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weren’t getting any sleep didn’t mean you shouldn’t.”
    “Dammit, Chambliss. Any time something like this happens, you call me immediately.”
    He closed his eyes and nodded wearily, and she dialed down her anger, putting a hand on his arm. Alex inspired a fanatic level of loyalty in what was ostensibly hired help but in practice was far more close-knit than that, and she understood the impulse to protect him.
    “Look,” she said. “This little family of retainers? You and me, Jeremy and Phelps? We’re all he has. We need to stick together and support each other. Right?”
    His shoulders slumped. “Right, miss.”
    “Why don’t you show me who else is here? You mentioned someone’s hurt?” They started walking.
    “Remember the private detective firm Master Alex hired the other day to investigate some industrial espionage for him? One of their employees was abducted two days ago, and the kidnappers returned him this evening.”
    Megan realized that she could smell blood—a lot of blood, and, while some of it belonged to Alex, most of it didn’t. The wolf alerted, and Megan tamped her down. So much for a quiet evening at home.
    They stepped into the yellow guest room, and the blood smell hit her like a physical blow. She staggered, and Chambliss steadied her with a hand on her back. “Are you all right?”
    “Fine,” she gasped. “Just … out of bed too early, I guess.” She was used to making excuses for when her senses overwhelmed her, and this was only another in a long line.
    She’d met Janni Miller before, of course, when Janni’s mother had handed off the case before taking a long-awaited trip to Australia. Janni had struck her as being hyper-competent and pretty well put together, but she was a wreck right now, although she was doing her best to hide it. The inner wolf growled, protective instincts coming to the fore but with no target to focus against, and Megan, once again, had to shove her back. Later , she promised. Later, we’ll go out for a run .
    Janni’s damp hair was curled into tight kinks and disheveled. She was dressed in Alex’s clothes—sweat pants and his Cal Poly tank top. Her hand it with blood at the same time stroked the blond hair of the man under the covers, sleeping on his side with his head pillowed on her leg. His face was a mess of cuts and bruises.
    “Janni? What happened?” Megan asked.
    “Ben works for my mom. They took him a couple of days ago.” Janni inhaled a shaking breath. “They sent him back like this, and they called me to come get him. His back is shredded, and he’s hurt other places, broken ribs and such.” Janni’s head bowed for a moment. “He’s better than he was. Managed a shower earlier, which came with its own brand of fun. I guess whatever tech the doc used speeds healing.”
    Megan ran her hands through her hair. “Do we know who? Have you called the police?”
    “Not yet.” Janni rubbed her forehead. “I wanted more information before bringing the authorities in. It definitely has something to do with this case, though, since Alex’s name came up.”
    “I’m so sorry.”
    “I know.” Janni bent over Ben. “Go see your boss. He’ll want you to be there when he wakes up.”
    Megan hesitated at the door. “Is Doc Allen still here?”
    “Last I heard he was finishing up with Alex.”
    “Hang in there, Janni.”
    Her brow lowered. “Oh, I’m ready to hang someone, all right.”
    On that cheerful note, Megan met Chambliss outside the room, and he escorted her into the elevator and down the long, long hallway to Alex’s bedroom. She could smell his blood way before they arrived, and while Ben’s blood had sent the wolf into high alert, Alex’s sent her into full-on bristling attack mode—with nothing to attack.
    Chambliss noticed her tension. “Miss Megan, he’s going to be fine,” he reminded her.
    She swallowed, and now she could taste the blood, too. “I know.” Her voice was husky. “Chambliss, you look worn