Page 8 of Her Big Bad Wolf

“Hey Vanessa.”

“Hi Lane. Any word on the boys?”

“Afraid not. We have trackers around town, but it’s a bit tougher in a Pack to track people like that. Plus, they keep reporting that those boys’ scents have been found everywhere. It’s like they ran circles around this place or something.”

“I believe it. They can be quite the handful.”

“I spoke with the older boys’ teachers this morning. They all report that Noah is extremely intelligent. Too smart for his own good, was mentioned on more than one occasion.”

I smiled. “He was always a bright child.”

“When that sort of intelligence isn’t channeled properly, it can become destructive.”

I growled. “He’s just trying to keep his brothers together.”

Lane gave me a curious look. “You’re pretty protective of them.”

“I’m protective of all my kids and I’ve had the privilege to teach all three of the Baylor boys.”

“I see. You wouldn’t happen to know where to find them, would you?”

Once more a growl erupted from me. “If I knew that, I wouldn’t have been up half the night driving around looking for them.”

Without another word, I turned on my heels and stomped off.

The audacity of him to accuse me of something like that.

If I’d stuck around a minute longer, I’d probably have ended up in one of his cells down at the jail. He shouldn’t even be here. He should be out there looking for those boys.

By the time I returned to the pre-school, I was in a worse mood than when I’d left.

Mary took one look at me and shook her head.

“Drop off the food and go home. I’ve already called in reinforcements for the day.”

“What? Why?”

“Because you are in no condition to be here. You look like you’re about to explode if someone even looks at you the wrong way.”

“I would never take my frustrations out on a kid.”

“I’m not worried about the kids.”

“Then what are you trying to say.”

“I know you’re worried, Vanessa. You’re going on caffeine and fumes right now. You need a break. In all these years have you even taken one single day for yourself?”

“Of course not. I have a job to do, one that I love and wouldn’t trade for anything.”

Mary softened and gave me a sympathetic look.

“I know that, dear. But it’s okay to take care of you for once too.”

“But . . .”

“No buts. I’ll pull rank and have Kyle order it if you don’t.”

“Mary, you wouldn’t.”