Karen Whiddon - Finding The Texas Wolf

Especially since he knew it could be worse than he’d originally suspected. When he’d seen the news of the explosion in a warehouse near Pier 21, he’d immediately thought of them , the mysterious group of individuals who met behind that strange old door.

Especially when, without any proof, the anchorman speculated that this might have been a terrorist attack. He’d said this as casually as if speaking about the weather. Sloppy reporting, Jake knew. Yet of course, this possibility made him wonder. Terrorists. What if a local cell of them met in that place along that dead-end alleyway? That would explain the reason for refusing to open the door and for the two men to jump him there.

No. He refused to play a guessing game. His journalistic integrity demanded facts. Without them, he had nothing.

The more he thought about it, the more he realized Maddie Kinslow might be his best chance at getting an actual lead.

He pulled out the business card she’d given him. The Shadow Agency was emblazoned across the top. Underneath that, A specialized private investigation firm. And then simply her name and phone number.

Specialized. In what? He turned the card over in his hand. To be fair, she’d tried to tell him her company handled only a certain type of clientele, though she hadn’t been specific.

Deciding, he pulled out his phone and dialed her number. His call went straight to voice mail. He left his name and number, nothing else. Now to see if she’d actually return the call.

When his phone rang five minutes later, his heart leaped in his chest. “That was quick,” he said after answering.

“Yeah, well...I’ve been worried about you.” She made the confession in a husky voice that had his body stirring.

Ruthlessly, he tamped down the desire. “Don’t,” he snapped. “I’m fine. I just need a little time to heal and I’ll be back to normal.”

To his surprise, this statement made her chuckle. “I’ll never figure out what it is about men that they think they have to be so tough. You forget, Jake. I was there. I saw you.”

Instead of replying, he let his silence speak for itself.

“Okay,” she said when he didn’t respond. “What did you need? Why did you call me?”

Though he’d already begun to doubt the wisdom of his decision, he decided to go through with it. “I want to hire you.”

Now she went quiet. He waited her out.

“For the same reason as before?” she finally asked. “Because you want me to help you find out what’s behind the door?”

“Yes.”

She sighed. “Are you absolutely certain you truly want to continue to pursue this? Because I can tell you this—it’s dangerous. As in, you could lose your life, dangerous.”

Deep down, he’d suspected as much, but hearing her confirm it made his gut twist. “Are you involved in whatever it is?” he asked.

“I can promise you, whatever you think you know is wrong,” she said, without answering his question.

“Then enlighten me,” he urged. “I’ve been watching that place for nearly a month. I’ve seen all the people coming and going. I’ve see you there numerous times, Maddie Kinslow. And you went inside. Why play games? Just tell me what you can and I’ll find out the rest.”

Again she sighed. “I wish I could, but then I’d have to kill you.” She laughed, but he couldn’t shake the feeling she wasn’t kidding. “While I can’t reveal the truth to you, even though it is such a minor thing, I can help you get a fabulous story.”

“Are you offering me a bribe? Because it sure sounds like it.” Now it was his turn to laugh, though without humor. “I have to say, the fact that you’re actually doing that makes me even more eager to uncover the secret.”

Silence.

“This is a bad idea,” she finally replied. “Forget I ever offered my services. I wish you luck, Jake Cassel. Believe me, you’ll need it.”

She ended the call.

He cursed. He’d gone too far and lost his chance. The beautiful Maddie Kinslow would be avoiding him now. What a shame, because he truly would have enjoyed getting to know her. Maybe it was all for the best. With such strong attraction sizzling between them, she’d probably have been too much of a distraction. Now he could focus solely on the story.

His phone rang again. “It’s me,” Maddie said, the sexy sound of her voice sending a shiver down his spine. “Look, I like you, Jake. I really do. But there is too much at stake here. People’s lives, homes, families. Are you sure you don’t want to at least consider my offer?”

“How can I when I don’t even know what I’d be giving up?” He used the most reasonable argument he had. “Tell me what’s behind the door and let me decide.”

She hesitated. “Fine. There’s a bar behind that door. Access is granted only to certain individuals. See? No story. Not even interesting.”

“A bar?” He didn’t bother to hide his skepticism. “What would possibly be so secretive about a bar ?”

“The clientele. It’s imperative that no one but certain...people are allowed in.”

He had to give it to her. Her story had enough intrigue in it to interest him. And he knew it had to be—whatever, if any, part of it was true—the tip of the iceberg.

“Well?” she prodded after he didn’t respond. “What do you think?”

Now he knew he had to play it cool. While he didn’t entirely buy her story, in the end she was the best and only lead he had. If he “hired” her, eventually she might slip up.

“If your rates are reasonable, I’ll definitely consider it,” he finally said, trying to sound as disinterested as possible.

This time, he hung up first.

Pretending not to notice the man who’d been parked in the expensive car across the street and watching his house, Jake limped down his sidewalk to get the mail. The sun had begun to set and the breeze carried the smell of the sea. Bruised and battered didn’t begin to describe how he felt today—more like he’d been run over by a large truck loaded with cement.

Late-model Mercedes, navy blue. Dark tinted windows, no plate on the front.

While he had no idea who his shadow might be, he figured it had something to do with that dead-end alleyway and the door that wouldn’t open for him.

Back inside the house, he glanced at the clock. If he planned to continue his surveillance, he’d need to head downtown soon. He’d taken great pains to ensure his point of entry into the abandoned warehouse would be hidden from any inquisitive eyes. And now he had no doubt they’d be looking.

He opened his laptop and checked his email. Finally, he really examined the message from Maddie detailing her company’s rates. While he had no idea if these prices were competitive or not, it wasn’t like he had another option. Maddie knew what went on behind that door. He just had to figure out a way to get her to tell him.

As dusk began to arrive, he knew if he wanted to leave his house, he’d need to shake his tail. If he got into his car and drove, the guy would certainly follow him. Normally he’d simply go out the back door, climb the fence that separated his yard from the guy behind him, and walk out onto the next street over. From there, it wasn’t too long a walk to reach a bus stop, or if necessary, he could call for a taxi. But his bruised and battered body simply wasn’t up to it yet.

Instead, he needed to get rid of the stalker. First, he called Maddie. But the call went straight to voice mail. Okay, he could understand that. It was after hours and he hadn’t yet become her client.

Next up, he dialed the Galveston Police Department’s nonemergency number. “I’d like to report a suspicious vehicle parked outside my house,” he said. “I was jumped and beaten up the other day and I think the same individual has come back to try to finish the job. Could you please send someone?”