Page 17 of Triumph of the Wolf
“I had no idea the definition of that word conveyed all that we did.”
“The word has alotof meanings. I should thinkcoming together for a common purpose, coping with, orentering into conference, argument, or personal dealings withwould all describe your encounter.”
“There was definitely coping.”
“Did you know there’s an archaic adjectival form of the wordmeetthat meansvery properorprecisely adapted to a particular situation?”
“I don’t even know what adjectival means.”
Bolin gaped at me like I was a savage ignoramus, but Minato returned before he could educate me further.
“If you turned into a werewolf,” Duncan murmured, “one might consider thatprecisely adaptedorvery properfor the situation of facing off against another werewolf.”
“I suppose so. I wonder what Izzy wanted.”
Not to attack me again, I hoped, though it was a possibility. Even though I’d found Ivan’s missing magical bracelet in Abrams’s now-destroyed lab, and I’d mailed it to him, Izzy had been by Sylvan Serenity to leave me a message, wolf-style. Long ago, I’d killed her cousin, Raoul. Even though I’d loved him and it had been an accident caused by savage werewolf instincts combined with teenage hormones, she hadn’t been inclined to listen to my explanation or forgive me.
“Ms. Valens?” Minato held up the envelope. “We brought this for you.”
Though worried about other matters, I managed a smile for him. “Duncan thought that might be an assignment.”
Minato blinked. “It’s a collection of funds from those thankful for your intervention at Harold’s movie theater. And we know you helped, as well, Mr. Calderwood. The collection is for both of you.”
“Oh. You don’t have to pay me—us—for that.” I held out my hand. “We’re just trying to clean up the crime in the neighborhood. I live here too, after all.”
“She’ll take it,” Duncan said brightly and plucked the envelope from Minato’s grip.
“Yes, excellent.” He nodded and stepped back, hands at his sides, as if to say he wouldn’t take it back.
I frowned. I didn’t want to accept money frommy neighbors for helping out, especially not after my deceased cousin had been exploiting them, charging them like a mafia boss for so-called protection for who knew how long.
“We’re most pleased,” Minato said, “that we haven’t since seen the brutes who were pestering our store and the establishments of other paranormal business owners in town. We believe you may have scared them away.”
“That would be nice. If you do see them again, let them know I’m still around and still…” I showed off my canines.
“Quite, quite.” Minato bowed to me and joined his wife in their car.
“Thank you,” she called before rolling the window up.
“There’s a rule in life. If people want to give you gifts, you should graciously accept them.” Duncan handed the envelope to me. “Maybe there’s enough to help you with the down payment for this apartment complex.”
“Oh, I’m sure.” I opened the envelope and peered in. “This might be enough for a down payment on a new cluster mailbox.”
Since I’d recently had to replace the ones in the parking lot, I knew how much those cost. Everything was a fortune anymore.
“Not bad for a night’s work.” Duncan winked.
“You like to look on the bright side, don’t you?”
“The world is a more welcoming place if you do.”
I lifted the envelope, moved to use the money to do something nice with him. After all, he’d helped me that night—as he’d helped me onmanynights since coming into my life.
“It is enough for a fancy dinner somewhere like the Space Needle,” I said, “if you want to go on that date you mentioned.”
“Is that the revolving restaurant downtown?”
“Yeah, I hear it’s got a great view. You should be able to see a lot of the Cascade and Olympic Mountains as well as Puget Sound.”
