“Did Karl’s parents say anything about the terra indigene helping out?”

Another hesitation. “Probably, but he won’t talk about it.”

Monty kept his eyes focused on the building across the street. Gods, his men were taking an emotional beating for doing what they knew would help everyone in the city. “What about you and your family?”

“My folks are worried, especially after Lawrence was killed at the stall market, but they’re supportive. They’ve taken some flak about me being a Wolf lover, which ticked them off.” Debany gave Monty a sheepish smile. “My sister wants a job where she can ride a horse and work with animals, so she keeps asking about the River Road Community—what sort of job skills are they looking for, when are they taking applications.”

“Why don’t you talk to Roger Czerneda? As a fellow officer, he might have more information and be willing to tell you something.” Monty sighed. “Well, let’s hope that Karl’s and Ruth’s families come around.”

“Karl’s not holding his breath.” Another hesitation. “They postponed the wedding.”

He had wondered why nothing had been said lately but thought Karl and Ruthie had just decided to keep the ceremony private and have a party to celebrate once they moved to their new place.

“I don’t think their families were going to show up anyway,” Debany added.

It made his heart heavy to hear that—and it made him wonder if his mother and sister coming to Lakeside was such a good idea.

As he started to turn toward Howling Good Reads, Monty realized the For Sale signs were gone from the front yards of the two stone apartment buildings on either side of the two-family—confirmation that the Courtyard’s purchase of the buildings was going through. So far there had been no protests about the Others owning property outside of the Courtyard, but sooner or later someone would make that bit of information available to the TV and radio news. Monty suspected that the current owner of the apartment buildings wanted his money before he started stirring things up.

“Why don’t you pick up something at A Little Bite, get a feel for anything that might become a problem,” Monty said.

“Yes, sir. Are we talking about human problems?”

“Anything and everything.” He wanted to talk to Kowalski about things that weren’t being said. But first he needed a word with Simon Wolfgard.

Debany went into A Little Bite. Monty went into Howling Good Reads. The Residents Only sign was on the door, but he was, for the time being, a temporary resident, so he went in. Kowalski, dressed in sweat-darkened T-shirt and cutoff denim shorts, stood at the display table in the front of the store, reading the cover copy of a book. He looked up when Monty walked in.

“Aren’t you supposed to be arranging furniture?” Monty asked. Karl looked a little strained, but Monty couldn’t tell if that was because of family pressures or from moving into a new place.

“Oh, please,” Kowalski groaned. “How many times can you move one piece of furniture?”

Monty smiled. “That’s a trick question.”

“Yes, it is, especially since Ruthie is working today, interacting with the guest Wolves. Pete Denby and I are the muscle, and Eve Denby is supervising the placement of the big pieces based on notes Ruthie left with her, but Eve is a bit distracted because Jester Coyotegard is in the downstairs apartment watching the three kids. The third time she told us to move the couch because we’d put it in the wrong place—which meant putting it back where we’d had it the first time—Pete and I rebelled. That’s why we have a thirty-minute break. Plus, Eve has to negotiate with Jester on his choice of babysitting activities. He’s been teaching the kids to howl.”

Monty sighed. One of those children was Lizzy.

“Kowalski.” Nathan walked up to them, trailed by a teenage boy who was dressed in a short-sleeve pullover shirt, jeans, and sneakers. The boy clutched some paper in one hand and looked ready to bolt.

One of the guests, Monty decided. Nothing obvious about the boy’s looks, except the amber eyes, but he couldn’t quite pass for human.

“Nathan,” Kowalski replied, smiling at the enforcer and then at the boy.

“Kowalski is a police officer.” Nathan turned his head enough to make it clear he was addressing the young Wolf, but he kept his eyes on Kowalski and Monty. “He is not in uniform today.”

“Officer Debany is in A Little Bite if you want to see an officer in uniform,” Monty said.

Nathan nodded, then focused on Kowalski as he pointed at the paper. “We have a question.”

Kowalski held out a hand. After a moment’s hesitation the boy gave him the paper, which had been folded to make a four-page document.

Monty moved closer when he saw the banner for the Courtyard’s newsletter. The majority of the newsletter that Lorne Kates printed each week held lists of new books and movies that were available, as well as what movies were being shown in the social room located in each gard’s complex.

“It’s on the inside,” Nathan said.

Kowalski opened the newsletter. “The ‘Others Etiquette’ column?”

Nathan nodded, then tipped his head toward the juvenile Wolf. “He wants to know if that’s true.”

Monty read over Kowalski’s shoulder.

Dear Ms. Know-It-All:

Last night a human female invited me for dinner and some four-play. (It turned out to be two-play since no one else showed up.) After dinner she wanted to sit in the back of her car to play. Since this was my first social interaction with a human, I was trying to be polite, so I didn’t point out that the nearby field provided a lot more room to run around. I also didn’t point out that she didn’t have any toys. Anyway, she started patting me with her hands and licking at my mouth. When she put her tongue in my mouth, I thought she was hungry despite having just eaten a large dinner. So I obliged and gave her a mouthful of pre-chewed food.