“When are they coming?” Tess asked.
“They’re on their way.” He glanced at Vlad, then focused on Tess. No black threads in her hair, which was good, but all the green was swiftly being replaced with red.
She said, “Then it’s time to return the book and show Montgomery and the other humans the truth.”
CHAPTER 55
Moonsday, Maius 28
“Arroo!”
Meg jolted, dropped the stack of mail, and rushed to the front counter. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
Sam grinned at her. “Nothing. I just wanted you to know the police are here.”
Her heart banged in her chest. It banged a little harder when Skippy, catching on that something was happening, rushed to the glass door and looked as if he’d crash through it.
“You could have said the police are here,” she grumbled. “You are in human form. And don’t be standing on the shelf like that.”
“But I can’t see if I don’t stand on it.”
“There’s nothing more to see.” She gave his shirt a tug. “Come help me with the mail. The ponies will be here in a minute.”
“I didn’t see Karl or Michael in the car,” Sam said, following her into the sorting room. “How come they weren’t in the car?”
“I don’t know. Maybe they’re in another car today since Lieutenant Montgomery and Captain Burke have a meeting with Simon.” Why had Simon called to tell her about the meeting? So she would know where to find him? Was the phone call a substitute for a Wolf howl to say, I am here? Did Karl and Michael make similar calls to Ruth and Merri Lee? She would ask when she met the other girls for the Quiet Mind class.
“They had another man in the car. Is he a bad guy?” Sam asked.
“No, he’s a guest.”
“Arooeeooeeoo! Arooeeooeeoo!”
Skippy would keep that up until he forgot why he was howling. Or until he was distracted.
Out of desperation, Meg dug into the sack Tess had given her and came up with a chocolate chip cookie for Sam and a cow-shaped cookie for Skippy. “Go. Eat. Be quiet and let me finish sorting the mail.”
Sam dashed into the front room, opened the go-through, and plopped on the Wolf bed. Skippy rushed to join the boy and get his share of the cookies.
Peace. Well, a crunchy silence. Meg finished sorting the last stack of mail, then pulled the new box of sugar lumps out of her carry sack. Hearing the clomp of pony hooves, she opened the sorting room’s delivery doors—and watched the ponies hustle past her and surround the three men who had been about to enter the consulate.
Snow swirled around the men’s legs as dense fog covered the delivery area.
This wasn’t playful showing off. This was a tipping point.
“Hey, Meg!” Sam called. “Come see! It’s all foggy outside.”
The ponies had never shown interest in an expected visitor before, let alone displayed intimidating behavior. Not knowing what else to do, she went with what had worked before. When in doubt, insist on good manners.
“Avalanche! Fog! Stop showing off and come over here to get your stacks of mail.” She could barely see them. Since the men weren’t screaming or shouting for help, she had to figure Quicksand hadn’t done anything—yet.
A movement at the edge of her vision. Air riding Tornado.
“Air? Is something wrong?”