Page 31 of Captive Witch

“It’s for the best. I can’t have her asking around the academy. It’ll tip off her coven.” I scoff. “What other witch would care about one interacting with a werewolf? They were probably hoping to get him caught and killed.” Scowling, I sit down and grab my abandoned plate.

Is that why you’re hiding the information about Monique from her too?

“It’s none of your gods damn business,” I mutter. “She doesn’t need the added stress.”

He barks out a laugh.Right, because that’s the reason.

Shaking my head to clear it, I bite into the sandwich, letting the toasted cheeses, herb mayonnaise, and spiced mustard mix in my mouth with the various meats and juicy tomatoes. I hold back a groan. I could eat this sandwich for the rest of my life and enjoy it just as much every time. Shoving the last bite into my mouth, I reach to grab a box and knock over a stack of papers from another one.

I curse under my breath and crouch down, reaching for the papers that skidded under the desk. It’s a wide metal desk with heavy drawers on each side, but the middle space is just big enough for the chair to fit, meaning my shoulders keep bumping into the sides. Finally stretching far enough to grab the corner of the last receipt, I pull it back and smack my head on the underside of the desk.

Growling, I almost miss theclick.

I set the stack of papers aside and crawl onto the floor, turning over to lay on my back as I look up at the desk. My fingers run over the smooth metal above me, not seeing anything out of place, but as I reach the back end of the desk, there’s a small piece of wood sticking out. I shove my fingers back between the wall and the curved metal edge and grab the pencil shaped object. Holding it close, my brows furrow. The small wood rod has a column of numbers etched onto it.

Two, forty-five, twelve, eight, twenty-nine.

Getting up, I make my way to the storefront. “Anera?”

“You have a great day, dear,” she says, handing a to-go bag to a customer before turning to me.

“Do you have a safe or combination lock anywhere? Here or at the house.”

She shakes her head, pursing her lips. “No, not that I know of.”

I hold up the small rod. “Does this look familiar? I found it hidden in the back of your desk.”

She reaches out, taking the piece and running her finger over the carved numbers. “I’ve never seen this before, but…” She holds it up to her face, inhaling. “It smells like Wendell’s cigars. Faintly, but it’s there.”

“Any idea what the numbers could mean?” I take it back from her when she holds it out, a frown pulling at the corners of her mouth.

“He spent an awful amount of time down in the basement, so if he’s hiding something, I’d say it might be down there.” She glances over her shoulder to the basement door. “He was rarely ever home so…”

“I’m going to take a look down there, and then I’ll be back tomorrow.” I set down the plate my sandwich had been on, one side of my mouth lifting when she looks at me. “The sandwich was exactly what I’d needed, as always.”

Pride beams in her eyes, and she tucks a stray auburn curl behind her ear. “Anytime, dear.”

Walking back past the office, I get to the heavy metal door and push it open. I pull my wolf to the surface, enhancing my vision as I go down the stairs into the musky, dark lower level. A yellow light flickers on when I yank the string in the middle of the space, and I turn in a slow circle, my eyes raking over every crevice. More boxes of useless paperwork are stacked in a corner and along one wall, Frank and I having gone through a majority of them already. I walk over to the last column and sift through those boxes, but when I reach the last box an hour later, I’ve still come up with nothing.

Frustrated, I slam the boxes back in order and storm toward the stairs. My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I rip it out. “What?” I snap.

“Um, I just wanted to hear your voice, but if it’s a bad time—”

I pull the phone away from my ear, seeing Adara’s name on the screen.

You really are an asshole.

Rolling my eyes at my wolf, I cut her off. “No, it’s not a bad time. I’ve missed you. Are you enjoying your time there?”

She blows out a breath, and her smile is evident in her voice when she speaks. “I am! Jules is doing so well here, and it’s nice getting to know Wren. The place is so big, though the paintings kind of give me the creeps, and the front desk girl… um… well…”

My fist clenches at my side, and I slam the side of it into the wall beside me, the cement cracking. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I promise,” she hurries to say. “She just… she was blind but knew I was using a fake name. I-I don’t know.”

I rub a hand over my forehead with a sigh. “That’s… unexpected.”

“She was fine, though. She just let me have the visitor tag and access and didn’t seem to think it was a big deal. It was just… strange. But,” her voice changes, happier again, “Jules and Wren are taking me to this hideout place or something tonight. Apparently, it’s a whole thing and—okay, okay!” she yells, pulling the phone away from her mouth. “I have to go. They want to get ready, and Jules—”

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