Never Again – 40

 

Steve sat up slowly, not taking his eyes off Joseph. "What could you have done, Cal? You don't have any money. Embezzle it from Rebuild? Somehow I don't see you doing that."

This might explain why he was so dead set on my making friends with Cal, Joseph decided. To maybe keep him too busy to be aware of what was being set up.

Cal ran a hand over his face. "So to save yourself, you were willing to destroy what we're doing here. Who hired you, Steve? Who's the bastard who forced you into this?"

"Mr. Folkes. He saw the value in this place but, according to him, you got enough money together to buy it before he could make an offer. He wanted to turn it into a fancy tourist motel."

Cal frowned. "But he helped me pull everything together, especially with some of the licenses."

"So he would have access when the time came," Steve told him. He started to stand, remaining where he was when Joseph growled angrily and took two steps toward him. "Where the hell did you get that beast, Cal?" he asked fearfully, eyeing the shifter.

"A friend loaned him to me," Cal replied without blinking an eye. "He's a well-trained wolf-hybrid."

Wolf-hybrid? Joseph would have chuckled if it was possible. Well I suppose technically that's what I am. Well-trained, however, is another story.

"So now what happens," Steve asked, his head bowed in submission.

"I call the police and you tell them everything."

"About Mr. Folkes?"

"Especially about him, the son-of-a-bitch." Cal had his phone in his hand by then, making the call while still keeping his pistol trained on Steve.

"I'll report that beast to Animal Control," Steve blustered.

Cal smiled. "First they'd have to find him, which might be a problem." He turned his attention to his call when it was answered; explaining he'd caught two men trying to vandalize the site. After he hung up, he let Steve and his companion know the cops were on their way. "Move over next to him," Cal ordered the other man, pointing to Steve. With obvious reluctance the man did, crouching down beside him, cradling his injured, blood-soaked arm with the other one.

Cal glanced at Joseph, giving a small nod of his head in the direction of the front of the building. Moments later Joseph was out of view, crouching in the deep shadows of the building for the moment to keep watch in case of further trouble.

Within minutes, a squad car and an ambulance pulled up in front of the site. By then, Cal had herded his two prisoners to the gate. While the EMTs examined to man Joseph had bitten, Cal talked with the police officers. Steve and the other man were read their rights then Steve was ushered into the squad car while his accomplice was placed in the ambulance.

Only after everyone but Cal was gone did Joseph appear in his human form. He'd obviously found where Cal had left his clothes because he was dressed.

"You did it," Cal said, wrapping his arm around Joseph's waist.

"We did it. It took both of us working together, and a bit of luck, but now that problem is solved."

"Let's go home and celebrate?"

Joseph laughed, pointing to the false dawn lighting the sky. "We go home and we'll just have to turn right around and come back again. But tonight? Yes, tonight we celebrate in style." He cupped his hand under Cal's jaw, kissing him quite soundly. "For now, let's go find some breakfast. I'm starving."