Mate Mysteries

Chapter 45

"Who is Daniel?" Francis asked, peering closer at the paper.

"A friend of my fathers, apparently a good friend," Krey mumbled.

"And what missing pages?" Francis looked from Krey to Pip.

"We should explain in the office," Pip grabbed the lamp and they followed him back through the building.

This time, Krey shut his office window properly, and closed the door. Francis sat on one of the chairs still propped in the corner from when Krey said his apologies. "So... who is Daniel? What missing papers? And why was this note stuffed into the lamp?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Daniel is a farmer who lives on the outskirts of Crescent Town. We get eggs and milk from him." Krey removed the chain from around his neck and slotted the bite of the brass key into the keyhole. The colours matched but because it was broken, Krey didn't have the satisfaction of using it.

"Oh, so... what are the missing papers?"

"They're from my dad's journal the year Pip's parents were killed. Jordan forged an entry in the journal to say they were capturing werewolf hunters, that Pip and Mark's parents were werewolf hunters."

Pip looked away before Francis could make eye contact. For some reason, he felt ashamed as though it were true.

"How did you know it was forged?"

"The handwriting was off, and we found notes in Jordan's belongings of him practicing dad's handwriting. Last year's journal is also missing."

"Sneaky bastard." Francis frowned. "Why would he do that?"

"We don't know. I guess the answers are in last year's journal that has suspiciously gone missing."

Francis stood, rubbing her chin and pacing slowly back and forth. "He forged an entry to say Roden captured werewolf hunters and what? Killed them?"

"We don't know. The rest of the month was torn out." Krey glanced to Pip who stared from the window. "We don't know why he would lie about that. We've had other stuff to deal with, so we haven't been able to give it much thought."

Francis heavily sat back down. "So, Roden would give something this important to a farmer? Why?"

"He trusted him." Krey had only spoken to Daniel once, but he understood how his father formed such a close friendship with him. Daniel was likeable, smart, and very observing. He had given Krey the scolding of a lifetime. Daniel had given him clarity that had a part to play in his apologies. "If Daniel has the papers, they're safe."

"And you know that for sure?"

"Yes," Krey grumbled, eyeing Francis who was confused about why he was so sure. "Get me that book from the top of the bookshelf."

Francis stood on a chair to reach it, frowning deeper. "What is this?" She picked tenderly at the leather strap.

"An Alpha journal. Dad made it for me. I haven't really looked through it and I probably should." Krey snatched it from her with a scowl. He was stressed and impatient. His only saviour was the patient people around him.

"Maybe we should go to Daniel's farm?" Pip suggested.

"I should read this first," Krey mumbled, flicking through the pages.

Francis and Pip watched him for a long minute until Francis asked him to read out loud.

Krey sighed heavily and continued to flick through a lot of pages until one near the end caught his attention. "By now, you have probably figured out that you need some sort of a relationship between yourself, the Beta, and the Delta," he read. "If you are reading this page around your Beta and Delta, don't. This is for your eyes only Krey."