Wolf for Hire

Chapter Twenty

Childs leaned against her Lexus, phone pressed to her ear, posture seemingly relaxed despite the fact that her car was now stuck on the side of the Glenn McConnell Expressway. Hazard lights blinked in steady resignation, waiting for a Triple-A tow truck to hoist it out of the ditch. Despite all its bells and whistles, the Lexus lacked the one thing it needed to get itself out of this mess: four-wheel drive.

Maggie sat beside Childs, tongue out, panting gently in the sticky evening air. Meanwhile I paced along the shoulder of the road, every nerve in my body demanding movement. I needed to run. I needed to do something. The creeping edge of moonrise slithered under my skin, tightening its grip, but I was stuck—pinned between a social obligation and a biological countdown I couldn't stop.

I couldn't leave. Not yet.

Because Childs had my phone.

All I needed in life were five things: a car, a credit card, a house, a job, and a phone—and by their powers combined, I would be a fully functional adult. But I was now down to just two of the five—probably even just the one, because my employment status was looking increasingly tenuous by the moment.

So, before I could leave, I had to get my phone back.

"Why, Dr. Caene, what a pleasure to hear from you again," said Childs, addressing JT.

"Amanda?" JT sounded genuinely confused—maybe even a little alarmed. Clearly, he'd expected me to be on the other end, and he wasn't exactly thrilled to hear Childs instead.

I flinched at the sound of his voice. My hearing, acute as it was, easily picked up his side of the conversation, even from several yards away.

I dug my nails into my palms and turned my back on them. I'd tried to call JT once Childs and I had given up on getting her car out of the ditch—even attempted to push it myself, thinking maybe if I rocked it back and forth, I could get it unstuck. But unless I wanted to wake the wolf and enlist her help, I wouldn't have the same raw strength I'd used against Monty. And I was not about to do that.

So Childs had called for roadside assistance, and I had dialed JT. But when I told her what I was doing, she'd insisted on speaking to him herself. And by insisted, I meant she'd confiscated my phone like she was my gradschool teacher.

Not that I'd put up much of a fight.

"Why are you calling me on AJ's phone?" JT asked, his voice edged with suspicion. "What happened?"

Childs' tone remained pleasant, conversational even. "Well, you wouldn't believe it. Here I was, giving Miss Avery a ride home after some… car troubles, and having a rather lovely chat with her. Imagine my surprise when I learned she was a friend of yours and Sandra's. But, I daresay, I've gotten my car entrenched on the side of the road because—as crazy as it might sound—the largest spider I have ever seen in my life came scuttling out of her bag."

Elmo, the spider in question, was safely stowed back in my bag, where he wouldn't cause any more fuss.

My entire body cringed. From Childs' saccharine tone—and JT's exasperated sigh that followed—I could tell this wasn't the first time the two of them had had a conversation like this.

Childs continued her polite ribbing. "Seems your hired help shares your sister's knack for carrying exotic creatures into public."

It appeared that I, for a lack of a better term, had just pulled a Sandy.

"I'm sure she didn't mean to bring her," JT said, sounding worn-out. "Elmo can be clingy sometimes."

Childs hummed, considering. "I could swear I've heard this somewhere before. Though I think it involved a Komodo dragon and a rather comfy backpack."

She let the words hang in the air.

"Do consider helping Miss Avery register with the DNR so she can legally transport any of the critters she may knowingly—or unknowingly—be lugging around." A pause. "Wouldn't want her getting into any more trouble."

My breath hitched.

Any more trouble.

That implied I was already in trouble. A lot of it.

And I could tell, without a doubt, that Childs was—putting it lightly—frustrated. This overly casual, somewhat friendly, almost teasing way of speaking was just a mask, a professional courtesy of sorts. And she was using it to grill JT. But whatever it was that actually her irritated, be it me, JT, Elmo, or the entire situation, I couldn't tell.

Hell, on the surface, it almost sounded like she was just offering JT legal counsel. In some roundabout way.

"Look, I'll discuss it with her," JT said after a moment.

That wasn't a confirmation—yet another bad sign.

What this meant was that JT hadn't decided if I would stay.

It could also mean that I had made such a spectacular mess of things that he wasn't sure I could stay.

I was running out of options faster than I could scramble to replace them.

I hadn't even secured the basics yet—pay, living arrangements, anything. I'd planned to hold off on that, to prove myself first, to earn a better footing at the negotiation table. But after tonight? After everything?

Damn. I should have at least haggled for a half-now, half-after payment plan, so at least I wouldn't leave empty-handed.

My fingers twitched toward my pocket before I remembered—Childs still had my phone. I wanted to check the time, to see exactly how much I had left.

I could feel it. The moon. Its creeping pressure at the base of my skull, the restless energy curling through my muscles.

I had ten minutes. Maybe less.

For all the time I'd saved by accepting a ride from Childs, I'd blown it all. Spectacularly.

I bounced on my heels, torn. I needed to go. Now. But I'd already caused Judge Childs—my magistrate, and JT's childhood guardian—to crash her damn car. If I bolted now, that had to count as something. Negligence? Leaving the scene of an accident? It wasn't a hit-and-run—I hadn't been driving—but I'd definitely be culpable for something.

Think.

I needed a plan. I needed my map. I needed my—

My phone.

Still with Childs, remember?

Was she holding onto it on purpose? To keep me here? To make sure I exchanged insurance? To lecture me once she finished with JT?

I took a sharp breath and forced myself to focus. I had studied the area before taking the job—scouted routes, noted the undeveloped patches of forest I could slip into. If I left, right now, I could still make it to one before moonrise.

My brain worked through the numbers. If I followed Glenn McConnell Parkway, it was about a mile and a half to the overpass crossing the CSX train line. Safe route home, guaranteed.

But I wouldn't make it. Not in time.

Even without Maggie slowing me down, I'd need to run a six-minute mile. For one and a half miles.

That wasn't happening.

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But West Ashley Park—barely a kilometer away—was wooded and far enough from residential areas to avoid prying eyes. I could make it there in time, shift, and then cut through the woods back home.

That could work.

I swallowed, trying to steady my breathing.

Dr. Anderson said I had to control the panic response—focus on facts, on what I could do, not on spiraling what-ifs. Intellectualize things. Break them down into tiny, bite-sized pieces I could wrap my head around.

I had a plan. A good one—good enough, at least. And the wolf was still sluggish from Monty and the forced mid-day shift, so maybe—hopefully—it'd sleep in a little longer.

I just had to stay calm. Stay calm, talk to Childs, and—

"AJ."

I flinched.

Childs was watching me.

I stiffened, pulse kicking up. Had she noticed something off?

Was my tail sticking out?

She lifted my phone. "JT would like to talk to you."

My stomach twisted. Of course he wanted to talk. Why wouldn't he? I'd been the one to call him, after all. He'd want to know why. Hear my side of the story. All so he could make his final judgment.

I had a feeling I wouldn't like what came next.

I cleared my throat and forced a light, easy tone. "Hey, JT."

"So tell me what happened?"

No greeting. Another bad sign. He was either very pissed, or very stressed.

Column A, column B?

I inhaled through my nose, exhaled through my mouth—buying a second to filter my response.

Focus on the facts.

"I went into town to grab some stuff from my storage unit. Clothes, money—things I forgot to pack."

Silence. Expectant.

"And you brought Maggie with you," he said finally.

Right. I'd mentioned that in the voicemails.

I hesitated. "Well, yeah. I needed her help."

"For what?"

I rocked back on my heels, acutely aware of Childs a few feet away. Even if she wasn't looking at me, I could feel the weight of her listening. She was digging through her purse, appearing disinterested in my conversation—but nonetheless present.

I ran a hand through my hair, gripping the roots before forcing myself to let go. In times like this, it was better to rip the bandage off and be done with it.

"Because Boden's missing," I finally said.

There. I did it. Weight off my shoulders. Right?

Silence.

Then: "What?"

I swallowed. "Maggie and I tracked him to Park Circle, but we still haven't found him."

"Back up. When did he go missing?" JT interjected.

Right. I was getting ahead of myself.

I clenched my jaw. I knew exactly when Boden had disappeared—down to the approximate hour—but admitting that meant explaining how I knew, and that was a conversation I wasn't ready for. Couldn't rightly tell JT how I—or, more accurately, my wolf—had taken the dogs out hunting and then misplaced one of them.

That was well beyond the scope of this conversation.

Besides, Judge Childs was literally standing right next to me.

"Sometime this morning," I replied. "I found out after you left when I went to feed the animals. I've been looking for him ever since."

JT exhaled sharply, irritated. "And you didn't tell me this earlier because...?"

"Because you were busy with work," I said. "And I figured I'd do some of the legwork first. But I genuinely didn't think he would've gone that far."

He didn't say anything right away. I could practically hear him chewing the inside of his cheek. Before he could dig in, I pressed on.

"I'm pretty sure someone took him in," I said. "And, I checked the lost and found boards for Park Circle, both online and in person, to see if anyone reported him."

JT was quiet for another moment, then asked, "How are you even sure he made it to Park Circle?"

"I—"

I hesitated.

It was the same problem Nevermore had pointed out when he asked why I hadn't reported the cologned man to the police. How did I explain something when I had no admissible way of knowing?

Especially with Childs within earshot.

A soft click.

A second later, the sharp scent of burning tobacco hit me. I turned, catching Childs lighting a cigarette, the ember flaring as she took a slow drag.

For some reason, of all the things she'd done so far, this was the most jarring.

It was so… normal. So human.

The casual work attire, the quiet confidence—it was a far cry from the Judge Childs I'd met in court. That version had been austere, deliberate, polished down to the pause. But this? This was someone new. Someone who knew exactly who she was and had nothing to prove.

In a way, it reminded me of Candice—though she didn't smoke anymore.

The effect was... calming.

"Look, just trust me on this, JT." My voice came out steadier than I felt. "I have a few select talents, and this is one of them. And you and I both know Sandy's pets get up to stranger things than this."

I wasn't sure if JT found that answer satisfactory, but he didn't press further. Instead—

"I'll call my colleagues in the area, have them keep an eye out for a dog matching Boden's description. I'm sure he'll turn up eventually."

There was a bit of an edge in his voice I couldn't place, something he wasn't saying. But, if I had to guess, it boiled down to: Boden is a big magic dog—one as dumb as a brick—and we don't know where he is. Or something like that.

Trust me, JT, I'm stressing enough for the both of us.

I exhaled, tension easing from my shoulders. At least I wasn't the only one looking anymore.

JT changed topics. "How far are you from home? Do you need a lift? I should be off in the next half hour, though it'll take me about ten to fifteen minutes to get to you."

He was offering to help. That was a good sign. But, alas, not good enough.

I glanced up the road, which curved sharply northward before disappearing from sight. If I took a right at the next intersection and really booked it, I could make it to the park in just a few minutes. Assuming I left in the next several seconds.

"Thanks, JT, but I'm close enough to walk home. It'll be faster anyway."

"All right then. Stay safe. I'll see you in a bit."

I thought that was the end of it—I was already moving to hang up—when JT added, "Oh, and AJ?"

"Yeah?" I replied.

"When I get home, we need to talk."

The call ended before I could ask about what he meant.

I stared at my phone.

Of all the dubious, dread-inducing phrases, it had to be that one.

We need to talk.

That was the kind of thing you said before breaking up with someone. Or before laying off an employee.

Goddamn it, JT. He probably meant it in a harmless we'll talk more later kind of way, but how the hell was I supposed to know?

Well, whatever it was, it would have to wait until tomorrow morning. I had more pressing things to deal with.

I shoved my phone into my bag—half out of necessity, half out of spite. That habit had already cost me once today, but I couldn't run with it in my pocket, and I was about to need to haul ass.

"So, I suppose you'll be heading off now?" Childs chimed in.

She was still leaning against her car, watching me with an unreadable expression. The cigarette smoldered between her fingers, smoke curling lazily in the damp air.

She looked more relaxed now—a smoke break to take off the edge.

Then she leveled me with a look so measured, so assessing, that my skin crawled.

Or maybe that was just my body anticipating moonrise.

These things were hard to tell.

Still, this felt like a trap. Like if I answered wrong, I'd suddenly find myself booked for whatever crimes I'd technically committed today.

I fumbled for an answer. "Yeah, I, uh—I need to get Maggie home. And check on the animals. I've been gone too long as it is."

Childs arched an eyebrow.

I backpedaled immediately, shrinking under the weight of her scrutiny. "I mean, if that's okay with you? Do you need my auto insurance or… something?"

She exhaled through her nose—somewhere between amusement and exasperation. Smoke curled in the air between us, the cigarette balanced loosely between her fingers.

"No. That won't be necessary. My car's already insured. Besides, I doubt your insurance would cover this even if you were at fault."

How judicious of you, I thought. I was absolutely at fault.

"Look, if there's anything I can do—"

"Oh, there most certainly is." Her gaze leveled me.

I held my breath.

"Stay out of trouble."

She took another slow drag, exhaling before adding, "Granted, I realize that's a bit of a tall order. Not just because you're you, but because you're staying with Sandy. That girl has a good heart, but she's even more of a train wreck than you. Which is saying something."

Childs certainly knew how to be blunt.

She sighed, rubbing at her temple. Likely, the thought of the two of us, Sandy and I, was weighing down in her mind.

Christ. I was already being grouped together with Sandy by everyone associated with us, and I still barely knew her. Sure, I called her my friend, but I hadn't spoken to her in almost four years. Yet now? You'd think we were siblings.

Childs paused, then added as if it were an afterthought, "For JT's sake, let's hope I don't have to see you again."

A beat.

"I mean in court, you understand." Childs clarified. "I've got enough gray hairs as it is."

I cleared my throat. "Sooo… it's okay if I start heading home?"

I didn't want to sound tactless, but I also didn't have time not to be.

Childs waved me off. "Triple-A is on the way. I'll be fine."

I nodded stiffly. My mouth nearly ran ahead of me with an automatic I'll see you later, but I caught myself, stammering out instead, "Uh—thanks. For your help."

Childs just looked at me, taking another drag. A clear enough indication that I was good to GTFO.

I turned on my heel and jogged—not ran—away, briskly. Maggie at my side.

Not too fast. That would look odd. Suspicious. Impolite, even.

But once I was far enough along the curve in the parkway, with Childs safely out of sight, I dropped all pretenses—

And broke into a sprint.