Wild Country (The World of the Others #2)- Anne Bishop Page 0,55

larger dogs either. Then she remembered the cat collar Virgil had given her the other day and wondered what had killed Fluffy.

“I’ll help you round up the good dogs,” Joshua said.

“Okay. Thanks.” What else could she say? Despite her collisions with Virgil, she wasn’t stupid. A pack of savage dogs, big dogs, posed a danger to everyone, and posed a special danger to someone like Becky Gott, who would just see a doggy and want to pet it.

Joshua finished his sandwich, then dug into the pack again. “I brought you books. I’m supposed to do more sorting after I’m done visiting you, but I stopped and picked up books so you could read while you’re waiting for Virgil to let you out.”

Barb accepted the books. One was a cozy mystery she’d read before. The other was by Alan Wolfgard and looked scary. Well, maybe reading a story written by a Wolf would give her a few pointers on how to avoid annoying the sheriff.

Thank the gods the human deputy arrived tomorrow. Maybe then she could voice an opinion to someone in authority without ending up in jail.

CHAPTER 15

Sunsday, Messis 14

“Next stop, Bennett.”

Jana looked out the window, wanting to see the town that would be her new home as soon as it came into view.

“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.” Candice Caravelli flopped into the seat beside Jana and pressed a hand to her stomach.

“Unless you’re going to try to find a human-controlled city, this is as good a place as any for a fresh start.” Jana didn’t add that she wasn’t sure there were any human-controlled cities left in the Midwest Region.

“You’re right. Besides, if I decide to try for the West Coast or some other place, I still need to find work and save some money before I can do that.”

Before she could reply, Jana saw the sign next to the tracks and felt a chill run through her.

we Lerned from yu.

“Oh gods, oh gods, I hadn’t realized we were going to that town,” Candice whispered.

Jana sat back, feeling queasy. She’d known why Bennett was being resettled. Of course she’d known. She’d read everything in the newspapers, watched news reports on the TV—and saw the pictures that were suppressed after that first shocked day of reports. But the truth had, somehow, been sterilized by her rush to get to Lakeside and get through the interview and subsequent tests. She had known but had thought, when she’d given it any thought over the past few days, that everything in the town would be clean and tidy and ready for the newcomers to move in. A totally unrealistic idea.

we Lerned from yu.

That sign was a harsh reminder that the terra indigene had slaughtered the entire town, had mounded the bodies for reporters to find, as the Wolves had been mounded by the Humans First and Last movement after being slaughtered. What had been done with the human bodies? Should she ask? Or did you survive in such a place by leaving some questions unasked?

She had chosen to come here, to work and live here. There was nothing she could do about what had happened. She could only do her best to prevent it from happening again.

John Wolfgard, acting as their group leader, stood up and made a sound like an abbreviated howl. It wasn’t particularly loud, but it stopped all conversation in the car.

“Since all of you have travel papers issued from Lakeside, we’re supposed to wait until any of the strangers in the other passenger car disembark and are dealt with.”

Dealt with? Jana watched the Wolf. He’d been friendly during the trip, had talked enthusiastically about being the manager of the town’s bookstore. In fact, he’d been so friendly, she’d almost forgotten he wasn’t human. But something of the predator now showed in his amber eyes—a sharp reminder of what he was.

“What does that mean?” she asked.

“The town leaders want to know why the humans are here and how long they’re staying.” John shrugged. “Some of the humans might just want to walk to the places where there is food, like we did at other stops.”

“Is looking over the passengers standard procedure?” Was that going to be part of her duties?

John shrugged again. “It’s standard for now.”

Jana felt Candice tense. The other woman didn’t have to remind anyone that she didn’t have any travel papers from Lakeside.

Not many people disembarked from the other passenger car, so it wasn’t long before John was telling them to collect their bags from