Chapter 12 - The Kill Shot
For Father’s Day, Stone decided to surprise his father by preparing breakfast and serving it to him in bed. Stone arose early and went to the kitchen. The staff was just starting to assemble the food to start preparation when Stone sauntered in.
“Stone?” Ms. Maple said in confusion. “It’s Sunday. You do not have kitchen duty today. Or did you just come in to make your own coffee?”
“Ladies, I am going to make breakfast for my father. It is Father’s Day, after all. I think it would certainly thrill him if I made breakfast and served it to him,” Stone announced. “Now if you help me out by pointing me to a large cup of coffee, I need to wake up before I pick up a knife and cut myself.” Stone knew a little self-deprecation would win the ladies over. For good measure, Stone added a wink and a smile.
Ms. Davies and Ms. Maple looked at each other and smiled with pleasure. Ms. Maple poured Stone a large cup of coffee, and Ms. Davies made him a double shot of espresso. Stone was now ready to go. Stone gathered the vegetables to make a Spanish omelet. His father had bragged even he could make one, so Stone was determined to show he could make one, as well.
Determine to outdo his father, Stone asked the ladies if they had a recipe for home-made salsa. He read the recipe, gathered the ingredients, and started chopping and mincing the tomatoes, onions, and cilantro, then Stone charred and skinned the jalapeño peppers and diced them. He finished preparing the salsa and set it aside.
Knowing the family would be gathering soon, Stone sliced and cooked the potatoes, the onions, and the bacon. Then he looked at Ms. Davies. “What pan do I use for the omelet?” Stone asked. “I have a feeling this is going to be the hard part.”
Ms. Davies and Ms. Maple hovered over Stone like a couple of mother hens. “We will get you through this. You will be a pro by the time you finish your second one.” And they were right. While Stone was finishing the second omelet, Ms. Davies and Ms. Maple had assembled two breakfast trays complete with toast, juice, and coffee. Stone plated both omelets, added some salsa on the side and stood admiring his work.
“We will help you carry them up,” Ms. Davies announced as she grabbed one tray and Ms. Maple grabbed the second. Stone led the way up the stairs and knocked on his parent’s door. “I have a surprise for you,” Stone called out. “May we come in?”
The ladies followed Stone into the room. “Happy Father’s Day Dad,” Stone announced. “I made you breakfast.”
Rudy looked at Stone in amazement and then at Abby. “It’s the best Father’s Day ever,” Rudy proclaimed. Then he saw Stone had made Spanish omelets and snickered. “Trying to show me up, son?”
“I hope so.”
Stone waited until his father took the first bite. “This is good. Did you make the salsa too?”
“Yep,” Stone answered.
“Impressive. This is exceptionally yummy. Thank you, Stone.”
Stone smiled and walked away. He reflected on the last two days and realized the best two presents he had given the people he loved most were free; setting up the call for Gracey and making breakfast for his father.
Stone returned to the kitchen and set up a third tray with coffee and toast and delivered it to Gracey.
The family normally ate late on Sunday mornings, brunch. So by mid-afternoon, they were hungry. Little did they know Gracey had planned her own surprise for lunch. The mid-June weather in Tennessee was perfect for a summer picnic, but with the threat of dining outside, Gracey had set up the great room for an indoor picnic.
With the help of Ms. Davies and Ms. Maple, they prepared roasted chicken, potato salad with a herb flavored dressing, bread, brie, and berries of all types. They also helped Gracey select a light wine. The great room was large and bright and airy. It overlooked the patio and garden so they could pretend they were outside.
Gracey led the family in and turned to Rudy. “This is to thank you for everything. You are almost my father, Happy Father’s Day.”
Rudy was speechless; two meals in one day from his children. It truly was his best Father’s Day ever.
They sat on the blanket that had been spread out and ate. There were laughter and joking and no talk of the ugliness that loomed. It was a perfect afternoon.
At the end of the meal, Ms. Maple entered the family room carrying dessert. It was her contribution to the day. It was her way of thanking Rudy for taking care of her little girl. It was Ms. Maple's blue ribbon winning, homemade coconut cream pie with meringue three inches high. Rudy had thought he had died and gone to heaven. Ms. Maple’s coconut pies were legendary.
Suddenly everyone heard a yell from outside, and before anyone could react, the two men who had tried to kidnap Gracey just the Sunday before broke through the French doors from the patio. Ms. Maple quickly hid behind one of the chairs while one of the intruders went after Gracey and the other tackled Abby. Charles came running into the room right behind them, armed with a rifle.
Charles took aim at the man nearest Gracey. The kidnapper grabbed Gracey to her feet just as Charles pulled the trigger, and the bullet hit Gracey in the arm missing the kidnapper.
Rudy and Stone were wrestling with the second kidnapper trying to free Abby, but when they heard a shot ring out, all three froze. Stone instinctively jumped up to help Gracey. Gracey could feel the burn of the gun shot but knew better than to look at the wound and the blood. She stared straight into Charles' eyes, found strength and courage and without a word spoken between the two; Gracey jerked her body to the right. Simultaneously Charles took the kill shot, a silver bullet to the heart.
Seeing his accomplice was dead, the second kidnapper released Abby and leaped to his feet to escape. As the would-be kidnapper started running, Charles aimed and took another shot. But the kidnapper turned into his wolf form, and the bullet missed the target. Knowing he would not be able to match the wolf’s speed, Charles did not pursue. Instead, he turned to Gracey. Seeing her wound and blood, Charles was visibly shaken.
“Gracey, I am so sorry; I never meant to hurt you,” Charles cried out, almost in tears.
Gracey looked at Charles, now with tears in her eyes. “I know,” she muttered and fainted. Stone scooped Gracey up into his arms, cradling her, and carried her to her suite. Rudy was on the phone immediately calling Dr. Robertson. Abby instructed Ms. Maple to take the rest of the staff downstairs and told Charles to get the doors replaced and secure the house.
Dr. Robertson lived only ten minutes away, and Charles was waiting at the front entrance, to let him in. Dr. Robertson ran up the steps and into Gracey’s suite where he found Stone hovering over Gracey with Abby hysterical. “It’s my fault. I couldn’t protect them, and I could not turn,” Abby cried.
Dr. Robertson could see the wound was superficial, despite the amount of blood on Gracey’s blouse. He tried to console Abby. But Abby kept repeating, “I couldn’t turn. The shots kept me from turning and protecting her.”
Dr. Robertson, almost laughing, turned to Abby and said, “The answer is right in front of you; the lavender roses. It is the reason Stone is so attracted to them. They speak to his wolf side wanting to come out. It is not the scent of spice he is attracted to even though it reminds him of Gracey's scent. Abby, the lavender roses are the antidote to the shots.”
Abby grabbed the roses out of the vase on Gracey table and started shoving the petals into her mouth, like a bulimic before a purge, much to everyone's horror.
Turning back to Gracey, Dr. Robertson cleaned and dressed the wound. “This should heal quickly and barely leave a scar. If you were a wolf, you would be healed in a couple of hours, but since you’re human, maybe seven to ten days.” Then Dr. Robertson asks the vital question. “Was there any blood transfer? We need to check for any scratches or bites. Gracey, do you feel any?” Dr. Robertson asked.
Gracey replied, “No.”
“We will need to check to be sure,” he told Gracey. “Abby, c
an you help me undress her?” Dr. Robertson asked.
Rudy knew it was time for him to leave the room. Stone had been at Gracey’s side holding her hand the entire time, not moving. Dr. Robertson reached to unbutton Gracey’s blouse when Abby called out, “Stop." Abby turned to Stone. “You need to leave, give the girl some privacy. Rudy, take Stone with you.”
Reluctantly, Stone released Gracey’s hand and followed his father out of the suite and into the hallway. Once the suite door was closed, Rudy turned to Stone. “Why were you told to leave the room?”
“Because I have never seen Gracey undressed,” Stone confessed.
“But you sleep together!” Rudy called out, amazed and shocked.
“Yes, we sleep together in the same bed with me on top of the covers. Dad, Gracey is a virgin and so am I.”
“What the…Stone you are twenty-eight years old. You are telling me; you have never had sex? What about all the girls you dated while at college?”
“Dated yes, but no sex. Every girl I dated was more interested in the family fortune than me; it was a big turn off. Besides, I fell in love with Gracey when she was seventeen years old. When I saw her at the last Christmas party she attended, it was as if I had found my one true love. I knew then she was the one. I knew I would never be complete without her. I knew I would wait forever for her; only her.”
“But that was seven years ago son. And you have worked in the same building for six years. What took you so long?”
“Gracey stopped coming to the Christmas parties. And an office romance would have been scandalous. What was supposed to do, stalk her? But when I found out she was going to Africa I knew it was my chance, and I followed her there.”
While Dr. Robertson was examining Gracey, Abby held her hand and to distract her, asked, “When did you know Stone was the one for you?”
“When I was seventeen.”
“Seventeen?”
“Yes, at the last Christmas party I attended here at Emerald Knoll. My father was thanking you for another spectacular party, Stone smiled at me, and I swear I knew at that moment we were going to be together forever. I knew he was my soulmate.”
“But that was seven years ago!” Abby exclaimed.
“My life changed that night. While I finding love, I lost my mother. I was so busy just trying to cope with my heartaches and surviving day-to-day; I put Stone out of my mind. Then we started working together, and I could not pursue him. How would it have looked? But then we ended up in Africa together.”
Abby thought for a moment before speaking. Gracey had been apprehensive about becoming a wolf. “You were meant to be together. Your inner wolves know it,” Abby told her.
“Just because we both have the wolf gene we are supposed to be together?” Gracey asked, annoyed.
“Jim and Elmer are wolves. Do you feel the same way about them as you do for Stone?”
“Of course not,” Gracey answered.
“Humans call it the subconscious. For us, it is our inner wolf. It helps to guide us. Your inner wolves have ensured you would be together. Just wait until you turn, and then you will truly understand,” Abby explained.
Dr. Robertson finished the exam and found no scratches or bites. Gracey went into the bathroom, to clean up and dress for bed. Stone and Rudy came back into the room. Dr. Robertson filled them in on Gracey's condition and how to care for the wound. He would have supplies delivered and be back in a couple of days to check on Gracey.
Gracey came out of the bathroom and walked slowly towards the bed. She saw a single lavender rose petal on the floor, and she picked it up. At first, it appeared she was just going to smell it, smell the scent of herself; a hint of spice. Then she opened her mouth.
Stone yelled out, “No!” as he grabbed the rose petal from Gracey's hand. Everyone stood gaping.
“It is her wolf trying to protect itself, to heal itself. Wolves heal faster than humans, and her body is craving what it needs to survive,” Dr. Robertson explained.
Dr. Robertson gave Gracey a pain killer and some antibiotics. Stone tucked Gracey in and crawled atop of the bed beside her. “I love you, Gracey,” Stone told her.
“I love you too, Stone,” she replied.
Before Rudy and Abby had left the room, Stone and Gracey were asleep in each other’s arms; Stone enveloping Gracey like a cocoon to keep her safe just has he had for the past seven nights.
Abby and Rudy looked at them and despite the horror of the day, smiled. Both Stone's and Gracey’s breathing and heartbeats were in sync as if they were one. Abby and Rudy knew Stone and Gracey were meant for each other and meant to be together forever.
Dr. Robertson was escorted out, and Rudy turned to Charles. “The doors are fixed, and I have called Jim. Jim and Elmer are on their way back,” Charles advised.
“Thank you, Charles. Please ensure the quarters are secured downstairs, and then I want you to move into the room across the hall from Gracey for the night. I need to know she is safe. Tomorrow when everyone is back, we will decide on our next course of action.”
Monday morning the staff was abuzz of the latest kidnapping attempt; twice in one week. Who was after Gracey and why? Rudy and Abby knew they had to come up with a plausible story to tell the staff.
Jim and Elmer had returned and after a few hours of sleep joined the family, Ms. Maple and the staff in the kitchen. Everyone would need to be told the same story.
The staff consisted of two cooks, Ms. McFarlin and Ms. Davies; two housekeepers, Daisy and Allison; Billy, a young man who ran errands, and Charles.
“As you know there was another kidnapping attempt made yesterday. Gracey was hurt but is upstairs resting. The injury was minor. However, there may be another attempt. Her biological father is trying to claim her,” Rudy started.
The staff was now confused. John Newsome was her father, or was he?
Rudy tried to explain without giving any information about the family’s genetic makeup. “Mr. Newsome is not Gracey’s biological father. Her biological father is a horrible man and wants Gracey to live with him. Of course, Gracey does not want to. Since this is the second attempt, I am sure there be another. We are taking every precaution to ensure everyone is safe; this includes the staff. Some of you live here, Ms. Maple, Ms. Davies, and Charles. And Jim and Elmer have moved in to provide additional protection. Unfortunately, they were away this weekend.”
They were away this weekend; Rudy paused and thought, is this a coincidence?
“I will be reevaluating security measures and putting additional patrols in place,” Rudy told the staff, adding, “without encroaching on anyone’s privacy.
“I understand if you are worried about your safety and may want to quit. If you do, I will provide one years' severance pay and a written recommendation. If you want to move in or move out, just let me know. Think about it and let me know your decision by the end of the day.”
“Jim, Elmer, Charles, meet me in my office after breakfast,” Rudy stated, and the family walked away.
“Jim, Elmer, what did you find out during your trip?” Rudy asked.
“We wish we had more to tell, Mr. Rudolph but trying to get near the pack undetected was more difficult than we thought it would be,” Elmer started.
“The pack seemed bigger. But we are not sure everyone we saw in the group, were actually members of the pack. It seemed staged; as if Rafe was trying to make the pack look bigger,” Jim added. “There were too many. Nomadic packs are not that large. We counted ten adult males and ten adult females. We could not get close enough to determine if the females were human or turned. There were numerous children of all ages; mainly males but we did see a few younger females. But none appeared to be of mating age. There was one who looked about sixteen or seventeen. Technically she is old enough for mating, but traditionally we wait until eighteen,” Jim advised.
"Seeing the older female, we hoped she was wolf born, and Rafe
r would no longer need or want Gracey. But we did notice the devil twins were missing. We should have suspected foul play and let you know right away, Mr. Rudolph. We just thought it was a coincidence and ignored it,” Elmer explained.
“We overheard bits of a few conversations,” Jim continued. “It seems Rafe is in the middle of a territorial dispute with another pack. He is hoping to mate a female with the Beta of the other pack to solve the issue. This may be why Rafe wants Gracey.”
“Elmer, you used the word coincidence. I thought about that, as well. How did…what did you call them…the devil twins know the two of you were out of town?” Rudy wondered.
“I do not know,” Elmer replied.
“Did either of you tell anyone outside of the family you would be out of town?” Rudy asked.
“Family, did you say family? Omigod,” Elmer called out. “This is my fault!”
“Your fault?” Jim screamed.
“While we were packing to leave, my cousin Molly called. She needed help fixing a torn screen on one of her windows. I told her it would be a couple of days before I could stop by and take care of it,” Elmer explained.
“Molly? That does not make any sense. Why would Molly be helping Rafe?” Jim asked. “Molly took care of Gracey all of her childhood; up until Gracey had to sell her parent’s house. She loves Gracey.”
“This is what we need to find out,” Rudy told them. “Maybe it’s not her. Who would have the motive to sell out our family?”
No one could answer.