Moon Claimed (Werewolf Dens #2) - Kelly St. Clare Page 0,24

ever know you have a gooey interior.”

“I’m not sure about that.”

“I am.” I locked the drawer again. Checking the contents of the top drawers, I clutched the journals tight to my chest.

Rhona followed me to the door. “You gonna lock the office door?”

“As long as nothing goes missing, I hope the person finds whatever they’re looking for.”

I’d check the hall cameras to see who came in. If someone was suspicious of me, I had to know who. “Look. Could you go on ahead to the meeting? I just remembered something.”

“Only because I yelled at you and feel remorse.”

Watching her leave, I asked for directions to the security office, and let myself in. A woman sat in there who defied the IT stereotype almost entirely. She turned and I caught sight of her Star Trek slogan tee. Well, nearly.

“Hi, I’m Andie.”

“I know. Nice to meet you. I’m Heather. Heather Sullivan.”

“Lovely to meet you.”

“Ha!”

I jolted, peering behind me. “What’s funny?”

“Nothing. Nervous thing. How can I help you?”

Maybe my initial judgement was way off base. “No problem. I’d like to look at the footage outside my office in the last three hours, please.”

“You got it, dude.” Typing rapidly, she cast me a look. “Remember Full House?”

“Uh, no. TV show?”

“Ha!” she barked. “Yep. More of a Truth Ranges fan myself.”

Hated that show. “Oh, cool. I’m not a big TV person.”

“Well, someone’s frozen eggs just got stolen. Like, egg eggs. Only the town serial killer can find them. I really hope he decides to help despite the murder addiction. I want her to have kids, and it’s nice to see a bit of redemption now and then, you know?”

She twiddled some intense-looking gear and pointed to a screen in the middle. I could see the entire hall. Herc’s office was halfway down.

“I’ll set it to triple speed. Let me know if you want me to stop,” she said.

“What are the security measures on the manor?” I watched the screen.

“Frequency generators, obvs. Heat detectors. They span the entire north side of the valley, covering all steward homes. There are cameras throughout the manor, and around. Everywhere but the bedrooms and bathrooms—because sex and nakedness. Ha!”

I blinked several times. “Of course. The grounds themselves?”

“Just the perimeter. Same with steward homes. Too expensive to have cameras everywhere. We just enclose our territory. Personally, I think it’d be nice to have audio capabilities on our security, too, but that’s another expense. Guess people deserve their privacy, but it would make my job a whole lot more interesting.”

Props to Sascha. He got through all that stuff undetected. “It’d be like real-life Truth Ranges.”

“Ha!” She covered her mouth. “Sorry. Not sure why that happens. People, I think.”

I struggled to keep a smile at bay. She had a disarming manner.

On the screen, someone entered Herc’s office. “Stop there.”

She paused the footage, rewinding a way.

I leaned forward and identified the person. “Oh, that’s no problem,” I lied. “Keep going.”

The footage kept rolling to the end, and I faked interest.

“Sorry you didn’t find whatever you were looking for,” Heather said.

But I did. “That’s okay. I really just wanted to pick your brains on security anyway. If you have any ideas on how to tighten the manor against werewolves, I’d be happy to hear them. We can’t have Luthers sneaking in.”

“It’d be pretty impossible for them to penetrate our defences, but I do have some ideas.”

Mmm-hmm. Impossible.

“Could you speak with Eleanor to arrange a time?”

“Ha!”

I’d take that as a yes. Leaving the security office, I strode away, clutching Ragna’s journals tightly.

Reaching the meeting room, I entered without preamble and sat, setting the leather-bound books on the desk.

She took the bait. Pascal’s eyes went straight to them.

And no wonder.

I’d mentioned Ragna’s journals to her in passing just before the head team left for pack lands. She’d either rushed straight to the office—forgoing the search for Rhona—or raced to search prior to this meeting while I was outside.

She was desperate enough to take the risk of entering despite the cameras in the hall.

I glanced at her, and she met my gaze with the same mild expression the woman always wore.

I smiled before shifting my focus.

Pascal wanted the journals.

Which meant there had to be something in them she didn’t want me to know.

8

I rubbed my eyes again.

“It’s easier than usual to find you unattractive,” Wade said.

“Thanks.” I sent him a withering glare. “I was up late. Not feeling so great.”

I’d finished the I’m 18 journal and learned not a single thing. The start of I’m 19 had so