Mercy Thompson 01-05 - THE MERCY THOMPSON COLLECTION

says.”
    â€œSissy got one,” Maia said.
    â€œAnd that is all anyone will get until it is clean,” proclaimed Tia piously.
    â€œYou’re no fun,” Sofia, the middle girl, told her.
    â€œNo fun,” agreed Maia with her bottom lip sticking out. But she couldn’t have been too upset because she bounced away from me to crawl back onto Sam, her fingers clutching his collar. “My puppy needs a cookie.”
    Sylvia frowned at Sam, then at me. “You have a dog?”
    â€œNot exactly,” I told her. “I’m watching him for a friend.” For Samuel.
    The wolf looked at Sylvia and wagged his tail deliberately. He kept his mouth closed, which was smart of him. She wouldn’t be happy if she got a good look at his teeth—which were bigger than any dog’s I’ve ever seen.
    â€œWhat breed is it? I’ve never seen such a monster.”
    Sam’s ears flattened a bit.
    But then Maia kissed him on the top of his head. “He’s cute, Mamá . I bet I could ride him in the fair, and we would win a ribbon. We should get a dog. Or a pony. We could keep it in the parking lot.”
    â€œUhm, maybe he’s a Great Pyrenees mix?” I offered. “Something big.”
    â€œAbominable Snow Dog,” suggested Tia dryly. She rubbed Sam briskly under one ear.
    Sylvia sighed. “I suppose if he hasn’t eaten them yet, he won’t.”
    â€œI don’t think so,” I agreed cautiously. I looked at Sam, who seemed perfectly fine, more relaxed than I’d seen him since I walked into the storeroom at the hospital.
    Sylvia sighed again, theatrically, her dramatically large eyes glittering with fun. “Too bad. It would be much less trouble if I had a few less children, don’t you think?”
    â€œMamá!” came the indignant chorus.
    â€œThere aren’t as many as there seem to be when they are running around shrieking,” I told her.
    â€œI’ve noticed. When they are asleep, they are a little bit cute. It’s a good thing, or none of them would have survived this long.”
    I looked around. They’d already been working for a while. “You know, people are going to walk in—and turn around and walk back out because they won’t recognize the place. Are Gabriel and Zee in the shop?”
    â€œ Sí , yes, they are. Thank you for the use of your car.”
    â€œNo troubles,” I told her. “I don’t need it right now. And you can do me a favor and tell me about anything you notice is wrong with it.”
    â€œBesides the steering wheel popping off?”
    I grimaced. “Yep.”
    â€œI will do so. Now you and that . . . elephant you brought . . . need to go into the shop so my little monsters can get back to work.”
    Obediently, I lifted Maia off the wolf. “Let’s go to work,” I told him.
    Sam took two steps with me, then lay down in the center of the office with a grunt. He stretched out on his side and closed his eyes.
    â€œCome on, S—” I bit my lip—what was the name Samuel kept on his collar? Right. “Come, Snowball.”
    He opened a single white eye and stared at me.
    I swallowed. Arguing with dominant wolves could have unpleasant results.
    â€œ I will watch the puppy,” declared Maia. “We can play cow-girls, and I will teach him to fetch. We shall have a tea party.” She wrinkled her nose. “And then he won’t get all dirty playing with the greasy cars. He doesn’t like being dirty.”
    Sam closed his eye as she patted him on the nose.
    He wasn’t going to hurt her.
    I took a deep breath. “I think he likes the music,” I told Sylvia.
    She huffed. “I think you want him out of your way.”
    â€œMaia wants to babysit,” I said. “It’ll keep her occupied.”
    Sylvia looked at Sam thoughtfully. She shook her head at me but didn’t fuss when I left him lying there.
    Zee had shut the door between the office and the shop—he’s not fond of Latin music. So when I went in, I closed it behind me, too.

4

    THE FIRST THING I HEARD WHEN I EMERGED FROM THE bathroom with my working overalls on was Zee swearing in German. It was modern German because I could understand about one word in four. Modern German was a good sign.
    The Buick was in the first bay. I couldn’t see Zee, but from the direction of his voice, he was under the car. Gabriel was