The Quiet One

33

A week later, Regal was sitting in his newly painted office diligently working on finding all information he could about Joseph King. The man was an enigma, and he was struggling to learn what book the man was looking for. Regal had a newfound respect for Joseph King. He was a smart man who employed the right people. Every time Regal got close to cracking into his personal files, he was sent into one of his employee's information. In frustration he slammed him palms on his desk, once again he was sent down a rabbit's hole.

"Baby?" Harper poked her head into the office and he smiled. She had redone the pink tips on her hair to make them a deep magenta color.

"Hi sweetie, all done helping my mom put purple in her hair?" he asked, coming around and kissing her softly.

"I had to convince her not to dye her whole head. She is something else your mom," she told him and he laughed.

"What did you end up doing?" he wanted to know.

"I put violet streaks in her hair," she explained, and he took a minute to see if he could picture it.

"Here." She handed him her phone, and he looked at the picture. There was his mom smiling with vibrant purple streaks in her hair.

"Her hairdresser is going to have a field day," he laughed, and she smiled.

"I think so, too. What were you up to while I was gone?" She asked, wrapping her arms around his waist and smiling up at him.

"Trying to find out more about Joseph King. He is a slippery man. Every time I think I am close to cracking into his information, I am sent somewhere else. I don't know how to break into his information," he explained. She gave him a concerned look and rested her head against his chest. His panther purred at the contact and her scent calmed his frustrations.

"He throws a house party every year for all the book collectors and sellers he knows. I don't go because I am painfully shy, but I received an invitation at the shop last week. The party is on Christmas Eve," she replied.

"In his home?" he asked if he could plant a bug in the computers in Joseph King's house he would have access to everything.

"Yes, it is a massive mansion about an hour's drive from here in Froston," she answered.

"Have you sent your reply?" He didn't want to push her into an uncomfortable situation, but he needed to get inside that house.

"No. I usually sent Julie as my representative. I didn't want to give Joseph King a reason to take back his business," she explained.

"Would you be willing to go this year and I can be your plus one? I'll help you talk to anyone there and maybe you can make more connections," he suggested. She looked up at him with her bright blue eyes and gave him a hesitant nod.

"I'll try. I can't guarantee that I'll be able to stay long," she replied.

"It should take me a few minutes to slip in and place the bug in one of his computers," he answered, and she nodded.

"Do you really think he is the one coming after me? Since we moved, the attacks haven't happened. Couldn't it just be the wolves and they have moved onto something else?" she asked.

"It could, but we need to eliminate all threats. Jace admitted to the paint being some of his teenagers. He said they did not trash your apartment or leave the knife in your bed. On another note, have you gone through all the books in your collection?" He pulled her into the kitchen and pushed her down onto a stool at their island counter. He began pulling out the beginnings of dinner.

"Want help?" she asked hopping off the stool.

"No, you've been on your feet all day at the bookstore. Let me spoil you," he said pushing her back down.