let me talk to the lead officer."
We listened as the police searched the house, then Angel handed the phone to one of the police officers, a woman.
"With whom am I speaking?"
"This is Elisabeth Burns of Burns Personal Security in Madison," she said. "We have had a credible threat against Michaela Redfur, the owner of that house. Angel Greene is a valuable member of our extended family, and we need her in Madison where we can safely watch her while we investigate the threat against Ms. Redfur."
"Was this a false alarm, Ms. Burns?"
"The threat is to kidnap Ms. Redfur, and it is a highly credible threat.
There was a pause. "My report will show Ms. Greene reported possible intruders who were likely scared off by the sirens. What else can the Bayfield police department do?"
"I need Ms. Greene safely in her vehicle, gassed up and with sufficient supplies that she won't need to stop on her drive here. Can you search her vehicle and then provide a strong escort until she is safely on her way? The potential kidnappers know that Ms. Redfur is in Madison tonight, so we do not feel that Ms. Greene would be a direct target, but we do feel that Ms. Redfur's house could be a good place to wait for her. We need to get Ms. Greene here where we can protect her."
"I will be very happy to assist Ms. Greene," said the officer.
"Officer-"
"Hill, ma'am."
"Officer Hill, the people who made this threat would not send only one or two kidnappers. Protect yourself as well."
"Yes, ma'am, your family member will have a significant escort on her way, and we'll make sure no one is directly following her. We can't escort her all the way down there though."
"Full tank of gas and no excuse to stop, and she'll be fine. Thank you very much, officer. Can you put Ms. Greene back on the line."
There was a pause. "Angel," Elisabeth said. "You will get in your car. The police will escort you to the nearest service station. You will gas up to the brim and buy whatever supplies you need, and you will drive straight to the compound without stopping. I don't care if you wet your pants, you will not stop. Do you understand me?"
Then she handed the phone to Lara.
"You heard her, Angel."
"You're scaring me, Alpha. No stopping. I understand."
"Good girl. You're not in trouble." She handed the phone back to Elisabeth.
"Once you are on the road, I want you on hands free calls the entire way. I'll find someone for you to talk to. If you think you are being followed, you will tell me."
"Yes, Elisabeth. What's going on?"
"See you in six hours. Call me back when you're leaving the gas station."
Elisabeth hung up and dialed another number. "Rory, I need Scarlett in the alpha's house within the next ten minutes. She should bring her phone and charger." She hung up without waiting for an answer.
"We're probably over-reacting," I said.
"No, we're not," said Lara. "We are probably reacting in a fashion that nothing will happen. Better safe than sorry."
I nodded. We moved downstairs. I headed towards the kitchen to find refreshments but Elisabeth told me, "Freeze."
"What?" I said, turning around.
"You're the one who asked for the escort. It hasn't arrived yet. Until it does, you do not walk out of a room unless Lara or I are with you."
"There is no one else in the house," I said. "I would have heard them."
"Maybe," she said. "But we're going to develop the proper habits right now."
"Yes, Elisabeth," I said meekly.
Rory appeared several minutes later with a sleepy Scarlett, who had thrown on some clothes over her pajamas. She took in the tableau and said, "Alpha, am I in trouble?"
"No," Lara said. "We need your help."
"Angel needs your help, Scarlett," I said.
That woke her up. "Is she all right?"
Elisabeth walked to Scarlett, took her by the hands, and led her to the sofa. "Yes," she said. "She's fine." Elisabeth explained briefly, offering no more details than Angel had, then said, "We need you to talk to her. Keep her awake. And be on the phone with
We listened as the police searched the house, then Angel handed the phone to one of the police officers, a woman.
"With whom am I speaking?"
"This is Elisabeth Burns of Burns Personal Security in Madison," she said. "We have had a credible threat against Michaela Redfur, the owner of that house. Angel Greene is a valuable member of our extended family, and we need her in Madison where we can safely watch her while we investigate the threat against Ms. Redfur."
"Was this a false alarm, Ms. Burns?"
"The threat is to kidnap Ms. Redfur, and it is a highly credible threat.
There was a pause. "My report will show Ms. Greene reported possible intruders who were likely scared off by the sirens. What else can the Bayfield police department do?"
"I need Ms. Greene safely in her vehicle, gassed up and with sufficient supplies that she won't need to stop on her drive here. Can you search her vehicle and then provide a strong escort until she is safely on her way? The potential kidnappers know that Ms. Redfur is in Madison tonight, so we do not feel that Ms. Greene would be a direct target, but we do feel that Ms. Redfur's house could be a good place to wait for her. We need to get Ms. Greene here where we can protect her."
"I will be very happy to assist Ms. Greene," said the officer.
"Officer-"
"Hill, ma'am."
"Officer Hill, the people who made this threat would not send only one or two kidnappers. Protect yourself as well."
"Yes, ma'am, your family member will have a significant escort on her way, and we'll make sure no one is directly following her. We can't escort her all the way down there though."
"Full tank of gas and no excuse to stop, and she'll be fine. Thank you very much, officer. Can you put Ms. Greene back on the line."
There was a pause. "Angel," Elisabeth said. "You will get in your car. The police will escort you to the nearest service station. You will gas up to the brim and buy whatever supplies you need, and you will drive straight to the compound without stopping. I don't care if you wet your pants, you will not stop. Do you understand me?"
Then she handed the phone to Lara.
"You heard her, Angel."
"You're scaring me, Alpha. No stopping. I understand."
"Good girl. You're not in trouble." She handed the phone back to Elisabeth.
"Once you are on the road, I want you on hands free calls the entire way. I'll find someone for you to talk to. If you think you are being followed, you will tell me."
"Yes, Elisabeth. What's going on?"
"See you in six hours. Call me back when you're leaving the gas station."
Elisabeth hung up and dialed another number. "Rory, I need Scarlett in the alpha's house within the next ten minutes. She should bring her phone and charger." She hung up without waiting for an answer.
"We're probably over-reacting," I said.
"No, we're not," said Lara. "We are probably reacting in a fashion that nothing will happen. Better safe than sorry."
I nodded. We moved downstairs. I headed towards the kitchen to find refreshments but Elisabeth told me, "Freeze."
"What?" I said, turning around.
"You're the one who asked for the escort. It hasn't arrived yet. Until it does, you do not walk out of a room unless Lara or I are with you."
"There is no one else in the house," I said. "I would have heard them."
"Maybe," she said. "But we're going to develop the proper habits right now."
"Yes, Elisabeth," I said meekly.
Rory appeared several minutes later with a sleepy Scarlett, who had thrown on some clothes over her pajamas. She took in the tableau and said, "Alpha, am I in trouble?"
"No," Lara said. "We need your help."
"Angel needs your help, Scarlett," I said.
That woke her up. "Is she all right?"
Elisabeth walked to Scarlett, took her by the hands, and led her to the sofa. "Yes," she said. "She's fine." Elisabeth explained briefly, offering no more details than Angel had, then said, "We need you to talk to her. Keep her awake. And be on the phone with
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