Hidden Moon (Nightcreature 7)

"I hear you don't keep a wolf in your menagerie. " She headed for the next enclosure.

Cartwright scowled in my direction before following.

"Was that a secret?" I asked.

He ignored me. "As I told the mayor, wolves are troublesome. "

Grace stood in front of the third cage, which was empty. I was glad I'd seen at least one thing right tonight.

Logically I knew the cougar and the bear couldn't have been running around the woods with the Gypsies, then miraculously appeared back in the wagons just before we came to see them. But I was also pretty sure I couldn't have overlooked an animal the size of a grizzly when I'd glanced in that second cage. The conflict of what had to be true and what couldn't be made me a little bit dizzy.

"Explain how wolves are troublesome. " Grace continued to stare into the empty space.

"They spook the horses," I volunteered.

"And a cougar doesn't?"

"We keep the predatory animals away from them," Malachi said.

"Neat trick. " Grace tilted her head. "But they have to run into each other sometime. "

"There can be incidents. But my horses are very well trained. "

"If they're well trained enough to tolerate the scent of a wild cat and a grizzly, why would a wolf be any different?"

"Wolves are pack animals. They don't do well alone, unless they're rogues, and then they're dangerous. "

"More dangerous than a cougar?" Grace asked.

"Depends on the wolf. "

She cursed beneath her breath, kicked at the dirt, then stalked down the line of cage wagons, peering into each and every one.

Cartwright watched her go. "What did I say?"

I wasn't sure if I was supposed to mention the hiker who'd been mauled by the wolf. I suspected not, since we'd come out here to secretly search for it. Thankfully Cartwright hadn't asked yet what we were doing on his temporary property.

"Grace is prickly," I said, then headed after her, checking out the occupants of the wagons as she had.

Brass plates identified them with monikers you might find in any phone book. What happened to naming animals after their animal-like attributes - Fluffy, Blackie, and Spot for instance? I guess Teeth, Claws, and Horrific Bloody Death aren't exactly good for business.

"Three monkeys, two zebras, a camel," Grace tallied as I joined her.

"Five crows, an owl, an eagle, and a hawk," I added. "You must really go through the birdseed. "

Grace spun toward Cartwright. "What was in the empty cage?"

Confusion spread over his face. "Nothing. That is what makes it empty. "

Grace smacked herself in the forehead with the flat of her hand. "I meant," she said between her teeth, "what was in there before it became empty?"

"Nothing," he repeated. "We need to have at least one empty cage for an animal to be put into while their enclosure is cleaned. "

Why was I disappointed that his explanation made sense? What could he possibly be up to?

I had no idea about the latter; unfortunately, I had a very good idea on the former. I wanted Cartwright to be untrustworthy so I had good reason to avoid him and the attraction I felt.

I had wanted him, and I hadn't wanted anyone since. . .