Page 6

Chapter Six

“I expected you to protest,” Mossy said in a low voice. “Do you think something happened to Loren? And if so, don’t you think it’s too dangerous to investigate?”

I frowned and glanced at the slight green-skinned girl. She was almost too observant. Was it too dangerous for her?

She flashed her sharp teeth at me in a grin. “Don’t worry about me. At the slightest hint of trouble, I’ll run. I’m very fast.” She smirked and nodded like there was nothing to worry about.

I sighed. But if Moss wanted to be involved, it would be virtually impossible to stop her.

Loren’s desk was very neat, everything packed away like her trip was intentional. Nothing was askew or out of place, like she’d been in a rush. I clicked on her computer and waited for it to load while Moss fiddled with Loren’s tidy pencils.

“You could check the security cams to see if she was alone when she came in last night,” she said idly.

I nodded at her. “We’ll check on our way out.”

“You smell like werewolf and worry. I’m not sure which is more unpleasant.”

“I’m sure they’re both equally amazing. Aha!” I got into her email and checked to see that the notification from the police was unread. I checked the time it was sent and then forwarded it to my inbox. I quickly went through her files on working projects, but there wasn’t anything about Ridley. There was a small clipping about the case of a missing girl in Golden Gates City, but nothing to tie it to the werewolf.

I shook my head and turned off her computer, then nodded at Moss. “Let’s go then.”

She followed silently, keeping up with my hurried pace. I took the stairs two at a time, and when I reached the floor for security, I walked out into the main passage slowly, after checking it for werewolves. All clear.

“You’re still looking at the cams even though nothing about her desk was suspicious?”

“You suggested it.”

“Yeah, because I’m a paranoid goblin. You’re a social butterfly. It’s like the time with the demon cultists who tried to take over the Library of Antiquities. You actually could be an investigative reporter.”

I didn’t like hearing the Senator’s words echoed by my young co-worker. I didn’t want to be an investigative reporter. I wasn’t actually going to do this case, because I’d most likely be taken by the wolves and my life would be over. But in the meantime, I’d like to know that Loren was definitely not involved in the Ridley mess. That I’d caused when I left him bleeding and helpless in an alley for anyone to effortlessly finish off. How could I have been so stupid?

“Hey, Delphi! And little Mossy-Nose. How are you two?” Gregor the Dwarf smiled beatifically while he sharpened a knife. He was armed to the teeth, but unlike most dwarves, didn’t hate people.

“Hi, Gregor,” I said, returning his smile.

“What kind of cookies do you have for me today?” Okay, maybe he was happy to see me because I always brought him a sugar rush.

“I didn’t make any today. I was wondering if I could see the footage of last night on the floor. I’m trying to check the timing of one of the employees.”

“Who?” he asked, waking up his screen.

“Loren Umptry.”

“Hm. Log shows she came in at four-thirteen a.m. and left at four-twenty-five.”

“And you have video of the floor during that time?”

He flashed me a quizzical frown. “Sure, but why do you want to see it?”

“She thinks Loren might have gotten murdered,” Moss said equal parts drama and excitement.

Gregor drew his fluffy brows together as he studied her, then shrugged and pulled up another screen. “Here we are, your floor, and there’s the elevator, four-fifteen, then the lights on, and our girl walking towards her desk. Looks tired. Usually she charges, not walks.”

We all watched as Loren went to her desk and organized everything neatly, put her things in her bag, closed down her computer and then stood and walked back out. I didn’t get a close-up of her desk, since she was in the middle of a dozen or so, but it was definitely her, and she was definitely unaccompanied by anyone visible. I hadn’t smelled anyone else at her desk. So what was I doing here, being so suspicious?

“Thanks Gregor. Next time I’ll bring you some gingersnaps.”

His eyes twinkled. “No problem, Delphi-girl. My pleasure. Later, Mossy-Nose.”

When we were out of security, she huffed. “I hate it when he calls me Mossy-Nose. My nose isn’t mossy. If Moss is too short for him, he could go by my real name, Sludgemoss. At least that’s dignified.”

I glanced at her and then looked down over the balcony that led to the main floor, with the security gates, where four werewolves led by Max were arguing with the security guy.

I immediately backed up four steps, so I was out of line of sight of them. “Let’s take the back stairs. I think my scooter might be out of the shop by now.”

“Your scooter? You want to get it now?” Her skeptical expression matched her cocked hip and crossed arms.

I nodded and linked arms with hers, hurrying down the hall past Gregor’s centrally located office to the back stairs that were mostly used for emergency. The back door was exit-only, which suited us perfectly. Once we got outside, I walked briskly so Mossy had to hurry to keep up.

“And when you get your scooter, we’ll go to the scene of the crime?”

“Loren’s house.”

“Why? You saw the footage.”

“Because she went in after the email from the authorities was sent.”

“So, she didn’t see it.”

“She would have seen it on her phone. She would have checked it on her phone, but it was marked unread.”

“Maybe she was paralyzed by grief because her grandpa died or something.”

“Maybe. But she’d always check an email from the authorities.”

She grabbed my arm. “Wait, you actually think something happened to her? What? She walked right in there of her own free…” She shuddered. There were things that could take away your free will and turn you into nothing but a vessel. “Shouldn’t you go to the police or the Gray Society?”

“I have no evidence.”

“But you’re so adorable. They’d believe you just based on that.”

I gave her a look. “Not as adorable as you are with those green dreadlocks and rosy cheeks.”

She made a face of revulsion. “Ew. I’m not adorable.”

“If it’s an insult, maybe you shouldn’t say it so many times to someone who could get your hours cut.”

“Was that a threat?” she eyed me suspiciously then shook her head. “Naw, you’re just worried that I might be getting in danger with you. Don’t worry, Delphi. I told you, I’m super-fast and not afraid of being a coward. I will leave you, no problem.”

“That’s very comforting.”

The shop with my scooter was open, and the cherry red thing was as cute as I remembered it being. I sighed happily as I settled onto the seat once I’d signed the papers and paid my fees. I’d enjoy riding her for perhaps the last time.

I handed Mossy the helmet, which she put on before climbing behind me.

“It’s such an adorable bike,” she muttered.

I laughed and then turned on the engine, pushed in the clutch and took off. I’d had them add more power to the engine, as well as given her a full tune-up that would make her purr like a kitten.

Speaking of kittens, in Loren’s kitchen, a gray and white beast crouched in the middle of her white floor, staring up at us with big blue eyes while we stared back at the little fluffy thing.

“I didn’t know Loren had a cat,” I said, sniffing deeply, but not too deeply because I didn’t want Mossy to know I was a werewolf, although what was the point when the truth would come out soon enough?

“She doesn’t.” Mossy sneezed loudly and shook her head, dark green dreadlocks waving. “I would have noticed because I’m allergic.”

“Then how did it get in?”

She shrugged. “She’s a fussy cat, not the kind that could rip a screen and climb in. And look how fat she is. Street kittens are scrawny enough to squeeze through a crack, but not this one. If I wasn’t allergic, I’d take her home to eat.”

“Mossy!”

She grinned at me. “Just joking. Knew that’d get you. So, what are we looking for?”

There were no signs of forced entry. Loren’s place wasn’t an apartment but a small house just out of downtown in a neighborhood of artistic types. Not wealthy, but people who cared. Everything was neat and tidy. I couldn’t tell if her clothes were missing. The only out-of-place thing was the kitten.

“There’s no cat food,” Mossy said, coming out of the pantry and avoiding the cute kitten, who made it difficult because she’d decided to chase Mossy’s long laces.

“And no one would go on a trip without taking the cat somewhere else, so why is it here?” I walked hesitantly to the kitten and then crouched down over it. I was a werewolf. Cats didn’t like wolves. She looked at me and then meowed and batted my hand. She was absolutely adorable. She had a collar with a cute little star constellation on it.

“Is your name Star?”

“It’s the constellation of lynx. That’s optimistic,” Mossy said.

“Oh. So it is.” I smiled at her. “I didn’t know that you studied astronomy.”

“Astrology, but same difference. My aunt’s a fortune-teller.”

“Maybe we should have her predict the future.”

“You could go. She does a good job. You’ll have a tall, dark, handsome stranger, romantic adventures, and true love. I’ll have a buck for bringing a sucker in.” She winked at me.

“Win-win. What do we do with Lynx?”

“We don’t do anything. I’m allergic.” She danced backwards, away from the pouncing kitten.

“But I’m…” I didn’t say ‘a werewolf.’

She looked at me with raised brows.

“I’m living in someone’s pool house right now. I don’t have my own place.”

“So take it to a shelter. If I took it home, my cousins would eat it. No joke.”

I took a deep breath and scooped up the kitten. She stared at me with big soft eyes and mewed. She was truly adorable. And also, my beast kind of wanted to eat her. I tucked her into my bag and turned to Mossy. “And now we have our best clue yet.”

“If you say so.”

I nodded firmly while the kitten meowed in my bag. “Now, we check the crime scene.”

My heart was beating too fast the whole way. Returning to the scene of the crime wasn’t what I’d intended to do this morning. Or ever.

The alley was blocked off by yellow tape, but no one was currently there. Of course, they’d moved the body already, but the blood wouldn’t have been cleaned up yet. I parked my scooter at one end and handed her my bag with the kitten in it. “Watch Lynx and Cherry.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she said, taking the bag, but holding it at arm’s length. “Hurry up.”

I nodded and took out my phone, taking shots before I ducked under the tape and continued down the alley, crouching down to take pics of the blood, of which there was a great deal. Some would be mine. Yes, I was definitely irrevocably tied to this crime scene. What would Loren have seen? I clicked open the email I’d forwarded and read through it, checking the photos of the body with the alley. I took photos and scanned the whole thing, but it took me ages to notice that the large garbage dumpster had been moved a few inches. I crouched there, staring at the big metal square, avoiding stepping in the dried blood, trying to peer beneath the can without getting my hair on the filthy floor. Senator Silverton had washed it out so well for me. My beast wanted to rumble at the thought of him.

“There you are. You’re little, but not even you’d fit underneath that can, and think how disgusting that would be.” Max’s voice was slightly amused, but underneath was a strain of worry.

I looked up to see him standing at the end of the alley opposite where I’d left Mossy and my scooter.

I stood up and held up my hands. “Max. I didn’t do it.”

He snorted. “Obviously. But you were here. What wolf ripped him apart like that?”

I blinked at him. “I don’t know. If you don’t think I killed him, why are you here?”

“For your protection. And I don’t get to take you into Song for you to choose one of the nice wolves there. I have to take you north. So, come on. We just grabbed some lunch so you can eat on the way.”

I stared at him. “You don’t need to worry about my protection.”

His brows lowered. “You’re standing in Ridley’s blood. Your own blood is in the mix. You shouldn’t have been in this. He got mixed up in some bad business. Should have known the first time he opened his mouth. No respect. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

“Max…” If I argued that I could defend myself, he’d want to see my beast. And if he saw my beast, he’d think I killed Ridley. There was no winning.

I licked my lips and glanced towards the other end of the alley.

“You think I don’t have someone at the other end? The chase is over, Delphi. You had a good run.” He smiled as he walked slowly towards me.

I laughed and sounded slightly hysterical. “I was just thinking that this morning, that I had a good run. But Max, there’s another woman that I’m worried about. She’s a journalist and she…” He lunged and grabbed me, wrapping me up and carrying me towards the alley where the others waited.

“Yeah, you’re going to have to worry about yourself. Because you, Delphi, are in a pickle. I just hope you don’t end up mated to someone who doesn’t appreciate you.”

I didn’t struggle, just let him carry me while my mind raced. “Max, how hard would it be to move that garbage bin?”

He grunted, then paused and glanced back at it. “Depends on the shift. I could do it now, but it’d be a struggle. My beast would tear it apart if it was in his way. Why?”

“It was moved a few inches to the side. You can see where the bottom marks the alley. The entire thing moved precisely that far. Isn’t that weird?”

“What’s weird is that you’re worried about garbage bins when you’re off to face the Alta who will mate you to someone you’ve never met.”

“That’s out of my control. I just hope he likes kittens.”

“Why?” he asked, pulling away so he could look at me.

I smiled sweetly. “Because I just got one.”