Hidden Moon (Nightcreature 7)

"A few?" Malachi glanced at me. "I'd heard about only one. " Understanding lit his face. "Ah, another today then. "

Grace didn't confirm or deny. "There hasn't been a wolf in these mountains for centuries, and you insist you don't have a wolf in your caravan. "

"We don't. You've seen for yourself all the animals we possess. "

"You could have hidden it. "

&nbs

p; "It isn't that simple to hide a wild animal. However, you aren't really looking for a wolf but a werewolf. "

"I'll take either one. "

He didn't appear concerned that the sheriff had lost her mind; he didn't even seem to think she had.

"All our problems seemed to start when you showed up," Grace continued.

"We came for the festival, along with a thousand other people you don't know. "

"You told us yourself that Hitler incarcerated the Gypsies in the camps. Now we've just discovered that Mengele was making a werewolf army in those camps. "

Mal's face went still.

"Coincidence?" Grace asked. "I don't think so. "

"My people aren't werewolves, Sheriff. "

"Then you won't mind if I search your camp," Grace said.

"That would be fine. " Malachi stood. "Shall we?"

"I'll need to talk to everyone in your group. Privately. "

"All right. "

"Good. " Grace indicated I should join her in the hall. Once there she began to pace, muttering, "Gotta find something silver. "

I sighed. "Fine. Do you have an earring. . . ?" The word made me pause, then laugh. -

Grace stopped pacing. "Have you flipped out?"

"Mal isn't a werewolf. " I grinned like a fool.

"How you figure?"

"His crucifix earring. "

"I don't think the crucifix thing works on a werewolf, just vampires. "

"He's still got silver stuck right through his ear, and he isn't on fire. "

Her lips tightened; then she shrugged. "I guess that'll get him off the hook. For now. "

A shuffle at the end of the hall caused us to turn. At the sight of Doc, we tensed.

"Is there a problem?" I asked.

His face crumpled into lines of confusion. "Problem?"