By the time she came back, he was breathing easily and bending his knees.
"I brought some eggnog," she said. "And some marshmallows. Do werewolves eat marshmallows?"
"Don't see why not," he said.
He pulled himself to his feet and staggered a little.
"How did you know I was in trouble?" he asked.
"I didn't," she said. "Nicky knew somehow. Dog telegraph, I suppose. "
"How did you know to let her go to me?" he asked.
She looked into his eyes. Still Sam's eyes.
"I guess I responded to her auditory cues," said Mona. "That happens in a close relationship. "
He took her hand between his paws and pressed it to his chest.
"So, this is the big secret," she said as they walked together out of the tool room. "All those nights you avoided me were when the moon was full. I never picked up on the pattern. "
"Didn't see any way of telling you," he said.
"All things considered, that's understandable," she said. "I'm sorry I didn't understand it at the time. "
"It's Christmas Eve," he said. "I think a little forgiveness is in order. Both ways. "
"Okay," she said.
"Dogs, playtime's over!" he called.
They came up to him, and he knelt before them.
"Thank you," he said. "Thank you all. "
Tails thumped on the floor.
"Dogs, cages," he said, and they turned and went to their beds. He pressed the switch, and the cages closed.
"What are you going to do about those men?" she asked, rubbing Nicky's neck.
"I'll put what's left of them into their van, and drive it down to the old quarry pond," he said. "I should be able to sink it in there. "
"Won't you be leaving fingerprints?"
He held up his paws.
"I don't have fingerprints right now," he said. "And if they find a hair, they'll just think it was a
wolf. "
"Want me to mop up while you're gone?"
"No," he said. "I'll do that tomorrow. "
"Hell of a way to spend Christmas Day. "
"Could have been a whole lot worse," he said. "You get a fire going outside. "