by Anne Bishop
“Tess told us a while ago that there is some mint growing in the Courtyard, so I wondered . . . Do Wolves usually chew on mint?”
“No. Why?” Before coming to see Meg, he’d gone into the bathroom at HGR to use some mouthwash. He’d also examined both sets of teeth to make sure there weren’t any bits of human flesh stuck between them from carrying the backbone.
Did he smell minty from the mouthwash—or was the scent wafting in from the front room?
Meg confirmed that suspicion when she glanced at the Private doorway before leaning toward him and whispering, “When Nathan came back to the office, he smelled like he’d rolled in mint.”
Nathan had a point, especially since he was still in Wolf form.
“Theral won’t have to be afraid anymore,” he told Meg.
She nodded and left the office without asking for details. He didn’t think anyone would ask for details about that Jack Fillmore.
Well, almost anyone.
• • •
Burke gave Cyrus Montgomery his fierce-friendly smile and watched the man try not to squirm.
“You want to come in or something?” Cyrus asked grudgingly.
Burke shook his head and looked around. They were standing on the front lawn of the apartment building, within sight of neighbors and the traffic on Crowfield Avenue. “You didn’t see anything wrong with having an argument with your brother where everyone could see, so I don’t see any reason why you and I can’t have a chat right here.”
“That’s family business.”
“Do you know Jack Fillmore?” Burke asked.
Cyrus shook his head. “Don’t know the name.”
“Really? According to the bartender at the Stag and Hare, you and Jack were drinking together the other day and looked quite cozy. Some money changed hands.”
“Don’t know . . . Oh, Jack. Yeah. I know who you mean. He owed me some money and paid back a little yesterday.”
“So you know him well.”
“Wouldn’t say that.”
“But you know him well enough to loan him . . . how much?”
A hesitation. “Five hundred.”
“That’s a lot of money to lend an acquaintance when you keep telling your mother and brother that you’re too broke to buy food for your family and expect them to help out.”
Another hesitation. “Had some emergency cash stashed away. If my woman found out, she’d spend it all on stupid shit. You know how they are.” Cyrus rocked his weight from one foot to the other. “Why are you asking about Jack?”
“He tried to abduct a young woman around the same time that you were having that public girlie fight with Lieutenant Montgomery. You know, lots of shouting and light slapping but no real hurt intended because, if you’d thrown a punch, you would have been arrested for assaulting a police officer. As his captain, I would have insisted that Monty file charges.” Burke’s smile turned fiercer. “This is what I find interesting. You call your brother, the police lieutenant, and insist on meeting him during his shift instead of waiting until he gets home. But the witnesses who overheard this shouting match didn’t hear anything that justified your urgency to bring Monty back here right around the time of the abduction attempt.”
“It was family business. I don’t know about that other stuff.”
“I hope that’s true, Mr. Montgomery. We’re going to be looking at Jack Fillmore very carefully and investigating everyone he’s met in Lakeside to discover if he had anyone helping him with the abduction—either directly or by distracting the Courtyard security during the attempt. The young woman was injured when he tried to forcibly remove her from her place of work. He threatened to kill her. Everyone connected with him will be brought in for questioning, especially because the police will not be able to bring Jack Fillmore to justice.”
“He got away?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
No understanding in Cyrus Montgomery’s eyes. He probably thought Fillmore somehow escaped and skipped town when the abduction was thwarted. He might even think Fillmore would be back for another try.
“Family discussions should be held after work from now on,” Burke said. “Any discussions that are held during Lieutenant Montgomery’s shift will be considered police business. Are we clear about that?”
“Clear enough.”
Resentment. Slyness. How did a man grow up to be this, living in the same household as Monty, with a woman like Twyla for a mother?
Burke started to walk away, then stopped. “By the way, I bought the Stag and Hare. In a few weeks, it won’t be a good place to conduct any kind of business that can’t withstand intense police scrutiny.”
That was as much of a warning as he was willing to give the brother of Crispin James Montgomery.
• • •
Meg set the large plastic food container outside the back door of the Liaison’s Office. She didn’t see anything, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t a large someone keeping watch, waiting for the promised treat.
“Hello?” Her voice sounded wimpy. Being brave was easier when you didn’t know how stupid you’d been, scolding a primal form of terra indigene that frightened everyone you knew. Well, maybe not the Elementals, but everyone else. “Hello? Arroo? Here are the cookies.” She hesitated, because, really, would beings like the Elders care about little human concerns? “If you can, please return the container intact. Then it can be washed and used for another order of treats.”
No movement. No sound. Henry had told her the Elders were seldom seen in any form, so she didn’t really expect them to come rushing up like the Wolves would when cookies were delivered.
She started to retreat into the office, but she had one more thing to tell them—if any of them were listening. “Thank you for saving Theral today.”
Back inside the office, she locked the door. Not that a lock kept out anyone but humans, but it made her feel a little better.
An hour later, when she closed the office for the day and stepped outside to wait for Simon, she noticed the container of cookies was gone.
• • •
Burke drove fast as he headed north toward a stretch of road near Lake Tahki. He glanced at Steve Ferryman, who had made the second phone call he’d taken just before he left the office. “Your counterpart is sure about this?”
“You asked me to put out feelers,” Steve replied. “In response, I was asked to come to their village.”
“Trap?”
“No.”
They drove in silence for a few minutes. “I had to ask. Highway patrol called just before you did. They found Lorenzo’s car—and they found bodies.”
Steve looked at him. “They think they found Lorenzo.”
“They didn’t say that.”
“You ever do highway patrol?” Steve asked when they reached the location and Burke pulled up behind the flashing patrol car.
“During my tours of duty in the wild country,” Burke replied.
The officer in charge was young enough that Burke wondered why he’d been given this assignment. Then he caught the look the cop exchanged with Ferryman.
Intuit. They might have to hide what they were in order to stay safe among other kinds of humans, but their people still needed the same skills as any other community, and that included law enforcement.
“A car was torched just up the road,” the officer said. “Two bodies inside. Another officer and I were walking the road to see if we could find anything else when we spotted the white sedan on the woodland track.”
Not a paved highway. Not even a dirt road. But vehicles used that clear space between the trees often enough that there were visible tracks that a
nother driver could follow to someplace rarely seen by humans.
“Got your BOLO about the same time as we found the cars,” the officer continued. “And we found a couple of other things I think you’ll want to see since I gathered you’re more interested in the owner of the vehicle than the vehicle itself.”
“That’s correct,” Burke said.
The officer led them to a body bag. “Male. Hands don’t look old, but I can’t tell you much else. You can look if you want, but it’s bad.”
“He was shot?” Burke asked.
“Him? No, although there is some blood in the car, so whoever was driving it might have been shot.” The officer blew out a breath. “No, something picked up this man and swung him like a club into that tree. Pulped his head.”
“Hair color?”
“Light brown. Cut short.”
Burke breathed out tension. “That’s not the man I’m looking for.”
“Might have been better for him if it was.” The officer pointed toward the track in the woods. “This way.”
The officer led them just far enough along the track that a curve hid the car from sight. Then he pointed. “The blood trail from the car ends here.”
Steve Ferryman sucked in a breath. “Is that a paw print?”
The officer nodded. “Something picked up a body and carried it off up the track.”
“Did you follow the prints?” Burke asked.
“No, sir. We’re already beyond the right-of-way standing here. If you’ve seen enough, we should get back to the highway.”
If Steve Ferryman hadn’t been with him, he might have pushed to go a little farther up the track, regardless of the risk. But he knew that he wouldn’t find Dominic Lorenzo around here.
The car would be towed to the nearest human settlement, but the officer handed over Lorenzo’s medical bag and carryall. No reason not to since there was no one to arrest, and the highway patrol and crime investigation team didn’t believe there was a body left to be found.
Back in the car, Burke followed Steve’s directions as they continued north toward Lake Tahki until they reached a small village. No welcome sign with the village name. The houses looked a bit shabby—in need of paint—but the yards were neatly kept and every house had flower beds or planters. The business district was the same mix of neat and shabby. An older place with not a lot of money to spare on extras, whether you were talking about the governing body or the individual families.
Burke pulled into the parking lot beside a clinic and drugstore. Saying nothing, he followed Steve inside the clinic—and found Dominic Lorenzo.
“I’m glad to see you,” he said, studying the cuts and bruises on Lorenzo’s face. Pained face. Meg Corbyn had been right about that. Judging by the bandages around the man’s torso and the sling supporting one arm, it was a good bet some of the bullets that hit the car also hit the man but hadn’t inflicted life-threatening wounds.
“I’m glad to be here,” Lorenzo replied. “There were three men . . .”
“Not a worry anymore.”
Lorenzo stared at him, then nodded in understanding.
“What do you want to do?” Burke asked.
Lorenzo gave him a tired smile. “I want to go home. I sent Governor Hannigan my final report and my resignation from the task force a couple of days ago. This was my last stop before heading back to Lakeside.”
“You’re going back to the hospital to work in the emergency room?”
“No. I know too much about the blood prophets and would be vulnerable in a city hospital. I was planning to sell my house, find a way to disappear—find someplace to work where unscrupulous men couldn’t find me.”
“We have an opening for a physician on Great Island,” Steve said. “The work would include running the little clinic in the River Road Community, but that’s safe ground too. Even if you’re looking for something different, we’ll find a place for you on the island until you recover from your injuries.”
“I appreciate that.”
When they were back on the road to Lakeside, Burke said, “Why resign?”
“Besides the risk of leading someone to the girls, or being run off the road by someone trying to capture me for information?” Lorenzo replied dryly. “We weren’t doing those girls any good. I think the governor meant well when he set up the task force, but the girls didn’t need someone coming in to ask questions and disrupt their routine. And sooner or later, someone watching the doctors would see a pattern, would figure out where the girls were located. Like they did with me.”
“What was your recommendation?”
Lorenzo closed his eyes. “To leave them alone to find their own way to deal with the world and their cursed gift of prophecy. That would be the kindest thing we could do for them.”
Messis 16
Dear Merri Lee,
The train ride from Lakeside to Bennett was equal parts exciting and frightening. Despite all of us arriving together, the conductor didn’t want to let me take a seat in the earth native car. Technically, anyone can ride in either car, but that passenger car is reserved for terra indigene and Intuits, while the other passenger car is for regular humans. From what I can tell, and from the bits I picked up from chatting with other passengers when I went to the dining car, there is no difference between the railcars themselves—the earth native symbol is a decal that can be removed and put on any car that’s available. And it’s not like a regular human can’t sit in the earth native car if the other car is full, but it’s clear that if there is any trouble of any kind, the human will be blamed in order to protect the train and the rest of the passengers. So the train’s personnel try to keep regular humans from spending much time with the Others in a confined space.
Fortunately, John Wolfgard spoke up for me, telling the conductor that we were traveling as a group to Bennett.
It was a long ride, but we swapped seats often to talk and get to know one another. We’d all seen the pictures of the dead Wolfgard piled into mounds after the attacks by the Humans First and Last movement. Even the Simple Life folk had seen a few of the pictures. And most of us had seen pictures of the mounds of humans who had been destroyed by the Others in retaliation. It would have been easier for all of us if we could believe everyone in Bennett had participated in killing the Wolves. But the innocent had been killed too, and what had killed them was out there, in the dark, waiting for us to make a mistake.
I was told that if I can’t accept that, I should ask for a ticket back to Lakeside or some other human community that’s large enough to provide a buffer from the truth—that no place on this world is free from the Others who are called Namid’s teeth and claws. Their existence is just more obvious now in a place like Bennett.
I met my boss, Sheriff Virgil Wolfgard. It’s one thing to mentally prepare yourself for harassment and bullying by your coworkers because your body doesn’t have the same equipment as theirs; it’s quite another thing to have your boss look at you like you’re an item on the menu. I guess he needed a deputy more than he needed a meal. So I have a shiny new badge and a gun. And I have a horse, which a couple of the Simple Life men helped me choose—an easygoing bay gelding with a high tolerance for human foolishness, to say nothing of putting up with a novice rider. Driving around town is discouraged, as a way to save gasoline, so I am the horse patrol within the town limits. No one has explained what I’m supposed to do if I arrest someone and have to take the person to jail. I guess I’ll find out when it happens.
On a lighter note, I’m glad I brought a couple of the Crowgard cozies you recommended. They’re great fun and nothing I would have found in a strictly human bookstore. I’m loaning them to Jesse Walker after Barb Debany has a chance to read them. I liked Barb the moment I met her, and I think we’ll be compatible housemates, especially since she’s okay with me adopting one of the young orphan dogs as long as the dog gets along with Bu
ddy the parakeet.
I’ll write again soon.
—Jana
CHAPTER 14
Thaisday, Messis 16
Standing on the apartment building’s walk, Monty watched Lizzy and Grr Bear go next door to wait with Sarah and Robert until it was time for school. He knew the routine. Before the school day began, his mother would give the efficiency apartment/schoolroom a quick dust and sweep before going to her job at the consulate. Ruthie would pick up the food from A Little Bite or the Market Square grocery store for the children’s midmorning snack and get ready for the day’s lessons. Then the children would arrive. Just the three of them again, now that Sierra and her girls were gone.
He thought Fanny wouldn’t mind going to school as a way to spend time with the other girls and have something to do. But she’d helped Clarence shoplift by acting as his lookout and she’d tried to stop Meg from going to Sam’s aid when the two boys were fighting. Even if he could talk Simon into letting Fanny into the Courtyard just for school, allowing the girl to go in when Clarence was banned would only make things hard on Fanny when she got home.
Lizzy smiled at him and waved. Grr Bear’s wooden paw was moved in a bye-bye motion.
Monty waved back. Then Lizzy bounded up the steps to the Denbys’ porch, rang the bell, and went inside, not waiting for Eve or Pete to come to the door.
Watching his little girl cross that short distance was simply a father’s caution. Not that he was the only one who watched Lizzy walk from one yard to the other. By now, one of the Hawkgard was perched on the porch rail of the apartment above his, another was riding the air currents and keeping an eye on the apartments and the Courtyard’s business district, and a couple of Crows were on Kowalski and Ruthie’s porch, enjoying the food that had been left for them. He didn’t think Jenni and Starr ventured out of the Courtyard anymore, but from what Kowalski had said, Jake Crowgard stopped by for breakfast most mornings before taking up his position on the brick wall that separated Henry’s yard from the delivery area—an ideal place to watch the humans coming and going, and keep an eye on Meg.
