Commander Bear (Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance) (Bear Patrol Book 1) by Scarlett Grove Read Free Book Online Page A

wait to get to it. What are you working on today?”
    “Nothing all that exciting. I’m constructing the bones of some custom cabinets for a new build up on the mountain. I really could use your help. It’ll make the project go much faster.”
    “I love cabinets.”
    “What are your favorite cabinets?” Angus asked absently as he began to pull sheets of Spruce from the stack near the far wall.
    “I’ve been studying Louis the Fifteenth cabinetry and chest-of-drawers.”
    “I love Louis the Fifteenth style,” Angus said, moving the sheet of Spruce to the bandsaw table. “What are your favorite pieces?”
    Zoe helped Angus arrange the sheet on the table. “I’m fascinated by chests with secret compartments from that time period,” Zoe said, regretting her words as soon as they passed from her lips. She was trying to impress her new mentor and just put her foot in it.
    “You know; I’ve been meaning to start a project with secret compartments. We should make one together as our first custom project.”
    “That sounds like a lot of fun,” Zoe said, pushing her goggles over her eyes.
    Angus turned to shut the shop door when a black SUV with Fate Mountain Police Department in yellow across the side pulled up in the parking lot. Zoe’s heart sank and she began looking for any means of escape. But it was too late, she was trapped.
    She clenched her fist and waited for the worst, expecting to be handcuffed at any moment. When the doors to the SUV swung open, she saw Heath step out of the passenger side in a blue uniform. The man who emerged from the driver’s side was dressed in dark blue jeans and a tailored but sporty tan suit jacket and a white shirt with a blue tie. His badge was hooked over his black leather belt and his holster gun was slung around his hip.
    Zoe took and a sharp breath when her eyes wandered over the man’s incredible physique and up to his handsome face. It was Rollo, her mate. His sandy blond hair framed his angular, masculine face and his blue eyes shone in the morning sunlight. His eyes flashed when they saw her, and she gulped at his reaction. She took a step back into the woodshop, pretending like she was in desperate need of a sip of mocha latte.
    “Hi, Rollo,” Angus said, in a friendly tone. “What brings you out to the woodshop?”
    “Zoe,” Heath said enthusiastically, walking up to her where she stood beside a steel side table against the wall.
    “Hi, Heath,” she croaked. Zoe cleared her throat and smiled at her friend. “You look great in that uniform.”
    Zoe glanced over at Rollo who’d stopped in his tracks. Angus was waiting expectantly for Rollo to speak, but Rollo’s eyes were trained on Zoe. She could feel the heat of his dominant energy rolling in waves across the room. She felt like a deer in headlights, pinned to the floor by his animal magnetism.
    Why was he here? Did he know?
    “Angus,” Rollo said, as if suddenly remembering where he was. “I came down here to ask you a few questions about woodworking.”
    “Shoot,” Angus replied.
    “Take a look at this Louis the Fifteenth chest of drawers,” Rollo said, showing Angus some eight by ten glossy photographs. “I’m investigating a case involving one of these chests. It has a secret compartment. Are you familiar with this style of furniture at all?”
    “I am familiar with the style and construction. As a matter of fact, Zoe and I were just talking about this exact subject,” Angus said, giving her away.
    Zoe gritted her teeth, but pretended it was just a toothy smile as she looked up at Angus and Rollo. She could feel perspiration trickle down her arm under her coveralls, and she fidgeted where she stood. She drew on all of the skills she’d learned over the last seven years on the road and told herself to play it cool.
    “We decided to make a chest with a secret compartment for our first project together,” Zoe said.
    “That’s one crazy coincidence,” Heath said, his hands on his hips as