“I need my oil changed.” Jeremiah Wheeler’s scuffed-up combat boots appeared beside him.
“You are out of luck. Oil changes are on Tuesday. Hold on a minute.” He grunted the last part as he pried the new belt over the pulley system with a small crowbar. It settled into the groove with a satisfying snap and he blew out a lungful of air while he released the tension from his shoulders. With a twist, he slithered his way out from under the baler and looked up at Wheeler. “Thought you were going to call?”
“I’m here, sorry. Do you want me to go over to the other side of the ranch and call you?” Jeremiah laughed at him when he flipped the doctor off.
“No, but it probably would have been easier to talk to you on the phone about this.” John stood up and grabbed a rag to wipe the grease off his hands.
“Oh, a personal topic then?” The doc crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the baler.
“Yeah. Look, I don’t really know how to ask this, so I’m just going to put it out there. Shae was flirting with me last night. What should I do about it?”
The doctor blinked at him and brought his hand to his face, stroking the scruff he obviously didn’t shave this morning. “Well, I guess that depends on what you want to do about it.”
John rolled his eyes. “Typical shrink answer.”
Jeremiah snorted. “Typical defensive behavior with a healthy helping of deflection thrown in. Do you want Shae to flirt with you or not?”
“Yes?” John clasped his hands behind his head and walked away only to spin around and stare at the doctor, who looked like he wanted to laugh.
“John, was that an answer or a question?”
He groaned, “Both.”
“Right, well, here’s the scoop. If Shae trusts you enough to flirt with you, and you and she both want that to happen, then by all means, proceed.”
John put his hands on his hips and glared at the man in front of him. That was so not the point here… “But what if it leads to other things?”
“Like?”
“Sex!” John threw up his hands and started pacing.
This time the doctor did laugh. “Do you need me to have the birds and bees talk with you? Is that what you’re saying?”
“Oh, fuck you, you know it’s not!” John pivoted and marched down the other way only to turn again and walk back. The activity was necessary, or he might knock that smirk off the doctor’s face.
“All right, all right, settle down. Look, if Shae wants things to progress to that point and you are comfortable with it too, what the hell is the problem?”
“She has been through so damn much.” John stopped and stared at the toe of his boot. “I don’t want to hurt her.”
“Ah.” The doctor lifted away from the baler. “Life isn’t that easy, John. You can’t protect her from getting hurt. It’s going to happen in one way or another. If this between you proceeds and works out, you’ll need to be there for her when shit turns south, just like she’ll need to be there for you.”
“Have you talked to her about us?”
“Nope. Not going there. I don’t talk about our sessions with anyone but her.” Wheeler cocked his head. “Just like I won’t tell her you’re freaking out.”
“I’m not.” John shook his head. “I just need to make sure I’m not going to hurt her.”
“With an attitude like that, I’m sure you won’t. At least not intentionally, but even the best intentions don’t always work out. My advice? Communication. Dialogue between the two of you will go one hell of a long way to clear up these feelings you’re having.”
John nodded. “Just talk to her?”
“Yep. Be honest about your fears and concerns. Ask her what hers are. Have an open, honest conversation about things before they become an issue.”
“Okay. Thanks, Doc.” John extended his hand.
The doctor grabbed his and shook it. “No problem. My bill will be in the mail.”
“I’d rather give you that oil change.” John fell into step as they walked out of the barn.
“Oh, damn, that’s a deal,” Jeremiah laughed and slapped him on the back. “I’ll see you on Tuesday.”
John chuckled and watched the doctor climb into his truck. Just talk to her. I can do that.
“So, I hear the big bosses are here.” Shae handed Jeremiah a tall glass of lemonade. It wasn’t from scratch, but the mix was good and tart. He accepted it and she sat down under the shade tree with him. She could be in the cottage with him, John, Doctor Cassidy, or Amanda now, but the shade tree was where she and Jeremiah usually had their talks.
The doctor took a sip of his drink and nodded. “Yep. Saw them this morning. Are you going to answer questions for them?”
She could tell he was staring at her, looking for a reaction. She lifted her eyes and stared at John’s house. “I’ll talk to them and tell them what I can remember if the Mossad has signed a release.”
“I’m told they have.” Jeremiah took a sip of his drink and leaned back against the tree. “Do you want me there with you when you answer their questions?”
“No. I asked John to come with me.”
“You’re developing feelings for him, aren’t you?”
The quiet question swung her attention away from the house and to her therapist. She drew a deep breath and nodded. “I think I am.”
“To what end?”
Her surprised huff of laughter came out of nowhere. She shook her head. “Are you my mother now?”
“Nope. Don’t want that role or responsibility. I’m just curious if you are using John as a crutch or perhaps making unwise attachments.” Jeremiah took another sip of his drink.
“Unwise? No, I trust him as much as I trust you. He’s my friend. The interest in him past that is natural, I think. I find him attractive. Is that wrong?” She met his eyes and stared at him while she took a drink of her lemonade.
“It is if you just want sex.”
Shae inhaled sharply and aspirated some of the liquid into her lungs. She wheezed and coughed for about a minute before she was able to breathe and talk. “Better?” Jeremiah asked when she drew her third full lungful of air.
“Yeah,” she managed as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
“As I was saying, if that is all you’re going after John for, you need to talk with him and let him know what your intentions are. You wouldn’t want to hurt him.”
“Hurt him?” Her voice squeaked at the end of the question. John was the most stoic person she’d ever met. How in the hell could she hurt him?
“Yes, he is a solitary man who doesn’t let too many people into his tight circle of friends. Those he does let in, he forms relationships with…” He stared directly at her.
Relationships. Her mouth fell open as understanding soaked in. She snapped it shut and squared her shoulders. “I like John as a friend and I’m willing to see if I like John as a lover. He’s already told me he’s willing to let me take the lead and to control what happens. I will not scare him away by telling him I want a committed relationship.”
“Let’s look at that from another angle. Will he scare you away if he tells you that he does?” Jeremiah cocked his head and waited.
Shae’s eyes migrated back to John’s house. She thought hard about that question before she answered, “No. Very little scares me anymore. A relationship isn’t something that would upset me—if it were to happen.”
“Excellent. Now, why don’t we go over some of your coping techniques for the interview and have a mental line in the sand established? The point you’ll talk to but not about. It will keep you in control of the conversation tomorrow.”
Shae closed her eyes. “The chamber, after the people left. I won’t talk about that. Nothing happened except what he did to me and… her phone call telling Maurice to kill me.”
“Her?” The doctor leaned forward.
“Yes.”
“Did you hear the conversation?”
Shae furrowed her brow an
d concentrated on her memories. “No, but he said… ‘She told me to kill you.’“
“So, we know the person who ordered your execution was a woman. How do you feel about that?”
She turned to Jeremiah and narrowed her eyes. “I’m fucking pissed.”
Shae leaned back against the cottonwood tree beside him and thought hard about each question he lobbed at her throughout their session. Her thoughts and memories were still laced with fear and humiliation, but those emotions no longer consumed her. She was able to discuss what she felt and examine why she felt that way. Jeremiah was a good doctor and there was little doubt in her mind that she would have given up if it wasn’t for the support she found on this ranch. Yes, she could talk with Guardian now, and it was time.
Chapter 15
The Guardian side of the Marshall ranch had changed since John had moved onto the property years ago. Homes for the full-time workers who for one reason or another couldn’t live in the small town of Hollister had sprung up down a small valley. The hospital had grown and the people who transitioned through the training classes were housed in a small apartment building that was located next to the cafeteria. There were other structures, but he had no idea what they were used for.
He steered Shae toward the office where Mike, Dixon, and Drake worked. He’d worked with Joseph when the man had questions about the machinery or software he’d installed at the Rose and had used the secure communications in the building numerous times.
Shae slowed as she approached the door. He stopped and turned her toward him. “You don’t have to do this.”
She shook her head. “No, I want to. It’s time.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
She sighed heavily and wrapped her arms around her stomach. “After I tell them what I know, I’m going to tell them I can’t work for them.”
His inner caveman stood up and banged on his chest. He didn’t want Shae to go out on missions any longer. “Why does that have you worried?”
She flicked a glance at him. “Because I won’t have a place to stay and I don’t want to go back to Israel. How am I going to leave here? I’ll have to leave Doctor Wheeler and we’ve made so much progress. Besides, who is going to take care of Velvet?” Her eyes dropped to the pea-sized gravel they were standing on. She sniffed and looked away at the horizon.
“Well, damn.”
She didn’t look at him but spoke quietly, “What?”
“I wanted to be on your list of reasons not to leave.” He threw it out there. Communication, right?
She slowly turned toward him. “What?”
“I would have preferred to be the only reason, but I can share the list. For a while.”
Shae laughed and wiped at her eyes. “I didn’t want to presume.”
“Ah, well, let’s settle this here and now. You can stay with me in my house if Frank and Amanda kick you out of the drover’s cottage. I have two extra rooms. I doubt they will want you to leave—those two would build you a house if you needed a place to stay. Second, Jeremiah won’t let you go anywhere if he doesn’t feel you are ready. If you need help paying for his care, I have money.” Loads and loads of offshore money that he could access with a few strokes of a keyboard. “Velvet is spoiled. You’re responsible for him, nobody else wants to deal with him, so I guess you’re stuck here for the foreseeable future.”
“You forgot something.” She put her hands in her back pockets and stared up at him. Her bright brown eyes filled with laughter, which was so much better than the anxiety-filled expression a moment ago.
He raised his eyebrows. “Really? What did I forget?” He was teasing her, and her laugh told him she knew it, too.
“You.” She tipped her head back and smiled widely.
“Oh, well, you’re stuck with me, too.”
“Yeah?” She stepped closer to him and smiled.
“Yeah.” He reached out and placed his hands on her hips. “Most definitely.” He leaned down and placed a soft kiss against her lips. The sound of a stifled cough drew them apart, but their eyes remained locked for several seconds before once again a smile spread across her face. Damn, the combination of her taste and that smile were hypnotizing
“Most definitely.” She echoed his words before she turned to look at the person who’d interrupted.
“Sorry, we’re on a tight timeline and have to catch a flight back to D.C. Are you ready?”
“Mr. King. It’s been a long time.” Shae reached out her hand.
“Indeed. I’m sorry for pressuring you into this interview, but we are at a crossroads and we need as much information as we can get to make an informed decision… and lives could very well be at stake.”
“I understand. I will have to see the release the Mossad has sent.” Shae glanced over at him. “And John will be present with me in the interview. That is non-negotiable.”
“That won’t be a problem. My brother Jared arrived this morning and he will be conducting the interview.”
“Just how many brothers do you have, Mr. King? I met the other one, Jason, I believe. He introduced himself when you came to see me at the hospital in Winnipeg.”
Jacob opened the door and ushered them both in as he spoke, “There are five brothers and three sisters.”
“A big family.” Shae reached back and grabbed John’s hand. He took her hand in his and felt thirty feet tall, fire retardant, and bulletproof. Yeah, that inner caveman of his was howling at the moon he was so happy. The woman trusted him, and fuck—the sizzling jolt of chemistry that shot through his body at that little kiss? Well, it was still ripping through his cells with a gusto that he’d never felt before. There was no doubt in his mind that he and Shae were a good match. Their cautious friendship had morphed into a solid companionship which was changing yet again. He couldn’t wait to see where they’d end up. But first, they needed to get through today.
Jacob and Shae visited about a lot of nothing as they walked through the building. He waved at Mike and then at Drake as they walked by office after office. Finally, they came to a small room where Jared and Jason King waited.
Shae stopped in the doorway. “No. There are too many people.” Her words were a whisper, but he’d heard them.
“Jacob, we’ll need to do something about the overcrowding in this room.” He took the lead, making sure everyone knew the number of people in the room would be a deal-breaker.
“Jacob and I aren’t staying. I just wanted to say thank you again for talking to us. I know it is difficult to relive past traumas. We’ve all lived through things that were meant to kill us, so we do understand where you are coming from and I wanted to personally acknowledge your sacrifice in trying to run Stratus to the ground.” Jason King stood up and moved to the door. He extended his hand to Shae. “Thank you.”
She shook her head but took Jason’s hand anyway. “I was unsuccessful in my mission.”
“Due in part to the fact that we’d lobbed the serpent’s head off when you were undercover.” Jason nodded.
“What?” Shae’s head snapped up. “The Fates? You found them?”
“We found and eliminated all three of them. Unfortunately, that has caused all the layers of Stratus to strike out or go into hiding. That’s why we need you to tell us what you know. If we can patchwork threads of intel together, we may be able to make surgical strikes against the organization before it rises again.”
John had no idea who the Fates were, but he’d heard enough about Stratus to know the organization was bad news. If Shae had been hunting the bastards that comprised that organization, she’d been swimming in shark-infested waters.
“Anyway, this is my brother, Jared. He’s the investigator of the family and he is in charge of Domestic Operations, which this case isn’t—strictly speaking—but he is one of the best we have, so we asked him to fly out and talk to you.” Shae nodded and smiled at Jared King but didn’t enter the room. Jason turned his attention to him. “John, I’m sorry we couldn’t find the answ
ers you were looking for earlier this year.”
“Some things remain unanswered. Perhaps that’s for a reason.” He shrugged. The truth in that answer came easier than he believed it would. Perhaps both he and Shae were making progress.
“Regardless, it feels like we failed you.”
“No sir. You gave me a home and a reason to keep going.” He shifted his gaze to Shae. “Things worked out just the way they should.”
“Well, I’m glad to hear that. Jacob, let’s go.” He squeezed John’s shoulder again and the two men exited the small room. He could see Shae’s shoulders relax. She drew a deep breath and walked into the room.
Jared reached across the table as if he knew the barrier would help. “Shae, it is a pleasure to meet you. Would you prefer the door to remain open?” Jared nodded to the door behind them.
“No, but I do need to sit by the door.” She pointed to the chair she wanted to sit in. Jared nodded his head and moved down the table to sit closer.
“May I record this interview?” He nodded to a small, handheld recording device.
“Of course, but first I’d like to see the Mossad’s release?”
“Absolutely. Here it is.” Jared slid a folder across the table to her. She opened the folder and read the document before setting it to the side. John did a double-take. Shae chuckled, “Hebrew, not English. English is my third language.”
“What’s your second?” He glanced over to Jared. “Sorry.”
“No need. Is everything in order?”
“It is.” She answered Jared and then leaned over and whispered, “Arabic.”
“All right. I’m with Shae Diamant and her witness, Mr. John Smith. We have an official release from Mossad which allows Shae to discuss her previous mission. Shae, would you please give me the background of your mission?”
“Certainly. My partner and I were assigned to track down leads the Mossad had generated in regard to Stratus.”
“Do you know where the leads came from?” Jared didn’t look up as he wrote.
“I do, but I am not at liberty to discuss anything except what happened from the date of my assignment forward.” She nodded to the piece of paper on the table.
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