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“I will do that, and thank you, son.”
Benson disconnected. “I need to get over to the gym to make sure someone is manning the desk.”
“Where’s Preston?”
“He’s training with Alex and Liam, the men General Armand sent down from Canada.”
“Ah, yes. Have you had a session yet?” His uncle cocked a brow.
“Yes, but they took it easy on me. As it was, I ended up with a few scratches, most of which thankfully healed before Ariel saw me.”
“I’m assuming you’ll have more sessions?”
“Yes. I'll need quite a lot more.”
“What happens when you have more severe wounds that don’t heal on the drive back to your house, and your mate sees them?” his uncle asked.
“Ariel knows we are trying to improve our fighting skills on the chance we run into the real killer. She just has no idea it involves wolves.”
“I see. By the way, how is she today?” he asked.
“Ariel is at work. Her ankle is still sore, though I have a feeling she has other injuries she isn’t telling us about. She’s stubborn like that.”
“She sounds like your mother.”
“Mom has been known to dig in her heals at times.”
“Is anyone watching Ariel to make sure she stays safe?” Benson could hear a bit of censure in his uncle’s voice.
Benson didn’t want to get into why he felt being too domineering wasn’t a good idea. “She promised to tell her coworkers about the threats. Ariel won’t leave the clinic.”
His uncle turned to Noah. “How about making sure no one is hanging around near there?”
The clinic was only a block away.
“I’d be happy to. Do you want me to stay around until she finishes her shift?” Noah asked.
“Sure, but try not to be seen. I imagine Ariel would take it out on my nephew if she sees you. She’ll figure you’re there to protect her.”
“If Ariel does spot Noah, he can say he was trying to catch a stalker and a possible murderer,” Benson said.
“True, though I’m betting Hammer—who may or may not be her stalker—is working for Paul Franklin. He would just be following orders.”
“Possibly.” Benson pushed back his chair. “I need to check on the gym. Preston doesn’t know about Anna yet.”
His uncle nodded. “I’ll call the sheriff over at Midvale.”
“Can you hold off on that for a bit?” Benson asked. “The kidnappers will be expecting the sheriff’s department to come after them, and you know Hanson and his men would be no match against werewolves. Besides, they might kill Anna if they see the law.”
“I’ll call my sister to see if perhaps her brother-in-law can spare any of his lumberjacks to take a look around. From what I’ve heard, a few of them like to gamble,” Uncle Adam said.
Not only would Nick Weston pick werewolves to check things out, if they visited the casinos around there, they'd blend in—well, as much as two huge men could. “Perfect.” Benson nodded to both men. “Thanks for your help.”
“Keep me informed,” his uncle said.
Benson agreed and then left. He was tempted to walk the block to the clinic, but he didn’t want to interrupt Ariel at work. At some point, he’d stop in to learn exactly what her duties as a vet’s assistant entailed.
Benson cut through the alley to Harm’s Way, and then walked the few hundred feet to the gym. When he stepped inside, it looked like business as usual. The clanging of the weights, the upbeat music, and the smell of the rubber mats made it seem as if nothing had changed in the world. Only it had.
