Raising Innocence: A Rylee Adamson Novel(39)

Before Will could pick up the papers, Alex whimpered and scooted closer to Pamela. Watching them interact, it was interesting to see how quickly she accepted the supernatural. Then again, I’d been the same way when Giselle had found me. I’d accepted it within days, less maybe. It seemed that kids just saw what they saw and it became a part of their world almost seamlessly. Unlike the adults who got introduced to the supernatural. My thoughts again drifted to O’Shea. He’d caught on; it had just taken a while.
Pamela held up a piece of bologna from her sandwich. “Alex, sit.” He sat up, tail thumping.
“Now, lay down.” He flopped flat to the ground, all four limbs sprawled straight out.
“Roll over.” The werewolf rolled across the floor and right into the red clad legs of the woman who’d screamed at us when we first arrived. She tumbled to the floor with a screech that made Alex clap his paws over his ears and howl.
Pamela giggled, one hand covering her lips, shoulders hunched as she laughed.
I jumped into the fray and yanked Alex away from the woman, who was still screeching.
“Are you all right?” I bent over the woman, not normally so worried about the stunts Alex pulled, but after the incident with O’Shea, I was hyper aware of the possibilities that could arise from a simple cut or even a scratch.
The woman jerked her arm away from me and clambered to her feet, her hair—which had previously been in a tight bun—in complete disarray. “Do not touch me.”
I lifted my hands up, palms facing her. “Fine. I was trying to be nice.”
She brushed past me and clamped a hand down on Pamela’s shoulder. “I’m here to escort this child to her foster home. Until we can find her family, she will be in protective care.”
Pamela pulled back, or at least tried to. “I don’t want to go. I want to stay here.” Her eyes pleaded with me.
Shit, this was about to get ugly. I could feel it just under the surface of my skin.
I cleared my throat. “Ms. . . .?”
The woman in red glared at me. “It’s Dr. Daniels.”
Great, a PhD and an attitude. Bad combination when it comes to dealing with people. Of course, I wasn’t exactly known for my tact at the best of times. But for the kid, I would try.
“Dr. Daniels, Pamela doesn’t want to go. Doesn’t she get a say in her own life?”
The doctor snorted. “She’s a child. She knows nothing of what is good for her and what isn’t.”
Pamela glared up at her. “I’m almost fourteen. I’m not a child. And I don’t want to go with you.” I could feel her power surging, and I shook my head at her.
“Pamela, don’t do that,” I said.
Dr. Daniels looked at me, then Pamela and back again. “Don’t do what?”
We were saved by Will. “Excuse me, but Pamela is integral to our current case. We believe she may have information regarding the missing children, that there may be a connection between her case and theirs. Therefore, she is required by law and under the legislation of SOCA to be remanded into police custody until we are satisfied that we have all the information we need.” He reached out and put a hand on Pamela’s other shoulder.
The good doctor did not look amused. “I’m well aware of the law and legislation, Officer Gossard. But the child’s welfare is my concern. She will be going with me. Immediately.”
Now it was my turn. We’d played nice and, like most often, nice wasn’t going to cut it.
I pushed my body between Pamela and the doctor’s, forcing her hand off the kid’s shoulder. We were nose to nose, and Dr. Daniels was doing her best to look down on me. Which wasn’t a tactic that would work, not with me. “Will, take Pamela down the hallway and get her a candy bar or something.”
“Sure.”
I didn’t turn around, just stood there staring down the doctor. “That kid isn’t going anywhere. I’ll sign whatever I need to sign, but you aren’t taking her.”
Daniels put a finger to my chest and poked hard. “You can’t tell me what to do. You are not in charge here. You’re just another dumb Yank.”
I opened my mouth to speak when a familiar voice cut through the room and chaos broke loose in a most unexpected manner.
“Rylee, help me!”
Spinning, I saw Milly run toward me, her dark brown hair streaming out around her, tears tracking down her cheeks. What the hell was going on? How had she found me here?
She slumped as she reached me, and I barely caught her before she hit the floor, shock making me slow.
Milly was the reason Alex had a death threat on him.
Eve had almost died wearing Milly’s spelled anklet.