“Most people don’t clean stockrooms for the fun of it.”

I shook my head and waved him off. “I have plenty of work waiting for me back home.”

“Which you’ll be going back to… when?”

I squinted at him, trying to decide whether he did the condescending thing on purpose. “Four more days. Can’t wait to get rid of me, huh?”

Thorin put his hands out at his sides, open, apologetic. “We keep getting off to a bad start, Miss Mundy.”

“It would help if you didn’t keep calling me ‘Miss Mundy.’”

Thorin grinned like a cat grins at a mouse. “I’m only trying to be polite.”

“Really?” I said. “Maybe you should try harder.”

Thorin’s smile broadened, showing genuine humor for the first time. “If you change your mind about the job offer, let me know. I think you’d fit in around here.”

I rolled my eyes but smiled back at him. “I wouldn’t hold my breath.”

The door swung open, and Val stepped into the stockroom. He stopped short upon finding me organizing inventory in the presence of his employer. “Uh, hey, Thorin, what’s up?”

“I was complimenting Miss Mundy’s initiative. She’s done a great job organizing our mess.”

Val’s gaze roamed around the room before settling on me. “I was wondering what happened to you.”

I shrugged. “I needed a distraction.”

“What about those police files?”

I looked at Thorin, who showed interest, but I didn’t want to discuss my activities with either of them, so I changed the subject. “Is your shift over yet? I’m hungry.”

Val chuckled. “Sure, Skyla just showed up. We can go over to The Pits.”

I wrinkled my nose. “We can?”

“What’s wrong with Pits?”

Before I could form a defense, Thorin pulled out his wallet and handed a crisp bill to Val. I couldn’t tell what denomination. “Take her somewhere nice,” Thorin said. “She’s too good for Pits.”

I could have taken that so many ways, but it didn’t sound as though Thorin meant his comment as a slight against my character. I preferred not to take his money, though, compliment or not. “No, The Pits is fine. I don’t want your money.”

“Be quiet,” Val said. “I want his money, and I’m not too proud to take it.” He slipped the bill into his pocket and held his hand out for me.

“What about this stuff?” I asked, motioning to the stockroom.

“Come back and finish it tomorrow,” Thorin said. “Whether you want my money or not, I’ll pay you for your time. It would be a favor to me.”

“A favor?”

He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Really. I mean it.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you don’t strike me as the kind of guy who needs a lot of favors.”

Thorin chuckled, but said nothing else as Val took my hand and tugged me out of the storage room and back into the store. Skyla stood behind the counter, thumbing through a magazine. She looked up and winked at me. “Hey, Mundy.”

“Hey, Skyla,” I said, studying her through the filter of information I had learned about her in Mani’s journal. He was right—she did have a nice smile. “You working late tonight?”

She shrugged. “Store closes at 9:00. That’s not so late. Sun’s barely setting by then.”

“Do you usually work the closing shift?”

Her brows furrowed, and she probably wondered about my sudden interest in her work schedule. “Just tonight. Tomorrow I have the afternoon shift.”

I started to say something else, but Val tugged on my hand. “Sorry to interrupt, but my stomach’s growling.” He patted his stomach for emphasis.

Skyla motioned to Val. “Look, Mundy, you be careful with him. He’s a heartbreaker.”

“Hey,” Val objected. “Just because I’ve never asked you out.”

“Puh-leeze,” Skyla said. “Like you would ever have the balls.” Skyla leveled her gaze at him. “Be good to her, Wotan. I know where you sleep at night.”

Val’s lips split into a suggestive grin. “Who says I’ll be sleeping?”

Chapter Six

After dinner, Val drove me to the apartment and walked me to the door. As I slid my key into the lock, I debated whether to invite him in. I was in the mood for conversation and companionship, but Val might have interpreted it as an invitation for something more. I turned to say something that would clarify my intentions, but then I caught sight of a pair of yellow eyes gleaming in the woods at the parking lot’s opposite edge.

“What is it?” Val asked when he noticed that something had stolen my attention from him.

“Look over there,” I whispered, motioning with my eyes.

“What? I don’t see anything.”

“I think it’s a dog.”

Val stepped closer, putting himself between me and the parking lot. “Seems kind of big for a dog. Looks more like a wolf.”

“Mani was trying to make friends with a skittish dog right before, well, you know. I think that might be it.”

“Why would he still be coming around here? Mani’s been gone for a while.”

“I don’t know.” I took a step back. The dog noticed my movement and hunkered low in the shadows. He was bigger than I expected. Much bigger. My heart thudded, bass drum beats, an animal fear response to something my higher brain wanted to dismiss as improbable.

“Don’t mess with it, Solina.” Val stepped closer, trapping me between his big frame and the doorway. “It might have rabies or something.”

“I’m not going to mess with him. He seriously freaks me out.”

“Don’t worry,” Val said, grinning. “I’ll protect you. Don’t you know I’m an expert at defense against wild animals?”