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temper that went along with her red hair, and she fought not to let it get the best of her now. She couldn't afford to snarl at this man, to tell him he was arrogant and far too sure of himself.
    A lost animal needed help, and it was up to her to provide it.
    So she whispered when she wanted to shout. "I'm looking for a wolf, Mr. Blethyin."
    "You've found one," he whispered back.
    She sighed and looked around to make sure they were not overheard. "I did find a wolf—but I lost it."

    He lifted one dark, heavy eyebrow. "Lost?"
    "It escaped," she corrected. "And I'm afraid it's not going to survive out there on its own."

    Harry wanted to take Marj's hand and tell her, There, there, the wolf's just fine . Actually, he wanted to take her hand, then take the rest of her. Her concern for his were-self touched him, and it turned him on.
    "What makes you think your wolf won't survive?"
    "He doesn't have thumbs. Which means he can't shoot back when ranchers shoot at him. He probably doesn't have a license to carry a gun, either."
    Oh, I wouldn't bet on that.
    She blinked. "What?"
    "Wolves don't carry concealed weapons," he said. "Claws, fangs, and muscles have served them well for thousands of years."
    "They're endangered now," she reminded him. "They don't exist well in the same areas that people live."
    "That's right," he agreed. "And you're telling me you have a wolf loose in the environs of Kennedyville?"
    She nodded and gave him a very anxious look. "Please don't tell anyone."
    "And you haven't informed the local authorities?"
    She gave him a faint smile. "Of course I have."
    "Meaning—that you are the local authority." She nodded. "And why are you asking for my help?"
    He was half-tempted to tell her that to find her big black wolf, all he had to do was look in a mirror. This was scary, because being tempted to reveal anything to a human was far more than was safe or sane for his kind. Such honesty was only possible when a were took a human mate, which rarely happened these days.
    At least, it wasn't supposed to happen these days. He believed one of the reasons the teenagers had gone missing was because someone in the group had trespassed that unwritten taboo.
    "I want to hire you to find the missing wolf for several reasons," she answered, once again looking around furtively.

    "We're alone," he said. He moved closer to her, reveling in her warmth and scent. "Your boyfriend is glaring at us, but he's stuck dancing with that little old lady." Somebody had brought in a boom box, and instead of Christmas music, some of the townspeople were dancing to an OutKast CD. "Life is truly strange," he murmured.
    "And Pat's a long way from being my boyfriend," Marj answered.
    "I know."
    He took her hand and experienced that electric contact between them once more. He managed to pull away from her just in time—before taking the kiss he desperately wanted.
    Harry cleared his throat and forced his mind back to business. "You have other reasons for wanting to hire me?"
    Blushing, she got back to business. "You're a professional investigator, and you said you've done volunteer work at a wolf sanctuary." She touched his arm. "Will you help?"
    That jolt went through him again, but Harry had himself under control. "For a price."
    "Of course I'll pay you."
    "That's not what I meant. I want to make a bargain with you."
    Her suspicion soared. The emotion was strong enough to attract the attention of her dog.
    Harry gave Taffy a hard look, and the dog grunted and put his head back down.
    "I should explain why I'm visiting the Fennicks," Harry told Marj. "We are distantly related, and that's why they called me when their son ran away from home."
    "Phil ran away from home?"
    "Three months ago."
    "But—I saw him—back in October."
    "So you said. For helping you with the wolf, I want your help finding him."
    It was a one-sided bargain, but who said a werewolf had to play fair protecting his kind from humans? If he didn't find those kids soon, humans