Bayou Wolf. Debbie Herbert
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his face. “Who? Murder, you say?”
“Call 911.”
“Of course.”
He started to shut the door in her face. Damn, if only she’d brought her cell phone. She never could remember to carry the stupid thing everywhere she went.
Tallulah threw her weight on the door with her right shoulder and slipped inside. The man was stronger than she was, but her quick maneuver had caught him unaware and she pushed past him.
At least a dozen men sat around the den, in various stages of undress. A few, apparently, had just arisen. At least half wore only shorts and sported shadows of a beard. The smells of bacon and coffee pervaded from the adjoined kitchen to the left. Payton was nowhere to be found.
The man who’d answered the door walked in front of her, blocking her view. “Bad news, guys. There’s been a murder.”
Tallulah stepped to his side and eyed the men.
“Shit—”
“Damn it—”
“What the—?”
One of the men rose, his forgotten breakfast plate crashing to the floor. “Not again.”
Tallulah zeroed in on his clean-shaven features. Not again? “What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked. “Has this happened before?”
Warning glances passed around the group and an unnatural silence descended.
A tall man with close-cropped black hair strode her way. She recognized him as the timber crew’s supervisor.
“Who’s been murdered? Where’s the body?” he demanded. His blue eyes were arctic—cold and piercing.
“In the field behind your house. Call the cops.”
No one moved.
Tallulah stiffened. Their reactions were off. Way off. Any other crowd this size, over half of them would have already whipped out their ever-present cell phones and called the police. Too late, she recalled the strange creature who had entered this very house. The wolf no one claimed to notice. And Jeb’s bloody neck could have been the result of a bite. Chills ghosted up her spine.
“We’ll take care of everything,” the leader said smoothly. His eyes narrowed. “You look familiar...oh yeah, you’re one of those protestors. Ms. Silver, isn’t it?” He turned to the man who’d answered the door. “Eli, go upstairs and get Payton.”
Eli immediately bounded up the wooden stairs. The leader gripped her forearm. “Show me where you found the body.”
“After you call the cops,” she insisted. Bossy men like him couldn’t intimidate her.
He spoke to one of the guys, his eyes never leaving her face. “Adam, call 911. Now, Ms. Silver, I want to see the body.”
“You can view it along with the sheriff,” she countered, thrusting out her chin.
Shock widened his pupils. He was obviously used to being instantly obeyed. At least Adam was on the phone, reporting the murder.
He released her arm and faced the men. “Everyone go out, divide up and check the field and its perimeter.”
The men scrambled to follow his orders. Two sets of footsteps clamored down the stairs. Eli and Payton emerged.
Payton’s blond hair glistened, and tiny rivulets of water fell down his face. He wore jeans, but no shirt. The dark hair on his muscular chest was matted. He was sleek and lean and sexy as hell after his morning shower.
He gave her a lopsided grin. “Of course it’s you, stirring up trouble first thing in the morning. Should have guessed.”
“This is no laughing matter,” the leader snapped. “Another body’s been found.”
Another. Tallulah noticed his choice of words.
Payton’s face paled underneath his tan. All traces of humor vanished. “No,” he whispered, his voice strangled.
“So there’s been other bodies? Other murders?” she asked.
The leader’s jaw clenched. “You’re the only one saying murder. How do you know this person didn’t die from natural causes?”
She shuddered, recalling the mauled neck, the loss of blood.
Payton came to her at once. “Come, sit,” he ordered. “You look like hell. Must have been a shock to find the body.”
He tossed an arm over her shoulders and she leaned into his solid mass, smelling soap and shampoo. Warmth washed over her body and she allowed him to seat her on the beat-up leather sofa in the den. She stared at her hands that violently shook in her lap.
Payton closed his strong hands over her trembling ones. “Delayed reaction,” he said. “I’m sure the shock is starting to catch up to you.”
Somehow he understood, even if the dead body’s effect on her nerves surprised even Tallulah. Death and destruction were no strangers to a shadow hunter. But she was used to dealing with animals and spirits—not coming upon a mauled, human carcass.
Poor Jeb. First, the fire last year that had destroyed most of his cotton crop and damn near bankrupted him. And now...this.
“Eli and I are joining the others,” the leader said. “Wait for the cops and keep an eye on our guest.”
“I don’t need anyone to watch over me,” she muttered.
Payton nodded. “I will, Matt.”
The door banged shut as Eli and Matt left.
“You don’t have to babysit me. I’m fine.”
A ripple of apprehension roiled in her stomach. Maybe they weren’t concerned for her safety at all. Maybe there was something more sinister at play. They seemed in an awful hurry to find the body before the cops.
“Right. You’re fine. That’s why you’re shaking like a deer staring at the long end of a shotgun.”
He sat beside her and rubbed her shoulder. She drew a steadying breath. Be smart. Could be Payton was ordered to watch her for damage control. Make sure she didn’t catch them hiding the body or altering the scene.
“You had a traumatic experience this morning,” he said, continuing to massage her shoulders and neck. “Anyone would be shaken. Don’t act like you aren’t.”
Tallulah inched away from his touch. She was many things, but a fool she was not. For all she knew, Payton was as untrustworthy as the rest of the timber crew. Just because his kisses curled her toes the night before was no reason to let down her guard.
“Don’t patronize me,” she snapped. “I’m not the swooning Southern-belle type. I can handle emergencies with logic and calm.”
Payton’s mouth twisted and he rose from the sofa and paced. Probably stifling the urge to throttle her.
“Go on and join the others. You know you’re dying to check it out. I can take care of myself.”
Tallulah glanced around the den that seethed with masculinity—a pool table, large-screen TV, a wet bar, leather furniture and not a knickknack or potted plant in sight. If Payton went outside, she could do a little exploring. There was something very strange about this group of guys, although she couldn’t precisely say what. Their house had a different feel from other homes. A secretive vibe. But perhaps she judged unfairly, her view tainted by seeing the wolf enter. The one no one claimed to have seen—including Payton. Maybe she could convince him to leave so she could snoop around the place and call Sheriff Angier. Tell Payton she needed some alone time to recover from the ordeal of finding the body.
He ceased pacing and faced her abruptly. “Do you always have to act so damn defensive about everything?”
Her spine