Page 34 of Scout’s Honor

Dallas considered. “I’ll call you right back.” He hung up and walked back over to the others.

Aven was nodding before he even got to them. “You want us to guard Bonhi, don’t you?” Aven asked.

“Yeah, bro, I do. Keep her safe.”

“We’re on it,” Aven said.

Dakota snuggled under Aven’s arm, nodding. “We’ll stick with her all day.”

“Thanks, you two.”

Dallas called Jameson back and confirmed, hoping to get on Jameson’s good side. Maybe he could convince him to set up a shifter guard for Bonhi, at least for a little while.

Bonhi got out of the shower and toweled off, her mind working fast.

In the daylight, the night before seemed so surreal. Why had that guy even come after her in the first place? Also, she was falling for the hot jaguar-rescuer guy—Dallas—and she could not afford to do that. She had commitments and cases, and several appointments scheduled that day.

But that wasn’t even the worst of it—had she really named Judge Sturn as someone who might be involved in an abduction? Just because she’d gotten a phone call that said the judge was mad and Bonhi better watch her back? Bonhi groaned. Her career was toast, unless she fixed this shit fast.

She wrapped a towel around her and ran to her bedroom where she had a land line. It was her business phone number, and she could answer it here or at her office. She opened her laptop and looked up the number to Officer Saluda, then called. He didn’t answer. Officer Brand also didn’t answer. She hung up and thought for a moment, then called the main line to the police station.

“Police,” a gruff male voice said.

“My name is Bonhi Candor. I spoke with two officers last night regarding an incident that happened on Nevoc Highway. Could you tell me my report number and the status of the case?”

“Yeah, hold on.”

Bonhi waited.

In a minute he came back on the line, gave the information, and transferred her to the lead detective.

An even gruffer male voice said, “Detective Poppet.”

“My name is Bonhi Candor. I was abducted last night by a guy with a gun, then interviewed by Officers Saluda and Brand. I was told you’d taken over the case and I was hoping to amend my statement.”

“Is that so?” the detective asked in an easy drawl. “How come?”

“I’m a lawyer, and your officer pressured me to name someone who might have it out for me. I named Judge Elisabeth Sturn.” The officer laughed softly. He probably knew Sturn. Bonhi gathered her wits, speaking as professionally as possible. “It’s common knowledge at the courthouse that the judge and I have had our tense moments, and recently a colleague mentioned Judge Sturn’s frustration with me. Last night I was scared and running on adrenaline. I connected those dots, and I shouldn’t have. Pursue whatever leads you have, but don’t treat my assumption as anything more than that.”

Bonhi shut her mouth against the urge to say more, not wanting the officer to suspect she was being coerced in some way.

“That it?” the officer grunted.

“Yes.”

“Got it. I’ll contact you when I have new information.”

“Thank you.”

Bonhi hung up, glad at how it had gone. She went to her closet and picked out a gray pencil skirt and pink blouse, plus work heels and her prettiest gold filigree hoop earrings, knowing she was dressing up for Dallas, but also not thinking about it. She had so much to do at her office, including cleaning up her broken door.

Thinking about Dallas and… everything he’d said would have to wait.

She opened her laptop and checked on her motion for a delay—it had been approved without comment.

She called Vernon but there was no answer, so she left a message. “Vernon, the strangest thing happened yesterday and my cellphone was destroyed. I saw the cabin and I got some pictures, but they were on my phone, so I’ll have to go out again. But first I’ll need a new phone… and a new car. The hearing is delayed for three days, so we have time. Call my office phone when you can.”

She gathered her things and went downstairs, thinking she would grab a bite to eat at the restaurant next to her office… but then she remembered her car was crashed on the side of the highway… unless the officers had towed it already.