Shadows and Spice

by Grady, D. R.

  More relatives the Morrisons could draw into their fold. Janine smiled. A brother and sister who sounded like they needed love, too. Her new family would be beside themselves.

  Greg snagged the ringing phone on his way to the fridge. He shouldn’t hurt, as he hadn’t done much last evening, except kiss Janine, but today his muscles protested. Some eggs and sausage ought to counter the effect.

  He hoped.

  “Hello,” he said, but he doubted he meant to welcome the intrusion.

  “Good morning, Gilmore.” O’Riley’s cheerful tones greeted him.

  Greg suppressed a growl. “What do you want?”

  “Not a morning person, eh, Gilmore?” Like he didn’t know.

  “You’re interfering with my breakfast.”

  “Right. I thought you might be interested to hear about Janine’s captive.”

  That perked him up. So did the coffee he sipped. Now he felt a little more alive. This was a good time to retire. Obviously he was too old to play young men’s games.

  “What’d you find out?”

  “Nothing.”

  Greg did growl then and O’Riley laughed. “It’s true. The guy was young, and inexperienced. He was the one who broke Janine’s oak tree. He was trying to get into her house. Last night was his second attempt.”

  “How’d he get paid?”

  “In an envelope on his front porch.”

  “How’d they contact him?”

  “Phone call. That’s all we know.”

  Suppressing a groan, Greg sat at the table and thought about what O’Riley said. “Let me guess, the kid is eighteen years old, still lives at home, and looking for a secret operative career.” It was the same story every time. If something went wrong, and inevitably it did, then the kid died, and the people who had hired him left no trail back to themselves.

  “Nineteen, and yes, he had visions of a military career.”

  “But?”

  “Health problem kept him out.”

  Greg sipped more coffee and contemplated the wall in front of him. He had left Hershey with visions of escaping home. The secret operative career had landed on his lap, he hadn’t sought it or particularly wanted it. Yet there were kids out there who longed for the type of career he’d left. Why?

  “We can’t tie him to the Temites?”

  “Still working on that angle.”

  “This lack of information is annoying.”

  “Welcome to the world of espionage, Gilmore.”

  His lips twitched. “You’re a cheeky jerk, O’Riley.”

  “So I’m told. You haven’t blown up any more cars have you?”

  “Of course not. I didn’t blow up the last one, either. It did that all by itself.”

  “Well, actually, your boy at the think tank managed to trace it back far enough that we know the Temites didn’t have anything to do with destroying that particular rental car. At least they’re not directly involved.”

  Greg frowned into his mug. “What’s that mean?”

  “They could be indirectly involved, your buddy said things got kind of murky there, but the exploding car can’t be pinned to them.”

  “That makes no sense. Then who tried to blow me to the moon?”

  “Your friend is working even harder on that question.”

  “Bless him.”

  “Yeah, in the meantime, could you please be a normal citizen?”

  “Hey, I was on my way to make myself a normal eggs and sausage breakfast. Until I was interrupted.”

  “Right. Let’s keep a low profile. And remind Morris of the same thing.”

  “She’s much better at this than me.”

  “Yes, she would be.”

  There were people everywhere wanting his attention and time like they wanted hers. She could handle them. Greg hurtled to his feet when he couldn’t breathe. He set to pacing. He might get good at this yet.

  “She scolded me last evening.” Greg grinned at the memory. He wanted to kiss her again. And again.

  “What’d you do?”

  “She said most people don’t find a convenient shadow to disappear in to.”

  “She’s right.”

  “Don’t tell her that.”

  “I imagine your old habits will die hard, but you can strive to be semi-normal. Like enjoy the sunlight.”

  “Sunlight causes cancer.”

  “So use sunscreen.”

  The man had an answer for everything. “That would require shopping.”

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  “Every time I go into town, some Morrison lady jumps out of the frozen food section.” Greg pursed his lips. “‘You must be Greg Gilmore. You look just like your sister’. I think they lay in wait for me. One of them caught me in the toilet paper aisle.”

  O’Riley didn’t answer, he was too busy laughing at Greg’s dilemma. Greg thought he heard some sympathy in between the guffaws.

  “I swear two of them held a wrestling match in the canned goods aisle the other day to see who got to me first.” He shook his head as O’Riley started on a fresh round of laughter. “You might want to rethink your spy network.”

  “The Morrison Family Network is superior to anything we have.” O’Riley at least had the grace to state the obvious. “Try being married to General Emma.”

  Greg shuddered. “No way. I’m not brave enough for that.”

  “‘So you’re the man who stole our little Emma away.’ We live in Hershey, how did I steal her away?”

  “I don’t know. It’s hard enough being KC’s brother. I’d never take on Emma.”

  “Michael Lamont wouldn’t have blinked.”

  “He’s dead. Greg Gilmore, on the other hand, wants to stay alive.”

  “Life is never dull around my house. And we have plenty of sunscreen.” There was a grin in O’Riley’s tone.

  The man still didn’t have enough words in his vocabulary to convince Greg. This normal stuff took work.

  “I think I’ll go hide under the bed.”

  “May I suggest at least taking someone interesting with you?” Yep, O’Riley had already picked up the Morrison matchmaking habit.

  Still, visions of Janine, rice and peas, and the best coffee he’d had in years tempted, taunted, and interested him. “That actually sounds like a good idea.”

  He hung up on O’Riley’s raucous laughter.

  Chapter 24

  “He says he doesn’t have much family?”

  Janine turned back to General Emma and her question. “That’s right.”

  “Who says this?” Greg stirred briefly from the shadows to ask the question. Both she and Emma knew he was there, but he’d remained so still, he startled both of them. She glared at him. But couldn’t tell whether he felt her discontented gaze or not.

  “Jonathan Morris, the man who sent me an e-mail.”

  “When did he contact you?”

  “Yesterday.”

  “Who have you told?” Greg’s voice held an intensity she’d only heard a limited number of times before.

  She tapped a finger on Emma’s desk chair arm. “I called Aunt Emma yesterday, but she wasn’t home. This is the first time we’ve had a chance to talk about it.”

  “Is there a problem?” Emma’s attention swung between her and Greg.

  “I don’t know. But isn’t it strange this man contacted you after you visited his website?”

  “I signed the guestbook.”

  Greg nodded, but didn’t say anything.

  Janine couldn’t fathom where the harm was in her responding to the man’s inquiry. She couldn’t imagine why there was a problem with this Jonathan Morris contacting her. That pirate website had given her some misgivings, but Jonathan’s website appeared harmless.

  “What seems to be the problem? And why are you hiding back in the shadows?” Emma reached out and tugged Greg forward. Janine smothered her grin behind a hasty cough. Only Emma would think to yank him out of his natural element, and only she could escape unsc
athed.

  Greg appeared from the darkness a little shellshocked and blinking, but Janine kept her comments to herself. She bet not even O’Riley would try to haul Greg out of the shadows like that. Admiral O’Riley understood more than General Emma did, but Janine doubted Emma missed much.

  She caught the glance Greg shot her and composed her face into lines of peacefulness. Like what had just happened to him was perfectly normal. Janine felt the unfamiliar urge to giggle, but tamped the inclination. Then he’d have trouble keeping a straight face and then they’d both get into trouble.

  KC galloped up to them and deposited Macy into Greg’s arms. Janine watched in wonder as niece and uncle grinned at each other. She watched as Macy played with his buttons and answered his low questions. Greg held Macy like he didn’t want to let the little girl go, and Janine appreciated anew the strength he had needed to release Ryan into KC’s care. Here was a man with the capacity to love. And she liked how Macy didn’t seem afraid of him. She thought they must spend some time together because Macy seemed perfectly at ease with this man, like she was with any of the Morrisons.

  Janine leaned over to KC. “They’ve been spending time together?”

  “What?” KC straightened from helping Ryan and stared blankly at her. She blinked her gorgeous blue eyes, and Janine smiled before she repeated her question.

  “Oh, Greg and Macy? Yes, they’ve bonded. He’s watched her and Ryan for me when I couldn’t leave work on time. I think he and Max’s mom had a standoff on who got to watch them. Greg won.”

  “That’s impressive. Most people don’t win against Aunt Monica.”

  “I know. But Greg was determined. He’s so good with them and he loves the time he spends with both of them.”

  Janine understood the tears in KC’s eyes. She couldn’t tell KC why Greg had given up Ryan. Now that she knew for certain, but it was Greg’s place to explain to his sister. Instead, Janine rested a hand on KC’s arm. “He had his reasons. Very good ones.”

  KC nodded, and blinked back the tears. “Where did he find the strength?”

  “He had to.”

  “Mommy, Uncle Gweg and me awe going to the swing set,” Macy informed them.

  “I see. Are you sure Uncle Greg knows how to operate a swing?”

  Macy giggled, a pure, innocent laugh that spread warmth through Janine. She thought maybe the child’s laugh had the same effect on Greg. “I show him,” Macy stated with confidence.

  “Are you certified to show others how to operate a swing?” Janine asked, after KC elbowed her.

  More laughter and Macy bobbed her head, her blonde pigtails bouncing happily around her face. A face that resembled KC’s nearly perfectly. And Greg’s for that matter.

  What set him apart from the women of his family was the darkness he couldn’t seem to escape. His life experiences had altered him. Janine hoped he welcomed these new experiences in the sun. Because she made the decision to copy her Aunt Emma and drag him out of the shadows.

  Greg watched Janine’s face. As usual, no readable emotions crossed her features. The woman would have made an excellent secret operative. He didn’t sense any fear from her when she mentioned this man contacting her.

  He couldn’t figure out why it bothered him. Why would the man want to contact a complete stranger? What did he want?

  Greg knew family was important to the Morrisons, but this man was a Morris. Were they the same family? Maybe Janine’s theory about a long lost relative was correct, but what if Jonathan Morris proved to be another pirate?

  When KC deposited Macy into his arms, Greg forgot about the rest of his worries concerning Janine and Jonathan. Instead, he stared into Macy’s eyes and slipped a little further under her spell. A little girl, at thirteen months old, shouldn’t have such power. Yet this tiny being had likely already made him her slave. Greg couldn’t think of anything he wouldn’t do for her. That should scare him.

  And it did. Only, he liked the warmth of her little body pressed so trustingly against his. He enjoyed her little girl smell and realized he’d fight everything in the underworld to keep her safe. He’d climb to the stars and steal one for her if she desired such a gift.

  What he hadn’t realized until now, was like Janine, both Macy and Ryan held the power to loosen the underworld’s grip on him. They shone lights into the darkness and kept the vines from encircling him, from dragging him to the depths.

  Even the pain caused by his separation from Ryan had lessened in the little guy’s presence. Greg finally understood he would never be able to be Ryan’s dad, but he could be his uncle. That thought spread more warmth through him.

  “Uncle Gweg, go to swing set?” Macy pleaded.

  Like he had the strength to say no.

  Ryan overheard her request. “Yeah, Uncle Greg can we go?” He bounced around Greg’s legs and Greg couldn’t imagine a more perfect little boy or girl. His sister and her husband had done well with both children. He even saw elements of himself in both.

  “Sure, but we have to tell your mom.”

  KC and Janine teased them, but waved them off. Greg was grateful. Maybe he had just discovered a way to escape family functions. He could handle pushing the kids on swings, or catching them at the bottom of the slide, and he could work the merry-go-round. For that matter, he decided he could figure out how to operate anything on the playground. The only thing that would make this gathering nicer would be if Janine came out to join them.

  As though his thoughts were prophecy, the door slid open behind them. He and the kids had reached the swing set in O’Riley and Emma’s backyard, but as he secured Macy in one swing and helped Ryan into another, Janine stopped behind Ryan.

  He pushed Macy while she pushed Ryan. The kid’s shrieks caused more warmth to spread through his limbs and settle somewhere near his heart. This uncle thing was pretty nice. Greg shared a grin with Janine, who he could tell savored the moment with him.

  No emotions showed on her face, but her smile was one of contentment. He appreciated that about her, that she wasn’t overly emotional. Except maybe she was, only like him, she was adept at hiding her feelings.

  When one was used to reading emotions in others to save one’s booty, one found it disconcerting when a person didn’t reveal any. Greg had learned from his fellow operatives that the true unemotional were a rare breed. Not many of them had ever encountered regular people who lacked emotions. He wondered what his colleagues would say about Janine.

  Hot. Beautiful. Smart. Serene.

  Those were the first words that popped into his mind when he thought of her.

  Frustrating. Too contained. Loyal. Stubborn.

  Those adjectives chased the first ones. Janine Morris – complex woman. Knowing her, kissing her, was well worth his efforts, but he wondered if he would ever really understand her.

  Normally he ran a quick assessment upon meeting someone and rarely did that assessment change. Not so with Janine. He hadn’t formulated a full judgment of her yet.

  Greg wondered if people found the same to be true about him. Provided they remembered him. When he had accepted that first assignment, he hadn’t known then that he’d have to live in the shadows. That his very being would virtually become nonexistent. His life depended on people not remembering him. But it was hard being the invisible man.

  Such circumstances didn’t garner much in the way of human interactions. He had become accustomed to little or no contact with people due to his job. Thinking back though, Greg realized he had never spent much time with others. He couldn’t remember many close friends, even in school.

  His parents had more friends than they could invite to any one party, yet he’d always felt that if they lost their wealth and status, those “friends” would seek other pastures. Perhaps the true reason why he didn’t seek out human fellowship.

  Greg watched Janine laugh at Ryan’s glee as she pushed the little boy. Yet he’d like to establish a relationship with her, just as he had with Ryan. The setting sun gil
ded her face as she rhythmically pushed Ryan’s swing. Rarely had he witnessed such beauty in an individual before. Janine was radiant, and he knew he could trust her to keep the shadows at bay.

  He kept Macy’s swing in motion, and he delighted in her laughter and joy and her power over that same underworld pull. He wondered if he’d ever been as innocent as his niece. Or Ryan. If so, that innocence was utterly mitigated by the deeds of his adulthood.

  The kids soon tired of the swings and ran to join their cousins on the other equipment. He and Janine converged on a pair of lawn chairs close by.

  “You chose his parents well,” Janine said, and Greg started. How had she known what he was thinking about?

  Greg nodded. “I thought KC would screw it up, but she came through in the end.”

  Janine laughed. “She took her time, but I’ve noticed that’s a Gilmore trait.” Her knowing eyes darted over him before the peace settled in him again.

  What did she mean by that? “Are you saying we’re slow?”

  “On some things, definitely.” Her voice was adamant.

  Okay, so they didn’t jump into things, there was nothing wrong with that. “Is there a problem?”

  “Not at all.” She shook her head. “But you shouldn’t be so hard on KC. Marriage is a huge commitment.”

  “She worked with Max for well over a year, and hadn’t even thought about dating him. She didn’t start to think about him as a man until she was in Kuwait.” [The Corpsman and the Nerd – Book 2 – The Morrison Family Series]

  “She didn’t. The separation is what triggered the feelings. But you know, the year before wasn’t lost.”

  “Why not?”

  “They formed a tight and lasting friendship first. Everything they build on that foundation will last because it’s so sturdy.”

  True. “Maybe KC didn’t mess up as much as I thought.” Greg watched the kids clamor over the monkey bars and thought about all their parents. “None of the Morrisons have bad relationships, do they?”

  “No. It doesn’t appear that way.”

  “They make it look easy.”