Growling softly, Simon went into A Little Bite and heard Nadine Fallacaro on the phone. Heard the growl in her voice and hesitated.

“You did the right thing,” Nadine said. “No point spoiling a good meal. Eve Denby just got home. I’ll call her and let her know. You want someone to bring your box of cards to your apartment? No? Okay, if I see him . . . Oh, he’s here. I’ll tell him.” She hung up.

“We’re not eating lasagna tonight,” Simon said.

“Pick what you want from the display case,” Nadine said. “I have to call Eve.” She turned her back on him as she dialed the Denbys’ number.

As he chose food for himself and Meg, he listened to Nadine and felt sorry for himself and Montgomery. It sounded like the female pack was going to gather in the Market Square this evening, and he and Montgomery—and the Sierra—were going to be smack in the middle of a showdown.

CHAPTER 11

Watersday, Messis 11

Monty tensed as he listened to Pete’s hearty voice.

“We’re driving up to Ferryman’s Landing to eat at Bursting Burgers. Special treat for the kids. Henry Beargard said there would be no objections to us going up there. Okay if we take Lizzy?”

“It’s fine with me if she wants to go.” It wasn’t lost on him that he wasn’t included in the invitation.

“Better if she comes with us.” A warning, carefully worded.

Monty looked at Kowalski, who was talking on his mobile phone, his face set in hard lines.

“We’ll be back before bedtime,” Pete said.

Translation: whatever trouble was in the Courtyard would be settled by then—one way or another.

Kowalski ended his call at the same time that Monty hung up and Burke approached Monty’s desk.

“Might not be the best night to have dinner in the Courtyard,” Monty said quietly. “Sounds like there’s some trouble.”

Burke smiled. “Should be interesting.”

“‘Interesting’ isn’t the word for it,” Kowalski muttered as he and Monty accepted a ride from the captain.

Burke pulled into the customer parking lot instead of going into the Courtyard and parking in the employee lot. The wooden door between the two lots was usually unlocked while stores were open, allowing the tenants easy access to the Market Square.

Unlocked didn’t mean unguarded, but the door wasn’t usually guarded by a Wolf in human form—and certainly not Simon Wolfgard. But he was the one waiting for them when Burke parked the car.

The three men got out. Burke walked beside him. Kowalski remained a couple of steps behind. Watching their backs or distancing himself because he knew more than he’d said about what was happening here?

“Lieutenant,” Simon said.

Barely a look and nod to Burke before the Wolf focused on him again.

“Is there a problem?” Monty asked, keeping his voice calm with difficulty. Lizzy was with Eve and Pete. Out of the way. Safe. But what about the other children? What about his mother and sister?

Simon stepped up to him and bared his teeth, revealing Wolf-size fangs. “If anyone helps the Sierra feed her pups tonight, those pups will be gone by morning. And ‘anyone’ includes you, Lieutenant. Especially you.”

Stunned, Monty said nothing when Simon walked away. He turned to Kowalski. “What do you know?”

“Nadine showed the terra indigene who work at Meat-n-Greens how to make lasagna. Special dish. Lots of ingredients. Limited quantity. Some of the lasagna was sold at the butcher shop in dishes that held four servings. The rest is being served tonight at Meat-n-Greens. I know that much because Ruthie told me we were splitting a dish with Merri and Michael. The weekly twenty-four-ounce per-person limit on meat purchased in the Courtyard is now in effect, and the meat in each piece of lasagna counted toward that limit.” Kowalski waved a hand toward the door Simon had left open. “This? Something to do with Sierra lying to Boone Hawkgard when she tried to purchase a second dish of lasagna.”

Gods. Well, he could guess why she’d tried to buy more than her share of a limited food. “I’ll talk to her.”

“Maybe you should talk to your mother first,” Burke suggested, tipping his head to indicate the woman standing at the far end of the employee parking lot, watching them. “She was here.” He turned to Kowalski. “And you’re off duty, Officer.”

Kowalski looked at Monty, then at Burke. “You sure, sir?”

“I am sure,” Burke replied.

Kowalski walked up to the light at the corner to cross the street instead of trying to dodge the traffic on Crowfield Avenue.

“Excuse me,” Monty murmured, leaving Burke to join his mother.

Twyla said nothing, just walked around the garages that formed one side of the open area behind some of the stores—and led to the back stairs of the efficiency apartments. She stopped at the foot of the stairs.

“We can go up if you feel the need,” Twyla said.

“But you don’t.” His father had taught him many things, but his mother had taught him the value of courtesy. She’d taught him to respect the feelings of others. And both his parents had taught him to stand up for himself without beating down someone else. Did she sometimes snap at her children when they pushed too hard or annoyed her too much? Sure. Every parent did on occasion. But true anger was rare, even toward Jimmy—and that’s what Monty saw in her now.

“It’s easy to say we’re helping Sierra in order to help the girls,” Twyla said.