Chapter 276

Martha was right. The police told us members of her family claimed she had drugged her nurse and ran away from her home after saying she had done ‘something’ to Deirdre Brady and attacked Elliot Gray.

They were also convinced she attacked an association bodyguard.

“I don’t believe any of that is true,” I told the police. “At least, I’m sure she didn’t commit these crimes by herself. Two wolves attacked Elliot Gray and his daughter. And one of them is a talented hacker.”

The police seemed skeptical, so Victor gave them a timeline of events from my investigation.

“Why didn’t you report all this instead of getting involved yourself?” one officer said.

“We did call the police,” I snapped. “That officer, Sergeant Cozzi, told us there was no evidence of a crime, and he could do nothing. Well, I found that evidence for him.”

I forced myself to calm down. Antagonizing the police wouldn’t help. “Before she was taken to the hospital, Martha told us she would be blamed for everything, and she was afraid someone wanted to harm her. Now she’s been murdered.”

The two policemen nodded. “We’re sorry, Miss Wilson,” the older officer said. “Sergeant Cozzi was wrong to say that. But you can be certain we will take this case seriously from now on.”

The police left, and Victor checked all of the extra security measures Alex had in place before dinner. He wanted to know how Martha walked onto the property and to the front door before she was noticed.

“The system isn’t functioning outside of the mansion,” Victor reported to Alex and me a few minutes later. “It was disabled somehow.”

“Why was it only disabled outside?” I pondered. “It’s as if they knew Martha wouldn’t make it inside the mansion.”

“Or they didn’t want her to make it inside the mansion and speak to us,” Alex added. “My security system is the best in the world. I’m calling the company to complain, and I’m adding security guards.”

“Victor, somebody should watch Lycan Square,” I suggested. “I’m convinced one or more members of the Archer family were involved in the crimes.”

“I’ll have people watch the Archer mansion, Amanda, and Andrew,” Victor agreed. “I want to know if any of them come near us.”

After the arrangements were made, we had dinner with Alex and Cassidy.

We ate robotically. The cook’s food was excellent as usual, but all we could think about was Martha’s death and the murderer still on the loose.

Later, Victor and I held each other tightly as we lay together in my bed. Once, before I fell asleep, I heard the squawk of a walkie-talkie beneath my balcony.

The sound was unnerving at first, but then I realized a security guard was there to protect us while we slept.

The next thing I knew, it was morning. Victor was in the shower when I entered my bathroom.

“What are your plans for the day?” I asked.

Victor popped his head out of the shower and wiped the water from his eyes.

“I must work on association business from Alex’s home office,” he replied. “What were you planning on doing? I don’t want you to be alone.”

“I want to go to your mother’s and work on plans for your ascension celebration.”

“I’ll see who’s available to go with you when I get out of the shower.” He gave me a steamy look. “I’d invite you to join me, but I’m in a hurry to start my day.”

“I’ll take a rain check,” I said. “You’re worth the wait.”

After breakfast, Alex and Victor went straight to work in the home office, and I called Lana to see if she had time to work on the ascension ceremony details.

She told me she had most of the day free, so I promised I would be right over.

I was surprised to see Moose show up with Bert to accompany me to Lana’s.

“You should be resting,” I told Moose. “I can find someone else to guard me today.”

“I’m fine, Miss Wilson,” Moose insisted. “And I’d like to catch the person who coshed me on the head.”

“I think he’s well enough to work, Miss,” Bert said. “We’ve both been hurt in the line of duty. It’s best to pick ourselves up and keep going.”

“Very well,” I said. “But if you need to rest, Moose, please say so.”

Moose nodded. He appeared to be well enough to do his job. Plus, I was used to the pair, and I trusted them.

Lana sent my bodyguards to the kitchen again while we went to work in her drawing room.

First, we reviewed the guest list Lana had made for the ascension ceremony. There were fifty people whom Lana thought should be invited.

“I listed a few of our family members,” Lana said. “But the list is mostly the extreme elite of Alpha society who will be useful to Victor while he is in office.”

“Are you sure of their loyalty to Victor?” I asked. I was thinking of the faction working against him.

Lana looked at me closely. “Why? Who would be disloyal to him?”

I knew she wouldn’t gossip about the situation, and I told her about someone sabotaging Victor at the association.

Lana reclaimed the guest list from my fingers. “I will double-check the loyalty of these individuals. I will permit no one who would undermine my son to be at his ceremony.”

Lana tucked the list into a file folder. “I heard you had a visitor yesterday.”

I knew she meant Martha. I told her the story of how Martha’s wolf showed up and how she collapsed before shifting human at our feet. Then I told her the worst.

“She’s dead!” Lana put a hand to her heart. “I hadn’t heard that she died.”

I nodded. “Someone smothered her at the hospital.”

Tina popped into the room. The excitement on her face made her look much like her daughter.

“Excuse me, Miss Wilson, but I was passing the room and accidentally overheard your conversation. Is it true that Martha Archer is dead?”

“Yes,” I replied. “She passed away at the hospital last night.”

It crossed my mind that Tina may know things that could help my investigation. She lived in that house for several months, and she knew the Archers better than I did.

Servants always know their employers better than their employers realize. Just like Tina did a few moments ago, they see and hear everything without anyone noticing them.

“Tina, would you help me by telling me some things about the Archers?” I asked.

Lana sensed what I was doing. “Come in, Tina, and have a seat while Daisy speaks to you.”

Tina sat across from me in a club chair.

“What would you like to know about the Archers, Miss Wilson?” she asked.

I took a moment to organize my thoughts. “First, who was close enough to Martha that they would help her cover up a crime?”

Tina didn’t have to think about her answer. “Martha was thick as thieves with her daughter-in-law. Pat was proud to have married into the family. She kissed Martha’s behind every chance she got.”

Tina’s reply echoed my own thoughts. Pat was at the top of my suspect list. I had to text Jayden and have him watch Pat’s movements.

But who was the tech wizard?

“Tina, was anyone in the Archer family into technology?” I asked.

Tina’s forehead crinkled. “What do you mean, Miss?”

“Did any of them like computers and such,” I explained.

“Andrew loved computers and gadgets,” Tina replied. “He bragged he was a hacker, and he invented a type of router that was nearly impossible to hack.”

“Really?” Lana said. “Tell us more about that.”

Tina smiled at her employer, pleased to have her attention.

“He had a computer and all the latest gizmos in his room. He bragged to me about the Archer router that could stop any hacker. He said the one in his room was a proto-something …”

“Prototype?” I asked.

“Yeah, a prototype,” Tina agreed. “He said it would make the family a lot of money.”

I looked at Lana and nodded. I had heard enough.

“Thank you, Tina,” Lana said. “You’ve been very helpful.”

“Anytime, Mrs. Klein,” Tina said and left the room.

I couldn’t believe I fell for Andrew’s story of loving Deirdre and being fated mates. Whether or not Martha had been involved, Andrew must be the tech-savvy accomplice.

Even though I would be the bait, Victor needed to set his trap and catch any of the Archers who were involved in the murders and attacks.