Jane gave a half wave and turned around. While knowing that Delia might be in a partial disguise was useful, she hoped the cashier had more information. True, they had yet to visit the dragon-shifter farms for clues, but Jane was impatient. Delia was part of her family now and she was anxious to find her.
The young man at the cash register was in his early twenties, with dark hair and eyes. He looked up from his mobile and Jane asked, “Hello, did you speak to this girl yesterday?” She flashed Delia’s picture again. “She’s my sister-in-law, and I’m trying to find her.”
“Yeah, she was the tall, fit girl asking about those tattooed blokes.”
“Tattooed blokes?” she echoed.
He nodded. “She said they stole her bag and she was trying to track them down. I thought it odd and asked about the police, but they weren’t helping her, or something like that. The three men with the tattoos come in here every week or two for cigarettes and then usually around the corner to the off-license for booze.”
Jane had noticed the liquor shop on her way to the post office earlier. “Did you tell her anything else about them? Her brother’s worried about her, and if she went off to possibly catch the thieves by herself, I need to know as much as you can tell me before she gets into too much trouble.”
The man shrugged. “There wasn’t much more to tell. All three blokes were Welsh with tattoos on their forearms, but that’s about all I remember. Wait, none of them had facial hair, either. I told her it was best to wait for the police to catch them.”
Jane forced herself to smile warmly. “Thanks for your help. If you see her again, please call this number.” Jane handed over a card. The number was to one of the disposable phones she used for investigations and kept stashed in different locations. She wasn’t about to let anyone find her via her personal number.
As Jane exited the store and turned the corner, she debated going into the off-license and asking more questions.
But then she had an idea. The post office and newsagents had security cameras. She bet that even in Northern Wales they backed up security feed to an online storage service. Well, the post office should, at any rate. All she needed to do was contact Arabella MacLeod, a brilliant hacker who had helped Jane in the past. The dragonwoman lived in Scotland with her mate and children, but she had been born and raised on Stonefire. Everyone, including her and Kai, trusted Arabella.
Since images would do better than another description of Welsh blokes with tattoos, Jane made her way north toward the river. She had a feeling the men Delia had asked about were connected to the kidnappings, or at least Delia believed so. Why Delia hadn’t kept her distance and shared what she knew to Clan Snowridge, Jane had no idea.
If Delia were tracking down the men herself, it could end badly.
Picking up her pace, she nearly ran to the rendezvous point.
Kai would never blame Jane if anything happened to Delia, but Jane would blame herself. She’d pegged the teenager as being mature for her age and had told her too much about her past jobs. She needed to make it right, or she would end up causing more pain in Kai’s life.
Jane only hoped Delia hadn’t been captured yet. Considering what had happened to Arabella as a teenager, when she’d been abused and set on fire by dragon hunters, Jane’s imagination started to run wild.
~~~
Kai wove his way through the trees along the river as he paced and resisted looking at his phone again. “Arabella is taking a bloody long time to send me those images.”
“It’s been five minutes, Kai,” Jane stated.
He looked up at his mate. Despite her attempt at a calm face, worry danced in her eyes. “This is the only lead we have so far.”
“Well, I could ask more people in town about the tattooed blokes, if it comes to it. Maybe someone noticed their car or which direction they drove off to. Not to mention Eira and Wren are at the farms now, looking for more clues.”
His beast spoke up. Don’t take it out on Jane. She had the idea to ask Arabella in the first place.
I know, but since no one found anything else useful and the Snowridge Protectors still haven’t found her, I’m starting to worry.
Jane touched his arm. “If it were a clan member and not Delia, you’d be calmer. I know it’s difficult, but everyone needs Protector Kai right now. Do you think he can make an appearance?”
“Can’t I be both?”
She smiled at his growly tone. “What would everyone else think of Stonefire’s head Protector sulking?”
“I’m not sulking. I’m worried and impatient. There’s a difference.”
Jane placed a hand on his chest. “If you say so.”
His beast laughed. You are acting like a child.
Don’t start. Besides, it’s only Jane. She loves all of us.
Good thing, too. Without her in our lives, you’d probably have knocked a few heads together already and caused a ruckus.