Free The Wolf Prince by Karen Kelley Page B

to reassure herself.
    He nodded, but he still didn’t look too sure about any of this. Her instincts were usually spot on, which was why she wanted to open her own agency. There was no way Surlock could be the bad guy.
    But who was he?
    If he was supposed to protect someone, then who? Could he have been trying to do his job and maybe been captured? Robbed of everything he had, including his clothes? Had he somehow escaped? Great, then when he’d stepped out of the woods, she’d whacked him over the head, and added to his problems.
    She only hoped the person Surlock was supposed to protectwas okay, maybe in hiding. She’d hate to think she’d caused someone to be in more danger, or worse, killed. Ack, she didn’t even want to go there.
    They stepped inside the dim interior of the building. It was a typical small-town sheriff’s office. The dispatcher’s cubicle was behind glass panels. There was a short hallway, the doors on both sides closed. On the other side were locked double doors that led to the jail and fingerprinting area.
    Darcy knew the doors were locked because she’d been here before. If her mother ever found out, there would be hell to pay.
Ohmygosh, her daughter had been near bad guys who were locked away because of the crimes they’d committed.
    Usually the only crimes committed around here were minor. This wasn’t the big city. Summerville was only fifty thousand in population. It did have a nice country club and a few really good restaurants. But hardened criminals? Pftt… no.
    “It’s like the receptionist at the doctor’s office,” Surlock said as he looked around the department.
    “Similar, but with much different jobs.”
    The glass window slid open. “I’m here to see Eddie,” she told the dispatcher.
    “I’ll buzz him,” she said, then slid the glass closed again.
    “What do they do here?” Surlock asked.
    “They maintain order. Make sure the town is safe and secure.”
    He nodded. “My brother Kristor does that.”
    They looked at each other. “You remembered something.” She grinned. “That’s great. If your brother maintains order, then I bet he’s in law enforcement, and I really doubt you’re one of the bad guys.” She noticed he looked relieved by her observation. So was she.
    There was a loud
click
and the heavy double doors opened. Eddie smiled at her. He was a nice-looking man. Tall, with bright orange hair, but the color seemed to suit him.
    “Hey, Darcy, I haven’t seen you in a while. How’s it going in the P.I. business?”
    She grimaced. “It isn’t.” Just as quickly, she brightened. “Until now. Surlock is my first case. I’m trying to help him find out who he is.”
    Eddie nodded. “Oh, this is the guy you walloped.”
    She inwardly cringed.
    “I scared her,” Surlock spoke up. “She had a reason to knock me out. Next time, I’ll make sure I don’t step out suddenly in front of someone.”
    Eddie laughed. “I don’t know, there are a lot of guys around here who wouldn’t mind if Darcy hit them over the head, especially if she nursed them back to health.”
    “Are you one of them?” Surlock asked conversationally, but there was a rigid set to his jaw.
    And the testosterone flowed. Sheesh.
    “Nope, my wife would kill me if I looked twice at another woman. Not that I would. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me.”
    Surlock looked at Darcy with a question in his eyes. She realized he didn’t know the term
wife.
“A wife is like a … a mate. They’re bound together by love.”
    Surlock relaxed and they went to the back. The light was dim, and apparently the prisoners had been cleaning because there was a distinct smell of disinfectant in the air.
    Eddie stopped at a desk. “I’ve got everything ready. I’ll get the prints, then call you when the results come in. Now, if we were in the city, this wouldn’t take long at all, but our equipment is a little dated. Still, it shouldn’t be more than twenty-four hours.”
    Eddie