SWAT Team One and the Social Worker (32 page)

It was Lord Crespin that entered the room first.

He had an odd expression on his face.

“What is it?” Marie asked, filled with concern.

He just shook his head as Sam entered the room.

“Okay, here’s the deal,” Sam stated then began giving out orders.

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“Logan, you, Ted, and your brothers are coming along as a safety

precaution. I will explain everything to Dustin while I change my

clothes. We have an hour trip.” Sam began to walk away when Al

cleared his throat.

“Sammy? What’s going on?”

Sam stopped as if she had gotten so caught up in what she needed

to do that she plumb forgot that Alexa wasn’t only Sam’s mother but

also Al’s mate.

She walked over to him and took his hands into her own.

Looking up at the handsome man who was her true father, she

smiled.

“I have a plan, and it is in motion. You will not be able to enter

the building where Mom’s being held, but I will.”

“What?” a few voices chimed in, including Trey and Kyle’s.

“Al…Dad, you know how I work. I’m going to pull this off. It’s

the only way, and I will explain on the ride over. You and Ted come

along in our SUV. Now let me get changed. Be ready to leave in ten

minutes,” Sam stated then quickly headed out of the room.

Her men, of course, followed her.

* * * *

They all watched as Sam stripped then began getting dressed in a

dress suit. She pulled her hair up in a fancy hairdo on top of her head then sprayed it with hairspray. She added some conservative jewelry

as the men asked questions.

“The place Frederick has stored her away in is as secure as Fort

Knox. There is no way we could push our way inside and get her out

with force. I made a few calls and have a way to get me inside.”

“Alone?” Donny asked, sounding concerned.

“Yes, Donny. It’s how this has to go down.”

Sam got up and grabbed a small purse then headed toward the

doorway. Dustin stopped her.

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“This is dangerous, isn’t it?”

“It’s a bad place, Dustin. I’m not going to lie to you. The bastard

sent her into a secure asylum. They’ve kept her sedated and

practically comatose for years. They labeled it depression at the loss of her infant child. He lied and made up some bogus story. She’s a

damn prisoner.”

“Why can’t one of us go in?” Donny asked, taking position beside

her.

“Because, you’re not a social worker who has to deliver the news

that the woman’s husband is dead. And also that there is family

interested in her condition.”

“You?”

“Yes. We need to go. I have an appointment with the caretaker of

the facility.”

“You’re not going in there alone,” Adam stated.

“I have to. One of you cannot go in there with me, nor can Marie,

Crespin, or Al. They all would be too emotional.”

“Why can’t one of us?” Trey asked as they walked out of the

bedroom then the cottage.

“Look at you. You all look like a bunch of bouncers.”

“So what.”

She exhaled in annoyance at Trey’s “so what.”

They joined the others in the living room and prepared to leave.

Dustin was looking around the room when he stopped Sam.

“What about Ted?” he suggested.

“What?” his brothers all responded, sounding dead set against it.

“What?” Ted asked, and Sam thought about it.

“I would trust Ted with our mate’s life. Either he goes in with

you, or we call this off,” Dustin stated, sounding very serious.

Sam nibbled her bottom lip then grabbed Ted’s hand.

“Change of plans, Ted, you’re coming we me. I’ll explain on the

way over.”

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239

* * * *

Ted and Sam entered the building after passing through four

security checks. Finally they were greeted by a stern and odd-looking

man named Harry Werner. His sickly features made her wonder if he

were a patient instead of the caretaker.

“It is nice to meet you, Miss. McNeil.”

Sam shook his hand, and he held it in his own a few moments too

long.

She never faltered from his gaze.

“This is my associate, Mr. Williams. He accompanies me on all

my business excursions. I’m also training him, so he will be observing not really commenting,” she declared, catching Ted off guard. She

eyed him in warning, and he smiled then nodded his head at the

caretaker.

“So you mentioned over the phone that you are a social worker for

the Gray family? I was under the impression that Mr. Gray had no

living relatives.”

Sam crossed her legs, revealing a little bit of skin, to the

caretaker’s obvious liking.

“Well, that’s the way Mr. Gray had wanted things. However,

when Mr. Gray died, his estate was left in the hands of his only living relative, a daughter. She in return had no idea that her father’s first wife was still alive. She loved her father dearly, and out of the

goodness of her heart, she wants to ensure that Ms. Gray is taken care of.

“Here is a letter with her signature as proof.” Sam passed over the

sheet of paper created and signed by her on the way over in the SUV.

Mr. Warner took it and looked it over as he leaned back in his

chair.

“Why didn’t she come herself?” he began to question.

“She is quite grief stricken, as you could imagine. It is believed

that wild wolves tore him to pieces.”

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Mr. Werner sat forward, shocked at the information.

“I don’t want any trouble. I’ve done my part for all these years. I

know how those packs operate.”

Sam was a little surprised, but she played it off.

She leaned forward then glanced around, as if being sure that no

one heard her.

“Then you know how important it is that you follow Ms. Gray’s

request?”

His eyes widened.

“What exactly is her request?”

“She wants Ms. Gray to live in a normal home. Her home on the

ranch that her father left to her.”

Mr. Werner stood from his chair.

“I cannot. That woman has remained sedated for over twenty

years. She speaks in tongues and cannot just move into a home like

that.” He snapped his fingers, and Sam knew exactly what this man

was after. The green stuff and nothing less.

Ted sat forward as if biting his tongue, but Sam sat back, relaxed

and unaffected by the caretaker’s outburst.

“I do believe that Ms. Gray will fully compensate you for the care

you have provided as well as a bonus for removing her from this fine

establishment prematurely.”

He cleared his throat then held Sam’s gaze.

“How well will I be compensated?”

Sam stood up, and Ted followed suit.

“That all depends.”

“On what?”

“On how quickly you can get Mrs. Gray down here, out to my

waiting vehicle, and get all the necessary documents ready for her

release. If it is not done in a timely manner, Ms. Gray may decide to

buy this fine establishment with all the money bestowed to her by

Frederick Gray and hire all new employees, starting with the caretaker position.”

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241

Sam nodded toward the door for Ted to begin leaving.

“Wait. I will take care of it, but I need time.”

He picked up his phone on the desk and hit a button. Sam looked

at the wristwatch.

“Time is money, Mr. Werner. We will wait in the lobby.”

* * * *

Ted watched as Sam kept her straight face even as she pretended

to fax the release letter to the so-called heir of the estate. Marie signed the document as Sam had indicated before leaving the house, and she

faxed it back.

Mr. Werner looked it over, accepted the documents as Mrs. Gray

was being attended to.

Twenty minutes later, a man emerged pushing a wheelchair with a

woman slouched in the seat. She had short dark hair, was pale, and

looked worn out.

Sam had to swallow her emotions. They weren’t safe yet.

“I take it this is the woman?” Sam asked Mr. Werner.

“Yes. She is all yours. I look forward to receiving the check,” he

stated as he took Sam’s hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed the top of it.

She forced a smile as Ted took position behind the wheelchair and

began to wheel her outside.

The moment they were in the sunshine, the women covered her

eyes to shield out the glare. Sam wondered if the patients were ever

allowed outside of the institution.

Her mates eyed Sam as they helped the woman into the SUV and

they drove back to the village.

* * * *

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It had been three weeks since Alexa was rescued from the shelter.

Al remained by her side as the drugs were weaned from her system.

They had a long road ahead of them, but her mom was making

progress.

One afternoon as Sam walked with her mother through the

gardens, she took her hand into her own. Sam saw the tears in her

mother’s eyes and knew she felt the bond. Being with family, and

with Alexa’s own mother and father, helped to make the memories

return.

“I feel you here,” her mother whispered as she placed Sam’s hand

over her own heart.

Sam couldn’t hide the tears. Her mom was remembering her. This

was the beginning of healing for all of them.

“That’s because we are one. You held me in your belly just as I

hold my child within me.”

Sam took her mother’s hand and placed it over her belly where the

small mound began to form. Her pants were beginning to feel too

tight, and her hunger grew daily.

Alexa’s eyes glistened as she embraced Sam’s arm and leaned

against her.

“I want to remember everything. I feel like I’ve missed out on so

much.”

Sam held her mother to her as they walked.

“This is a new beginning for both of us, Mom. I never knew who

you were, and I look forward to all the years we can now spend

together.”

Her mother smiled.

“I’ll be whole again one day, Samantha.”

“I know you will, Mom, especially with Al by your side.”

Alexa blushed as she turned toward the walkway.

There stood Al and Donny, both smiling and both looking ready

to see their mates.

“I think he misses you already?” Sam teased.

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243

“As do your men, too.”

The women walked toward the men, and Sam released her hold as

Al took Alexa’s hand and smiled.

He looped her arm through his own, smiled at Alexa then Sam

before continuing on their way.

Sam felt the tears fill her eyes then roll down her cheeks as Donny

wrapped his arms around her.

“She’s going to be just fine, Sam. You’ve helped her so much

already.”

Sam held Donny’s arms and leaned back against him.

“Where are the others?”

“Waiting for you, it’s snack time for the little one,” he teased then

caressed her belly.

Sam giggled as they headed inside to the kitchen.

When they arrived her men had a feast set for her instead of a

snack.

“What the heck is all of this?” she asked, motioning with her

hand.

“We weren’t sure what you would be in the mood for,” Trey

responded as he pulled a chair out for her then kissed her cheek.

“This is too much.”

“Nonsense. The baby needs nourishment, and so does the

mother,” Dustin added, taking a seat next to her and loading her plate with food.

“Slow down, Dustin, I’m not even hungry,” she replied just as her

stomach growled.

They raised their eyebrows in challenge as she crossed her arms in

front of her chest.

“You’ll need your energy for later,” Kyle stated as he rubbed her

shoulders and made her arms come undone so she would relax.

She tilted her head up toward him.

“What’s later?” she inquired.

The men were silent as she eyed each of them.

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“Let’s just say, you, us, my black martial arts belt, and the private

dojo,” Dustin teased then dipped a strawberry into whipped cream

before lifting it to Sam’s mouth.

Her insides quivered, and her heart soared with love and

admiration for her men. She took a bite, closed her eyes then pushed

her breasts forward. She knew they stared at her body.

Slowly she rose from the chair and pointed at Dustin then at Kyle.

“You grab the strawberries, and you, grab the whipped cream. The

last one in the dojo gets tied up first,” she stated then ran for the door.

She heard the chaos then the sound of her men running behind

her.

By the time she made it to the dojo her men had beaten her there,

and Dustin leaned against the doorway, holding his black linen belt

and plate full of strawberries.

Sam smiled wide, filled with anticipation as she wondered what

exactly her mates had in store for her and that black martial arts belt.

THE END

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

People seem to be more interested in my name than where I get my

ideas for my stories from. So I might as well share the story behind