thought that was me.” Now the shape-shifter smiled.
“Yeah, I did,” Chase said, certain his own expression didn’t come off so upbeat. “So it was a friend, huh?”
Their gazes met. Tension filled the early Sunday air. Chase inhaled and the guy’s scent filled his nose. The scent reminded him of Della because Chase had always smelt it on her when he first met her. Something he really preferred not to think about.
Steve looked skyward where the bird flew in circles. “Nope. Not as far as I know.” The guy’s heart rate didn’t indicate he was lying. “But he is now.” Steve smiled, showing no fear. Something Chase admired even when it stung.
Since he’d learned of this guy’s feelings for Della, he’d wanted to find things about Steve to dislike—things to discredit him in Della’s eyes.
But other than his flirtation with the daughter of the vet Steve worked for, Chase hadn’t been able to find any dirt on the guy. That made things harder, but it also spoke of Della’s choice in who she let into her life.
Chase swallowed his pride and decided to take the high road. “I guess I was wrong. Sorry.”
Steve glanced away for a second as if debating something. When he looked back he had determination written all over his expression. “That’s not the only thing you’re wrong about.”
Chapter Twelve
Afraid he knew where this was leading, Chase clenched his jaw so hard he was amazed his teeth didn’t crack. Don’t lose it. Don’t lose it.
“What else am I wrong about?” He breathed in through his nose, hoping the oxygen would help calm him.
“About me respecting that you and Della belong together.”
His eyes grew warm as they did when he started to change into vamp mode. “Careful,” he cautioned and gave himself the same warning. His gut said Burnett wasn’t making idle threats about kicking his butt out of Shadow Falls.
Steve shook his head, ignoring the warning, and that pissed Chase off more.
“You see, the only thing I have to respect is Della. Not you. And not what you think you two have. And personally, I think she’s capable and adamant enough to make her own decisions. And you, Mr. Tallman, need to wrap your head around that.”
Steve turned and walked away.
Chase gripped his fist so tight his hand ached. It wasn’t his head having a hard time accepting the guy’s words. It was his heart. But if Steve thought Chase was just going to roll over and give up, the shape-shifter had better think again.
* * *
Della remained in the chair across from Holiday’s desk. She wouldn’t—couldn’t—allow her father to go to jail. But how she was going to stop it was still a mystery.
Burnett spoke up again. “For the Chi case, we got prints. Unfortunately, there were a lot of prints in their shop. So far, there’s no match to anyone in the FRU fingerprint database. And we got a shoe print. They’re trying to identify it.”
“The autopsies haven’t been done yet?” Della asked.
“No. But I’m hoping we’ll have results tomorrow.”
“What about the weres that were arrested?”
“None of their prints matched either. Chase says they aren’t the ones he’d traced earlier with the animal blood. It could still be the same group, and the ones guilty of murder got away.”
“So make them tell us who they were with!” Della snapped.
Burnett sighed. “We tried. None of them would give us anything.”
“Let me talk to them,” Della insisted.
Burnett laced his fingers. “Chase interviewed them. Did a great job, I might add. They’re either that loyal or that scared. And I would bet they’re scared.”
Della shook her head. “So we don’t have anything?”
“Yet,” Burnett said. “It’s early.”
Holiday readjusted Hannah on her hip. “Burnett said you saw Mrs. Chi’s spirit? Did she give you any clues?”
A bloody image of the woman sitting at her mom’s kitchen table flashed in Della’s mind. “No, she doesn’t even know what
“Yeah, I did,” Chase said, certain his own expression didn’t come off so upbeat. “So it was a friend, huh?”
Their gazes met. Tension filled the early Sunday air. Chase inhaled and the guy’s scent filled his nose. The scent reminded him of Della because Chase had always smelt it on her when he first met her. Something he really preferred not to think about.
Steve looked skyward where the bird flew in circles. “Nope. Not as far as I know.” The guy’s heart rate didn’t indicate he was lying. “But he is now.” Steve smiled, showing no fear. Something Chase admired even when it stung.
Since he’d learned of this guy’s feelings for Della, he’d wanted to find things about Steve to dislike—things to discredit him in Della’s eyes.
But other than his flirtation with the daughter of the vet Steve worked for, Chase hadn’t been able to find any dirt on the guy. That made things harder, but it also spoke of Della’s choice in who she let into her life.
Chase swallowed his pride and decided to take the high road. “I guess I was wrong. Sorry.”
Steve glanced away for a second as if debating something. When he looked back he had determination written all over his expression. “That’s not the only thing you’re wrong about.”
Chapter Twelve
Afraid he knew where this was leading, Chase clenched his jaw so hard he was amazed his teeth didn’t crack. Don’t lose it. Don’t lose it.
“What else am I wrong about?” He breathed in through his nose, hoping the oxygen would help calm him.
“About me respecting that you and Della belong together.”
His eyes grew warm as they did when he started to change into vamp mode. “Careful,” he cautioned and gave himself the same warning. His gut said Burnett wasn’t making idle threats about kicking his butt out of Shadow Falls.
Steve shook his head, ignoring the warning, and that pissed Chase off more.
“You see, the only thing I have to respect is Della. Not you. And not what you think you two have. And personally, I think she’s capable and adamant enough to make her own decisions. And you, Mr. Tallman, need to wrap your head around that.”
Steve turned and walked away.
Chase gripped his fist so tight his hand ached. It wasn’t his head having a hard time accepting the guy’s words. It was his heart. But if Steve thought Chase was just going to roll over and give up, the shape-shifter had better think again.
* * *
Della remained in the chair across from Holiday’s desk. She wouldn’t—couldn’t—allow her father to go to jail. But how she was going to stop it was still a mystery.
Burnett spoke up again. “For the Chi case, we got prints. Unfortunately, there were a lot of prints in their shop. So far, there’s no match to anyone in the FRU fingerprint database. And we got a shoe print. They’re trying to identify it.”
“The autopsies haven’t been done yet?” Della asked.
“No. But I’m hoping we’ll have results tomorrow.”
“What about the weres that were arrested?”
“None of their prints matched either. Chase says they aren’t the ones he’d traced earlier with the animal blood. It could still be the same group, and the ones guilty of murder got away.”
“So make them tell us who they were with!” Della snapped.
Burnett sighed. “We tried. None of them would give us anything.”
“Let me talk to them,” Della insisted.
Burnett laced his fingers. “Chase interviewed them. Did a great job, I might add. They’re either that loyal or that scared. And I would bet they’re scared.”
Della shook her head. “So we don’t have anything?”
“Yet,” Burnett said. “It’s early.”
Holiday readjusted Hannah on her hip. “Burnett said you saw Mrs. Chi’s spirit? Did she give you any clues?”
A bloody image of the woman sitting at her mom’s kitchen table flashed in Della’s mind. “No, she doesn’t even know what
Similar Books
