#Chapter 173 – Sneaky Squirrel

John Walsh storms into breakfast the next morning, making everyone at the table freeze.

“What is the meaning of this,” he growls at Evelyn, who stares at him with a piece of toast half in her mouth.

Evelyn removes her toast and clears her throat. “What are you talking about, dad?” she asks.

Ian, seated next to her, stares at his grandfather, his hands still wrapped around his teacup filled with hot cocoa.

“Joyce,” Walsh says, glaring at them as he comes to the head of the table. He doesn’t sit down, but instead places his palms flat on the table, leaning forward to glare at his wife, his daughter, and his grandson, all seated there.

All three blink at him and Evelyn’s mother glances at the door.

“Is he not coming down for breakfast?” she asks.

“Oh shoot,” Evelyn says, her eyes narrowing sarcastically. “And I was so looking forward to seeing him.”

“He has not reported for duty,” Walsh says, glaring around at them. “He didn’t even check in last night, after he went out.”

“Well, what was he doing out?” Ian asks, his eyebrows raised.

Walsh glares at him.

“If he missed his bedtime,” Ian says, all innocence, “then it sounds like it’s his fault.”

Evelyn works hard to keep her face straight, sending Ian a little glance of appreciation. God, she loves her kid.

“I know that you’re behind this, Evelyn,” Walsh says, ignoring Ian and turning his wrath on Evelyn. But Evelyn cut her teeth on that wrath – she knows how to handle it.

“I’m sorry, dad,” she says, reaching calmly for a bowl of cut fruit that a servant set in front of her. “But I really don’t know anything about what you’re talking about. You know that Joyce and I haven’t had any contact for years – why would I know anything now?”

herself a scoop before returning it to

else but he’s interrupted when James

Walsh and not looking to see who else is in the room. “The Beta encampment is in chaos – Joyce was supposed to be there this

gives him a stern look and then nods his head towards the rest of the

doing a double-take when he realizes that it’s

he says, his demeanor changing to one of cool

I never got a chance to thank you, by the way – it’s by your grace

an eyebrow at her

my father’s pack. If you’d kept your word, I’d have been stuck in a terribly abusive situation. In so many ways,” she says, c*****g her

do with this information. “Of course, Evelyn,” he says, giving her a cursory little bow. “I always had your best interests at heart and knew that your place was, of course,

him a little nod and sips

need to

nods and indicates the door, through which both men pass. As soon as the door swings shut, Ian

says. “Can I go

murmurs, turning her attention to a newspaper that had been left on the

scampers towards the door. Evelyn’s mother opens her mouth to

needs to learn how to entertain himself on his own, anyway, without us

considers this, watching the door swing shut again after Ian’s little form passes through it. “Does he seem

and then picks up the Arts pages. The two read together in quiet, the picture of

slinks down the hallway, sniffing carefully, trying to follow the freshest of his grandfather’s scents to determine where he had gone. Adults walk too fast, he thinks, frustrated as he tries to find a balance between looking casual and

gone far. His grandfather’s office is at the end of the hall and, in their hurry, Walsh and Willard left

hallway outside, daddy wouldn’t have forgotten to close the door. Then, he takes a set of jacks out

have put this much control into the hands of someone so young,” comes Willard’s angry

ward, when I am finished,” Walsh replies, his tone harsh. “He

– maybe someone hitting a wall, or a desk? “Don’t you see what his happening? Your daughter disappears, replaced by her sister – Joyce disappears as well – and

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