Living in a small wooden cabin at the edge of a forest while solving the mystery of recent murders, Eli learns that the locals believe a man-beast is responsible. As an outsider, he is watched very closely, even though he is working with the local sheriff, a man whose effect upon him is uncomfortably arousing. Excerpt: The forest near Eli's cabin had only squirrels, deer, and other such animals inhabiting it, so the fact that two people had been killed by a wild beast clearly had the citizens worried. Why was Eli's firm involved in such a case? Eli's father and the county's sheriff, Stanley Blake, were friends. Stanley had called Eli's father, and after a flight that lasted a few hours and a short taxi drive later, Eli arrived in the area. He looked at his wristwatch. Stanley would be coming up to the cabin in a few minutes to meet him. Eli patted his black hair down, but before he could walk out of the bathroom there was a knock at the front door. "Eli, are you there? Can I come in?" asked a voice, a voice that surprisingly made Eli's heart jump excitedly. Eli walked out of the bathroom and it took all of his willpower to stop his jaw from dropping. Standing in front of him was a handsome, black-haired, tall, well-built man, and the fact that he was in his sheriff's uniform wasn't helping the matter. "You must be Eli?" the man smiled. Eli tried not to stare. "Yes," he nodded. "Stanley?" "At your service," Stanley smiled. "I'm so glad you could come." Eli was expecting Stanley to be older, much older than the young man standing in front of him. He was probably twenty-four or twenty-five years old. "My pleasure," Eli smiled back and shook Stanley's hand. He couldn't explain it but he could feel his body grow warm as Stanley took his hand in his. "So...so, the murders," said Eli as he let go of Stanley's hand. He didn't make eye contact with Stanley. He felt uncomfortable, even a bit aroused. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen handsome men before, but something about Stanley felt different to him.