“You could ask her to stay up here. If she loves you, she would.”

“Pop, that’s crazy. I could no more ask her to do that than I could ask her to fly to the moon. She has her whole life ahead of her. I know what I have to do. Tell me you understand.”

“I can’t tell you that, son. I think you’re wrong.”

Pappy was already out the door, Alpha at his side. Kyros noted that the wolf-dog’s tail was between his legs. That wasn’t good. He shivered. The dog understood everything, he’d bet his life on it.

Back in his quarters, Pappy was like a robot as he did what he thought he had to do. His eyes burned unbearably as he stuffed papers into a manila envelope and sealed it. He would do what he had to do the moment breakfast was over. It wouldn’t make a difference to the others if he posted the notice a day ahead of time.

It would only matter to Sam.

Chapter Fifteen

Sam was showered and dressed before anyone else. As she waited for her teammates, she gazed out the window. She didn’t know what she felt other than depressed. She also didn’t like the way Alpha was glued to her leg. He’d been whining for the past hour, making her wonder if the big dog was getting sick. She bent over to tickle him behind the ears. “I’m going to miss you when I leave here,” she whispered. Suddenly she was on her knees, hugging the big dog. “I’ll probably never see you again.” Her voice dropped even lower. “I think I love you as much as Pappy does.”

“Ready?” Zoe asked. “Damn, it’s raining again. I want sun. I need sun!” she cried dramatically.

“Just think, in two days we leave here for thirty, count ’em, thirty full days of R&R. Not that we’ll be using the time to rest. God, I can’t wait to call my brother Joey to see how things are going with his search for Douglas. Where are we going to meet up? Did we even decide?” Kayla asked as she donned her poncho.

“Back where it all started, Washington, DC. We’ll stay at the Airport Marriott. Isn’t that what we agreed on?” Sam responded vaguely.

“Yes,” Slick said. Her eyes looked worried as she stared at Sam. Something was wrong. The others sensed it, too.

“I can’t wait to nail that bastard to the wall,” Kayla said, referring—of course—to Douglas Cosmo Rainford, III.

Hawkins held the door for the others. “Yeah, well, from everything you’ve said, I have the feeling it’s going to be like trying to nail Jell-O to the wall. Damn, I’m starved! Let’s go, guys!”