“Sorry, I don’t run a very tidy ship,” he said, ripping the tape off the box. “Truth be told, I was going to try and sell these on again. I should have listened to the guy from Nobles and tried a cheaper brand. Ah well, shows me, I guess.”
Blake nodded. “Can I?” he said, pointing towards the box.
“Oh, yeah, of course! Like I said, I only ever managed to sell one and that was to this fucking loser that kept coming in looking for my sister.”
Blake’s eyes flicked up. “Uh-huh?”
“Yeah. Told him to either buy something or stop coming around, and the jacket was the first thing he grabbed. More money than sense, clearly. Would you like a cup of tea?”
Blake ran his tongue over his teeth. On the one hand,no,he did not want a cup of tea. On the other, he wanted to keep Paul talking. “Sure,” he said, straightening. “White, none. Please.”
Paul nodded, indicating for Blake to follow him into a little kitchen area at the side of the storeroom.
“You were saying?” Blake said, leaning a shoulder against the doorframe.
Paul’s eyes dragged up and down his entire body, and he tucked a strand of orange hair behind his ear before turning towards the kettle. “Oh, right, yeah. This guy, total creep. Flashy, but not in a good way. Kept saying he knew my sister, and that he needed to speak to her.”
Blake discreetly withdrew his notepad from his pocket whilst Paul’s back was turned.
“Who’s your sister?”
Paul rattled around in the cupboard before dropping two teabags into matching store-branded mugs. “Sal,” he said, pointing at the mugs. “Sally Maverick.”
“Anddidhe know her?”
Paul shrugged. “Dunno. Said they met at a Christmas party. Partner solicitor firm, or something. I kept telling him my sister’s happily shacked up with someone else, doesn’t matter that they’re both omegas, but he wouldn’t have it.”
Blake’s expression darkened. “Does your sister have a mate?”
Paul nodded. “Yeah, Maya. Oh shit, you might know her. She’s one of you lot. Nice girl, bit intense if you ask me.”
Blake’s mouth went dry. The situation was getting more fucked up by the second. His mind raced, trying to think of a way to keep Paul talking without revealing his hand. “And, er, what did the guy look like? The one who bought the coat?”
Paul turned, his eyes crinkling as though he were deep in thought. “Can’t really remember. Tall, like you. Alpha. Brown hair, good looking, but only because of his money if you know what I mean?”
Blake nodded along.
“I mean, you can have a look at the CCTV before it overrides if you want? He only bought the coat about a month ago.”
Checking the sales receipts, Paul found the date that the coat had been purchased and led Blake into a small side room. It had a poorly laminated sign that read Security in red letters. Blake waited as he brought up the corresponding date on the CCTV.
“Phew, you’re lucky,” Paul said, tapping the screen. “One more day and the system would have been overwritten. It refreshes every thirty days unless I save it.”
Blake nodded, then went very still when he looked at the screen. There, in full colour, was Robert Green.
Blake cleared his throat. “Did you tell your sister he was looking for her?”
“Nah. Didn’t want to stress her out. She’s been harassed by cocky alpha-holes at her company before. No offence… about the alpha-hole thing. I know it’s a slur but…”
Blake picked up his mug, sipped his tea and turned his eyes back to the screen. After a minute or so he felt a gentle touch on the back of his hand.
“Hey, so… could I get your number or something?” Paul said, tracing a fingertip over one of Blake’s knuckles. “In case I think of anything else?”
Blake’s nostrils flared as he drew back, and Paul’s ears turned a deep shade of red. Driving a hand into his pocket, Blake withdrew a business card and handed it to him. “Use the office number,” he said, draining the last of his tea. “Or email. Don’t call my mobile.”
“S-sure,” he said, taking Blake’s empty cup and placing it in the sink. “So, do you, er, do you want to take the coat or…?”
“I’ll take a photograph,” he said, because there was no way in hell he’d be able to claim a one thousand pound coat on his expenses.
