36. Katar

We worked out a plan and Bailey called some volunteers to cover the library the next day, saying she was sick and couldn't go in.

We prepared everything early, trying to make sure we'd covered every angle and possibility.

I ran to the park hours before the meet-up time. I wanted to be in place well ahead of the person. I was eager to get this over with. I was going to protect my mate, make sure her pet was safely back in her arms, and bring the real villain to justice. Orc justice, that is. Per the treaty, crimes committed against the orc kingdom would be prosecuted there, not here under human law.

Crouched down behind a long row of bushes, I watched the location where Bailey was supposed to meet the person. She'd drive to the park closer to the set time.

As the sun sunk toward the horizon, I sat quietly, waiting.

Bailey arrived and finding no one there, sat on a park bench, the book on her lap inside a tote bag.

We waited.

I remained still, determined to end this tonight. Bailey shifted on the bench, clearly worried about Mozzie.

Finally, about twenty minutes after the set time, someone wearing a motorcycle helmet with a dark visor pulled down and a leather biker outfit strolled over to this section of the park, their black boots nearly silent on the grass. Mozzie was not with them.

They strode right up to Bailey. I studied them, trying to determine who it might be. They were tall, but from the loose leathers, I couldn't tell if the person was male or female.

"Give me the book," they growled in a low voice that gave nothing away.

Bailey rose, clutching the book to her chest. "Where's Mozzie?"

"In a safe place."

Bailey lifted her chin. "You can't have the book until you give him back to me."

"Give me the book!"

"No." Bailey stepped backward and put the park bench between her and the person.

When they raced after her, I'd had enough. With a roar, I leaped over the long row of bushes and across the open area, tackling the person to the ground. They struggled, but no one could take down an orc determined to protect his mate.

Bailey raced over and lifted the motorcycle visor, gasping at who she found. "Carole?"

Carole snarled.

I sat her up, tying her wrists behind her back and securing her ankles with the cuffs the detective had so nicely given to me. As a double measure, I secured the cuffs to one of the stone park bench's legs. She couldn't get away now.

"Give me the book and your dog will survive," she growled, not looking at me.

I tightened my grip on Carole's upper arm, glaring down at her. "Where is Mozzie?"

She smirked. "Where you'll never find him now."

"The cops are coming," Bailey said. "They're going to arrest you, and you're going to jail—orc jail."

Carole's smirk wavered. "What do you mean by that? Even if you can prove I was somehow involved in . . . dognapping, I guess one might call this, I don't believe any other crime has been committed. You've got nothing on me that will result in more than a slap on the wrist."

"You stole the orc manuscript," Bailey said. "You broke into the library from the wooded entrance and made your way through the tunnel. You rummaged through the attic, my office, and my house. You were looking for the book. Somehow, you knew Helga had given it to me."

She grinned at Bailey. "Even if I admitted I'd done all that, which I'm not, it's nothing. I doubt I'd even get community service."

"You're forgetting that you won't be tried here on the surface," I said with complete satisfaction. "In the orc kingdom, we take the wellbeing of our pets quite seriously. Causing them harm, and stress is harm for any dog, let alone one as old as Mozzie, is punished with ten years of hard labor in the kingdom's mines." I hauled her to her feet.

She tried to kick me. "Let me go." Her helmet tilted, and I pulled it off, tossing it aside. "Okay, so I did it. I stole the book, then discovered it wasn't the real deal. I then tried to find it, but I had no idea where you'd hidden it." Her glare shot Bailey's way. "Then I remembered Helga gave you books all the time. She must've snuck the real one out and substituted it with a fake. I figured you'd know where the original was."

"And I kidnapped your stupid pup," she said. "He whined in my garage all night long. But it's your word against mine, and I'm not saying a thing to an orc judge."

"Mozzie's in her garage," Bailey breathed, her voice full of excitement. "He's safe."

Carole huffed. "I don't hurt dogs."

"Why?" Bailey asked. "Why would you tell me that? You don't need the book."

"My trust fund's getting low and, well, I don't like to scrimp. I planned to sell the original book for a lot of money."

"And now you won't." Detective Carter stepped out from behind the bushes where I'd waited. He nodded to both Bailey and me. "I appreciate the help, Katar, but I can take it from here. She'll be arraigned and remanded to the orc kingdom where she'll stand before the king and state her case." He untied the binding securing her to the park bench, then started leading her toward the entrance to the park.

"I get a trial," Carole shouted, hobbling beside him.

"No trial," I called after her. "We'll tell the king what you did, and he'll hand down the sentence. That's how justice is handled in the orc kingdom."

"No . . ." she wailed as the detective led her away.

I held out my arms, and Bailey rushed over and jumped into them.

"We'll go rescue Mozzie from Carole's place," she said between kisses. "And we'll bring him home and give him lots of treats and snuggles and tell him what a good boy he is. And then . . ."

"Then?" I grinned down at her, grateful it was over, and Mozzie would soon be safe.

She latched onto my horns and gave me a heady kiss before easing away to grin at me. "And then we need to go wild."