[from “Any Taint of Vice,” a Kate Shugak short story

She drove into Niniltna and hitched a ride into Anchorage on one of George’s Suulutaq Mine crew-change flights. Kurt was waiting for her when they landed at Merrill. An ex–Park rat, an ex–bear poacher and an ex–drug smuggler, Kurt was these days a private investigator. Set a thief to catch a thief, and Kate was pleased to be his financial backer and silent partner. Though today, not so much. Tight-lipped, she nodded a greeting and held the rear passenger door open for Mutt before climbing in next to Kurt. The 140-pound sidekick thrust her head between them as they turned left on East Fifth, yellow eyes taking the measure of the big town with the tall buildings and the many cars. Fewer bears than the Park, but the larger per capita percentage of perps and felons filled in the predator gap.

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