Free Vendetta (Legend of the Ir'Indicti #4) by Connie Suttle Page B

Ashe searched Winkler's face for clues.
    "Yes and no," Winkler said and left it at that. "Come on; let's go meet the candidates for Principal. You can tell me what you think."
    * * *
    Ashe shook hands with Catherine Copeland and her husband, Barton, from the Louisville Pack, learning that Catherine had been Vice-Principal at one of the school districts there. "I've already examined the test scores," Catherine said to Winkler as they settled in the DeLuca's family room. "They're all right but I think they can be better." Ashe disliked her immediately.
    "Which scores?" Ashe asked. "There aren't very many students. Which scores are you talking about?"
    "That's to which scores are you referring ?" Catherine corrected his English. Ashe mentally intensified his desire to pass the GED.
    "My apologies, ma'am," Ashe nodded politely. "To which scores are you referring? And how will your feelings toward shapeshifters affect your ability to run a school such as Star Cove Combined?"
    "I will only answer those questions for the interviewing panel," Catherine replied haughtily.
    "What if I want to know?" Winkler lifted an eyebrow. Catherine Copeland's head swiveled toward the Dallas Packmaster. She'd been courting him the entire time, Ashe knew. It was Mr. Winkler this and Mr. Winkler that, but when a prospective student opened his mouth, she became cold and arrogant.
    "Children will be treated the same in my school," Catherine insisted. Ashe wanted to point out the lie, but held his tongue. He imagined that Winkler could smell a lie just as easily as he could.
    "Of the seventy-eight students here, how many are werewolf and how many are shapeshifters?" Winkler asked innocently.
    "Fifty-six werewolves and twenty-two shapeshifters," Catherine replied promptly. Winkler had asked that question for a reason, Ashe knew. If the race truly didn't matter, then she would have pointed that out. It was obvious that she'd studied this—had looked through the records already and knew which students were werewolf and which were shapeshifter. Ashe didn't want another bigot in the Principal's office. He'd seen enough of that already.
    "How do you feel about moving to Texas?" Winkler turned his attention to Barton, Catherine's husband.
    "Not a problem. I've been promised a position by the Grand Master if Catherine gets the job."
    "What position do you think that might be?" Winkler straightened the crease in his black jeans. Ashe wanted to smile. Winkler dressed casually unless he had a business meeting, but he always looked tailored and well-dressed anyway. Ashe figured the jeans alone had cost quite a bit. The snakeskin boots? Probably made to order for the werewolf Packmaster.
    "Some sort of administrative position, I think," Barton replied coolly. "Perhaps assisting Catherine in her work. I ran an insurance office in Louisville."
    "Did you like selling insurance?" Winkler asked.
    "Of course. I still do that part-time. If you have any insurance needs, I can give you one of my cards."
    "I'll consider it," Winkler inclined his head. Ashe knew what that meant—Winkler was dismissing Barton Copeland politely. He was seeing a bit of the Winkler who sat in boardrooms and important meetings. This was a colder, more calculating Winkler. The Dallas Packmaster had already assessed Catherine and Barton Copeland, finding them shallow and inadequate.
    "Ashe, are you ready to go?" Winkler stood with an easy grace.
    "Yeah." Ashe stood as well and followed Winkler out of the DeLuca's house. They walked past Ashe's home on their way to the Anderson's. Ashe hadn't seen Wynn anywhere and imagined she might be with Dori. Dori's home was Winkler's next objective; he strode purposefully toward the Anderson home, leapt up the steps leading to the porch and rang the doorbell with a flourish, turning to wink at Ashe while they waited for someone to answer the door. Ashe's assumption proved correct—Dori and Wynn both answered the door.
    "We're here to visit with Dexter Beesley,"