Page 17 of Death and Donuts

“You know?” I asked. The news of the prince’s death wasn’t something found on any news stations. I knew because I’d checked.

“I do,” he said. “Although I would prefer to spend my night watching you sleep, I need to prove my usefulness and gather information for Shepard. Is the prince’s death why you’re curious about the dwarves?”

“Yes and no,” Vena said. “My parents and Miles are in lockdown in Dwarf Mountain because of his death. According to Shepard, the prince was young and in good health. That he died means foul play, and the king’s probably investigating what happened.”

Cross nodded. “King Curran will be adamant about finding the cause of Prince Hakon’s death. Dwarves are known for their stubbornness, and Curran will not open the mountain until the case is solved.”

“How long are we talking? A day or two?” Vena asked.

“However long it takes.”

Vena frowned and looked at me. I saw the seed of fear in her eyes and leaned over to place a reassuring hand on her arm.

“No matter what happened to the prince, they won’t want to stay locked in the mountain indefinitely,” I said. “Just keep texting Miles and your parents. They’ll answer as soon as they can.”

“You’re right,” she said. “Even if they don’t find the cause of death, they’ll have to open the mountain to get food and supplies in a few days.”

I feared what she would do if the mountain stayed locked for more than a week.

“Any other updates?” I asked Cross to get Vena’s mind off the dwarves and onto something else.

He pulled out his phone and tapped it a few times then held it out for me to take. “These are the kitchen appliances recommended to me. If they meet your needs, I can order them.”

My eyes widened as I looked at the commercial stainless steel gas range and ovens. “You want to get a Vulcan?” That was one of the best and most expensive brands.

“I take owning a business seriously. There is a reason White’s is the oldest and longest-running gentleman’s club.”

“I almost forgot you started that,” Vena said.

She hadn’t. She was banking on the same level of success.

“I only ran it for a few years before I left. But I’ve learned that, if you set yourself up for success initially and don’t cut corners, the business can go for centuries.”

“As long as it gets me out of the nine-to-five grind, I’m in,” Vena said.

Cross opened his mouth to say something but stopped to look at the staircase. “We have a visitor.”

“As in Juicy’s former patrons who want revenge for taking over their building?” Vena asked, slipping her hand to her shirt where her knife resided. “Or those little girls who sell cookies? I could go for a box or two.”

“A wolf with a keen nose and impeccable taste,” Cross said.

Shepard appeared a moment later. He looked at our cozy group sitting around the folding table before his gaze swept through the rest of the open space.

“What’s up, boss?” Vena asked Shepard. “Come to check out our new digs?”

Shepard’s gaze flicked to me briefly. “Cross has plans he wants to show me.”

Vena popped out of her chair and gestured to the table. “Have a seat. We were just looking at the kitchen appliances Cross is getting for Everly. He knows a way to a girl’s heart.”

I narrowed my eyes at Vena, understanding she was stirring trouble in revenge for my stirring yesterday. She smiled back.

Shepard pulled the plans toward him, bumping the box of bismarks. His gaze caught on it, and he pulled the box closer to sniff the donuts.

His eyes flashed to me and then to Cross. “Why is Everly’s blood in these?”

“The business is going to cater to all creatures,” I said. “The bismarks and bonbons are experimental batches for vampires.”

“And you’re just going to cut yourself whenever you need to bake something?” His question was more growl than words.

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