A Heart to Bear (Bear Creek Forever #4)

Chapter Twenty-One – Tammy

“Finlay,” Tammy said gently, pulling up a chair next to the boy. “We’re here to help you. Can you tell us how you ended up in the mountains?”

Finlay’s eyes darted between the three adults, his fork pausing midway to his mouth. He swallowed hard, then set the utensil down. “I...I ran away from the group home when I…shifted.”

“Finlay is an orphan,” Dougray quickly explained. “He did not know about shifters. He certainly didn’t know he was one.”

“Wow.” Gavin shook his head. “That must have been scary.”

“Terrifying,” Tammy murmured as Finlay wolfed down his omelet.

“So, you ran away and headed for the mountains?” Gavin asked.

Finlay nodded as he chewed.

“Why hang out around Old Ma Hinchliffe’s?” Dougray asked as he poured three cups of fresh coffee and placed them on the table.

“The old lady?” Finlay asked.

“The old lady.” Dougray smothered a smile and added, “But I would not let her hear you call her that.”

“I heard her talking to that bull of hers.” He shrugged. “She sounded nice. But then I frightened the bull…”

“And the cut on your lion’s flank?” Tammy asked. “How did that happen?”

“I slipped climbing away from some hikers and a sharp rock sliced it open.” Finlay finished his omelet and looked around as if searching for more food.

“How about some pancakes?” Tammy offered, noticing Finlay’s searching gaze. The boy’s eyes lit up, and she couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll whip up a batch.”

As Tammy busied herself at the stove, Dougray leaned forward, his elbows resting on the worn wooden table. “Finlay, you’re safe here. But we do need more information from you.”

The boy’s shoulders relaxed slightly, but wariness still lingered in his eyes. “What do you need to know?”

“Being a shifter means you have enhanced senses. Do you know if anyone saw your lion?” Dougray asked.

“I think, when I slipped on the ridge, I…” He paused and then said, “I roared.”

“And the hikers, they saw you?” Gavin asked.

“A glimpse, maybe,” Finlay said. “After that, I kept away from people.”

“And you stayed close to Old Ma’s place?” Dougray asked. “We covered the area, trying to cover your tracks.”

“Is that what you were talking about earlier?” Finlay asked. “Someone saw me?”

“There has been a reported sighting of a lion on the mountain,” Dougray explained. “And someone found some lion paw prints.”

“So, we need to throw all the people that are coming to look for a lion off the scent,” Gavin said.

“How?” Finlay asked.

“I have an idea,” Dougray told them.

“You do?” Tammy flipped the last pancake onto a plate and set the stack in front of Finlay, who eyed it with eager anticipation. She returned to her seat, pouring syrup generously over the golden pancakes.

Dougray took a sip of his coffee. “I do.”

“Care to share?” Tammy asked.

“It’s going to need some planning and perfect timing,” Dougray began, his eyes narrowing as he formulated the plan in his mind. “We need to create a distraction that will make people believe the lion sighting was a hoax.”

Gavin leaned closer, intrigued. “And you have an idea for how we do that?”

Dougray set his coffee cup down gently, its contents barely rippling. “We’ll stage another sighting, but this time we’ll have a journalist there to witness it.”

“Peter?” Tammy did not want to ever see her ex-fiancé again. But if it would help Finlay, then she would do whatever it took.

“Yes. Peter.” Dougray’s jaw clenched as he said the name.

“And does involving Peter end up with him making a fool of himself?” Gavin asked hopefully.

“I think if we can pull this off, he’ll regret the day he ever came to Bear Creek,” Dougray said.

“That is good enough for me.” Gavin drained his coffee cup and set it down on the table. “So, what is the plan?”

Dougray chuckled to himself. “It’s a good one. But we’re going to need some help.” He glanced at Finlay. “And I’m also going to need you to shift so we can leave a trail of lion paw prints.”

“I thought you and your brothers had spent time erasing those,” Gavin said.

“We did,” Dougray replied.

“I don’t think I’m ready to shift again,” Finlay said solemnly. “Ever.”

“Sure you are,” Dougray told him. “Now that you’ve done it once, you’ll never get stuck again.”

Finlay shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“Dougray,” Tammy began. “If Finlay doesn’t think he can…”

“Listen.” Dougray went to Finlay and placed his hand on his shoulder. “I know how scary it is. But you’ve got to trust me. The first shift is always the hardest, but it gets easier. And we need you for this plan to work.”

Finlay looked down at his half-eaten pancakes, wrestling with the fear inside him. Tammy’s heart ached to see the boy struggle, but she trusted Dougray.

If he said Finlay could do it, she believed him.

“It would give me a chance to check on the wound, too,” Tammy encouraged.

“Okay,” Finlay whispered finally, his voice barely audible. “I’ll try.”

“Good man,” Dougray said, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze before stepping back.

Tammy reached across the table and took Finlay’s hand in hers. “Dougray will talk you through it,” she promised.

Finlay took a deep breath and gave a small nod. “All right,” he mumbled, glancing at Dougray. “What do I have to do?”

“First things first,” Gavin interjected. “Finish eating. You’re going to need your strength.”

“Are you going to share the rest of your plan?” Tammy asked her mate.

“I could,” Dougray replied. “But you’re going to think it’s stupid.”

“Okay.” She stared at him for a long moment. “If you think it’ll work, then I’ll go along with it.”

“Great.” He grinned as he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“I’m finished.” Finlay pushed his chair back and stood, the wooden legs scraping gently against the floor.

“Okay, let’s go outside where there is more room.” Dougray headed for the door, while Uncle Gavin got up and started clearing the table.

“Aren’t you worried someone might see me?” Finlay asked as Dougray stopped in the middle of the yard area next to the clinic.

“No.” Dougray’s eyes went a little out of focus as he scanned the area. “There’s no one for a mile or more.”

“How do you know?” Finlay asked.

“Use your shifter senses,” Dougray told him. “Just relax and focus your attention on a distant object. Like the tree line over there. With practice, you’ll be able to push your senses farther and farther.”

Finlay screwed up his face, his brow furrowed. “It’s hard.”

“You’ll get the hang of it,” Dougray assured him. “But for now, we have to focus on shifting. Ready to give it a go?”

Finlay nodded, although he still looked uncertain and nervous.

“Can you feel your lion inside of you?” Dougray asked.

“Yeah,” Finlay whispered.

“Now you have to picture him in your mind, and then let go of this world, and let him come forth,” Dougray explained.

“Let go of the world?” Finlay asked.

“Yes, relax your mind. Relax your hold on the world around you.” Dougray nodded in encouragement. “The air around you will shimmer. You’ll feel the static electricity across your skin.”

Finlay closed his eyes, and for a moment nothing happened. But then a heat haze seemed to envelop him, and the hairs on Tammy’s arms stood on end as the air crackled and popped.

And then Finlay was gone.

“Is he okay?” Tammy asked. “Can he get stuck wherever he has gone?”

“He’ll be fine,” Dougray said, coming to stand next to her.

She reached for his hand and threaded her fingers through his as she held her breath, waiting for Finlay to return. Human or lion, she did not care as long as he came back.

“There.” She let out a long breath as a large shadowy shape loomed in front of them.

Slowly, the lion’s features solidified, the tawny fur shimmering in the sunlight. Finlay’s lion appeared stronger than when she had last seen him. His wound looked much better, and he held his head with confidence, a stark contrast to the boy’s previous uncertainty.

Dougray stepped closer, his eyes filled with pride. “You did it, Finlay,” he said, his voice filled with relief. The lion blinked, its amber eyes meeting Dougray’s for a fleeting moment before shifting to Tammy.

“Good job,” Tammy whispered as she moved forward to lay a gentle hand on the lion’s head. Then she moved her hand over his body, assessing his physical condition, before she inspected the stitches.

“He okay?” Dougray asked.

“If you mean do I give you permission to use my patient in this ruse of yours…” She turned to face Dougray. “Then the answer is yes.”

“Hear that, Finlay? Operation Bogus Lion is a go.”

“Operation Bogus Lion?” Tammy asked.

“The plan has to have a name,” Dougray insisted as the air shimmered again, and Finlay stood before them in his human form once more.

“Okay, what next?” Tammy asked.

“I have to go talk to Gavin,” Dougray replied and headed back to the house.

“About?” she asked, not wanting to leave Finlay out here alone as he practiced shifting from man to lion and back again.

“You’ll see!”

***

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Tammy whispered to Dougray as they hid behind a fallen tree trunk on the edge of Old Ma Hinchcliffe’s orchard. He was right, she did think it was a stupid plan.

But that did not mean it wouldn’t work.

“People see what they want to see,” Dougray murmured, his eyes a little out of focus as he scanned the area. “And anyway, he’s already primed to see a lion.”

“If he takes the bait.” Tammy shifted her position, her legs stiff from lying in wait for Peter for too long. But she wouldn’t miss this for anything.

If it worked.

It had to work.

“Oh, he’s taken the bait,” Dougray’s eyes came into focus as he turned his head and cracked a grin. “I can sense Peter following the trail Finlay laid.”

“You are enjoying this far too much,” she told him with a roll of her eyes.

“I would be lying if I didn’t admit to wanting Peter to get his comeuppance.” Dougray’s grin widened, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Don’t you think?”

“I would be lying if I didn’t agree,” Tammy admitted. “But this is about more than revenge.”

“It is.” Dougray’s expression grew solemn. “What are we going to do with Finlay when this is over?”

“ Do with him?” Tammy asked, her tone puzzled. She glanced at Dougray, searching his face for clues to his meaning.

“Yeah, do with him.” Dougray turned to look back at the orchard. “He can’t go back to a group home.”

“No,” Tammy agreed. “He can’t.”

“Listen.” He shifted his weight and turned to face her. “I know it’s a lot to…”

“He should come and live with us,” Tammy stated firmly.

Dougray let out a long sigh. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.” She shrugged. “I mean, if that’s what you want.”

“It is,” he admitted, as he turned his gaze back to the orchard. “He deserves a family.”

“Then it’s settled,” she whispered, more to herself than to Dougray.

“Peter’s close,” Dougray hissed.

“Can you see him?” Tammy lifted her head, peering over the tree.

“No, I can sense him. And I can sense Old Ma.” Dougray’s voice trailed off as he focused intently on the events unfolding beyond her senses.

“I can’t believe Old Ma agreed to go along with this,” Tammy whispered.

“Oh, she was more than willing,” Dougray said. “Especially when your uncle told her who we were trying to fool.”

“Ah.” Tammy ducked her head.

“She likes you,” Dougray said. “And she has no time for people who are cruel. Either to people or animals.”

“Then we have a lot in common,” Tammy replied.

“Here we go.” Dougray closed his hand over hers. “Old Ma will come into view any moment now. And Peter is hot on her tail.”

Tammy raised her head and stared at the trail, where any moment now Old Ma and the lion were about to emerge. But as she waited, her phone buzzed.

She quickly pulled it from her pocket, afraid that Peter might hear. As she tapped the screen, she scanned the message from Uncle Gavin and tapped the link he’d sent.

“Oh.” Tammy nudged Dougray. “Peter is livestreaming his lion hunt.”

Dougray leaned closer, his arm pressed against hers, and she shivered at the closeness of him. “Perfect,” Dougray whispered, his breath tickling her ear. “The more people he broadcasts this to, the better.”

Tammy nodded, excitement mixed with nervousness threading through her veins. They couldn’t afford for anything to go wrong now.

Her eyes darted back to the trail just in time to see Old Ma Hinchcliffe come into view, clad in her usual coveralls and wide- brimmed hat. She moved with surprising agility for someone of her age, her eyes sharp and alert.

And following her…was the lion .

Tammy glanced down at her phone, as the scene before her was shown from another point of view. Peter’s. “It does look real.”

“Doesn’t it?” Dougray asked, the grin back on his face.

As Old Ma reached the orchard gate, she spun around to confront Peter, who was about thirty feet away. “Why are you following me?”

Peter stalled and stumbled backward as the lion leaped around, too, a low growl emanating from his throat. “What the…”

Tammy watched as the lion ran toward Peter and pounced on him, knocking him to the ground before licking his face.

“Get off me,” Peter screamed.

“Bollinger!” Old Ma called out.

“Ah, lion attack!” Peter called out as he kicked his heels and scooted away.

“What’s wrong with you, you silly man!” Old Ma shouted at Peter. “Can’t you see it’s not a lion? It’s a dog !”

“A dog.” Peter pushed himself to stand as Bollinger barked, running around in circles with his tail wagging. “But it’s got a mane!”

“So, he likes to dress up,” Old Ma cackled as Bollinger ran up to her. She leaned down and petted him. “Good boy.”

“Is this some kind of a joke?” Peter asked.

“Did you really think he was a lion?” Old Ma threw her head back and laughed. “You silly goose.”

“But what about the tracks?” Peter was not ready to let this go.

“Oh, I saw some kids from town making those yesterday after someone saw Bollinger and thought he was a lion.” She put her hands on her hips. “Probably someone put them up to it to give the town a boost.”

“A boost?” Peter asked.

“Yes, I hear there’s been an influx of tourists, all on a lion hunt, and with money to spend.” Old Ma chuckled and shook her head. “Fools.”

With that, Old Ma called to Bollinger, who shook his mane and ran after her as she headed back to her house, leaving Peter staring after her, his mouth wide open.

“I think your plan worked,” Tammy told Dougray.

“Did you doubt it would?” Dougray asked, turning over and lying on his back, staring up at the cloudless sky. “It’s just a good thing that Gavin knew just where to find a dog like Bollinger who is a giant among his kind. He sure is tall enough to be a lion.”

“And the lion mane?” Tammy asked.

“Oh, it was a prop in a play the local theater group did last summer,” Dougray replied.

Tammy couldn’t suppress a smile as she watched Peter retreat down the trail, still shaking his head in disbelief. He must have forgotten he was livestreaming, and she could hear him muttering to himself about how he’d been fooled by a dog in a mane. The absurdity of the situation had worked perfectly.

“Well, let’s hope Peter’s video goes viral and everyone believes that there was never a lion.” She reached out for his hand. “And we can move on with our lives.”

“Together.” He lifted her hand and kissed it.

“Together.” She rolled closer to him and cupped his face in her hand. “I love you.”

He lifted his head and drew her to him. “And I love you, too.”

She loved the life she would build here with him. With her uncle, and the Thornberg family.

And Finlay.

“Do you know what I’m going to do now?” Tammy murmured.

“I have a few ideas,” he said as he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close.

“I bet you’ll never guess.”

“Won’t I?” he asked, nuzzling her neck.

“I’m going to phone my mom and tell her I’ve met the love of my life.” And she had.

He lifted his head, his eyes locking onto hers, filled with sincerity. And love. So much love. “You have no idea how happy that makes me,” he whispered.

“Oh, I think I do.” Then she lowered her head and kissed him.