Watching his little girl cross that short distance was simply a father’s caution. Not that he was the only one who watched Lizzy walk from one yard to the other. By now, one of the Hawkgard was perched on the porch rail of the apartment above his, another was riding the air currents and keeping an eye on the apartments and the Courtyard’s business district, and a couple of Crows were on Kowalski and Ruthie’s porch, enjoying the food that had been left for them. He didn’t think Jenni and Starr ventured out of the Courtyard anymore, but from what Kowalski had said, Jake Crowgard stopped by for breakfast most mornings before taking up his position on the brick wall that separated Henry’s yard from the delivery area—an ideal place to watch the humans coming and going, and keep an eye on Meg.
Now that Sissy was gone, the Sanguinati weren’t guarding the apartment building during the day. At least, not where they would be seen. But he suspected they had quietly taken over the apartment above Jimmy’s. After all, it did offer them a vantage point from which to hunt, and anyone who was out on the sidewalk or street after dark was considered fair game. In a weird way, the Sanguinati became a kind of neighborhood watch. Wrongdoers weren’t arrested and their fines weren’t paid in money, but the blood that was taken seemed in proportion to the wrongdoers’ misbehavior.
Monty returned to his apartment to finish getting ready for work. Grandma Twyla had decreed that anyone dawdling in the morning and making other people miss work or school forfeited the cookie or muffin that would have been included with the midday serving of milk. Lizzy had tested that decree just once, since Eve supported Twyla and Ruthie was willing to enforce their decision. Now Lizzy and Grr Bear were waiting at the door before he could put the breakfast dishes in the sink so that any tardiness wouldn’t be their fault.
He stepped out of his apartment a few minutes later. As he locked his door, the other downstairs door opened.
“Hey, CJ,” Jimmy said. “You got a minute?”
Monty turned to face his brother, who had been conveniently absent yesterday, as if a day was enough time to erase everyone’s suspicions about Jimmy’s involvement in the attempted abduction of Theral MacDonald. “A minute.”
Suspicions but not proof. Jimmy was still alive because there wasn’t any proof.
Monty studied the “aw, shucks, I didn’t mean nothing” expression and wondered what sort of flimflam Jimmy was going to try on him today.
“Been hearing about folks looking for a place to live,” Jimmy said.
Monty nodded. “A lot of people have come to Lakeside recently, hoping to find work in a human-controlled city. Stands to reason that those who do find work also need a place to live.”
He’d taken Pete Denby with him yesterday when he went to talk to his landlords about releasing him from the lease on the one-bedroom apartment near Market Street. The man had wanted him to continue paying the rent but also wanted to have use of the apartment to rent to another tenant. Monty had responded to that by indicating he would continue using the apartment—and would make sure he used the water that was included in the rent. The next ploy was complaining about the condition of the apartment—the lousy paint job, the nicks on the counters, the curling corner of linoleum in the kitchen. Monty asked if the man would like to see the photographs he’d taken of the apartment the day he moved in, which would prove the place looked exactly like it had then.
Finally the landlord’s wife, who had rented the place to Monty, reminded her husband that Lieutenant Montgomery shouldn’t be penalized for wanting to live closer to the police station where he worked.
So the papers Pete had already prepared were signed, releasing Monty from the rental agreement. He’d bet a week’s pay that this morning’s edition of the Lakeside News would have a listing for the apartment at twice what Monty had been paying.
“Thing is,” Jimmy said, “there are two empty apartments in this building and another empty one in the other building. That’s just a waste when someone could be living there.”
“I don’t think the terra indigene are planning to hire anyone else to work in the Courtyard. Not for a while anyway.”
“Wouldn’t have to work for those . . . for them. Folks could rent those places by the week or the month. I could take care of that, be a kind of overseer.”
“Eve Denby is the property manager for these three buildings. That’s her job.”
“Then why isn’t she doing anything about renting out those places? Not doing her job if she’s letting apartments stay empty.”
He heard the whiny belligerence in his brother’s voice. Which meant Jimmy wasn’t getting the answer he wanted—or needed? “Gods, did you already tell some people they could flop in one of the apartments?”
“What if I did? The places are empty. Where’s the harm?”
“Anyone who comes here without the Others’ permission is an intruder. They deal harshly with intruders. These apartments aren’t on the open market for rent. They’re only offered to Courtyard employees. And don’t go thinking you can have overnight ‘guests.’ You are a guest, and the only reason they haven’t tossed you out yet is that Simon, Vlad, and Tess like Mama. And if you think you can sneak someone in and pick the lock on one of the apartments upstairs so your pals can squat until they’re caught, think again. They’ll be caught before they can blink. They will disappear, and you will be standing at the curb with Sandee and the kids, and your choices will be getting out of Lakeside or going to jail.” Or worse. “Jimmy, your free ride as a guest is pretty much done. If you’re going to stay in Lakeside, you should find work and another place to live while you still have the choice.”
“Fuck that.” Anger in Jimmy’s eyes now. “You don’t work for the freaks. How come you’re living here?”
“Because Elayne was murdered at the Toland train station, and the people responsible came after Lizzy, thinking she knew more than she did. Staying here was the only way to keep her safe.”
A moment of shock and what Monty would have sworn looked like genuine sympathy.
“I didn’t know,” Jimmy said.
“Well, that’s why I took the apartment here when it was offered.” There were other reasons, personal and professional, but there was no point complicating things. Not with Jimmy.
“Look, CJ . . .”
The outer door opened. Kowalski stood on the threshold.
“Captain Burke is at the Courtyard. He wants to see you before we go to the station.”
Monty headed out, then stopped and eyed Jimmy. “You’d better tell those people the apartments aren’t for rent. If the Others link you to any more trouble in the Courtyard, Sandee and the kids will be relocating on their own.”
“And where will I be?”
“You’ll be in jail, if you’re lucky. And Jimmy? If that happens, there is nothing I can do to help you.”
? ? ?
Vlad reviewed the booklists, then eyed his assistant manager. “Tell me again why I want to order four dozen of the same book?”
“Because we’re going to act as a distribution hub for a few other bookstores,” Merri Lee replied with a smile that was meant to be disarming.
Vlad wasn’t fooled. Just because the female pack weren’t predators in the traditional sense didn’t mean you could let your guard down. But, to be fair, there was a rational reason for what they did.
Usually. Mostly. Sometimes.