“The kids.”
Rex laughs so hard, he almost falls down. “Yes, they’re gone. They went to get some ice cream. Your dead act fooled them, I think.”
“Oh, thank God,” I mutter, gulping down half the beer. “I thought I was actually going to go insane.”
“Wait until it’s your kid,” Rex chuckles. “Then there’s no escape.”
“At least I won’t have to deal with a hoard,” I say, sitting up. “Today has been a trial.”
“But a complete success,” Rex says, tapping his beer against mine. “You’ve done a great job.”
I look out over the park, the masses of people milling around, the bright stalls, games, and rides. I’ve never seen Clover look so full, and I know that more than anything else, it’s the goodwill between the packs that has made this day such a success.
“Where’s Brad?” I ask.
“Here,” he says, approaching from behind us. “I’ve got a cooler with six long necks in it, but I’m hiding from Alisha, so make some room for me in the grass.”
“What have you done?” Rex asks.
Brad winces. “I may have left the carousel unattended.”
“Ouch,” Rex says.
“Yeah. It’s okay, no one got hurt. They just got an extra-long ride. I don’t think the kids even noticed.”
“Good job,” I mutter.
“Like you can talk, cowering out here in the grass like a scolded barn cat.”
“Shut up and hand me a beer,” I say, shoving him. “We’re both in disgrace, so let’s just leave it at that.”
For a few minutes, we just enjoy the good beer, watching the sun slowly sinking towards the west. The smell of cooking meat tinges the air, and lights start to come on around the stalls and rides.
When we announced Clover’s first-ever fair, we hoped for a small, manageable event that would introduce the packs toeach other and hopefully strengthen our bond. I never imagined that Rose Hollow and Eccles would go to a monumental effort to bring resources all the way up the mountain to turn our modest event into a full-on carnival.
I shouldn’t be surprised. Both packs have been working overtime to improve conditions up here.
In the days after the trial, the town went through some restructuring that wasn’t easy for anyone. More pack members loyal to Jackson surfaced, while people who had been hurt by him suddenly demanded recompense, and we ended up dealing with every grievance individually.
We undertook a mission to Caliente to find Jackson’s father, but the trail was ice cold. With the gang all dead, we had no leads to go on, and it was highly likely the old dog cleared out at the first sign of trouble.
And if he didn’t, and he’s lurking around looking for revenge, we’re ready for him.
Bringing in upgrades for the town helped tremendously to heal the wounds made by Jackson’s schemes, and within a few weeks of having modern luxuries, everyone happily forgot what it had been like when Jackson was running the show. They began focusing on a bright, comfortable future.
“Have there been any more rumors?” Rex asks, very softly.
“No,” I answer. “Not that I’ve heard, and we’ve had our ears to the ground.”
After Melanie’s startlingly accurate words at the trial, there were a few people who harbored old grudges. We managed to smooth over any issues, but it meant hiding the truth of the stone from the people of Clover.
Even Sara.
“How are things on that front?” I ask.
Rex sighs. “Without full military equipment, we don’t have exact readings, but I did get a satellite update from Sloan a week ago. There were heat signatures moving in the hills.”
“And the rock?”
