Free SHADOWS OF A WOLF MOON Book 5: RISE OF THE ARKANSAS WEREWOLVES by Jodi Vaughn

cookies for tea, but you’re welcome to look.” Mrs. Willis placed her hand at the base of her throat and frowned. Being brought up in the South, she thrived on being a good hostess, even after her eyesight failed her.
    “I ate some beignets and I couldn’t possibly eat another thing,” she declined politely as she stepped inside. The high ceiling fan stirred up enough breeze, sending a welcome relief from the heat.
    She glanced around, noticing the dust on the end table beside the couch.
    “I hope I didn’t disturb you. I didn’t mean to drop in on you like this .” But I needed someplace safe away from Lucien’s probing eyes.
    The way he looked at her had her feeling a certain way about the male. She didn’t want to put a name to the emotion. He might be hot, but he was dangerous. And she was done with dangerous werewolves. She wanted someone safe.
    Right now a relationship would have to wait. Her love life was officially on the back burner.
    “You know I always love to see you, dear.” Mrs. Willis tapped the floor with her cane as she shuffled into the living room. “Shelly came and cleaned yesterday. It wasn’t her normal day, but she said she needed some extra money for school clothes so I let her.”
    Catty gritted her teeth. Shelly was Mrs. Willis’s granddaughter. She’d met her a few times. She’d come over once while Catty was visiting and asked her grandmother for money. With dark hair and blue eyes, Shelly was attractive and knew how to dress to accentuate her body. She didn’t have any tattoos or piercings and seemed nice enough. But there was something about the girl Catty didn’t trust.
    When she found out Shelly was cleaning Mrs. Willis’s house for money, she’d made a point of checking out the furniture and floors when she came over. While the floors had been swept and stuff picked up, it was evident no deep cleaning had been done. Nothing had been dusted, the toilets hadn’t been cleaned, and the rugs had not been vacuumed. She didn’t want to worry Mrs. Willis with her suspicions of a lazy girl, so she kept her mouth shut.
    “Is she still liking school?” She tried to keep her tone casual as Mrs. Willis shuffled over in the direction of her rocking chair. Catty gently laid her hand on the woman’s arm to escort her.
    “She’s doing fine. She says her classes are going well.” Mrs. Willis eased into the rocker that had been in her family for generations. And although it squeaked like a mouse, she said she loved it and had no reason to get another.
    “You’re up mighty early. Did you have to work last night?” Mrs. Willis asked.
    Catty worried her lip with her teeth at the mention of her job. She’d lied to Mrs. Willis when she’d asked what she did for a living. She knew what the woman’s reaction would have been if she found out she was a stripper. So instead she’d told her she worked at a convenience store.
    “I do worry about you working so late at night. Crime gets bad in the city at night when people think God ain’t watching. But believe me, God is always watching.”
    Catty’s stomach twisted. That was what she was afraid of.
    “I was in the neighborhood and thought I would pop in and see if you needed me to do anything for you.”
    “How sweet of you. You know, Shelly can run errands for me, but lately she’s been in a hurry when she drops by. There’s no time for a proper visit.” She shook her head and rested her cane against her knee.
    “I’m sure she’s just busy.” Busy with what, she wasn’t real sure.
    “How about I fix you a cup of tea?” Catty stood before she could be waved off.
    “You’re so sweet, dear. Thank you.”
    She walked into the kitchen and frowned when she saw the state of the cabinets. They were all open and the dishes inside disturbed. Not the way Mrs. Willis usually liked her tidy kitchen.
    She quickly filled the kettle with water and placed it on the stove. She turned on the heat and then turned her attention back to the