Leopard 05 - Savage Nature

leopard’s reaction. If it happened out in Fenton’s Marsh as well . . .”
    Jerico nodded. “We all felt it. There was something out there, something making our leopards belligerent and aggressive.”
    “So what does it mean?” Saria asked. “Charisse can’t know how the males react, or she would have destroyed the flower. I know her. If she’s been slowly perfecting this plant, she’s looking for a fragrance to manufacture—probably a signature fragrance worth millions.”
    “How long have the flowers been growing on Tregre land?” Drake tapped his finger on his thigh, his mind racing. If Charisse had been experimenting for years, then the flowers could have been subtly influencing the lair.
    He had traveled extensively and had seen many lairs. None had the degree of inner destruction this one had. Something was terribly wrong, but, like Joshua, it was difficult to imagine that a flower’s scent would be responsible for the slow disintegration of an entire lair.
    “I only went there for the first time a couple years ago,” Saria said. “The old man was scary and mon pere would have switched me had I gone near him. When he died, I braved it, and met Evangeline. I honestly can’t remember when I saw them for the first time, but I always take photographs and I’ll have those in an album somewhere. I always record dates and places and time of year when I put them in my albums. Seriously, though, I doubt more than two years.”
    “Talk to Charisse. She should be able to tell you,” Pauline encouraged. “She always writes everything down, she has to.”
    Drake shook his head. “I don’t want you telling your sister or Charisse.” He gave Amos a hard look. “Or Elie. Nothing that’s been said here can leave this house, not until we complete our investigation. We’ve got a serial killer on the loose and he’s one of us. Finding him has to be our first priority. I’ll talk to Charisse myself. Agreed?” He wasn’t asking. Technically, Pauline wasn’t a member of the lair, but Amos was and he had sworn his allegiance.
    Amos immediately nodded, but Pauline bit her lip, looking upset. “I don’ understand. You don’ suspect Charisse of any wrongdoin’, do you?”
    “I don’t want news of this to get out during an investigation of a serial killer. We’ve got to be careful. I don’t want to put Charisse or anyone else in danger by shining a spotlight on them.” Drake chose his words carefully.
    Saria glanced at him sharply as if she might protest, but subsided when he lifted his hand in a subtle gesture to stop her. She pressed her lips together and swallowed as if choking on her obvious need to defend Charisse. She knew he hadn’t exactly answered Pauline and truthfully, he couldn’t answer her, not right at that moment.
    Pauline seemed to accept his explanation at face value. “Okay. I won’ say anything, but Drake, you get to the bottom of this fast.”
    “Yes, ma’ am,” he agreed.
    “I’m goin’ up to see the damage in Saria’s room. Do you really think whoever was here is the serial killer?” Pauline asked.
    “Yes,” Drake said. It was the stark, raw truth. He knew the killer had been in the house—that he’d come for Saria. The evidence in the room showed rage—a very personal rage. The killer knew Saria, or at least he fantasized that he knew Saria. Whatever the circumstances, her being with Drake was some kind of betrayal in the killer’s mind.
    “I’d rather not go back up there if you don’ mind,” Saria said.
    “Drake can come with me,” Pauline decreed. “Amos, you stay here. Your ribs are cracked and climbin’ all those stairs won’ be good for you.”
    “Joshua, Jerico, stay with Saria,” Drake ordered.
    Her eyes glittered at him a little dangerously, but she didn’t argue, which was good, because as far as he was concerned, she was getting protection. He wanted to warn her brothers as well. If the killer planned on making this personal, anyone she loved could be at risk.
    Pauline led the way up the sweeping staircase, stopping at the top in the circular library to turn back toward him. She rested one hand on the stone fireplace and looked him in the eye. He waited, knowing she’d maneuvered the situation to get him alone.
    “Do you think this man came here to kill Saria?”
    Her stare was direct and for the first time, Drake could see the leopard in her. She was as fiercely protective of her chosen daughter as any birth mother could possibly