Chapter 89

Chapter 89

Heat rose into my cheeks. Of course, Lisa started that rumor. Bob probably encouraged her

to do it, too.

“How did she..was she just waiting for us at the staircase-”

I stopped abruptly as I got a news alert on my phone. I dove for the device. As soon as I got hands to quit shaking, I found that the notification said that a fourth victim had been

my

shot.

My stomach churned. I prayed to the Moon Goddess that Andrew was not that fourth victim.

When I raised my head, Jeffrey was staring pointedly at my phone.

“There’s been a fourth victim at the shooting,” I explained, trying and failing to keep my voice steady.

Jeffrey nodded without his expression changing.

“Aren’t you worried at all?” I asked, frustrated. “Your boss is out there risking his life, standing up against one of the few things that could actually kill him, and here you are, staying calm. as though he’s just at another meeting.”

“I’ve found that worrying is very unproductive in situations like this one,” Jeffrey replied. “Besides, this is part of Andrew’s job, one that I don’t particularly relish, but a part of it, nonetheless. He risks his life for his community, just as I risk my life for him–and

you.”

He unbuttoned his suit and undershirt just enough to show me the bulletproof vest lying underneath.

“As part

of my job guarding Andrew–and, by extension now, guarding you–I wear this bulletproof vest. I must be prepared for anything, including silver bullets.”

He buttoned his clothes back up and held my gaze.

“Andrew’s life is always in danger. His enemies are everywhere, whether it’s a human terrorist shooting up a werewolf community center or a political rival waiting for their chance to take down the Alpha King that they don’t favor. As his girlfriend, you’re going to have to get used to that.”

I sighed and wiped the angry tears away from my face.

“Is there ever going to be a time when it’ll get easier?”

Curing about someone?” he asked. “I doubt it.

carried on like this for hours, sometimes talking, sometimes sitting in amicable silence.

lost in our individual thoughts.

I couldn’t keep my mind from drifting to what Jeffrey had said. Could I handle this kind of stress all the time? Could I handle the thought of Andrew–the man that I loved–potentially being in danger on a daily basis?

More importantly, could I handle the thought of him not being in my life just because I could not handle the dangers of his job?

With my brain so preoccupied by these questions, I wasn’t even remotely tired by the time that Andrew called me at midnight.

“Hello?” I answered, anxious to hear his voice.

“Hi, Crystal,” Andrew replied, sounding drained but alive.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m alive.”

“Is everything all right? Is everyone down there all right?”

“The injured have been taken to the hospital, and the threat…has been neutralized.”

The tone of his voice suggested that I shouldn’t question the matter any further, so I decided, to leave it at that.

“I’m glad that you’re okay!

“Me too. Everything should be calmed down enough for everyone to return to their normal

activities.”

“So, I can go to work tomorrow?”

“Yes, of course, but Crystal…”

I swallowed against the knot that had formed in my

“Yes?”

throat.

“I think it would be best if you didn’t go to the werewolf community center for a while, at least until my advisors and I completed our investigation of this attack.”

My heart thudded hard against my ribs.

“No more self–defense classes?”

“Not from there, no. I think it would be best if we continued those ourselves.

Okay. Anything else?”

Chapter 89

“Yes. I want Jeffrey to resume his position by your side, out of the shadows.”

1 groaned.

“You know what that does for business-

“Yes, but considering that you are not allowed to interact with clients at the moment anyway I cringed at that reminder- “I think that it would be best to keep him as close to you as possible. I don’t want anything to happen.”

I sighed..

“All right. What else?”

Just…be safe.”

I smiled slightly at his concern.

“I will be.”

At work the next day, I expected that the human terrorist attack to be the center of conversation. However, as I entered the bridal shop, Jeffrey close behind me, what caught my ear had nothing to do with the attack.

“I don’t know. I swear I put them in the safe to be cashed on Friday,” Terri said to

as she frantically searched the cash register and under the counter.

Samantha

“I told you, they’re not there,” Samantha countered, flustered. “Are you sure that you didn’t leave them in the clients‘ binders or something-

“Yes, I’m certain! I put them in the safe, like always.”

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Both women stopped their search and faced me.

Terri lost three checks,” Samantha said.

“I didn’t lose anything!” Terri snapped. “I put them in the safe last night before leaving. Now, they’re gone.”

“And how can we trust that you put them there in the first place?”

“Because I was there, too,” I said. “I closed the shop last night, and I watched her put the checks in the safe

Samantha bulled

apter 69

“And your word is any better than hers?” she said. “You’re the one who’s been sneaking off to turn tricks during weddings-”

“That never happened!” I took a deep breath. “Did it look like anyone broke into the safe or the shop?”

Both women shook their heads.

“The door and windows were locked when we got here,” Terri replied. “And the safe was intact, too. Just like when we left it.”

“Is anything else missing?”

Terri chewed her bottom l*p.

“Yeah, now that you mention it,” she replied. “I think we’re missing some decorations. Nothing big, but I’ve noticed some small ones gone from our inventory after almost every ceremony since Polly Durand’s wedding.”

Samantha shrugged.

“Me too. I just assumed that someone misplaced them.”

I scratched my chin.

“That sounds like it wasn’t just a break–in last night, then.”

I pulled out my phone.

“I need to call Lily and talk to her about this. You guys should continue as though it’s business as usual. I’ll be back in the employee lounge if you need me.”

The women nodded and went to put everything back in its proper place.

I headed for the employee lounge, Jeffrey on my heels. I closed the door behind him to have some privacy, then called Lily.

“Crystal?” Lily answered. “Is everything all right? I heard about the human terrorist attack last night.”

“Yes, yes, everything’s just fine on that front. Andrew took care of it,” I replied, not wanting to elaborate. “We have a problem at the shop, though.”

“What is it? Is it another fire? Is everyone okay?”

“Everyone’s fine. We just..I don’t know how to explain this. Some things have gone missing.

Things Lily asked, her tone now harder and more skeptical. “What kinds of things?”

Some decorations and three clients‘ checks.

Three checks?” she exclaimed “Was there a break–in?”

“No, no, it doesn’t look like it. It’s the weirdest thing. Everything was as we had left it last night.”

Lily didn’t respond.

“Lily? Are you still there?” I asked.

“Yeah, I am. I’m just trying to process all of this.

She paused again.

“Crystal, I don’t want you to tell the others this, but, she continued, her voice cautious, “I think that an employee might have stolen those things.”

“What? Who? Why?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t want to point any fingers without proof,” she said. “Since I’m not there, I’m going to need to trust you to conduct an investigation for me. Can you do that?”

I gulped. I wasn’t sure about conducting an investigation against colleagues. At least Terri was

friend, and I had to work with the others.

my

How could I do it without incurring someone’s wrath?

I turned to Jeffrey, who stood beside me, and an idea struck me.

“I can do that.”