Free Tightly Held [Werewolves of Hanson Mall 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Cara Adams Page B

all the information from these two packs we’ve just visited, and work out who I need to interview or reinterview. After that’s done, then we’ll go away for a three-day weekend.”
    Well fuck! It was better than a “no” but not what he wanted her to say. Two more weeks. Fuck!
     
    * * * *
     
    The first few days back at Hanson Mall, Nolan was frantically busy just keeping up with Georgia. There were papers to sort, files to enter, figures to type into a database, colored sticky notes with peoples’ names on them to add to the family trees on the office wall, and a thousand other things to do. Since he wasn’t as good with computers and spreadsheets as Ethan, Nolan also did most of the cooking and shopping for the group, endlessly thankful for the ability to put all the groceries bought from the supermarket on the Hanson Mall account.
    He’d gotten to know Daffyd, the wolf who managed the supermarket, well and was starting to consider him, and some of the other Hanson Mall wolves, such as Gareth, who owned the Laundromat, as friends. Neither he nor Ethan had ventured into the fitness center. They’d talked about it, and liked the idea of working out there, but decided that they didn’t want to pay to use it themselves, and didn’t want to abuse the privilege of working for the pack by making the mall pay for them to exercise. Just walking around the mall and running up and down the stairs would have to be enough for their physical fitness for the time being.
    Willow, Hawthorne, and Wynn had completed entering and sorting the data from the first pack he, Ethan, and Georgia had visited while they were away on the second road trip. Nolan knew everyone was really eager to get these two lots of data entered as well, so they could look for new leads and get a feel for everything they’d discovered.
    On the third day, Georgia was sitting in the living room, the table there covered in papers, while Willow and Hawthorne were updating the wall charts in the office, and Wynn and Ethan were working at the office table. Nolan had just stepped into the living room to put on the coffeepot and feed everyone a snack when Georgia’s cell phone rang. He stopped what he was doing, not to overhear her conversation, but so that his noise wouldn’t distract her.
    What she said was mostly grunts, or “yes” and “no,” anyway, but he could tell something about the conversation was bothering her. She’d put down her notepad and pen, and stretched her body as she often did while resting, but she was not relaxed. Her hand was gripping the phone so tightly her knuckles were white, and there was no smile on her face, or sparkle in her eyes.
    Nolan began to worry that the caller was abusing her. But if he was, why didn’t she end the call and turn her cell phone off or to voice mail?
    When she did end the call, Georgia scooped all her papers into an untidy mess. Now that was totally unlike her. When she needed to clear a space, she often crisscrossed the piles of papers, making a tall stack, with landscape and portrait piles alternating.
    Nolan quickly started the coffeemaker, got out the mugs, and opened the refrigerator, taking out cream, bottles of water, and several bags of cookies for everyone to snack on. It was plain Georgia was about to call a meeting. And he really needed to know what was going on. What had upset her?
    But instead of the usual casual cry of “Break time, everyone,” Georgia walked into the other room and said quite softly, “We need to talk.”
    Shit! Something really bad had happened. He knew it!

Chapter Five
     
    Georgia sank back down into her chair, stunned by the story Janet Young had told her. The others gathered around without the usual laughing and teasing that happened at break times. They were a strong, united team, and she supposed they sensed something was wrong. She asked, “Remember when the inappropriately named well-being center was closed down?”
    “Jackson Hamilton. I still have