by Lynn Story
“Thank you, Sherry.”
“You’re welcome. You have a pretty full day today. Do you need me to cancel anything?”
Her persistent caring made me smile despite myself.
“No, I’ll be okay thanks. Just a bad night. I’m sure I’ll be fine after a cup of your coffee.”
She brightened and proceeded to sit down so that we could continue with our daily routine of going over my schedule.
Sherry was the model of efficiency. She was in her thirties and a single mom. She had never remarried, and I could only assume that was a personal choice. She was attractive and held back mid-life curves with daily yoga after work. She had a business degree and a good head for numbers. I had offered her opportunities in budget and finance a number of times, but she refused. She said she enjoyed her job with me. I couldn’t argue with that I don’t know what I would have done without her.
After half an hour we were finally done, and Michael appeared in the doorway. He helped himself to coffee.
“Whoa, you look like roadkill.” He said when he sat down across me. Sherry gave him a sour look as she got up to leave.
“Thanks.” I concentrated on my email. Michael had become part of my morning routine just like Sherry.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine.” I responded in a tone that possibly suggested otherwise and asking about it further would be futile.
Michael waited for Sherry to close the door behind her. “Are you having nightmares?” He pressed.
Despite the fact that it was Ethan I had wanted to be there for me when I was in the hospital, I wouldn’t have made it without Michael. “Only the one I’m having right now.” I deleted a few messages and flagged a few more to read later.
“Funny,” he responded, undaunted.
“I thought so.” I quipped.
“Listen, I thought we’d review our contract before out meeting later today with Chemlab.” He was back to business.
“Why?” I wondered aloud.
“We’ll need to make sure we are asking for everything we need. We want to be covered from a liability standpoint if any one of our devices fails based on some faulty plastic, they provide us.”
I guess this is why we have lawyers. “God, this stuff makes my head hurt.” I leaned back in my chair. When I took over the company, I created a new branch to produce high tech prosthetics for veterans. Chemlab Corp was providing some of the materials used in construction.
“I know, but you need to be aware of this and we also need to protect you personally as well as the company. You know how people are, they will sue whoever they think can afford to pay them.”
“I know, I know. What if what Chemlab provides us is a good quality product but how it is applied creates a faulty part, are we covered for that?”
“Yes, we have those bases covered with assembly quality control and testing. And also, the manufacturing aspect, which is all Port City Industries, I have the main core of the company shielded in case this arm, no pun intended, fails.”
“Your turn to be funny.” I rolled my eyes.
Michael scooted close to the desk. “Look, it just makes good business sense.”
“I know it does and you make sure this is all on the up and up as I don’t want anything to even have a whiff of impropriety.”
“Listen if you go down, I go down and I like my lifestyle. I’m not going to risk it on some half-assed scheme. No offense.”
“None taken.”
Michael checked his watch. “Well, it’s almost time for your first meeting of the day, I’ll see you later.” He stood and straightened his Tom Ford suit and strolled out of the office.
Sherry frowned at him again as she came in to remind me of my meeting. She handed me a file. “They are already seated at the table.”
“Good. Thank you.”
I walked down the hall to the large oval conference room. It had an impressive view of the city.
“Good Morning, sorry to keep you waiting.” I said as I walked in.
Eight faces turned to greet me.
Chapter Ten
Ethan
I drove to the office and parked the car and then walked down the street to a coffee shop. I needed something different than the normal office coffee. I stood watching people come and go as I waited for my order. I wondered how many times Kay and I had unknowingly passed one another in the city, maybe even in a coffee shop like this one? It didn’t seem possible. I would have known her on sight.
I got my coffee and walked back to work lost in my own thoughts. I really needed to snap out of this rut I was in. Maybe Logan was right, maybe I needed to forget all this business about fate bringing us back together and go find Kay.
Logan was already at work when I arrived.
“Morning.” I said as I came in.
Logan looked up didn’t immediately say anything. I let it go.
“Where’s Jared and Steph?” I asked.
“Out in the field.” Logan stood up. “Ethan, we are friends so I feel like I can say this.”
“What?” I looked up, bracing myself for what seemed to be coming.
“I didn’t think it was possible for you to look worse than you did but you look like you’ve been on an all-night bender.”
“Shut up, Logan.”
“I’m serious, you are not okay, man.” He was sincere.
“I wasn’t on an all-night bender and I didn’t even have anything to drink last night.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, really. I just.” I hated to admit it even to Logan. “I fell asleep in my car last night.”
“What? Where? In your driveway?”
“No on the way home.”
“At the wheel?” Logan looked alarmed.
“I had pulled over. I was parked.”
“Ethan, this is getting dangerous; man, you need to do something.” It’s not often Logan gets this concerned.
“I was doing something.” I skirted the issue.
“What?” He was relentless.
“I was sitting outside her house. I think it was her house anyway.” I confessed.
“Dude, this is off the rails sort of behavior. I feel like you need an intervention or something and I don’t know how to do one.”
I laughed. “It isn’t as bad as it sounds.”
“I sure as hell hope not because it sounds pretty bad.” He countered.
“Why can’t you just look at the positive side?” I tried to reason with him and set his mind at ease.
“What would that be?” He asked frowning at me.
“I got some sleep last night.”
Logan laughed and returned to his desk shaking his head. “You like to live on the edge, man.”
“I’ve got it under control.” I was justifying my behavior, even to myself.
“Yeah, okay.”
My phone rang. “Craddock.”
“Boss, it’s Jared. I think we found the teacher and the kid. We need some back up.” I jumped up getting Logan’s attention. I repeated the address out loud so Logan could map it. “Okay Jared. Stay out of sight and let me know if anything changes; we are on our way.” I looked to Logan “Grab your gear call the local PD. Jared and Steph have a location on the teacher.”
Logan was up and racing for the door. “I’ll drive.” Logan said, speaking volumes about more than just the case.
I didn’t argue. I punched buttons for the local police to provide some tactical backup. We pulled up behind Jared and Steph. I slipped out the passenger side door and crept up to the window. Stephanie was waiting for me.
“What’s the status?” I asked.
“A woman and child matching the description of our missing teacher was rushed into the house about an hour ago,” Stephanie reported.
“We sure it is her?”
“A neighbor called it in said she recognized the teacher from the news reports.” Steph glanced back at the house.
“What about the person with her.” I
asked.
“Tall male wearing a hoodie. She couldn’t see his face and is not sure if it was the man who lives there or not.” Stephanie replied.
“Do we know anything about the owner of the property?” Logan asked.
“It’s a rental and the neighbor says no one seems to stay very long. She isn’t familiar the current occupant,” Jared said.
“Okay, hang tight.” I crept down the block to where the local police were waiting.
“Agent Craddock?” I nodded and held out my hand.
“Lt. Bradford,” He shook my hand “What do we have?”
“We believe the teacher and her son are inside with one suspect. It was called in by a neighbor, said the woman was rushed inside by a man wearing a hoodie. Any way we can try to get eyes inside?”
“Let me see what we can do.” Bradford offered.
“Thanks.”
The lieutenant walked down the line to a van and spoke with a couple of people. He returned after a few short minutes.
“Agent Craddock, we are going to send a few men around with scopes to try and see in any of the windows. We are also setting up a heat seeking detector to find out how many people are inside and where they are.”
“Thank you we really appreciate the help.”
Bradford nodded and walked away again. I went back up to let Jared and Stephanie know what was going on. For the moment we would have to wait. I was getting antsy. Logan was better at waiting that I was. He could sit there all day with his eyes closed and not even flinch. I think I had been living on caffeine for too many months, maybe years to be able to do that.
Finally, Bradford called for me over the radio and I was glad to get out of the SUV. “No joy on the visual. We do have three heat signatures. One maybe two in the back of the house on the first floor the other is on the second floor and moving around. I can’t say which is which at the moment. If I had to guess I’d say your perp is on the second floor.”
I nodded. “Okay, let’s get into position.”
Bradford dispatched three two-man teams to cover the sides and rear of the house, and four men to back us up at the front door.
I returned to the team. “Okay this is it. There’s one upstairs and looks like two downstairs in the rear. We can’t be sure who is who. It is likely the teacher is downstairs with her son. Jared, you take another officer and join the team that is already covering the rear. Everyone else with me.”
We jogged quickly across the street. Logan stepped up to the front door and pounded.
“FBI, open the door!” We waited for any kind of response, but not for long.
Logan stepped aside and let the PD bust open the door. Not that he couldn’t do it with the heel of his boot, but the PD had more body armor than we did, so why not? We rushed into the house. “FBI!” Logan and I rushed up the stairs, Stephanie led two uniformed officers to sweep the lower front portion of the house. Jared should have breached the back door with his unit.
“FBI! Show yourself!” I called out at the top of the stairs.
I heard a scraping sound. I stopped and looked at Logan.
“Window!” Logan answered my unspoken question. He raced towards the sound of the noise, a room at the end of the hallway.
“Logan it could be a trap!” He had already crashed through the door just as our suspect was climbing out the dormer window.
“The suspect is going out the east second floor window, hold your fire! Agent in pursuit. I repeat hold your fire!” I ordered over the radio.
Logan tackled the suspect from behind and they both disappeared out the window. I rushed after them. Glass was all over the floor the curtains were laying on the ground outside. Logan had the guy in handcuffs and gave me a thumbs up. The PD was dragging the suspect away. I turned my focus back downstairs.
“Jared! Stephanie!” I called and I raced back down the stairs.
“Clear!” Stephanie called out.
“Do we have them?” I turned to the back of the house as soon as I reached the bottom of the stairs. Jared was wrapping a blanket around the shoulders of a woman who was holding a little boy and guiding her outside.
“We got them boss.” Stephanie answered.
“Good work.” I breathed a sigh of relief. I walked outside to check on Logan. Paramedics were arriving.
“You okay?” I asked him.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said as he did a self-assessment.
“You know your head is bleeding.” I informed him.
Logan reached up to check. “Must have cut it on some glass.”
“Probably when you jumped out the window.” I said, stating the obvious.
“Yeah that was probably it.” He laughed.
I walked him over to let a paramedic look him over. The hard part was over now. All that was left was the paperwork. Lt. Bradford walked over and clapped me on the back.
“Congratulations Agent Craddock.”
“Thank you for all your help.” We shook hands and parted ways.
I walked over to Stephanie and Jared. “You guys did great work, congratulations on saving her life.” I nodded in the direction of the ambulance where the teacher was being prepped for transport to the hospital.
“Thank you.” They each said.
“Whose going with her to the hospital?” I asked looking at the pair of them.
“I am.” Stephanie answered.
“Okay, good.”
Stephanie smiled and took the keys from Jared to the SUV to follow the ambulance to the hospital.
“Guess I’m riding with you.” Jared shrugged.
“Come on, there is plenty of room.”
“Shotgun!” Jared laughed.
“You go ahead.” I said to Logan. “I’ll wait for the forensic unit so come get me later.”
He nodded and pulled away from the curb. I pulled a pair of latex gloves from my pocket and headed back in the house to look around until the team got there.
Chapter Eleven
Kay
I worked the next couple of days to the point of exhaustion. I had a trip that would take me out of town for a few days and I needed to focus on convincing Bethesda Naval Hospital that my idea for an implant was a viable one. This trip was also going to allow me to see my grandfather. It had been far too long since I had seen him, and it was a rarity that we would both be in town at the same time. I was looking forward to having dinner with him.
This was one time I was going to take advantage of my position and use my driver, car and the company plane. I was packed and ready to go. Sherry made sure of that.
“Now I put your laptop and an extra charger in your bag. I know how you always lose them.” She said handing me my messenger bag. I refused to adhere to the normal conventions of the business world. I didn’t wear skirts or pumps on a regular basis. I didn’t carry a fancy leather briefcase. Anyone who didn’t like could it take their business elsewhere. honesty than how much my suit cost.
I was wearing loafers, pinstriped slacks and a white blouse. I was more Katheryn Hepburn than Audrey Hepburn. Plus, I wasn’t fond of showing off the scar on my leg. I was happy to have my leg, but it was a hideous scar and I didn’t want the pity looks from people or the questions that would be inevitable.
“Sherry, I wish I could take you with me.”
Sherry smiled.
“Then who would send you a replacement cable?”
“True enough, is there anything I can bring back for you? Anything you want from Maryland or Virginia?”
“A tall, handsome, rich man with a kind heart?” She asked.
“Girl, if I knew where to get one of those, we’d both have one.” I laughed.
Sherry laughed too and hugged me. “You be careful in the big city.”
“Sherry, Gates Point is a big city too.”
“I know, but not like DC.”
“No, not like DC.” I agreed quietly. I grabbed the handle of my rolling suitcase and headed for the elevator.
“Ms. Dandridge.”<
br />
Eddie my driver was waiting for me when I got off the elevator and took my suitcase.
“Hi Eddie, you are going with me to DC?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You ever been here before?”
“Many times.”
“Okay, good. You’ll know more about how to get around than I will.”
“Yes ma’am.”
We drove to the Maguire Field airport.
“Ms. Dandridge, we’ll be ready to leave in about fifteen minutes.” Dennis Roach my pilot informed me as I exited the car.
“Thank you, Dennis. May we board?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Eddie and I got settled on the company jet while Dennis, the pilot, finished his pre-flight routine.
Eddie sat off by himself and I pulled out my phone. I sent my grandfather a text message and let him know I’d be arriving this evening. Although we weren’t scheduled until Sunday for dinner, I thought I’d touch base in case he had some extra free time.
I could hear Dennis talking in the cockpit before he closed the door and we began taxing to the runway.
Flying wasn’t my favorite thing, but Dennis did his best to make it a smooth as possible.
I laid my head back and closed my eyes. I could feel Eddie watching me.
When we leveled off, I opened them again and Eddie smiled. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay.” I said pulling out my laptop to do some work.
He nodded and turned to look out the window.
When we touched down at Regan National Airport, Eddie stood up first. “You wait with the plane while I go get the car.”
“I can come with you.” I protested half teasing.
Eddie just gave me his impatient look and nodded to Dennis as he descended the stairs of the plane. I sighed. I didn’t like being handled.
Dennis smiled and ducked back into the cockpit.
I packed up my laptop and headed down the steps.
Eddie pulled up with a black town car with tinted windows. I smiled to myself. I still felt uncomfortable being chauffeured in cars like some kind of rock star. If Eddie had his way the thing was probably bulletproof too.