“How do you feel?” Trujillo asked.
“Jesus, Man,” I said. “How do you think I feel? We lost six people today. We lost godda—we lost Hiram Yoder. We would all be dead if it wasn’t for him. He saved this colony, him and the Mennonites. Now he’s dead, and it’s my fault.”
“It was Paulo who put that posse together,” Trujillo said. “He went against your orders and he got five others killed. And put you and Jane in danger. If someone’s going to shoulder the blame, it should be him.”
“I’m not looking to blame Paulo,” I said.
“I know you’re not,” Trujillo said. “That’s why I’m saying it. Paulo was a friend of mine, as good a friend as I have here. But he did something foolish, and he got those men killed. He should have listened to you.”
“Yes. Well,” I said. “I thought making these creatures a state secret would keep something like this from happening. That’s why I did it.”
“Secrets have a way of getting out,” Trujillo said. “You know that. Or should.”
“I should have let everyone know about these things,” I said.
“Maybe,” Trujillo said. “You had to make a call here and you made it. It wasn’t the one I would have thought you would make, I have to say. It wasn’t like you. If you don’t mind me saying so, you’re not that good with secrets. People here aren’t used to you having them, either.”
I grunted assent and patted my dog. Trujillo shifted uncomfortably in his chair for a few minutes. “What are you going to do now?” he asked.
“Fuck if I know,” I said. “Right now what I’d really like to do is put a fist through my wall.”
“I’d advise against that,” Trujillo said. “I know you don’t like taking my advice on general principle. Nevertheless, there it is.”
I smiled at that one. I nodded toward the door. “How are people?”
“They’re scared as hell,” Trujillo said. “One man died yesterday, six more died today, five of them disappeared, and people are worried they’ll be next. I suspect most people will be sleeping inside the village for the next couple of nights. I’m afraid the cat is out of the bag about these creatures being intelligent, by the way. Gutierrez told a whole lot of people while he was trying to recruit for his posse.”
“I’m surprised another group hasn’t gone out looking for the werewolves,” I said.
“You’re calling them werewolves?” Trujillo said.
“You saw the one that killed Hiram,” I said. “Tell me that’s not what it looks like.”
“Do me a favor and don’t share that name,” Trujillo said. “People are scared enough.”
“Fine,” I said.
“And yes, there was another group who wanted to go out and try to get revenge. A bunch of idiot kids. Your daughter’s boyfriend Enzo was one of them.”
“Ex-boyfriend,” I said. “Did you talk them out of doing something stupid?”
“I pointed out that five grown men went out hunting for them and not a single one of them came home,” Trujillo said. “That seemed to calm them down a bit.”
“Good,” I said.
“You need to make an appearance tonight, down at the community hall,” Trujillo said. “People will be there. They need to see you.”
“I’m not in any shape to see people,” I said.
“You don’t have a choice,” Trujillo said. “You’re the colony leader. People are in mourning, John. You and your wife are the only ones that came out of this alive, and she’s in the medical bay. If you spend the entire night hiding in here, it says to everyone out there that no one gets away from these things alive. And you kept a secret from them. You need to start making up for that.”
“I didn’t know you were a psychologist, Man,” I said.
“I’m not,” he said. “I’m a politician. And so are you, whether you want to admit to it or not. This is the job of a colony leader.”
“I tell you truly, Man,” I said. “If you asked for the job of colony leader, I would give it to you. Right now, I would. I know you think you should have been colony leader. So. The job is yours. Want it?”
Trujillo paused to consider his words. “You’re right,” he said. “I thought I should have been the colony leader. Occasionally I still do. And someday, I think I probably will be. But right now, it’s not my job. It’s yours. My job is to be your loyal opposition. And what your loyal opposition thinks is this: Your people are scared, John. You’re their leader. Do some goddamn leading. Sir.”
“That’s the first time you’ve ever called me sir,” I said, after a long minute.
Trujillo grinned. “I was saving it for a special moment,” he said.
“Well, then,” I said. “Well done. Well done, indeed.”
Trujillo stood up. “I’ll see you around this evening, then,” he said.
“You will,” I said. “I’ll try to be reassuring. Thanks, Man.” He waved off the thanks and left as someone else came walking up to my porch. It was Jerry Bennett.