Head Hunter (City Shifters the Pack #3) - Layla Nash Page 0,34
be working on a different job yesterday. I need to make up that time with my new client, so I shifted hours. I apologize for not notifying you; I thought Geordie had run it past you?”
There was a malicious gleam in her eyes when she said it, no doubt trying to draw attention to the asshole who’d ruined her day yesterday. Dodge wondered when that gleam would be turned in his direction.
Bridger paused for long enough that Dodge started to fear the call dropped, then that smooth, cultured voice once more broke the cozy confines of Persephone’s shabby kitchen. “No, Geordie did not mention it to me. I thought we had a construction supervisor to handle things like that.”
“So did I,” Persephone said, once more the efficient, professional habitat designer. She paced into the living room and carried the phone, moving around so the sounds changed. Dodge nodded to encourage her, but otherwise kept his trap shut. She could handle it. “Still, I went yesterday so we wouldn’t fall behind schedule. It took forever but the delivery was moved to the appropriate side of the new leopard habitat.”
“Forever?” Bridger asked. “Hopefully you didn’t stay too long, dear. I wouldn’t want a young lady like you to be out at the site past dark. It’s very isolated out here.”
“It’s fine,” Persephone said. “I didn’t have any issues.”
“That’s good to know,” the loan shark said slowly, measuring each word. “I’d hate to have you run into anything dangerous.”
Dodge heard the mild threat, the effort to fish for more information and provoke a reaction. She must have known what the meat-heads were doing, feeding someone to the tiger. He’d put money on the whole scheme being Bridger’s idea. Dead men didn’t pay their debts, but she couldn’t have the reputation for letting someone get away with non-payment. Someone had to be made an example of, and knowing that they’d end up tiger chow would convince even the hardest bastards to find a way to pay her back. He clenched his hands on the back of one of the kitchen chairs, and gestured for her to wrap up the call.
Persephone must have heard something different in Bridger’s statement, because she laughed it off. “Only thing dangerous out there is the tiger, and I wasn’t about to get close to him.”
“Of course.” There was still an odd touch to Bridger’s tone; Dodge tensed when he heard it. Maybe the loan shark started to wonder about Persephone being out at the sanctuary the day before, since she’d offered that tidbit up. Bridger managed to sound halfway interested as she went on. “I’m pleased to hear you found another client, although I hope that won’t distract from our work. I feel like I’ve invested some time in you, dear, and don’t want to lose my mentee.”
Mentee? Dodge’s eyes narrowed. Persephone looked too pleased, though, and nodded even though the other woman couldn’t see her. “Of course not. I appreciate all of your advice. Did you need me out there today? I was planning to return tomorrow to oversee when they move the tiger, hopefully away from...”
She stumbled over the words and cleared her throat. “When they move the tiger back to where he’s supposed to be. After the teeth cleaning. Wasn’t that today?”
Dodge wanted to end the call, though he couldn’t put his finger on where the architect had stumbled. He moved closer to her but she looked panicked, backed into a corner near the sofa, and held her hands up to ward him off. She smelled of fear and adrenaline, and the wolf got ready to protect her from whatever it was that drove her heart to racing.
Persephone’s rapid change to questions apparently also struck a chord wrong with Bridger, because the loan shark took a while to reply. “Why, yes. The tiger is in the medical building for the teeth cleaning this morning, although they moved him yesterday, I believe. Did you happen to see him yesterday while you were working?”
“N-no, of course not.” Persephone looked at him, her eyes wide with panic. “I was just curious.”
“Indeed.” Bridger drew the word out until Dodge cringed, wanting to leap through the phone to strangle the woman until she couldn’t hurt Persephone. “But you remember what they say about curiosity and cats, don’t you? Even tigers.”
The architect’s face reddened. “Cats do seem to get themselves into all kinds of trouble.”
“That’s true, and usually of their own making, hmm? We do hate to see that. Curious little cats