Page 15 of Protection of the Pack

‘Okay. Dead guy. What do I do?’

‘Call the police?’

I snorted. ‘Done. Steve Marley is here doing his thing. You remember Steve?’

‘Sure, he’s good people. We’ve worked together a fair bit over the years. He’s a straight arrow.’ She sounded relieved.

‘You were worried about someone pinning it on me?’

There was a beat of silence. ‘It occurred to me that someone could have been setting you up.’

‘I was at Rosie’s with Maxwell, having a recharge.’

‘Great. He’ll alibi you.’

‘Yeah, but Manners sneaked out right around time of death.’

‘Really?’ Jess sounded surprised. ‘Did he say where he went?’

‘To help a brethren mate.’ I paused. ‘How much do you trust him?’

‘Completely,’ she replied without reservation. ‘Manners is a pain in the ass but he’s trustworthy.’

‘He’s not been a pain in the ass for me.’

‘He doesn’t call you Toots?’

‘Nope. He’s all respectful,’ I sighed.

‘And that’s a bad thing?’

‘I don’t know. He’s always … glaring at people.’

‘Intimidating the local yokels?’ she suggested.

‘Definitely. He’s giving the pack members pause. If I didn’t have him, I bet I’d already be dead.’

‘That’s good, right?’

‘Sure, but I need to stand on my own two feet.’

‘Or four,’ she countered.

I rolled my eyes. ‘You think you’re so funny.’

‘Hilarious. Do you need me to come?’

‘No. You’re supposed to be meeting Emory’s dragon court this week, aren’t you?’

‘Finally,’ she grouched.

‘So you’re busy.’

‘Never too busy for you. Dragons are immortal – they can wait.’

‘I’m good. I have Esme and Manners.’

‘And a dead body.’

---