Making the Rent the Hard Way - 26

"What do we know about Tipton?" Luca asked.

"He's a Realtor on the planning commission, as it says here," I replied, tapping the screen. "From what I've heard, he and the mayor have locked horns more than once over rezoning issues. Tipton wants to turn residential neighborhoods into areas of shops, hotels, and high-density housing."

Orchid frowned. "How would that benefit Farnham's plans?"

"You'll have to ask him," I replied. "I have no idea, unless… Yeah. If he owns some of the prospective businesses and housing, he'd stand to make a lot of money. If they're all run by shifters, forcing humans out…" I spread my hands.

"In the end, he'll have his own shifter city with him as the alpha, which is what he's going for," Luca said angrily.

"Exactly. With the mayor and other city officials in his pocket… Hell, he's got that already, to some extent."

"How do we stop him?" Orchid asked.

"Feed the info we have to The Chronicle, for starters," I replied. The Chronicle prided itself on exposing the behind the scenes wheeling-and-dealing of government and businesspersons who were more interested in making money than working for the people they supposedly served.

"I bet, the minute we do, Farnham will send some of his goons to make them retract the articles—or else," Luca said. "We're in over our heads, Cade."

"We'll figure something out. We have to. I don't feel like setting up business in some other city. I like it here."

"Who can we get to help us?" Orchid asked. "Other than Rocky, that is. They have to be shifters. Humans"—she slanted a look at me—"can't tell who's a shifter and who isn't. Nor are they strong enough to take one on, to say the least of a whole pack."

"This human is," I told her. "Okay, not fighting them, but pointing a finger and saying he is or he isn't."

"You're kidding."

"Nope." I explained my ability to her.

At first she didn't believe me, until Luca convinced her otherwise, telling her I was fairly well-known, or my name was, within the shifter community. "Probably the reason Farnham hired him to find me," he told her.

"I'd say that's a given," I said as I checked the time. "Right now, I suggest we head home. Well, me and Orchid. It's almost five and I need to clean up, eat, then get to the office. I do have a business that I'd like to keep up and running."

"How are you getting there?" Orchid asked, as if she didn't know. When Luca said he was going to take me, she vetoed the idea. "You know Farnham undoubtedly knows where he lives. It would be better if I took him, in case Farnham's got someone watching the place."

I doubted he did, but she was right. Why take chances? I gave Luca a fast kiss—because why the hell not? Orchid just rolled her eyes, asking Luca for an image of my apartment. Then she took my hand and, instantly, we were in my living room.