A Fine Balance

by Susan Johnson

  Once introductions were complete, Jack took orders for beer, Zeke was placed on a bar stool so he could reach the table, and the food was set out. After Jack’s discrete but pointed looks directed at his brothers, the conversation never touched on the events they were here to discuss. Instead, they compared notes on mutual acquaintances. It turned out Chrissie’s older brother brought his son to the same children’s hour at the library that Zeke attended. Of course everyone knew Larry and Em, Jillian’s mother as well, and the conversation drifted to the hippy migration into the county. With the drought entering its third year, well levels were a topical subject, as was the state of the tides; everyone but Jillian surfed.

  “When I came out here I was too busy with a new job and Mom to think about mastering anything as difficult as surfing,” she explained.

  Jack was pleased that she hadn’t mentioned her husband; ridiculous he knew, but tell that to his inner caveman. “We don’t get really big waves here,” he said, dismissing his irrational impulses. “I’ll take you out and show you the basics.”

  Jillian shook her head.

  “You swim?” Perhaps she didn’t.

  “I do.”

  “You’ll be fine.” He turned to Ray. “Tell her she’ll be fine.”

  “Jack’s good. He racked up a few wins on the world tour during his gap year. You don’t have to worry.”

  She took a small breath. “I’m not interested in surfing. Sorry.”

  A dead silence.

  “Nothing to be sorry about,” Jack said smoothly. “Who wants another beer?”

  The sudden hush had been telling. Apparently Jack was rarely opposed. She wasn’t surprised. He exuded an unassailable strength, like some warrior from the long-ago past. Capable, nerveless. In charge.

  Quickly stepping into the silence, Chrissie offered up a tidbit of gossip about a mutual friend who was getting married for the third time while Jack took beer orders and the awkward moment passed. After everyone had finished eating, Jack brought out an almond tart for dessert and served it with a Moscato from the family vineyard.

  The casual urbanity at lunch couldn’t be faulted.

  Jillian was in awe. Jack had quietly orchestrated the entire occasion, including an alternate dessert for a two-year-old. Lining up six pints of ice cream in front of Zeke, he handed him an ice cream scoop. “See which one you like best.”

  He curtailed Jillian’s protest with a light touch to her arm. “Relax. I’ll wash him up later.” Then unfazed, he watched Zeke destroy the contents of six containers.

  Witnessing the widening puddle of melting ice cream on the table, Jillian found herself experiencing a rush of flashbacks from childhood when every meal had required perfect manners and rules of etiquette were obligatory. A familiar panic began to overwhelm her. Her pulse raced, her breathing changed.

  “You okay?” Jack whispered.

  She smiled shakily; the tumultuous memories hadn’t surface in year. “Absolutely.”

  He grinned. “You lie like shit. But don’t worry about the mess,” he said, softly. “Zeke’s having a good time.”

  She softly exhaled. “You’re way too perfect.”

  “As if. But hey, whatever makes you happy, Jilly-bean.”

  A warm, blissful glow instantly erased the past—slam, bam, clobbered, gone. She could really get used to feeling this good. “You make me happy, Deputy Morgan,” she said, lightly teasing; she might be living the dream but dreams invariably ended. “Thanks for the intervention.”

  “If there’s some problem, just tell me.”

  The problem is that I’m going to cry an ocean of tears when you leave. “Thanks,” she said, politely. “I will.”

  She so patently was not going to tell him that Jack immediately dropped the subject. “Hey, Wade, what’s the status of that law suit for Jillian.”

  “Please, I couldn’t.” She wrinkled her nose. “Really.”

  “Come on,” Jack cajoled. “At least let Wade serve it. You can always change your mind later. Right, Wade? You can withdraw the lawsuit.”

  “Sure. Simple.”

  “See?”

  “Could we discuss this later?” she murmured.

  “No problem.” He smiled and gave a nod in Zeke’s direction. “I think it’s about time we hose down our ice cream boy. Come on, I’ll carry him to the sink. You get him some clean clothes from your duffel. Hey, Zeke, want to swim in my sink?”

  Jack had one of those farmhouse sinks you could wash a small cow in. Zeke didn’t need a second invitation. Turning the tap wide open, Jack stood Zeke in the sink, stripped off his rain jacket and swim trunks, eased him down into the rising water and handed him the spray hose.

  Jack’s brothers and Chrissy exchanged looks of disbelief. Everyone knew better than to comment. Jack had never even considered sleep-overs. And now? After only a few days he was in full daddy mode?

  The word, miracle, couldn’t be discounted.

  “I don’t need any advice,” Jack said without turning around.

  “Wouldn’t think of it,” Wade said. “Why don’t we move into your office and get the computer warmed up.”

  Jack glanced over his shoulder, his smile brilliant. “I know what I’m doing.”

  Wade raised a brow. “No one said you didn’t.”

  “Good. Hey, hey, watch it, Zeke. Not the ceiling. Let’s wash your hair, okay?”

  Ray was already on his feet, holding his hand out for Chrissy. “I’m speechless, I’m without words,” he murmured under his breath, glancing at Wade.

  “No shit. Chaos.”

  “He’s gonna be distracted.” A note of warming vibrated in Ray’s voice as he and Chrissy moved away from the table.

  Wade dragged in a breath. “Not good.”

  “We’ll have to try and make it as easy as we can for him. You line up the legal priorities in order. I found a helluva lot of dark money accounts.”

  “I want Remington and Hayes first,” Jack said, interrupting the quiet conversation. “Their schedules, addresses, level of protection. The legal process is Morrie’s territory. Hey, Bear, that was fast,” he said as Jillian entered the kitchen with clothes for Zeke. “Show your mom how you can wash your face with the spray,” Jack said with a smile for Zeke. “Careful now, don’t hit Mommie.”

  “I never thought I’d say this,” Ray noted grimly as they exited the kitchen and moved down the hall to the office, “but Jack better start focusing or a million things could go wrong. This narco organization is huge. Jack likes to work alone. It might not be the right time.”

  “Let’s wait and see what he says,” Wade replied. “He’s not reckless.”

  Ray whirled around, stared. “Fuck if he isn’t.”

  “Well, maybe not completely reckless.”

  “Yeah he is.” Ray started walking again. “That’s the fucking problem.”

  Chapter 39

  Jack entered the office a few minutes later with Sam. “Jillian’s putting Zeke down for a nap. She’ll join us once he’s sleeping, so let’s get through the dicey stuff before she arrives.” He took a seat with the others at a large slab of polished madrone set on a guy-wired pedestal that served as his desk. Sam flopped down at his feet.

  “It’s all fucking dicey,” Ray muttered.

  “In order of importance then. I want to take down Remington and Hayes first. The Tweedy crowd is too crazy to operate lucidly. As for the big money guys, they just want anonymity. They won’t raise a hand to defend anyone but themselves. And guaranteed, if confronted, they’ll pee their pants. But that’s for the AG to handle. So all the money laundering and shadow banking, the shell companies set up in the outlands of the world go through Morrie to the AG. I’ll deal with the scum bags working my county.”

  “You can’t do it alone,” Wade warned. “Not this time.”

  “I’ve sent a message to Chuck and Ava. Nothing’s going to move before they get here. The harvest hasn’t really kicked in yet.” Jack glanced at Ray. “Show me what w
e have.”

  “A mother lode.” Ray tapped a folder before him. “Bank accounts in every offshore entity on the planet, a dozen phony companies directly connected to

  Remington or Tweedy, a money laundering super highway with wire transfers linking their activities, the less obvious payment routes to the reputable men who liked to think of their narco profits as just another business venture.”

  “More than enough to bring a criminal action,” Wade said. “With enough direct evidence here to put them all away even if the AG is running for re-election.”

  “He is,” Jack said. “So make sure there’s no wiggle room.”

  Ray quirked a brow. “A social media threat is always an option.”

  “I’d rather not. The AG’s basically a good guy, an old friend of Morrie’s. Now where are we with Remington and Hayes? As soon as I hear from Chuck and Ava”—

  “If you hear from them. I talked to Hans. He wasn’t so sure.”

  “They can take care of themselves. I’ll give them another few days. If they don’t show by then I’ll call in some other freelancers. Hans was supposed to check on a contact at the European Space Agency so I could get some satellite surveillance on my targets. Did he mention whether he’d had any luck?”

  “Uh-uh. But Rafe has a stake in a couple satellites,” Ray said. “I could ask him.”

  “Jerry knows someone in satellite surveillance.”

  Everyone turned.

  Jillian was standing in the doorway.

  “Jerry used to work for the NSA as a meteorologist. She still has friends at the agency.”

  Jack’s brows rose. “Your renter?” He wondered how much else he didn’t know about Jillian.

  “Is that a problem?”

  There was only one way to answer. “Of course not.”

  “I just thought she might help.” Jillian shrugged. “That’s all.”

  Understanding the exchange had nothing to do with satellites, that his don’t-call-me, I’ll-call-you brother was jealous, Wade tactfully said, “It would help. We’d be grateful if you’d ask her.”

  “In person though,” Ray suggested. “Unless she has an encrypted phone.”

  “She might. Mother called Jerry the cautious type. I thought she meant cautious about her weather forecasts, but over a bottle of wine one night, Jerry mentioned the NSA and the reasons she left. She’d never been open about her past, although that’s not uncommon here.”

  “Give her a call.” The thought of Jillian’s other possible secrets added a sharpness to Jack’s voice.

  Just for a moment her eyes widened.

  Jack reminded himself that he didn’t own her--past or future. “Sorry.” He smiled, an openhanded apology. “I’d really appreciate it if you’d give Jerry a call.”

  She hesitated, not sure whether she was angry or just surprised at the previous harshness in his tone. Or if she’d misread it.

  Jack pulled out a chair beside him and held out his hand. “Please. I’m an idiot.”

  His smile was remarkably boyish; she wouldn’t have thought it possible. “Me too,” she murmured, walking toward him. It wasn’t his fault her husband and father had been self-involved asses.

  Unmindful of their audience, they could have been alone in the room.

  Jack stood up before she reached him and in the manner of a Jane Austen suitor--took her gently by the hand, drew her close and kissed her politely on the cheek. Then unlike any Jane Austen character, he whispered, “You can beat me later for my rudeness.” He might have even meant it.

  “Or you could do something for me instead,” she whispered back.

  He shut his eyes briefly, thanked fate and Woffie for bringing him to Jillian’s door and lowered his voice. “Whatever you want, Jilly-bean.”

  “Top ten?”

  His grin was pure sex. “Better yet.”

  Someone’s phone pinged; cold reality intruded.

  Jack swallowed back an expletive.

  Jillian blushed.

  And everyone got down to business.

  Using Jack’s encrypted phone, Jillian called Jerry. She explained that she was asking for a huge favor and asked whether Jerry had an encrypted phone. “You do? Still, it’s a really big favor so feel free to say no.” A quick laugh. “Okay, you have a deal. Two apple pies. Although this is a little more complicated than making apple pies so you still can refuse. Jack Morgan will explain the situation.” She handed the phone back to Jack.

  He gave a brief explanation of the murder case, the cast of bad actors and the kind of surveillance he needed. “You sure now? I don’t want to get you in trouble.” He smiled faintly. “Same here. I’m calling in a helluva lot of markers on this investigation. My brother, Ray, will give you the location details. He’s our tech wizard.”

  It turned out Ray wasn’t the only kick-ass hacker in the area. Jerry had been building computers and software since the early days of PC’s. After describing their potential targets, Ray listened intently, muttering a litany of increasingly reverential wows at Jerry’s replies. Then after adding some secondary addresses Jerry needed, Ray thanked her profusely, ended the call and turned, awestruck, to his companions. “It’s fucking unbelievable,” he said, softly. “Jerry is the Jerry Chomak, programmer, coder, engineering superstar, one of the geniuses who changed the world as we know it.” His gaze swung to Chrissy who shared his hacking skills. “She’ll blow your mind, baby.”

  “And?” Jack said, his eyes on his brother.

  Dragging in a small breath, Ray curbed his excitement enough to give a sufficient report of their conversation. “Jerry’s going to set things in motion ASAP. The first run will be over in ninety minutes. Can you fucking believe it? She has access to military surveillance because she helped design the satellite program. Talk about winning the lottery.”

  “Glad to be of service,” Jillian murmured, smiling faintly.

  Jack glanced to the left and met her gaze. “You rock, Mama Bear. Seriously,” he added, quietly, “you deserve a prize. As soon as this case is closed, we’ll go away somewhere, anywhere you like.”

  “San Francisco?”

  He grinned. “I probably could manage that. Or how about Venice?”

  Astonishment lit the green of her eyes. “For real?”

  “I’m not sure how real it is. It looks like a Disney movie. But it’s goddamn beautiful…like you.” His smile was lush with tenderness. “And Zeke will love the water taxies and gondolas.”

  “Deal,” she whispered. “No take backs now.”

  He looked amused. “I haven’t heard that since grade school.”

  “You renege I can be even more childish,” she teased.

  “Hmmm…possibilities,” he whispered.

  “In Venice.”

  He winked. “You got it. But I’m gonna need a couple weeks to make good, okay?”

  She suddenly went still. “Promise me you won’t do anything dangerous.”

  “Course not,” he said, careful not to promise. “I never do.”

  As if, Wade thought, close enough to overhear the quiet conversation. He also heard his brother’s evasive reply and knew that Jack lived by his own rules or no rules. He always had. So it was up to him and Ray to help minimize the danger. He’d call Hans and personally double Chuck and Ava’s fees if it meant they could get here sooner. Pushing his chair back, Wade came to his feet. “I’m going home and begin the case for the prosecution.” And call Hans.

  “Chrissy and I are going to Jerry’s.” The exhilaration in Ray’s voice was palpable. “We’ll check in later.”

  “Stay in touch,” Jack said, mildly. Code for I want to know everything that’s going on.

  “Course,” Ray said. “Keep your phone battery charged. I have a feeling Jerry’s going to help us bring in a few whales.”

  “I love it.” Wade touched his fingertips to his lips in the universal gesture of appreciation. “Taking down plutocrats with their sense of impunity feels so damned good.”

  J
ack smiled; Wade had always been a crusader. It was a wonder he’d lasted as long as he had defending corporate clients at San Francisco’s most prestigious law firm. “We might shut down the revolving door in the war on drugs for a day or so.”

  Wade waved as he walked out the door. “Maybe even a week.”

  Until someone new takes a seat at the table, Jack cynically reflected.

  He was realistic about the war on drugs.

  It was an expensive failure.

  His job was to keep the scum off his turf.

  Fuck the rest.

  Chapter 40

  Jack was nearly finished explaining his security system to Jillian when Morrie called.

  Within seconds, he was frowning. “Now? He’s here? I could have used some warning. Okay, okay, I understand. I’ll see you there in twenty minutes.”

  “Something unexpected?”

  “Yeah. I have to meet Morrie. And the AG who’d showed up unannounced for reasons of security. I won’t be gone more than an hour or so. Let me go over the gate code once more. Want me to write it down?”

  “I can remember it.”

  “Good. Now don’t respond to whomever comes to the gate. Fed-ex guys, postmen, someone delivering flowers. I don’t care what they say on the intercom. Just wait til I get back.”

  “Will do. Don’t worry about me. You be careful.”

  “Morrie just has a couple of things he wants to discuss. I’ll be back in no time. I don’t want to sound dramatic, but do not go outside, okay?”

  She grinned. “I’m so glad I met you.”

  He sighed. “The timing could have been better.”

  “Anytime with you is good. Don’t angst.”

  It stopped him for a moment. Angst? Him? “I don’t do angst,” he said, smoothly, although his world had changed the moment he’d met her and for the first time in his life he was feeling the magic. Someday, when all hell wasn’t breaking loose, he’d make sense of it all. “Now promise me you’ll stay inside.”

  She grinned. “I’m beginning to get a real princess in the tower vibe.”

  “There’s an image,” he said, gruffly, pulling her close. “You in my tower. Me with the key.”