“We do it every fucking day. Me and Wendy have made way better saves than that.”
Taylor scoffed and slumped into a nearby swivel chair. “You looked pretty flustered to me. If anything, I thought you were the one that needed saving.”
Amil rounded on him, slapping the back of his chair. “That’s because I didn’t know if you were coming, dipshit. I was calling but you weren’t answering!”
Johnny sighed, hitting print on another ten copies and watching as a stream of poorly printed twenty-pound notes came juddering out of the finisher. Wendy had assured him it was for an informational evening about fraud that she was holding at the town hall, but the mischievous smile that had spread across her face said otherwise.
“I didn’t respond because I was busy,” Taylor said, pushing himself out of the chair and leaving it spinning. He sidled next to Johnny and began pressing a load of buttons on the printer.
“Tay,” Johnny growled, grabbing his wrist. He sniffed, realising that Taylor smelled terrible, like cheap sweets and piss.
“Too busy? Too fucking busy?” Amil said, jabbing Taylor in the chest. “You had one job. Is it because they’re old? You don’t care? Or is it just impossible for you to take anything seriously?”
Taylor groaned and rubbed the back of his neck. “Would youstoppouting like that, you look like a… like a goddamned duck.”
“Taylor! For fuck’s sake,” Johnny said, smacking him upside the head. He turned to Amil, expecting him to start crying or something, but he was… nodding. And almost,almostlooking pleased.
“Just come quicker next time.” Amil replied, slipping off his stab vest and resting it over the back of his chair.Hischair, because if they’d learned anything during their first day it was that Amil was very particular abouthis desk,andhis keyboard,andhis mug.
Amil huffed, turning on his heel and heading towards the communal kitchen.
Johnny turned, pressing his temple to Taylor’s. “What was that about?” he said, hitting print again.
“Oh, just… something, something, old girl in the woods, took too long something, something.”
Taylor unzipped his stab vest, his scent stronger as it was released from beneath the Kevlar plates. Johnny’s nosetwitched, because there it was beneath the sweet piss smell—the scent of Amil, of omega, mingled with Taylor’s.
Johnny clamped his mouth shut so he didn’t bare his teeth.
“Also,” Taylor continued. “The guy threatened to send me through the fucking windscreen. And did you know they have these things called hedgehog hotels? They’re boxes for the hedgehogs and they’ve got rooms and verandas made out of tea towels.”
Johnny laughed, relaxing when Taylor moved towards the window.
“Yeah, there’s one in the courtyard.”
Taylor gasped and looked out. “There is! I’m going to feed it. I’m going to feed the shit out of it. Fuck the custody cat, we’re going to have an obese station hedgehog called… called?—”
“Inspector Pricklepants,” came Isla’s voice from the doorway. “His name is Inspector Pricklepants, and I already fed him today.”
Johnny straightened, hiding Wendy’s fake money behind his back.
“Sarge,” Taylor said, tipping his head. “How’s the old girl?”
Isla sighed, shaking her head. “Beatrice. Not good. Broken front leg and fluid on the lungs. She’s hooked up to a drip but they’re on about putting her in a medically induced coma. Her family was just arriving as I was leaving. But… Taylor?”
“Yeah?”
“You’ve got to be careful with these old wolves. They think she might have a displaced hip from you hauling her onto your back.”
Taylor dropped his head. “Oh.”
“You did good, though,” Isla continued, touching Taylor’s shoulder as she walked past. “Don’t listen to Amil. You both did a great job and the family are grateful. Just… be more careful next time.”
Johnny saw the tendons in Taylor’s neck strain.
“Do they know what was wrong with her?” Johnny asked.
Isla shook her head. “They’re saying it’s possibly lupine fever, but there’s no history of it in the family. We’ve seen a few like her recently, seemingly fit and healthy betas just wandering off. More blood tests are needed, I guess.” She cracked her fingers. “She was bloody heavy, bless her. Going to need an extra long yoga session tonight. Amil!” she shouted towards the kitchen. “Put the kettle on.”
