Joy to the Wolves (Red Wolf #1) - Terry Spear Page 0,25
she?
Josh headed outside but hadn’t gotten very far when a brown tabby wound its way around his legs. He petted the cat, checking out the collar. Her name was Muffy, and there was an address on a tag. The customer Brooke had been ringing up walked outside and smiled at him and the cat. He lifted Muffy into his arms before she ran away.
“Are you going to find the owner?” Brooke asked, poking her head outside of the shop.
“Uh, yeah. Her tag says she belongs to a place a couple of doors down from your shop.”
“Good.” Brooke gave him the wickedest smile and petted the cat’s head. “I’m glad you didn’t find her in my courtyard. No telling what you’d think.”
“That you had a refuge for lost animals.” He smiled. “See you tonight.”
“See you then.” She walked back inside her shop, and he went to the garden shop turned Christmas shop for the holidays to find Muffy’s owner.
“Ohmigoodness, you silly cat. She always stays in the shop, but something outside must have caught her eye when a customer opened the door. Thanks so much.” The woman took the cat from Josh’s arms and thanked him again. “No more running off.” She took Muffy to a back room and shut the door, while Josh left the shop to get on with the business of catching Ackerson and whoever else was running with him.
He brushed the cat fur off his clothes before he climbed into the vehicle. Then he thought about running with Brooke tonight as wolves. Instantly, all his crime concerns vanished, and he smiled. Then he lost the smile. He hoped his brother wouldn’t tag along.
He called Maverick on Bluetooth on the way to the jewelry store. “Hey, Brother, Brooke wants to run with me in Forest Park tonight. I’m picking her up at ten. Did you want to run with us?”
“Man, oh man, I told you that you were chasing after the little she-wolf, and not just because of the case of the stolen reindeer calf.”
“She asked me about running in Forest Park. What could I say? She needs a tour guide.”
Maverick snorted. “You could have offered my services.”
Josh knew he had to be kidding. “Do you want to come with us?”
“No. At least not this time. I know how I’d like it if I had a wolf date for a run and you came along to run with us. Later, but not for the first time.”
“It’s not a date. I’m just showing her the park.”
“Just keep telling yourself that. Will I see you for dinner?”
“Yeah, she has leftovers from lunch to eat up tonight.”
Maverick laughed. “Déjà vu. What did she ask for this time?”
Josh parked his car at Johnson’s Jewelers. “Chicken marsala.”
“When did you ask her if she wanted you to pick up something for her for lunch?”
“After I saw her about the reindeer.”
“I told you that you were interested in her. See you tonight at dinner then.”
Josh wasn’t about to tell his brother Brooke had already mentioned him bringing lunch to her tomorrow.
* * *
Brooke wished she and Josh could go running earlier, though she’d busied herself after she closed the shop for the four hours before he arrived. But she was tired! And ready to shower and call it a night, even though she really wanted to run as a wolf.
When Josh arrived at her house, she immediately went outside to get into his car so they could get started on their run.
“We’ll go to Carver’s house—his place is butted up against the park. He and his family are taking a vacation right now, but any of the wolves of the pack are welcome to park at his house and shift in a little shed out back so we can do it in privacy,” Josh said.
“Oh, that’s good. Even though this park is closed, I always worry about someone being in a city park illegally after hours and witnessing a shift.”
“I agree. And if a park ranger found our clothes? We can leave the car in Carver’s driveway without any difficulty.”
“That’s good. I haven’t run in months. I might be…a little rusty.”
“We’ll have a nice run, explore, and let you work up to your full potential.”
They parked at Carver’s house and left the car, then headed around through the gate to the backyard. Brooke immediately saw the little garden shed with a red roof and windows with curtains. When Josh opened the door, he reached inside and turned on a light. They had benches and a