Dad’s curious expression morphed into a more ominous look. “And?”
I held the pop can to my chest, thinking about Morgan saying he loved me. But that wasn’t what Dad was asking. He wanted to hear about the fight. I gestured toward Rose and Fawn. “Are you sure they—”
“He already told us the parents from hell arrived,” Fawn said. “Poor Morgan.”
“Poor Lily,” added Rose.
“Thanks.” My stomach was growling, so I pulled a bun and hamburger patty out of the oven, where Fawn had been keeping them warm. I added a small pile of fries and a squirt of ketchup to my plate. I’d only had a cookie on my break, so I was famished.
“How bad was it?”
“Ezra took a beating but he’s alive. Jonah’s got a broken arm. Morgan’s got a cut above his eye. Ramsey probably doesn’t have a scratch on him.”
“Nathaniel? Is he okay?” Rose asked, slanting a glance at me.
“Fine, I think. Gladys ran off.”
Dad let out a relieved sigh. “It could have been worse, I suppose,” he said. “Over at the motel Ramsey smashed a mirror and ruined a painting of the waterfalls. The manager seemed agreeable to compensation. Pressing charges wouldn’t have been a good move for any of us.”
I told him what Morgan had said about the wolves surrendering the stones, about Ramsey keeping them. “Morgan thinks they’ll be reasonable,” I added. Dad was quiet, considering things, maybe. I took a bite of the hamburger and tried to avoid my sisters’ questioning stares.
Fawn put a hand protectively over the stone pendant around her neck. “Wait, are you guys saying we have to give these up?”
Dad took a sip of his water before he answered. “Other werewolves live almost normal lives without them. I didn’t have a lupine stone until you were little,” he said, and then explained to the twins what he’d told me about stealing the stones.
Rose’s eyes were wide. “That’s why they’re here?.” I felt a little weird taking another bite of my burger while Rose and Fawn were freaking out, but it was getting cold and I was hungry.
“It was always about the stones,” Fawn said. “Morgan didn’t come here for the reasons we think he did.” Ouch, that hurt to hear out loud. I stuffed a few fries in my mouth and forced myself to chew.
“Now that I’ve defied him, it’s only a matter of time before Ramsey comes for me,” Dad said, putting his plate in the sink. “Tell Morgan I’ll meet them tomorrow night. No, wait. I need to be at town council.”
“Okay, I’ll arrange it for after,” I said, tracking Dad’s gaze to the kitchen window. Outside, twilight was falling, purple and navy moving in across the wooded backyard.
“The full moon is Saturday. This couldn’t have come at a worse time,” Dad said.
The twins had gone quiet, maybe taking in all that was about to change, the loss of their pendants, the pain of their first transformation, how real it was about to get for them. Dad placed his hands on either side of the sink, his head drooping a little, like the weight of the situation was taking its toll on him, too. I was sure he was worried about facing Ramsey again, about what he might do. I got up and went over to him.
Dad flinched as I put a hand on his shoulder to reassure him that he wasn’t alone in this. And he wasn’t. I’d fought hard to bring him home a few weeks ago, fought not to give up hope when everyone had said he was dead. There wasn’t a chance I was going to let Ramsey take him away from me now.
***
“I’m leaving, do you need anything before I go?” Maggie asked, hanging up her apron at Pioneer Perk the next night.
“I’m good.” A few regulars stirred sugar and cream into their coffees at the condiment bar, but the tables were empty. It’d been a quiet shift. I’d already restocked the cups, beans, and all the milks and syrups. When Maggie left, I was planning to do homework, unless we got busy.
“Okay.” Maggie donned her long purple swing coat and pulled up the hood over her mess of dark curls. “Thanks, you’re a peach.”
“Listen, can we talk about my schedule? My dad doesn’t want me working too many nights.” I’d been meaning to ask her about the upcoming shifts since I got to work, but she’d been in heavy kitchen mode, head down, weighing flour, prepping things for the next morning and anticipating a reorder from the bowling alley.
“I’ve gotta run right now, but let’s talk tomorrow,” she said, blowing me a kiss.
“Wait, what’s the big rush?”
“Town council meeting,” Maggie replied. “Surprised you’re not covering it for the school paper. They’re considering a recommendation on commercial composting that I want to speak in favor of and then there’s something on the agenda about preventing more wolf attacks.”
I stopped wiping down the espresso machine. “Wolf attacks?”
“Yeah, since there was that other incident this weekend at Tony Ramirez’s farm, some folks put together a proposal to lift protection within city limits. I think the sheriff’s going to speak in favor of it too.”
My stomach roiled. Someone wanted permission to shoot wolves within city limits. I was pretty sure I knew who.
Maggie gave me a wave and left the shop, the door chime sounding. A second later, a few customers entered. I filled their Thermos bottles and wrapped up the scratch-baked rolls and scones to go. All the while, worry nagged me. I couldn’t stand the idea of not knowing what was going on at the meeting.
Dad didn’t answer his phone. I hoped he was there to speak on our behalf. Then I tried Cooper’s phone too. If he’d been a witness at the Ramirez farm, at least he’d testify it was a bluff charge, not an attack or mauling. He wouldn’t lie, would he? I sent them both texts asking what was happening.
After helping a few more stragglers with their coffee orders to go, I checked my phone again. No replies. Frustrated, I flipped the sign on the door to Closed. Maggie might freak out that I’d shut down the store for a little while, but she’d get over it. Or maybe she’d fire me—I didn’t know. But this was too important. I threw on my coat, locked the door, and hurried down the street.
Town Hall occupied the block adjacent to the post office. It was a small brick building, but its white columns decorated the front, giving the place a mash-up feeling of Colonial Revival at war with Federalist styling. The founders of Pioneer Falls had wanted to project big-city confidence, even though this was a small town.
People trying to see into the packed meeting room spilled out the doors, a rare occurrence for a council meeting, where the elected officials had been the same for years. I nudged my way forward, kind of hoping not to bump into Maggie, but needing to hear the proceedings. At the side of the room, I found a good spot to stand. Against the opposite wall, I saw Morgan leaning in a doorway. He gave me a little wave. I was surprised to see him, and a little relieved. I didn’t know how he’d heard about the meeting, maybe from a flyer, or even Maggie. I hadn’t texted him…that was weird to realize, but he hadn’t been my first thought when it came to protecting Pioneer Falls wolves.
“With Mr. North’s death last month attributed to these dangerous animals,” Sheriff Polson was saying, “we need to see the wolves as a threat. We don’t have a local animal control team. We only have the county unit, which we share with a dozen other towns. In an emergency, we’ve relied on citizens and local law enforcement to take action. It’s not something any of us relish, but if shooting a wolf means that we save a human life, then it’s warranted.”
A wave of whispers traveled through the audience. My palms started to sweat. I glanced around the room, looking for a friendly face, as the sheriff took her seat.
“Thank you all for coming out tonight,” Dad said into the microphone. I sighed with relief. He’d combed his thick hair neatly and sported a gray tweed coat with dark pants, giving him the air of a professor. I wondered if Rose had helped him pick out his outfit, since she’d always believed that you should dress up for tests. He noticed me in the crowd and his eyebrows drew together. I gave him a
thumbs-up and his frown deepened.
“First of all, I understand the concern for public safety. We all want to do the right thing, especially my boss, Sheriff Polson. But in our rush to react, we also need to weigh the facts. This was an isolated incident. Wolf attacks on people are extremely rare.”
“Tell that to Tony Ramirez or Ivan North!” Rick stood up in the crowd, an olive fight jacket atop his forest service uniform, giving him the paramilitary look he favored. Every time I saw him, I couldn’t help remembering him with a rifle in his hands. He pointed over at Mr. Ramirez, who was sitting in the third row. “Tony, you want wolves coming back for the rest of your herd? Or Cooper—where’s Cooper?” he shouted. “You okay with wolves shredding our citizens? More blood spilled?”
Cooper sat in the second row. I had a slice of a view of his cheerless expression. His eyes were narrowed to slits, his mouth in a thin line, unsmiling. He seemed unhappy to be called out, for the attention Rick was calling to him.
“Now that was uncalled for, Mr. Bowman.” The chair of the council, Mr. Lindstrom, who also owned the hardware store, waved at Bowman with his gavel. “You’ll need to wait until Deputy Turner is done speaking and then take your turn at the mic.” Bowman scowled as he took his seat.
Meanwhile, Cooper slumped deeper in his folding chair. My heart sank for him. I wished he’d get up and defend the wolves his family had sworn to protect for generations. I hadn’t been focused on him—maybe that was my fault for getting distracted by Morgan and everything else.
“In any case, it’s unethical to use deadly force on all wolves in response to an isolated incident,” Dad continued, his voice rising with emotion. “As Mr. Bowman should know as a forest ecologist, wolves are valuable to the ecosystem of the forest. You need super-predators like wolves to keep populations of deers, rodents, and other small animals in check. It’s about balance. That’s good ecology, plain and simple.” I clapped, along with some in the audience. Dad reluctantly handed the microphone to Mr. Bowman and then sat down, folding his arms.
A thin smile surfaced on Mr. Bowman’s lips. “Ladies and gents. These animals are killers. I’ve seen this in plenty of other towns where I’ve been posted,” he said, his voice taking on an authoritative tone. “This is not an isolated attack. It’s the first of many to come. If we do nothing, you can count on more of these vicious murders. That’s what wolves do, especially when they’ve had a taste of human flesh.”
Some boos went through the crowds, but there were some cheers, too. Anger surged in my blood. Ezra’s pack was bad, but I didn’t believe they’d killed Ivan. Even Dad was coming around to the idea that there were other suspects, other indications in the autopsy report that pointed at Ivan being murdered then dragged into the woods. It was maddening, sitting there, listening to Rick defame wolves.
“I’d shoot one!” Bob Murphy, a big guy in overalls, called out. He ran the auto repair shop near the highway. He’d always seemed nice, but the gleeful look on his face made me shiver.
“If I see one, I’d just turn the hose on it,” said one of the clerks from the grocery store to a round of laughs.
Dad’s face took on a reddish hue. That made me nervous. He had no lupine stone with him, and extreme emotion could bring on the wolf transformation. I had to do something. Mr. Bowman had taken a seat, but reacting to the ruckus, stood up as if he were about to speak again.
I muscled my way through the crowd and stepped up to the mic. “Excuse me,” I said, addressing the town council and then turning to the crowd. “Wolves have been on and off the federal endangered species list for years. Studies were done at Yellowstone showing how much the introduction of wolf populations helped the land. They control populations of smaller animals, which in turn affect other parts of the ecosystem, even the rivers and land. They’re good for our environment. Besides, it’s wrong to suggest shooting protected animals,” I said, pulling from some of the research I’d happened upon in researching wolf attacks the week before. “I’m shocked to hear upstanding members of the community support this travesty.”
Applause rose from the crowd. My teacher Ms. Wilson stood up in the second row, giving me an enthusiastic ovation. Morgan wore an astonished but proud look. I saw Maggie, clapping near the front of the room while she mouthed Who’s watching the shop? Dad had an equally puzzled look on his face, but at least the redness was fading from his cheeks.
“While that may be true, hybrid wolf-dogs and other mutts are not protected!” Mr. Bowman called out. Some townspeople showed their support with some whoops.
My hands shook as I stepped forward a little, causing a burst of feedback in the mic. “Cooper! You’d let them shoot your father’s hybrids?”
The council members turned their attention to Cooper, who got up and calmly walked toward me. I held my breath as he took the microphone.
“I don’t care what you do,” he said, tears visible in his eyes. Then he set the mic back in the stand and strode out of the room.
I hesitated a moment, catching my father’s worried gaze. Then I followed Cooper. I could hear the council coming to order again, and the debate continuing.
I caught up with him in the corridor. I touched Cooper’s arm. “Hey! Wait a second.”
“What is it?” He threw a glance toward the people hanging about, drifting from the meeting, talking on cell phones, reading notices hung in the room. It was pretty public in the lobby. “What? I have to go.”
“You don’t care that we might get shot along with actual wolves?” I whispered. “I don’t believe that.”
Cooper put his hands in the pockets of his canvas work coat. “Of course I don’t want you to get hurt, but the other wolves in this town are dangerous.”
“But we need you.”
“Well, I need justice. Can you give that to me?”
“I’m so close, Cooper. Even my Dad doesn’t think it was the wolves anymore. I just need a little more time. I can almost prove it wasn’t them.”
“Lily, ‘almost’ doesn’t bring him back.” Cooper turned and walked out the main doors of Town Hall. I was crushed as he left, knowing I’d probably just made it all worse. I turned to go back inside to find my dad, but a wave of people rushed out of the meeting all at once.
Maggie was carried along with the tide of people. “Let’s get back to the shop,” she said, catching my arm. “I heard more than a few people say they’re coming by for cocoa.”
“I’m really sorry, Maggie. I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t felt so strongly about the issue. You’re not mad?”
She shrugged. “Maybe next time, tell me if you really want to come. I didn’t take you for such a champion of the wilderness. Very passionate.”
“Thanks,” I said, giving a glance over my shoulder as we navigated the crowd.
“Gonna have to stock up on ammo,” Bob Murphy said to another man as he passed. “Can’t wait.”
“What?” I glanced around in concern. “Did I miss something?”
“You missed the end of the meeting,” Maggie said, patting my arm. “I’m sorry, Lily. The council approved the new ordinance. Effective immediately, they’re not going to issue any citations for people shooting wolf hybrids around town.”
Chapter Fifteen
I sat in the dark in the coffee shop after I locked the doors, curled up on one of the worn leather couches near the front. Nothing I’d done was making a difference. I hadn’t managed to bring Cooper to his senses. I hadn’t solved Ivan’s murder. I hadn’t been able to protect my family. It was about to be open season on wolves in Pioneer Falls. And any minute, Ramsey was coming to meet my dad and who knew what awful thing was going to happen to him. My only hope was that Morgan would be able to help diffuse the conflict, but that would require him to stand up to Ramsey.
My father arrived first. I unlocked the door and let him in. I knew Maggie wouldn’t appreciate us using the coffee shop after hours, but it was familiar and private. I’d clean up any damage, which I was hoping there wo
uldn’t be much of, after this ended—whatever this was.
The lights were off, but the bakery case was lit, giving the room a warm glow. Dad sat nervously at a table, drinking the decaf coffee I brewed for him. But we didn’t have to wait long. Within a few minutes, Morgan arrived. Behind him, Scarlet swept in, wrinkling her nose as if she hated the smell of coffee. I didn’t have a good first impression of her, but now, hating on coffee made me like her even less. Dad stood as she approached, waiting with a kind of politeness that I hadn’t witnessed before. In the vein of “Always stand for a lady”—which wasn’t his normal thing.
Morgan pulled out a chair for Scarlet and waited for her to remove her outerwear. He seemed edgy too, only stealing a glance at me.
“Can I get anyone anything?” I asked, not knowing what else to say. Scarlet dismissed the suggestion with a tight smile.
My dad took a place across the table. “Ramsey isn’t coming?”
“He’s outside in the car.”
Dad relaxed a little, but he still glanced toward the windows, as if checking to see for himself if Ramsey was indeed out there. Taking her time, Scarlet unbuttoned her wool cape and set it across an empty chair, then lowered herself into the seat. Morgan pushed her chair. Scarlet’s long red hair was brushed to one side and secured with a diamond-encrusted clip. Her dress, a black long-sleeved gown with tiny buttons at the throat, was tailored to fit her perfectly. Fawn would have wanted to steal her oxblood red boots. Scarlet looked ready for a designer runway show, not violence.
Dad, though maybe he was dazzled by her beauty, too, had a neutral look on his face now, readying himself for this meeting. I moved closer to Morgan, standing so that we were nearly touching. But I didn’t dare take his hand, not with Scarlet a couple feet away.
“Very well. Shall we get down to business? Do you have our pendants with you?” Scarlet said, tapping her polished fingernails on the table.
A Forest So Deadly (Pioneer Falls Book 2) Page 17