“What big eyes you have,â€? Simon said.

“The better to look at you, my boy,â€? the wolf said, falling into character.

“What big teeth you have,â€? Simon said.

“The better to eat you with, my boy,â€? Alec smiled, showing the teeth to full effect, and stepped forward on his padded feet.

“What is that, the door from a Chevy S-10?â€? Simon said.

Alec paused. “What?â€? he said, blankly. Then something slammed into him, hard, knocking him legs over tail through the air.

“Where’d you get that?â€? Simon asked.

Blake grunted and dropped the heavy piece of steel. “Must have been blown off a truck in the storm. It was lying in a gutter over there. That dog giving you trouble?â€?

“We were just chatting. Hey! You don’t need that miniature Five Sword Banishing Pentacle back, do you?â€?

Blake’s eyes narrowed. “Why? Do you have any idea what I had to do to get it?â€?

“It’s kind of been banished.â€?

Blake looked around. “Then you got rid of… rid of…â€? He furrowed his brow. “You got rid of what’s-her-name.â€?