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“Then let’s go spree.”
I swore she followed that up with a barely there mumble that sounded like, “I’ll show Kane trouble.”
* * * *
I took her to Granville Island first, if only because I knew it’d make Kane cringe when he saw transactions show up from some of my favorite artisan shops. He wasn’t a tight-ass with the finances, but he was very careful. We all had an aversion to slipping back into our poverty roots. We’d all worked hard to boost our collective wealth, but it was thanks to Kane’s investment savvy that we were in the billionaire club, even if it was only by a smidge.
I was on alert but trying not to be too clingy. If she was set to piss Kane off, then she might leave, or I might be projecting my fear that she’d try to ditch me, because if I were her, I probably would cut and run.
After convincing her to buy a few pricey pieces to support the local leathercrafts people, we stopped at a café for some decadent pastry and coffee. I knew she was food motivated—all werewolves were—so I’d at least keep her happy with some delicious sweets.
“Kane told me he had appointments today,” Charlie said between bites of her chocolate croissant. “Anything to do with Sal?”
Ahhh, okay, she was pumping me for information. Maybe she already had us figured out. I was dying to tell her everything I knew, anyway.
“Not directly.” Kane didn’t want me sharing internal clan business with Charlie until she’d committed, but I wasn’t exactly the greatest secret keeper and he knew it. It was probably why he’d told me this morning not to do anything he wouldn’t do.
He should have been more specific.
“Kane’s trying to figure out what went down prior to Sal taking over the Larsen clan, and he wants to know where Andrew is.”
“Probably dead.” She finished her pastry then reached for another. I’d already mowed down a half dozen gigantic cookies, way ahead of her in the gluttony department. I was happy to see that she had a sweet tooth, but damn, she needed to catch up before I demoed the entire box. “Vince, Larsen’s head accountant and general thug, told me Andy’s out of commission permanently.”
“That’s what Sal said, too, when he took over, hinting that Andrew paid a harsh penalty for some undisclosed crime, but Kane has another theory.” I leaned forward like I was ready to share a secret.
She cocked a brow over her coffee cup, definitely intrigued.
“Kane thinks that Andrew caught wind of a coup and hit the road.” I snagged the last croissant when Charlie waved it away in favor of a donut. I was teasing her, dangling what she wanted just out of reach. Nothing I’d said so far was shocking to her, I knew. I was holding the good stuff back…just to make her squirm a bit.
“That doesn’t seem like something Andy would do.” If she was onto my game, she was keeping it cool.
Maybe she thought I was a moron. Maybe she’d decide I was wasting her time.
“He’s a control freak, just as much as the rest of them are.”
“Yeah, well, Levi did some digging and accessed camera footage from the airport. Andrew was definitely seen boarding a commercial flight—two days before you came back.” Bam! That was the good stuff.
She paused mid chew. I knew she couldn’t believe my words.
“A commercial flight. With humans?” She shook her head. “No way. Andy would never do that.”
I beat her to her next obvious question. “Uncoerced. Unaccompanied.”
She frowned. “If he knew something was coming, then why wouldn’t he have rallied his supporters? The pack wouldn’t turn on him without reason.”
“Unless Sal was working behind the scenes on something. If he had already infiltrated the ranks without Andy knowing, he might have convinced a switch in alliance.” That was Kane’s other theory, that Sal had worked on the outliers of the pack and had moved inward slowly until he had reached some of the key players and gotten their support.
“Those wolves were loyal to my father. They were there when Sal was ousted. They’d never support him.” But her conviction wavered the more she spoke. “Unless they had an issue with Andy’s leadership. If Sal found the chink in his armor, he’d be able to turn some of the pack.” The wheels were clearly turning. “Where was Andy headed?”
I made a I’m-not-supposed-to-tell-you-this face, like I was debating whether or not to give her the details. “Toronto.”
She put the donut down. “He was coming to warn me.” Her frown deepened, creating deep rivets between her eyes. “He’s the only one who would do that.”
“If that’s true, why not just call you?” I was making her work for it, not handing over Kane’s theory completely. That way he couldn’t be too angry, not if I confirmed what she figured out on her own.
“A phone call wouldn’t be enough to get me moving. He’d devise a plan.” She swore under her breath. “That stupid thief. It was a setup.” She stared off, lost in her thoughts for a few heartbeats, probably forgetting I was even there. “Andy, you’re such a moron.”
I kept my big mouth shut, because of course I knew what she was talking about. She didn’t know I’d been keeping tabs on her. I agreed, though, that the holdup was way too random. Andrew was likely behind it.
