Read Online My Feline Protector (Middlemarch Shifters Book 6) by Shelley Munro - Free Book Online Page B

said. “Henry has medical training. He touched the hilt and applied pressure to stop the blood flow, but he was too late.” Gerard heard London’s hard swallow and guilt filled him. “I’m sorry. This is difficult for you, but I thought you’d prefer to know the truth. Hiding information from you is the worst thing we can do.”
    The nights closed in fast since New Zealand was moving into late autumn. The streetlights shone on the footpath, allowing her glimpses of gardens and the shop fronts they passed.
    “What is a co-op shop?”
    “It’s a new business, opening next week, I think. The locals can take produce or goods and sell them at the co-op shop. They receive the money less a small commission to pay for the rent and the shop assistant’s wages. They will sell things from flowers and vegetables to T-shirts and pots for plants. Lots of arty people live in or near Middlemarch.”
    “I wish I’d made it to the craft market. Who won the zombie run?”
    “A guy on the local rugby team had the fastest time. It took a while to sort out the times since the course changed for some of the runners. The winning zombie captured forty-two lives. Saber said they’d do a rerun in the spring and offer everyone who ran this race a discount on the entry fee. From what I hear everyone was happy with that and had a good time.”
    Gerard opened the door for her and she shivered.
    “Cold?”
    “No, I keep getting this creepy feeling.” She glanced over her shoulder, peering into the dark and shadows untouched by the streetlights. “Ever since we left the bed-and-breakfast it feels as if someone is watching us.”
    Gerard shunted her inside the café and guided her toward the counter. “We have a booking,” he told the young girl at the counter. “Gerard Drummond.”
    They waited in silence while the teenager checked the reservations then picked up menus and directed them to a private table. Once the girl left them and they’d removed their outerwear, Gerard resumed the conversation.
    “What sort of creepy feeling? I didn’t notice anyone.”
    She shrugged. “Probably my imagination.”
    “You thought you saw someone you recognized in the pub. Who?”
    “A mistake.”
    “But who did you think it was?” He willed her to answer because he thought her instincts were right. He’d sensed someone too. They’d followed them at a distance when they left the bed-and-breakfast. He’d considered backtracking to find them and ultimately decided he’d keep London safe. Before they left, he’d contact Isabella and Leo. They could trail them and see if anyone followed them to the bed-and-breakfast.
    “Jenny’s husband,” she blurted. “It looked like Royce. It wasn’t though. He hates flying. No way he’d follow us to New Zealand. Even if he had, how could he find us? That’s part of the reason Jenny visited this part of the world. She knew Royce would bite off his hand rather than get on a plane.”
    “Tell me more about Royce.”
    She wrinkled her nose. “Do I have to?”
    “If you thought you saw him here, we need to investigate that lead. The cops aren’t going to, which means we should.” He interrupted when she opened her mouth to speak. “No, if there’s an outside chance, we should check on his location.”
    “As long as I don’t have to speak with him. I was going to ring him, to tell him about Jenny, but I just can’t make myself.”
    Gerard opened his menu and studied the three available dishes. He decided on the roast pork for a change from steak. “You disliked your brother-in-law?”
    “He’s a control freak and uses force to get what he wants.”
    “Do you think him capable of murder?”
    “Yes.”
    She didn’t hesitate, a fact that surprised Gerard. “The cops check on the husband first, but this case is different because she’s in New Zealand and he’s in England. Do you have a contact number?”
    “A number for the apartment they used to share in the city. I gave the High