Tuesday Teaser August 7, 2018: Gina’s Wolf Part 22

This week has been kind of difficult and kind of exciting. Did I mention the little stray cat who hides in our garage? My brother named him Sam, but he turned to Samantha? Well Sammie had her babies. Two of them, both white with black spots on their heads. The first born was named Chloe. The second born was named Spots. Sadly, Spots was born smaller and deformed. No tail and her left hind leg was only a small stump. When I got up the next morning to check on them I found Sammie and Chloe in the bed I’d made but Spots was crying, way off in a corner of the garage where I couldn’t even see him. Obviously Sammie had put him there. I got my brother to clear away some of the equipment and stuff and bring him to Sammie. That night Spots wasn’t doing well, I had a vet tech friend come and look at him and she took him home to try to save him but there was nothing she could do. Spots is no more. I cried. He wasn’t even 24 hours old. Poor mite. Spots is the smaller kitty with his arm around his sister.

But Chloe is thriving. She has doubled her weight in 6 days. We’re going to need some way to contain the kitten soon. At this rate she’ll be climbing everything in a week. Just look how she treats her mama!

I will be posting more about Sammie and Chloe soon, but now let’s move on to Gina and Cole’s story.

Mayor McGrath waited politely until everyone was seated. “The point of this meeting is to come to an agreement between Omaha and Kansas-Missouri, one which will allow both sides to walk away with something they want, if not everything. I see no point in beating around the bush. To be perfectly plain, gentlemen, all Omaha wants is to live in peace. We have no interest waging war, but we will, because neither do we wish to become a vassal state to Kansas-Missouri. Tell me, Major, how can Omaha best avoid war and remain independent?”

Major Ellis smiled his most charming smile, handsome and calm, and absolutely terrifying. He looked down the table at Gina, and then back to the mayor. “That is very easily obtained, sir. President Todd is entirely willing to sign a non-aggression pact with Omaha, providing one small stipulation is met. Simply return his daughter to him and our army will immediately depart for Kansas City.”

Her heart forgot to beat. For a few seconds, Gina floundered in a yawning abyss of horror before anger rushed in to fill the void. She opened her mouth, but Cole squeezed her knee and shook his head. Outrage joined anger. Cole was going to let them trade her?

His face was carved stone, his eyes, fixed on Ellis, were even harder. If he were a sculpture, he would be titled Wolf Eying Prey. Gina released a breath. No, of course Cole wouldn’t let them trade her. She could trust him to protect her. But did he have any choice? Mayor McGrath was smiling.

“That seems simple enough,” the mayor said. “A reasonable price to pay for the safety of my city.”

Gina stiffened. Ellis smiled too, like a cat who’d just swallowed a canary. “Excellent,” he said.

McGrath spoke over him. “There are just a couple of teensy flies in that ointment, though. One, the lady isn’t my slave to be disposed of however I please. In fact, she’s not even citizen of Omaha. She’s a member of the Lakota Wolf Clan and I doubt her chief would be willing to give her up.”

On her other side, Taye Wolfe’s lips pulled back in snarl.

The mayor nodded respectfully at Taye and went on. “Two, how do I know you will in fact march away? And even if you do, how long will you stay away before you come back?”

“I will sign any document you write up, swearing that from this day forward Kansas-Missouri will never make war against Omaha.”

The mayor’s eyebrow hooked up. He glanced at one of the men standing behind them. “Stone?”

The man addressed stepped around the table to stand close to Major Ellis. He wore jeans and a blue button up shirt, and his black braids reached his butt. The major cast him an arrogant glare.

“So,” said McGrath, still smiling pleasantly. “Omaha will never have to be concerned about an attack from Kansas-Missouri? We’ll live in peace with you?”

“If Miss Todd returns with us, yes. President Todd will leave you unmolested. In fact, Omaha will have a special relationship with us.”

Gina eyed the paper and pen on the table. She should write a note to Mayor McGrath, warning him that the major wasn’t being truthful. Her stepfather would never let Omaha live in peace no matter what promises Ellis made or signed.

The mayor glanced inquiringly at the long-haired man.

“He’s lying,” the man called Stone said.

The tone was so casual that Gina almost missed the meaning of the words. Apparently so did Major Ellis, because he remained unmoving in his chair for a long moment before an angry flush flooded his cheeks.

“Thanks, Stone. That’s what I thought.” McGrath chuckled as Stone went back to his place against the wall. “Let’s try this again, Major.”

Major Ellis took a sharp breath. “You cannot possibly believe him.” He gave Stone a sneering once over. “The man is a savage.”

Gina heard nothing from the men behind her, and neither Cole nor his dad changed their impassive expressions. The insult rolled right off them.

“I do believe him, yes.” McGrath smiled, just a little too pleasantly. “And as for savages, I think the actions you took at Bolivar qualify you for that title.”

Gina knew that the town of Bolivar in Missouri had held out against her stepfather and caused him significant trouble a few years ago. No one would tell her exactly what had happened. She’d heard only whispers of his retaliation, which meant it must have been heinous.  All three of the Kansas-Missourians were red in the face. Even Lieutenant Booker, who had always struck Gina as unemotional, was visibly grinding his teeth. Ellis leaned forward with both hands planted on the table.

“You will find out just how savage we can be if you don’t comply of the President’s request.”

The threat didn’t appear to disturb the mayor. He stifled a yawn and turned to Cole’s dad. “You heard the man. He wants to take Miss Gina away. What do you say?”

Gina put her hand around Cole’s and squeezed. He squeezed back.

“No.” Taye leaned back in his chair, but his gaze was boring into Ellis. “Any man who tries to take my daughter away will die.”

McGrath spread his arms. “Well, there you have it. Miss Gina isn’t under my control and Taye Wolfe declines to allow her to go with you. Pity. You’ll have to go back to your master with the bad news.”