just floats away, and I can’t solve it.” She narrowed her eyes. “Huh.”
He lowered his gaze to his hand, flexed it.
“Did you notice the other day when we went into town how the store owner rushed into the back room when we got up to the cash register?”
“No, but—”
“You mentioned when I first met you that your dad’s friend Butch was mated to a woman that worked at the store, right?”
“Yeah, that’s Mrs. Danielson. She’s the one who tallied our groceries. Why?” She threw the shirt toward the garbage can in the corner of the garage.
“When you were putting the groceries in the car, I went back inside to grab a newspaper. I thought I’d get caught up on what was happening around Drover. Hell, if nothing else, it would give me something to do besides drive myself stupid in this house while we wait.” He swept back his hair. “Anyway, the owner had Mrs. Danielson pinned against the counter and seemed to be threatening her. When he saw me come in, he turned away and scurried toward the back of the store.”
“Why would he do that?” She frowned.
“When I gave her the money for the paper, Mrs. Danielson mouthed the word Loren . She was definitely trying to tell me something, but why? She wasn’t part of the community when I ran the pack. What the hell does the name of someone dead and buried mean anyway? That’s twice Greggoire’s brother’s name has been mentioned.” He pushed off the wall. “Shit!
Somehow, we’re missing a huge chunk out of the puzzle. If I could only figure it out…” He mimicked the pacing he’d done night after night. He remained tense, his body coiled ready to fight. The muscles along his shoulders rippled with each step. Dani chewed on her lip.
She wanted to help, but she was too young to remember a time when Greggoire even had a twin. She didn’t recall any of his relatives within the pack.
“Let’s go over there.”
Ethan stopped, turned, and frowned.
“Where?”
“The store. My mom and Mrs. Danielson were friends. I’m sure she’ll talk to me. Maybe that way we’ll get to the bottom of why Greggoire’s brother’s name keeps popping up.” She brushed at a bloodstain on her hand. “I’ll also ask her why the store owner is bullying her.
Mrs. Danielson is such a sweet lady. I can’t imagine someone being mean to her. Butch would kick some ass if his wife was being threatened.”
“Damn. I don’t want to start questioning anyone without securing my position in the pack first.” He tilted his head and groaned. “Oh, the hell with it. Let’s do it.”
She pulled him into her embrace. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He slipped his hands lower and squeezed her butt. “More and more every day. I swear when this is over, I'm going to spoil you rotten and show you how life can and will be between us.”
Dani drove, parking her car on the side of the building away from the glass front door. The convenience store was no bigger than her house, and if four people were shopping at the same time it was crowded.
Two other cars were parked in the front. Mrs.
Danielson’s car and another she didn’t recognize were parked next to Dani’s. She shut off the engine. “Why don’t you stay in the car, and I’ll go in by myself. I think I’ll have a better chance at getting Mrs. Danielson to talk than you would. You’re a little intimidating.” She patted his leg.
He snorted.
“You are!” She laughed. “Not many men are as big as lumberjacks. Not even the loggers in the area.”
He grunted and turned to gaze out the window. “Just hurry. If you’re not out of there in five minutes, I’m coming in.”
“I’ll be okay. I’ve stopped in this store for one reason or another every week since I was old enough to ride over on my bicycle as a kid.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Don’t worry so much.”
“I can’t help it. You’re everything to me.” She smiled. “I know. I’ll be careful.” She got out of
He lowered his gaze to his hand, flexed it.
“Did you notice the other day when we went into town how the store owner rushed into the back room when we got up to the cash register?”
“No, but—”
“You mentioned when I first met you that your dad’s friend Butch was mated to a woman that worked at the store, right?”
“Yeah, that’s Mrs. Danielson. She’s the one who tallied our groceries. Why?” She threw the shirt toward the garbage can in the corner of the garage.
“When you were putting the groceries in the car, I went back inside to grab a newspaper. I thought I’d get caught up on what was happening around Drover. Hell, if nothing else, it would give me something to do besides drive myself stupid in this house while we wait.” He swept back his hair. “Anyway, the owner had Mrs. Danielson pinned against the counter and seemed to be threatening her. When he saw me come in, he turned away and scurried toward the back of the store.”
“Why would he do that?” She frowned.
“When I gave her the money for the paper, Mrs. Danielson mouthed the word Loren . She was definitely trying to tell me something, but why? She wasn’t part of the community when I ran the pack. What the hell does the name of someone dead and buried mean anyway? That’s twice Greggoire’s brother’s name has been mentioned.” He pushed off the wall. “Shit!
Somehow, we’re missing a huge chunk out of the puzzle. If I could only figure it out…” He mimicked the pacing he’d done night after night. He remained tense, his body coiled ready to fight. The muscles along his shoulders rippled with each step. Dani chewed on her lip.
She wanted to help, but she was too young to remember a time when Greggoire even had a twin. She didn’t recall any of his relatives within the pack.
“Let’s go over there.”
Ethan stopped, turned, and frowned.
“Where?”
“The store. My mom and Mrs. Danielson were friends. I’m sure she’ll talk to me. Maybe that way we’ll get to the bottom of why Greggoire’s brother’s name keeps popping up.” She brushed at a bloodstain on her hand. “I’ll also ask her why the store owner is bullying her.
Mrs. Danielson is such a sweet lady. I can’t imagine someone being mean to her. Butch would kick some ass if his wife was being threatened.”
“Damn. I don’t want to start questioning anyone without securing my position in the pack first.” He tilted his head and groaned. “Oh, the hell with it. Let’s do it.”
She pulled him into her embrace. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He slipped his hands lower and squeezed her butt. “More and more every day. I swear when this is over, I'm going to spoil you rotten and show you how life can and will be between us.”
Dani drove, parking her car on the side of the building away from the glass front door. The convenience store was no bigger than her house, and if four people were shopping at the same time it was crowded.
Two other cars were parked in the front. Mrs.
Danielson’s car and another she didn’t recognize were parked next to Dani’s. She shut off the engine. “Why don’t you stay in the car, and I’ll go in by myself. I think I’ll have a better chance at getting Mrs. Danielson to talk than you would. You’re a little intimidating.” She patted his leg.
He snorted.
“You are!” She laughed. “Not many men are as big as lumberjacks. Not even the loggers in the area.”
He grunted and turned to gaze out the window. “Just hurry. If you’re not out of there in five minutes, I’m coming in.”
“I’ll be okay. I’ve stopped in this store for one reason or another every week since I was old enough to ride over on my bicycle as a kid.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Don’t worry so much.”
“I can’t help it. You’re everything to me.” She smiled. “I know. I’ll be careful.” She got out of
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