NAC & The Holly Group - Box set: Alpha Team

by Chelsea Handcock

  Jacks hoped that she could accept all of him because there really wasn’t another option. He was a Shifter, deadly and lethal in both forms. She needed to accept the possibly of seeing him shift from time to time.

  “No, Jacks, I wasn’t scared. I have lived with a dragon for years, after all, but you do have a point. Even though I knew something was different with Dad, he didn’t come clean with me until recently. He still won’t show me his dragon. Will you show me your bear some day?”

  “Yeah, he needs to see you, too,” Jacks replied.

  Well, at least her answer lessened some of his doubt. He was expecting a lot from Ryleigh. First and foremost, what was happening between the two of them. It was fast, even by Shifter standards. Well, at least he thought so. He couldn’t honestly say that he knew for sure. Cash and Jessie had years together to grow, he and Ryleigh seemed to be moving at lightning speed.

  “Does it hurt when you shift?” Ryleigh asked.

  “Yeah, in a way. I’ve been doing it since adolescence, so I hardly notice the pain anymore. It’s hard to explain if you’ve never shifted before.”

  Ryleigh could tell that Jacks was trying to gauge her reaction to him being a Shifter. She wanted to tell him that she didn’t care and tried to convey that using her Dad, but maybe she needed to be a little more curious.

  “How about this, I’ll tell you what I already know about Shifters, and then you can tell me more or tell me if I’m wrong? I talked with my Dad and he explained some things, but I’m aware that I don’t know everything. He never went into your legends or beliefs, didn’t go into anything beyond the basics.”

  “Yeah, I think that might be a good idea. Hit me with what you know.”

  “Well, I already know that Shifters can change at will, the moon has nothing to do with it. Additionally, you are either born a Shifter or not. You also can’t turn anyone into a Shifter. It also seems that science can’t create a Shifter, either. We may have the genes, but they are dormant. There aren’t any reports of these experiments creating a Shifter who can actually shift, at least we haven’t found any yet. I know that you are stronger, heal faster. Your instincts are more acute, eyesight and smell, too, but that’s about it. Do you want to tell me anything more?”

  “Not much.” Jacks responded. “Every animal is different, just like every Shifter is different. You have a gist of the basics. We aren’t Were people like in books. We can talk about it more in the future. Since we seem to be on the same page now, we absolutely need to get in mission mode.”

  “You're right, we need to concentrate on the mission. Since we only have about fifteen minutes until we get there, any last words of wisdom you would like to impart?”

  “Nope, stick with me at all times and watch your back, baby. Let’s get this done, we’ve arrived,” Jacks asserted.

  Jacks and Ryleigh pulled up to the gate of the Franklin’s estate. The place looked like a mausoleum. enormous and ostentatious with its manicured lawn and over-the-top water features. Once allowed into the inner sanctum, they were ushered into the den to meet with Julianne Franklin. This woman could have been beautiful if she ate a hamburger and laid off the Botox. Even worse, as soon as she got a look at Jacks, she zeroed in like a cobra ready to strike. The woman had the nerve to ignore Ryleigh entirely and go right for Jacks.

  “Mr. Thompson, I presume, welcome to my home,” Julianne purred, “I understand you are here to be the muscle.” She looked Jacks up and down, “And it’s evident to see why. Do you work out often? I have a full gym available to you at any time, clothing optional, of course,” she said, with a fake little giggle.

  Ryleigh wanted to puke, but Jacks seemed to preen for the wench.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Franklin,” Jacks responded, “and I might take you up on the offer of the gym. Depending on what the boss has to say, of course. She’s the brains behind this duo.”

  “Oh, well, of course, your wife,” she said, barely acknowledging Ryleigh. “I almost forgot and please call me Julianne.”

  “Thanks, please call me Jon,” said Jacks.

  Ryleigh had enough and decided to get Skeletor off of Jacks. The woman was actually drooling, well that could have to do with her inability to move her lips, but there was actual drool.

  “Hello, Ms. Franklin, Amy Thompson,” Ryleigh introduced herself. “The Agency said that you would have all of your mother’s medical records available as well as most of the Physical Therapy equipment needed. They also stated that your mother’s doctors have already decided on a course of action for her therapy.”

  “Yes, here,” Julianne said, handing over a thick file, “if you have any questions, you need to talk to her doctors, but that won’t happen until Friday. She is to have intensive physical therapy at a minimum of three times a day, an hour for each session. I mean, for the love of all that is holy, that is all Sheila ever did. She strapped her on the table and put all the machines on, they do the actual work.”

  The woman dismissed Ryleigh like an annoying little fly. She would have laughed if her green-eyed monster wasn’t making an appearance. She did not like this woman pawing at her man.

  “So, Jon, I guess you would be the boss then since you will be doing most of the work,” Julianne flirted.

  Ryleigh could actually see her hands reaching out to grab handfuls of the woman’s perfectly coiffed hair. She wondered if Jacks had to put up with this type of attention on a daily basis. They had never been out in public before; he was a handsome man and some women didn’t have any tact. Ryleigh was almost embarrassed for the woman.

  Julianna took them to meet her mother, and Ryleigh was shocked. The woman wasn’t what they were lead to believe; she was catatonic, her pallor was gray, and she looked extremely bloated. Ryleigh suspected kidney failure, maybe congestive heart failure, but she couldn’t be sure. All she knew was the woman in the wheelchair was in bad shape, and she needed to be in an Intensive Care Unit at a hospital, not in this home.

  “Sorry, Miss Franklin, but when was the last time her doctors were here to see your mother?” Ryleigh asked.

  “Just about an hour ago, and he said she was fine. She always looks like that or do you think you know more than a medical doctor does, Amy?” Julianne cattily retorted. “Her doctors and I are responsible for her care, not you. Just follow the script and get paid. Your opinion is not wanted or needed. I have real professionals for that.”

  Damn it. Ryleigh had to play the part, but if the elder Mrs. Franklin lasted the day, let alone to Friday, Ryleigh would be surprised. It looked like a call to 911 was in her future, so the woman could get the help she urgently needed. She could barely resist the need to take her pulse.

  Their cover included they were newlyweds and hard up for cash. She wanted to keep to the cover, but there was absolutely no way she would keep it up if the woman’s life was in danger. This mission might be scrapped because Mrs. Franklin did not look good. Ryleigh might not have finished her residency, but she knew enough to know that lady was in a bad way. Ryleigh needed to see what Mrs. Franklin’s doctor had to say, and that information should be in the lady’s file.

  “Do what the doctors have outlined, Amy,” Julianne ordered. “Mother is overdue for therapy as it is. If Sheila hadn’t gotten knocked up and the little bastard decided to come early, then my poor mother wouldn’t be in this shape.”

  “Jon,” running her skeletal claws up Jacks' arm in what Ryleigh was sure meant to be a seductive move, Skeletor said, “Jon, once you get Mother situated for Amy, why don’t you come and join me for lunch. I can have my chef whip us up something decadent, you know something to fire the senses.”

  “Sorry, ma’am, but I need to stay with the wife until the session is over, but I am open for dinner. Well, sorry, we both are,” Jacks responded.

  “Well, okay then. I’ll let you get to it, and Amy, I meant what I said,” Julianne ordered. “Follow the doctor’s orders to the letter, or there will be consequences. We both know why you are her
e, and you won’t like it if you make me mad,” she said, as she left the room.

  Ryleigh had pushed the scrambler on her watch about two minutes into their conversation with Julianna. There had been movement in the hall, but no one actually came into the room, so, it was safe to assume either this room was not wired for sound or no one was currently listening.

  “Jon, can you please help me get Mrs. Franklin onto the bed?” Ryleigh requested. “I’d like to start with a rub down, and then I’ll proceed with the doctor’s orders.” Motioning Jacks closer, Ryleigh whispered, “Jacks, they are trying to kill this woman. She is either in kidney failure or worse, but most definitely congestive heart failure. I don’t think that she’ll make until Friday. We need to get her to a hospital. I think it’s too late, but crap, if I hook her up to the TENs unit at the intensity they want it, she won’t last ten minutes.”

  “Damn, is there anything you can do to help her, but also, try to complete this mission?” Jacks asked.

  “I don’t know, but if we’re going to salvage anything, I’ll have to start the upload now,” Ryleigh said. “Maybe we’ll be lucky and hit pay dirt.”

  “Shit, we really need that drive, but something is better than nothing, right?”

  “Jacks, I can’t just let this woman die. I need to read the notes from the doctor she supposedly saw earlier. I can’t imagine any doctor clearing her for PT.”

  “I know, honey. Well, it looks like I get to go and have lunch with the matchstick. after all. Read the file, if you don’t like what you see, pull the plug and call for assistance. I don’t want this woman’s life or death on my head, either.”

  “Give me five or ten minutes to read through the file. If I have to call 911, I’ll try to let you know. For now, I think you’re right, diverting Skeletor's attention is probably for the best. She might feed you a grape. I bet you're excited.”

  “Not really, but it’s the only way to scope everything out. Maybe with the commotion, the rescue workers will create an opening, so we can get to the drive. We have to at least see if it’s a possibility.”

  Chapter 35

  Ryleigh was examining Mrs. Franklin when a short, older man came into the room.

  “What do you think you are doing, missy, and why is Edith in here? She should be in her room. Can’t you tell she’s dying?” he asked.

  “Well, sorry, and who are you?” questioned Ryleigh.

  “I am her doctor, missy and don’t forget it,” he countered. “Now explain why in the hell you would hook a dying woman up to a TENs unit. What, are you trying to kill her?”

  “No, sorry. I just got here. My name is Amy Thompson, I’m the new Physical Therapist. Julianne said that I was to follow the doctor’s orders to the letter. I tried to question her, but she stated that you insisted on intensive PT three times a day, an hour each session. I was doing a quick exam. I haven’t even thought about getting out the TENs unit, sir.”

  Thank God for this little man. Ryleigh had been two seconds away from running for the phone. There were no doctor’s notes from an hour ago. Worst of all, there weren’t any doctor’s notes for several days.

  “Those weren’t my orders, missy. Must have been that wanker, Todd. I swear, it’s like they can’t wait for nature to take its course. I told that dolt of a daughter that and she keeps trying to hurry things along. Sheila did everything that wanker and that overindulged daughter told her to do. Thankfully, she went into labor early. Now maybe my Edith can die in peace. Now come on, I’ll take this up with Julianne. Help me get Edith back to her room, and missy, even if I am not here, you do not touch my Edith. Do you understand? I don’t care what Julianne says. Edith will pass in her time and not when Julianne wants her to.

  The stupid girl, she already has all her daddy’s money, and now she wants her mom’s as well. She seems to think she can make her die ‘naturally’ before the deadline. Well, I’ll be damned if that little nitwit gets anything else. She has enough, and she’s just going to have to deal with it. Took after her daddy; that one’s completely self-absorbed and a spoiled brat. She won’t be needing any physical therapy, but since you’re here, you might as well help make her more comfortable. I’ll make new orders, and those you had better follow to the letter.

  “Will do, Dr.?”

  “Oh, call me Paul.” Ryleigh liked the little, old doctor. He seemed to have a real relationship with the patient, but she needed to ask a few more questions before she felt comfortable not calling 911.

  “Pleased to meet you, Paul. Thank you for coming in when you did, I don’t wish to cause Mrs. Franklin any harm. Is she by chance in Hospice care? Should I arrange my schedule around her nurse? I can offer her some therapeutic massage to help make her last days a little more comfortable as long as I am not getting in anyone’s way.”

  “Well, I don’t know about that, missy. After all, you almost killed her, but that is neither here nor there. Now come on, time’s a wastin’, she needs to be in her bed. To answer your question, no. That little pissant daughter of hers won’t let a hospice nurse come in. She told the hospital that my son, who is also a doctor, and I could handle her end-of-life care. If you prove yourself, missy, I might let you do that massage stuff, but I’ll be watching you.”

  Jacks was able to recon the entire bottom floor before running into Julianne. The woman made his skin crawl, and the way she kept trying to touch him made him want to vomit. The sad part, he could see that she thought she was being sexy. As if a living skeleton was sexy to anyone. This was part of the job he didn’t like, making people believe he was interested in what they were offering when he was most defiantly was not.

  “What are you doing in my office, Jon?” Julianne solicited. “Aren’t you supposed to be flexing your muscles for my mother or are you looking for something else?”

  “No, ma’am. I was looking for you, so that I could take you up on your offer of lunch,” Jacks said, licking his lips, “and I am ravenous.”

  Like a bee to honey, Jacks had her. She was getting bolder now she thought Jacks was interested in more than food.

  The woman tried to walk over with a sway in her nonexistent hips, and said, “I bet you are, Jon.” At the same time, she ran her hands over his chest, causing a shiver to run down his spine. It was almost like someone had walked over his grave. Creepy. Well, at least the woman thought the reaction was something else. She was still trying to seduce him with her eyes and body; yuck. When she talked, it only got worse. Damn, he really needed to rethink his idea of doing anything to get the job done. There were defiantly things he wouldn’t be doing now he had found Ryleigh. He didn’t even think he could get it up to fake it with the woman.

  “But just how hungry are you?” Julianne said, trying to seduce Jacks. “My appetite is not easily quenched. I am a very demanding woman. I like my meat, and if I don’t get enough, I am not a happy girl. I’ve even been known to send it right back to the chef.”

  She reached out and cupped his package, “Well, it looks like I won’t be sending anything back to the chef today. Jon, why don’t we have lunch in my study? It’s more private.”

  “Ms. Franklin,” Ryleigh cleared her throat, “if you wouldn’t mind taking your hand off of my husband’s penis, I would greatly appreciate it. I realize we are here for the week, but our employment contract said nothing of private sessions. That would cost a hell of a lot more than you are paying us now.”

  “Well, I never have. How dare you talk to me that way? Your husband came to me, after all,” Julianne accused. “I was only offering him lunch. Maybe if you satiated his hunger properly, he wouldn’t be looking to get fed somewhere else. But you’re right, I did hire you to do a particular job. So, would you mind telling me why you aren’t doing it?”

  The woman had the audacity to still be fondling Jacks as she was talking to Ryleigh and it didn’t look like she was being very gentle either. Served him right.

  “Well, ma’am, that’s why I was coming to see you. Dr. Paul came in during
my therapy session with your mother and put a stop to it,” Ryleigh said. “He also said that he would be speaking to you about trying to speed up the process of your mother’s death. He insisted that I help him settle her in her room. Since you are my employer, as you’ve reminded me, I thought it was best to let you know what was happening and why I couldn’t perform my duties at this time. I would also like to point out that I agree with the doctor’s assessment. So, if there isn’t anything else, should we retire for the day? As the doctor stated, my services won’t be needed. Please let me know what the two of you decide my duties should be going forward.”

  “Well, that shows how much you know, Amy,” Julianne hissed. “Paul isn’t even a real doctor, the meddling old fool. I’ll call my mother’s real doctor, and you will follow his instructions to the letter. Go to your room until I feel like dealing with you.”

  With one last squeeze of Jacks family jewels she preened, “But, Jon, if you would like to still have lunch, I could make the time.” Her phone rang and looking down, she grimaced. Dismissing them, or just Ryleigh, with a wave of her hand she said, “I have to take this, maybe later, Jon.” As they were walking out of the office, they both heard Julianne speak into the phone in a sickeningly sweet voice.

  “Todd, you have to do something about your father. He won’t let them do the physical therapy, and we only have three days left. Well, if I’m not happy then you’re not going to be happy. Todd, get that old bastard under control. I did my part, now you do yours. Fine, I’ll see you in twenty.”

  Chapter 36

  Ryleigh was fuming. She knew Jacks was only playing a part, but letting that woman touch what she was starting to think of as hers, really pissed her off. Walking to the room they were assigned to only seemed to fuel her fire. She was ready to lay into him, but he kept walking, not saying anything and acting like everything was right in the world. Everything was not good in the world. That skanky Skeletor had her hands all over him and wanted more. Ryleigh had seen the look in her eyes. Julianna Franklin was used to getting everything she wanted, and it seemed Jacks was on her list. Ryleigh didn’t like it one bit.