Hope had “forgotten” to tell him about the phone call. “This isn’t your fight, Jesse.”
“Yes, it is. I have a feeling that I’m the wild card. Your adversary has no reason to think Prairie Gold has that much of a stake in what happens in Bennett.”
“I believe my adversary is an Intuit, so he might sense more than you think. And there can be no wild cards in this fight.” He didn’t want her there, didn’t want one more friend anywhere near this place if they really had to fight.
Silence. Then Jesse said, “Tolya? I’m counting on you and your people winning this fight. But know this: If you should lose, the new leader won’t hold the town for long because I will put a bullet through his brain.”
Tolya stiffened, alarmed by her words. “His pack would kill you.”
“Yes. But he’ll still be gone, and my people will be safer for it.”
* * *
* * *
“Speak, prophet, and we will listen,” Jana said for the sixth time. She wasn’t sure Maddie heard her words or if the girl was speaking the prophecy to the best of her ability.
Maddie raised her shaking arm, her hand shaped like a gun. Pointing at Kane, she wailed, “Bang! Bang!” The hand moved to point at Virgil. “Bang!” Then to Jana. “Bang! Bang!” Then to the rest of them—Barb, Yuri, Kenneth, Evan, even her brother Mace. “Bang! Bang!”
“The doctor gave us an oral sedative for her,” Evan said. “It’s supposed to calm her down enough to break the cycle when she’s like this. Should I … ?”
Jana nodded. The girl hadn’t cut herself and therefore didn’t have the veil of euphoria to protect her mind from the visions. Maddie was being tortured by whatever she was seeing, and Jana didn’t think the girl would be able to make herself understood any better than this.
She closed her hands over the girl’s. “We understand, Maddie. We heard you, and we understand.”
Maybe her words had gotten through the terror. Or maybe Maddie’s body couldn’t take anymore. Either way, Maddie collapsed so suddenly, Jana barely had time to catch her before the girl’s head hit the floor.
Leaving Evan and Kenneth to deal with Maddie and the rest of their children, Jana walked out of the house with Virgil, Kane, and Yuri.
“We’re going to fight the Blackstone Clan for control of the town,” Yuri said.
“When?” Virgil asked.
“Today. Tolya wants the Sanguinati and Wolfgard to meet at the mayor’s office as soon as we’re done here.”
Virgil looked at Jana. “Put on your deputy clothes. You’re coming too.”
She didn’t bother to tell him she hadn’t taken a shower yet. Most likely, he could smell the difference.
Not important. Not today.
She ran across the street to her house, almost tripping over Rusty when she went inside.
“I know, pup.” She let Rusty out in the backyard, then headed for her bedroom to get dressed, hesitating when she heard the phone ring.
“I’ll get it,” Barb called out.
A minute later, Barb tapped on the bedroom door and opened it partway. “That was Zeke. Kelley called him a few minutes ago. Dina didn’t come home last night and Kelley is worried. Zeke thinks she’s catting around, if you know what I mean, but he didn’t want to say that to Kelley. And Zeke is more ticked off that she took a vehicle out yesterday and didn’t log where she was going.”
Jana buttoned her shirt and tucked it into her jeans. “Did he give you the license plate number of the vehicle Dina took out?”
“Yes. I wrote it down for you.” Barb waited a beat. “What can I do?”
“Let Rusty back in and feed her. And if any of our feathered neighbors are home and available, ask them to contact me if they spot the vehicle.” Jana slipped past Barb and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. “You should stay away from the town square today,” she said as she brushed and rinsed.
“But I have to feed the animals!”
“They’ll have to go hungry today. Stay home, okay?” Jana looked at her friend. It all came down to choices. “I’m not an Intuit. I don’t get feelings that way. But there’s going to be a fight, and you need to be ready. Pack a go bag for yourself. Food and water for you, Rusty, and Buddy. Convince Evan and Kenneth that they need to pack go bags for themselves and the kids right now. I suspect this won’t be the first time they’ve needed to leave in a