Wolf Tales 11 by Kate Douglas Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kate Douglas
events of the day he still felt slightly off balance.
He’d hardly had time to mourn the sudden death of his old friend and associate. Rolf and he had never been all that close, but they’d worked well together during Bay’s years at the agency, and the man’s last act had been one of kindness when he passed on the warning about Tala and Lisa.
A kindness that had obviously cost him his life, but it had also provided a link that just might help save Lisa and Tala’s lives. His warning suggested who was behind the kidnapping and who wanted a hit on the president. His death was an even more powerful warning—that these people would stop at nothing.
It was all so far out, so bizarre, that Bay couldn’t help but wonder if somehow the Goddess had intervened. Why else would Rolf have been in that tiny town in Maine at the same time as Bay and the rest? How could everything have come together so that Rolf would have been the one man to overhear such a horrible plot? That he and Bay would cross paths?
Bay sighed as he exited the elevator on the fourth floor. Would he ever understand the serendipitous ways of fate? Most likely not, so he might as well get over it and accept that Rolf was dead, the clock was ticking, and all they had going for them was Anton’s
yet-to-be-disclosed
plan.
He stepped into the vestibule, unlocked the door into Anton’s apartment, and held it open while Jake and the girls entered. He followed them inside, staring at the spacious rooms spread out before them.
He’d never been here before, though he’d been aware Anton kept a place in Washington for anyone in the pack, should they need a comfortable place to stay. Comfortable was the key word—the apartment was huge—it took up the entire fourth floor of the building, with a view of the thickly forested grounds of the National Zoo just across the road.
Jake stared through a window and then glanced over his shoulder at Bay. “It’s certainly not Maine, but at least it’s better than looking at high-rises.”
Bay noted that many of the trees were bare of leaves in the winter chill, but evergreens still gave the entire area a wild and protected look. “It’s a far cry from Montana, too.” He checked out the kitchen and the big brick fireplace that took up one whole wall in the main room. There were lots of windows, but the apartment had obviously been closed up for months. The air was stale, and it was cold inside.
Manda found the thermostat and turned the heat up while Shannon cracked open a couple of windows to let insome fresh air. “How long’s it been since anyone’s stayed here?” She glanced around the spacious room with its fashionable furnishings and tasteful decorations. “It looks so sterile. Like no one’s ever lived in it.”
“No one has. At least not since Anton bought it.” Jake poked his head into one of the bedrooms and tossed their travel bags on the bed. “He uses it for business trips on occasion. He and Keisha were here a couple of months ago, but I don’t think anyone’s actually lived here for any length of time.” He stepped back into the main room and stared at Bay.
Baylor felt Jake’s concern rolling off him in waves, but he knew it was worry about him more than for Tala and Lisa. He’d been blocking everyone since this morning. He couldn’t handle sharing all the crap in his head, not this.
How could he possibly explain the convoluted relationship he had with his sisters? Sisters who’d grown up as strangers to him in a home as dysfunctional as a home could be. Helplessly, he glanced at Manda. She was his strength, the only one who truly understood the way his mind worked, the way his past had scarred him, yet even she had never quite figured out the confused feelings he had for Lisa and Tala.
He’d been the oldest, the one who felt responsible for their safety, yet he’d failed them in every way possible. His guilt remained, even now that they’d all found their home within the pack,
He’d hardly had time to mourn the sudden death of his old friend and associate. Rolf and he had never been all that close, but they’d worked well together during Bay’s years at the agency, and the man’s last act had been one of kindness when he passed on the warning about Tala and Lisa.
A kindness that had obviously cost him his life, but it had also provided a link that just might help save Lisa and Tala’s lives. His warning suggested who was behind the kidnapping and who wanted a hit on the president. His death was an even more powerful warning—that these people would stop at nothing.
It was all so far out, so bizarre, that Bay couldn’t help but wonder if somehow the Goddess had intervened. Why else would Rolf have been in that tiny town in Maine at the same time as Bay and the rest? How could everything have come together so that Rolf would have been the one man to overhear such a horrible plot? That he and Bay would cross paths?
Bay sighed as he exited the elevator on the fourth floor. Would he ever understand the serendipitous ways of fate? Most likely not, so he might as well get over it and accept that Rolf was dead, the clock was ticking, and all they had going for them was Anton’s
yet-to-be-disclosed
plan.
He stepped into the vestibule, unlocked the door into Anton’s apartment, and held it open while Jake and the girls entered. He followed them inside, staring at the spacious rooms spread out before them.
He’d never been here before, though he’d been aware Anton kept a place in Washington for anyone in the pack, should they need a comfortable place to stay. Comfortable was the key word—the apartment was huge—it took up the entire fourth floor of the building, with a view of the thickly forested grounds of the National Zoo just across the road.
Jake stared through a window and then glanced over his shoulder at Bay. “It’s certainly not Maine, but at least it’s better than looking at high-rises.”
Bay noted that many of the trees were bare of leaves in the winter chill, but evergreens still gave the entire area a wild and protected look. “It’s a far cry from Montana, too.” He checked out the kitchen and the big brick fireplace that took up one whole wall in the main room. There were lots of windows, but the apartment had obviously been closed up for months. The air was stale, and it was cold inside.
Manda found the thermostat and turned the heat up while Shannon cracked open a couple of windows to let insome fresh air. “How long’s it been since anyone’s stayed here?” She glanced around the spacious room with its fashionable furnishings and tasteful decorations. “It looks so sterile. Like no one’s ever lived in it.”
“No one has. At least not since Anton bought it.” Jake poked his head into one of the bedrooms and tossed their travel bags on the bed. “He uses it for business trips on occasion. He and Keisha were here a couple of months ago, but I don’t think anyone’s actually lived here for any length of time.” He stepped back into the main room and stared at Bay.
Baylor felt Jake’s concern rolling off him in waves, but he knew it was worry about him more than for Tala and Lisa. He’d been blocking everyone since this morning. He couldn’t handle sharing all the crap in his head, not this.
How could he possibly explain the convoluted relationship he had with his sisters? Sisters who’d grown up as strangers to him in a home as dysfunctional as a home could be. Helplessly, he glanced at Manda. She was his strength, the only one who truly understood the way his mind worked, the way his past had scarred him, yet even she had never quite figured out the confused feelings he had for Lisa and Tala.
He’d been the oldest, the one who felt responsible for their safety, yet he’d failed them in every way possible. His guilt remained, even now that they’d all found their home within the pack,