Page 51 of Wolf Bane (Marked #3)

Murray eyed Ethan speculatively. “What’ve you been doing since you left the department, Stone? Been a while since I’ve seen you around.”

“Getting married,” he said, holding up his left hand to show off the shiny new ring. “Working in the private sector. Hey, what’s the damage inside?”

Murray sighed and began a litany of observed damage, warning us not to try and stay there tonight.

“One of our guys can go in with you to help secure valuables and take an inventory, but it’s not a good idea to stay in there till you can get it inspected.

It’s gonna be a fat wad to get this fixed up though. ”

“Of course it is,” I muttered, closing my eyes as everything just crashed down in a tidal wave over my head.

* * *

We stayed with Tyler and Justin. Mal had hosted us, a funereal dirge of a gathering after the joyfulness of just a few hours earlier.

He tried, bless him, and everyone did their best not to let us see how upset they were for us, but it was impossible to ignore for very long.

Someone hung thick, opaque plastic over the broken windows.

Tyler and Waltrip disappeared somewhere and came back with lumber and tools to add boards over it and the door where the firefighters had broken it open.

The spray-paint would take more than just elbow grease.

That’d require a trip to Ace in the morning for the cleaner one of the firefighters recommended.

By the time the trucks left and the neighbors had stopped vacuuming their driveways trying to see what was going on, Mariska was getting fussy and wibbly, whining at everything.

Even cuddles with Boo the Wonder Dog didn’t help, both of them tired and stressed from all of the activity.

And Reba had to leave because, well, it was just awkward as balls, and she had a life to get back to.

“Hon, call me on Monday. We’ll get shit sorted, right?” she said, tears tinging her voice. “When you have a weird day, you sure don’t go in halves, do you?”

Her embrace was almost my tipping point. I managed to hold it together as everyone trickled out, Tyler and Justin heading back to Tyler’s place to set up the guest room for me and Ethan, leaving just the two of us and Cullen to linger on my empty, dark driveway.

“It’s Garrow,” I said in the darkness. “It’s not some asshole kids being dicks. It’s Garrow.”

Fear was hot and coppery on my tongue, acid down my throat. Shaking, I grabbed hold of Ethan’s arm and squeezed, hoping it would somehow ground me to feel his solidity, his calmness.

The fact he trembled under my touch didn’t help after all.

“That’s what he said to me at the clinic,” I hissed, jerking my chin at the carport. The words were blood-dark on the pale blue paint, fingers of soot and smoke smearing across the threat. “ What do we do with mongrels, Landry? ”

“Garrow’s whereabouts are unknown to the council. The person who assisted in his escape, however, is being questioned regarding his intentions and possible location.”

“They won’t say a damn word,” Ethan muttered. “Whatever Garrow told them would be a lie. He’s not gonna villain monologue like some Scooby Doo character, Cullen.

Cullen regarded Ethan with a cool, though somehow patient, expression.

“I’m aware, Ethan. Trust me. I’m aware. The protocols for this situation are…

sparse. And my recommendations are not being taken into consideration.

So, it is with some trepidation, I am approaching you with this proposal: Find him.

Find him and deal with him. Because the council is slow to act, slow to make good choices, I’m making an executive decision and putting it in your hands. ”

Into the stunned silence, I eloquently said “Bwuh? ”

“Sometimes, poor choices are made for the best reasons. That doesn’t absolve them of the harm they’ve caused.” Cullen glanced back at the house, lips tightening. “What’s that saying? The wheels of justice turn slowly?”

“But grind exceedingly fine,” Ethan finished, brow furrowed. “Cullen, this could cost both of us our jobs. And more.”

He nodded once, sharply. “I’m aware. But there are things happening above your pay grade, Ethan. Things that, should this fall in line as I am hoping, will make this entire effort not only worthwhile but fruitful for us.”

The us was heavy with meaning. Not just the three of us, I knew. But everyone like us.

Hell.

Suddenly, I was bone-weary, and my eyes burned with exhaustion. “I need to lay down.” I sighed. “Fuck my life.”

Cullen smirked. “I’ll leave you to it. Expect a call from me tomorrow, Ethan. We have work to do.” He walked towards his car, stopping just a few feet away. “Have you chosen a honeymoon spot yet?”

“What?” I laughed, disbelieving. “Seriously? Does it look like we’re going anywhere any time soon?”

Cullen ignored me, walking back towards Ethan as he tapped away at his phone. Ethan’s phone chimed with an incoming text and Cullen smirked. “New York is lovely at this time of year. I’ll call tomorrow, but be ready to leave by 5 p.m.; I’ll send a driver.”

“But Ethan’s meeting with Benoit and Slidell…

” They’d been having surly, tentative video chats over the past several days, Ethan trying to offer some thin and wispy olive branch to Benoit’s small clan and Benoit…

Well, Benoit being Benoit. They were too alike, in so many ways, both wanting what was best for theirs, both proud and awkward when it came to making steps in the right direction.

Ethan had admitted, just a few nights before, whispering in the dark, that he wasn’t sure what to do for the Lugaru clan.

Invite them back to Belmarais? Offer them money, help, an alliance?

Benoit hadn’t been forthcoming. I had my own theory on what Benoit wanted—for the Stones to suffer a bit, for them to grovel.

Hell, for all of Belmarais clan to grovel.

But weres were too damn proud for that. So, they’d keep on their grouchy, snappish meetings for a while longer until one or the other of them broke and came up with a way to build a bridge.

Cullen paused, glancing back over his shoulder at us. “I’m aware. I’ll be speaking with them, as well.” He lifted his hand in a negligent salute.

“What? Why ?”

Ethan gave a half-hearted wave, clutching me to his side as Cullen disappeared into the thick shadows, heading for his car.

“What the hell?” I groaned. “Ethan?”

“We have tickets,” he said quietly, turning his phone so I could see. “We’re going to New York tomorrow. I guess we’re starting sooner than I thought.”