Alpha Prime: Shiftily Ever After(18)

“Cooking,” Dakota said slowly. “Uh, I’ve never actually done that before. Always had someone cooking for me.”

They both turned to stare at her.

“Because whenever I tried, it was so bad I ruined it,” Dakota rushed to explain. “So I did other things for the pack. Like, uh, cleaning.” That was not entirely a lie. She had tried to cook a few times, and things had kept catching on fire. After that, her father’s chefs had always claimed that the oven was broken when she’d come into the kitchen, so she’d taken the hint and moved on.

“Okay, you clean and I’ll cook,” Naomi said. “I love to cook! It’s the only thing I’m good at, really.”

Dakota grabbed a Brillo pad and scrubbed at the filthy countertop.

“You know you have to put water on it before you use it, right?” Macy asked, raising an eyebrow again.

“Silly me. Where is my head today?” Dakota hurried over and ran the tap and wet the Brillo pad. Damn, this adulting was harder than she’d anticipated.

“I’m on to you,” Macy whispered.

Dakota felt her heart stutter in her chest. “You are?”

“Sure. You’re pretending to be someone else. On the run from the law, are you?”

“Uh, well…”

Macy shrugged. “No big. I might have shanked a guy in the ribs before I came up here. Oh, he didn’t die – I just made him bleed a little bit. The rat-bastard was beating up one of the waitresses I worked with, and I told him he should leave town. He did. You keep my secret, I’ll keep yours.”

A little while later, while a fragrant stew bubbled on the stove, Miles and Baldwin drove up and parked out front. They marched three dirty young children and a skinny, sullen teenager into the shack.

The teenager was the girl thief from the alley. Well, wasn’t that just grand?

“Look what we rounded up for you,” Miles said. “Caught them trying to steal honey from the bears’ territory. That’s a dangerous business, stealing from bears. It’s your job to keep an eye on them now.”

“Oh, it’s you. Hello,” Naomi said nervously to Baldwin. “I’m the one that tried to kill you. Well, you probably already remembered that, because it was just a couple hours ago. Anyway, I’m not armed right now, so, uh, you’re safe. And also I won’t attack you anymore because— Excuse me, I need to pee. I mean I need to—” She clapped both her hands over her mouth as she turned and ran out the back door.

Baldwin stared after her with a bewildered expression on his face.

“You again?” the girl asked, glowering at Dakota. “Are you stalking me?”

Miles looked puzzled. “You don’t know her? I thought she was your aunt. Jamie Roberts. Your pack sent her here to get you guys.”

The girl shrugged indifferently. “Must be from the Oregon pack. Nobody from my own family cared enough to send anybody after me.”

The younger ones were sniffing at the scent of meaty stew with interest.

“This is Sarah,” Miles said, pointing at the teenage girl. “This is Sailor, John, and Mary.” He pointed at the three younger kids, who looked to be around eight, six, and five, respectively. They had narrow faces and bright, hungry brown eyes, and their hair looked as if it might be dirty blond under the layer of grime.

“I don’t like you,” John informed her. “And I don’t like him,” he pointed at Miles, “and I’m not staying here.”

“We’re all going to run away,” Sailor added.

Miles looked around at the dilapidated cabin. “Well, you kids have fun.” And then he winked at Dakota. “And when you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

“I do not know, and I do not want to know,” Dakota said haughtily.

“Change your mind about what?” Mary asked.

“Never you mind,” Dakota said. “You guys need to wash your hands before dinner.”

Naomi came back into the shack after Miles and Baldwin got in their truck and drove off.

“We’re going to have so much fun!” She beamed at the scruffy urchins, who looked at her distrustfully.

“I don’t like her either,” John said loftily.

John and Mary hid behind Sarah, and Naomi’s face fell.

“It’ll be fine,” Dakota assured her. “They’ll come around.”

“No, we won’t,” Sarah said to Dakota. “We’re not washing our hands. And if you’re staying here, we’re running away. We don’t need anyone to take care of us.” Then she narrowed her eyes shrewdly. “Of course, if we run away, you’ll get in trouble with that big, stupid jerkwad Miles. So if you give me fifty bucks, we’ll stay for the week. Payment in advance, and we’re not washing our hands.”