Cooper meticulously studied every inch of the space just in case there was a second animal lurking in shadow or camouflaged against the mulch that surrounded the pool. The walls were painted in a vague sort of misty, jungle mural and, besides the water that took up a majority of the space, there was a large boulder directly to the left of the keeper door, a pile of enormous fallen tree stumps to the right, and a smattering of big leafy plants all over. That meant plenty of hiding places that needed checking. He was not going to have the ace in the hole maneuver pulled on him by some reptiles. He’d never live it down.

When Cooper was absolutely positive there was nothing else in there, he opened the door wider, keeping an eye on the sole crocodile for any sign of movement, but the thing didn’t even blink.

There seemed like only one possible reason James would keep his own personal, secret copy of the key to a crocodile enclosure. Not because he wanted somewhere to hang out, that’s for sure. Not with its terrifying guardian always within seven feet of you. Cooper doubted even the keepers would choose to linger in here. Which was, of course, the point. What better place to stash something than in a room no one went with 24/7 security that would never tell your secrets?

Not looking away from the crocodile, Cooper cautiously took one step into the enclosure, having to duck his head and step up into the raised space. The croc’s eyes were open, but again it didn’t move.

Cooper gave the room another scan, this time looking not for where an animal might hide itself, but for where a person might hide something valuable. Not close to the ground where the crocodile might disturb it. But not on the walls either, where any zoo patron or keeper might spot it. Werewolf or not, he doubted James would want to keep the blackmail too far from the door. Not if he wanted to be able to access it a moment’s notice.

At least Cooper hoped not. Because if something was hidden in that pile of logs, within lunging distance of the crocodile, he just wasn’t risking it. He wanted answers, but he wanted to live too, thanks very much. That really just left the boulder to the right of the door.

He took another careful step inside, feet near silent on the wet mulch. The air was humid in here, and there was a horrible smell he couldn’t describe. It was too unfamiliar. Unlike anything else he’d come across in his life. The closest he could think of was when he was ten or so, he’d been on the marina and a couple of kids had fished a drowned squirrel out of the water and left it to rot in the blistering summer sun.