Uncontrollable (The Nature of Grace, Book 2) (33 page)

“Birdee! Thank God you’re alive.”

She catches me and drops her gun. “Shoot, I might be old, but I ain’t gonna let some crooked lady take me down. No, siree. She thinks I was bluffing. I showed her. No one messes with my family.”

Squeezing her, I can’t stop laughing and crying. “You shot her?”

“Didn’t have the pleasure. Dang lady shot herself. Took the easy way out, if you ask me.” She pulls me back and looks at my face before noticing my shoulder. “Jesus, Chicken, you look like crap. Let’s get you inside and out of this weather. Make you some tea.”

“Sounds good.”

She helps me up the hill until we reach Mo.

He smiles at Birdee. “I’ll take it from here, Ms. Birdee.”

Birdee nods and grins. “I bet you will, young whippersnapper.”

Mo scoops me up, and I wrap my arms around his neck and look over his shoulder at my grandmother. She points to his butt and gives me the thumbs up. I try not to giggle and give her a dirty look as she walks with a limping Agent Sweeney and a hobbling Wyn.

I bury my face in Mo’s neck. His familiar scent of musk surrounds me, and I clutch  him the way a monkey clings to its mother as he carries me inside the warm house. I don't realize how cold I am until I’m finally sitting in front of the fire, feeling my body start to thaw.

“What happened out there?” Mo asks.

I tell everyone about Katie and Cardinal, Inc., and her real name. I tell them how she was having Porter euthanize the wolves so the Relocation Program would be cancelled and she could build again.

“She was paying Porter to do her dirty work. He was just as bad as she was,” I say.

“Maybe not.” Mo looks at Sweeney. “Explain what happened to Porter.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

Sweeney checks his side and grimaces. “Porter never fired a shot. Someone else was shooting at us.”

My head hurts. “How can that be?”

“He had a revolver, but all six bullets were in it. Katie was shooting and setting him up.”

Sweeney holds up the syringe and a bullet casing. “We’ll confirm everything once I send these to the lab. I bet the bullet that killed Porter was Katie’s.”

I shrug. “It doesn’t matter. I know what happened. Katie was paying off Porter to kill the wolves to stop the project. Seth must have seen Porter do something, so Porter left him out there. The whole time Katie was trying to scare me off by having me think it was Al. Porter got careless and dropped the syringe, so she had to go to Plan B. She didn't want that tested and linked back to her.”

When I take a breath, everyone is staring at me.

Birdee smiles. “Wait, who are the agents in this room?”

Mo laughs and Sweeney sits down. “It’s a shame. I liked her, too. She seemed like a talented lady.”

I scoff. “Yeah, talented in guns, euthanasia, and manipulation.”

I see something flash in Sweeney’s face that tells me they might have had more than just a working relationship. He catches my eye, but I don’t say anything. He’s probably confused enough.

Wyn says, “I can’t believe she’s dead.”

Sweeney nods. “Trust me. She’s dead. I checked. People have a way of coming back around here.” He looks at Mo when his phone beeps, and he stares at it for a minute.

His expression changes a few times — shock, confusion, anger — until he looks at me. Then a look of fear washes over him.

I sit up. “What is it? Did something happen?”

“That was headquarters.”

Mo leans forward. “Yeah, and?”

Sweeney reads his phone again as if he’s making sure he read what he thinks he read. “I can’t believe it. I must say I did not see this one coming.”

Wyn urges him. “Well, don’t keep us in suspense! This is better than reading Hardy Boys.”

Sweeney stares at me. “I did a background check on Mandy Smith. I don’t know how to say this, but… Katie was Al’s stepsister.”

My mouth drops open. “What?”

Mo runs his hands through his hair. “Are you sure?”

Sweeney nods. “Her stepfather — the man her mom remarried — was Al’s father. Evidently they were very close. Guess that’s where Smith comes in.”

I drop my head into my hands. “So that’s what she meant. She said Al wasn’t here, and he was long gone. That must mean they’ve been in touch.”

Sweeney nods. “It seems she’s been depositing large sums into a bank account overseas ever since the week after your dad died.”

Mo stands and paces. “Does that mean Katie was involved in the bear-poaching ring, too?”

My head swirls, and I feel the room tip. “She was responsible for my dad’s death?”

Sweeney looks at me. “I’m not sure. But whether or not or not she was, now Al’s going to think you’re responsible for hers.”

Birdee looks frightened and grips my hand. “Are you saying Al is going to come back for Grace?”

“No.” Sweeney eyes Mo and me. “But until we find him, Grace is in still in danger.”

Several weeks later…

Epilogue

No matter how prepared you are, nothing is controllable
.

N
othing should be caged.

Whether or not it’s in danger, every living thing deserves to be free. Reserve or not, it just feels wrong. I watch the mama wolf lick her new cub, her reddish fur flickering in the light breeze.

“I could watch them all day,” I say.

Mo throws a log on the small fire he’s built outside the Relocation Center’s fence.

“Seems like that’s how long we’ve been sitting here, because my bum is starting to go numb,” he says.

I sigh and lean my back against the fence. “Sorry. I just feel bad they’re back at the center again. It would have been nice to know wolves were still roaming these mountains. It’s like just as they were free, they got barred up again. It’s not fair.”

“The center said they’d release them again in the spring. It’s a rough winter anyway. They’ll get a second chance when it warms up.”

I smile. “Just like we did.”

He winks. “Exactly.”

The wolves bound around together in the snow, biting, wrestling.

“Strange how when things seem over, something beautiful comes along,” I say.

Mo drapes the blanket around my shoulders and kisses my cheek. “I was just thinking that.” He sits down on the log next to me.

I smile at him. “Thank you.”

He tilts his head and stares at me intently. “For what, Blossom? The compliment? The fire? Or for keeping you warm?”

“For taking care of me. For not leaving me.” I pause and curl into him. “For putting up with me. But more importantly, for coming back.”

He shrugs. “It’s just the assignment.”

I eye him. “A 24/7 assignment?”

“If the
client
wishes.”

I grin. “Oh, she does. If he does exactly what she says.”

He nods in a regal way. “Ha, yes. I figured. That is quite the task…and my pleasure.” He twists a piece of my long dark hair around his finger like a corkscrew. “I’m sorry I wasted all that time. That I wasn’t here with you.”

“You did what you had to do.” I lean my forehead against his. “Just don’t do it again.”

He throws his head back and laughs. “That is a deal, Blossom.”

We stare at each other for a few minutes. He slowly traces his finger down the side of my face, along my jawbone, down my nose. Then he lightly touches my lips. He curls his finger under my chin and pulls me forward into him. My body automatically leans as if Mo’s programmed me to go to him.

He stops and lets his mouth hover over mine. “I love you, Grace.”

I smile, and my heart skips along in my chest. “I love you, too.”

He presses his lips into mine, and we melt together. He pulls me onto his lap, and I straddle him. I can hear his breathing intensify as our kisses grow deeper and our tongues entwine. My belly churns a little with excitement. I would love to go to the next level with Mo. I’ve never felt about anyone the way I feel about him. I just want to open myself up and let him investigate every nook and cranny.

His warm tongue slides across my cold lips. I hear him tell me he loves me again. He grabs my waist and hips as we hold each other. Eventually he pulls back.

“You drive me crazy,” he says.

I play-slap him. “I’m not sure that’s a good thing.”

He kisses my neck. “I mean in a good way.”

I lift my head and look at the sky as he kisses my neck. Little white flakes sprinkle along his dark hair, reminding me of the Sno-Caps dad and I used to buy at the drive-in movie. I stick out my tongue to catch them. Mo reaches up with his mouth and covers mine.

I bite his lip playfully. “We have to go. It’s getting colder.”

He groans a little and kisses me at the same time he talks. “Hm. I didn’t notice. Feels hot to me.”

I pull back. “Seriously. Birdee’s gonna come looking for me if we don’t get home.”

That gets him. His eyes widen, and he practically throws me off his lap. “Sure don’t want that. I saw what happened last time she came. Ms. Gunslinger.”

I jump up and grab the blanket as he snuffs out the fire. “You sure you’re up for meeting my mom? This is going to be a long story.”

“Abso-bloody-lutely.” Mo grabs my hand and runs me to his Jeep.

“If she likes you, you might get invited to Christmas dinner.”

“I’ll be on my best behavior. Use my English charm.”

“Worked on me. I’d say you’re a shoo-in.” I smile. I’m actually starting to look forward to the holidays a little. Having Mo around will make things different. At this point different is good.

He opens my door and then runs around to the driver’s side, hopping in and rubbing his gloves together. He leans over and puckers up, closing his eyes. “Just one more, and I’ll be set for at least another hour.”

“You are bad.” I put both mittens on his face and kiss him a couple of times on his nose, cheek, and lips.

I sit back in my seat as he hovers there with his eyes still closed. “Just drive, Romeo.”

He shakes his head as if he was dazed. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Try to stay on the right side of the road.”

He smiles as he starts the Jeep. “Wait. My right or yours?”

“You know what I mean, English boy.”

As he drives down the road, I stare out the window. Gloomy clouds fill the sky, telling me more storms are coming before things clear up. Colored Christmas lights dot the grayish horizon as everyone prepares for the holiday.

My mood changes as fast as the weather. I sigh and review everything that’s happened over the last year. This time last year, I was helping Dad cut down a tree for the holidays and sneaking tastes of Mom’s pies. And carving a bird figurine for Birdee.

What a difference a year makes.

Mo’s hand cups my knee. “You got quiet all of a sudden.”

“Just a bad feeling, that’s all.”

His phone beeps, but he ignores it. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Nothing to talk about. Just same ole stuff.”

He puts his hand by my face and moves my hair back. “I’m sorry.”

I grab his hand and hold it tight. “Only good thing that came from all this… is you.”

“Ditto, Blossom.” His phone beeps again. “I better get this.” He pulls over to check his text messages. His face changes and he looks at me.

“Who is it?” I ask.

“Sweeney.”

I smile and put my head against the headrest. “Another mission impossible?”

Mo faces me. “Not exactly.”

I watch the lines on his face deepen, and he runs both hands through his hair. “Did someone die?”

It’s sad that’s my standard question these days.

Mo’s face softens, and he faces me with his seatbelt still on. “Crumbs. No, of course not.”

I get him to look into my eyes. “Then what?”

“Al was spotted.”

I did not see that coming. My whole body tenses as if I’ve turned to stone. I swallow and hold back what I really feel. “That’s good, right? Now we know where he is.”

He shakes his head and cups my hand. “No. They lost him. But…”

“But what?”

“He knows about Katie’s death.” Mo furrows his eyebrows. “Sweeney thinks he’s headed this way.”

I stammer. “When?”

He puts both hands back on the steering wheel. “I don’t know, but I have to take you to Sweeney.”

He shifts the Jeep into drive and merges back onto the deserted road. The rest of the way to the USFWS station, Mo stays eerily quiet. I lean against the window and watch the street reflectors pass the wheels.

“Mo?”

“Hmm.”

“What do you think this means?”

He looks at me out of the corner of his eye, but keeps his face forward. “I’m not sure.”

I sit sideways so I’m facing him. “But what do you
think
?”

He sighs. “I think Sweeney wants to send you somewhere. Away from here.”

I shake my head. “I’m not leaving my family. My home. You. Because of Al. I’m not running any more.”

He grips my hand and zooms down the road. “Let’s just wait and see what happens, Blossom.”

I focus on the horizon that has quickly grown dark as night. Tears fill my eyes. It seems as soon as I find a sliver of happiness, clouds roll in and cover it with massive storms.