hunters."
"I can't take my rifle and blast this thing into the next county?"
"I wish. But this is out of my hands. The guy's hired and here already." He paused and rubbed the back of his neck as if it ached. "I was hoping you'd go to the office, drive him out to the scene. I won't be able to today."
"You're kidding, right?"
"I rarely kid, Jessie."
How true. Five minutes later I was at the station. First Shift was at the desk. Hell, I didn't even know her name anymore. Had I ever?
I glanced at the tag on her chest, but the word was too long and too Polish to figure out without closer scrutiny and a translator. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise at seeing me in the office two shifts ahead of myself.
"Clyde wants me to meet and greet his super-elite wolf killer. I can't wait to get a load of this geek."
First Shift didn't answer. Instead she stared over my shoulder with a frozen smile. Ah, hell.
I turned. I had to force myself not to gape, but I did blink. The man was still there. He was still the most pathetic excuse for a super-elite wolf killer I'd ever seen. Not that I'd seen very many.
Mandenauer stared at me with eyes so light a blue they were eerie. His white hair had the muted hue of the once blond; his complexion was that of the Aryan brotherhood ventured out in the sun too many times.
He was tall, cadaverous thin, and at least eighty-five. I couldn't imagine this man striking terror into the heart of any beast. But then, a gun did wondrous things for the fear factor.
I decided that the best defense was an offense. I'd pretend I hadn't said anything rude and maybe he'd let me.
"Hello. I'm Officer McQuade." I offered my hand. "Sheriff Johnston sent me. He's... unavoidably detained."
Mandenauer continued to stare. He did not shake my hand. The silence became awkward. I lowered my arm and gave in. "I apologize for my rudeness."
He dipped his chin, a courtly, old-world gesture. "No matter, Officer."
Though I'd been likening him to the master race, his accent still surprised me. He was German, Austrian maybe. The accent was one that never went away no matter how many years the speaker spent in the U.S. - just listen to Schwarzenegger.
"What has detained the sheriff?"
"A problem at the ME's office. The case of the disappearing bodies."
He straightened to a height of at least six-four. How did he sneak through the woods without smacking into a tree limb? His gaze became shrewd. "The bodies? Were they bitten?"
"Yeah."
He started for the door. I glanced at First Shift. She appeared as confused as I was. I hurried after him, catching up on the front steps.
"Sir? Mr. Mandenauer. Don't you want me to take you to the last place the wolf was seen?"
"Not yet. Escort me to the office of the medical examiner."
I raised an eyebrow at the order. I didn't mind being a chauffeur - much - but I didn't care for being a slave.
He must have seen mutiny in my eyes, because he touched my arm and murmured, "Please."
For an instant I almost liked him. Until I remembered why he was here. I pulled my arm out of reach.
"Sure. Fine. Whatever," I muttered. "But why are you so interested?"
"Because we may have a bigger problem in your fair town than one mad wolf."
Chapter 7
I didn't like the sound of that. But lately, I hadn't liked the sound of much.
"What kind of problem?"
His gaze scanned the tree line surrounding the town. He held himself as still as a deer who had just heard the footfall of man. A statue poised for flight the instant the scent of danger wafted past a twitching nostril.
Except Mandenauer would never be so gauche as to twitch.
I couldn't help myself. Even though I knew a wolf would never come this close to town, I followed his gaze. Despite the summer sunshine, the thickness of the forest meant that light did not penetrate past the first few rows of trees. Anything could be hiding in there, during the day as well as the night.
When I glanced at Mandenauer again, he was watching me. "Rabies spreads like the plague, Officer, which will be quite a problem. Shall we?"
He stepped onto the sidewalk and waited gallantly for me to join him. I stayed right where I was.
"This isn't rabies."
His frown was quickly suppressed behind a stoic mask. "And you would know that