Gail chewed on her lower lip and looked thoughtful.
“You want me to do that for you?” I asked.
“Do what?”
I nibbled on my lower lip dramatically, shrugged my eyebrows, and then grinned.
Gail chuckled. “Maybe later, Hoss. Tell them that Montgomery has only agreed to see the two of us, but that we’ll text them the address when we get it. They can keep an eye on the place while we’re there, just in case.”
“We don’t know he won’t see them, too,” I corrected.
“I don’t want them with us.”
Our waitress returned with our beer and nachos. When she had gone, I took a sip of beer and munched a couple of nachos before asking, “You still don’t trust the Morenos.”
“Not as far as I can throw the pair of them. Look, Jesse, I know you and Marta used to be snuggle bunnies, but just because she gives great head, it isn’t a reason to trust them any more than we have to.”
I sat there with my mouth open, watching her eat. Noticing my slack-jawed expression, Gail picked up a loaded nacho, reached over, and shoved it into my mouth. I waited another second and then chewed.
“That’s better,” Gail said. “Look, trust me on this. It’s just a spirit, they’re not that bad.”
I thought about last night and shook my head. “Are all hunters crazy?”
Gail smiled sweetly and took a swig of beer. “Probably.”
“Shouldn’t we at least have Javier and Marta back us up?”
“That’s what they’ll be doing. We’ll have them watch the house and if necessary, you can text Marta and they can come bursting in, but I don’t want them in unless it’s really necessary.”
I sat back. “Is this just because Marta and I have a history?”
“No, not just that. I don’t want to be teaming up with other hunters, particularly with my present condition.”
So that was it. I said, “You really think they’d hunt you if they find out you’re a … you know.”
“I’m certain of it, Hoss, I would. Sooner or later all weres turn murderous. It may take a long time, but eventually we’re going to screw up and I’ll get loose on a full moon.” Her face darkened as if a cloud had just passed between the sun and us. “When that happens, people are going to die unless you put me down first.”
I stared unbelievingly at her. We had come full circle on that subject. When she first asked me to put her down like some kind of rabid dog, I had convinced her to let me at least try to restrain her on the full moon. I had succeeded on two successive nights, now she was saying I still needed to kill her.
I shook my head. “Gail, that’s not going to happen as long as I have anything to say about it, I will do whatever it takes to keep you from harming innocents, but killing you would have to be a last resort. Besides, we have the bracelets now. Those will keep you from turning.”
“You hope.”
“No, you know how they affected you and I told you they forced the change in the spook’s memory. I don’t have any doubt that you can’t go furry with those on you.”
“You can’t be—”
Her phone vibrated. She glanced at the display and then answered the call. “Yes?”
She listened for a minute and then said, “Okay, text me the address and we’ll meet you then ... okay, goodbye.”
“That was Nichols. Robbins has arranged for us to meet with Montgomery before sundown at his home. Nichols is texting the address,” Gail said and shoved another loaded nacho in her mouth.
A moment later, her phone chimed and she checked the display. “We have the address. He says it’s a half hour from the campus.”
We’d eaten about half the nachos when Gail’s phone vibrated again. She answered it, said hello, and then said, “We’ll be there in a minute.”
She downed the rest of her beer and pocketed her phone. “Pay the tab and come on, I’ll brief the artist on what we need.”
“Sure thing. I’ll be right behind you.”
Gail walked out while I finished my beer and left a twenty for the food and beer, then thought better and had our server put the rest of the nachos in a box.
I munched on them as I crossed the street back to the tattoo parlor.
The receptionist looked up, smacked her gum, and then smiled. “Your girlfriend went on back. Sylvia’s room is the first door on the right.”
“Thanks,” I said as I walked past the counter and down the short hallway.
Inside the first room, Gail was talking to the artist and she motioned me in when she saw me. I shoved another nacho in my mouth, almost dropping chili down my front when I did. I caught it and licked my fingers clean.
“Jesse, this is Sylvia. She’ll be doing your tat. Take off your shirt,” Gail said.
I closed the Styrofoam box and passed it to Gail. “You can finish these; they won’t be any good later.”
Gail set the box on a table next to the wall. “I have had enough.”
I shrugged and then shucked out of my shirt. “Pleased to meet you, Sylvia.”
Sylvia was heavily tattooed, but I didn’t see any piercings other than a few in her ears.
“Likewise. Gail showed me what you wanted. Have you had a tattoo before?”
“Nope, first one,” I said.
Sylvia’s eyes widened when my shirt came off revealing my kidney holster and the butt of my Colt.
“I’ll hold that for you,” Gail said.
I drew the Colt and passed it to her. She lifted the back of her shirttail and tucked the heavy piece into the top of her jeans next to her own holstered Colt.
Sylvia pretended not to see Gail’s gun.
I pulled my tee shirt off and heard a sharp inhalation from Sylvia.
“Dude, what got a hold of you?” Sylvia asked.
“Ah, bobcat,” I said without thought. While bandages still covered most of the claw marks on my chest and arm, several of the marks did show.
“That’s
