Free Doubly Protected [Werewolves of Hanson Mall 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Cara Adams Page A

Sophie’s hurt. Can you come help her?”
    “Hurt how? No, don’t answer that. I’m on my way.”
    As he’d expected Maelor was already kneeling on the floor talking softly to Sophie, who Cadfael had sat on a chair. He turned to the elevator, waiting for the arrival of Nurse Eilidh. Her name was Celtic, as many of their names were, thanks to the ethnicity of the original inhabitants of the area. But since it was difficult to pronounce, most people learned to say it phonetically, Ay-lee, just as he’d reverted to saying in a time of stress. She was a very competent, no-nonsense nurse. She’d know exactly what to do to help Sophie. The question was, where was the person who’d done this to her, and was it as they’d all assumed, Jackson Bailey after Hawthorne? Or was this a coincidental attack?
    Dylan went and got Sophie a bottle of water from the refrigerator in the First Aid room, but then wondered if he should give it to her or not, so was still holding it when Eilidh appeared.
    The nurse kneeled on the floor beside Sophie, and Maelor stepped to the side giving her space. In a businesslike manner Eilidh checked Sophie’s eyes and placed a gentle hand on her forehead, then ordered, “Tell me exactly what happened, Sophie.”
    “It was maybe twenty after six. Dylan, you’d just left. I was packing up for the day when a man I didn’t know arrived and went straight to the elevator. Of course the door didn’t open for him and he turned to me and wanted to know why the door wouldn’t open.”
    Sophie stopped talking and ran a hand over the back of her head. Eilidh touched her shoulders and bent for a closer look at the back of Sophie’s head, parting her hair to check her scalp.
    “There’s no blood but you do have a lump. What did he hit you with?”
    Silently Dylan handed over the bottle of water and Eilidh gave it to Sophie who took a sip.
    “I don’t know. I didn’t see it coming. I asked the man his name and the name of the person he was supposed to meet and I picked up the telephone to call them and tell them he was here, but he yelled at me and demanded I make the elevator work. I said his friend would come and escort him, he just needed to tell me who to call. He came across to my desk, saw the swipe card, and snatched it, and when I reached for the card he must have hit me. It’s all a blur until I woke up in the First Aid room just now.”
    “That means he could be anywhere in the tower Sophie has access to. So the conference room on level six, some of the offices, and she can open the elevator at many floors. We’re going to need more help to search. The three of us can’t monitor it all ourselves.” Maelor pulled his cell phone out again and began making calls.
    The nurse took Sophie back into the First Aid room. Dylan thought Sophie looked pale, but she was a brave woman and sensible as well. Besides, she wasn’t even complaining, which said a lot about her strength of character. She must have been scared when Hamilton attacked her. Assuming it was Hamilton of course. They’d need to get her to identify him when she’d recovered a bit. Likely her head was aching badly right now and she’d need some rest and peace first.
    As for himself he foresaw a hell of a lot of walking up and down stairs. They’d need to lock the elevator to prevent anyone escaping in it by snatching someone else’s keycard.
    As if Maelor was reading his mind he said, “Cadfael, you stay here as command center. Keep the glass doors locked and the elevator locked. Put your own swipe card somewhere someone won’t find it easily. That means the only way anyone can get out of the tower is through the stairwell and they’ll have to walk all the way down to this floor to exit. You can watch that from Sophie’s desk as well as man the phones for us. I’ll get everyone to report in to you after they’ve checked their area.”
    “What do you want me to do?” asked Dylan.
    “I’ve told everyone to meet us in the