Mairi was so grateful to her cousin.She honestly didn’t know where she’d be if not for Keegan.As her cousin hugged her, the door opened and her gaze met Rhodes Madigan.He smiled at her and regret filled Mairi.Why couldn’t he be her mate?Not that there was anything romantic between them, although he had hinted often that he’d like their friendship to deepen.He, at least, liked being a shifter.
“Just the two lovely ladies I wanted to see,” he said, smiling.He was a ruggedly handsome man, with black hair and cool grey eyes.Building houses gave him a muscular physique and tanned skin.Little laugh lines radiated from the corners of his eyes.
“Hey, Rhodes,” Keegan greeted with an easy smile as she let Mairi go make his coffee.“The regular?”
“You know it,” he replied.His gaze shifted to Mairi and lingered.“I was wondering, Mairi, if you’d like to have dinner with me tonight.”
Mairi opened her mouth, fully intending to decline, only that’s not what came out.
“Okay,” she agreed.
He grinned.“Great.Anyplace in particular?”
She thought that might be a good time to explain her personal situation.“Not the diner.”
“Fine with me.I’ll pick you up about five?You can tell me where you’d like to go.”
“Sure.”
Keegan handed him his coffee and paid with cash.One last wink at Mairi before he left.Immediately, her cousin raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t,” Mairi warned holding up her hand.“I know.I turned down Tavish and agreed to Rhodes invitation.It’s just to explain everything and why he needs to forget about me and move on.”
“I don’t think it’ll be as easy as you think,” Keegan warned.“He really likes you.”
That’s what she was afraid of.
****
Jericho was composingan email to one of his suppliers when Everett Brice almost violently opened his door, panting as if he’d run a marathon.
“Alpha,” he panted, showing his neck in deference.“I’m sorry to barge in but we have a situation.”
Jericho frowned.“Situation?”
“Yeah.I found a body.”
Jericho tensed, his mind instantly conjuring up all sorts of horrible images.“Human?”
“No, one of us.”
“Who?”
Everett gave a follow-me nod.“Ezra Parsons.”
“Shit,” Jericho muttered.
Everett stepped aside as Jericho rose and headed out the door.His admin assistant looked confused as she watched them.He slid onto the passenger seat while Everett got behind the wheel of his work truck and backed out of the parking spot.
“Could you tell how Ezra died?Natural, or do we have a problem?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.”
Jericho glanced sharply at him.“You don’t know?”
Everett shook his head.“There isn’t any blood.No puncture wounds.No obvious signs of an unnatural death, but there’s something about the body that doesn’t look right.”
“How do you mean?”
