Bear Naked

Chapter Fifteen

"So here is what we know so far." Aaron said once they had all gathered, including Amanda, Connor and his pack, Valerie, Karen, and Mitch. "We know the rough identity of at least three of these wolves."

"Three?" Amanda said.

"We've been burning the midnight oil," he said with a grim smile, "and we've been lucky. One of my coworkers had a brief run-in with our homeless guy, advised him he was trespassing. I wish he had brought him in, but there really wasn't anything to charge him with. But at least I got a report I could run. Billy G. No social, no government ID. A few scattered reports. He's a vagrant, living on the farthest edge of society."

"That fits with the notion that this is a wild pack," Jonathan said quietly.

"Yeah," Aaron agreed, "he certainly isn't the type that's well integrated into society. Now, we've already discussed Stanley."

"Bad apple numero uno," Erica said. "I am ready to hunt, just so you know."

"That will be my decision and the responsibility of my pack," Aaron answered sharply.

"What does she mean by hunt?" Amanda whispered to Connor.

"It means we go in wolf form, hunt him down, and kill him."

Amanda shivered. There was a sudden roar of a motorcycle. She looked out the window, fearful of another attack. Judging from the tension in the room, everyone felt the same. Then they relaxed suddenly. "It's Vince," Valerie said.

"Okay, now we have a lead on the biker," Aaron said. "Erik Leidbetter. Your description was spot on, Amanda, great work. Our computer guys were able to identify him from his prison pictures and tattoos. He's a real bad ass. He has a long history on the wrong side of the law, and he's done some hard time." He leaned in and added, "Here is the thing. He's from Missouri, and I believe he's Fleischer tribe."

A ripple of concern went through the room.

"If that's the case, this could be the beginning of real trouble. We've had a peace treaty with them for years. I find it hard to believe they would break it now."

Amanda tried to remember what Connor had said about that tribe . . . petty drug dealers, she believed.

"They haven't," Vince said from the side of the room. "I just got back from talking to my contact up in Decorah. They know this Erik, too well. He had some trouble with him when they were dealing with the Western tribal councils up in the Northwest. This Erik is a lone wolf."

"Lone wolf?" Amanda asked.

"He was kicked out of his pack," Connor explained.

"And given that the Fleischers are mostly drug dealers, pimps, and thieves, it means he's a pretty nasty piece of work to be rejected by them," Vince finished. "And it means that whatever pack Erick is connected to, they have connections in the wolf world, and they are willing to hire whatever scum will work for them. If we could guarantee either of these jackals were alone, I'd vote hunt in a heartbeat and damn the consequences. But if they are all working together, we might have our hands full."

Aaron nodded. "We don't have enough to go on . . . yet. Mitch?"

Mitch leaned forward in his chair. "I've seen Erik a time or two at the bar, but he seems leery of me. I don't know if he's spotted me as a shifter, or if he's just always a little leery of anyone that might call the cops on him. There are two bar flies, new-ish girls. They hang with him. They are a rough pair, one large, with dark hair . . . Deanna I think her name is. Leah, that's her friend, is a scrawny little blond thing, looks like she's been ridden rough, if you know what I mean."