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An annoyed Calico shouldered past him. “I’ve gotta run. Nice talking to you, Marcy.”
Nodding at Caelan to stay (was it insulting to werewolves to use commands referencing dogs, even if I’d say the same to a human?), I caught her as she stormed past our mailbox. “Cal, hey, wait! Be careful, alright? Whatever's out there is after me. It’s personal.”
She frowned. “How do you know?”
I glanced at the sheriff, who was standing beside the passenger side door.
“Later. For now, watch your pack.” I headed for Caelan.
Hand to his lips, the sheriff pointed toward a moon-faced girl in the backseat. A damp, starry blanket was tucked to her chin. Her face was red, her blonde hair stuck to her cheeks in the throes of having cried herself to sleep. In all the clamor of spring, my startled peep of a gasp awoke her.
“Marcy, this is Mila. Mila, this is Marcy, one of my deputies.”
“Nice to meet you, Mila,” I said, raising my eyebrows at the sheriff.
“Marcy’s going to sit back here with you today, alright?”
She nodded.
“We’ll be a minute more.” Caelan closed the door so she couldn’t hear. “No guardian clause in the will. Nearest family’s an aunt in Anaheim. Non-Were. Hospitalized three times in the past year for opioid overdoses. No contact with Mila’s parents in years. Girl’s got to stay with someone a couple days until the Otherworld’s foster society sends their rep to retrieve her. Promised you I’d see to her, so, here we are.”
“And you’re planning on what, providing her a pillow and a moving box?”
“Corporal Seffa can take her. She's got two at home already. However, Belzer believes it’d be good PR to let you care for her.”
I took a step back. “Isn’t that dangerous?”
“We’ll ensure you’re protected. When she learns what’s happened, Mrs. Finn will see to the same.”
“If I refuse?”
“There are hills with better views to die on, Marcy. The Otherworld won’t play fair or easy. They’re confident the presence of the kid will hasten your death, turning you into another tragic reason why humans cannot exist within the Society.”
“I find it difficult to believe that in less than twenty-four hours they took the time to hear out an insignificant human’s request, let alone come up with a PR plan.”
“I’ve been trying to get humans permitted a long time,” he said. “Best I’ve been able to do is disappear the ones who choose to run, and everyone who chooses humanity has run,” he added, raising his eyebrows.
“Not doing it,” I said.
“Plenty of time to change your mind,” he replied. “The Society and I have had a tentative agreement in place a while: if I found the right human, I could pull them into my department as an experiment. I think you’re the one,” he said, rubbing his shirt collar.
“Sounds like I’m the only one.”
“I’ll introduce you to my team this morning,” he continued, glancing at his phone. “Appreciate if you would rush on and gather your things. We’re busy as all get-out today. A ‘wolf’ killed three patients inside a hospital, all registered Weres.”
“What about her?” I thumbed to the backseat. The girl had her knees pulled to her chest and turned her head away.
“Child care center attached to the hospital. She’ll stay there while we’re otherwise occupied.”
James had been dying. He was dying.
As I climbed beside his sister, I thought of the many ways I’d failed them.
chapter 18
OBSERVATIONS
Mila was three years old, recently put into preschool, and terrified. The rumble of the highway and steady radio crackle lulled her to sleep as we drove. Careful not to disturb her, I leaned forward for a hushed conversation with Caelan.
