Marked In Flesh (The Others #4)

“Pull into the customer parking lot,” Monty told Officer Debany. Kowalski was taking a couple of personal days to move into the two-family house across from the Courtyard, so Debany was standing in as Monty’s driver and partner.

Many police officers in the Chestnut Street station supported the idea of cooperating with the Others, of keeping things peaceful with the beings who controlled most of the world and had the final say in what happened to humans living in Lakeside. But being supportive wasn’t the same as being willing to stand on the front line and interact with the terra indigene on a daily basis—especially when family members could be ostracized by their friends and neighbors because of the officer’s decision. That was a real possibility—as Louis Gresh and his family well knew. So far no one had stepped forward to be Michael Debany’s new partner and the fourth member of the team assigned to deal with the Lakeside Courtyard.

Monty didn’t know what to do about that. Apparently, neither did Captain Burke. Or maybe Burke, understanding that the assignment wasn’t just about another officer in the patrol car, didn’t want another personality added to the mix right now because in the back of the minds of the officers who were already closely involved with the Others was a single word: extinction.

The other concern about assigning a new officer left a bad taste in Monty’s mouth, but he had to acknowledge the truth: they couldn’t afford to have an officer who belonged to the Humans First and Last movement infiltrating the Courtyard and spying on the Others so that the HFL leaders could plan effective attacks.

As he and Debany walked to Howling Good Reads, Monty paused and studied the two-family house. “How is the move going? Wasn’t Karl picking up his furniture and possessions yesterday?” He’d heard what happened with Ruth; he wondered if things had been that bad for Karl.

Debany hesitated. “Karl’s parents aren’t bad people. Lawrence and I and a few other officers were at a cookout at their house last summer, and it was great. But now they’re blaming Karl’s assignment for everything from the butcher selling the last pot roast before Mrs. K. got to the shop to the price of gasoline. His brother, Tim, was halfway drunk when Karl got to the house yesterday morning, and abusive because of it. Karl wasn’t getting any help loading the furniture—and some of that stuff you really couldn’t lift alone. Then Henry and Blair drove up in the pickup. Didn’t say anything; just loaded furniture in the back of the pickup while Karl packed the van with boxes. Then they drove off.”

“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: