Sam thought about it for a moment and realized that Angie was damn smart. “Fine. It’s a deal,” she said and they shook on it. “Now let’s see if we can get this place cleaned up a bit. We have a business to run.”
*
Saturday morning came far too quickly. Luc and Patrick packed the Subaru while Meg and Ginny said their goodbyes. Kisses and tears were exchanged and finally Angie, George and Sam waved as the Subaru pulled out of the driveway and down the road.
Luc waved out the window and then concentrated on driving. Cal had called Friday night. Work had been steady, but there was a wave of stupidity flowing through town. He’d gotten to work to find the sign defaced and some windows broken. Luc hadn’t said anything in front of Sam or George, but he suspected that someone had traced them from the B&B to work.
“So, what’s got you all riled up?” asked Patrick.
“Someone playing stupid tricks at work. Cal and Peter are doing repairs today and I’m not happy,” said Luc.
“We can tell. Stop growling at all the cars,” said Ginny.
“Sorry. It’s just after all that’s gone on you’d think that people would just let it go,” said Luc.
“Hon, they won’t. It’s just too damn interesting,” said Meg.
“Why do you say that?” asked Luc.
“Well, have you looked at the best sellers list in the paper lately?” she asked.
“No,” said Luc.
“Well, there are three books that have been at the top of the list for fifteen weeks. All of them to do with vampires, werewolves or other supernatural beings,” said Meg. “To be honest, two of them are my favorite authors.”
“Yeah, in spite of the whole bite and turn factor, some of those books are really hot,” said Ginny.
“Yup, Sex sells,” said Patrick. He’d picked up one of the books Ginny was reading the other day and had been surprised at the level of sexual content.
“So, this is about voyeurism as much as anything?” asked Luc.
“In a way. People want to see things that frighten or fascinate them and the more ‘out there’ it is, the better they like it. Sex is good. Naughty sex is better. Naughty sex with vampires and werewolves is hot,” said Meg.
“Oh god! You mean they want to see shifters fucking?” asked Luc.
“Not only see it, but do it. There is a whole group of people called Furries who dress up and pretend to be shifters and have sex. Or, at least cybersex,” said Meg.
“Where in the hell do you women find out about this type of thing?” asked Patrick.
“Patrick, we do more than shop online,” said Ginny with a giggle in her voice.
“What!!!” said Patrick.
“As one of the family guardians, I check out what’s new and kinky on a regular basis and see how it relates to us. Furries and shifter groupies are just one of the things I’ve run across,” said Ginny. Meg nodded her head in agreement.
“So, what’s getting repaired and what are you doing to solve this?” asked Patrick trying to change the subject.
“Two broken windows, paint splashed on our signs and Peter is hiring a guard service with dogs for a few days. Last time this happened we did this and it helped,” said Luc.
“Dogs? Why not a few shifters?” asked Meg.
“Because last time they tranquilized one of us and tried to haul him off to a lab. This way, they get 175 pounds of pissed off guard dog,” said Luc.
That got everyone laughing.
*
Late that afternoon after dropping Meg and Ginny off, Luc and Patrick showed up at the office to see how things were progressing. The windows were fixed and Cal was picking up the last of the paint smeared rags.
“Hey Luc! Good to see you,” said Cal.
“You’ve been busy,” said Luc looking around.
“Yeah. Peter is back in the warehouse with the dogs having a little discussion with them,” said Cal.
“That should be good. I take it the guard dogs took exception to Peter?” asked Patrick.
“Probably. His scent is really heavy, and probably made the dogs nervous,” said Luc.
Cal nodded. “Damn things pissed themselves,” he said. “That so didn’t make Peter’s day. Upset the handler too. He took two of them back and brought three others. One wouldn’t come out of the cage and the other two rolled on their bellies. We explained that Peter has a wolf at home and the guy nodded like he understood.”
“I was afraid of that, but glad that Peter had the sense to come up with something,” said Luc. “Now what got done to the signs?”
“Some of it was just paint thrown over the lettering. Others were things like ‘were’ added to Alpha Wolf and ‘Shifter!’,” said Cal. “All the usual stuff. The brick through the window threatened to burn us out and shoot us with silver bullets. I took those to the police.”
“Thanks. After all the stuff up in Spoon River, I had hoped it would be quiet down here. How many other companies with the word ‘wolf’ in them have been hit?” asked Luc.
“Forty-seven,” said Peter coming up to the front of the building. He had two huge dobermans by his side on a leash. “Let me introduce you to Buttercup and Fezzik.”
Luc, Cal and Patrick turned to the dogs and let them sniff their hands. Buttercup wagged her tail and Fezzik rolled over on his back waiting to be petted.
“Are you sure these will do the job when we leave?” asked Luc. “I think I’ve seen more aggressive kittens.”
“Oh, they’ll do the job. They have a phrase trigger. Once you say that, they’re on duty,” said Peter.
“Okay, so let’s put them in the warehouse area and put them to work,” said Luc. “It’s been a long day and I want to go home.”
The men walked around to the entrance of the warehouse and Peter let the dogs off their chains. He locked the gate and then said, “As you wish.” The two dogs looked at him and then started prowling the yard.
“I take it the handler liked the Princess Bride?” asked Patrick.
“Oh yeah. He even looks like Cary Elway,” said Peter.
“That’s a riot. Now, other than filling out police reports, playing with puppies, cleaning up paint and repairing windows, how’s work been?” asked Luc as they went into the main offices to close up.