Haunted by the Wolf- Shannon Read online

  “Good job today, Fletch. You should do well once you get set up. Do you know what part of the country you're going to be in?” Kenney asked during dinner.

  “I'm not sure. They have mentioned Montana, maybe Wyoming, but nothing has been decided. I know you guys cover a pretty vast area. If you get a call to the farthest corner of your territory, it takes too long for you to get there. That's not good, especially if you have a critical case. They want more support out there and want to overlap territories.”

  “What about friends and family?”

  “I don't have any family. My friends will always be my friends, no matter where I am.”

  “Wow, you must have some really close friends,” Kenney remarked.

  “I do. We’ve been through a lot together.”

  Gary instantly picked up on who he was talking about; the people Fletcher was held prisoner with. Stan and Kenney didn't know about Fletcher’s past.

  “Stan, did Stevens say anything to you about what happened?” Gary asked.

  “She said she saw his face and there was something familiar about it. I know she is really trying hard to put the pieces together. She told me about some of her flashbacks, but most of them are memories of her stay in the hospital. She noted the last one was odd. It was like the past and the present were starting to run together.”

  “Let’s hope that’s a good thing. I want all of you to watch out for her. This guy isn’t finished. It’s possible he doesn’t know that she can’t remember what happened.”

  “He could have inquired about her condition at the hospital,” Fletch remarked.

  “He’d have to have connections to medical staff. The hospital claimed she never had any visitors.” Stan stopped. “I didn’t think to look into medical staff.”

  “She did say she went to a medical convention,” Gary added, “maybe that’s where she met this creep.”

  “And someone was constantly watching her, she could never see his face,” Kenney added.

  “Stan, see if you can find out who attended that convention.”

  “I'll get right on it after dinner. Where did she say it was held?”

  “In Raleigh, NC. Check all the hotels. Find out which one held a big medical convention about two years ago. It might be easier to start there and work backwards. See if you can get a list of the attendees and who arranged it.”

  “What if they won't give it to me on the grounds of confidentiality?”

  “Fletcher, do you have any connections in that department?”

  “I could make a few calls.”

  Stan looked back and forth between them. “Why would Fletch have connections?” He looked at Fletch. “You got friends in the FBI or something?”

  “Something like that.” He wouldn't elaborate.

  “Just when I thought I was getting to know you,” Stan threw his hands in the air, making them laugh.

  “Alright, if you run into problems, let Fletcher know. I have work to do. If anyone needs me, I'll be in the office.” Gary left them to fight over who had dish washing duty. In the end, all three worked together cleaning up.

  *****

  Curiosity was getting the best of Stan. Every time Fletch looked his way; Stan was staring at him.

  “What!” Fletch knew the questions were about to come.

  “Nothing.” Stan put dishes away.

  “Did you want to ask me something?” Fletch questioned.

  “Nope. Well, maybe.”

  “Oh, for crying out loud, get a cup of coffee and take a break.” Both Kenney and Stan almost collided as they dashed to get their coffee and sit down. Fletch just shook his head, then got himself a coffee and joined them.

  “Do you really know somebody in the FBI?” Stan asked.

  “I know several people that work for the FBI, they're good friends.”

  “Really, how come?”

  “Do you remember the case last year about the kidnappings and sex slaves in Oregon? It was all over the news.”

  “I remember that, it was terrible,” Stan remarked. “You helped to save those guys?”

  “No, I was one of those guys.” Instant silence.

  “Ugh,” Stan cleared his throat, “I'm sorry, man, it's none of my business. Forget I asked.”

  “Stan, it's alright.” Fletch reassured him it was okay.

  “What happened?” he couldn't help himself.

  Fletch proceeded to tell Kenney and Stan about the horrors he endured. How he became close friends with Charles McCormack, and FBI Agent Luke Adams. How all the people involved have stayed close friends.

  “And you never knew you were a shifter?”

  “Nope. Charles McCormack taught me how to shift.”

  “So, who's Charles McCormack?” Stan asked. “Why does that name sound familiar?”

  “Charles, and his brother Robert, are Search and Rescue out of Montana. Some of us went to their place for Thanksgiving. As it turned out, our friend Heidi is Roberts mate. Unfortunately, Robert was called out on a rescue and it created a bit of havoc.”

  “Wait, we went on that call, some kids, right?” Kenney asked.

  “Yup, that was the one.”

  “Was she Asian?” Fletch nodded. “We met her; she was gorgeous. You know, Robert had a thing for Shannon for a while.”

  “Really, I didn't know that. Doesn't matter now, they got married on Christmas eve, and I heard she's going to have triplets.”

  “They didn't waste any time,” Kenney joked. “What about the FBI agent?”

  “Agent Adams is actually a Prince. His real name is Lukar Adamokus, Prince of some little kingdom near China, he lives in Seattle now. As a matter a fact, I attended a wedding at his home on New Year's Eve. One of the rescued girls, Vicki, went to work for him and she met her mate. The whole thing was a surprise.”

  “A surprise wedding?”

  “Yup, it was great. The bride and groom left shortly after midnight and the rest of us partied till dawn, it was a blast.”

  “So that’s why you didn’t show up sooner,” Stan teased.

  “Not really. It was a spur of the moment type thing. Luke had a private plane pick us up on the morning of New Year’s eve and take us home the next day.”

  “Sounds like you know some pretty fancy folks.”

  “They’re no different than you and me, just regular everyday people.”

  “Right. All us regular people can send a plane to pick up friends,” Stan snapped his fingers, “just like that.”

  “Alright,” Fletch chuckled, “maybe they’re not just like us, but they are down to earth people, they’re not snobs.”

  “Does the boss know about all of this?” Kenney asked.

  “Most of it. We talked more about what happened and my training.”

  “Does Shannon know?”

  “No, but he did suggest I might be able to help her since I’ve been through hell, too.”

  “That just might work to her benefit. Good luck with that,” Stan remarked. “It’s getting late, we’d better hit the sack.”

  Stan gathered up the cups and rinsed them out.

  “Thanks, Fletch.”

  “What for?”

  “For telling us. You could have told us to mind our own business.”

  “I could have, but how would that have helped?” Fletch patted Stan on the back. “I’ll see you in the morning. Good night.”

  Fletch went into the office to use the computer. Now was the best time to send a few emails to his friends to let them know how things were going. He sent an email to Charles to give him an update. He also wanted to let the FBI know what he had learned about the medical convention. He sent a copy to Agent Adams. Fletch caught up on his correspondence and shut down the computer. He stretched and looked at the clock, it was one in the morning.

  “Shit, I didn't realize it was so late.”

  Fletch headed upstairs. He decided to look in on Shannon before he hit the sack. Shannon was tossing and turning, she threw her arms around as i
f she was trying to push someone away.

  *****

  There had been a major accident, all medical personnel at the hospital were on duty for three days straight. By the time she finally made it home, all she wanted to do was sleep.

  No sooner had she closed the door to her apartment, someone was banging on her door. She looked through the peephole and saw him. She opened the door, but before she could explain, he punched her. She buckled and sank to the floor. He had knocked the wind out of her.

  “You bitch,” he screamed, “do you have any idea what I went through to arrange the perfect evening? You didn’t even have the decency to call. You couldn’t check your fucking phone once in a while?”

  Shannon gasped, trying to recover her breath. She was so tired; she could have curled up and gone to sleep right there on the floor. She suddenly realized she didn’t know this man she thought she was in love with. Who was this person?

  *****

  Suddenly she screamed and sat upright in bed.

  “Shannon, it’s alright, you were having a bad dream.”

  He placed his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her.

  “Fletch?”

  She was glassy eyed, probably a combination of nightmare and pain medication.

  “It’s alright, you were having a bad dream.”

  “I’m so afraid he’s going to find me.” She suddenly threw her arms around him and cried.

  “Who?”

  “The man in my dreams. He was trying to kill me.”

  Gary was standing in the doorway, listening. He had come running when he heard her scream.

  “Do you know who he is?”

  “No,” she sobbed, “I just know he’s going to kill me.”

  “Who, Shannon, try to remember.”

  Fletch didn’t like the first thing she said, he disliked the second even more, it went from past tense to future tense.

  “I can’t. Please Fletch, don’t let him get me.”

  “I won’t Shannon, I won’t let him get you, I promise.”

  He sensed someone was behind him and looked around to find Gary standing there. Gary put his finger to his lips, telling Fletch not to say anything. He quietly turned and left the room.

  “Why don’t you lie back and try to go back to sleep.”

  “I’m scared, don’t leave me alone.” She clung to him; he could feel her heart pounding in her chest.

  “Hush, I’m not going anywhere.”

  He moved around so he could lean against the headboard. He gathered her up in his arms, with her head on his chest. He liked the way she fit against him.

  “Go to sleep, I won’t let anyone get you.”

  Shannon’s sobs slowly subsided and she went back to a peaceful sleep. Fletch slept for a while, but he was uncomfortable and kept waking up. He realized while he held her, he was drawn to her, he wanted her. He didn’t dare scoot down beside her, that was asking for trouble. It was almost dawn when he finally moved away from Shannon and left her alone to sleep.

  He was tired and he needed a shower. He knew he’d gotten all the sleep he was going to get when he saw Gary sitting on the top steps of the stairs.

  Chapter 21

  “Good morning.” Gary greeted him quietly. Apparently, everyone else was still sleeping. “Everything alright?”

  “It is for now. I need some coffee.”

  “Me, too. It should be ready.” Gary stood up and started down the stairs.

  “Gary, how much did you hear last night?” Fletch asked.

  “Enough to know why she said her dreams and reality were becoming one.”

  “I’m worried. She said he tried to kill her, then said he was going to kill her.”

  “Yeah, I caught that,” Gary replied. “Unfortunately, she probably won’t remember. I’ve spent many a night calming her nerves.”

  “Hey, if I’m stepping on any toes, just say the word.”

  Fletch never thought one of his teammates might already be involved with Shannon, maybe even the boss.

  “No, it’s nothing like that. She’s a sweet kid. If I had a daughter, I’d want her to be just like her.”

  They got their coffee and sat down.

  “Do you have a mate?” Fletch asked.

  “No, I’ve never found the right one and probably never will. If she’s out there, she gave up on me a long time ago.”

  “Hey, Charles McCormick found his mate at a truck stop on his way home from California. He had given up, too. It was a fluke. They would never have met any other way. They just happened to be at the same truck stop. If he hadn’t found her, they would never have known about the mess the rest of us were in. Luckily, Charles rescued her before she was delivered to her buyer. He saved her, and together, they saved us.”

  “Wow, there is a whole lot more to that story, isn’t there?”

  “There is, but that's for another time. Stan and Kenney know about it now, I told them last night.”

  “Good, I’m glad you told them. I didn’t feel it was my place.”

  “Thank you for that. What are we going to do about Shannon?”

  “Give her all the support we can.”

  “What about her job here?” Fletch asked.

  “She’s been fine. She might space out once in a while, but she snaps right back. I’ve only realized recently that when she does space out, it’s when she’s having a flashback; they only started recently. Our boss knows about her history and I told him she was being stalked. He wanted to pull her out of here, but I begged him not to. She’s just as safe here as she would be somewhere else, and we already know about her history.”

  “Stan and Kenney know?”

  “I told them after the second time the wolf showed up. That is when she got her first look at a shifter. She saw me and she saw the wolf when the storage rack collapsed.”

  “So, it really hasn’t been very long.”

  “No, and she won’t let us show her our bears.”

  “Why not?” Fletch asked.

  “She said she wasn’t ready.”

  “Do you think she’ll be afraid of us?”

  “No, I don't think so,” Gary told him. “The only thing she’s afraid of is the wolf.”

  “You might be right,” Fletch agreed. “Well, if you don't mind, I need a shower.”

  “Is that what I smell,” Gary said with a chuckle. “Just kidding. Get out of here.”

  Before Fletch left the break room, he fixed Shannon a cup of coffee in one of her fancy travel cups. He knew she'd appreciate it when she woke up.

  “Don’t spoil her, Fletcher."

  “I'll try not to.” Fletch left and ran up the stairs. He stopped by Shannon's room and quietly left the coffee on her nightstand.

  “Fletch?” he heard her whisper.

  “Sssh, go back to sleep.”

  “Hmm, okay,” she whispered.

  Fletch smiled as he watched her roll onto her side and go back to sleep. He quietly left, closing her door behind him.

  *****

  “Hey, Fletch, what's going on?” Kenney saw him coming out of Shannon's room.

  “Shannon had a rough night. I left her a cup of coffee; thought she might appreciate it when she wakes up.”

  “Is she okay?”

  “Yeah. I think the meds took over and she got a little paranoid during the night. She'll be fine.”

  “Do you need any help today?”

  “You know, some help would be great.” Fletch had named the helicopters. The first one was Grumpy bear, after Charles because he financed the repairs, but they referred to it as Grumpy. He named the other one Gramps, after his grandfather. “I want to fire up the engine on Grumpy and do a complete check.”

  “Sounds great. Have you had breakfast?” Kenney asked.

  “No, not yet.”

  “Let's go eat, and then we'll see what that bad boy can do.”

  “Thanks.” Fletch knew Kenney was just as excited about getting the old chopper running as he was. “I'm going
to take a quick shower. I'll meet you downstairs.”

  “Sounds good,” Kenney called back as he ran down the stairs.

  Fletch took a quick shower and got dressed. He was hoping to fire up the engine on one of his project helicopters and prayed they didn't get a rescue call. He was glad Kenney was going to do it with him, this was going to be a first for him. He knew what he was doing, but due to his excitement, he didn't trust himself. Kenney would keep him focused and make sure nothing was missed.

  Just before noon, Fletch and Kenney fired up Grumpy for the first time. At first the engine didn't want to catch, but the third try was the charm. They monitored engine temperature and oil pressure, everything looked good. Kenney brought the rpm's up to the max required before lifting off, then let the engine wind down. There were dozens of gauges to monitor and stats to record. Everything would by repeated several times to make sure everything was consistent. Finally shutting it down, Fletch and Kenney were pleased.

  “Wahoo!” Fletch yelled and grinned at Kenney. “We did it!”

  “Not so fast. We have to repeat the test several more times before we celebrate,” Kenney told him, slapping him on the back, “but it does feel good.” They were both grinning from ear to ear when the alarm blared.

  “Perfect timing,” Fletch remarked as they both ran to get their gear.

  *****

  Shannon was doing an inventory of supplies. She watched her teammates prepare to leave on a call, she wanted to go too, but she knew she couldn't.

  “Sorry Shannon,” Gary told her as he opened the bay doors. “Hold down the fort and lock the doors.”

  Before she knew it, they were gone, and she watched as the doors closed. She stood there staring at the empty hangar. It was the first time since she joined Idaho Air Rescue, she was left behind. She started for the break room and realize she still had the box she had been counting in her hand. She set it on a shelf by the exit door and hobbled into the break room.

  “Bummer, the guys didn't even get a chance to have lunch.” Shannon fixed a sandwich and a cup of tea. She couldn't wait till things warmed up, then iced tea would taste great. She looked around the break room, “this place could use a good spring cleaning,” she thought to herself. “No, maybe I'll just mop the floors, I don't want to start something I can't finish.”