“Kidding.” He kissed her briefly and laughed. “Neither of us will ever be separated from you. We’re a group package. Something will work out, and all the cards will just fall into place.”
Chapter 17
It was early the next morning when a ringing phone woke Alyssa with a start. She sat upright in confusion and looked around the room. Tyler and Michael were gone from the bed. Her memory flooded back. They were working today, helping out around the farm since Justin, Charles, and Ryan had taken Alfred and Judas to Seattle.
How long before someone in Oklahoma caught wind of this situation, and what would they do?
“You okay, babe? I can feel your anxiety from the barn.” Michael spoke into her mind.
“Yeah, a phone was ringing. It startled me.”
Tyler jumped into the conversation. “A phone? Oh, shit. It’s probably mine. The only person with that number is in Denver. I’ll be right there.”
Alyssa lay back down and pulled the covers over her naked body. She’d never slept naked before, and now it seemed to be a new habit.
Two minutes later Tyler entered with Michael right behind him.
Tyler smiled at Alyssa and then glanced back at Michael. “I guess it’s a group call?”
“Seems like whatever decision is made affects all of us.” Michael frowned, his brow furrowed, as he sat on the side of the bed and laid a hand on Alyssa’s leg.
Why did his touch through the blankets warm her entire body as though he’d lain across her? His firm hand rubbed her leg, climbing up her body in slow circles.
“Before I check that call, we need to talk to you.” Tyler sat on the other side of the bed and glanced at Michael, who nodded.
“What’s the matter?” Alyssa let her gaze roam back and forth between the men, gauging their expressions and coming up with nothing. She sat up, pulling the covers over her chest.
“Nothing,” continued Tyler, “we just want to fill you in on what happened in Seattle.”
“Oh, right. With Alfred and Judas. Did your brothers get there safely?” She looked at Michael. Tension filled the room.
“They sure did. And man was that trip informative.” Michael turned to Tyler.
“It seems both the Northwest Area Pack Council and the Southwest APC have had our fine pack in Oklahoma under surveillance for several years. It’s very time-consuming trying to infiltrate that pack since they don’t take outsiders into their community. Nevertheless, the authorities have known for a long time that Fredrick was involved in something illegal. They just didn’t know what. His inner circle is very small and tight. Even Alfred and Judas are probably oblivious to the extent of their leader’s devious nature.
“Now that those two have been caught and turned in, however, they should be able to shed some light on the circumstances. Even though they are largely ignorant, they may know some things they didn’t even realize when questioned.”
Alyssa gasped. “My God.” She clutched the sheets around her with both hands. Her reality seemed to change in an instant.
Tyler sighed and then continued. “More than likely, the entire business of polygamy is just a ruse on the part of Fredrick to eliminate extra men and boys and keep a lower profile. The women of the pack don’t pose much of a threat since they are kept so subservient and docile, but the men… He perhaps thought he could keep a better rein on things if he just kept the numbers down.”
“Lord. What do you suppose this illegal activity is?” Alyssa wracked her brain to remember if she’d ever in her life been aware of all this.
“Could be anything from drugs to gambling to money laundering. Whatever it is, it involves large sums of cash, and it seems Fredrick intended to somehow use my skills in finance to keep his books. Apparently in the last decade he’s gotten in over his head with the number of accounts he has.”
Alyssa couldn’t even blink. Her eyes felt larger than saucers the way she had them pinned open listening to Tyler. “What happens now?”
Michael rubbed her leg and gripped her thigh. “Unfortunately, nothing yet. The authorities don’t have enough to go on yet. They need more evidence before they can bust Fredrick for anything. Meanwhile, we have no choice but to sit tight and wait.”
“What if they come after Tyler again? After six years of school, they wouldn’t just let him slip away.” New fear made her temples start to pound.
“Hon, nothing is going to happen to any of us,” Tyler continued. “We are just going to have to be diligent and patient. And … I’m going to have to take that job in Denver or find something similar to make myself unavailable to Fredrick. He can’t very well waltz into a large financial firm and just kidnap me. The sooner I’m gainfully employed, the more difficult it will be for Fredrick to make me disappear.”