Page 18 of Small Moments
Chapter Fifteen
Lily handed Rin a robe once they were inside the toasty warm little cabin, but declined the offer of coffee, not wanting the caffeine to keep her up all night. “I’m not taking you away from your patrol am I?”
It was common knowledge that the pack had regular patrols of the area to keep poachers off their land, so Rin just assumed that Lily was part of the rotation. Lily quickly disabused her of that notion. The look of disgust on the scarred beauty’s face spoke volumes as well as the scoffing sound that came from her throat. “Didn’t you know that females needprotecting?” The last word was said with so much derision that Rin winced.
Lily pulled her long swath of blonde hair out from under her robe and then stood with hands on hips as she shook her head in disgust. “For such a forward thinking town, they are so backward sometimes when it comes to females.” She shot Rin a sly smile, “Not that I let that stop me.”
Rin laughed. “I haven’t come up against that protective instinct yet, not that I’d be much use to them on patrol as small as I am, but you – you’re fierce.” Rin could hear the awe that had crept into her voice, and hoped she wasn’t fangirling too hard, but she had heard the story that Lily Oremun had taken on a male panther nearly twice her size and won. Rin wanted to be brave like that. She wanted to be strong – no matter which form she chose. Thus, why the boxing lessons felt like such a good idea.
Thinking of those lessons quickly brought Mike to the forefront of her mind, and the questions still surrounding him. Had he concluded his business? Was he home now? Or was he laying in some dark corner of an alley bleeding to death from a gunshot wound after a shady deal gone wrong? A little shiver of fear had Rin squashing that thought before she went into a panic. Sometimes, it did not pay to have an active imagination. Rin took the seat being offered to her at the kitchen table and focused on what Lily was saying.
“I may not be a wolf, but Malsum Pass is my home and I’ll protect it whether they like it or not.”
“Do you know Mike from the garage?” The question was out before Rin was even aware she had opened her mouth.Subtle, Rin. Real subtle.
Lily looked confused for a moment, probably because of the abrupt change of subject, but she recovered quickly and smiled. “Sure. Turkey club on whole wheat, toasted, with fries. Good tipper.”
Rin blinked and Lily laughed. “His usual. I’m not great with names but I have no problem remembering the food they order.”
So he was a good tipper? Of course he was with all of that cash. Rin stomped on the thought, becoming annoyed with this new suspicious nature that kept hammering at her brain. Rin tried for a casual tone, “So you don’t know him well?” Her fingers were tapping an agitated rhythm on the table and she tucked them in her lap, now wishing she had taken up Lily on her offer of coffee just so that she’d have something to do with her hands.
Lily tracked the movement with her vivid green cat eyes and raised a brow in question before she grinned knowingly. “Interested are we?”
Before Rin could confirm or deny, Lily continued, “Let’s see. His best friend is bacon double cheeseburger, lettuce, onion, pickle, no tomato – or, at least they seem to be together pretty frequently.”
It was Rin’s turn to look confused and Lily chuckled. “Sorry. I think his name is Tim, maybe Tom. Big guy, laughs loudly, good tipper as well. Paramedic and the fire chief I believe.”
Rin nodded, recalling that Mike had mentioned a Tim when Rin had called Mike a sadist. Paramedic and fire chief? She filed that information for later. “Have you ever noticed anything weird about Mike? Suspicious, maybe?”
Lily frowned. “Weird? Weird how?” Then her look turned considering. “Now that you mention it, he does seem to come in to the diner all bruised and battered at least once a month. Hm. I always felt like he might be lying when he said his sparring partner got a little carried away – wouldn’t look me in the eyes.” Another shrug, “I mean, if he’s sparring with Double Cheeseburger, you’d think, since the guy’s a paramedic, he’d be a little more careful with his punches.”
Rin nodded thoughtfully, remembering Mike using that same excuse with her, but she had assumed it was a one-time mishap – no big deal. According to Lily, this was a monthly thing. And come to think of it, he hadn’t been able to look Rin in the eyes either. She had thought at the time that he was avoiding her gaze because he was upset with her, but now she had to wonder if he had been lying to her instead.
Rin blew out a frustrated breath. Why did she feel like instead of getting any answers that she was simply falling further and further down the rabbit hole?
