Sam’s rhythm stuttered and he gave a low, hoarse groan that had her coming all over again as he throbbed inside her and flooded her with his sticky seed.
He collapsed on top of her and they clung to each other, fighting for breath, limp and sated. He drew back and kissed her, a kiss full of passion and hunger. He stroked her hair as they lay in each other’s arms. It was a long time before they felt ready to let go.
Chapter Eleven
Clover leaned back in her chair and nursed an enormous cup of coffee. She ached pleasantly from her nocturnal activities. It was 10 a.m. and she was wondering if she could get away with a quick nap. She’d got into bed by 11 p.m. the night before but hadn’t fallen asleep for hours, replaying her time with Sam in her mind again and again like the best dirty movie ever.
The phone rang and Clover let out an enormous yawn before reaching to answer it. Imogen’s voice was high with panic.
“They’ve got Autumn!”
“Who has Autumn?” Clover sat bolt upright. She was wide awake now. Her stomach turned to water and she gripped the edge of her desk.
“The social services lady. This morning after Autumn helped gather the eggs, she said she wanted to go for a run. Then I got a phone call from someone I know in town. He was out picking berries in the woods, and he saw two bears dragging a coyote into a station wagon that had a social services license plate. One of them was that horrible Bonnie Rhoads character.”
“Oh, God. I’ll get Sam.” She hung up and ran next door to Sam’s office.
Sam looked up with a smile. “Good morning, sunshine. Miss me already?” Then he saw the look on her face. “What happened? One of the kids?”
“Autumn! Bonnie Rhoads has her!” Clover choked out. She quickly told him what had happened.
His face turned grim. “That’s bullshit. Go back to your office, I’m going to make some calls, we’ll straighten this out. Don’t worry. Really.”
Easy for him to say, she thought as she walked back to her office on trembling legs and collapsed into her chair. She picked up her phone and tried to call Autumn, but it went straight to voicemail.
Sam rushed into her office minutes later. “Social Services also came to the camp and tried to take the rest of your family. We’re holding them off. We’ve got a lead on where Bonnie Rhoads is; she’s at a restaurant, but your sister isn’t with her at the moment. Let’s go.” Clover was already running out the door as he finished speaking.
Half an hour later, Clover and Sam and Sheriff Armstrong pulled up in front of a restaurant where Bonnie sat drinking coffee and talking on her cell phone. Clover noted with satisfaction that she had scratch marks on her neck, arms and face. Autumn hadn’t gone quietly.
When Bonnie saw them, she hastily hung up and stuffed her cell phone into her purse.
“Waitress!” she called, leaping to her feet. “I need my check.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Sheriff Armstrong said. “We’ve got your illegal abduction of a minor to discuss.”
“There was no abduction. We took her into our custody for her own protection. How did you even find me here? This is harassment. Waitress! I haven’t got all day!”
The waitress, who was standing behind the counter taking an order from a customer, shot her an annoyed look. Then she returned her attention to the customer, ignoring Bonnie.
Loch scowled at her. “I know everyone in this county, and nobody can hide from me for long.”
Bonnie scrabbled in her purse, grabbed a five dollar bill and threw it on the table. “Keep the change!” she yelled at the waitress, and headed for the door. Sam moved in front of her and blocked her way.
“This is illegal, and I will be complaining to the authorities,” she said stiffly. “Move out of my way.”
“You’ve got three seconds to tell me where you took Autumn, or I’ll be cuffing you and putting you in my cruiser,” Loch said.
“We received a phone call reporting that the delinquent minor was trespassing on private property. When we arrived, we found that this was indeed the case, and at the request of the property owner, we removed the minor and took her into our custody. She will be evaluated and then placed in an appropriate home, where she will receive the discipline and structure that she needs.”
Clover felt her heart pounding in her chest, and thought she might faint. This couldn’t be happening.
Bonnie shot Clover a contemptuous look. “The Department of Children And Families has authorized my office to take the remaining three siblings into custody as well. I don’t know what kind of criminal, unauthorized lifestyle you are used to exposing children to where you come from, Miss Jones, but here in Blue Moon Junction we don’t tolerate that kind of behavior.”