by Robin Roseau
"So, you remember when you said you had nothing planned this weekend?"
"I seem to remember saying something about that," Zoe replied.
"And remember when you said you needed more photographs for your web site?"
"I remember that, too."
"And do you remember when you expressed an appreciation for kayaking?"
"You know, I even remember that."
"And do you even remember expressing appreciation for my body, and the things I am able to do to you?"
She laughed. "I remember all of that."
"How would you like to satisfy all those needs, all at once?"
"I think I might like that a great deal."
"We're heading to Bayfield this weekend. Would you care to join us?"
"I would love to. What are the arrangements?"
"How do you feel about flying in a small aircraft?"
"Who is piloting this small aircraft?"
"Quite possibly my sister-in-law."
"Only quite possibly?"
"Or my sister. Or my cousin. It all depends upon where Michaela makes us all ride."
"Oh my. So flying acumen runs in the family."
"Yes."
"And it is Michaela that determines the arrangements?"
"My sister allows Michaela to win the small fights while Lara wins the big ones."
"Why do I suspect Michaela wins the big ones, too?"
I laughed. "Maybe because she wins at least half of them."
"Are we camping?"
"We own land," I explained. "You'll have a roof over your head and a bed underneath you."
"I don't own a kayak." She paused. "And Elisabeth, I-"
"Zoe," I said, interrupting. "I don't ever want to limit our choices together based on your finances. If I invite you to something, I presume I am covering everything. You need only bring your driver's license and apartment key."
"And perhaps a swim suit."
"And in this case, a swim suit and a change of clothes or two. Chances are we'll go out for dinner one night, so you should bring a dress or skirt, too."
I could hear her smile. "It sounds like fun."
"We fish."
"I don't."
"We're carnivores."
She paused. "I'm not," she said.
"I know. I was just warning you."
"Should I bring groceries?"
I paused. I didn't normally handle the cooking.
"Elisabeth, I can't afford to rent a kayak, but I can afford groceries. And if none of you knows how to cook vegan, I'd rather handle my own food."
"All right," I said. "How soon could you leave tomorrow?"
"Any time," she replied.
"All right. I'll pick you up about three." We handled a few more of the arrangements then chatted about other things for a few more minutes.
"Good," said Lara after I hung up. "I'm sorry, Elisabeth. I think you like her."
"I do." I shook my head. "I'm dating a human vegan. I'm never going to hear the end of it."
Lara chuckled.
* * * *
I had pulled Karen from Lara's detail to manage the investigation. She and Gia reported to me twice on Wednesday and again Thursday morning and then moments before I left to pick up Zoe. They had little to report.
"She has made calls, but they are all related to her duties for GreEN," Gia said. "I can't trace her email, as that's encrypted, but she's not doing any suspicious web searching."
"No Google searches about werewolves?"
"None. We have a complete report of everything she's done, but there's nothing remarkable."
* * * *
A half hour later I was at her apartment. I knocked, and she called out, "It's open."
I tried the door to discover it wasn't locked. I was still shaking my head when I stepped in.
"What?" Zoe asked.
"Your door wasn't locked."
"I know. I unlocked it three minutes ago. Relax."
"I could have been some pervert," I told her.
"After what you did to me Tuesday, I'm wondering about that myself," she said. But she closed the distance to me, and we kissed deeply.
I was acutely aware there were pinhole cameras covering this portion of her apartment from three different angles. I kissed her anyway.
"Ready to go?"
"Yep," she replied. She pointed to a modest suitcase and a cooler. "I just have to pack my computer and grab my cameras."
"You won't need your computer."
"Sure I do."
"Do you really think I'm going to give you a moment alone to check your email?"
"Maybe not, but you promised me photo shoots, and I need to upload the pictures and make sure they look okay."
I frowned. We needed to keep her computer right where it was.
"We have a weight restriction, Zoe. These are small airplanes. There's a computer where we're staying. You can use that."
It was her turn to frown. "I use a Mac."
"Good. You'll know how to use this one then. Trust me. It has absolutely everything on it. Seriously, weight is an issue. I ate an extra hamburger on the way to the airport last time, and Michaela chewed me a new one."
Just then, my phone rang. I had expected it. I pulled it from my pocket, glanced at it, then said, "What's up?"
"Hey, boss," said Gia. "You were going to mail me that web site."
"Oh shit. I forgot. Hang on." I pulled the phone away. "Speaking of computers. I need to use yours for a like a minute. It's one of my employees."
"You're not going to download porn are you?"
"Naw. And I won't even visit any of those top secret CIA web sites that land you on the do not fly list."
"I'm already on the do not fly list," she said. She smiled. "Does Air Burns check that list?"
"Nope."
"All right." She set her computer case down and pulled out her machine. I sat down at her desk and soon found myself staring at a password screen.
"Password?"
"Bang meat," she said.
"Excuse me?"
"Exclamation mark, em-ee-ah-tee."
I typed it in and found myself staring at her computer desktop. I fired up the web browser, did a lame search for nothing important, then clicked one of the web sites. I read off the URL to Gia.
"Got it," Gia replied. "I can't say I would have guessed that."
I closed the computer and stood up. "Bang-meat?"
"I've done a little programming. The exclamation mark usually means 'not'. So that's basically me saying 'not meat'."
"Oh. Got it. I should learn to program someday."
"You'd be a good nerd," she said. "All the boy nerds would want to date you."
"All the boy nerds would happily date a pair of peaches and a papaya."
She laughed. "You might be right." She paused and gestured. "Am I going to get in trouble for all my photo equipment?"
I eyed the two camera bags. "No. Michaela is expecting that. If she gives us any heat, I'll remind her I skipped lunch."
Zoe laughed again. She had a nice laugh. For a stalker.
I collected the cooler and the duffle. "You have a skirt in here?"
"I pack light," she replied.
We didn't talk again until we were in the car. "Tell me who is coming."
"You and I, Lara and Michaela, Angel and Scarlett, plus a security detail for Michaela."
I could feel her staring at me. "Like secret service?"
"Like my employees," I clarified. "It's unlikely, but if any of them tell you to do something, you will do it."
"Like, wash these dishes?"
"Like, stick to Michaela's side while we're whisking you to safety."
It took her a few seconds before she said quietly, "I think I'd rather stick to your side."
"It is exceedingly unlikely you will need to worry about it," I repeated.
"You're entirely serious," she replied.
"I am, actually. This is when you tell me you'll do what
you're told in the case of an emergency. We are professionals, and we know what we're doing."
"Of course," she said. "But... Why does Michaela need all this protection? It's as if she's the wife of a mob boss. I've seen corporate bigwigs before. They aren't this paranoid." I glanced over, and her eyes were narrowed. "Is Lara a crime boss?"
I laughed. "No."
"Elisabeth, I'm serious. If you guys are messing around with something illegal, I don't want any part of it."
I pulled over to the side of the road, put the car in park, and turned to her. "Michaela has been kidnapped. Twice."
"What?" she screeched.
"All of Lara's businesses are entirely legal. We have zero tolerance for drugs. We wager amongst ourselves, usually for favors, but there's a monthly poker game. It's a private game within the clan, which means it is also legal. We have zero tolerance for gambling outside of the clan. To the best of my knowledge, none of us have ever set foot in a casino anywhere in the world. I suppose it's possible some of the clan members buy lottery tickets or play fantasy football at work, but if they do so, it's not done to my knowledge or my sister's. What other criminal activities are you worried about?"
"None," she said in a small voice.
"No. Get it out on the table, then you're making a few promises."
"I'm sorry, Elisabeth. I didn't mean to call your sister a criminal."
"We're having this out. What else are you worried about?"
"I-" She paused, looking out the window. "Was she hurt?"
"The first time, yes. She recovered, but in the meantime, it nearly destroyed her relationship with Lara."
"Why?"
"Honestly, I'm sorry, but it's none of your business. I hope you'll respect my sister-in-law's privacy."
"Yes, yes, of course," she said. She turned back to me. "I'm sorry, Elisabeth."
"We have our secrets, and we're fiercely protective of them. We can be quite paranoid about security. I think now perhaps you understand why a little better."
"Was she under protection when she was kidnapped."
"Michaela resents her security detail and has a habit of ditching us. That's how she was kidnapped the first time. The second one was my fault. I didn't see a threat for what it was, and I didn't exercise sufficient caution."
"I'm sorry," she repeated.
"Now, it may be that at some point in the future, I will be willing to talk more about this. For now, you are going to keep your mouth shut about it. You aren't going to indicate to anyone at all you know what I just told you. And you aren't going to prompt me for any more information. Promise me."
"Of course. I'm sorry. I promise, Mum's the word."
"Thank you. Second promise. If any single one of us, approximately my size or larger, issues you an order, you will do it."
She cocked her head. "Any order?"
"You'll know when it's one of these orders, Zoe."
"All right. Of course."
"I will tell you this. Angel works for me. If she tells you to do something, you will do it."
"Scarlett, too?"
"Scarlett knows what's going on. You don't. Chances are very high in the case of an emergency, I will either order you to stick to Michaela or let Scarlett protect you. So yes, Scarlett too, although she's an architect, not a bodyguard. You will probably never, ever see excitement like this, but I need to know you won't fight me when I can't afford to let you fight me."
"Of course, Elisabeth. I'll cower behind whomever you tell me to cower behind."
I smiled. "Thank you. I'm sorry if this seems dramatic, but you can understand how I don't want a third kidnapping."
She nodded. "Am I at risk. If... um... I'm your girlfriend?"
"No more risk than breaking into nuclear power plants."
She smiled. "I did that once."
"I know."
"I don't do that anymore, Elisabeth."
"I know. Are we good?"
"We're good," she replied. "But I want to know why Michaela. Why don't other CEOs have this issue?"
"I'm not sure that's entirely true," I replied. "Bodyguards and security services are everywhere."
"All right. Maybe you'll tell me the rest someday."
"Maybe I will."
I put the car into drive and pulled back onto the road.
"Tell me about where we're going."
"Bayfield. You've been there before." I glanced over at her.
"Yes, "I've been to Bayfield. Are we staying on Madeline Island?"
"No. You and I are staying at a small house right in Bayfield."
"And everyone else?"
"We have land, but I thought you and I might like a little more privacy." I smiled at her. "In case we want a repeat of Tuesday night."
"Oh you think so, do you? You understand I can't quite return that exact favor."
"I imagine you'll teach me a thing or two."
We teased each other the rest of the way, Zoe seemingly oblivious to our route. It wasn't until we pulled off the highway that she looked outside and noticed we were in the country. "Where are we? I thought we were going to the airport. Wow, I haven't been paying any attention at all."
"I'm just that riveting," I said. "We have our own airfield."
"Of course you do," she said. "Are we flying by private jet?"
"Not quite."
By now, Zoe was watching out the window. "Where are we?"
"About five minutes from my house," I replied. I gestured. "But we're turning left up here into the airport."
It was just another minute before I parked the car alongside the hangar.
"This is quite the private airfield," Zoe observed.
"We own several aircraft."
We climbed from the car and collected our bags. I was quite laden down. Zoe would have carried more, but I didn't give her a chance. She did, however, unlimber one of her cameras and take a couple of quick snapshots of me. I stopped.
"I need to ask one more favor."
"Oh?"
"Lara is paranoid about photos. You can photograph all the nature you want, but perhaps none of the people on this trip."
"Seriously?"
"Michaela. Kidnapped. Twice."
"She's worried I'm some sort of kidnapper?"
"No. But trust takes time to build, and you make a living selling your photographs."
"I sell nature photographs."
I just stared at her. Finally she averted her gaze. "Fine."
"Zoe..."
"It's fine, Elisabeth. It just seems a little paranoid."
"Maybe it is," I replied. "And maybe she wouldn't care. But if you don't take photos of any of us, then no one is going to ask what you intend to do with them. It's your first outing with us. It's kind of a big deal when we invite an outsider on our trips. But there will be trips, won't there?"
"You're right," she said. She offered a hint of a smile. "I'll be on my best behavior while you introduce me to your family."
I stilled. I hadn't thought about it that way. She'd already met Lara and Michaela once, but not quite in the same context. It hadn't occurred to me she'd see it as going to meet the family.
Zoe stepped closer then leaned up and kissed my cheek. "Got everything?"
"Of course."
"I could carry something."
"I've got it," I said with a smile.
She put her camera away, and then we stepped around the corner of the hangar.
Over the years, we'd had to build a second hangar. We used to keep two modest airplanes and rent the rare time we needed three. But as Lara's family had grown, our needs had grown more complicated. So, spurred on in part by me, we now we had five airplanes and a helicopter, although we kept the latter in a small hangar across the road from the main compound.
Both hangar doors were open, and I could tell Lara and Michaela hadn't finished negotiating which aircraft we were taking. I could already have answered that, but I knew neither Lara nor Michaela were going to be happy.
Ev
eryone was standing around, waiting for us. They would have heard us approach, so the casual posture everyone carried was feigned. Michaela also would have heard our entire conversation and may have relayed it to everyone else. But they all waited for us to approach before turning to us. Six pairs of eyes focused on Zoe and only one on me.
Zoe slowed under the attention, and I automatically adjusted my pace to match hers. Her hand reached out, looking for a hand to hold, but mine were busy.
"They're so big," she said.
"It's not quite a requirement to join the clan," I said, trying to make it light. "But yes. We tend to run big."
"All women?"
"On this trip," I said. "We made the men folk stay home."
The one pair of eyes on me was Michaela's, and she wasn't happy.
"Come on," I said. I stepped forward, then veered to the side and set everything down in a pile on the floor of the hangar. Then I took Zoe's camera bags from her and added them to the pile.
"We're going to have to weigh all that," Michaela said.
"Maybe we should let Elisabeth introduce Zoe to everyone first," Lara said.
I took Zoe's hand, but she held back. "Am I in trouble?"
"No." I pulled her forward. "Michaela, Zoe think's your angry at her because she brought more than a pared down toothbrush."
Michaela eyed the pile consisting of a cooler of food, two modest duffle bags, and two camera bags. It wasn't that bad. Really it wasn't. But there were nine of us, and that meant she wasn't going to get to ride with Lara.
"No," she said. "Zoe, I'm sorry. I was trying to cram us into fewer aircraft than we're going to end up taking." Then she smiled. "At least I get to fly the Bonanza!" Then she stepped forward and gave Zoe a quick hug. "I'm glad you could come."
She took over from that point. I wasn't surprised. "You remember my wife, Lara." Zoe and Lara shook hands. "And Angel and Scarlett." That was a couple of little waves. "Has Elisabeth talked to you about my security detail."
"She mentioned something."
"This is Serena. She's the head of my security."
Serena stepped forward and shook Zoe's hand. "I'm pleased to meet you, Zoe," Serena said.
"Serena is also a dear, dear friend," Michaela explained. "I love her to pieces. These two are Karen and Portia."
With greetings out of the way, Michaela went on. "Do you want to understand my frown earlier, or are you so intimidated you want to plaster yourself to Elisabeth's side and sit where you're told?"