Critical Play (Michael Cailen Book 3)

by Mel LeBrun

She rubbed her eyes and looked around the room trying to find the words. She finally looked in his eyes and answered, “They're accused of selling a nuclear weapon to terrorists.”

  Jeff exhaled loudly in disbelief and turned away from them. He didn't know what Jessica was going to ask of him, but he knew it wasn't going to be good. He ran his hand down his face and shook his head.

  “We need your help,” Jessica said.

  Jeff turned back around to face them. “I can't help you. I don't get involved with terrorists.”

  “Why not?” Michael interrupted, finding it curious that Jeff would have business relationships with arms dealers but not terrorists.

  Jeff looked at him. “Do I really need to explain?”

  “Yeah, you do,” Michael answered.

  Jeff was visibly disgusted. “With every other criminal on earth, there is a code. An unwritten code. Predictable behavior that you can count on. Whether it's greed, self-preservation, or the need for power. There is something you can use to control them. The same isn't true of terrorists. They're idealistic. They don't care about money, they care about the cause. With an endless supply of suicide bombers, clearly self -preservation isn't even in their vocabulary. Power, well, they already feel they have the power. You can't control them. They're always a liability, never an asset.”

  “We're not asking you to get involved with terrorists,” Jessica reasoned.

  “What are you asking then?”

  “That you help my friends who are clearly not terrorists,” Jessica answered.

  “Why can't your friends in the government help them?” Jeff asked.

  “The evidence is pretty damning,” Michael answered this time. “They're wanted by nearly every government on the planet at the moment.”

  “Oh,” Jeff said with raised eyebrows. “Is that all?” he asked sarcastically.

  “Please, Daddy,” Jessica pleaded. “We need to keep them hidden until we can figure out who set them up. It's not safe for them to stay here.”

  “Wait. They're here?!” Jeff thought he couldn't have understood that correctly.

  “Yeah, but they can't stay here,” she answered.

  Jeff looked back at Michael, wondering just how stupid he was to allow them to stay at his house.

  “You seriously let them stay here?” Jeff asked him.

  “I don't turn away friends, or family for that matter,” Michael answered.

  His point was clear to Jeff. His daughter was asking for his help. If he turned her away, he would never be able to recover from it.

  “How many are there? And are they all men?” Jeff asked.

  “Three and yes,” Michael answered.

  Jeff thought long and hard about how to proceed. As much as he didn't want to touch a nuclear weapon/terrorist situation, he did want a relationship with Jessica.

  “They'll be safe with me,” Jeff finally answered.

  “What do you mean with you?” Jessica asked.

  “They can stay at my house,” Jeff explained.

  Michael knew instantly the reason behind Jeff choosing his home. It would mean more interaction with Jessica. To keep the peace, he kept that knowledge to himself.

  “How will they get there?” Michael asked.

  “I'm afraid you're going to have to figure that part out,” Jeff said. “I can tell my men that they are just extra security I hired. But that won't work if I'm also smuggling them into the country. If they're as wanted as you say, then even those in the criminal world will become aware of them. My men will get suspicious.”

  “You don't trust your own men?” Michael asked.

  “Trust is relative,” Jeff answered.

  “So if Michael can get them to your house, you will hide them out for as long as it takes?” Jessica asked.

  “Well, within reason,” Jeff answered. “If the months are going to become years we will have to revisit this. I'm not hiding them indefinitely.”

  “Fair enough,” Michael agreed.

  “Can I meet my granddaughter?” Jeff then asked.

  Michael looked to Jessica to answer that.

  “Maybe later,” she said.

  Jeff knew that meant never. He resigned himself to the reality. Jessica didn't want him in her life or that of her children. The closest he would get is pictures.

  “I guess I'll get going then,” Jeff said. He looked at Jessica. “It was nice seeing you.”

  She crossed her arms and looked down. “Thank you for coming,” she said, speaking at the floor.

  Feeling frustrated and disappointed, Jeff sighed and let himself out. Once the front door shut Michael walked over and took Jessica in his arms. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, feeling terribly conflicted.

  “Part of me … a very, very, very small part wants to forgive him,” Jessica admitted.

  “I know,” Michael said.

  “How could I though? How can I overlook what he does? He's as much to blame for what happened to Tatiana as the men who were selling her.”

  “True. But he's also the reason we have Tatiana. If he hadn't agreed to help take them down, then we would have never found her. She would have been sold to some pervert instead.”

  “Oh God, Michael. The thought gives me chills. I don't even want to imagine it.”

  Michael squeezed her tighter.

  “I don't know,” she continued. “What else is my father involved with? What other horrible people is he in bed with? And how could I ever trust him, let alone forgive him?”

  “I don't know, Jess. Only you can decide that.” Michael kissed her head. “But you don't have to decide today.”

  She pulled away so she could look into his eyes. She smiled as she gazed at her compassionate, loving husband who was the kind of father to Tatiana as wished she had for herself.

  Michael smiled back as he stroked her hair. “Shall we tell the boys the good news?”

  She nodded. “Sure.”

  Chapter 6

  Dmitri and his friends had mixed feelings about staying at Jeff's estate. However, since they had no other viable options, their reservations didn't really matter. Everyone convened in the kitchen to discuss how they would cross the border into Canada.

  “I can't do it alone,” Michael said. “We'll need at least one man on each side of the border.”

  “Do you know anyone who could help?” Timur asked.

  “My friend, Josh,” Michael answered. “Dmitri knows him.”

  “Think he'll do it?” Dmitri asked.

  “Most likely yes,” Michael replied. “We could invite him and his wife over for dinner tonight.” He turned to Jessica as if to ask if that was all right.

  “Michael, you can't keep luring people to the house with the promise of food and then spring Dmitri on them and give them no food,” Jessica scolded him.

  Michael chuckled. “Well then how about we give them food?”

  “You expect me to cook for eight people last minute?” She gave him a look.

  “It's really only seven and a half,” Michael teased.

  “Your daughter is not half a person,” she said.

  “She eats like one,” he replied.

  Jessica rolled her eyes. “Do we even have enough food to feed everyone?” she asked.

  “I went shopping this morning. We have steak and chicken, potatoes, vegetables and whatever else we have floating around in there.”

  Jessica sighed. “Will you grill the meat if I do the rest?”

  A huge grin crossed Michael's face. “Of course.”

  Michael loved to grill. And Jessica loved that Michael loved to grill. For her, it meant less cooking and clean up. For him, it satisfied his primal urge to cook with fire.

  With dinner arrangements set, Michael called Josh to invite him and Jinx over for dinner.

  Josh was Michael's best friend and Jinx coincidentally was Jessica's. Michael and Josh had known each other for close to two decades. They served together as Navy SEALS for a few years before they both were recruited
to a special black ops unit. The last few years they partnered up to run a private security business. They knew each other well.

  Jinx and Jessica had known each other since they were both sixteen. Her real name was Jasmine. Jinx was her online persona. They shared the common interest of computer hacking. Jessica had turned her skills into a career as a computer security consultant while Jinx eventually got a job working for the FBI.

  Josh was a little shorter than Michael, well-built, attractive with blond hair and blue eyes. Jinx was petite with brown hair and deep chocolate brown eyes. Her looks were exotic and while her true ethnicity was a mystery, she appeared to be a mix of Latin or Italian with a small bit of Asian. She was as intelligent as she was beautiful and Josh counted himself lucky for having snatched her up.

  They arrived for dinner a little after 5:00 p.m. and saw themselves in. Because of how close both couples were, there was an open door policy on both sides. They were surprised to see Dmitri in the kitchen with Jessica, who was at the stove, along with two other men they had never met before. Unaware of the trouble Dmitri was in, they warmly greeted him and introduced themselves to Ivan and Timur. Tatiana came running around the corner from the family room when she heard them in the kitchen. She ran to Jinx and gave her a big hug. Jinx knelt down to speak with her while Josh began peppering Dmitri with questions.

  “What brings you to the States?” Josh asked.

  “I just stopped by for a visit,” Dmitri replied. He didn't want to get into the real reason until Michael was there.

  “Well, how long are you here for?”

  “One, maybe two more days.”

  “You should have let me know you were coming,” Josh said, sounding disappointed. “We could have made plans to do something.”

  “It was a last-minute thing,” Dmitri replied.

  The way Dmitri said it gave Josh an inkling that something was amiss. Dmitri could see the change in him as he started to suspect that something was going on.

  “Where's Michael?” Josh asked, finally noticing he wasn't there.

  “Outside grilling,” Jessica answered as she lowered the heat under one of the pans on the stove.

  Josh left to find him.

  “You need any help?” Jinx asked Jessica.

  “No. It's all right. I'm almost finished. You could open a bottle of wine though if you like.”

  After carefully reviewing the assortment of wines kept in their climate controlled wine cabinet, Jinx selected a bottle of Malbec.

  Josh stepped out the back door and found Michael manning the grill. The meat was nearly cooked.

  “Oh hey, Josh,” Michael greeted him. “I’m almost done here. Jess should have the rest ready soon so we can eat.” He continued watching the food on the grill.

  “So, what's going on?” Josh asked.

  “You mean with Dmitri?” Michael said even though he already knew what Josh was asking. They had known each other for so long they could almost read each other’s minds.

  “What else could I be talking about?”

  Michael gave him a look like he should prepare himself for the answer. “He was framed. Someone set him up to take the fall in the sale of a nuclear weapon to a Syrian terrorist group,” he said bluntly.

  “On my God, Michael,” Josh covered his mouth and stepped away. “Why is he at your house?”

  “We came back from vacation and he was here. I wasn't going to kick him to the curb.”

  Josh took a deep breath trying to absorb what he was just told. “I get it,” Josh said. “You didn't just invite me for dinner then, did you?”

  Michael continued grilling as if they were having a normal conversation. “No. Sorry. I need your help to get them across the border into Canada. They're going to be hiding out with Jessica's father.”

  Josh cursed. “Have you lost your mind?”

  “Where else is he going to stay?” Michael looked at him. “He can't stay here. Tim can't help. There's no one else we could trust.”

  “You trust Jeff?” Josh asked patronizingly.

  “Jessica asked him. We made it clear that it is a personal favor to her. He won't want to let her down.”

  Josh huffed. Though he didn't vocalize any more complaints, Michael knew he was thinking them.

  “Josh, what other options do I have?”

  “I guess none,” Josh conceded.

  “You OK helping me get them across the border?”

  Josh nodded silently.

  “You need to talk to Jinx first?” Michael asked.

  “No. She's not coming. Why would I need to talk to her?”

  “Dude.” Michael looked at him. “You should talk to her.”

  Josh shrugged it off. “I don't need her permission. We're not like that,” he said expressing confidence in their relationship.

  Michael shook his head, knowing Josh was making a critical error in judgment. Newly married, there was a lot Josh still didn't understand about women, despite the fact that he had many before Jinx. None of them, though, had surpassed the first year mark. Jinx was the exception. Josh fell deeply in love with her and even conquered his fear of commitment to keep her. And although Josh was more sensitive and in touch with his feelings than Michael, he at times could be very thickheaded. Michael decided to let Josh learn from experience and said nothing more about it.

  Jessica had finished preparing the rest of their meal by the time Josh and Michael brought in the grilled chicken and steaks. Everyone was soon seated at the dining room table loading their plates with food.

  Seeing her parents interacting freely with Dmitri and his friends, Tatiana was beginning to warm up to them. She began making eye contact and Timur had the privilege of receiving a timid smile.

  As everyone began to eat, Jinx couldn't help but feel a little strange sitting there with all the shades drawn. It didn't seem to bother anyone else though which only added to the strangeness.

  “Why are all the shades down?” Jinx whispered to Jessica who was seated next to her.

  “Umm,” Jessica looked to Michael. “I think the guys are going to be talking about that.”

  “What is it?” Michael asked.

  “She was wondering why the shades are all down,” Jessica answered.

  “Dmitri and his friends are wanted fugitives,” Michael answered.

  Everyone continued eating as if it were a normal occurrence. Except for Jinx who couldn't carry on with the same cavalier attitude.

  “Wanted for what?” she asked.

  “Selling a nuclear weapon to terrorists,” Michael answered.

  Ivan let out an irritated huff and looked at Michael.

  “Sorry,” Michael said. “Of course they didn't do it,” he added. “They were framed.”

  “So what are you going to do?” Jinx then asked.

  “Michael and I are going to smuggle them in to Canada where they'll stay with Jessica's father until we can sort this out,” Josh answered.

  Jinx looked extremely perturbed. “When exactly were you going to tell me this?” Jinx asked Josh.

  “I don't know,” Josh answered as he began to feel unsure of himself. “Now, I guess.”

  The icy daggers he got from Jinx removed all doubt that he had made a huge mistake by not consulting with her first like Michael had suggested. Josh swallowed hard and looked at her wondering what she was going to say next. After a moment of awkward silence and angry staring, Jinx got up from the table and left the room. Josh got up a second later and went after her.

  Michael shook his head and picked up his fork and knife. “I told him,” he said before resuming with his dinner.

  Josh found Jinx in their family room staring out the window with her arms crossed. He quietly approached and stood behind her. The only thing he could do at this point was apologize.

  “I'm sorry.”

  “You do this a lot,” she replied angrily.

  Josh thought for a minute. “I'm pretty sure this is the first time I'll be smuggling wanted men across the
Canadian border.”

  Jinx shook her head releasing an angry sigh.

  “But that's not what you're talking about, is it?” he said, realizing now was not the time for jokes.

  “You make plans without me. You run off with Michael or your other friends and don't even tell me. I have to call you to find out where you are or when you'll be home.” A tear rolled down her cheek which she quickly wiped away. “It's like you don't even consider me at all.” More tears fell and she was unable to keep up with their steady increase. “And now this. This is more than just going out for drinks with the guys. And you didn't even think to discuss it with me.”

  Josh's heart broke at the sight of her crying. He tugged on her arm, wanting to hold her but she shrugged him off.

  “I'm sorry, Jasmine. I didn't know you felt that way.”

  “Sometimes I feel like I don't matter to you, Josh.” It was becoming harder for Jinx to hold in her emotions and she struggled to keep her composure.

  “Sweetheart, you mean everything to me. I love you to pieces. I never wanted you to feel like this.”

  He tried again to hold her. This time she let him.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “From now on I will talk with you before I make plans. Just please don't bite my head off if I forget in the beginning.”

  “Thank you.” She closed her eyes as she squeezed him tight.

  Josh tenderly kissed her forehead. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  When Jinx and Josh finally returned to the table, the men finalized their plans to get across the border. It was decided that Josh would drop the men off on the US side of the border and cross over legally by himself. Not sure if Gatti still had his passport flagged, Michael decided he would be better off crossing the border with Dmitri, Ivan and Timur. Josh would then pick them up on the Canadian side and they would continue on to Jeff's estate. With the men's backgrounds in covert ops, the daunting task of illegally crossing a national border should be a walk in the park.

  THE MEN left the next morning before daybreak. Michael assured Jessica he would call her as soon as they arrived at her father's house. They took turns driving Josh's Toyota Sequoia. Thirty-six hours later Michael, Dmitri, Ivan and Timur were trekking across the border from Minnesota into Ontario. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the men crossed during the daytime. Most people would imagine nighttime to be preferable, using the cover of darkness. However with modern night vision and thermal imaging, nighttime didn't offer much of an advantage. In fact, it was more dangerous as you were more likely to look suspicious driving near the border at three in the morning.