by Darrell Bain
"You can stop him from doing it, can't you?"
"You bet I can. I'm going to fix up a camera to watch... Befos, is that his name?"
"Mmm, it's more like how the other wolves think of him. It means 'rough fur', sort of."
Dr. Summers nodded. It made sense. The wolf did have a rough patch of fur across its neck and back. "Tell Befos that it might happen tonight but... wait! Ask him if it happens every night. Can you do that?"
"Sure. Befos, is the bad man mean to you every night?"
Yes. When here.
"He says it happens whenever the man is here."
"That pins it down, then. He and the security guard have different days off. I'll confront him this very evening when he comes on duty. If he won't confess, then at the very least I'll assign him different duties that keep him away from Befos, but I suspect he'll admit it once he knows we're on to him. Tell Befos it won't happen again."
"I'll tell him," Samantha said. "Befos, the bad man won't be near you anymore. No one will be mean to you again."
Befos looked gratefully at the young human who could talk to him. He came right up to the bars of his cage. He lifted one paw and stuck it through the bars. Good, he said.
Samantha took the paw with one hand then reached her other through the bars before anyone could stop her and began petting and scratching behind Befos' ears. The wolf licked her hand while Dr. Summers and Mrs. Douglas held their breath and watched intently.
"Now you won't hurt anyone will you? Because no one else will hurt you."
Not hurt, Befos said.
Samantha smiled with her mouth closed since baring teeth was a warning sign among many animals. She put her face close to the bars and let the wolf lick her cheeks.
"I can hardly believe my eyes," Dr. Summers whispered. "That animal hasn't been friendly toward anyone for months! Of course I can't blame it now that I know what's been happening but just look at how warmly he's treating her!"
"I've seen it before," Samantha's mother whispered back. She wasn't even irritated that her daughter was making contact with the wolf against her instructions.
"Good," they heard Samantha say. "They'll let you out of that cage now. I'll come back soon and make sure you're doing well, Befos. I have to go now. Thank you for talking with me."
Good. Good human.
Samantha and the two adults walked slowly away.
"I told him I'd come back and make sure he was being treated okay and I told him you'd let him out of the cage now," Samantha said to Dr. Summers. "I hope that was okay. I need to say hello to Growlfer when I come back, too."
"It's fine. We just put him in the cage because we were scared something had gone wrong with his brain. I'll let him out after you leave and see how he does."
"He'll be alright so long as you get rid of that mean old man that was hurting him."
Elaine looked at her daughter, somewhat in awe of the easy familiarity with the wolf and at how quickly she had solved the problem for Dr. Summers. This time she had observed her actually talking with an animal and having it respond. She had quickly found out what was bothering the wolf when no one in the zoo had been able to. She took a deep breath as she realized she had been consistently denying the obvious. Sammie controlled and helped the wolf just like she did with the tiger and the lemur, she thought. My God, she really can talk to animals and I wouldn't believe her!
Samantha noticed that her mother was singularly silent and withdrawn in her presence during the two days following their visit to the zoo. Her unusual silence and appearance of seeming to be thinking very deeply about something had begun to worry her. She suspected that she herself was probably the subject of that deep thought and it bothered her a lot. She hoped desperately that it wasn't her ability to talk to animals that was the cause of the worried look on her mother's face and her withdrawal into silence, broken only when necessary. Not again! Not when things had been going so well. Maybe it's about the birthday party, she found herself thinking.
"Sammie?"
"Yes, Mom?" She gladly came back from the remembrance of the zoo visit with her mother to talk of the birthday party. At least the relative silence during which she spoke to her only when necessary apparently had ended.
"Sammie, I owe you an apology for all the years when I didn't believe you could talk to animals. Since you've been involved with the zoo I've finally become convinced that you really can."
Samantha saw the appealing look in her mother's face that said more plainly than words how deeply sorry she was for denying her talent all her life. Without pausing to think about it, Samantha went to her. They hugged and she pressed her face to her mother's chest as she had done when a child, gathering comfort from the embrace. Then she said, softly, "I'm so glad Mom. I hated you being mad at me and I hated disappointing you by not being able to stop talking to the animals I made friends with."
"Sammie, I was never really mad at you. What I was doing was trying to protect you from being hurt and from the ridicule of people thinking you were strange. The only times you disappointed me was disobeying when I thought it placed you in danger. I was so scared that one of the larger and fiercer animals would hurt you. That's all it really was. And that's why I'm worried now. I couldn't bear to see you hurt and I know that sooner or later the media will come after you--us, again."
"And you really believe me now?"
"Yes, I do, Sammie. I really believe you. I'm just sorry it took me so long." A pair of tears slid from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks as she thought back at all the anger she had shown her daughter over her unique talent.
"Mom, please don't cry. It's okay, I promise." She was crying herself from within the prolonged embrace but it was mostly from happiness. At long last her mother was convinced of her talent, fully and completely. It was going to make life at home so much easier and happier, she thought.
Chapter Thirteen
"Are you sure?" Steve Orleans asked the young woman who had showed up at his office just before lunch. She had no appointment and would not give her name. Curious, he had allowed her to come in. Now he was trying to figure out what to do with the information she had given him.
"I'm positive, Mr. Orleans. Ms. Meriweather has hired an investigator to go to Alaska and dig up any negative information about Samantha Douglas and her parents that he can. I work for CPS and I've seen the way she operates. She's determined to take Samantha away from her parents regardless of whether there's any danger to her or not. It's wrong but there's nothing I can do about it, not even when I personally don't think the girl is or has been placed in any danger at all by her parents."
"How did you get my name--or know to call me?"
"You were in the news as Samantha's attorney."
"Oh. Right. Would you testify to what you just told me at a hearing?"
"No, I'm sorry. Meriweather would fire me in an instant if I did."
"I'm familiar with labor laws for the state and I don't think she could fire you without reason."
"If I had finished my probationary period you would probably be right, but I haven't. She doesn't even have to have a reason to let me go until my probation is over. That's how come I'm not giving you my name. You have to keep me out of it."
"I see. Alright, I won't mention anything about this visit and I understand your reasons. I do want to thank you very much for letting me know about this, though."
"You're welcome. I just wish I could do more but I can't. I have a daughter to support and I can't afford to lose my job." The woman got up to leave.
"Well, thanks again. If you ever do run into trouble with that Meriweather woman please come see me. I might be able to help you and I'll do it pro bono. No fee."
"Thank you, sir. That's good to know. Now I have to go or I'll be late getting back to the office. This was my lunch hour."
After she had gone, Steve sat at his desk for a long time, simply gazing into space while he thought about what the woman had told him and tried to figure out what to do. Fin
ally he shrugged and picked up his office phone. He punched the speed dial for the Douglas home. When Elaine answered he asked if it would be possible to visit for a few moments that evening.
"If it's about Samantha you certainly may. In fact, you're always welcome, Steve, whatever the reason."
"Thanks, Elaine. What time would be best?"
"About seven."
"Fine. See you then."
He arrived promptly at the appointed time and stayed for over an hour, relaying the information given to him by the nameless CPS case worker. It didn't help the situation but at least they now knew what lay on the horizon.
Before he left, Elaine asked, "Do you think Dr. Summers could help?"
"It certainly wouldn't hurt to ask her. I'll try to see her tomorrow."
***
"You have a visitor," Dr. Summers, the veterinarian's office assistant announced the following day.
"I don't see an appointment on my calendar, Glenda. Who is it?"
"It's Mr. Orleans, an attorney. He said it's important."
"Oh. Please ask him to wait for a few minutes until I finish this patient summary then send him on in, Glenda."
"Okay. Five minutes?"
The veterinarian nodded and went back to filling in the chart of one of the elephants she had just treated for a toenail fungus. She finished and saved it to the proper folder just as her assistant escorted the visitor into her office.
The first thing she noticed as the attorney entered was the grim set of his features. "Good afternoon, Steve. You look as if something is wrong. Is it?"
"There probably is, Dorothy," he said. "I'm hoping it won't turn out as badly as it could but it might. In the meantime I just wanted to give you a heads up. Do you have time for me to sit down and tell you about it?"
"Oh, certainly. I'm sorry. I guess my mind went into park at the mention of trouble. By the way, I just put on some coffee. Would you like some?"
"Sure. Black is fine if it's not too strong."
"It isn't. I drink it all day so I have to keep it toned down, so to speak. Can't have shaky hands when wielding a scalpel, you know." She grinned and got up to pour the coffee. Once that task was completed she said, "Now tell me what's troubling you. I assume it must be something to do with Samantha. Right?"
"Got it in one. I was lucky to find out about it before it was much further along. Not that there's anything I can do right now legally, but I did want to let you know."
"I'm listening."
"Alright. It's our old friend Meriweather again from CPS. She still wants to get her hands on Sammie."
"That bitch! Of all the... Steve I can't find words to describe her, not ones I'd be comfortable using in polite company."
"I feel the same way. To make it short, Meriweather has combined forces with that sleazy free-lance reporter, Thomas Hoover. They've managed to find the money somehow to send an investigator all the way to Alaska to investigate Sammie's earlier life."
Dr. Summers frowned. "I thought that had already been done."
"It has, but it wasn't a very thorough job and not many media outlets picked up on it then. This time they apparently are willing to spend as much time and money as it takes to dig up anything detrimental to her or her parents' lives up there, and you can bet they'll never mention a thing that's the least bit favorable to any of the family."
"But what... I mean why, Steve? Why is Meriweather so adamant about CPS gaining custody of Samantha? I could understand it if she were actually being mistreated or being placed in danger but she's not. Even when she's around animals that might be dangerous to anyone else she handles them as if they were old and valued friends. She's as gentle and loving to them as they are to her. Besides that, she loves her parents. Anyone can see that if they've been around her for long."
"Yes, we all know that but the general public doesn't, and the two judges who handle CPS cases don't. Well, one of them does now, at least to a degree after that last episode. However, if they dig up enough detrimental information the judge will be forced to take action regardless of which one gets the case. Even if Meriweather and Hoover do portray it in the worst possibly light for Ronald and Elaine, the judge won't have an option unless we can prove Meriweather and Hoover are lying. Which leads me to a question: have you had Samantha over here lately?"
"A couple of times," she said. Her face brightened with the memories. "Steve, you should have seen her. We had a wolf that had turned savage and we had no idea why. We were thinking we would have to euthanize it, but within five minutes Sammie solved the problem and had the wolf actually licking her face and practically adoring her. It's absolutely astounding the way she does these things."
"I trust you've been recording the instances?"
"Oh, yes. I've made it a practice ever since I took this job to record all my procedures. Not only are the recordings a good reference for myself when reviewing cases but it's a great teaching tool for other vets. Of course I keep any recordings of Sammie and her interaction with the animals separate from the others. I save those to a hard drive that I keep in my safe at home."
"Hmm. Couldn't get much more secure than that and it's a very good idea. Would you mind if I had a copy of the videos? They might be useful when the Douglas family finds that they're involved with the CPS again. It might actually go as far as a hearing this time."
"In that case of course you can have copies. Is there anything else I can do?"
"Not unless you'll be willing to testify in their defense."
"Well, of course I will! You shouldn't even have to ask, Steve."
"I know but an attorney likes to be sure."
The veterinarian frowned. "Do you have any idea how well off the Douglas' are financially?"
"They're not hurting and I'm only charging them for my expenses, but it can run into some real money if Meriweather is really persistent."
"If you need some help with that aspect of the problem, please let me know. I'm certainly not wealthy but I'd do just about anything for that child. Young lady, I guess I should say."
Steve laughed. "I hadn't thought of asking, but I would never have doubted that you'd help after the way I saw Sammie controlling your full grown runaway tiger with just a touch of her hand. That would make a believer out of anyone!"
"Yes, it would, but let's hold off on the worship until we get this cleared up. I have trouble imagining what kind of home Meriweather would have Sammie placed in."
"Me, too, Dorothy. That woman would do just about anything now to hurt the family. She's taken their resistance personal." He shook his head in disbelief that anyone would want to cause harm to the girl.
***
At first, Steve had decided there was no benefit in telling the Douglas family about the probable return of Meriweather until it happened, but then changed his mind almost immediately. He didn't want them to be blind-sided when it came up, especially if there was a hearing. He told the Douglas' during a visit that evening. They were worried about it, especially when Sammie's thirteenth birthday party was just around the corner, but none of the adults could see any reason to tell her until after her party. They could see no sense in having Samantha worry about it and spoil the fun of her first teen birthday.
***
The next morning when Steve arrived at his office he found a young woman waiting in the office lobby for him. At first he thought she was only be in her twenties but a second look told him she was probably thirty or more. She had a very serious expression on her face as she stood up when he arrived. Since he had no immediate appointments he invited her into his office, more from curiosity than anything else.
Jane Carruthers smiled to herself as she saw the puzzled and mildly shocked reaction to the card she'd passed to him across the desk after being seated, along with a dollar bill to serve as a "retainer" so that he would have to keep their relationship private. Only then did she tell him she was there in reference to Samantha Douglas. Her boss, Anton McCallister, had decided to send her to speak wit
h the attorney. That would let him and the Douglas family continue to think of Jennie Standifer as only a reporter for now.
"Why would you people be interested in Samantha? I don't understand," Steve said.
"If everything we've read about her is true, she could not only be very valuable to our country but to others as well. Our main interest right now is to see that she isn't kidnapped by a foreign power or by terrorists.""Foreign powers? Terrorists? Lady, what are you talking about? What would a terrorist want with her?"
"The same thing as a foreign military would. Can't you imagine her telling a dog, for instance, to run into a church after they've strapped explosives to it? The poor dog wouldn't know any better. Or how about someone else's navy having her instruct a dolphin or seal to hit a submarine, also with explosives attached?"
Jane thought she could see the man was horrified by the very idea, but soon found she was wrong. He was simply concerned about Samantha Douglas and her safety.
"Samantha would neverdo anything so evil to an animal. It would kill that child to deliberately have an animal that trusted her destroy itself that way. No one, and I mean no one could make her do such a thing."
"Suppose her parents were threatened if she didn't?"
"That's too awful for me to even think about, much less her. It would drive her insane if nothing else."
"She feels that strongly about the animals she works with?"
"The ones she knows. The ones she's talked to. The ones she's helped. The ones that are her friends."
"I see, Mr. Orleans and frankly, I'm glad to hear you say that. Our agency would never contemplate putting her into such a situation. We do believe, though, that she should be studied. Her mind should be examined by reputable scientists in order to find out how she does what she does. As I said, we wouldn't put her into any situation that would cause her pain but on the other hand, I'm sure you're aware that animals have been used in warfare for untold centuries. We're thinking more on the lines of animal companions, such as bomb sniffing dogs, for example, helping us defeat the world wide terrorist organizations. That wouldn't be such a bad thing would it?"