Her Undercover Refuge Read online

  Nothing particularly exciting happened at breakfast, and when they were done, Nella managed to take Scott aside and ask if he’d be contacting Vince again to ask whether the Chance PD’s techies had found anything online that was worrisome about the shelter.

  “That’s my plan,” he said.

  “Good. I’ll come with you.” Before he could agree—or not—she called out to the staff members that her training class would be held in an hour or so rather than now.

  She and Spike accompanied Scott to his office. And she was relieved when Scott put Vince on speakerphone and heard that so far it didn’t appear that word had gotten out about the shelter.

  Nella nevertheless adjourned to her office and also did some online research. Not that she was a tech expert, but at least she felt a little more relaxed when she couldn’t find anything about the Chance Animal Shelter except the aspects of it that they did want the world to know.

  She spent an hour on the computer researching, then studying her instructions again, before heading back downstairs to work with staff members and dogs, then going for lunch.

  Around two o’clock, Nella received the call she had been expecting. Dan and Jon were in the reception area. Scott had been observing the lessons, and she let him know where she was heading, and why.

  He insisted on going with her. Which felt good. The reception area was more open than the rest of the shelter, although she figured Dan would have told her if anyone besides Jon and he were in there waiting.

  Nella, hanging back a bit with Spike on his leash, let Scott unlock the door into the reception area and enter first. Sure enough, the only people present were Dan and Jon. Both wore T-shirts and jeans, clearly not on duty now. Dan had a frizz of hair around the back of his head, as if he was letting what was left of his hair grow a bit. He stepped forward and gave Nella a hug.

  Jon also came close to her when Dan and she had released one another but just smiled, his light blue eyes gleaming. Then he petted Spike, who sat down and looked up at him in pleasure. “So, you ready to teach us everything else we need to know to create a place like this in L.A.?” Jon directed his remark to Nella, even though Scott would have been the better recipient.

  “Whatever I can.” Nella refrained from mentioning that she might have changed her mind again and might return to L.A. with them. “And Scott will help even more.” She looked at him with a gaze she hoped was beseeching enough. His outfit was similar to the others’, although he wore a Chance Animal Shelter T-shirt.

  Just looking at Scott hurt Nella. She didn’t know if she was staying or not, and if she left whether she would wind up having to sever all ties with this wonderful, caring man—to help protect not only all the others around here, but him, too.

  Fortunately, Scott nodded and agreed. After he unlocked the door, they all exited the reception room down the hall, and into the rest of the shelter.

  “As I told you before, this area is off-limits except for invited visitors,” she told Dan as they walked together into the central area, which now, as it often did, contained most of the residents walking or working with dogs. “You’ll need to ask questions or tell me what else I can help with.”

  As Nella came toward them with Spike, most stopped, got their dogs to sit at their sides, and looked at her.

  It was time for her to provide a class.

  She explained that to their visitors. “It’s now a fun part of the program for those under protection,” she said. “They’re here to help with the animals, and taking the time to work with them and teach them helps the people, too.”

  “Got it,” Jon said. “I like dogs, in case you couldn’t tell.” Which Nella figured after he’d petted Spike. “This will be enjoyable. In fact, if you have a dog available that I can try handling, I’d like to do that.”

  Nella was happy with that idea. It would be excellent for one of the people founding the new shelter to have firsthand experience like that.

  After a little bit of maneuvering about who was walking who, she made Sheba, the Old English Sheepdog who was a newcomer to the shelter, available for Jon to handle.

  Nella was happy to see Sheba and Jon do well in the training session, as did the staff members with other dogs. She noted Scott and Dan standing near each other off to the side, watching and talking. Was Scott filling Dan in on what was going on here? She hoped so, especially if there was anything new in the LAPD hunt for the missing gang members.

  Or was Scott using the opportunity to tell Dan why she couldn’t return to L.A. now for any reason, no matter what her own opinion was?

  She worried about that, even as she kept up an excited and pleased front while demonstrating dog commands and helping her students work with the canines at their sides to make sure they all performed correctly.

  She had a feeling she needed to talk to Dan about training. Maybe Jon, too. Fortunately, she was impressed with how he worked with Sheba. He would surely be able, without her presence, to handle dog training at the shelter Dan and he would build. But... Well, she was leaning toward helping them in person for several reasons.

  When the session was over, while Scott excused himself to go talk to the other managers, Nella and Spike walked with both visitors through other areas of the shelter, including the cat and small animal enclosures—although Nella left Spike leashed outside while they did that. Then they went upstairs to look at the apartment building and Nella’s unit, so they could see what one was like. She also took them to the next level to see the small community room there.

  After that, she took Spike back to his enclosure, then led the men to the dining room building and invited them for dinner later. “One of our staff members is our primary cook, since she’s not as fond of animals as everyone else.”

  “Got it,” Dan said. “But we’ve got other dinner plans unfortunately.”

  “And I don’t understand it,” Jon said, scowling at Nella till his expression changed into a teasing smile. “Why would anyone not be fond of animals?”

  She was surprised at how Jon was acting. He wasn’t coming on to her at all anymore, which was a good thing. Instead, he really seemed to like animals and to want to get that new, special shelter going and be part of it.

  “But how do you feel about people?” Nella said, half-teasingly. She had seen in person that Jon was a good cop, so protecting people in need was probably part of who he was. He’d done a good job on the antigang task force, at least, as her best backup.

  The three of them stood in a tiled corner of the empty kitchen near the large oven. “I like them,” Jon responded, smiling broadly. “You know that. And I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate what’s being done at this shelter for people as well as animals. The form of protective custody here seems amazing—particularly giving them new identities. I can’t wait to be part of something like this,” he finished. “And—well, I’d like to know more about why you’re not willing to come and help us get it started.”

  Nella looked from Jon’s face to Dan’s, then down at the floor. “At the moment, I’m seriously considering coming back to L.A. with you tomorrow.”

  “Really?” Dan was the first to react, folding his arms over his thick chest, his brown eyes focused on hers. “Why?”

  Nella sighed. They should know about the latest threat. They’d heard at least generally about the earlier ones. And this one was the worst—especially if they were going to attempt to start a similar shelter that could come under threats like this, too.

  And so she showed them the text message. “I’m torn about whether to stay here while the perpetrator is sought and stopped. I really want to be around to help.” She didn’t mention that Scott was so insistent about her staying and remaining under his, and this shelter’s, protection.

  “But it sounds like not only are you in danger here, but so is everyone else if you stay.” That was Jon, and he looked down to peer sharply
into her eyes with his blue ones. “You’ve got to come with us, even if you don’t want to stay forever. But it’ll buy some more time for the authorities to find the perp and save this place—not to mention you.”

  “I... I’m wondering about that,” Nella said. “And whether that perp could be one of those escaped gang members. And—well, can I let you know tomorrow if you’ll have another passenger in your car?”

  She looked at Dan, assuming he was the main driver. She would want to ride with them for security now, then find a way eventually to get her car back to L.A. if she didn’t return.

  “Well, one of us will. We drove separately, though we’re staying at the same hotel. I wanted to make a stop on my way back to L.A. tomorrow and didn’t want to hold Jon to it.”

  Which probably meant Nella would ride with Jon if she left. Well, okay. He was, at last, behaving like a gentleman.

  “Do it,” Jon said now. “It sounds like there’s every reason for you to come with us—helping to start our shelter, and...well, potentially saving a lot of lives. Including yours.”

  “You may be right,” Nella said with a sigh. “And right now, my inclination is to come with you.”

  * * *

  “That’s what she said!” Bibi was nearly crying. Warren and Sara didn’t look much better.

  It was late afternoon. They had joined Scott in his office. Apparently Bibi and Warren had come into the kitchen a short while ago to get a cooking demonstration from Sara—and had overheard Nella, Dan and Jon, who’d been standing in a far corner, talking. They had remained quiet and just listened.

  The three staff members had therefore heard about the latest threat, which was bad enough. But they had also come to count on Nella and her soothing, teaching presence.

  They understood why she’d said she would leave—possibly to save all of them. But under the circumstances, they assumed the worst. Nella would get murdered anyway. And the shelter, too, might be doomed.

  “Can you at least get Nella to stay?” Bibi finished. Scott was used to seeing her smiling, revealing the gap between her front teeth.

  She was definitely not smiling now.

  “And save all of us,” added Warren. The thin senior looked frazzled. Could his hair have become even grayer because of the stress? “Or let her go, if that will make sure we’re all okay. It sounded like she’d be okay that way, too, and so would the rest of us. I like this place. I want to stay here—safely—and even do more to help.”

  Damn. Scott wasn’t surprised that Nella had told her former coworkers about the threat, including that she was ordered to go back to L.A. or face death—and other horrible consequences for the others.

  But he’d thought he had convinced her to stay here under his protection, and that of the Chance PD, which would continue to search for the source of those threatening texts—and also search for anything online or otherwise that indicated the threat of making the shelter’s underlying purpose public.

  “I—I don’t know what to say.” That was Sara, who just sat there. She always appeared sad—but not as sad as now. And frightened.

  “You don’t need to say anything,” Scott reassured her. “I’ll talk to Nella and see what we can do.” He didn’t tell them he knew of the threat. He didn’t need to. They all assumed he’d have heard, he figured, via Nella or otherwise.

  The staffers left his office, and Scott called Vince again. Still no news, but the patrols around the area continued. And nothing had been found on social media or otherwise about the shelter.

  So now what? Sara had gone downstairs to plan dinner. The others indicated they would work with some of the animals again.

  And most likely inform the other staff members what was going on, if they hadn’t already.

  Things only got worse, since Nella and he didn’t speak much as they ate as usual at the same table at dinner, although she did mention her friends had other plans for that night. Otherwise, she appeared to be attempting to ignore him, although their eyes caught frequently, and she just looked away.

  As the meal ended, Nella stood and told the crowd she would be leaving the next day to go help the cop friends who’d been visiting that day start a similar shelter in L.A. She didn’t mention the threat—or that she believed she would be saving all of them if she left. In any case, she apparently hadn’t bought into his assumption that her leaving would only make things worse.

  Most people there were clearly upset by the idea of her leaving, even if only for a while, as she implied.

  Then Bibi stood, crossed her arms as if in defiance, and said, “We know the real reason.”

  Nella blinked. “How?”

  “We heard you talking to your friends. And we still don’t want you to go.”

  And all the other staff members nodded in apparent agreement.

  “Thank you so much,” Nella said, her eyes glistening with tears. “I wish things were different. I’ll miss you all.”

  The rest of their time in that room was filled with hugs and tears from others, as well.

  Scott realized he should at least be glad the woman he had most recently hired as a manager had done so well, gotten so many of their residents to care about her.

  She left the dining area before anyone else, though. Without saying goodbye to him. Well, that wasn’t the end of it. When the other managers had left the shelter and the staff members had gone to bed, Scott went to Nella’s door and knocked gently. He saw her peer out the peephole, then unlock the door. She moved away and let him come in, which he did despite the wary expression on her face.

  Once she’d locked the door behind him, she asked, “What are you doing here, Scott? If you think you can convince me—”

  “I’m just here for one final night with you, Nella,” he said, then took her into his arms.

  Chapter 24

  Nella woke early the next morning, in Scott’s arms. He was awake, too, and they kissed.

  The night had been wonderful. The end of a delightful affair.

  Something Nella would really miss. But would feel better about if her leaving resulted in no one getting hurt, preferably not her, either—but definitely no one else.

  “So you are staying here, right.” It was as if Scott was trying to read her mind—which wasn’t surprising.

  “So you seduced me to get me to change my mind.” She pulled away from him. But he was possibly right. Her mind had been reeling all night. Changed?

  Maybe.

  How could she leave this place?

  How could she leave him?

  Scott drew her closer again. “Not really. You’re going to make up your own mind. I recognize that. But—I want you to stay with me, where I hopefully can protect you...and everyone else here. I’ve got backup here. And from what I gather Vince’s tech people are ready to put out some social media posts that could negate any attempts to claim this shelter is anything but a nice animal shelter—by making it seem that other organizations are jealous and throwing stuff out there to harm us. That way, it’s less likely that anyone will buy into the possibility this is a people shelter, too, except as a place where apparently some homeless folks can stay if they help the animals, but hey, they won’t be in protective custody. Ridiculous. Or at least that’s what will be out in public.”

  “I just wish there were some kind of guarantee that my staying here, with all that help, is the best course of action. I’d love to stay.” Partly, she realized, because she loved Scott. She was admitting that to herself now, though not saying anything to him.

  And when she left later that day, she would probably never see him again.

  If she stayed, she would be terrified that whoever was making the threats would carry through with them. If she left, she would be the only one still in danger.

  Yet could she be certain that he—or she—would back off simply because she obeyed and headed to L.A.?
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  Obeyed. She was good at obeying orders from her superior officers at the police department, of course. But orders from strangers? People whose identities she had no idea of?

  “I’d love for you to stay, too.” Scott had been hugging her close, and now he whispered into her ear. “There are no guarantees either way, but if you leave, I can’t help you. And...we won’t be together.”

  Had he in fact, as she’d thought before, come to bed with her to get her to change her mind and stay? No, she had the sense that he was saying farewell, too. But even if that had been his reason...

  “If I do stay,” she said, her mind whirling, “I’ll be afraid for everyone.” What was the right thing to do?

  “But if you go—” Scott began, his lips still near her ear.

  “I’ll still be afraid for everyone. And so—” Her mind stopped. At the right place? “Well, if you’re sure, I won’t just give in and obey faceless commands, at least not yet. Nothing happened after the first threats, and we can’t be sure he’ll follow through now.”

  “Then you’re staying?” Scott backed off and looked her in the eyes. His smile was wide and appeared hopeful.

  “For now, at least,” Nella said. “But you understand, I assume, that I could change my mind at any moment.”

  “Yes, I do understand that. I’m already prepared to protect you and the rest as much as I can. And now, I’ll do even more, if that’s possible, to get this all worked out.”

  “I know you will,” Nella said, and kissed him again.

  * * *

  Not that Scott didn’t trust Nella, but he understood how hard it was for her to make this decision, since one way appeared to put people she cared about in danger and the other only her—maybe. Fortunately, she recognized there were no guarantees either way.

  He hoped she was serious about staying and would remain that way. And so he couldn’t have been happier, or prouder, at breakfast after that morning’s dog walking, to hear her say to the staff members and other managers as they sat at the tables, with Spike now, as usual, at her feet, “Everyone, I’ve been told some of you heard my conversation with my prior associates yesterday. I’ve been thinking hard about this. I just don’t know what’s real and what isn’t, but I’m worried for all of us...and don’t think my leaving to go back to my previous home is necessarily going to stop anything from happening. And so—well, I may change my mind again, but for now I’ll stay here and do all I can to bring this situation to a safe end. But I want each of you to be alert, too. The Chance PD is keeping an eye on us, but if you hear or see anything out of the norm, please be sure to tell one of the managers, including me.” She paused and look around.