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One way or another, we were going to talk, whether she wanted to or not.
Near sunset, a car approached us from inside Carter’s Creek. I recognized it. It had been parked outside a Carter’s Creek diner the first time I came here to speak with their pack elders about Quincy’s threats.
Doris Houghton. We’d finally drawn her out.
I hopped down from my tailgate and walked out into the middle of the road, holding a hand up to signal for her to stop. Behind me, Dylan stood at the ready.
For what, we’d have to wait and see.
She flew out of the driver’s seat without turning off the engine. Her face was twisted with rage. “Xander Miller, what in the name of Hell—”
“Evening, Doris,” I cut her off. “Just thought we should have a little chat.”
She glowered at me. She was dressed in jeans and a button-down with the sleeves rolled up like a ranch hand’s, but on her feet, she wore house slippers, not boots.
It seemed we’d pulled her from a cozy evening at home.
“Fine, then,” she said through her teeth, marching toward me. “Let’s talk. If you thought your sons were here, you’d be breaking down doors already. And since my whole pack swore you a blood oath, I know you aren’t here because think we had anything to do with their kidnapping.”
“Your granddaughter swore me a blood oath, too,” I pointed out.
“And her blood is likely cursed from it now. She’ll pay for her sins on her own time. Don’t make my pack pay for them.” The rage in her expression shifted. Now, she looked like a stern mother giving a misbehaving boy a talking-to. “I was very sorry to hear about your sons, Xander, but we didn’t have anything to do with this. With any of it.”
“I’m not sure I believe you.”
“Xander—”
“No.” I held up a hand. “I don’t need you to make your case to me. I know you didn’t cook up this scheme to take my sons.”
“I’m glad we’re in agreement.” She nodded to Dylan, who stood in front of the trucks blocking the road. “Now, call off your dogs before I call the cops.”
“The cops aren’t going to do shit about this, and you know it. They don’t like getting mixed up in shifter business,” I reminded her. “The way I figure it, you and your people probably have a week here before food starts to run out. Me and my people are more than happy to wait things out if you are. Or, you can give me some answers, and we can wrap this up nice and quick. Up to you.”
She stared me down. Behind her eyes, I could see the calculations rolling in. Was I bluffing? Would I really watch her pack starve just to get my way?
“Very well,” she said. “What do you want to know?”
“You promised to keep a leash on your granddaughter. Instead, you let her run wild. You said you’d take care of your son, too. Instead, he’s who-the-fuck-knows where now, half-feral and planning God knows what. What I want to know, Doris, is why?”
She breathed an exasperated sigh. “You don’t think I tried?”
“Not hard enough. Now, my boys are gone, my mother is in a coma, and your family is responsible.” I almost pitied her. Managing Quincy or Melony independently couldn’t have been an easy task. Managing them both? Impossible. But we all had our crosses to bear. If hers was too heavy, she should have asked for help before it was too late.
“I’ve failed in controlling Quincy and Melony, I can admit that, but they aren’t here. Neither are your sons.” She gestured behind her, toward town. “I already told the FBI as much. Search every house if you want. You have my full permission. No one will try to stop you. I’m not a monster, Xander. If those babies were in Carter’s Creek, I’d have already sent them home to you.”
“I know. What I don’t understand is why you’ve been dodging my calls. Or why it took six hours for you to finally show your face here today.”
“It’s complicated, isn’t it?” She stared at the ground between our feet. “You want information from me. I’ve gathered that much. But I’m a parent, too, Xander. How could I face you, knowing that my granddaughter kidnapped your sons, and I had nothing to tell you but how sorry I was?”
The look on her face was a broken as shattered glass. It made my heart pang, but there were far deeper wounds in my chest than any pity I felt for Doris Houghton.
“I think you have more to tell me than that.”
“Such as?” She looked up at me expectantly. “I didn’t know Melony was going to do this. The last I heard from her was months ago. She was struggling. Unstable. I was doing my best to mitigate that, but then your brother and his betas came and took her away. She’s been off my radar ever since, and that’s the truth.”
I searched her eyes and found no deception. If she was lying, she was the best in the game.
“I believe you,” I relented. “So, we’ll start with what you do know. Melony was unstable. How so?”
