Page 12 of Bad Attitude
The next week everything went wellenough and somehow Bindi had been with him.Had she complained, heknew Rita would have moved her.They’d become the best of friendsand he’d managed to hide those qualities that had pissed her off somuch before.As a team, they moved through their jobs at top speedand Rita was pleased.
“I should have dumped Tammylong ago.They say she’s still hanging around here somewhere.Maybeshe’ll stay away from all of us.”
“Can you imagine us havingthat kind of good luck now?”Duroc asked.
“Not really, but I don’tknow where she could be staying.”
“I see your point.Maybeshe’s staying with a local guy?”
“Okay.I see where you aregoing.No house, no money, but she could have aboyfriend.”
“Exactly.She may stayforever.If she has a man, she may settle down.”
“Do I sound mean when I sayI wish she had left and stayed away from here?”Ritawondered.
“Not if they knewher.”
“Thank you.Here’s yourlist.”
Duroc and Bindi made their way out ofthe office and headed to the first job.This job was two hours out,but the other jobs today led back to home.There would be no reasonto stay anywhere but home.Things had quieted somewhat with just anincident every two or more weeks.This week was fine, and theyreceived word those new specialists would be arriving and severalof the older ones would be leaving.
He knew Bindi and he would be two ofthose but two more were going.Who they were he had no idea andsince he was leaving, it didn’t matter to him.Going to HQ mightimprove or hurt his odds with Bindi but she’d chosen to go.Whatchoice did he really have?No one and nothing would keep him awayfrom his future mate.
Usually, they all worked over theweekend unless they needed off.If he was poor, this would havegiven him the money for a down payment on a car or even a house.Hewondered why Bindi had worked more and more overtime.She must havehad a goal and it was hard not to wonder what that was.Duroc hadasked her some questions, but she’d told him little.That made himthink there were things in her past she had no desire toshare.
This weekend, it was different.Onlythose on call might have to orkwork because they had a week beforethose leaving would go and it would be every hand on deck for thatweek in order to catch up, Once they were caught up, until Tyne ranan ad, there probably wouldn’t be an issue.When he added newservices, that would create an issue too, but new people wouldarrive again.
He was glad Tyne’s business wasthriving but just as happy he was leaving here.Alaska had problemsother places might not.Duroc would bet they’d tried to affect thebusiness in other areas, but it was too well established, and itwas harder to find areas isolated like many places here.As far asWilde went, their record wasn’t good, and any businessman wouldretreat and try something different.
Maybe they were backed by people withunlimited funds.If this was true, they had lost incredible amountsof cash in this endeavor.They’d managed to recruit large numbersbut lost high numbers on each attack.In this area their group wasknown as nuts to the average citizen.Even a crazy group would backoff for now to regroup, but this one had only sloweddown.
This made him wonder if they wereattacking other areas as well.That made sense.Maybe they weretesting the people there and hitting the weakest areas the hardest?Tyne was big on secrecy, but Duroc thought it caused aweakness.
“What’s on your mind?”Ritaasked.
The party was in full swing, and Bindiand Mollie seemed to be bonding.It should have happened monthsago, not just as Bindi was about to leave.A guy was approachingthem, and he just knew he was going after his mate.
“You need to chill out.That guy is mated.He and his mate are cats.She’s a fourth anduncomfortable being around the other cats.His lady was treatedbadly by her grandpa, and they didn’t want her to go around othercats.He considered her a lingering reminder of an oldindiscretion.”
“How long have you known?”Duroc asked.
“A few months, Tyne is hardto get close to.I didn’t believe it right away.But Trail wasstill here, and he showed me.It scared me at first, but Iunderstand they’re like humans.Some are good, a few are bad, butmost are in the middle.”
“How long have youknown?”
He grinned.“Since I wasborn.”
“I can’t tell.Tyne saidsupes could tell by smell, but human senses aren’t strongenough.”
“In my life I’ve met ahandful that can.Usually, they have some form of supe in theirfamily tree.”
“Do you hope Bindi willchange?”Rita asked.
“It’s unlikely.Thatdoesn’t matter.She’s my one and no one else will do.”
“Others have said therekind has fated mates and if you find yours, there’s no point intrying to fight it.”
“Fighting it never worksout.”Duroc admitted.
