The Spy Devils
Page 31
“What’s on your mind, Trowbridge?” She looked at him.
Bridger could practically see true maternal instincts on her face.
He wasn’t exactly sure what was on his mind. Perhaps it was betrayal by his mother. Perhaps he was just tired of the espionage game. Maybe he could get out and live a more normal life. Get married. Have kids. The things real people do. Swap the Spy Devil life for the Peter Schaeffer life.
Live as Mr. Trowbridge Hall.
Bridger knew what was eating at him.
He knew he had to give May the case. She knew it too and that made it worse. If he analyzed the situation from her perspective, her decision was the correct one. Chen becoming the head of the MSS would be an intelligence coup of immense proportions. The intelligence would be immeasurable. Maybe change the history of the world.
Who was he to ruin that? He was expendable.
He stood, Devil Stick in hand, regarded her, and turned. He left the case by the chair. He stepped over Chapel, walked toward the door, then stopped.
“Don’t call me. Deal?”
She let out a sigh and reached for her tea. Steady hands brought the cup to her mouth this time. She grimaced.
“It’s cold.” She set it back on the saucer. “I was just talking to—"
“Nothing for at least a month. A year would be better,” Bridger interrupted with his demand.
She stood up and followed him.
“You are joking.”
“Call it what you want, but don’t call,” he said as he reached for the front doorknob.
“I can’t—” She saw her son’s face. “Alright. I promise. One month.”
“I will hold you to that. Don’t make me come back here.” His face was serious—the Stick was poised in her direction.
He opened the door and started to leave. Then he stopped and turned back to her.
“Oh. And happy birthday—mother.”
He disappeared into the darkness.
.
61
One Month
Abaddon, West Texas Hill Country, USA
Bridger told the Spy Devils to get lost until he called and that he didn’t know how long that would be.
It took two solid weeks for him to decompress. He locked his phone away in the control room. He rode around his vast property in a UTV for hours, enjoying the sun and fresh air. He watched the sun set and rise. He tried fishing—too boring. He rode horses and helped Luis and his team with some ranch maintenance.
Bridger watched as little news as possible. He saw a story about the disappearance of the Chief of the Cyprus Police. Bridger knew where at least Demon spent part of his time off.
Bridger let his arm heal enough, so by week three, he could get out on his golf course and try chipping and putting. He was awful, but it didn’t matter. He was golfing.
The rest of the time, he spent sleeping, reading, and eating lots of steaks perfectly prepared by Luciana.
And by the end of week four, he was bored to death.
At precisely the one-month mark, and while he stood on the green of the 17th at TPC Sawgrass, three chirps in his earbuds cut into The Marshall Tucker Band singing “Can’t You See.”
“Yes, May,” he said.
“It has been a month. Time to get back to work.”
“I said a year.”
“Bridger, try not to be disrespectful, like usual. I have a rather unique operation for you, unlike anything.”
“More unique than the last one?”
“Yes, it is,” she answered.
“That is hard to believe.”
“I will send the details to the Dropbox,” she said, just before the call ended.
He tugged his cap tighter on his head to block the blinding sun from his eyes. He bent over and placed a golf ball by a worn brass marker with blue lettering. He rubbed it between his fingers before he put it in his pocket.
“More unique than the last one,” Bridger repeated.
He set his feet, lined up a putt, and tapped the ball. It curled and dropped into the cup ten feet away.
“Good,” he said.
THE END
Author’s Note
Why so much time between books?
My first novel, Secret Wars: An Espionage Story, came out in 2014. That’s a long time ago. Well, it isn’t for lack of writing. I started a sequel to Secret Wars, but I was convinced to stop a quarter of the way in. Agents want contemporary action books, I was told.
Scrap the sequel? Okay, but what should I write?
How about a corporate intelligence thriller? I worked in that field for years and have lots of real-life experiences. Sounded like a plan.
After starting, stopping, starting, and finally finishing a draft, I found out something: the corporate intel world is a boring topic for fiction—no matter how I sliced it. No action. Certainly free of thrills, unless filling in travel expense spreadsheets thrills you.
I decided to merge two of my worlds—the CIA and the business arena. I still had a few experiences up my sleeve. Can I squish them together to build a realistic story?
I also had this theme running through my head, dictating my writing.
“Everyone has a story.”
Readers needed to say “that could be me” about the characters when they were done reading. The characters required lives. Relationships. A basis in reality. Then I needed to place these characters into situations that were believable as they were.
I ended up with about 300,000 words searching to find the right balance of business and government—the right combination of action and reality.
Along came the Spy Devils—the first in a series. Is it real? Is it fiction? Does it matter?
As in all works of fiction, some moments push credibility, especially when it comes to the Spy Devils (as Bridger wrote in the Foreword).
As I wrote in Secret Wars, it isn’t Hemingway, but I hope you enjoy a good story.
Thanks for reading it.
Joe
Wheaton, Il
USA
Acknowledgments
“No book is an island.”
Okay. That’s not exactly what John Donne wrote, but it is true. It takes a community to move an idea for a book from ideation to publication. I have benefited from many visitors to my island who provided wisdom, assistance, and support.
The most important inhabitant of my island is my wife Lynda. She has endured way too many days of my often-grumpy mood-shifting process. Without her encouragement—I don’t want to think about it. The rest of my family provided support all along the way. Jessica (Goldberg) Sobie, Roger Sobie, and the grandkids Elliott, Reid, and Adelie. Sarah Goldberg. Benjamin Goldberg. Thanks team.
My brothers: Stan, Mike, Gary, Alan. At various times, they pushed, pulled, and encouraged.
Within seconds after I typed “THE END” on the very first draft of The Spy Devils and posted a photo on Facebook, my phone rang. The incomparable Ryan Steck, of The Real Book Spy, was on the line. We talked. We plotted. We became friends. Ryan has provided guidance, honest, constructive comments, and so much more. His friendship is invaluable. The Real Book Spy is the real deal.
I would not have stayed on course without the friendship, advice, and material support of JT Patten, aka Scott Swanson (read his books). We consumed a lot of BBQ talking about plots and the profession. If you need someone in your corner, start with JT.
When I foolishly thought I had a pretty good manuscript, John Paine showed me otherwise with his incredible professional editing skills. You have read the results of his expertise. Jessica Garvin made the last thorough copy edit review. Renee Rocco for her formatting skills. Heidi Aubin for her photography. Damonza.com for the great cover.
Some outstanding writers and others have, in some way, encouraged or buttressed my efforts—Josh Hood. Simon Gervais. Mark Greaney. Kevin Mauer. KJ Howe.
Eric Bishop who has done more to market The Spy Devils than I have! You are a steely-eyed fiction man. I look forward
to reading The Body Man.
James Abt, Kashif Hussain, David Dobiasek, and the rest of the team at Best Thriller Books. You are filling a very important need for authors and it is greatly appreciated.
Sean, Mike, and CE at The Crew Reviews.
Jack Murphy at The Team House.
David Darling. Cathy Helowicz. Julie-Watson. Kronos Ananth. Each volunteered to read ARCs of the book. Intel professionals Derek and Arik Johnson of Aurora WDC. Sandy Fries. Journalist. Author. Professor.
Finally, I want to thank Bridger and the Spy Devils for letting me tell their story, even as a work of fiction. Greatly appreciated.
About the Author
Joe Goldberg has had a diverse career. He has been a CIA covert action officer, a corporate intelligence director, international political consultant, and a college instructor. He holds degrees in Political Science and Communications from the University of Iowa. He has a passion for writing, U.S. history, Jimmy Buffett, the Iowa Hawkeyes, and his family.
Joe can be found on the internet and social media at:
Joegoldbergbooks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/joegoldbergbooks/
Twitter: @JoeGoldbergBook
Instagram: @JoeGoldbergbooks
Also By Joe Goldberg
Secret Wars: An Espionage Story
COMING SOON:
Rebellious Son: A Spy Devils Thriller