by Kris Calvert
“We can’t leave,” Polly interrupted. “King’s not here yet.”
“King…” I mumbled with an air of disgust. “Someone needs to track him down. It’s time to go.”
“I’ll call him,” Sam volunteered.
“Load the kids, Sam. Someone else can get his whereabouts.”
She raised her eyebrow at me in distaste and I knew the next few hours were going to be touchy.
“I just spoke with him,” Dan blurted. “He’s meeting us at the airfield.”
I picked up the bags in the doorway and the other agents followed suit. We would be locked and loaded in minutes.
“I’m sending Z with you,” Dan announced as I tossed the last bag into the van carrying the luggage, guns and supplies.
“Z? Leo Xanthis?”
“He’s the best man for the job, Mac. He’s flying in from Quantico and will meet you at Lakefront.”
Leo Xanthis, nicknamed Z, was a ball-buster of an agent. Older than me by maybe a year, I knew him from the Academy in Quantico. He was from New Orleans, Greek, and most of the female agents thought he was a descendent of the gods. Part of the Behavior Sciences Unit, Z was smart as hell and twice as scary. I didn’t know how Sam would react to him.
“Why Xanthis?” I asked, almost taken aback.
“Dammit, Mac. Hector’s off his damned rocker and you know it. The fact that you’re acting as if he’s not is frankly pissing me off. Get to New Orleans, get everyone settled and get caught up.”
“I know what’s going on, Dan.”
“Do you? Because I’m starting to think you believed the line of shit you fed your wife.”
I wanted to punch Dan in the face but instead held my tongue and gritted my teeth. No one was going to lay a hand on my family.
“What the hell is Lakefront? Does King know we’re flying out of Kershaw in Montgomery?”
“It’s the airport in New Orleans, Mac. I suggest you get your shit together. King seems to know more than you do.”
I shook my head in disgust. “It’s my wedding day. I’ve got other things on my mind.”
“Get the family settled and I’ll see you back at the office. We’ll need to coordinate with DEA,” Dan said, giving me a handshake and a slap on the back. “I’m staying here and cleaning up. Z will meet you in the Big Easy.”
I nodded again, filled with so much rage and disgust over Hector, the end of my wedding day and myself. What kind of agent was I if I couldn’t keep my own family out of harm’s way?
We arrived at the private airfield in Montgomery and the Gulfstream was fueled and ready to go.
I’d called ahead and spoken with the pilot to let him know the plan. He made all the arrangements necessary to land in New Orleans and had all the paperwork in order. I was thankful that one thing was easy tonight.
The ground crew loaded all the suitcases and supplies. The guns were checked and bagged at Lone Oak and loaded in with everything else in the cargo hold. Our trip that was to consist of two people had expanded to seven adults and two children. The plane would accommodate ten comfortably, but I had a feeling this wasn’t going to be a comfortable journey in any way.
It was nearly midnight and the gang was growing weary. With everyone on board, I joined the group and closed the hatch myself. They stared blankly at me and I felt as if I needed to say something to ease their minds, but nothing came to me immediately.
Instead I nodded, hoping that with one small gesture they would know I wasn’t going to let anything happen to them.
I took my place next to Samantha and buckled in. I pulled her hand to me, brushing my lips across her knuckles and gave Katy a kiss on the forehead. It hadn’t been the day we’d carefully planned and it definitely wasn’t the wedding night I had planned. The Belle Etoile Royal Suite at Le Meurice on rue de Rivoli would be empty tomorrow, but the vacation home of King Giles would be full.
10
SAMANTHA
I was ready to drop from exhaustion as we walked into King’s Lake Pontchartrain home. Located in the middle of nowhere, we were definitely off grid.
“Sorry, ladies,” King sighed as we walked through the doors and he began to disarm the alarm system.
“Sorry for what?” Polly asked.
“This house was built for the men. There’s not one feminine thing about it. And I apologize in advance for the urinals in all the bathrooms.”
“What?” I was tired and unsure of what King had just said.
“The urinals. They’re in all the bathrooms.”
“What’s a you-n-all?” Dax asked, still half asleep.
“More man stuff, Chief. I’ll show you later,” Mac explained as he picked up Dax and began to carry him through the house.
I smiled, thankful that Mac was beginning to take things in stride.
As I looked around I had to laugh a little. The house was the biggest man cave I’d ever been in. More like an old-fashioned hunting lodge than a lakefront home, I’d counted two large screen TVs and we hadn’t even made it past the front door. I looked to Polly and whispered, “I hope there’s a kitchen.”
“I just hope I don’t have to stand to pee,” she replied.
“King, I need to set up and make a few phone calls. Is there somewhere I can do that?”
“Sure, first door on the right down the hall. It was Dad’s man cave,” said King.
“The whole place looks like a cave to me,” Mimi chimed. “I just need a place to lay my ninety-nine year old butt for a few hours. I’m not as spry as I used to be.”
“I should get Miss Nancy to bed too,” Celia agreed.
“I’ll show you to the room,” King gestured as he walked past them to follow him. “I know you’re used to being in a room by yourself, but we’re gonna be tight on space. Especially if we have FBI agents too.”
“Sweetheart, I don’t give a damn. Just point me in the right direction so I can rest my eyes for a spell,” Mimi said.
King disappeared for a few minutes while the rest of us wandered the great room that connected to the kitchen. I opened the refrigerator and found it completely stocked. We’d have breakfast in the morning for sure, if we could just get to bed.
I grabbed a bottle of water and twisted the top, taking a long cold drink. Nothing had ever tasted so good to me. I felt guilty as I watched Katy, Dax and Polly lying like ragdolls on the sectional couch.
“Polly?”
“What?” Her voice cracked with exhaustion.
“Are you thirsty?” I asked as I carefully inspected the side of the house that was completely glass. In the dead of the night it was hard to imagine what was beyond, but I assumed it was the lake.
“No. I just want to go to bed. This has been the longest day of my life – like, ever.”
“Mine too,” I agreed.
“Polly?” King called to her.
“Yes?”
“Let me show you to your room.”
“I need the bassinet from the car. I’m keeping Katy with me tonight,” Polly explained.
“I’ve got it,” Mac offered as he came back through the front door.
“How’d you get past me?” I asked, looking down the hall and back to the front entrance.
“There’s a door off the office. I took a look around and set up the agents outside,” he said as he sat the wicker bassinet on the floor.
King raised his eyebrows and cocked his head. I knew by the expressions he’d had enough of Mac. “I should show you how to work the alarm if you’re going to be in and out tonight.”
“It can wait,” he replied. “Let’s just get the women and children to bed. I’ll worry about security.”
King nodded and looked back to Polly. “Your room is ready, Polly. You’ll be next to Miss Celia. The two rooms share a bathroom. I hope that’s okay.”
“Sure,” Polly yawned. “Do I have to share a urinal with them too?”
“Don’t worry. There’s a toilet in the bathroom and it’s stocked for you.”
&
nbsp; “Stocked with what?” Polly laughed. “Booze? Cause if there’s a cocktail waiting for me I might have to kiss you.”
“If I’d known that, I would’ve set you up downstairs in the guestroom near the bar.”
“Damn,” she laughed, picking up the bassinet and following King. “Just my luck.”
“Polly,” Mac jumped to get her attention. “Give me the bassinet. You take Katy.”
Mac and I kissed her on the head. I’d fed her in the car on the way to the lake house. At least I knew she’d sleep for a while. Dax was another problem.
As King led Polly and Mac down the hall, I fell back onto the couch and cuddled with Dax, wondering how he’d react to not being close to Polly and Katy.
When King and Mac returned, Mac gave me the tiniest smile letting me know we were next.
“Where’s Dax sleeping?” I asked.
“There’s a little bed for him in Miss Celia’s room,” King replied.
“I’ll carry him back, honey. Celia’s getting Mom and Mimi settled and into their pajamas.”
“Tomorrow Aurelia will be here to help with the older ladies. She’s a nurse, among other things. She’ll be a big help… to everyone,” King offered with a tired sigh. “Sam, I showed Mac where you will be sleeping.”
“King has graciously given us the master suite,” said Mac.
“Oh, King. No,” I protested. “You’ve left your practice in Shadeland, brought this circus into your lake house and now you’re giving up your bed? It’s too much.”
“Look, Sam,” King replied. “I would never want to spend my wedding night in a house on Lake Pontchartrain, but you are. Just let me do this for you. Besides,” he confessed with comical grimace, “I didn’t have a chance to get you a wedding gift.”
“Okay,” I agreed, dropping my shoulders. I couldn’t fight anyone anymore. I was done. I was beyond done.
“C’mon babe,” Mac said, taking my hand and leading me up the stairs to the bedroom.
“Goodnight,” King waved as we took the wooden spiral staircase up and onto the second floor.
I looked to Mac and shook my head. As soon as we were alone I let down my guard and began to sob.
“Shhhhhhh,” he whispered into my shoulder as I cried uncontrollably.
Picking me up, Mac carried me down the hall and to a set of double doors. Leaning down to open them, I sniffed and turned my head to watch as Mac carried me over the threshold of the bedroom.
Still holding me in his arms, he flipped the light switch and illuminated the dark room. I rubbed my eyes, unable to believe what I was seeing. There were roses everywhere. But how?
I looked to Mac as he laid me down on the turned-down bed. “Did you do this?” I hiccupped, still crying.
“King helped me,” Mac confessed. “His housekeeper came and stocked the kitchen and made sure all the rooms were ready. I asked him if she could put some roses by the bed for you. I didn’t know he’d done all this.”
I pulled Mac close. I was mentally and physically exhausted. “I love you, Mac. I do. But you can’t keep anything from me ever again. Do you understand?”
“I hope you understand why I kept things from you.”
“I know you want to protect me, but we’re a team – a family. I’m no longer on a need to know basis. I need to know,” I insisted as I lay down on the enormous down-filled bed. I released the tension in my body and the soft pillow-top enveloped me.
“Agreed,” he said as he moved a pillow behind my head. “I’m going to get your luggage in case you want to freshen up. Then I’ll check with King and give some orders to the agents on guard about securing the house for the night.”
I nodded, groggy from the tears and closed my eyes. “Don’t be long,” I begged softly.
I awoke to the smell of bacon and sunlight through a wall of windows. Looking to my right, I hoped to find Mac. What I found instead was a warm spot, letting me know I’d just missed him.
I rolled over, searching for my phone to check the time. Seven-fifteen seemed early and the three hours of sleep had only made me feel worse.
I rolled out of bed dressed in only Mac’s t-shirt. Too tired last night to even begin to sort through a suitcase packed for Paris, Mac had graciously given me the shirt off his back. He slept naked – as usual.
Surprisingly, I didn’t even mind that I didn’t get to wear the fancy Carine Gilson chemise and kimono set my mother had given me as a gift. I loved sleeping in Mac’s shirts. They always smelled like him.
Pulling on the jeans I wore last night and a sweatshirt, I glanced at myself in the mirror and made a face. My hair was scary. The leftover curls and hairspray from my wedding day were a hot mess. Running my fingers through my hair, I pulled the mop that was once a masterpiece into a tight ponytail. As I searched my purse for a hairband to secure it, I heard a knock.
“Come in.”
“Sam?” Polly asked, peeking around the corner.
“Hey,” I sighed.
“What the hell? Where’d all this come from?” she asked as she turned in a circle, admiring the hundreds of roses covering the room.
“Mac asked King to help make our night special. This is what King’s housekeeper did.”
“Well, she’s a little creepy, but at least she comes through in a pinch.”
“Creepy? What do you mean?”
“Nothing.” Polly quickly changed the subject. “How are you?”
“I’m fine,” I said, shaking my head. “How are you? Did Katy sleep through the night?”
“Of course. Not a care in the world. Miss Celia’s feeding her now.”
“Mimi and Nancy?”
“They’re both up and eating breakfast. Mac’s mom is a little confused. She tried to leave the house. Said she was going home.”
“Did Mac stop her?”
“He was on the phone. Speaking of which, he took mine.”
“Took your what?”
“My phone. He took everyone’s. King was none too pleased.”
“Why?”
“Something about us being tracked. I dunno. Also, there’s another agent on his way here.”
“I’m so confused. Slow down, Polly.”
Polly took my hand and led me to the bed to sit. “Let me make it simple. We are trapped in a testosterone-filled man house, unable to go anywhere and unable to call anyone. We’re fucked.”
“We’re not staying here forever, Polly. Just until we know Hector’s whereabouts. Then we can go home…or something,” I trailed off.
“Look, I really hate bitching to you about all of this. You’re supposed to be having day and night sex in the city of love, and instead you’re here with us.”
“No,” I agreed. “Bitch. Maybe it’ll make us both feel better.”
“C’mon, Sam. Don’t you just wanna scream your head off? This is so unfair.”
“Yeah, well we both know life’s not fair.” I stood and walked to the bathroom. “Tell Mac I’m taking a shower and I’ll be down in a bit.”
Polly paused and dropped her head. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. This sucks.”
“This sucks ass,” Polly murmured.
“I heard that,” I shouted over my shoulder.
I made my way down the stairs to find everyone was present and accounted for. Mimi and Nancy sat on the couch and watched a morning news show on the big screen TV while Dax colored at the huge table in the dining room.
The table was made for a crowd of at least twenty, and I immediately thought that maybe it had come from an old tavern somewhere. Dax was dwarfed by the size of the table and looked like a little elf hard at work.
The house was even bigger in the daylight, and I took it all in. On the walls were animals from what had to be big game hunts, including a warthog and a zebra head.
The house was open, one area easily moving into the other. The gaping two-story great room had a bridge that went across the top floor between bedrooms.
The hand-hewn beams we
re massive and only added to the lodge atmosphere. I walked the staircase down, thankful that the children were on the first floor and would have no need to navigate the curling and intricate wooden spiral.
“Good morning,” I said as I kissed Dax on the head.
“Mommy, your hair’s wet.”
“I know. I couldn’t find a hairdryer. What are you drawing?”
“That’s me,” Dax explained as he pointed to the small figure. “And that’s Coco.”
“Who’s Coco?”
“He’s been drawing the agents all morning at their posts,” Mimi chimed in.
“Sorry about the hairdryer, Sam,” King apologized, walking into the great room. “I don’t use one and…”
“It’s fine, King. And thank you for arranging the flowers last night,” I said as I stood on my toes to give him a hug. “It was a nice touch.”
“Just trying to help out.”
“You always seem to help out, King. When are we going to find you a nice Southern girl?” I asked.
He smiled and shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Callahan,” Mac chimed as he walked out of the office door and into the great room. He whisked himself between King and me very impolitely, picking me up and kissing me on the lips. I gave him a scowl to let him know he was being rude and he quickly gave me one of his wicked half grins, hoping any angry thoughts I might have would fly right out of my head. I couldn’t blame him. It had worked in the past. But not today.
“What’s this I hear about you taking everyone’s phone?” I asked.
“Can’t take any chances. If someone needs to make a call, they can use mine. I’ve taken all the batteries out of the phones. They’re completely dead. I’ll get you a burner phone today, Sam.”
Mac looked over his shoulder to King. “You and Sam can share it. Okay? But no calls until we have a plan.”
“When’s that going to be?” Mimi asked. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m old and no one is looking for me other than my poker buddies at the old geezer’s home – I make four. But I would like to know how long we’re going to be locked up in the henhouse. What did Polly call us? Man slaves?”