A Wolf in Hiding - Charlie Richards Page 0,1

the judge had not been impressed. Their client had not received the settlement she’d wanted, and Richmond had been understandably embarrassed.

Richmond had taken it out on Elroy, since he believed Lane, the senior paralegal by six months.

Elroy figured he was lucky he hadn’t lost his job.

The bastard.

“I went inside and got some paper towels and a couple of cups of water from a waiter.”

Upon hearing Camilla’s voice, Elroy turned to face his friend. He smiled gratefully. “Thanks.” He took the roll of towels from under her arm and tore off a couple of sheets. “I hadn’t even thought about how to clean up the finger-printing powder.”

After Elroy had been finger-printed to rule out his own, he’d used a wet nap that he’d had in the glove box—fortunately it had still been there and hadn’t disappeared amidst the detritus littering his vehicle’s seats and floors.

As they started cleaning up the powder, Camilla mused, “Who would pick your Cherokee when there are so many nicer cars in the lot?”

Elroy barked a laugh, mirth filling him. “Are you saying my baby’s a POS?”

Camilla paused and gaped at him. “No!” Her cheeks pinked as she scowled at him. “I’m just saying that as I was walking back outside, I passed three cars with valuables easily seen through the window.”

Humming, Elroy glanced around the lot. His bestie was right. The cars on the far side of the lot would have made better targets—more discreet. He’d parked close to the front, although the diners at the windows had claimed to have not seen anything.

“I see your point,” Elroy admitted, frowning. “But I’m not a criminal, so I have no clue why someone would pick mine.” Staring at his car, he muttered, “Maybe because there was obvious change in the cup holder?”

“Maybe.” Camilla didn’t sound convinced.

Elroy wadded up the damp paper towels and headed back toward the front of the restaurant and the garbage bin there. He tossed them, then stepped inside to return the remaining roll to the hostess. After receiving a commiserating smile from the petite brunette, he headed back outside.

Camilla continued to stand next to his car.

“I’m headed home to change, then meeting Bart at the Brine Falls trailhead,” Elroy told her. He waved his hand toward the messy vehicle. “I’ll clean up the rest of this tomorrow. Do you want to come?”

Shaking her head, Camilla bit her bottom lip as she rubbed her hands over her slightly rounded belly. She carried a bit of extra weight around her stomach and rear, and Elroy knew it made her self-conscious. He also knew she had a crush on Bart, which is why he’d invited her, even though he knew the outdoor activity wasn’t really her thing.

“Um, no, thanks.” Camilla shifted her weight from foot to foot as she admitted, “I don’t want him to see me all blotchy and huffin’ and puffin’ while trying to climb that trail.”

“Okay,” Elroy conceded. “We’ll pick a nature trail some time.”

As one of his two remaining friends, he thought the pair would make a cute couple. Six months before, his ex-boyfriend of three years, Kyle, had left him. He’d boldly claimed that Elroy was a cold fish in bed on top of him working too much and not making time for him. Most of their mutual friends had chosen to stick with Kyle.

Bart had been the exception.

Elroy knew his buddy had just as big a crush on Camilla. They were just so damn shy…and oblivious. If Elroy hadn’t been sworn to secrecy by both of them, they would already be together. Instead, they both pumped him for information about the other…and did nothing about it.

Gonna have to come up with some kind of plan.

“Call me if you want help cleaning out your car tomorrow,” Camilla urged, stepping toward him and giving him a hug. “I don’t have any plans except grocery shopping and laundry, and I can do those whenever.”

After returning Camilla’s hug, Elroy started toward the driver’s door. “Thanks. I will,” he replied. After one final wave, he climbed in and fired up his Jeep. At least having the stereo ripped out didn’t mess up the engine.

Elroy waited until Camilla had made it to her car and climbed in safely. Then he headed home. He changed from his nice jeans and top to something more suitable for climbing a mountain—older jeans, a sports polo, and hiking boots. Elroy gathered a couple of bottles of water, a pair of protein bars, some granola and jerky, and placed it all