by David Horne
“Why would you want her job?”
“Exactly!”
***
The second meeting with Connor wasn’t so much an engagement but more like an encounter. It was Saturday, and while most businesspeople worked weekday jobs and took weekends to relax and play golf when weather permitted, Connor asked Alex to meet him at the recycling plant just outside of old town Fredericksburg.
Outside the colonial tract houses, downtown businesses, and Civil War memorials, Fredericksburg was a city like most others in Virginia. Alex moved to the state and settled in the area after he left the secret service.
As time went by, the city grew and shifted west toward the central road system, leaving areas to the east, past the railroad to wither, but not entirely die. Since it was farmland and housing, not offering anything for tourists, land sales dropped, and Connor used some of his fortune and charm to build an extensive glass and aluminum recycling plant. Locals around the businesses didn’t complain because the buildings were closed to the public. Unlike a landfill, waste management was selective.
Connor spent Saturdays inspecting the plants and shaking hands with the workers. Following him on his excursion through the facilities, Alex felt rejuvenated. It wasn’t the idea that the man put back in the community with jobs, or helped galvanize the future by taking care of the garbage today. He felt as if he was back in the business of protection again. Handling bags of cash every day was menial labor that anyone could get with a high school education and a clean background check. Alex had extensive firearm training and tactical defensive preparation that made him hyper-vigilant to surroundings.
During the few hours with Connor that day, he stayed back a few feet from the man. Close enough at times to catch whiffs of his expensive cologne. But Alex felt even though he hadn’t officially accepted the job, he was still doing the work because for him, it was as natural as the act of breathing. Playing bodyguard was a bigger responsibility than most people suspected. They’d look at Alex as a stand-up guy. He was handsome, clean shaven, and kept a level head in all situations. But when something happened that challenged the status-quo, Alex responded in a manner he’d prepared.
Usually, secret service agents did their job, retired within a specific time, or at the mandatory age requirement, and never had to pull a weapon or stand in front of someone to take a bullet. Movies led to certain public expectations. It wasn’t for everyone, and the constant authoritative scrutiny and oversight made some people uncomfortable. Alex had nothing to hide. He did his job and his time, but it all changed.
“So what do you think?” Connor asked him. He was present, eyes sharp, but his mind wandered.
“I think you like doing your work.”
“I like to think that I’m trying to make a better future for all of us.”
Alex only nodded. He’d spent three hours with the man after driving to the house in Fawn Lake. Connor drove a Tesla when he wasn’t chauffeured around. There were aspects of his life that Alex made mental notes of and wanted to address later. But what he wanted to know was why Connor felt there was someone out to get him.
“You want lunch?” Connor asked.
“Well, actually,” Alex started. He felt comfortable around the man, unlike the employees who hovered around Connor when he visited the plants. They looked at him as if a deity. “I’m interested to know more about the attempt on your life.”
“Okay,” Connor said. He fished the phone from the pants pocket. After a moment, he talked into the phone. “Captain McBride, this is Connor Haynes. I’m good, thank you. I’m curious if you might have a few minutes this afternoon. There’s someone I want you to meet and discuss the situation.” Alex noted how Connor avoided using language that made assumptions. “That’s great. And I think we’ll be fine to talk about it without Larry around.” Connor smiled at Alex as if trying to include him on a joke that he didn’t understand. “Thank you, captain.” He ended the call and returned the phone to the pocket.
“Larry Donovan is my attorney, well one of them. He’s the one who will blow his top when he finds out I’m talking to the police without representation.” They walked away from the small office. Alex noted several employees were watching him more than Connor. He followed the man out the main entrance and back to the car.
When the car pulled out of the parking lot, the only sound Alex heard inside the vehicle was the growl of the tires on gravel.
Chapter Seven
Captain Courtney McBride was the criminal investigations division commander for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Since the offense happened in her jurisdiction, she took the lead. Alex didn’t question her in any regard, but the moment he met the woman, he felt she did her due diligence on the case according to local county sheriff standards; nothing more than filing a report and waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The chocolate colored uniform looked too snug on Captain McBride. The layers of clothing and a bullet-proof vest, plus the added body weight from years of unhealthy meals eaten behind the wheel of a cruiser left her face a little puffy and the collar at her neck too tight.
“This is Alex Harper.” Connor introduced him while the captain shook hands with him. Alex knew a competent officer would do a background check on him immediately following the greeting. “He’s helping me with my problem.”
“I see,” she mumbled. Straight away, her pleasantries shifted to suspicion. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”
“Well, if someone is interested in harming Mr. Haynes, it’s probably in his best interest to cover all his options.” The words followed unchecked and barely filtered. He surmised she didn’t have a lot of time when it came to following up on cases. A dead body was more accessible to investigate than someone who still walked and breathed. It was more practical for the department. Living people didn’t have to worry about who killed them. The public had different views about police protection.
“Well, I thought we agreed you’d change your security system at your home.”
“I think that’s only part of the problem.” There he went again. Alex wanted to stop. He wanted to bite his tongue. It wasn’t that he felt she was incompetent. Her job ended at the crime. It had nothing to do with the attempt, only the aftermath.
When Alex looked at Connor, he saw a thin smile on the man’s face. There was a sparkle in his eyes and Alex didn’t know if it was the reflection of the sunshine over his shoulder, or something else.
“Home security is one thing.” Connor folded his arms over his chest. He leaned against the car. They agreed to meet in the parking lot of the local grocery store a few miles from Fawn Lake. “But Mr. Harper has experience when it comes to my personal protection.”
Her feelings betrayed her when the captain made a face. “Hiring a bodyguard is something that I can’t stop you from doing.” Her feet shifted, her thumbs finding the grooves of the basket weave utility belt around her hips. “But if Mr. Harper, in the duties of protecting you, assaults someone else, he is subject to investigation and possible arrest.” She spoke to Connor but stared at Alex.
“I’m aware of the responsibilities, Captain.” Alex didn’t like the woman, but he wasn’t the type of person to belittle anyone.
“Well, our investigation into the break-in at the house didn’t yield any usable evidence.” They had something on Alex, and while Connor likely thought it was a good idea for him to meet the person in charge of the investigation, Alex felt they were wasting time. “But if Mr. Harper understands his responsibilities, he knows that assault comes in all forms.” Again, she spoke to Connor but leveled her eyes on Alex.
After the meeting with the captain, Alex watched the world pass by the passenger window while Connor drove back to Fawn Lake.
“I have a feeling that didn’t go well,” he said.
Alex turned to Connor. His striking profile, smooth, sharp chin, and Roman nose gave Connor an impressive countenance that reflected his personality. He didn’t say anything and breathed deep, taki
ng in a lungful of air tipped with Connor’s intoxicating aroma.
“But my intention was for you to see what I’ve already dealt with.” They drove up Route 3 toward Brock Road. At the light, Connor leaned a little when he turned the corner heading into the rural tree-covered landscape where contractors had clear-cut patches of oak trees to plot community housing. Fawn Lake was the upscale version of the Wilderness community nearby. The gated community was home to senators, former public officials, and people like Connor, who wanted a nice place to live, surrounded by people who shared the same vision for dwellings. “I knew the sheriff’s department wasn't interested in the break-in.”
“Want to tell me about it?”
“I do,” Connor added and glanced at Alex. “And I promised you lunch, and here it is already after four. I think now you have to stay for dinner.”
“I don’t want to be an inconvenience.”
Connor sighed. “Honestly, having you around already makes me feel a lot better.”
***
They dined in the expansive dining room at Connor’s house. He had dinner prepared for them. A polite Mexican American woman named Alma had a meal ready for them before they arrived. Dinner settings for two waited at the table. Alex washed up, glanced in the mirror to make sure he was still presentable, and joined Connor at the table.
“It was less than a month ago,” he started. They had red wine with dinner, and Alex sipped the burgundy liquid in his glass. It was dry and tart. “I was in bed. Jeanette sleeps in one of the bedrooms down the hall from me. When I heard someone outside the bedroom door, I assumed it was her.” There was a shadow that crawled over Connor’s face. “When I heard the bedroom door open, I knew it wasn’t her.”
“Did you get a look at the intruder?”
“Not really. It was a man, not very heavy.”
“What happened?”
“He came into the room. I didn’t think of anything to do but go after him.”
Alex nodded. In his experience, the flight or fight response dictated whether or not someone lived or died. “That was probably a good idea.”
“You think so?” Connor questioned. “That’s not what McBride thought. She thought I should have called the cops. And I did.”
“What did he do?”
“Well, he backed out of the bedroom and dropped the knife before he ran out of the house.”
“The knife?” Alex asked making sure he heard right.
Connor nodded. He gulped the rest of the contents in his wine glass and refilled it. “It wasn’t anything spectacular. Just a knife you can get at any department or sporting goods store.”
“Well, that makes it different than a regular home invasion.”
“How so?”
“Did he try to steal anything?”
“No, we went through the whole house. We cataloged everything. You see I have a few valuables, antiques, collectibles, and fine art. I make purchases for investments. It increases the estate value. But everything was here.”
“So he got into the house and went directly for your bedroom,” Alex stated. “He had a knife that you recovered, and I assume the police have in their possession.”
Connor nodded.
“And you think the only motive he had for getting into the house was to attack you?”
“I’m not sure what to think, honestly. You can imagine that I’m a little freaked out about it.”
“Of course.”
“This sort of thing might be in your line of work, but I don’t understand why anyone would want to kill me.”
“First of all, I want to explain something to you.” Alex pulled the cloth napkin from his lap and placed it on the table near the empty dinner plate. He leaned back against the wood frame of the chair and crossed his legs. “Secret service agents aren’t in the business of cloak and dagger. We train to see but not be seen. We always worked as a team, never alone. We plan and coordinate. We take an oath, and we adhere to a cause. What?”
Connor’s smile distracted Alex. “I’m sorry,” he said. His left hand rested on the table close to where Alex put the napkin. Connor’s fingers stroked the material. “I can tell you liked that job.”
Alex smiled. “I did. It wasn’t a job. It was a life choice.”
“Why did you quit?”
“I realized after I lost my husband that I spent more time devoted to work than to him. It was too late to change what happened. It was a random occurrence and shouldn’t have happened. But I thought if I wanted to have any semblance of real life, I had to step away from that if I wanted to see what I missed. But I loved it. And I performed my duties to the best of my abilities until the accident. My psych-evaluation suggested they wanted to take me out of protection detail anyway. That was even before the accident.”
“But you have it in your blood. It’s obvious from the other day.”
“Oh, that’s nothing,” Alex started as a joke. “I just didn’t want to waste the rest of the day playing hostage.”
“And should we talk about the wink?” Connor teased.
Alex didn’t respond immediately. “I think I had something in my eye.”
“That’s not what it looked like to me. It looked like you were having the time of your life.”
Alex shrugged. He wasn’t going to lie. “Why get all that training and not use it.”
“So, are you staying?” Connor asked.
“Excuse me?” Alex felt a spark in his heart. A sensation he hadn’t felt in a very long time. A myriad of ideas passed through his skull before Connor continued.
“Well, I think after what I said, and your feelings toward the lack of investigation, you’d considered my offer. You spent the whole day with me, and we haven’t talked about the job.”
“I don’t know if I would do you any real service. You have a singular incident. Has it ever happened before?”
“Believe it or not, I’m a relatively nice guy. I’m not a corporate monster. I give bonuses to my employees. I paid them better than minimum wage. If you can believe it, I’ve never had a fight. I don’t think I’m infringing on anyone else’s business.”
“Is there anything leading up to the incident that you can think of that might have caused retaliation?”
“The only thing that’s changed is the solar farm I’m involved in. That’s the only new thing that’s happened.”
Alex nodded. The Civil War historical society wanted nothing to do with the immense solar power project. It was the largest solar power plant on the east coast. And the acres of solar panels were to blanket a good portion of farmland, once part of the battlefields in Spotsylvania County. It hadn’t meant anything to the nation. But the local community wanted to preserve the land’s heritage instead of helping plan for a future without depending on fossil fuels. Oil lobbyists were living in the area that made the daily trek into Washington. They didn’t want people to think of a future free of coal or oil to keep the lights burning in their homes every night. Where people wanted to make a difference, there were more who pushed back against progress.
“It seemed inconceivable to think anyone wants me dead because they’re out some investments in the market.” Connor finished half of the refilled wine. Alex still had remnants of the first glass.
He looked to the archway leading into the living room. A quiet figure hovered in the shadow. Connor followed Alex’s eye line.
“How come you didn’t have Alma set a place for you tonight, Jeanette?”
The old woman looked from Alex to Connor. “I wasn’t hungry, Connor,” Alex noted familiarities between them that went beyond caretaker and employer.
“Want to join us now?” he asked. “I wanted you to meet, Alex.”
“Are you staying the night, Alex?” she asked.
Before Alex declined, he looked at Connor. There was a gleam in the man’s eyes that he found hopeful. “I’ll be leaving shortly, actually.”
Jeanette nodded and left their line of sight. “She’s been with my family since
before I was born. You probably did your background checks on me already. I’ve lived a spoiled life. My family came from coal. They invested in the future of oil. My great-grandfather fought for the South. After listening to a lifetime of bigotry and seeing my family walk on the backs of others to get everything we have, I had enough.
“When my father died, he left a sizable inheritance and shares in coal and oil futures. I wanted to burn all those bridges. You can imagine that I shook up a lot of my father’s business partners when they found out I wanted to turn away from stealing from the land and start giving back.”
“Interesting,” Alex commented.
“What?”
“Well, a few minutes ago, you mentioned that you’ve never got into a fight. That you don’t know why anyone would want to do you harm. But you just shared with me that you ‘burned all those bridges.’ That has to account for something.” And Alex made a decision right there. He felt Connor’s hand move from the cloth napkin and rest on Alex’s knuckles.
“You’re staying,” Connor said.
“I don’t know if I can stay twenty-four hours.”
“Yes, you can. This place is more than big enough for you. I don’t need all this space. After my mother died, I just moved in because this was Jeanette’s home for the last thirty years. I wasn’t just going to sell it out from under her.” Connor stood up. He swayed a little, Alex noticed.
When Alex stood to join him, they were close together at the corner of the table.
“Come with me. I want to show you the rest of the property.”
Chapter Eight
It happened that night. Alex made up his mind. It didn’t have anything to do with the in-ground, covered pool so people could use it year around. It didn’t have anything to do with the exercise room, or the sauna room and Jacuzzi. It was about a man who was lonely inside the spacious household and had made unseen enemies willing to go to extremes in eliminating Connor, not just in business but in a breath too.
Accepting the position meant Alex had to move into Connor’s home. The man needed protection every part of the day. Alex wanted to shadow Connor throughout his day. He used the specialized training he received from the government, and his personal views about security to make the position effectively protecting Connor.