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  and sat down in the chair in front of his desk.

  “I wondered if you’d found out anything about those hunters out behind my house.”

  Duncan twisted his lips and mulled over how to best proceed. Bureaucratic B.S. usually seemed to work. “I’m working on it. I have a few leads I’m following up on. As soon as I know anything I’ll let you know.”

  She gifted him with another smile and reached up to smooth a few silvery strands of hair that had escaped the bun. “Oh well, that’s good. I hate to think of those poor animals being shot at. I have to tell you, I was rooting for that cheetah, and I never heard shots so I’m hoping it escaped.”

  Duncan lunged forward in his seat, his hands flat on the desk. “What cheetah, Mrs. Humphreys? You never said anything about a cheetah.”

  A puzzled frown creased her face. “Oh but I’m sure I did.”

  Duncan shook his head. “No ma’am. You said lion. Not a mountain lion, but a lion.”

  “Well, there was a lion too. Before the cheetah. Oh dear, maybe I forgot to mention the cheetah.”

  Fuck. Now he had someone else who had seen Aliyah. Could it get any worse?

  “Tell me about the cheetah,” he said, directing her back to the matter at hand.

  “Well, it was early, and I’m always up early. I went out back to feed Riley, and I saw two SUVs driving across the back boundary of my property. They stopped at the bottom of the first switchback and started unloading a bunch of stuff. So I went inside to get the binoculars.

  “I saw that they carried rifles and bows. And then, one of them opened the back, and they lifted out a cage. I couldn’t really see what kind of animal it was until they turned it loose. Now I wouldn’t swear in court, mind you, but it certainly looked like a cheetah. I’d just watched a documentary the night before on Animal Planet.”

  Duncan blew out his breath and dragged a hand through his hair. “Did you get a good enough look at the men to be able to give a detailed description? And would you know them again if you saw them?”

  “Oh my, I just don’t know. Maybe?”

  He smiled kindly at her. “It’s all right, Mrs. Humphreys. You’ve been very helpful. I think you should keep this information to yourself, though. We don’t want people to get the idea that a bunch of wild animals are roaming around our mountains.”

  The last thing he needed was a bunch of hot-to-trot good ol' boys armed with high-powered rifles mounting a search for dangerous animals. It would be more fun than the town of Elk Ridge had had since old man Hildebrandt swore he saw Bigfoot.

  “Of course,” she said.

  They were interrupted when Nick stuck his head in the door. “Duncan, I need a minute when you get time.”

  Mrs. Humphreys rose from her seat and turned to smile at Nick. “That’s all right, young man. I was just going.”

  Duncan rose. “Thanks for coming by, Mrs. Humphreys. I appreciate the information, and I want you to know, we’re doing all we can to make sure those poachers are found and arrested. In the meantime, if you see anything else, you call me immediately.”

  She nodded and headed out the door as Nick walked in to plop in the chair she’d just vacated.

  Duncan stared at Nick and tried not to let his impatience show.

  “So what’s going on?” Nick asked.

  Duncan blinked. “Going to give me an idea of what you want to know? Or do you want a detailed accounting of my entire morning?”

  Nick’s brow arched. “Someone piss in your cereal? I’m talking about yesterday. You going looking for hunters, then calling dispatch and telling them to contact local hospitals to see if anyone showed up with injuries. Yet you come out alone, don’t file a report other than you have suspicions of illegal hunting. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out something’s fishy as hell.”

  Damn. He hadn’t even stopped to think about what asking dispatch to notify the local hospitals would imply. He took a deep breath and quelled his agitation. Nick was his friend and a damn good cop. He didn’t deserve Duncan’s impatience.

  “I think one of them was injured,” he said slowly. “They were tracking a kill.”

  “So you saw blood. What made you think it wasn’t the animal’s blood?”

  “It was an idea,” Duncan said shortly. “I’m covering all the bases.”

  Nick stared suspiciously at him. “You’re holding back on me, man. What’s that shit?”

  Duncan nearly groaned. He and Nick went way back. Both had grown up here and felt a deep loyalty to the town and to the mountains. No, he hadn’t ever held out on Nick. There had never been a need. But he wasn’t ready to share Aliyah with anyone. And who the hell would believe him anyway?

  Duncan grabbed for the phone in relief when it rang. After a few moments, he hung up and looked back up at Nick. At least now he could do something besides sit here while Nick stared him down like a bug under a microscope.

  “Looks like their kill has been found. Locals out scouting found a dead lion about a mile up the mountain at the Turner Creek crossing.”

  “A mountain lion?”

  “No. A lion,” Duncan said evenly.

  “You mean a lion as in fucking Lion King?”

  Duncan nodded.

  “Holy fuck. So maybe Mrs. Humphreys wasn’t off her rocker when she said she saw a cheetah.”

  Alarm prickled up Duncan’s spine. “You heard that?”

  “Yeah, came in on the tail end of the conversation. What the hell is going on, Duncan?”

  Duncan sat back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. He trusted Nick. There was no doubt about that. No, he didn’t want to tell him about Aliyah, but that had more to do with the possessive need crawling through his veins. The need to keep her to himself, sheltered from the rest of the world.

  But the rest he could trust Nick with. “It would appear that our poachers are importing exotic animals into the states and turning them out to hunt here in Elk Ridge. Why don’t you head out with me, and I’ll catch you up to speed on what I know.”

  Duncan got up, collected his jacket and walked out of the office, Nick on his heels. They climbed into Duncan’s truck and headed for Turner Creek.

  They rode in silence for a long time. Frustration edged up Duncan’s neck and gripped his jaw. The longer it took him to run down leads, the longer Aliyah was left alone in his house. He was in a hell of a fix. He couldn’t have her with him while he worked to try and track down the men who’d hunted her, but he felt uneasy about leaving her alone and without protection for such a long period of time.

  “You okay?” Nick asked.

  Duncan glanced over at his friend. “Yeah, I’m good. Just tired. Wagged my ass all over the damn mountain yesterday looking for those damn poachers.”

  Nick’s expression darkened. “I want them out of our mountains, Duncan.”

  Duncan nodded. “You and me both. Last thing we need is a bunch of outsiders shooting up the damn woods and loosing animals like lions. The locals get wind of this and they’ll posse up and go after the poachers themselves.”

  As they neared the Turner Creek crossing, they saw two trucks parked a quarter-mile up the road. Duncan pulled in behind them and hopped out.

  He and Nick walked over to where Heath Barnes and his son, Michael, stood with Sam Crenshaw. They looked up.

  “Sheriff,” Heath said with a nod.

  Duncan looked down at the dead lion. Large adult male. Gunshot wound behind the left shoulder. Rigor had set in and the body temperature was cool, no warmth when Duncan touched the stiff body. Probably shot late yesterday or possibly early this morning.

  He looked up at the three men who gathered round the fallen lion. “You fellows see anyone around?”

  They shook their heads.

  “What’s going on, sheriff?” Sam asked. “What’s a lion doing around here?”

  Duncan rose and rubbed a hand through his hair. “I wish I knew. Looks like we have a poaching ring.”

  The men’s
faces twisted in anger.

  “It’s bad enough we have to put up with so many damn out-of-state hunters every fall,” Heath muttered. “Now they’re running illegal animals?”

  Duncan sighed and pulled out his cell phone to check his signal. One bar. A call might go through. He dialed Doc’s number, hoping this time he’d actually get a hold of the man.

  After the fourth ring, Doc’s gravelly voice bled through the line.

  “What can I do for you, Duncan?” Doc asked. “Sorry I didn’t get back to you last night. It was damn near two a.m. before I got in. Had a difficult delivery out at the Bransons.”

  “No problem. Look Doc, if you aren’t busy, I could use you.”

  “Sure, what’s up?”

  “I need you to do an autopsy…on a lion.”

  “A mountain lion? Whatever for?”

  “No, Doc, a lion. African lion. I’ve got a dead one at Turner Creek. I need you to preserve what evidence you find, recover any bullet fragments and give me a detailed report of your findings.”

  “You bringing it in or do you want me to come get it?”

  “I’ll have my deputies bring it to you,” Duncan said.

  “I’ll be waiting. Oh, and Duncan, what was it you needed last night? You sounded distracted.”

  Duncan paused. “Nothing. It wasn’t important.”

  Doc grunted. “Whatever. I’ll be at the clinic.”

  “Thanks, Doc.”

  Duncan hung up and glanced over at Nick. “Can you handle things here?”

  Nick nodded. “Where are you off to?”

  “I need to go back to the office and run over some maps. If I can get a chopper out tomorrow morning we can do an aerial recon of the area. See if we get lucky.”

  “Good idea. If nothing else, we can rule out a lot of ground to cover on foot. I’ll radio dispatch and have them send an off-duty deputy. I’ll catch a ride back to town with him when we take the lion out to Doc’s.”

  “Thanks, Nick. I appreciate it.”

  Nick eyed him curiously. “It’s my job.”

  “Yeah, I know, but thanks anyway.”

  “Duncan, are you sure everything’s okay? You’re taking this awfully hard.”

  Concern and curiosity flickered in Nick’s eyes, and Duncan felt a surge of guilt. He wasn’t one to keep secrets. Aliyah, though? One secret well worth keeping. Especially if it kept her in his arms a little longer.

  “I’m good, man. Keep me posted.”

  Duncan started back to his truck. He tried to view the lion’s death as he would any other animal’s demise, but he kept imagining a golden-eyed cheetah lifeless on the ground.

  It could have been Aliyah. It would have been Aliyah if he hadn’t found her when he did.

  The idea of her running for her life, helpless against the hunters pursuing her, sent a cold chill down his spine. As long as he lived, he’d never forget the sight of a cold, shivering Aliyah lying naked on the floor of his mudroom, an arrow protruding from her thigh.

  He wanted to get back to her. Make sure she was safe. Not hurting. But first he had to do what he could to ensure the hunters were no longer a threat to her.

  He was eager as hell to see Aliyah again, and he knew it had little to do with police procedure, his investigation or anything else. He wanted to touch her. Run his hands over her body.

  His groin grew heavy, and an ache began as his cock stiffened.

  He climbed into his truck and stared down in disgust at the bulge in his crotch. Then he shifted in an effort to alleviate the discomfort. All the way home, he thought about the coming snow. Ice. Frost. Cold showers. Anything that would make it less likely that he’d walk into his cabin with a hard-on from hell.

  On the other hand, he could think of better ways to ease the ache than thinking of icebergs and penguins. Like diving into a warm pussy.

  Chapter Eight

  It was late when Duncan turned into his drive. He pulled up to his house and sat there for a moment, his hands gripped tight around the steering wheel. Fatigue worked deep into his muscles, but at the same time anticipation licked up his skin. He realized, as he walked toward the front door, that he wanted her to be here. He didn’t want to walk into an empty house like he did every other day.

  He inserted the key into the lock, turned then paused as he slid his hand down to grab the handle. Quietly, he eased the door open and stepped inside.

  Relief lightened his chest.

  Curled up on the couch in front of the fire was Aliyah. Lying on her side, her knees drawn up and one arm dangling over the side of the sofa, she was sound asleep.

  It looked frighteningly domestic. Like a man returning home after a long day at work to find his woman waiting. Soft. Beautiful.

  He walked forward, drawn to the alluring image she presented. As he moved closer, he frowned. Her skin rippled with tiny quivers. Her muscles twitched and jumped, and her brow was creased, her lips drawn into a tight line.

  He knelt in front of the couch and laid his hand on her shoulder. She was wearing one of his flannel shirts. He slid his hand down her arm then over her hip and to the bare skin of her leg. His fingers tracked back up to the hem of the shirt, and he pushed until it revealed her wound.

  It still looked painful, though he couldn’t imagine anyone else healing this rapidly. And she seemed to think it was taking much too long.

  He pressed his lips an inch below the jagged seam of the closed wound and kissed. Beneath his mouth, she stirred. He glanced over to see her looking at him. A smile curved her full lips.

  “Hey,” she murmured.

  “Hey yourself.”

  She put her hand down to push herself into a sitting position. He clasped her shoulder and helped her up.

  “You doing okay?” he asked.

  She rubbed her hands over her arms and expelled a shaky breath. “Yeah, I’m good.”

  He touched her cheek, outlined her lips with his fingers. Her eyes simmered liquid gold as she nuzzled her face into his palm.

  “I’m starving,” he said. “Come keep me company while I whip up something to eat?”

  She smiled and nodded.

  “You want something?” he asked as he helped her to her feet.

  “If you’re offering to cook.” She grinned. “I snacked on some of the stuff in your fridge, but I’m a disaster in the kitchen. Opening a can is about the extent of my culinary expertise.”

  She glanced down at her bare legs then back up at Duncan. “I don’t have anything to wear. Your shirt was all I could find. I hope you don’t mind me borrowing it.”

  He reached out to finger the lapel and ran the tip inside over the strip of flesh bared by the V. “That shirt never looked that good on me.”

  She smiled again and started for the kitchen.

  “I should have thought about getting you some clothes,” he said as he followed behind her. “Everything will be closed now, but I can go out tomorrow morning first thing and pick you up a few things.”

  She gingerly perched atop one of the barstools, her bare legs dangling down. “That’s sweet of you. I’d appreciate it.” She cocked her head to the side and studied him. “You look tired. Long day?”

  Warm pleasure surged through his veins at her concern. He set a skillet on the countertop and reached over to touch her hand.

  “We found a dead lion.”

  Sorrow filled her eyes and then she looked down. He raised his hand to her cheek.

  “I’m sorry.”

  She looked back at him, her eyes shining with a sheen of tears. “He was taken from the same game preserve that I was. He was a beautiful animal.”

  “Aliyah, I’ll find the people who did this to you, to the other animals. I promise. They won’t hurt you again.”

  She nodded, sadness still etched into her features. He pulled away and began preparations for a quick dinner.

  A few minutes later, he dished up omelets for both of them. She dug in with enthusiasm and sighed in pleasure as she put a bite
into her mouth.

  “Real food. I’m in heaven.”

  He looked up from his own plate. “Yeah, I guess you haven’t exactly had decent food lately.” Then he remembered his own offering of the raw steak and grimaced.

  She ate quickly and with great enjoyment. When she pushed back her plate with a yawn, he felt the prickle of fatigue skate up his neck as well.

  “We should probably get to bed,” he said as he picked up their plates and headed for the sink. “I’ll, uhm, take the couch.” He didn’t want to assume anything even though they’d had sex the night before. Maybe she already regretted it.

  He turned around to see her staring intently at him, those golden eyes glowing in the light.

  “I don’t want to sleep alone,” she said softly.

  His chest tightened. He didn’t want to sleep on the couch. He’d much prefer having her in his arms again.

  She walked forward, stopping mere inches in front of him. Their bodies were so close they were nearly touching. Her warmth reached out, curling around him, soft and feminine like her.

  She put her hand on his chest and gazed up at him, her eyes beseeching.

  “What are you asking?” he said hoarsely.

  “For you to hold me. And maybe…”

  “Maybe what?”

  He cupped his hand over hers, sliding his fingers over her wrist and to her fingertips.

  “And maybe you could touch me,” she whispered.

  “Do you know what you’re asking?”

  She touched his cheek. “I know what I’m asking for, Duncan. The question is, can you give it to me?”

  Chapter Nine

  Duncan stood in the doorway of his bedroom, arm resting against the frame. Aliyah was lying on the bed. Naked. The flannel shirt she’d worn a few minutes ago was carelessly strewn on the floor.

  She stretched on her side and stared up at him, eyes glowing a golden, iridescent glitter. There was clear invitation in her gaze, and he quickly unbuttoned his shirt then peeled his pants off. As the material gathered around his ankles, he hastily kicked off his boots then stepped out of the jeans.

  He moved forward, drawn to the enticing figure she posed. As he put a knee on the bed and crawled forward, she rose up on her elbow. Her long hair fell forward, sliding over her shoulder.

  She wasn’t shy at all. He liked that about her. She reached out and cupped his erection, boldly stroking over the length, up and then down again, her fingers curling around his sac.

  He loved the way he filled her tiny hand, how she could barely get her fingers wrapped around the thick base of his dick. Each caress sent a sharp bolt of pleasure ricocheting up his spine.

  Finally he pried her hand away and pulled it high over her head. He moved