Chapter 39: Hunter’s Patience

“Let’s suppose for a moment,” I say, turning the sign to bring on the meat parade. “That I say no. Because, you know, I’m going to say no. What then?”

I expect a hard sell of some sort. A threat, and savage promise. Even just a growl in the back of his throat. But there’s nothing. He just leans forward and attends to the waiters bringing the meat, piling his plate back up.

“If you say no, then you say no,” he says. “I have no intention of pestering you. But I will say this. I am a secretive man, and will have no incentive to tell you the things that I know if you are not in my pack.”

I chuckle. “So then you’ll hold out on me?”

“You could look at it that way if you like. Or you could consider it an incentive to change your mind. Something that I fully intend to do.”

“My mind doesn’t change easily.”

“That’s fine,” he says. “I’m a patient man.”