Etched in Bone

“Problem?” Montgomery asked.

“Only if the Crows around here learn how to turn on your police cars—and drive.”

Montgomery looked alarmed.

“He’s teasing you,” Meg said, patting Montgomery’s arm. “Aren’t you, Simon? Simon?”

He looked at her.

“Oh dear.”

Eventually Kowalski and Nathan arrived with a carful of Crows, who obligingly hopped out and then perched on any part of the car where they didn’t slide off. Burke and O’Sullivan arrived a few minutes later with Captain Miller and his officer following in their own car.

After a brief discussion, it was decided that Burke and Montgomery would take Simon and Meg home, while Kowalski and O’Sullivan, along with Blair and Nathan, would help Captain Miller and the humans from the medical office retrieve the body in the woods. With the Elders so close, it wasn’t safe for the humans to go in without the Wolfgard going with them.

While Simon carried Meg to Burke’s black sedan, she didn’t say anything about his not wearing clothes. But as soon as they were settled in the backseat, she glanced at him and blushed. “Simon, could you . . . ?”

Another human had hurt her, and right now she didn’t trust this form. He shifted to Wolf and did his best to find a comfortable position after she hauled him halfway into her lap and held on.

It took longer to return to Lakeside than it had to drive to the spot where the car and Cyrus Montgomery had been located.

Burke hadn’t said anything about a patrol car full of Crows, but every time the Crowgard flew toward the road, he slowed down to let them keep pace with the sedan for a minute or two—to let them see the sweet blood in the backseat, sleeping with her cheek on the head of a large, dozing Wolf.

Then the Crowgard flew off to spread the word: Broomstick Girl and her Wolf were going home.