He liked her arm around him. She pulled him closer to her, and he helped her. Her breast pushed against Leandro’s side.
Yup, definitely a woman.
Part of him wanted to laugh at the thought of her waking up and seeing that she was hugging a wolf. He could turn into a human, but that would give her a worse fright, lying next to a naked man and not knowing where he’d come from.
Leandro decided to stay and enjoy himself for a moment. He’d never lain with a woman before, and he felt a new sensation, which he liked very much.
Leaving her arms would be hard to do, but Leandro had to. The sun would be rising soon, and so would she.
Massimo and Kelvin entered the Old Dog, the bar that was Massimo’s finest work. Unlike the rest of Pinewood, which was based on the town he’d grown up in, the bar was a combination of all his favorite watering holes, most of them in England. Because of this, there was an English country pub-theme to the Old Dog.
It had taken Leandro years to find all the pieces to decorate the bar. It was a veritable mishmash, and it was Leandro’s proudest work. The people of Pinewood loved it. It really was the heart of the town, and you could tell by the fact that there were no empty seats in the bar this evening—or most other evenings.
Some of the locals pretended the church was the heart and soul of the town, because no matter what happened, religion always stayed around somehow. But they were just wrong. Religion could help some feel better, but a tall drink and a laugh made everyone feel good—at least for a brief moment in time.
Annie sat at a table, and her hands shook as she raised the glass of beer to her lips. Her hair was disheveled, and she was still in her nightgown. Even in this state, she was quite a looker.
Kelvin and Massimo sat across the table from her. Kelvin looked uncomfortable, but Massimo was warming up to playing detective.
“I know this is hard for you, Annie,” he said. “We just need to find out who did this to Scott.”
Annie took a big gulp and sat the mug down on the table. “I came out of the house, and Scott was out on the path, not moving.”
Massimo gave the woman a sympathetic smile to put her at ease. “Why was Scott home? Isn’t he normally at work at that time of day?”
“Yes. I don’t know why he was home.”
“Why were you at home and not at the school?” Massimo asked. Annie’s sobs stopped, and she looked at Massimo soberly.
Annie narrowed her eyes at Massimo, leaning back slightly. “Because I was feeling unwell,” she told him. Massimo read her defensive posture and tone loud and clear, Annie was most probably lying to him.
“Did anyone else pay you a visit?” Massimo asked.
Annie folded her arms, frowning at Massimo. It was clear she knew where his line of questioning was going.
“No one,” she snapped, her eyes darting around the bar.
Massimo looked around the Old Dog. Most of the customers near them were old and hard of hearing. They weren’t listening in.
“Annie, I’m only trying to help. I don’t want a murderer on the loose. If there’s anything you’re not telling me, please do.”
Annie turned her head away from Massimo. “I’ve got nothing to tell you. Can’t you leave me to mourn my husband in peace?”
Massimo felt a twinge of guilt. Annie slumped and placed her hands over her face as she began to cry again. There was a faint white line on her ring finger, but no ring.
“Have you lost your wedding ring?” he asked.
Annie lowered her hands. “Andrew is fixing it for me.” Annie couldn’t prevent the blush that stole up her neck.
Interesting, Massimo thought to himself. Andrew was the town’s blacksmith. He was very talented, but slow to get anything done.
He paid attention to Annie’s face as he spoke. “Would you like me to speak to him and get him to hurry up?”
“No!” Annie snapped, confirming Massimo’s suspicions. Now, he knew he needed to see Andrew. The blacksmith was a bachelor, and around Annie’s age.
“I want to go home,” Annie blurted out through her tears. “Kelvin, would you mind walking me back?” Clearly, she was done talking with Massimo.
“Of course,” Kelvin said as he stepped from behind the bar.
“Before you go home, we should move his body,” Massimo told her gently. “I don’t want you to remember your husband that way. Kelvin, would you get Annie another drink? We’ll take care of Scott.”
Annie nodded her relief. “Thank you.”
Annie appeared to be grateful. Was it because of Massimo’s kindness, or because she didn’t want a reminder of what she’d done?
General Murray took Ivan’s head one level up. Unlike those idiot guards, Tank and Knuckles, he’d put Ivan’s head into a bag to keep any blood from dripping on the floor.
It was time for Murray to get into his role as ‘General Jerkoff’ again. He had to be on top of his game around the advisors, since they could smell a faker a mile away.
They loved nothing more than ratting out anyone they considered a traitor to Afana.
Murray handed the head to Advisor Jerkins, one of the scientists in the bunker. He was a skinny man and as pale as a ghost. He’d never left the bunker, just like his father and his father before him. General Murray wasn’t sure what Advisor Jerkins did with the heads, and he couldn’t give two fucks.
“Who is it this time?” Jerkins asked.
“Ivan, the chef.”
“Afana’s going to be pissed. He was the only one who made Italian food right. Why would that fat bastard try to leave?”
Ivan had been a mama’s boy, always hiding with her in the kitchen when the other
