Dire Warning WC0.5 by Stephanie Tyler Read Free Book Online Page B

you dating someone who works here?” she asked and he snorted. “I’ll take that as a no. How’s a handsome guy like you still single?”
    “Maybe no one thinks I’m a catch.”
    “Then they’re dumb. Unless you’re doing something really wrong.”
    “I’m sure there’s a lot of truth behind that statement.” Jinx shrugged. “But I don’t need a lecture about my love life and I don’t think that’s why you’re sneaking around out here.”
    “You got me.” She turned toward the house, stared up at the third floor. “He’s a bastard.”
    “So I guess you didn’t like working here?”
    “I always knew he’d get himself in trouble,” she told him.
    “You’re psychic?”
    “No smartass. Bill was always a jerk. I was just around for the camera work—I hurt myself on a job six months ago and I’m still waiting for my final paycheck. I come around every once in a while to bug him about it.”
    “That sucks.” Jinx motioned toward the cameramen. “You know any of them?”
    She peered around the corner. “Some have been here a while. The guy in the blue cap—he’s new.”
    “Can you help me out here? Were you here the night Paula made the tape and got killed?”
    Anna cocked her head at him. “What’s in it for me?”
    “Besides doing the right thing?”
    “Yes.”
    “What do you want?”
    “How about a date?”
    “That doesn’t sound too bad,” he agreed. “As soon as I wrap things up here, I’ll take you out. Now tell me what you know.”
    “I was trying to get Bill to listen to me—I wasn’t going to knock, just break in and force him to deal with my complaints. I was getting ready to go through the porch door when I saw Bill. He was watching the tape. Editing it actually.” She paused. “He keeps the good one on him but the original one’s hidden in the house in the attic floorboards. That’s the one you want.”
    He didn’t question her further—she’d spilled a lot and he’d planned on keeping his end of the bargain.
    She looked toward the sky with him, like she knew he needed the silence. Together, they appreciated the changing colors banding together on the horizon.
    Rifter came out then, stood between them. “Hey.”
    “Hey,” Anna said, barely taking her eyes from the sky.
    “It’s time,” Rifter said.
    “Tell Cyd there’s an unedited tape to find in the attic—floorboards,” Jinx told him.
    “Excellent. I’ll tell him and meet you at the van,” Rifter said and stopped short before turning away. “I know you hate this.”
    “I’ll live, Rift.”
    “Good luck,” Anna said quietly.
    “Thanks.” Rifter nodded and went around toward the front of the house. Jinx watched Anna disappear down the path, giving him a small, hesitant wave as she left, and he turned his face back toward the moon and fought the urge to howl.
    Bill gave the crew a ten-minute warning to finish loading their gear.
    Under the pretense of showing Cyd the property, Rifter let the young wolf know the deal with the tape without alerting anyone else, but suddenly the smell of Were wafted so strongly that Cyd’s eyes went lupine.
    “Down, Cyd. I’ve got it,” Rifter warned. “Go find Jinx.”
    Cyd complied and when Rifter turned, he found the source of the scent.
    The Were was under six feet, standing next to Marley, and he was holding a camera, smiling. And his scenting must be really fucked or else the wind was not in his favor because when he looked up and saw Rifter, the oh shit look on his face wasn’t to be missed.
    “That’s one of the bodyguards I told you about. He’s big, right?” Marley said quietly but it was more like a scream with Brother Wolf’s hearing.
    Rifter closed the gap between them in seconds and came toe to toe with the Were that Marley introduced to him as Sam. For a long moment, Rifter and Sam stared at one another, a game of chicken they both knew Rifter would win.
    “Sam works the camera part time,” Marley explained. “He was here before me.