Chapter 1
“Okay girls, one last store then we are calling it quits for the rest of the day. You have your dresses, your shoes, stockings, your hair appointments are made, your manicures and pedicure appointments are also made, last but not least, your make-up appointments are been made. The only thing left is your accessories.” Sheila Jones announced as she and her two shadows followed her into another store.
“But mom, what about our corsages?” Tina Jones asked, getting excited.
“Tina, dear, that’s the date’s job to find. They are the ones that have to bring it and present it to you as they place it on their wrist. If they do it correctly, then they have the matching flower on their tuxedo lapel.” Sheila answered matter-of-factly.
“Like your dad, uncles or brother would let him near you to put it on.” Dakota Hamilton jokingly said beside Tina.
“Oh my God, right?” Tina whined. “Mom, you have to talk to them, make dad, the uncles and Pattrick promise not to embarrass me. Make sure they behave. I’m already the outcast in high school because Pattrick has threatened every boy who speaks to me outside of school.”
“Ok, I’ll talk to them baby. I’ll even pull the aunts and Shane in to help deal with them.” Sheila said, laughing at her daughter’s antics.
“No!I love Shane and all, but she’s almost as bad as the guys put together. She’ll call Alpha Squad in so they can all check out his driving record, make sure his car is up to date and then spread out around the house with the guys cleaning their guns while they question Jensen. They’ll threaten his life as they tell him to keep his hands, mouth and other body parts to himself. I’ll never survive the rest of the school year. I’ll never get a date again, I’ll die a virgin because of them. Mom!” Tina cried out as she stopped her foot.
Sheila laughed some more at her daughter’s antics. She had to agree with her daughter’s description of her daughter-in-law, Shane. Shane Jones was way more protective of Tina and her best friend Dakota than Pattrick, her husband Eddie, Pattrick’s SEAL team, Eddie’s SEAL team, and his two best friend’s SEAL teams combined. These two girls didn’t stand a chance in the dating field with twenty-four strong, alpha men watching every move they made when a boy was involved.
Shane has been with the San Diego PD for the last five years and loved her job. She excelled at her job as well as made Pattrick extremely happy. When Shane wasn’t at work or spending valuable time with Pattrick, she was spending quality time with Tina and Dakota. Sheila felt very blessed to have Shane in their family.
“Oof” Mystery woman said as she and Sheila collided.
“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I’m such a clumsy dolt.” Sheila breathed out as she caught her balance.
“No, I’m sorry. I was off in dream land thinking about all the errands I had to do today. Are you okay?”
Sheila smiled a little. “Yes, I’m good and trust me I know all about having my mind on everything else but where it’s supposed to be at the moment.”
“Thank you for helping me pick up my packages.”
“It’s no problem at all. It’s the least I can do. I’m Sheila by the way.”
“Hi, Sheila, I’m Jennifer. Well, I better get running. My errands won’t handle themselves. Have a nice day.”
“Same to you.” Sheila said as she waved Stacey off. “Okay, girls, let’s go finish up our day in this last store…” Sheila said as she turned around. “Girls? Tina? Dakota?”
Sheila looked around from where she was standing and didn’t see the girls. Grabbing her phone out of her purse, she dialed Tina’s number with the line going straight to voicemail. She then tried Dakota’s number, also going straight to voicemail. Sheila, walked around the area she last saw them, going into several stores, even going to the store they were originally heading to just to see if they went on without her.
Starting to panic, Sheila ran to the food court to see if they had gone there, checking each counter asking if anyone saw them, checking the restrooms then running back to where she ran into the woman checking again. Sheila screamed out their names several times before breaking down and crying.
“Shane? I need your help. Tina and Dakota are gone. I can’t find them anywhere. Their phones are going straight to voicemail. No one has seen them and it’s not like Tina to have her phone off. Please, I need you.” Sheila said into the phone as she called her daughter-in-law, leaving a message.
Chapter 2
Shane and her partner Dallas Stone arrived at the mall looking for Sheila an hour later. When Sheila had originally called her, she was in the courthouse testifying on a case she had closed two years ago. Running into the food court, leaving her partner to catch up, Shane yelled out Sheila’s name as she came to the table where her mother-in-law was sitting, tears streaming down her face, talking to local mall security.
“Mom, are you okay?” Shane asked Sheila, checking her over for any wounds and bruises.
“No!” Sheila said, upset with the question. “Shit, I’m sorry.” Sheila apologized after seeing her daughter-in-law recoil. “Physically, yes I’m fine. Mentally, no, I’m not fine. They can’t find Tina or Dakota anywhere. These guys think I’m overreacting. I know my daughter, she did not ditch me to talk around the mall on her own to meet some boys!” Sheila said, glaring at the mall security officer.
“Ma’am, she’s a teenager…”
“Do not finish that sentence. We have it from here.” Shane said to the mall guard.
“Ma’am, we are waiting for the police to show up since she’s been hysterical.”
“Who the fuck do you think we are? We showed you our badges when we walked up before my partner even acknowledged her mother-in-law.” Officer Stone informed the mall guard.
“Isn’t this a conflict of interest?” The mall guard sneered.
