Bearly Hanging On (The Jamesburg Shifters #6)(34)

Or the wolf.

Whichever.

Her circling brought her slowly down, down, until her stilettoed feet crunched lightly on the rocky gravel of the sidewalk. Erik didn't waste any time.

"Where were you?" he rushed out of the building, in a very obvious huff.

"Were you sitting at the window waiting for me? A longing stare on your face, a single tear on your cheek?" A smirk crossed Jamie's lips. Harassing Erik. I must be feeling better about life if I'm picking on the big bad wolf. "Isn't that a little 1980s music video of you?"

"Shut up," he said. "I wasn't waiting by the... okay, maybe I was. But it wasn't because I was pining over you or anything. Where the hell did you go?"

She shook her head. "Just around. I needed some time to clear my head. What's going on?"

"Everything at once," he exhaled in a long, heavy sigh. "Your buddy from the TVA has apparently found something in the ledgers, and has called a meeting for eight in the morning next week. Eight!" he waved a hand above his head for emphasis. "In the morning!"

"Right, that's when meetings are usually called. So... what's the big deal?"

"Besides it being at eight in the morning?"

"Yeah, we're past that. Did he mention what it was? Or anything about why he's here?"

Erik shook his head. "Nothing. Not even a clue."

Jamie arched a thick, black eyebrow and nodded in understanding. "Okay, so that is in fact, stressful. What else?"

"That crazy shit who was in here the other day. What was his name? The bear ranting about how we weren't doing enough for those old people?"

A lump lifted in Jamie's throat. She thought of Cora, of Tom, of Ryan's aunt and uncle. He said that wasn't why he dragged her to meet them, but damn if it didn't work like a damn charm.

"Ryan," she said. "Yeah, of course I remember."

She was chewing her lip, and very thankful that Erik was approximately the least observant werewolf in the world, because if he was actually paying attention, the fact that the mere mention of Ryan's name got Jamie visibly flustered would have been painfully obvious.

"Yeah, him," Erik said. "I think this is him. The suits wandering around. I think he did this."

"Conspiracy much?" Jamie asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Out of curiosity, why and how would he summon some weird agency of the federal government of the United States of America? Do you think he's some kind of secret billionaire with a ton of connections?"

Although, shit, that would make more sense than the whole stupid witness protection thing. Jamie looked back in her memory, remembering the big house with the massive windows and the weird buttress things and the gargoyles. But if he is actually a secret billionaire - which is stupid in the first place - then why the hell would he bother stealing everything? Maybe he just does it for the thrill?

Erik cocked an eyebrow. "If I said yes, would you believe that I had the thought before you mentioned it?"

"No," Jamie said coolly. "No, I would not."

"It adds up though," Erik said. "Except for the part about how he wants the town to support all those people instead of just doing it himself.

"That thought had crossed my mind," she said. "He did keep asking about Branson, though."

The mention of the agent piqued Erik’s interest, indicated by another arched eyebrow. "Why?"

Jamie shrugged. "Kept asking if he was FBI. I told him I didn't know, played it dumb."

Oh shit, I just gave it away, Jamie realized, immediately feeling like the world's biggest dumb bat. Why can't I just keep my mouth shut?

"FBI? But why would that matter, I wonder? Why would it... hold on, you just said he was asking you about the suits? How did—"

"Let's just leave it there," Jamie said. "I wanted to talk to him, to learn about these people who apparently have existed in the forest for a year? Maybe more? Izzy and I both knew they were there, but we didn’t know much else. Figured maybe I should finally take a look?”

But as Erik was wont to do, his brain was absolutely riveted into place. Once he fixated on something, once he had something upon which to focus, his normally flighty mind latched on like a snapping turtle with lockjaw. "You talked to him? When?"

Jamie took a deep breath, held it for a long, slow five count, and let the air slip out between her lips. She tried not to audibly sigh, but didn't do a very good job. "Does it matter?"

"Are you trying to get a boyfriend?"

"Holy shit!" Jamie swore, putting her hands dramatically up in the air. "What is this, Erik? Did we revert to high school? Are you going to start popping my bra again?"

"We dated a long time ago," he said. "I've figured out how the hooks work."

"Did Izzy have to show you?"

"Yeah, so what? I usually just rip them off with my teeth. I'm a f*cking werewolf! That's what we do!"

Note to self: whenever Erik starts prying or getting too close to the truth, just question his sexual prowess. Works like a charm.

"Well then why did you have to learn about the hooks? Did Izzy finally get sick of you ruining all her underwear?"

Erik looked slightly downtrodden. If it were possible for him to feel shame or embarrassment, it'd be that, but since it absolutely wasn't, being downtrodden is the only thing it possibly could have been. "That, and..."