Joe nodded. “We can make small packages of meat for the escorts, as thanks.”
“They would be happy with that. So what would you like in exchange for the meat you’re sending to Lakeside?”
“We don’t need . . .”
Jesse raised a hand. Joe frowned at her, making her feel as if she had misbehaved. But they couldn’t pass up this opportunity.
“You want something in exchange?” Joe asked her.
Jesse glanced at Shelley, who handed her the list. “Mostly, we would like connection, communication.”
“I don’t understand,” Vlad said after a moment.
“Bennett is the nearest human-controlled town. It’s our connection to other places because it has the train station, and the highway for the big trucks runs through there. We’re as self-sufficient as we can be here in Prairie Gold, but we’re dependent on the trains and trucks for the supplies that we can’t produce.” She waited. Apparently, Vlad was also waiting. “We have a library, and Shelley does her best to keep it running and bring in new books. And we have a small bookstore—well, I have a couple of shelves in my store where folks can buy new and used books. The point is, I used to be able to order a mixed box of books from publishers for my store, and Shelley was on e-mail lists that announced the new books that were available. Now we’re being shut out, dropped from the lists, told we have to buy quantities of each title that we can’t use. For the past couple of months, we’ve gone to the bookstore in Bennett and purchased books for the library, but last week, the bookstore was closed when we got to town. Funny thing for a business to be closed midmorning, but Shelley and I both had a feeling that the change in hours had something to do with the new decal displayed in a corner of the bookstore’s window.”
“HFL?”
Vladimir Sanguinati sounded friendly when he asked the question. Jesse hoped she was never around him in person when he was friendly in that way. Whatever he was, Vladimir was more of a predator than the Wolf standing on the other side of the counter.
“Yes,” she said. “Those were the letters.”
“So, the Humans First and Last movement has spread that far west.” A thoughtful silence. “They aren’t going to sell books to anyone from your town. Not for a while.”
“That’s just an example. I—well, all of us who have gone into Bennett in the past month—have the feeling that the town’s people are trying to squeeze us out.”
“You’re an Intuit,” Vlad said.
“Yes.” No point denying it, since she figured he knew it already. “And these girls, these prophets, that were in the news briefly. I would like to know more about them. Maybe we could help. I’m not sure how, but I have a feeling we can help.” She heard anger in her voice and tried to temper it. But she knew this was the moment that would make a difference.
“Mom!” Tobias said at the same time Joe said, “They’re a lot of work. More than other kinds of puppies.”
Silence.
“Vlad?” Joe finally said. “You still there?”
“This isn’t a decision I can make alone,” Vlad said. “Too many things need to be considered. But I think it would be wise to have some kind of connection between Lakeside, Prairie Gold, and Sweetwater, if for no other reason than our cassandra sangue are seeing visions of a connection. Joe, do you have an e-mail address?”
Joe moved away from the counter, as if the phone had turned into a rattlesnake. “No.”
“I can set one up for him at the library,” Shelley said, sounding so bright her voice was brittle. “Jesse checks her e-mail there too.”
“All right,” Vlad said. “Give me one where I can send information, and then you can send back the information we’ll need. Also provide a couple of phone numbers so that we can reach you quickly if we need to. I’ll make sure Jackson also has the numbers and e-mail addresses.”
“Fair enough.” Jesse gave him her e-mail address and the phone number for her store. “We’ll let you know what train will be carrying the meat.”
“Fine.” A hesitation. “When did the bison die?”
“Around first light; maybe a little earlier,” Joe replied. “Why?”
“And you didn’t call Jackson or say anything to him about the bison?”
“No. Why?”
“Nothing yet. Jesse Walker? With your consent, I’ll send your contact information to Steve Ferryman on Great Island.”
Who was Steve Ferryman? “All right.”
It must have been the correct answer, because Vlad wrapped up the call with a promise to send information. But just before she disconnected the call, he said, “Is there anyplace in your town where travelers can stay?”
“There’s a motel at the edge of town, connected to the truck stop and diner. Most folks who come here are guests of a family and stay with them.”
“Good to know. We’ll be in touch. I’ll tell Simon about the bison meat.” Vlad hung up.
“We should help with the meat.” Joe looked around, turned on his heel, and walked out of the store.
With a nod to her, Tobias turned to follow Joe.
“You be careful, son,” Jesse said.
He looked back at her as he reached for the door. “Always. You do the same.”
Jesse poured another glass of lemonade for herself and Shelley. “When you heard the name Sanguinati, you spooked like cattle in a storm. Why?”
Shelley drank half the glass before replying. “A form of terra indigene that drinks blood. There were rumors around the town where I went to school that the university was a hunting ground for a few of the Sanguinati. No deaths could be linked to them. In fact, a few girls would show off hickies they claimed were a ‘special’ kind of love bite. No one could prove that either. But there were a few young men around the campus who were very good-looking, and I heard they were quite skilled in making a girl feel very, very good.”
“So you didn’t actually talk to one of these young men?”
Shelley’s smile held the bitterness of old wounds. “No. I wasn’t anyone’s type—not even a vampire’s.” She set the glass down. “I’ll see you later. Thanks for the lemonade.”
Jesse put the pitcher back in the cooler and cleared the counter of the other three glasses. Then she looked around her store. What did Joe Wolfgard see when he and the other terra indigene came in here? What did he and the Others want or need that she could supply? And Vladimir Sanguinati, so very far away. Maybe not far enough?
No way to know yet. But she had a feeling they were all going to find out soon enough.
? ? ?
Vlad idly looked at the books on the display table and front shelves. Were the two bookstores and libraries in Ferryman’s Landing having the same problem ordering stock as Prairie Gold? And they had the rolling library too, a bus that went to the Simple Life community on Great Island as well as stopping in the spots where the Others on the island had built basic structures that were needed when they were in human form. They wanted books too. Maybe Meg could be in charge of handling book requests from Ferryman’s Landing and Prairie Gold. They might as well include Sweetwater while they were at it. He and Simon would continue ordering for HGR and the terra indigene in the land surrounding Lakeside, while Meg handled the other places and gave them a list.
Something to think about. For now . . .
Vlad went to the stock room and returned with an empty cart. Doubtful the humans in Prairie Gold had read any books written by terra indigene. He’d talk to Simon before boxing up a selection. After all, he didn’t want to cause trouble for Joe Wolfgard by terrifying the Intuits.
They still had a number of kissy books that he and Simon had pulled off the shelves. He could throw in a few of those and let Librarian Shelley tell him what kinds of books were popular with her people.