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sheriff the day she d arrived to see her mother. All she had tried to do that
day was prove a point, show the sheriff he didn t have a right to mark and
number her just because she was arriving in town. She had spoken on principle
and look where it had gotten her.
She almost groaned out loud when her cell phone rang.  What is it? she
snapped.
 I m sorry to bother you. Lacey didn t sound sorry at all.  But I ve been
asked to call you and tell you that you re needed here in the office
immediately.
Beth didn t like the sound of that at all. She wasn t sure she could mend
another crisis today. Not to mention going home traffic had given her a
headache by the time she pulled into the parking building by her office.
Both of the Andersons from Anderson, Hunt and Anderson stood in the boardroom
when she exited the elevator. Several of the senior attorneys turned away from
her, whispering as they walked down the hall. She headed in the opposite
direction toward her office, giving Lacey a questioning look when she reached
her desk in the outer office.
 What is going on? she asked, feeling the tension in the air from the moment
she d stepped on to the floor.
 Brad Preston wants to see you. Lacey looked a bit pale, and quickly opened
a file she had in front of her. She didn t say anything else.
Something was very wrong.
Beth tapped on the door of the senior attorney s office. Brad Preston stood
in his office staring out the window and turned to look at her. Fear and anger
swarmed around him. She frowned, not accustomed to seeing the older man
anything but calm and confident.
 Is there a problem? she asked.
 Beth. He didn t move, didn t ask her to come in, or to sit down.  I need
your resignation, effectively immediately.
 What? She couldn t believe her ears.  Are you firing me?
 You have an hour to clean out your office. He looked behind her and she
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ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
turned, the smell of a musky aftershave smothering the emotions of the
security guard who stood in the hallway.  Once you have your things together,
we ll escort you from the building.
Beth ignored the security guard and turned to glare at her boss.  What the
hell is going on here, Brad?
Brad Preston backed up toward his desk, while the security guard entered the
office. Fear became the prevalent emotion in the room. Suddenly it all made
sense to her. The reporters at her house. Her confrontation with the sheriff
up north. Brad was scared of her. He d heard the rumors that she was a
werewolf.
 Please, Beth. His tone didn t show his fear; she would give the older
attorney credit for wearing a good mask.  I m allowing you plenty of time to
clean out your office. If you need help hauling anything down, just let us
know.
He moved behind his desk, his usual dismissive motion. Beth threw her hands
up in the air in exasperation. This was just fine. If her law firm didn t want
her, then she sure didn t need them. Her reputation wouldn t be tarnished over
this, she would see to it.
By the time she pulled into her driveway, passing the camped-out reporters on
the road by her home, she was beyond irritated.
 Well, I ve just lost my job, Beth announced to Alicia and Joe when she
entered her kitchen.
It was then she noticed the scent of another werewolf. Turning she took in
the man dressed in a plain-looking suit sipping a drink out of one of her
glasses.
 That might be for the best, the man said, and she raised an eyebrow at him.
 Who the hell are you? She wasn t in the mood to be polite.
The man smiled, his manners remaining intact.
 Ben Smith. Werewolf Affairs. He produced a badge from his inner coat
pocket, flashing it in front of her.
Beth stepped forward, taking the badge from him and studying it for a moment.
She should have guessed the Bureau would send someone out sooner or later. As
much as she hated to think she couldn t handle this matter by herself, Beth
Parks had a solid reputation. Her name as one of the more successful attorneys
in the Midwest had appeared in many publications, on the news, in articles.
Humans everywhere knew who she was. Knowledge that she was a werewolf, whether [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]