Page 6 of Relics of the Wolf

“We can check the dictionary later, but I’m pretty sure that makes you an employee.”

“More of an independent contractor. There aren’t any benefits. As to the rest, yes, I’m sure he still wants it, but I told him I wouldn’t get it for him.”

“Is that so,” I said in a flat tone.

A part of me wanted to believe Duncan, but a part of me wanted to punch him in the nose. I didn’t even know if I could blame my savage werewolf instincts. Wouldn’t any woman feel this way about someone who worked for—independentcontractedfor—her loathsome ex?

“It is. I thought about putting that in my note, but I didn’t know if you would even read it.” Duncan scratched his jaw. “Uhm, did you?”

Was that a hopeful look in his eyes?

I was tempted to quash that hope out of a desire for retribution, but I reminded myself why I’d come. Bolin thought Duncan could help. And maybe he could. On the chance that case was pertinent to werewolves, I wanted to get it and show it to my mother. And maybe Bolin and his father could learn more about it—and what it had to do with wolf bites—if they had more time to study it.

“I read it. And I got the potion vials.” Maybe I should have said thanks, but I couldn’t dredge the words from my soul. With my body still tight from the feeling of betrayal, I… couldn’t be that big of a person. Besides, I didn’t know if he’dtrulystopped working for Chad or if that was a lie and he was trying to get back on my good side in the hope of getting a second chance at the case. Asking him for help was probably dumb.

“But you haven’t consumed one of the potions,” Duncan said in a curious tone. “I can tell from the feral way you looked at my meat that the wolf still lurks close to the surface in you.”

“Your meat, huh.”

Duncan grinned. “I refer, naturally, to the brisket.”

“Naturally.”

I didn’t doubt that he could tell I hadn’t taken the potion. A werewolf, even when in human form, had keener senses than normal people, so he would be able to sense and smell what I was. What I, if strong emotions or the full moon roused me, could become.

Since I didn’t want to discuss my decision not to take another werewolf-sublimation potion, I pulled out my phone instead. “Do you know this guy?”

I showed him the photo that Bolin had shared with me and the footage of the thug beating up my poor intern.

“I already told your assistant, but I haven’t seen that man before.” Brow furrowed, Duncan leaned closer to my phone. “Will you play that video again?”

Hoping he’d decided hedidrecognize the guy, I did so without question.

“He’s strong,” Duncan said. “Abnormally so.”

“Yes. Bolin commented on that after the guy hurled him into a lamppost. He’s lucky that he didn’t need a cast for broken bones to go with his stitches.”

“Quite,” Duncan murmured thoughtfully, his gaze locked on the video. “I don’t think he’s a werewolf though.”

That caught me by surprise. “You don’t? What else would he be?”

“I’m… not sure, but he doesn’t move like an animal. Likewedo.”

I twitched a skeptical eyebrow. Though I didn’t deny that wild instincts guided me at times, I didn’t think I moved like an animal, not when I was in human form.

“If I could smell him,” Duncan said, “I would have a better idea of what he is.”

“Sorry, we haven’t upgraded to security cameras with scent receptors.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

“If you want to sniff this guy up, you’ll have to help me find him.”

“Is that what brought you here?”

“I’m more interested in locating the case than the thief, but they might be together. Bolin pointed out that your supposed expertise is finding things.”

“Supposed. Really, Luna. I located all sorts of interesting things in your bedroom.” Duncan might have decided that sounded odd—my mind went to the tube of estradiol cream he’d shrieked over—because he added a finger point upward, no doubt to remind me of the magical hidden cameras we’d uncovered in the ceiling.

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