“I’m thinking that is what made them so inseparable.” Lily agreed with him and went into the large living room that his family was in. My goodness, she thought, they were so big. “Lily, honey, I’d like you to meet my family. You remember some of them when they were—”
“Grandda, you know the first lady? The president’s wife?” So he’d not told them who was coming, Lily thought. The sly old bugger would do that to her. Smiling at the men, she shook each of their hands as she was introduced to them. Shep was last, and she looked up into his eyes that were so much like his mother’s.
“You look like her. Her eyes, they shine back at me when I see you.” Shep thanked her. “She and I—Jill Ann and I—went to school together. All the way from kindergarten through college. Your mother kept me from failing classes. A great many of them, I believe.”
“She was as smart as she was beautiful.” She looked to his left and saw a young woman there. She was beautiful too, Lily thought. But she had a hardness about her that made her think that she wasn’t one to mess with. “I’m sorry, this is my future wife, when I can get her to say yes, Harrison Parker. Harrison, this is First Lady Lily Steele.” This was the woman, Lily knew, that she had to get a message to.
Taking her hand was simple. Getting the thumb drive to her hand was that easy too. The sticky tape that was on it would make sure that she didn’t drop it or have the need to stick it in her pocket right away, in the event that anyone was looking at them. Even her team of secret service would never know that the two of them had just made a drop, so to speak. Lily so loved all the intrigue.
“Mr. Marshall, I should like to use your office for a moment. I would like to call my husband and tell him that I’ve arrived safely.” Shep told her that he would show it to her. “Thank you so much for this. You have a lovely home. My goodness, is that a herd of deer out there?”
Just as they walked to the doors to the outside deck so that she could get a closer look, she quietly asked him if she could arrange his office. He looked at her oddly, but nodded. Then she asked to be left alone to make the call, and everyone, including the secret service, walked out of the room. She locked the door behind them.
Taking out her cell phone, she called Howard to tell him that she’d arrived just fine, and that everything here was just as lovely as he’d guessed it would be. That was code for everything was going fine so far. Lily promised him, just before hanging up, that she’d make sure to call him when she left. All the men in the room, only men that Howard trusted, were ready to get started.
As soon as she left the office, she went back to the living room. And just as the two men that had waited outside the door were supposed to do, they followed her. Things were going too smoothly, and it made her slightly nervous.
Step one had been to get Harris the thumb drive. Check, she told herself. Step two had been to get the men into the office of the home so that they might make it as secure as possible. She could check that off her list as well. At the other end of the property a building was going up, one that, once completed, would be a situation room for Harris to find out who had betrayed her.
Lily thought she’d make a good spy, except for the part where she had to outrun someone or shoot them. She didn’t like the sight of blood. That would, she was sure, make it so that she’d never survive doing what Harris did for her country.
It had never been so easy for her to have fun at gatherings. Not only were the Marshall men all as polite as she’d ever met, but they were unfailingly good to Harris. Especially Shep. The man was completely besotted with his new mate, and that made Lily glad that she’d been able to come here too. To witness the first blossoms of love between two people.
When her cell vibrated in her pocket, it was a signal that the upgrade to the office was finished. They would move out of that room and to the building that she was sure was close to being done, if it wasn’t already. Things had a way of getting done quickly when the president was involved.
Looking at her watch, Lily couldn’t believe that two hours had gone by. “I have taken up enough of your time.” They all said that it had been their pleasure to have been able to talk to her. “Your mother would be so proud of you boys. I know that you’re men, but Jill Ann called you that so often that I did wonder if she needed her eyes checked. My goodness, I will miss her.”
She would too. Jill Ann had had her private number, and they would try and call at least once a month. To think that it had only been one day before she was killed that they’d last spoken.
Lily stood up. Her job here was finished, but she so hated to leave. “I’ll come back here. I promise. It feels so wonderful getting away from Washington to sit with old and new friends. Thank you for this, Sheppard. It has been one of the finest days I’ve had in a long while.” He hugged her again, much to the discomfort of the men with her. “You’ll have to come and see me sometime. Howard would love that. We could give you a grand tour of the house, and you can be so impressed with my changes. Not that there have been that many. I’m a woman that likes to get things done that matter, rather than making a room look pretty.”
Harris agreed with her, and she wanted to take her into her arms and hug her. The girl was all that stood between the United States and war at times. Yet there was not a soul out in the real world that knew a thing about her. She had even managed to save some people that were less deserving than some, but it was what they gave that was important at the moment they were returned home or, sadly, killed.
Lily went back to the office to make the call to Howard and to unlock the door. If anyone were to enter the room now they’d see nothing out of the ordinary. But she knew better, and so would Harris when she saw it. The thumb drive that had been given to her, Lily knew, would give her the added information that she needed to figure this out. Howard already had an idea who it was that had tried to kill Harris, but he’d not said in his recording. All he said was, he had all the confidence in the world that she’d take care of this threat.
As soon as she was home, Lily met with Howard in his office. She told him how lovely of a time she’d had. Told him about the new mate, as well as how it had felt good to talk to someone that had known Jill Ann as well as she had. Then he held her while she cried, and it felt like the one she’d gotten from Sheppard when she’d left—warm, hopeful, and full of comfort. There would be more conversation in their bedroom when he was finished for the day, and she was looking forward to telling him everything that she’d not been able to say downstairs.
Lily knew that there was no doubt that Harris wouldn’t do just as she was told to do. Thankfully, she didn’t follow rules very well. Nor did she listen to people that were supposed to be better at things, like kidnapping people. Harris had her own methods, her own ideas about how things should go. Adaptable too when the situation wasn’t what she’d been told it was when she went in.
Harris had good people working with her. A great many more that worked under her. She wasn’t known to them, not by face or name. Just Cora Banks, who didn’t have a record of any kind anywhere in the world. No tax records, no pay stubs, and she didn’t have a house worth twice, if not more than the one she was currently living in. Lily wondered if Shep had any idea that his wife to be was a thrice over billionaire, and stood to make so much more on her family’s position in the tech world before she was forty.
Sitting at her desk, she could see that she had two messages. One was from Sheppard, the other from her hairdresser. Ignoring one for the other, she had to see what Sheppard had to say about her visit to him.
You made this old man feel so much better, my dear. I’m so happy that you could have a nice visit with us. Next time you’ll need to bring Howard with you and we’ll have dinner. Dotty still cooks for the household, so you know what sort of desserts there will be to choose from.
She laughed at his comment. Lily’s downfall was pie of any kind. As she continued, she knew that this was from Harris.
We’re finished with upgrading the th
ings around the property, thank goodness. They surely can make a mess when they wish. I cannot wait to hear from you again.
The building was completely finished. Lily would have to tell Howard. Also, the mess that they’d left her would be straightened out soon enough. One thing that Harris could do was mess with computers. Having all the equipment that she’d need at the building, the woman could build any kind of supercomputer that she wanted and no one would be the wiser.
Lily’s secretary came in just as she was forming the letter back to the man in her head. Shelly hadn’t been her first choice in secretaries, but she’d been highly qualified and didn’t get on her nerves too much. Telling her about her day tomorrow and the meetings that she had, Lily decided two things.
First, she was going to fire the woman. There wasn’t any point in her working with someone that she didn’t feel good around. Secondly, and this was most important, she was going to pick her own fucking secretary from now on. That elicited a giggle from her, and Shelly asked her if she was all right.
“Yes, just thinking about my day.” She looked up at the women, and decided that there was really something so distrustful about her. Lily didn’t know what it was, but something made her feel dirty today, dirtier than she’d felt before. “I would think you’d have some vacation time coming, Shelly. How long do you have?”
Taken aback, just what Lily had hoped for, she got an honest answer. She’d learned that so long ago, she’d forgotten about it until then. But she knew now that she was going to insist that Shelly take her month of vacation, starting tomorrow. Lily told her that.
“I’m fine, Mrs. Steele. Don’t worry about me.” The laughter was forced, and Lily didn’t care for her tone, either. Instead she told her that she insisted that she go. “I don’t mind working through my vacation for you. You’re the best boss I’ve ever had.”
“What sort of boss would I be if I let you work like that without any vacation? No, you’ll go tomorrow, and that will be the end of it.” Lily was glad that she’d been looking at her in the mirror as she fixed her makeup. She might have missed seeing the pure anger on her face when she turned her back on the other woman. “Besides, what sort of mental health advocate would I be if I made my own staff work too hard?”
By the time she’d made the girl get out of her rooms, Lily was exhausted. But she needed to make a phone call, one that had to be done right now. Calling the office of the secret service, she told them that Shelly Main was going on an extended vacation, and that her badge needed to be disabled while she was gone.
It was protocol, she knew that, in the event that her badge was stolen or she left it someplace out in the open. Very few offices did it, but in this, Lily wanted to make sure that things were done right. She did not want the woman coming back into the building until she was ready for her. Then she made a clandestine call to Harris.
“Shelly Main.”
Giving her the rest of the information that Lily had on file in her own offices, she hung up her phone and put it back under the jewelry box in her bedroom. Whatever Harris was able to give her was going to be more than she had right now. And that was squat, as far as she was concerned.
~*~
Shep looked over the paperwork that he’d been handed twenty minutes ago. Yes, he’d offered to help, but he didn’t have the slightest clue what he was supposed to be looking for. He looked at Harris when she said his name.
“You’re not looking for anything. I just want you to look at it and see if anything at all jumps out at you.” He still didn’t get it. “Look. You look at things all the time. Stuff you’ve looked at a thousand times before, right? Well, I want you to think this is your phone bill and you’re looking at it. Just a casual glance. Does anything seem out of the ordinary for a phone bill to you?”
He started to tell her that he was sorry to have offered. There was nothing that he could see, and he was wasting her time. Then he saw it. Just a small glance at the paper that had him seeing the same number over and over. Not only that, it was called at the exact same time every day. He kept staring at the number coming up hundreds of times throughout all eleven sheets of paper.
“The same number. The call is being made every day at the same time.” She asked him to show her. “See, one-seventeen in the afternoon. Every day.”
“I didn’t see the time.” That made him feel pretty good. “I did see the numbers, but the rest wasn’t there for me. I think I was looking too hard for something else. Thank you.”
Shep felt like he’d won everything in the basket. She handed him another stack of papers. This time she had him looking for an address. Harris said that when she’d read it over the first time, she’d forgotten to write it down. That took him two hours to find, as he had hopes that he’d only have to find the number and go from there. But it, like the rest of the wording, was written out.
Stack after stack of sheets of paper were handed to him with something to look for. He would highlight what he found, stack it with the ones he’d finished, then go to the next pile. This went on for several hours before Harris finally stood up to stretch.
She was a beautiful woman, slim and full of energy. Her muscles were tight too. Shep knew that she ran daily. And while he wanted to join her on these early morning excursions, he knew that she did it to be alone, to think. Harris hadn’t told him that—he knew from talking to his grandda.
“Shep, your dad is here.” Shep stood up and started to ask Harris to stay in here when his grandda came into the room. “The fool thinks that I’m just going to fork over whatever he wants. Well, I’m done with him taking and taking from me.”
“Grandda can you stay in here with—?”
“You tell me to hide in this room with your grandda and I will make you eat those words. Between you and I, I think I’m better equipped to handle him than you are.” He asked her how. “I have a gun, and I’m not related to the fucker. I know that rule. You can’t hurt your sire unless he’s causing pain or death to one of your own. You know he doesn’t have your brothers, and your grandda is right here. So fuck that shit of hiding behind your large muscles.”
“You think I have large muscles?” He had no idea why that caused him to laugh, but he started showing off for her. When she stalked by him, he grabbed her arm to stay her for a moment. “You don’t know him well, but he’s slick and he’s a fucking bastard. Don’t let him in the house if you can help it. Once inside, as sire, he can order me out.”
“Oh, he won’t come in. Of that, you can be sure.” She went out of the room and Shep looked at his grandda, who was smiling.
“Grandda, I’m in love with her.” Grandda laughed like he’d told him the best joke ever. “Why is that funny? I love her.”
“Of course you do, son. I’ve known that for some time now. She loves you too, but is a mite afraid of it. Not you, but love. It’s not done her any good so far, if I remember her family right.” Shep told him that Harris had told him about it. “She would have. Not told too many others I’m betting, either. Well, we should go and see what is going to happen to your daddy. The moron just isn’t going to give up.”
Shep didn’t go all the way into the hall where Harris was talking to his father. She was blocking him with her body, which even though she was slight and shorter than his father, it looked to him like Dad was afraid of her. He might be too, if someone like her was standing in front of him. Harris was a sight, that was for sure.
“You will move, young lady, or so help me, I’ll move you.”
That was all the threat it took, apparently, for Harris to go from talking to his dad to taking it to the next level. When she brought out her gun and put it to his father’s head, he nearly went to her, but thought that she’d just be pissed at him. Besides, she had it under control. Shep did listen better now.
“Listen here, you dumb, moronic, fucking prick. I know what sort of person you are and how you treat people. I am not going to allow you to push people around, especially that sweet man, your f
ather, any longer.” Shep glanced at his dad just in time to see him puff out his chest. “You aren’t welcome here. In actuality, I don’t think you were ever welcome here. This house now belongs to me and Shep. Grandda is living here and under our protection. If you—”
“Protection? Under you? Whatever for? You can’t think that— What has he told you? It’s all lies. I never once hit him, except when he didn’t do as he was told. If he told you that I took money out of his checking account, it’s because I was short and he had me driving him around town. Do you have any idea how many times I had to take him out to the fucking cemetery? Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. If I had to spend one more day out there, I was going to kill myself.” Harris asked him why he hadn’t done that yet. “What? Kill myself? I’d never do that. What are you talking about?”
“I was wrong about you, Mr. Marshall. You’re not a moron. You’re a fucking idiot.” He asked to see his son. Shep moved up behind Harris and looked at his father. He looked bad, he thought, and if the smell was any indication, he hadn’t had a shower in some time either. “Well, idiot, he’s here. What is it you want? We don’t have all day for you. Say it and get away from here.”
“What is it, Dad? Before you answer that, I’m not going to give you any money. I don’t have a car you can borrow, nor do I have a single place you can stay.” Dad actually glared at him. “It might do you well to remember that I’m not a child any longer, you have a gun at your forehead, and she’s going to kill your ass if you don’t fucking straighten up and do what she tells you.”
“You letting pussy run your life now, son? Not a way to go. I got myself sucked into that once with your momma. Didn’t— Mother fuck, what the hell are you doing? Are you trying to kill me?” Harris had fired a shot to the left of his father’s head. It had to hurt his hearing, but all Shep could do was laugh.
Sheppard: Marshall’s Shadow – Jaguar Shapeshifter Romance (Marshall's Shadow Book 1) Page 6