Page 54 of Quest of the Wolf

“Doesn’t have that self-driving feature so you can summon it for a reunion?”

“It does not. Perhaps I need an upgrade.” Duncan removed his jacket. “I’ll shift and go after those chaps. The trail is still hot. Do you want to join me?”

“I was tempted, but the police are around, and they’re specifically looking for a wolf.”

He paused, not removing more clothes. “Did they figure out our kind were responsible for the deaths in the parking lot?”

“They already knew that, but now they think Rue trains wolves and was responsible.” My words spilled out quickly, influenced by a mixture of frustration, bleakness, and worry.

Duncan blinked. “What led the police down that back alley?”

“I shifted to fight some of the thugs in the parking lot, and Rue was there. One of the ghost hunters got a photo of her patting my back. Mylupineback. Now, on top of everything else, I have toworry about the police arresting her.” I bent forward, the night’s events—no, the whole lastmonth’sevents—surging to the surface and making me emotional. Needing support, I gripped my knees. “She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s all me, and the police don’t even know it. Unless I confess. Would they believe me if I did? I can’t let her take the fall. But I… don’t know what to do.”

Duncan came around to my side and rested a supportive hand on my back. “We’ll address our problems one at a time.”

“We? You’reoneof my problems.”

“Are you still trying to rescue me?”

I straightened to say an exasperated, “Yes,” to his face.

“You’re a lovely woman, do you know that?”

“I may punch you.”

He grinned. “And have my van towed?”

“This very instant, yes.”

Jasmine watched us and glanced toward the door, like she didn’t know if we were about to fight or have sex. Or both.

“Do you want me to give you privacy?” she asked.

“Just for a minute.” I waved her out, though I didn’t have fighting or sex on my mind. I wanted to ask Duncan a few things that he might be less likely to answer with an audience present. Half the time, he didn’t even answermewhen I questioned him.

“Not for long,” Duncan told her. “I’m going on a hunt soon.”

“The police…” I warned.

“Won’t spot me. I’m swift, like a cheetah on the savannas of eastern Africa.” He winked.

“Have you treasure hunted there?”

“Off the coast, yes.”

After Jasmine stepped out, closing the door behind her, I said, “Do you know where Radomir and Abrams are now?”

“In one of their lairs, I’m certain.” Duncan waved vaguely. Because he didn’t know? Or he didn’t want to tell me? Perhaps sensing the unspoken questions, he added, “I believe they knowyou’re thinking vengeful thoughts about them. They haven’t been staying in one place.”

“I bet a lot of people have vengeful thoughts about them. They’ve enslaved you, had their thugs steal from my mom, shoot her and Emilio, and they’re still staking out her property, like they think she’s going to go on a vacation and they can sneak in and steal the medallion back.”

“Then their itinerant choices make sense.”

“I’m ready to kick their asses across the ocean. Maybe all the way to the savannas of eastern Africa.”

“A few islands and continents in the way would make it difficult for you to punt them to that destination from here.”

“I’ve got a strong free kick with a lot of clearance.”

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