by Laura Acton
Dan ignored the constable who made his life miserable years ago. He believed this kid and wanted him to live. “Clayton, I believe you.”
Jon breathed a sigh of relief when the weapon lowered again.
“You do? Wait, no, this is a trick. You’re a cop … you’ll side with him. Dad says no cop ever breaks the blue wall of silence.” Clayton shook his head.
“I did. And your father knows it. He called me ratfink because that is what he thinks I am. I put bad cops away before, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
Clayton took a step back from his dad. “Why do you believe me?”
Knowing his teammates covered him, Dan focused on Clayton. “My best friend, a man I considered a brother, went through something similar.”
Recovering from his shock, Nick cautioned, “Dan, first rule, don’t lie.”
Dan acknowledged Boss with a slight nod. “Brody’s father … he was a judge. No one believed him capable of abusing his child and wife. Nobody questioned the veracity of his word until the night he almost killed Brody and murdered his wife when she defended her nine-year-old boy. His father went to jail. So yeah, I believe you. People aren’t always the same in private as who they pretend to be in the world. If you give me the gun, I’ll do everything in my power to help you and your mother out of this situation.”
Struggling whether or not to believe the cop speaking to him, Clayton turned to gaze at the man who made his life hell.
“Want to know something else?” Dan asked to regain the youth’s attention.
“What?” Clayton’s eyes shifted back to Dan.
“Your mom’s name is Graciela … Brody’s mother’s name was Grace. Interesting coincidence, huh? I bet you love your mother as much as Brody did his, and you would do anything to protect her, and she, you.”
Clayton nodded. “Yeah, and I am protecting her. If he dies, he can’t hurt her … us anymore.”
Dan took a steadying breath. “We have protocols you need to be aware of, Clayton. Since you are the one holding the weapon, there is a sniper targeting you. My teammate, Jon. He doesn’t want to shoot you, but he will if you aim the handgun at your father. Please … for your mom, for you, for me, and for Jon, won’t you hand me the pistol?”
Tears streamed down Clayton’s cheeks. He wanted to trust, but he was talking to a cop.
In a soft tone, Nick guided Dan, “You are close, but he is still wary. Give him something to latch on to … a reason to put his faith in you.”
Glad for the advice, Dan thought a moment then said, “Clayton, trusting others is hard, especially when you’ve been hurt. It’s difficult to depend on a stranger when you are unsure who is friend or foe. When I was about your age, I ran away from home. I hitched a ride in the back of a truck in Ottawa and ended up in Toronto. I was scared and alone, but one man extended a hand of friendship and showed concern for me. He changed my life.”
“How?” Clayton wiped his eyes.
“He could’ve taken me to child services and dumped me off, but he took the time to talk with me and drove me to someone who I trusted, ensuring I was someplace safe. That night, Constable Fargusson followed the police motto … to serve and protect … and he is one of the reasons I became a cop.”
The name rang a bell with Nick. Small world? Wonder if the Mr. Fargusson I spoke with when Dan disappeared is related.
Dan took another little step towards the distraught youth and held out his hand in friendship. “Please, let me pay it forward and take you someplace you will be safe … allow me to help you as someone once helped me.”
Clayton studied the blue eyes, still uncertain, but so weary … he didn’t want to die because then no one would care about his mom. He took a chance. “Alright.” He dropped the gun and reached for Dan’s hand as a sob eked out.
Opening his arms, Dan prepared to embrace the boy.
Conrad lunged and grasped his gun, his finger finding the trigger. Turning, he lifted the weapon intent on killing his son and the turncoat with one shot.
A single report sounded.
Pride, Regrets, and Apologies
65
June 29
TRF HQ – Briefing Room – 12:05 p.m.
Brody hovered behind Dan, glowing brightly with a beaming grin as he patted Danny’s shoulders. Bursting at the seams with pride for his brother, he peered at Janie. “He did it … he saved the boy. His negotiating skills are improving.” A lilting laugh to Brody’s right made him turn his head, and if possible, his smile grew ten-fold. “Mom.”
Louise hugged her son. “I’m so proud of you too. If not for you, Danny wouldn’t have been able to make a connection. The pain we endured and the link you two established in life will help an untold number of souls.”
Floating near Loki, Leonardo viewed mother and son interacting, wishing he could’ve spent time on earth with his son Dante … but appreciated Donata and Dante shared as close a relationship as Brody and Louise. His attention turned as Jon strode into the room where the team gathered waiting for his return from NRB before debriefing.
Nick peered up from the transcript. “How’d NRB go?”
“No issues. The cameras on the roof substantiated I had no option except to take lethal action against a fellow officer and former hostage who became the aggressor.” Jon took his seat and focused on Dan. “How’s the boy?”
“Shaken, relieved, messed up. Not easy to cope with plotting your father’s death, only to witness him die while he attempts to murder you after you’re no longer a threat.” Dan exhaled and shifted his eyes to the windows.
“I recommended intensive counseling, not jail for Clayton, and the prosecutor agrees,” Nick shared.
Dan nodded then decided to broach the topic he believed would result in a reaming from both Boss and Jon. “I shouldn’t have usurped the negotiations by dropping the shield. Not my finest decision.”
Expecting Jon to rip into Dan like he did the day before Dan took vacation, Kinsey hid her unprofessional smirk. He deserves to be told off for disobeying.
“But you made the link,” Bram defended, hoping to head off Jon’s ire before it took root. Though he considered Dan’s action to be quite risky.
Jon surprised all, though none appeared more shocked than Kinsey when he didn’t rant at Dan. “I agree, not your smartest move, but Boss should’ve listened when you said you could connect, and I had your six covered.”
Nick’s brows arched about being taken to task, his pride taking a small hit, but nodded in agreement. “I’m sorry, yes, I should have listened.”
“We can add troubled teenage boys to Dan’s negotiables list … in addition to soldiers.” Ray’s placid demeanor hid the fact Dan scared the crap out of him when he made himself wide open to Clayton. He glanced at Loki, noting an unsettled expression. “You got something to say?”
His knee bouncing, Loki peered at Ray a long moment as everyone turned to stare at him. He debated whether or not to share what was on his mind, but shifted his gaze to Dan. “You lied to the subject.”
“What? When? I didn’t.” Dan sputtered out as he faced Loki.
“You said Brody’s mother’s name was Grace … it isn’t.”
“And how would you know?” Dan challenged.
The pink flush of embarrassment touched Loki’s cheeks as he revealed, “I did a search on Brody after you told us about him. The obituary listed his predeceased mom’s name as Louise.”
Dan shook his head. The techie uses his skills to try to understand others when he should ask questions. But Dan realized he was not the most forthcoming person, so didn’t judge Loki for doing something he believed would help forge a stronger friendship. “Guess you didn’t dig deep enough.”
Bewildered, Loki scrunched his face. “I did … but it is hard to find stuff about you Special Forces soldiers online …” Loki trailed off as Dan chuckled and he noted the amused expressions on Jon and Bram too. “What?”
Bram, who like Jon, visited Brody’s grave with Dan
, which happened to be beside Brody’s mom’s, supplied the answer. “Louise Grace Hunter.”
“A middle name?” Loki sagged. “Sheesh, I am slipping. Sorry, Dan.”
“No worries. It only popped into my head as a way to link with him … so no fabrication since I never said Grace was her first name.” Dan relaxed, surprised neither boss laid into him about his action on the roof.
Tia popped her head in and smiled. “Dan, several members of your fan club are here and want to say hi … especially one lovely sprite.”
Dan glanced at Boss, seeking permission to find out who stopped by.
“Send them in,” Nick said as he winked at Bram.
Kinsey crossed her arms. This should be interesting. What kinds of bimbos follow him around and come to visit him at work? How unprofessional!
A whirlwind of energy spun through the room creating a draft which sent the few loose papers on the table flying. Dan was assaulted by not one, not two, but three little girls all squealing “Uncle Dan,” as Allie, Emilie, and the usually more reserved Leslie jumped all over him.
At a more sedate pace, Kellie appeared at the entrance holding Sharlie, until the little one squirmed so much she set her down and her youngest daughter toddled over to her sisters and honorary uncle.
Mrs. Baldovino shuffled up behind Kellie, carrying her signature green and orange bags. Proud to use her English, Donata said, “Who is hungry?”
Kinsey gaped at Dan as Bram’s daughters crawled over him, each one attempting to garner his attention. This is not what I expected. Not at all. A smile, a real one, grew as she observed Dan’s infectious grin as he gave each girl a hug and kiss and somehow settled all four on his lap. Perhaps I misjudged him … maybe his teammate being shot affected him more than the others. Her lightbulb went on again. He viewed me as a threat to her position.
The guys eagerly helped Mrs. B. with setting out the lunch she brought for the entire team. Though enough chairs existed for everyone, Allie refused to leave Uncle Dan’s lap, and to everyone in the room, it appeared he was perfectly happy to have her remain in place … even when Allie dropped a huge blob of spaghetti sauce on his pants and garlic butter transferred from her hands to his sleeves.
Enjoying the lighthearted conversation, and catching up on all the girls’ goings-on for two months, Dan barely had to say a word, which was fine by him because he savored the delicious food and camaraderie with the people in this room. Being home again filled him with joy … though one person was still absent. Today would be perfect if Lexa was here and not Kinsey.
The thought brought Dan down a bit for two reasons … he missed Lexa, and he needed to find a way to make things right with Kinsey. She is a decent officer, and I didn’t treat her with respect. A sticky hand on his cheek drew him out of his ruminations.
“Uncle Dan, are you gonna come to the summer picnic?” Allie asked as she turned his face to her with hands covered in cream from the cannoli she just finished.
“Sure. When and where?” Grabbing a napkin, he wiped his face and then captured Allie’s hands to clean them too.
“At the lake,” she turned to her father, “Daddy, when?”
“Two weeks, sweetie.” Bram chuckled at how much food Allie dropped in his teammate’s lap. “Dan, I do believe you need to change uniforms. Sorry.”
Dan’s grimace was perceived by all to be related to the mess Allie made of him, and he let it persist, though in reality, the thought of a picnic by a lake didn’t appeal to him in the least. “Yeah, guess so.”
Setting Allie down, he kissed her forehead and rose. “I’ll go change now, so I’m prepared if a hot call comes in. Mrs. B., thanks for a wonderful lunch.”
Loki beamed and quipped, “Just roll up your uniform and put it in the fridge, you’ll have enough for supper.”
Dan picked up a freshly baked roll, ready to toss it at the techie, but Ray snagged it and said, “Hey, no wasting these,” and took a huge bite. Donata’s bread was to die for and should never be used as ammo.
Kellie rose to help clean up, happy Bram suggested she bring the girls by for lunch to visit Dan and that Loki had already arranged for his mother to provide the feast. She loved this entire team and thanked God they took care of one another because her beloved husband was safe in their hands and she worried less about him coming home each day with them protecting him.
She reached out for Dan’s arm as he strolled past her. “I expect you for dinner on Friday night. No ifs, ands, or buts. Okay?”
A WOW grin brightened Dan’s face, lighting his eyes. “Yes, ma’am.” He saluted, but then gave her a brief hug, making sure not to transfer the sauce on to her blouse. “Thanks, Kellie. I’ll be there.”
Kellie watched him for a moment as he strode for the lockers. He appeared happy and healthy … two things which made her heart joyful. She returned to helping clear away the mess.
TRF HQ – Men’s Locker Room – 1:15 p.m.
Dan sat on the bench, retying his boot laces after a quick change and contemplating how he might repair things with Kinsey when Colton appeared and leaned on the closed lockers in front of him. “Welcome back, Dan.”
“Thanks,” he responded in a distracted voice.
Though not as perceptive as Nick, Colton noted Dan’s tone sounded off. “What’s up? Something bothering you?”
“Nah, only thinking.”
Grinning, Colton teased Dan even after Jon’s remarks yesterday. “Thinking about joining Charlie Team? The spot is still open if you want to transfer.”
Peering up at Colton, a solution to his problem popped into his head. “About that.”
Whoa, he’s considering my offer? What changed? Jon will be pissed at me for stealing Dan away, but oh it would be great to have him as part of my team. Mixed emotions ran through Colton, and his grin dimmed. “Yeah?”
Dan stood and buttoned up his shirt. “There’s someone who would be perfect for your team. If you can hold off filling your spot until Lexa returns, I think you should consider Kinsey Peltora. She is TRF material … intelligent, can shoot better than most, and is a team player.”
Damn not what I hoped for but … Kinsey, yeah, … might be a decent match for the team. Jon praised her skills, and now Dan too … opinions which hold weight. She is worth considering. Colton asked, “When is Lexa due back?”
“Not exactly sure. A couple of weeks, but knowing her tenacious drive, she’ll return before everyone expects and,” Dan leaned close, grinned, and whispered, “she might even break my course records.”
Colton laughed. “If she breaks that rope climb record then I’m gonna be trying to steal her from Alpha.”
Tucking in the shirt, Dan chuckled. “Never happen.”
“Yeah, … and Jon would snipe my ass if I ever successfully lured any of you away.”
The klaxon alarm sounded, and Tia’s voice came over the loudspeaker, “Alpha Team critical call. Shots fired Walsh’s Beauty Supply, one subject, and two hostages.”
“Gotta go, Colton. Think about it. Kinsey’s too good of an officer for TRF to lose once Lexa’s back.” Dan raced out to gear up with his team.
TRF HQ – Briefing Room – 3:20 p.m.
Debrief had been short and sweet for one of the weirdest calls they ever encountered. The subject turned out to be an upset customer who went off the deep end when the manager of the shop refused to refund money for a home bleaching kit gone wrong. The woman’s fried hair broke off in clumps and fell to the floor while Kinsey negotiated. After Kinsey talked the owner into refunding the eight dollars and fifty-three cents for the product, their subject readily put down the gun, and they took her into custody.
On the way back to headquarters Loki joked the woman wouldn’t like her mug shots because she was obviously having a bad hair day. Bram teased Dan by bringing up the time his hair ended up dyed pink when he fell into the vat at Shadeforce Textiles. A plethora of hair and bald jokes ensued, putting everyone in a jovial mood. After debrief ended the team scatter
ed to take care of inventory, weapon and tech maintenance, and paperwork.
TRF HQ – Roof – 5:00 p.m.
After finishing inventory with Ray and Bram, Dan helped Loki with Lucille. Loki also handed him his cell phone, which luckily, survived the fall. He grinned when he found it contained forty plus voicemails from his team. Most left by the techie who called every few days to say hi and tell him he missed him.
Loki’s thoughtfulness brought forth guilt for his treatment of Kinsey. Once done in the tech room, he went to the range, but shooting didn’t calm him, so he jogged upstairs, needing to be alone in the place where he could think.
Reaching the top of the stairs, Dan opened the door. Though he put the bug in Colton’s ear before the hot call, he had not seen him since to find out if he would consider Kinsey. If Colton selected her for Charlie Team, it would go a long way in making amends.
He didn’t like himself for how he acted towards her, and regardless of whether Kinsey got the position, he still owed her an apology. He came to the roof to figure out the right words since ‘Sorry I can be a royal ass sometimes’ didn’t seem to cut it. He strode around to his favorite location and stopped short when he spotted Kinsey.
“Uh hi, Kinsey. Sorry didn’t realize anyone was up here. I, uh, um, I’ll just go,” Dan stuttered out not having gotten his thoughts together yet.
With her back still to Dan, Kinsey wiped at her eyes before she said in a slightly unsteady voice, “No, you don’t need to go. I want to talk with you.”
Dan noted her hand movements and the quality of her voice. Crap, is she crying? What am I going to do? Did I cause this? Tentatively, he said, “Kinsey, are you okay?” Her head nodded, but she didn’t speak.
Swallowing his pride, Dan said, “I um, needed to speak to you too. I wanted to say I’m sorry for my behavior. I was rude and unwelcoming, and I’m truly sorry. My comportment and actions were unprofessional.” Dan surprised himself with the words he chose. He stood silent waiting for a response. Unsure what else to say, he opened his mouth to repeat himself.
