Sharon's Wolves (Wolf Masters Book 10) (19 page)

“Yes. My mom and Laurie are here too. We arrived at almost the same time.”

“Okay. I’ll get dressed and meet you at the hospital.”

“No. Don’t do that just yet. You have so much going on. I just wanted you to know. I don’t sense she’s in immediate danger. I’m glad for the connection that allowed me to find her, but I don’t feel an urgency to gather the family. We’ll call you when we know more.”

“Okay. I’m so sorry, Melinda.”

“Can you let Cooper know? Don’t make him feel like he needs to rush to Sojourn either, but someone should tell him.”

“Of course. And please let us know what we can do.”

“I will.” Melinda ended the call.

Sharon lowered the phone to her lap. “Mimi’s unresponsive. They called an ambulance.”

“I could hear Melinda through the phone, sweetheart.” Jackson kissed her shoulder. “You want me to take you to be with them?”

She shook her head. “Not yet. Melinda’s right. We have a lot to concentrate on. Melinda has plenty of support right now. I think our usefulness is better served in Cambridge this morning.”

“You may be right. At the very least, someone has to talk Cooper into taking a nap. The man is going to be dead on his feet soon if he doesn’t slow down.”

She eased herself back down on the bed. “He reminds me of a storm chaser. This isn’t the same as a tornado, but it feels like it the way he runs all over the mountains looking for earthquakes.”

“You have
that
right. I’m afraid he’s going to make me look bad with his work ethic.”

She turned her face toward Jackson. “You’re both going to put me to shame. You do realize I make money skiing and hiking.”

“I know.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I watched you in action all winter every chance I got, remember.”

“I remember. I’ll never forget.” She turned to her side, wrapped a leg over his thighs, and tucked her arm around his chest. Just inhaling him was soothing. Her heart pounded with worry for Mimi, but Jackson’s calm frame centered her.

They would each have their roles in this relationship of three, but she was starting to recognize several of their individual traits.

Jackson would be the calm in any storm.

Cooper would undoubtedly chase the storm at a full run.

Sharon closed her eyes and reached out to Cooper.
“Hon?”

“Yeah?”

“Melinda just called. Something happened to your grandmother. They’re taking her to the hospital.”

“Shit. In Sojourn?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll head that way.”

“No. Don’t. There’s nothing you can do right now. Melinda didn’t want you to drop everything. You’re in the middle of a crisis. Let’s see what the doctors say first. Maybe she’s dehydrated or hasn’t eaten enough. Melinda didn’t sense any impending urgency.”

Cooper hesitated.
“I don’t like it. I should be with my mother and sisters if nothing else.”

“I know. But they’re with each other. All you would be doing is pacing the waiting room while there’s something huge brewing that needs your attention.”

Cooper sounded stressed when he responded.
“Okay. I don’t like it, but okay.”

By midmorning Sharon had her hand on the door to Cooper’s office space. She turned to face Jackson right behind her before opening it. “I can sense the insanity inside this room. Our calm lazy morning is about to end.”

He nodded. “I’m sure you’re right.”

“And it’s going to be hard to keep my hands off you.”

“Likewise, but we’ll manage.”

“Is this a good idea?” she asked, uncertain about their decision to join Cooper while he was buried in work.

“It was either join him or spend the day pacing.”

He was right. With a deep breath, she opened the door.

The chaos was more than she expected. Not only were Cooper and his four team members in the room working, but several other people. Half the people were on the phone, and the other half were monitoring computers and readouts, discussing what they were looking at, their voices piling on top of one another.

Cooper lifted his gaze as Sharon stepped into the room with Jackson behind her. He smiled and came toward them. “How’s Mimi?” His face grew serious.

“They aren’t sure yet. Looks like she had a stroke. She hasn’t regained consciousness, and no one knows how long she was on the floor before they found her,” Sharon said.

“God. Don’t you think I should go there?” He glanced around.

Sharon reached for his forearm and squeezed gently. “I don’t think there’s anything you can do right now. She has so much support, and you’re needed here. If I thought one of us should be there, I would go myself.”

He nodded, chewing on his lower lip. “I guess. Feels weird, though.”

Jackson stepped around Sharon. “Tell us what we can do,” he said.

Sharon smiled at his attempt to lighten the mood.

Cooper ran a hand through his hair and spun around to face the room. “Honestly? Make calls. Several students from the college are here helping out today, and we’re about to set up a call station to hit major businesses and organizations in the area to warn them.”

“Warn them of what?” Jackson asked.

“We don’t know. I’ve spoken with the National Earthquake Information Center in Colorado. They’re sending a few people here tomorrow, but I don’t feel like that’s the key to anything.”

“What do you mean?” Sharon asked. She watched his face closely, trying to read him. He was stressed. That was clear. His eyes were wide and bloodshot from lack of sleep and concern.

He stepped closer to them and dipped his head to speak only to the two of them. “Something’s not right. I can feel it.”

“We know that, Cooper,” Sharon added.

He shook his head. “No. I mean really
really
not right. And I don’t mean in a quantitative measurable sense. I can stare at these machines and gather data all day and night. All that tells me is there are numerous small quakes under the earth and they’re increasing by the hour. But why? What does it mean?”

“That’s what you’re trying to figure out, right?” Sharon whispered. “I mean, don’t be so hard on yourself. Whatever it is, you’ll get to the bottom of it.”

He bit his lower lip and then released it. “That’s just it. I don’t think we will.”

“Ever?” Jackson asked, his brow scrunched.

“No. I mean in time.”

“In time for what?” Jackson tipped his head to one side.

“I don’t know.” Cooper inhaled deeply and blew out a long breath. “But I have a suspicion.” He put his hands on his hips and met each of their gazes one at a time. “I think it would be best if Melinda were here. Do you think that’s possible?”

Sharon fished her cell out of her pocket. “I’ll call her. If it’s possible, she’ll come.”

“How can Melinda help?” Jackson asked.

Cooper turned to face him more fully while Sharon made the call. “When all else fails scientifically, sometimes the best answer comes from one of the females in my family. It’s a long shot, but it’s worth it. If anyone can sense the Earth’s unrest and put a finger on it, it’s Melinda. She’s the most sensitive of all of them.”

“Hello?” Melinda said through the phone.

Sharon held up a finger to quiet Jackson and Cooper. “Melinda, it’s Sharon. How’s Mimi?”

“Still hasn’t regained consciousness, but she’s a trooper. I’m sure she’ll wake up and demand her lunch as soon as her brain is ready.”

Sharon smiled. “I’m sure you’re right. Listen, I hate to ask this, but do you think you could come to the junior college? The tremors are increasing in frequency, duration, and strength. Cooper could really use your sensitivity. He’s pulling his hair out and coming up with no plausible explanation for what’s happening.”

“Okay. Let me see what I can do. I’m sure Mom and Laurie can handle things here. They can always call me if Mimi wakes up.”

“Thanks, Melinda. I know it’s a lot to ask right now. I know how much your grandmother means to you. I don’t want you to stray so far away from her.”

“Honestly, Sharon. The truth is I think she’s going to be fine. I know that’s insane, but like you said, I get a feel about some things, and I don’t feel an overwhelming stress when I’m next to her. I feel calm.”

“That’s good to hear, Melinda. Take your time. We’ll be here.” Sharon ended the call. Was it possible the calm Melinda felt was because Mimi wasn’t putting off a vibe of stress herself? Maybe the woman was dying, but she felt she was ready or something. Sharon shuddered and kept the thought to herself.

“She’s coming?” Jackson pulled her from her thoughts.

Sharon nodded. “As soon as she can get away.”

The door behind them opened again, and a woman stepped inside. “Mr. Hamilton?”

Cooper nodded.

“We have a room next door set up to use as a calling center. Is there anything else you need right now?”

“No. Thank you so much for your help. I know a lot of people are giving up their Sunday, and I truly appreciate everything the junior college has done for us.”

The woman smiled. “Our pleasure. It’s not often we have the opportunity to get our students involved in something this monumental happening on our doorstep. It’s a good learning tool. And thank you for allowing the students to observe and assist.”

“My pleasure.”

The woman stepped back out, and Cooper turned to Sharon. “Think you can organize people in the room next door? I have printout lists of people and businesses to call.” He twisted around and grabbed a stack of papers from behind him. “Maybe divvy it up and help the student volunteers understand the script.” He handed her a smaller pile of paper next, copies of a single sheet that outlined what to tell anyone who answered the phone.

“Got it.”

Cooper turned toward Jackson next. “Could you get ahold of someone running that logging site just north of the lodge?”

“I’m sure.”

“Good. Track them down and warn them. We don’t have any reason to believe they shouldn’t be up there working tomorrow morning yet, but we need them to be aware of the seismic activity.”

“What does your gut tell you?” Jackson asked.

Sharon watched as Jackson narrowed his gaze at Cooper. He didn’t believe any more than she did that Cooper had no gut feeling. Perhaps it was the mating; perhaps it was simply the fact that Cooper looked extremely stressed. In either case, Cooper had a hunch. He just wasn’t sharing it.

Cooper shook his head. “You do not want to know, man.”

When Melinda stepped into the temporary headquarters for the seismic center, every hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She had jogged from her car to the Shepley Building, but now her steps faltered, and she slowed to a pace that must have looked like slow motion.

The room was filled with people. Sharon had mentioned about ten, but there were far more in the room now.

Cooper spotted her and crossed the room in just a few strides. “How’s Mimi?”

Melinda didn’t look his way. She couldn’t. All she could do was scan the room with her gaze and inhale slowly, trying to get a feel of things. She spoke absentmindedly, trying to focus all her concentration on the here and now, not Mimi. “No change…” She inched farther inside until she stood in the middle.

“You okay?” Cooper asked.

“Something’s very
very
wrong,” she muttered.

Cooper chuckled, though she didn’t think this was funny at all. “Yeah, I’m super clear on that. It’s why I asked you to come.”

She finally turned to face him directly. “Can you take me to the epicenter?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Let me put someone else in charge.” He turned around and spoke to a man behind him, who nodded and returned to the computer he was leaning over.

Melinda stood rigid waiting. When her half brother returned to her side and led her from the room, she exhaled slowly. “That room is intense.”

“Yeah. I try to ignore the gut and focus on the science, but it’s hard sometimes.”

Melinda nodded. She understood better than anyone how intuition could cloud her in a way that seemed totally irrational to someone else.

Cooper popped his head into what looked like a call center. He waved at Jackson across the room, and his mate of just over a day came forward and stepped outside.

“I’m going to take Melinda to the fracking site.”

Jackson nodded. “Be careful and stay in touch.”

“I will. Where’s Sharon?”

“I’m right here.”

Melinda turned around to find Sharon coming down the hall.

She smiled as she approached. “Restroom.”

Cooper nodded the other direction toward the stairwell and started walking.

Melinda followed right behind him with Sharon at her side.

Sharon shot Melinda a confused glance, making Melinda shrug.

When Cooper opened the stairwell and let the women pass him before he entered last, Melinda had a pretty good idea what he intended. And sure enough, she was right.

Cooper immediately turned toward Sharon and pressed her into the wall. He cupped her face with both hands and met her gaze. “I need to take Melinda to the epicenter.”

Sharon nodded. “Of course.”

Melinda’s face heated as though she were a voyeur. She tried to nonchalantly glance away, but there was no way to avoid the pheromones her brother put off, or the way his mate responded.

Silence reigned for a moment while Cooper stroked his thumb across Sharon’s face and then kissed her gently. “Please stay here.”

Sharon nodded. “Where would I go?” She lifted both hands and set her palms on his cheeks, her arms outside of his.

He ignored the question. “Stay with Jackson, baby. Please.”

She narrowed her gaze. “For him or for me?”

Cooper winced. “Does it matter?”

“No. I suppose not.”

“Then just stay near him at all times. He’s bigger and you’re sharper. Maybe it’s a balance.”

“I will, Coop. We’re fine.” She leaned in closer and rained tiny kisses all over his face.

Cooper groaned and then broke free of her. “I’ll be in touch. You keep your mind open.”