Black Truth, White Lies (Black Hat Bureau 3)

5

The day after our grand reopening was not the time to take a sick day.

Particularly the morning after a gruesome event occurred a stone’s throw from the shop.

Especially not when word spread that five pets—two dogs and three cats—had been reported missing during the early morning hours.

The three hours of sleep in my tank would have to hold me over until I could get horizonal again.

Lucky for me, Clay and Asa were free to work the uncase while I was otherwise occupied at the shop.

Gritting my teeth and pouring on the charm for customers, I clocked eight hours and not a second more.

“You and Asa still on the outs?” Camber hugged me from the side. “You’ve been in a mood all day.”

“We’re fine.” I leaned my head against hers. “We both suck at relationships, but we’ll figure it out.”

Eventually.

“You’re worried.” Arden squeezed me from the other side, sandwiching me in a hug. “About us.”

The edge of guilt in her expression, as if any of this were their fault, cut me to the marrow.

“There’s a big difference between a psycho who kidnaps girls and a wild animal who munches on pets.”

“She’s right.” Camber withdrew and locked the door. “We’re not at risk more than anyone else.”

Because I loved them, they were in more danger than anyone else in town, but maybe not this time. Unless they wore raw steaks as necklaces, everyone’s odds of a dobhar-chú attack were about the same.

“Mom and Dad have already forbidden me to go outside after dark.” Arden started cleaning. “Even Gran called to threaten me. She’s not leaving her house until whatever it is gets caught.”

“Bojangles had a litter,” Camber explained. “Eight puppies.”

Miss Dotha was Camber’s grandmother, but the girls both called her Gran. She bred gorgeous Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Once upon a time, she would have invited me over to play with the newest litter. But after the girls had been taken, Miss Dotha had retreated from our friendship. I couldn’t blame her, but it still hurt. And it was inconvenient, especially during the holiday season.

Sooner or later, I would have to hire an extra set of part-time hands to fill the void she left.

“I don’t blame her.” I smiled through the twinge in my chest. “I would keep them close too.”

Both girls gave me a look that told me I had a crap poker face when it came to them.

“Gran will get over it,” Camber promised. “She’s not mad at you. She doesn’t blame you. She’s just…”

“She has a right to her feelings.” There was that pesky word again. “I don’t hold it against her.”

“Do you want to come over to watch Murder in Munson with us?” Arden grinned. “It’s a total gorefest.”

“This is your reaction to Dasher?” I had taken the coward’s way out and let the local news break the story to them while I was out monster hunting. “Watching more horror?”

A knock on the door drew my attention to a tall man in his early twenties.

With piercing, unearthly turquoise eyes.

“Oh crap,” I muttered, shocked to see Aedan, both in town and in glamour. “I need to get this.”

He looked like Santa and his team had run over him a few times in the sleigh, but he was handsome. The shoulder-length blond hair was sun streaked, and his skin was tan. He wore jeans and a clean tee with a pair of scuffed sneakers. He was playing surfer boy to the hilt, and it worked for him.

“Get…?” Arden’s mouth fell open. “Who is that?”