“I’m just pointing out the difficulty of the situation,” Cooper said.

“It would be less difficult if I could get closer. Find out where he spends his time,” Eli said, sounding frustrated. “But I can’t risk James scenting me before I can find the recording. I was shifted today trying to get locked in overnight out of pure desperation.” He smiled. “But then a new friend of an old friend dropped by and presented a better solution.”

Cooper frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“While I’ve developed a great deal of skills over the years, I am rather dismal at sticking my nose in other people’s business. But as I stood there wobbly-kneed and teary-eyed under your cruel interrogations this afternoon, a thought struck me. You, my pretty little whippet, are very good at being nosy. In fact, it’s your entire job and I want to hire you.”

“I’m not a private detective.”

“That’s fine. I wasn’t planning on paying you anyway. Will you help me?”

“Look,” Cooper said. “I want to, I do. And I don’t even object to the idea that finding the recording and destroying it is very possibly your best option. But I’m not the right person to do that.”

“You’re a morally gray, perpetually meddlesome human who turned his back on his people’s own unjust system of law to work for a secret werewolf agency that exists solely to investigate violent crimes against werewolves. You also seem to be unusually adaptive and unmanipulative as you’ve spent the last couple of minutes watching me pull my own thumb off without a single hint of disgust or calculation toward personal gain. Yes, clearly none of this is applicable to my situation at all, I’ll go ask someone better suited.”

“Meddlesome?” Cooper protested weakly, but he was wavering.

“All I’m asking is for you to drop by and take a peek around. Find out his routines. Where he spends his time. Ask a couple of questions. Hell, narrow it down to five possible places and I’ll do all the actual searching myself.”

Cooper started to argue, but Eli interrupted. “Please. I can’t—I don’t know what to do. I need help. Just...one try.”

Cooper bit his lip. It was clear Eli was desperate. His need was real and Cooper hated the idea of him taking this on alone. What options did he have? “All right. I’ll go back to the zoo tomorrow. Take a look around. No promises, though.”

Eli grinned. “Oh, you are lovely. Really just an angel. Not a bit like the rumors.” He toasted him, took a sip of wine, and wrinkled his nose immediately and coughed. “Ghastly. Ollie bought this, didn’t he? He’s such a snob.”