Wallace shook his head. “No. I didn’t tell her. I came straight to Major Crime when I got the results from Falkington.”
“And Duncan?” Blake asked.
“No. Out of forensics, only I know, and now young Pember.”
Pember frowned and shook his head. “Sorry, why all the cloak and dagger? Should Maya not know that Maginty’s a suspect?”
Wallace let out a dry laugh. “Oh, she knows. She just doesn’t knowweknow.”
Pember’s hackles prickled. “Where is she? What happened?”
A look passed between Wallace and Blake.
“Estrus,” Wallace said. “Allegedly.”
Blake sniffed. “Does the boss have eyes on her?”
Wallace nodded. “She’s at home, under the care of her parents. If she wants to make it look convincing she’ll have to stay put for a couple of days.”
Pember slapped the arms of the chair and leapt to his feet. “Will you both stop being so sodding cryptic?”
Wallace sighed and slumped back, holding out his hands in resignation. “You may as well tell him. He’ll only find out on his own if you don’t.”
Pember was shaking as Blake told him everything. About Ru, Leo and Sal. About the connection they all shared.
“B-but, this is all conjecture, right? We don’tactuallyknow they had anything to do with it?”
Blake nodded, holding both of Pember’s hands as they sat opposite one another in the break room. His thumbs rubbed little circles across his wrists. “Yes. And in all likelihood someone is acting on their behalf. You know how potent an omega scent can be. How many alphas get locked up day in day out because they fail to control their urges? I’m not saying it’s the case, but it’s something we’ve got to consider.”
That struck Pember right to the core. Yes, he knew all too well what a scent-drunk alpha was capable of. How they got so wound up in lust it turned them into horrible, predatory beings with very little self-control.
But then he looked at Blake. At the man who had literally bitten himself to protect him when he was begging to be knotted. Letting out a long breath, he cupped Blake’s face, grateful for him in ways words couldn’t describe.
Dropping his forehead onto Blake’s shoulder, he ran a thumb across his bicep, gently rubbing the bite beneath his shirt. “Does it hurt?” he whispered.
Blake kissed the back of his head. “No.”
“Will it scar?”
“Probably.”
Pember let out a pained sigh against Blake’s neck. “I’m so sorry I put you through that.”
Blake let out a long breath. “I’m not.” Pressing a knuckle to the underside of Pember’s jaw, he gently pulled their faces together. “Because every time I see it, it’ll remind me of you.”
Someone cleared their throat from the doorway. “Sorry to interrupt,” Wallace said, awkwardly looking anywhere that wasn’t at them. “It’s time for you to go. Falkington are already at the mill.”
Pember frowned. “Aren’t you coming?”
Wallace’s eyes dropped to his feet, a pained expression crossing his weathered features. “No. I have to give a statement. About my involvement.”
“What involvement?” Pember said, quickly getting to his feet. “Wallace? What on earth is going on here?”
Wallace ran a hand through his wispy beard—it looked scruffier than usual. “I can’t tell you too much, lad. But, needless to say, we suspect Samantha went out looking for Maya and the others last night. It was…” Wallace sighed, pressing a finger between his eyebrows. “We…” His eyes turned watery. “For all her bluster, she didn’t miss a trick.”
“What? Wall?—”
Blake placed a hand on Pember’s shoulder.
