Wild Country (The World of the Others #2)- Anne Bishop Page 0,62

Virgil about keeping that door locked until someone—probably her, since it sounded like her job description included everything Virgil and Kane didn’t want to do—examined all those weapons and made them safe to store.

A quick exploration of the other rooms back there showed her a bathroom complete with a shower stall and a kitchen with a coffeemaker, a wave-cooker, and an under-the-counter fridge, as well as a square wooden table and four chairs. Mugs, glasses, and plates in the cupboards. Silverware in the drawers.

On the other end of that hallway, just past the half-closed door of what she assumed was Virgil’s office, was another door. Jana opened that one and found three basic cells with nothing but a cot in each. Not even a toilet, which she’d thought was pretty standard these days.

Then she noticed the sign printed with large black letters and an arrow pointing to the last cell. THE ME TIME CELL. And she knew, just knew, which gender was being targeted.

Mad enough to spit, Jana spun around and almost plowed into Virgil.

“What the dickens is that?” she yelled, jabbing a finger in the direction of the sign.

“It’s a sign.”

“The Me Time cell? Really? And who ends up in there?”

“Females who need time to figure out why they shouldn’t yap at me.”

“Females.” She snarled the word. “Females who challenge you get put in a cage. What happens to the men? Huh? What happens to them?”

Virgil stepped forward. His shoes bumped hers. She had to crane her neck to look up at him without taking a step back. That would be a submissive act, and she would not be submissive. Her time at the academy had shown her that she had to stand up for herself and fight for everything she wanted. She’d thought it was harassment and bullying; she hadn’t appreciated that it was a necessary part of her training.

“What happens to them?” she said again.

He brought his face close to hers and she saw odd flickers of red in his amber eyes. Baring his teeth and revealing fangs too long to be human, he snarled, “I. Bite. Them.”

Stay focused on the job. Stay focused—and don’t start a pissing contest you can’t win.

Jana took a step back. She would stay focused and show the darn snarlies that she could do the job. “Most, if not all, of the weapons you’ve shoved into that storeroom are still loaded. That’s dangerous. That room should be locked at all times, and the weapons unloaded. Sir.”

Virgil stared at her. “You know how to do this?”

“Yes, sir, I do. Should I add it to the rest of my duties?”

“Yes.” He walked away.

Yes. Just yes.

She stayed in the holding area a full minute before she felt she could see him again without launching herself at him. If she did that, she’d end up in one of those cells for assaulting a superior officer—assuming she didn’t end up seriously hurt. Virgil was bigger, he was stronger, and he had meaner teeth. And he’d have Kane throwing in with him.

“You can get through this shift,” she whispered. “Just get through your first shift.”

Virgil reappeared in the doorway to the holding area. “Why are you still there? You have to see the car and find a horse. You can sniff around the cells later.”

She paused long enough to put the hunting knife and boxes of cartridges into a middle desk drawer—and found a gun-cleaning kit already there. Then she went outside and followed Virgil and Kane, who was still furry, to the back of the building. The only vehicle in the spaces designated for the sheriff’s office was a shiny black utility vehicle that had “Bennett Police” painted along the sides.

Wasn’t a patrol car like she was used to seeing in the Northeast. In fact, except for the lights, it didn’t have any of the accoutrements usually associated with police cars. It did have a sizable cargo area, which made her think the back seats had been folded down to accommodate the snarlies.

Could Wolves be back-seat drivers? She didn’t relish the idea of Virgil breathing on her neck and growling opinions while she chauffeured him around town.

“The humans who take care of cars made sure this one could travel,” Virgil said. “You make sure you can drive it and know how to make it light up and howl.”

“Yes, sir.”

Kane lifted a leg and peed on one of the tires. Since he went around to the other side, she figured he was peeing on one of the tires