“I don’t get the boot or PM,” Penny said.
“PM is for Prime Minister, and the boot is for Italy,” Tavis said.
“Oh, okay.”
“What about us?” Robbie asked.
“Robbie is Goalie, and Henry is Sweeper,” Tavis said.
“I’ve only heard about Colonel Bowes’s crime scene photos and understand they’re very graphic, so I have no desire to ever look at them,” Penny said. “But you didn’t bat an eye, flinch, twitch, or anything.”
“I’ve seen worse, ma’am.” He turned back around in his seat and spoke to the driver. “Have you noticed anyone behind us?”
“It’s clear,” the driver said.
“Have ye checked out the castle’s security?” David asked.
Tavis looked back again. “We spent the morning at Thorskogs going through their security operation, looking for deficiencies. They have a good setup. We’ll be using drone technology while we’re there. And since you’re the only guests, we won’t be inconveniencing anyone.”
Tavis continued. “This afternoon we went to the Gothia Cup Village and visited the store and the stadiums where your sons will play. We also scoped out the Ullevi stadium, where they’re holding the opening ceremonies tomorrow night. Based on the photograph you just showed me”—Tavis glanced at the boys, then back at David—“we can continue this conversation later if you prefer.”
Picking up on Tavis’s hesitation to speak in more detail in front of him and the twins, Churchill said, “You don’t have to worry about our sensibilities, sir. We know what’s going on and how dangerous this situation is.”
“We haven’t seen the crime scene photographs of Colonel Bowes’s torture, but we know it was awful,” Henry chimed in.
“We’ve had survival training, and we know how to handle several types of weapons,” Robbie said.
“We even know how to drive in an emergency,” Henry added. “Except Robbie strips the gears when he drives the Jeep.”
“I do not,” Robbie growled. “I only did that once, and now I can switch gears smoother than you can.”
“Can not,” Henry shot back. “Ask Churchill.”
“Stop arguing and stop putting Churchill in the middle,” Kenzie said.
Robbie politely acknowledged his mother and continued, “We also know Tai Chi and can protect ourselves.”
“I can fight with a cutlass and climb a rigging,” Churchill added, sitting up straighter. “I read that the sea is an integral part of Gothenburg’s identity.” He thumped his chest. “If we go out on a sailing vessel, you can count on me.”
“You sound older than your years, young man,” Tavis said.
If you only knew…
Penny looked at Churchill in the back seat, he winked at her, and her mind tripped back to the day she and Rick found the kid hiding in a tree. He was now integral to the twins’ lives, and instead of being twins with a friend, they had become triplets. It was going to be challenging for the two families to separate the boys when Soph and Pete returned to Italy.
“It’s our opinion,” Tavis said, “that it’s unlikely anyone will try for a kill shot. Based on what happened to Colonel Bowes and the information from our briefing, your adversary is determined to kidnap one or more of you.”
“That’s our opinion as well,” David said.
“We’re prepared to keep that from happening. It helps that you have reduced the size of your party. It makes our job easier.”
They all sat back, relaxed, and watched the scenery change from the city to the countryside.
Fifty minutes later, the SUVs drove through a gated entrance to find a Renaissance castle surrounded by a beautiful English park and flowery garden with geese ambling around.
“That’s some eye candy,” Penny said. “So, Tavis, as long as we’re on the castle grounds, we’re safe, right?”
“Yes, ma’am. And that includes the English park, herb garden, the nature reserve, and its hiking trails. There are also several lakes for swimming and canoeing. Or you can bathe in wood-fired tubs outdoors under starry skies, or do some clay pigeon shooting. We’ll be using drone technology to survey the grounds twenty-four/seven.”
“Impressive,” Penny said.
Tavis pulled a sheet of paper out of his pants pocket and handed it to David. “Here are the matchups for each member of your party and their security detail. Once we arrive, we’ll give you cell phone numbers, RFID devices to wear during the duration of your time in Sweden, plus in-ear communication systems. We’ll be able to track and communicate with you at all times.”
When they walked through the front door of the grand manor house, a pleasant staff greeted them, and the tension that had been riding Penny since they boarded the plane for Sweden went poof.
She whispered to Rick, “Let’s go to our room…and…um…unpack.”
Rick kissed her. “I like where your mind is going.”
After a quick meet and greet, Rick got their keys, met their bodyguards, exchanged phone numbers, picked up their devices, and headed for the stairs.
But before they could escape, Tavis had more instructions.
“The opening ceremony is at seven o’clock tomorrow night. We’ll leave at five-thirty. The first match is at eleven o’clock on Tuesday morning. The players need to be there an hour before the start time, so we’ll leave at nine-thirty. And the boys need their passports for the first check-in to confirm their ages. That’s it. Enjoy your evening.”
Rick and Penny rushed off to their room, and, except for a bath in a wood-fired outdoor tub, they didn’t emerge until it was time to depart for the opening ceremony.
On Tuesday, the boys’ team—the Thoroughbreds—won their match.
On Wednesday, the Thoroughbreds won on a penalty kick.
On Thursday, the Thoroughbreds were playing a Swedish team in the quarterfinals and lost one of their goalies to a red card with ten minutes remaining in regulation. Robbie came in and saved a goal. The Swedish team then scored on a throw-in.
Henry read the field beautifully from the midfield line on the attack that set up the Thoroughbreds’ goal. Henry sailed the ball ahead of his teammate about thirty yards out from the goal, and his teammate was able to capitalize on his speed to bolt up the right side for the score, putting the Thoroughbreds ahead 2-3.
The Swedish team took advantage of wind conditions, and in spite of excellent defending, the match ended in a 3-3 draw, sending the teams into a shoot-out with each side having five shots on goal.
Penny pounded Rick’s thigh with her right hand while thumbing her West Point ring on her left hand. “God, I can’t take this.”
“You’ve been there, haven’t you?” Kenzie said, her voice strained.
“Hell, yes, and it’s even more stressful out on the field. Robbie will fall back on muscle memory. We’ve been working on penalty kicks, but even Olympic-caliber players can fail to save kicks. In this game, we’ve played better in the attack. The other team played better in defense. I believe Robbie’s well-prepared, so let’s see what he can do.”
After three rounds in the shoot-out, Sweden’s striker approached the ball, and in that millisecond before he kicked, Penny could tell from the position of his knee where he intended to shoot…and the shot passed Robbie to score.
She couldn’t watch any more. She covered her face and peeked through her fingers. The Thoroughbreds’ forward approached the ball, and Kenzie squeezed Penny’s knee. The attempt went over Sweden’s net.
Penny groaned. “Nooooooo!”
Robbie asked the ref a question. The ref nodded, and Robbie went around the goal to where he’d left his soccer bag and water bottle near the posts. After changing gloves, he returned to the goal line.
“What was that about?” Rick asked.
“Last-ditch mind game to swing the shoot-out in his team’s favor,” Penny said.
“Where’d he learn that?” David asked.
Penny shrugged. “I have no idea.”
But with the next kick, Sweden beat an outstretched Robbie for the win.
Penny groaned again and covered her face. “Damn. It’s hard as hell to swallow losing in PKs. We practiced that. I missed one just like that in the NCAA finals my senior year. It sucked big time.”
“Robbie’s going to be devastated,” Kenzie said. “He shouldn’t have left his position. He lost focus.”
“I don’t think so. Robbie needed an extra minute to prepare. He shook off his nerves when he changed gloves. Come on. Let’s go meet the team as they come off the field.”
“I can’t go,” Kenzie said. “They’ll be devastated.”
“Yeah, but it’s part of the game,” Penny said.
“Momma Bear, Ranger, and PM can go. The rest, please stay put,” Tavis said into his mic.
Penny, Kenzie, and Churchill were standing next to the fence when the players trudged off the field, their faces gloomy.
“We played a bunch of cowards,” Robbie snapped. “The better team didn’t win that match. You saw us play. You saw our hearts.”
“Yeah,” Henry said. “We left everything on the field.”
“They didn’t press,” Robbie grumbled. “They didn’t want to open the game. They tried to counter with long balls.”
“They’re not going to get any further in this tournament,” Henry said. “Just watch.”
“But they won. The Swedish team is moving on, and we’re going home,” Penny said.
“Yeah, I know,” the twins said in unison. “It still sucks.”
“Where’s Dad?” Robbie asked.
“Sitting in the bleachers. Tavis didn’t want all of us down here. Your dad’s proud of both of you, though. We all are.” Kenzie hugged them. “So what do you want to do? Anything fun?”
Henry pointed his thumb over his shoulder toward the field. “That was supposed to be fun.”
“Let’s do something to take your minds off the loss,” Kenzie said.
“Not possible. It’ll stay right here for a long time,” Robbie said, thumping his chest.
“Probably, but the joy of playing will outlive the pain of losing,” Penny said. “And you guys played great. Losing on PKs sucks. No way around it.”
“That ball had wings, Robbie. Even if you’d both been there, you couldn’t have stopped it. It was a perfect shot,” Churchill said.
“What do you want to do?” Kenzie asked. “You have a free afternoon before we leave for America tonight.”
“Where’re we going? The plantation or the farm?” Robbie asked.
“I don’t know,” Kenzie said.
“Let’s go to the Official Merchandise Store,” Robbie grumbled again.
“Yeah, that’s what we want to do. We need T-shirts for all the kids who couldn’t come on the trip,” Henry said.
“Forget the other kids. I want a sweatshirt,” Robbie said.
“Robert McBain!” Kenzie said.
He rolled his eyes. “I’m just kidding, Momma Bear.”
“You might be kidding, but Churchill doesn’t understand those nuances,” Kenzie said.
“You mean when I say mean things, he doesn’t know I’m joking?”
“Exactly. And you shouldn’t say mean things even if he did understand. You and Henry do it to each other, and I’ve tried to stay out of your bickering, but it’s time to think about how other people react to you and be sensitive to that.”
He slung his soccer backpack over his shoulders. “Okay, Momma Bear, I’ll do my best. Can we go now?”
Kenzie tousled Robbie’s sweaty hair, and he didn’t seem to care, which was unusual for him. “That’s all we can ask.”
She clicked the mic piece to her wireless communicator and said, “This is Momma Bear. Goalie, Sweeper, and PM want to go to the Official Merchandise store here at Gothia Village.”
“Copy that, Momma Bear. We’ll meet you at the gate,” Tavis said.
Penny clicked on her mic while waving to Rick, who was sitting in the stands about thirty feet away. “This is Ranger. I’m going, too. We’ll stay in touch.”
Rick opened his mouth but quickly shut it, then said, “Copy that, babe. Papa Bear, Boot, and I are going to watch the next match. The Scot and the Cajun are going for coffee.”
Penny laughed. “Roger that.”
Churchill came up beside her.
“What do you want to do?” she asked.
He kicked at the ground and looked around. “I’ll do whatever Goalie and Sweeper want to do, but—”
“Churchill, honey, this is your vacation too. What’s on your mind?” Penny asked.
He pointed toward the sidewalk outside the fenced-in soccer fields. “I’ve been watching people ride those scooters, and I’d like to try one. I caught on pretty quick to riding a bicycle. Do you think Tavis would allow it?”
“Probably not, but if he had his way, we wouldn’t even be here at the games.”
Churchill gave her one of his heart-melting smiles.
“Kenzie,” Penny yelled. “Wait.” She and Churchill trotted up to join the McBains. “Churchill and I are going to ride scooters. If you want to catch up with us after you shop, give me a call.”
“Sounds fun. We’ll meet you in about an hour. Taking these guys shopping is an ordeal. It takes them forever to make decisions. They walk up and down each aisle, looking at items and comparing prices, exactly like their father.”
“Seriously?” Penny asked.
“Yeah, I think David still has the first dollar he ever earned. It drives me nuts. That’s why I handle our finances.”
“Ye’re on an open mic, Kenz,” David said. “And ye’re right.”
Kenzie turned toward the stands where the guys were sitting and threw David a kiss.
Churchill dug into his pocket and pulled out a small roll of Swedish kronor. “How much does a T-shirt cost?”
Kenzie studied the bills in his hand. “Oh, maybe one krona. Can you handle that?”
He peeled off a bill. “I can. I worked several jobs before we left the plantation, so I’d have spending money, and Dad traded my dollars for kronor.”
“What jobs did you do?” Penny asked.
“I worked an hour a day in the barn with Uncle Braham. I like working with horses, but mostly I cleaned stalls and straightened up the tack room.”
Penny’s heart went straight to her throat.
Man, what a kid. I want a dozen just like him.
“Is there a special color you want?” Kenzie asked.
“No, ma’am. The bright colors probably cost more, so I’d like a dark one.”
“I’ll see what I can find.” Kenzie squeezed Churchill’s shoulder. “We’ll catch up with you guys later.”
“Come on, Churchill. Let’s go tell Tavis what we want to do.”
Penny watched Kenzie and the boys walk away. The boys were taller than she was, both broad-shouldered, handsome young men—miniature, red-headed David McBains. Churchill was as good looking as the twins but a few inches shorter. Penny chuckled every time she saw the long looks the three boys got from the girls’ soccer teams they passed on the street.
When Penny and Churchill reached the gate, Tavis was there waiting for them. “So you want to ride scooters? he asked.
“I just learned to ride a bike, so I think I can ride one. Am I allowed, sir?”
Tavis smiled. “Well, PM… Will you pay attention to everything I say? Go where I say? And drop and run if necessary?”
“I started as a cabin boy when I was eight. I’ve always listened to officers and obeyed orders.”
Tavis didn’t flinch.
But Penny did, and she had to hold her hands to keep from covering Churchill’s mouth with them.
“What ship allowed an eight-year-old on board?” Tavis asked.
“Captain Nicholas Lockyer of the Sophie.”
“Hmm.” Tavis said, “The HMS Sophie was in service in the early 1800s.”
“That’s right, sir. I served aboard her until the Battle of
New Orleans. That’s when Captain Lafitte—I mean, Penny—found me, and my dad brought me home with him.”
Penny tried to control her racing heart. Why had Churchill, a very intuitive young man, confided in Tavis?
“I learned all about that battle at the Naval Academy,” Tavis said.
“It was a bloody battle, sir. If Penny hadn’t found me in a tree, I don’t know what would have happened to me.”
“Well, I’m glad she did.”
Was Tavis just playing along? Did he think Churchill was making it all up? He acted like he believed Churchill, but who would believe such a crazy story? As long as Tavis didn’t hurt Churchill’s feelings, she didn’t care.
Penny studied Tavis’s chiseled face and remembered there was something about him that had bothered her since she first met him. A light bulb went off in her head with a pop. “You’re Tavis Stuart. Mark’s younger brother. Why didn’t you mention it?”
He had the grace to blush. “I knew you were in the same class at West Point, but I didn’t know if you knew each other. I didn’t mention it to him, either. We can’t talk about our jobs.”
She gazed into Tavis’s warm blue eyes. “You look so much like him. Same eyes. Same smile. So how is he? I haven’t seen him since we graduated.”
“He’s good. He did two tours in Afghanistan, then went to work at the Pentagon. He’s married to a great gal, two kids, a home in the burbs.”
She wasn’t sure what to say next. So she went with, “When you see Mark, tell him I said hello.” She didn’t know why, but she added, “We were crazy about each other back then, but it didn’t work out.”
“He mentioned once that he was dating a girl in his class, but nothing more.”
She had shared the rape with Mark shortly after it happened, thinking he would support her and help her decide how to cope with it, but he withdrew from the relationship. He was afraid of the ramifications if she reported it. He’d let her down, and the disappointment was almost as devastating as the rape.
Churchill stepped between them. “So, can we ride scooters or not?”
The Topaz Brooch: Time Travel Romance (The Celtic Brooch Book 10) Page 84