He paused often to look around, turn his nose to the air, presumably smelling the whole range of scents he’d never known before. It took time sorting them out.
At one point he stopped and tensed. I could actually see his shoulders bunch up. He stared toward the road. Then he set the ax by the woodpile and backed toward the front door.
I went to meet him, my own nerves quivering. That thing that was hunting us…
“Someone’s coming,” he said, just as the sheriff’s car came over the dirt road and into the clearing. Side by side, we watched the car creep to a stop.
Ben’s whole body seemed to tremble with anxiety. He stared at Sheriff Marks getting out of the car.
I touched his arm. “Calm down.”
Ben winced, tilting his head with a confused expression. “Why do I feel like growling at him?”
I smiled and patted him on the shoulder. “He’s invading our territory. And he doesn’t smell like a real nice person, either. Just try to act normal.”
He shook his head. “This is crazy.”
“How you doing, Sheriff Marks?” I called out nicely.
“Not so good, Ms. Norville. I’ve got a problem.”
My stomach turned over. Why was the first thought that popped into my head, What has Cormac done?
“Sorry to hear that. Can I help?”
“I hope so.” He stopped at the base of the porch and took a good, slow look at Ben. I could almost see his little mind ticking off the points on a formal police description: hair, height, build, race, and general suspiciousness. Ben crossed his arms and stared back. Finally Marks said, “Who’s this?”
“This is Ben. He’s a friend.”
Marks smirked. “Another one? How many friends you shacking up with out here?”
Right, now I wanted to growl at him. “You said there was something I could help you with?”
Marks jerked his thumb over his shoulder to point at the car. “You mind taking a little ride with me?”
I did mind. I minded a lot. “Why? I’m not being arrested—”
“Oh, no,” Marks said. “Not yet.”
“How about I follow you in my car?” I said, admiring how steady my voice sounded. Something was very wrong. It was Cormac. It had to be Cormac. I wasn’t going to say the name until Marks did, though.
But Marks was staring hard at me. Like it was me he was after. He had no idea what his glare was doing to Wolf. I had to look away. That fight or flight thing was kicking at me.
“I don’t know. I’d hate for you to run off,” Marks said.
What in God’s name had happened? “I’m not going to run off. All my stuff is here. And why are you worried about me running off?”
“You’ll see. Let’s get going. Take your car, but I’m keeping an eye on you.”
“Of course.” I went to find my keys and backpack.
“Can I come with you?” Ben said.
I relaxed a little. It would be good to have a friend at my back. “Sure. You’re my lawyer. I have this creepy feeling I might need my lawyer.”
I drove behind Marks’s car as close as I could without actually tailgating, so that I wouldn’t give him the slightest idea that I was “running off.” I watched him through his rear window as he checked his rearview mirror every five seconds.
Ben frowned. “It’s a werewolf thing. Something happened, and he thinks a werewolf did it.”