Bound to Shadows (Riley Jenson Guardian 8)

I smiled. Evin might not be blood kin, but he certainly thought like us. "How do you contact Tyson?"

"He phones me. "

"Home or cell?"

"Cell. Every night at ten. "

I raised my eyebrows. "Even tonight?"

"Yeah. He was furious when I told him that Denny had snatched Evin and was holding him hostage against your appearance. "

"So you also went out there because he ordered you to?"

Anger flashed through his expression. "As I said, I went out there because I'm a cop and it's my duty to stop him. No one told me to do anything. "

But the fact that his duty and Tyson's orders coincided wouldn't have hurt.

"Is Tyson the only contact you've had?"

"Yes. "

"What number does he phone from?"

"I don't know. The number is always blocked. "

I gave him a disbelieving look. "You're a cop, and you're trying to tell me that didn't bother you? When this man is your friend?"

He smiled thinly and reeled off a number. "It's a Northern Territory number. Tyson's pack is in Queensland. "

I glanced at Evin, who shook his head. "The number I phone is a Melbourne one. "

"So we have Tyson in the Northern Territory and the people holding your mate hostage in Melbourne. Meaning Tyson's not alone in this. "

"We all knew that from the beginning," Quinn commented. "Just as we all know who is behind this. "

I glanced at him. "We can't move until we've rescued Evin's mate. And a little concrete proof would be nice, too. " Certainly it'll make it easier for Jack to issue a retribution order.

Or a death order.

Something within me shivered. I really didn't want Blake dead, no matter what he'd done, but I might not have that choice anymore. I'd given him one chance already, and he'd thrown it back in my face.

And I had no doubt he'd keep at me until he achieved his aim: my death, and maybe even Rhoan's.

We had a pack of our own to consider - we had a child on the way. It went beyond my and Rhoan's safety now.

"We have two choices, then. " Quinn's face was still impassive, but the sense of menace brewed like a storm around him. "We go after Tyson, or we hunt down those who have Evin's mate. "

"If we go after Tyson, the game is up. Besides, such a move would only endanger Lyndal - Evin's mate," I said.

"Then we do a trace on the number Evin calls, and hit them before tomorrow night. "

I raised an eyebrow. "Jack wants us to solve the other case first. "

"You're not the only guardian he has, Riley. Blake - and whoever else is behind this - needs to be stopped immediately. Otherwise, next time they might just settle for an assassin's bullet. "

And as he'd already said, Jack didn't want me dead.

I glanced at West. "Do you know if Tyson has any other spies in this town?"