by T K Eldridge
* * *
The Judge sat at the table front and center, about twenty feet from the stage where the floor had been cleared for the press photographers. Pride welled up in him as he watched his son take the podium, the roar of the crowd as much for him as it was for his son. He knew it was by his hand JJ was where he was now, and it was almost as heady a feeling as if he were up there himself. Oh, the boy had been distancing himself a bit from his dad as the race came to a close. Some of it had to do with that new wife of his, Elise. She didn’t like the Judge and made sure JJ knew that being around his old man was not something she would participate in. He would just give it time. She’d get bored, they’d get divorced, like the other two, and a nice settlement would send her off to a very comfortable life as another Jackson divorcee. He had to tolerate her for now because the public preferred their leaders to be married, solid family men. Nothing was going to keep his son out of the Vice President’s mansion, nor eventually out of the White House. Too bad his own late wife’s selfish act of betrayal kept her from seeing this. John Cameron Jackson let himself savor the moment, eyes locked on his son’s face, ears filled with the roar of the crowd until the moment was interrupted by a soft, female voice whispering in his ear.
* * *
“Hello, Uncle JC. Or should I say, Grandfather?” Emlen sat in the empty seat beside him and smiled. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Judge?”
He stared at her in disbelief for a moment, then fury surged, turning his pale face red. “How dare you show up here tonight? You stupid girl, do you have any idea the damage you could do to JJ’s campaign?”
Em laughed at that, a bright, loud sound that rang out over the nearly quiet room, drawing attention from everyone nearby - including her father at the podium. She turned to look at him and with one look at the expression on his face, she felt in her heart he didn’t have anything to do with the murders or attempts. He looked stunned, happy, and awed as he turned to make his way along the stage to the stairs. Emlen shifted her gaze back to the Judge. Deciding to follow her gut, she let out a soft breath. “It was all you, wasn’t it? My Mom, Joel, the attempts on me. It was all your doing.”
The Judge couldn’t seem to speak, his face flushing dark red. Bolting to his feet, he grabbed her arm and jerked her out of the chair, turning and slamming into Cullen’s chest. Connor stood to the other side, blocking an easy exit. Emlen reached for the hand gripping her arm and grabbed one of his fingers, bending it backwards until he released her. Just then, JJ approached the group. Having seen his father grab Em, he glared at the old man and turned to her. “Are you all right? You’re Emlen, right?” As she nodded, he held out a hand to her, his eyes shining wetly, voice cracking. “Gods, you look just like your mother.”
“She looks just like you.” Elise said from beside him, a warm smile on her face. “Hello, Emlen. I’ve heard so much about you.”
The crowd muttered and stared while Sellers got to the podium. “A temporary delay, everyone. Everything’s fine, please enjoy the drinks and appetizers the staff are bringing around, and we’ll be back on program shortly.” Music drifted from the speakers set around the room, but the group front and center didn’t even notice.
Emlen put her hand in her father’s and moved towards him just as the Judge grabbed both of their wrists and tore them apart, practically panting as he snarled at them. “What the fuck do you two think you’re doing?”
“Enough, Father,” JJ hissed at him and jerked his arm away as a Secret Service agent stepped up to the table, eyes on the old man.
Emlen, however, had had enough, and she grabbed her grandfather’s wrist in return, sinking her fingernails into his skin. “Keep your hands off of me,” she snarled and stepped closer to JJ once she was free.
Elise came up on her other side and put an arm around her, glaring at the Judge, and said, “Still trying to intimidate women, eh Judge? Pathetic!”
Cullen and Connor moved to hem in the Judge a bit more and keep him from grabbing anyone else as JJ turned to Em. “May I hug you?” he asked, voice still choked with emotion.
Emlen just nodded and stepped into his embrace, breathing in the scent of him. Memories of no real substance rose as she took a breath of remembered after shave and cigar and she smiled, glancing up at him. “I remember that smell,” She whispered. “We have a lot to talk about.”
“Yes, we do,” JJ replied and glanced at Elise. “Isn’t she beautiful?”
“Yes, she is.” Elise smiled at him and put a hand on Emlen’s shoulder. “But you, my love, have a speech to give. I’m sure Emlen and her escorts would be happy to wait a few minutes for you to get that done so we can spend some time getting to know each other?”
Emlen nodded and glanced over at Cullen and Connor, both smiling at her. Cullen nodded back and Connor gave her a thumbs up before she turned to the couple and let out a breath. “We’d be honored. Thank you.”
A frustrated, furious roar spilled from the Judge’s lips as he pulled a gun from behind his back and pointed it at the trio. “NOOOO!” he shouted as Connor grabbed for his gun, shoving the arm upwards as it went off. Cullen then tackled the Judge before the Secret Service could even get around the table, taking all three of them to the floor.
Chaos exploded in the room, people screaming and racing for the exits or diving under tables while JJ was bodily grabbed and forced away. His shouts for Elise and Emlen caused the other agents to grab the women and hustle them behind JJ. Em tried to see what was happening to the brothers, but she got lifted right off her feet and carried by the two agents holding her. She barely got her feet under her before all three were put into a black SUV and rushed from the hotel. Shaking and breathing fast, the three of them looked around before Emlen grabbed for her phone in her clutch. Her hands shook so, she could barely get the number hit and held the phone to her ear. “Voicemail,” she whispered and looked up at JJ and Elise across from her. “What the hell was all that?”
JJ was holding Elise close, one hand resting splayed across her belly as he looked up at Em. “My father and your grandmother were responsible for splitting up Camille and I, and for keeping me from being with you. When Camille got killed, I tried to get custody, but your family refused. My father had my name erased from your birth certificate and any record of me with your mother got buried. We had been engaged when you were born, but I wasn’t as strong a person then and I let their threats separate us. For that, I am sorry.”
Elise patted his arm lightly, leaning forward as the vehicle rocked back and forth before racing into a parking garage and down several levels. She then continued the story. “The Judge never allowed anyone to speak about you or your mother. When JJ and I talked about marriage, he sat down and told me everything. To be blunt, we were hoping the old man would die soon and we could finally reach out to you.”
It was a lot to take in and Emlen’s mind raced. “My grandmother is dead. I just found out tonight.” She wet her lips and looked out the window as the agents checked the surroundings before opening the doors and ushering them all out and into an elevator. “Where is this?” she asked.
“Our city penthouse. Where we stay when JJ’s working in town. Mostly where we are unless it’s a weekend and we can get away for a couple of days,” Elise replied, stepping into the suite and kicking off her shoes. “Come on in and I’ll get us something to drink. Tea sound good?”
Emlen nodded, looking at the stunning view of the city through a wall of windows, the colors and furnishings evoking a warmth and feeling of home she hadn’t expected from a penthouse suite. Sitting on a plush chair, she looked down at her phone again and texted Cullen to call her as soon as he could, letting him know that she was fine.
JJ came in a moment later, shutting the door and leaving the agents outside before tugging his tie loose. “Well, Emlen, this is not how I planned our reunion going.” He gave a wry chuckle as he sat across from her. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, hands clasped. “So, the O’Brien brothers, huh?
Good choice as your Garda.”
Em’s mouth dropped open, then closed with a snap. “Right, of course you know about this. I just learned about it a couple of weeks ago. I still know very little. Apparently, the Cardinal thinks it’s too much for me to handle all at once.” Her tone full of sarcasm and frustration.
“Well, McKinsey can be a real pain in the ass, but he’s good people nonetheless.” JJ replied and accepted a mug of tea from Elise before she put down another in front of Em.
“One sec,” she murmured and soon returned with a tray with milk and sugar, lemon wedges and a plate of chocolate chunk cookies.
Wrapping her hands around the mug, Em took a sip and offered a soft ‘thanks’ to Elise before her gaze went back to her father. “Why did the Judge kill my mother? Joel? Why did he try and have me killed more than once?”
Setting his mug down, JJ reached for Elise’s free hand as she settled next to him on the sofa, tucking her feet up under her and sipping her own tea. “It started when my sister died. We knew about the powers from the time we were kids. Tina was a couple of years older than I, and she was telekinetic.” His expression softened when he spoke of her. “She went to Europe for a gap year before starting college. We still don’t know what happened to her, but my mother knew without a doubt that she had died. The power lineage is through my mother’s line and when Tina died, the power went to the eldest living Descendant - my mother.” He reached for his tea and sipped before speaking again, staring into the mug. “The knowledge of Tina’s death and the lack of any body or evidence of her dying drove my mother to suicide. When she killed herself, all of her power came to me.” His gaze lifted to Emlen’s face. “The only thing I can think of is that my father wanted your power to come to me, too, to help cement the election.”
Emlen’s face showed her confusion for a moment as she processed what he said and then her gaze lifted to his. “So, my mother wasn’t the target that night. I was.” She closed her eyes and let out a breath before looking at the couple across from her. “He’s not going to stop.”
“Well, after tonight, I can stop him,” JJ replied. “He pulled a gun and attempted murder. I will have him declared insane and institutionalized. He has stage three prostate cancer. The chances of him surviving it are slim, so we’ll just lock him away until he’s gone.” There was no emotion, no sense of loss in his tone as Emlen listened to his words. A shiver ran through her and she cupped the mug a little closer for warmth.
A buzz from her phone had Emlen reaching for it, setting the mug down as she read the text. “Cullen and Connor are on their way. The Judge has been taken to Mass General for a psych hold and is under guard.” Weariness washed over her and Em pushed to her feet. “If it’s fine with you, I’d like to go home and talk more tomorrow?”
“Of course, Emlen,” JJ said, rising. “I’ll let the agents know to escort you downstairs.” He pulled a business card from his jacket and handed it to her. “My private cell is on there. Call me tomorrow, and we’ll talk more, okay?”
Em took the card and slid it into her clutch, then turned to Elise. “I’m glad you’re okay.” She paused, dizziness washing over her, enough to have her dropping back to the chair. “I’m…I don’t feel so good.”
“That’s the drugs taking effect. You’ll be out soon. Don’t worry, we’ll let the brothers know you decided to stay overnight.” Elise said, reaching for Em’s phone as it started to slip from her hands. JJ lifted her from the chair and cradled her close. “We’ve got a lot of catching up to do. Can’t let you leave just yet, daughter.”
The darkness wrapped around her and Emlen heard no more.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Emlen stirred, waking slowly. Her mouth dry as dust and her head throbbed in time with her heartbeat. The room was blessedly dim as she peeled her eyes open and carefully looked around. It wasn’t a room she recognized, as charming and comfortable as it appeared. A wrought iron bed with a bright quilt that had been tucked around her, an old rocking chair, a dresser, and a pair of side tables. Sitting up, she swung her feet over the side of the bed and felt the room sway before it settled once more. Glancing down at herself, she saw she was in her silk slip and underwear and it took her a lot longer than it should have to process that her violet gown lay over a bench at the foot of the bed, her shoes set neatly beside.
Between one breath and the next, the events of the evening came flooding back to her and she eyed the glass of water on the bedside table with distrust. Rising, she headed towards the gleam of porcelain that hinted at an en suite bath and ran the cold tap, using her hands to cup water to her mouth. Rinsing her face and brushing strands of hair out of the way, she examined her reflection and decided the smudged and smeared makeup had to go. Scrubbing her face and giving herself a quick wash made her feel more alert. She finished up using the facilities before going back to pick up her dress. Beneath it lay some folded clothes and she shook them out, figuring the yoga pants and t-shirt probably belonged to Elise. Tugging off the slip, she pulled on the borrowed clothes and rolled everything up in her gown. A pair of stretch sneakers were under the bench and she put them on, the fit a little loose but better than barefoot or heels. She didn’t see her clutch or phone anywhere, so decided to get out of the room and try her luck.
Stepping out into the hallway, she paused and listened. Em could hear raised voices in the main room and smelled food cooking, so she took a breath, squared her shoulders and moved forward. Her father sat at a table in front of the floor to ceiling windows with Elise. Beyond them, the Boston skyline shimmered in the afternoon sun. “I don’t suppose you’ve seen my purse and phone anywhere, have you?” she asked as she moved towards them. “I really need to get going. I’ve a job to get back to.”
They both looked up at her and JJ rose, a polite smile on his face. “We’ve got too much to talk about, daughter. Your belongings will be returned before you leave. For now, sit and Elise will get you a plate.” Elise rose, glaring at him before heading towards the open plan kitchen and picking up a plate and some silverware, dropping it noisily on the table at an empty chair.
Emlen folded her arms around the bundle of clothing in her arms and shook her head. “I’m not hungry. I want my things and then I’ll go. You can call and we can talk another time. Unless you’re holding me prisoner here, the game is over.”
“Holding you prisoner?” JJ laughed, shaking his head. “You had too much to drink and we put you up in the guest room. How is that holding you prisoner?” Elise remained silent, glaring at JJ the whole time. Apparently, she’d interrupted a quarrel of some kind, but Emlen didn’t care. She just wanted to get out of there. ‘Drank too much, my ass’ ran through her thoughts as she glared at him.
“Good, then I’ll be going now. My purse, please?” Emlen held out her hand and just waited. After what felt like five minutes, but was probably closer to one, Elise rose and pulled her purse out of a cabinet under the wine rack, handing it to Em before retaking her seat. Emlen opened it, saw her phone and turned towards the door, lips clamped tight. She didn’t dare speak because once she got started, she knew she’d end up shouting more than conversing.
Em pulled the door open, gave a nod to the two Secret Service agents outside, and just before the door closed, she heard JJ speak, shutting the door before he was finished. All she heard was “You’ll be hearing…” and then the thud of the door behind her. Her feet didn’t slow until she was in the elevator, fidgeting as it descended. She speed-walked out of the building and onto the sidewalk. Once outside, she took a deep breath and felt the trembling start. Fingers fumbled with her phone as she called Cullen. “Come get me, please. I’m outside Garden Towers and I need a ride.”
“I’m on my way. There’s a coffee shop a couple of doors down. Go there and wait. I’ll tell Connor, he’s back at home. I’m about twenty minutes away,” Cullen replied. They kept the conversation to a minimum and no details, something they’d drilled into Em over the past couple of weeks. You never kne
w who was listening.
Sitting in the coffee shop, back against the wall, bundle of clothes tucked beside her, Emlen wrapped her fingers around the cup and sipped, eyes on the windows that bordered two sides of the shop. She relaxed a touch when she recognized two of the Cardinal’s guards take seats near the door, keeping an eye on her and the traffic around them. She’d come to recognize the usual crew after the past few weeks of seeing them around the cottage and the grounds. Sitting with her coffee gave her time to process and realize that it had been only a month since she’d nearly been killed, since her house burned down, and she and Cullen had been shot.
Three weeks since she’d learned about the Garda and the fact she was one of two living Descendants of Charlemagne’s magical lineage. Em knew there was a lot more she hadn’t been told, but to be honest, she’d heard enough at the time. It was a lot to process, the idea that she had some kind of magical gift and that she was one of a long line stretching back nearly fifty generations. The only things she could do that she saw as different from normal people was talk to her mother’s ghost and have a good instinct if someone was telling her the truth or not. Even those could be chalked up to mental instability and a solid gut, if one were being realistic.