Logan Chapter 146

-Logan-

We almost got through the entire “interview” without talking about Landon at all. I could wring my brother’s neck for putting us in this position. I don’t want to think the worst of him, but Cora isn’t stupid enough to try and run from the law. She doesn’t have the fortitude to go off the grid for extended periods of time like she would need to. This has Landon’s fingerprints all over it, and this dumbass idea would explain his evasive behavior lately. I can’t believe I thought he was “renovating” the cabin to put a dirt bike track around it.

I look at Valentine with a relaxed smile, hoping that I can sell this good enough for the both of us. Emory’s poker face is as obvious as always. “I do! Landon. He’s been on vacation for about a week now. A cabin upstate. Emory and I were just talking about how we wished he’d gotten word to us that he was safe before he lost signal. We haven’t heard from him since the night before he left.” I see Valentine and O’Connell exchange a glance between themselves.

Landon’s absence is suspicious, obviously, but his timeline doesn’t match up with the one they’ve decided on. He might have camped out in front of Cora’s apartment for a day or two before snatching her, but it’s more likely that nobody noticed her missing for a few days. We had intimidated her into being pretty reclusive toward the end there.

‘*Toward the end?’ You don’t think he…. Killed her? Landon wouldn’t do that, would he? Of course not. He’s just holding her somewhere until things cool down? Or maybe he’s going to set up a new identity for her? That seems more his style.* I try not to actually shake my head at her- Valentine, as nice as he is, has been watching our body language with laser focus this entire “interview” just to make sure Emory is truly happy here. He walked in convinced that we didn’t kidnap Cora, and was just looking for our alibis for due process. O’Connell walked in convinced we did do it and is now frustrated we didn’t just confess. With the probability that Landon did it on my behalf, I’m sure the world will think I am guilty. But I’m only guilty of being related to a stupid asshole.

*He means well, Logan. And we don’t know if he kidnapped her. She could’ve skipped town. They said all her stuff was missing. Cora has a really involved nightly routine- no way Landon would’ve thought to grab all of her ten-step skincare routine as well as all of her hair products. She used to pack a whole separate toiletries bag. I’m sure that he’ll come back from the cabin and be totally confused about all of it.* My optimistic little Luna.

I can almost feel that Landon kidnapped Cora. He feels guilty for the media circus we’ve all been victim of since his ill-fated conversation with her, and I haven’t forgotten that he was attracted to her on top of that. As soon as we get the law out of the house, we need to send somebody up to the cabin to get in touch with Landon. His vacation is officially over.

Emory and I exchange more pleasantries with Valentine as we wrap up the interrogation and lead them toward the front door. It’s amusing to watch them meet Hammer, monster that he is, and they try not to piss themselves as they demand his contact information for further questions. Emory sends me a chiding look at my poorly-disguised laughter, but I know I see Hammer’s smirk just before he turns away from all of us to resume trying to pick up one of the cooks. I’m surprised they’re not afraid of him. It’s not often that I meet a wolf bigger than I am, and it’s strange that he isn’t more dominant than he is.

Once we shut the door behind our unwanted visitors, Emory turns to me. “I think that went well, don’t you?” We both chuckle a bit.

“About as well as we could’ve hoped for, yeah. I could kill Landon right now, though.” I crack my neck to the side, trying not to review a lifetime of cleaning up his messes. I can’t afford an explosion of temper until he’s in front of me.

Emory shoots me a pleading look. “I bet he didn’t even do it! Let the man have his vacation- he earned it. I’m sure any weirdness before he left was just from stress. You know he’s not cut out to be Alpha. He hated it. He deserves this time. At least give him a week before you jump down his throat.” She holds one of my hands in both of hers, attempting to smooth out the fist that I’ve made.

“He gets four days. Then I’m storming up there and I’m going to find out what the fuck he thinks he’s doing. He always fucking does this- fucks up and then makes everything worse trying to fix it. It’s like running after a giant toddler!” I take some deep breaths to calm back down. Emory isn’t the problem here and she doesn’t deserve to be yelled at.

She gets a steely look in her eyes. I take a moment to think that’s my girl. “Is this how you’ll get with any toddlers running around here? I need to know you’ll be good with our kids, Logan. I need you to find some patience.”

I’m almost offended. She hasn’t seen me with the pups of the pack, so I guess she wouldn’t know. “I’m great with kids, thank you. I just get frustrated with adults that act like them. There’s a huge difference.”

I feel a wave of her affection before she pulls me into a hug. “I’m sorry, darling. I just… I don’t think Landon has done anything bad. I think he’s innocent.”

I rub her back as we both watch the detectives pull through the gate past the guards. “I guess we’ll just have to find out in a few days.”