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That Miss Adeline, the dogs, and I were more important to him than everything he’d worked for.
I was overwhelmed.
I clutched his shirt. “I can’t let you do this. We have to figure out another way.”
“You haven’t even told me what he wants.”
His nearness calmed me and quickened my pulse at the same time.
“He wants you to work for him,” I said in a rush.
“That’s all?” Teague’s shoulders relaxed. “He’s been after that all my life.”
“Today,” I whispered.
“What?”
“You have twenty-four hours—well, about eighteen now—to take a job with him.” It was horrible to think about, let alone speak out loud.
Teague’s features darkened. “Or what?”
The words caught in my throat. I wasn’t sure I could get them out. I took a deep breath. “Something happens to Miss Adeline or the rescue or both.”
A bolt of hurt stabbed at my heart. What would I be without her?
Teague growled. “Nothing is going to happen to either.”
He shoved off the desk. I caught his hand. “You don’t know that.”
He looked as if I’d slapped him. “If it takes me working for that bastard to save this place, I don’t need twenty-four hours to think about it.”
“But where does it stop?” I squeezed his hand, begging for the answer.
His face went ashen. “It doesn’t.”
“So if we give in now, who’s to say he won’t come back later with another demand? We’ll be right back in the same position,” I spat. What sort of man did this to his child?
Teague stumbled forward and flung his arms around me. I caught him in my embrace.
“Don’t lose your job over this,” I said.
He pulled back. “I got fired.”
My eyes bulged. “When? Why?”
“Yesterday morning. And supposedly, because I showed up to help with the fire at the park,” he said with disgust. “Captain’s had it out for me from day one.”
“Can you appeal it?” I sounded naïve because I was when it came to matters like this.
Teague was a fighter though. I couldn’t imagine him just walking away from his career.
He let out a long breath. “I haven’t thought about it. I spent yesterday half furious and half in a state of shock. Then last night happened, and I mostly forgot about it.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” I cried. “Who do we talk to? Your captain has to have someone above him.”
“A few somebodies, but I’m not sure it will help.” He hung his head. “Besides, I have a new career path. The inevitable one.”
“No.” I straightened. “Maybe Daniel knows who could help us. He’s powerful.”
