instead she took her plate and drink and thanked him. He rewarded her with a long, deep kiss.
    While they ate they talked. She told him all she knew about Rachel and the story she had been covering. They pulled up Emily’s email account and watched the video she’d received. He made copious notes as he concentrated on the images flashing on the screen. He played the clip several times before he was satisfied.
    “ You’re not really with the FBI, are you?” She wrote down the list of addresses she had traced to the men Rachel had been investigating.
    “ Yeah, I am,” he smiled. “Want to see my badge?” He shrugged his shoulders as if denying he was doing anything special. “It’s natural for me. I like to protect those weaker than me. And humans are weaker. Plus it gives the pack eyes and ears in the government.”
    He pulled on his coat, the sight of him in the long trench making her knees weak. He was just so God damn sexy. He took her in his arms and slanted his lips across hers. He sucked and nibbled but didn’t attempt to deepen it. Almost as if he was comforting her. “Maria and Shawn will help me check out these properties. There’s more food in the fridge and a television above the mantle. I would take you out tonight but there’s someone I need to see. I’ll fix us something to eat when I’m through.”
    “ Someone who might know who took the women?” Emily let him talk hoping the anger and hurt did not show in her face. Or lord forbid, in her smell. How could he so casually dismiss her and her efforts to find Rachel? She gripped the edge of his coat as he kissed her once again before pulling away. He hadn’t answered her question, but then, she hadn’t expected that he would.
    “ I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said. His brow drew together. “Are you alright?”
    Emily drew in a shallow breath, willing her hurt away. “I’m fine. Did you say there was a television somewhere?”
    “ The remote’s on the table.” He stopped by front door. “Are you sure everything’s okay, Emily?”
    “ I’m sure,” she forced herself to smile. It was really sad when the person you knew you loved did not understand you. She wanted to help her friend. No she needed to help her friend. She had to believe he would come to understand her. That he would want to understand her.
    She waited until she heard the roar of the engine before she sat back down at the computer. She had made sure – by distracting him with a kiss – that he hadn’t turned it off. Hoping he didn’t have some unknown security system in place, she started a search of his files. Who was he doing to meet tonight and why?
    Ten minutes later she had her answer or what she thought was her answer. She found her gun and holster and pulled on her down-filled vest. She left a note on the kitchen counter telling him where she was going. She didn’t think he would be back to stop her from searching the first couple of houses. But maybe they would meet up at his “secret” location. Some secret. The man had no security on his computer system.
    Closing the door behind her, she frowned over the lack of any lock. She looked around realizing for the first time how isolated Jared’s cabin really was. There was a gravel road leading out and not much of anything else. Except for trees. Lots and lots of trees.
    The cool autumn air made her shiver and wish for the heavier coat she’d left in her car. A car she had to retrieve sometime today. Right know her biggest obstacle was finding her way out of the woods. Suddenly she knew what Little Red Riding Hood must have felt like. Emily took her thoughts firmly in hand. No more thinking about the supernatural. Everything that had happened in the last few days – the last few hours – was going to be easily explained. She just knew