Volkmann, why are you here? What happened?'
'We were hoping you could tell us,' said the doctor.
Karyn took Roy's hand and pressed it against her cheek. 'Darling, are you all right?'
'I–I think so. I feel a little shaky. Confused. What's going on?'
'You went into Drago yesterday afternoon and didn't return,' Volkmann said. 'This morning your wife found you lying outside the door. She came to get me.'
Roy frowned with the effort of trying to remember. 'Let's see… I was working here in the afternoon — was that yesterday? — when Karyn came home. We talked about… Damn, I can't remember what we talked about. An argument, I think. I don't know.' He rubbed his eyes with his fingertips before going on. 'That's it. After that I fade out. The next thing I remember is looking up and seeing the two of you standing over me just now.'
'You don't remember anything about last night?' Karyn prompted.
Roy shook his head. 'There was sort of a dream.' His eyes looked far away for a moment, then he went on. 'I remember something about an animal. And eyes. Eyes that I knew, yet didn't know. Doesn't make much sense, does it?' He turned to Volkmann. 'What's the matter with me, Doctor?'
'As far as I can determine you have no serious injuries. Still, I'd like you to come into town for an examination when you're feeling up to it.'
'If you think it's necessary. Actually I feel pretty good now. Just awfully tired and a little fuzzy in the head.'
'I think you should sleep now. Perhaps when you awaken your memory will return.'
'I hope so,' Roy said. His speech was beginning to slur as his eyes lost their focus.
Karyn stayed behind for a moment as the doctor went out to the living room. She drew the curtain across the window, then came back and sat down carefully on the edge of the bed.
'I'll be right in the next room if you need me,' she said.
Without warning Roy's eyes snapped wide open. Karyn recoiled as for an instant she looked into the haunted face of a stranger. Then his features went slack and his eyes closed in uneasy sleep. It had happened so fast Karyn could not be sure she hadn't imagined it. She backed away from the bed and went out. Softly she closed the door behind her.
Dr. Volkmann, waiting in the living room, was quick to reassure her. 'Your husband will be all right,' he said. 'What he needs is rest and quiet.'
'We were talking about going back to Los Angeles,' Karyn said, 'but he doesn't seem to remember.'
'It's up to you, of course, but I don't think the added pressure of going back to the city right now would help his condition.'
'I suppose we'll stay now, as least until he's better. Doctor…' Karyn hesitated, searching for the words. 'Do you think it's possible Roy could have been attacked by… by…'
'By the werewolf?'
Karyn nodded.
'You saw his body. There were no wounds.'
'Could it have come after him and he escaped?'
'We have no way of knowing what happened. In the morning you might question him some more about that dream he mentioned. But be gentle. He's not in any condition to be quizzed about a werewolf.'
'Doctor, I have to ask you something.'
'Yes?'
'Have you treated Anton Gadak in the last couple of days?'
'No. Why?'
'Do you remember I told you about wounding the wolf out in front of the house?'
'I remember. You thought at the time it might have been Etienne Jolivet.'
'Yes, until you explained about his migraines.'
'What has this to do with Anton Gadak?'
'As Inez Polk and I drove away from your house we saw Gadak on the street. He had a bandage covering one side of his head. And the ear.'
'Why didn't you come to me at once?'
'To tell the truth, we thought you might be involved.'
'Because you thought I'd put the bandage on and not told you about it, is that it?'
'Yes.'
'Well, I didn't, but I can understand your caution. Nevertheless, we'd be better off to trust each other. I'll find out what I can about Anton Gadak's injury. Meanwhile, you be very careful.'
'You don't have to worry about that.'
'You should be in no danger in the daytime, but if you can avoid it, don't go out after dark alone.'
Karyn saw Dr. Volkmann to the door and watched him start back towards Drago. Then she returned to the bedroom and looked at Roy. He was sleeping peacefully enough, except for a nerve that twitched at the corner of one eye.
Throughout the day Karyn kept watch while Roy continued to sleep. By nightfall she was exhausted. She undressed and slipped into bed next to him, being careful not to disturb him. She was so tired she dropped off in minutes.
Sometime during the night she was pulled up out of a dreamless sleep. Roy sat stiffly upright beside her, his eyes wide open, staring at emptiness.
'Roy, what is it?'
Then she heard, in the woods not far away, the howling.
Chapter Twenty
Karyn did not sleep again until it was almost dawn. When next she awoke, Roy lay quietly beside her. His eyes were closed, but the frown line between his brows showed he was awake.
'Good morning, darling,' she said softly.
He rolled his head on the pillow and looked at her. 'Hello, Karyn.'
'How are you feeling?'
'So-so.'
'Are you hungry? Would you like me to bring you some breakfast?'
Roy sat up suddenly and pushed the covers away. 'No. Stop treating me like an invalid. I've got to get up and do some work.'
'Dr. Volkmann said you should rest.'
'Doctors always say that. You rest. I've got work to do.'
Karyn got out of bed on her own side. 'If that's what you want. But try not to tire yourself.'
She prepared a big breakfast of buttermilk pancakes with fried eggs and thick country bacon. Roy only toyed with his food. He answered Karyn's attempts at conversation with monosyllables. His thoughts were far away.
'You should eat something,' Karyn said. 'You didn't have any dinner last night. Did you?'
'I'm just not very hungry,' he said, attempting a smile. 'It wouldn't hurt me to take off a few pounds anyway.'
Karyn looked across the table into the shadowed eyes of her husband and said nothing. This was a mood she had never seen.
Roy got up, leaving most of the food on his plate, and waited impatiently while Karyn cleared the dishes from the table. Then he spread out his papers and sat down to work. Karyn kept out of the way, but watched him. He grew increasingly restless, cursing at the manuscripts in front of him, scribbling angrily on the pages. Before an hour had passed he threw down the pencil and expelled his breath in exasperation.
'Dammit, there are pages missing. You'd think that somebody would check this garbage before they send it to me. I can't edit what's not here.'
'Why don't you take a break?' Karyn suggested.
