Forever Thrown: Forever Bluegrass #16

by Kathleen Brooks

  “Your time will come, Pam,” her sister, Morgan Davies, said soothingly, coming over to hug her too. Pam nodded her head slowly and sat back down in her chair.

  “Kale and Brian have all their phones and passwords. Each assassin is being interrogated right now and we’ll hopefully have some news soon,” his father told him as he joined Porter over by Pam.

  Porter’s phone rang and he looked at the unlisted number. He flashed it to his father. “Put it on speaker,” his dad said before quieting the café.

  “Who is this?” Porter asked instead of saying the customary greeting.

  “Birch Stratton, President of the United States.”

  “Prove it,” Porter said, not believing the president was on the phone.

  “Abby Davies gave me your number. She’s currently interrogating some Russian assassin with Dylan and her father, Ahmed,” the person claiming to be the president told Porter.

  “Yeah, I’m going to need more than that. You could be a Russian trying to get them free,” Porter said.

  “The last time my wife and I were in Keeneston was for Ariana’s wedding and I found a pair of panties in my limo that didn’t belong to my wife,” he said flatly.

  “Ah, the panty dropper struck again. What can I do for you, Mr. President?” Porter asked.

  “I’m sending three people to help Kale and Brian Aldridge to try to track down The Panther. You’ll know one of them. Don’t bother asking about the identities of the other two. I’m also authorizing you to do whatever is necessary to apprehend The Panther. He or she has been selling government and corporate secrets for too long. Abby and Dylan have my number . . .”

  “I do too, Porter,” his grandmother called out. “Hello, Birch dear.”

  “Hello, Mrs. Davies. The pie this month was the best yet.”

  Yup, definitely the real president. Porter’s grandmother was known for sending out pies once a month to all her friends and family who didn’t live in Keeneston.

  “My reinforcements will arrive soon at the airport. I’d appreciate it if you could take a security team and pick them up. They’ll be staying at Desert Sun Farm,” the president instructed.

  “How will I know who to pick up?” Porter asked.

  “Private airfield. You won’t miss them. Good luck at capturing The Panther. Goodbye, Mrs. Davies. We’ll talk soon,” the president called out to Porter’s grandmother. Then the line went dead.

  Porter still couldn’t believe the president had just called his phone. However, it shouldn’t shock him with who lived in Keeneston. Royalty. Spies. America’s Sweetheart. Horse racing champions.

  “I’ll go with you,” Greer said as the room went into a full debate over who the president was sending to help. “Jackson and Talon are at your house keeping an eye on Willa. Lucas is with Tilly back at the apartment.”

  “Okay, then. Let’s go pick up our mystery guests.” Porter turned to the café crowd. “Thank you all for keeping us safe. I really appreciate all you’ve done.”

  Pam sniffled again. The others smiled as if it had been a fun Friday night.

  “Best date night in a long time,” Nash called out as Porter headed out of the café.

  Porter and Greer sat in the pickup truck and waited for their mystery guests to arrive. Porter kept his eyes roving the night sky as they talked.

  “I think I’m going to take a leave of absence from the FBI and work with Abby and Dylan for a couple of months. I might even ask Aiden if I could work private security for a short trial period. I want to see what my options are before I make my decision regarding going into the FBI leadership,” Greer told him.

  “Sounds like a good idea. I’m sure there are lots of private options for someone with your experience,” Porter said. “There’s our plane.”

  Porter watched as a sleek private jet landed on the runway and taxied toward them. The plane was nicer than Mo’s and that was saying a lot since he was a prince of a very wealthy island nation.

  The plane came to a stop and the door opened. Porter and Greer got out of the truck and walked forward quietly. Greer was fully armed even if you couldn’t tell. Her eyes were less on the plane and more on scanning the surrounding area.

  A woman was the first one off the plane. She looked to be in her mid- to late-twenties. Her brunette hair was in two buns that looked like little ears on the top of her head. Her brown eyes were lined with dark eyeliner and she had more than a few piercings on her ears.

  Next out was a man about Porter’s age. He had wide shoulders but was still lanky-looking. His shaggy dark brown hair hung over his eyes and his slightly darker Latin skin made the woman’s alabaster skin seem to glow.

  “Dude, this is Kentucky? Are there horses? I’ve never ridden a horse,” the man said to Porter with a floppy smile.

  “Yes, this is Kentucky. I’m Porter Davies and this is Greer Parker,” Porter said trying to take in the exuberant man.

  “I’m Alex and this is my wife, Roxie,” the man said with a big grin as he held out his hand.

  “Luv, you weren’t supposed to tell them who we are,” Roxie said to her husband with a very London accent.

  “Dude, they’re friends with Abby and Dylan.” Alex shrugged it off as if it were no big deal.

  “We’re Dylan’s cousins,” Greer supplied as she shook hands with Alex and then Roxie. “Great T-shirt.”

  Porter looked at the shirt. It was black with Byte Me written in white block letters. Porter snickered and looked to Greer. “I think Kale has some friends.”

  “You know Kale too? Dude!” Alex said, slapping Porter’s shoulder.

  “I’ve told you before,” a tall man in an expertly fitted suit said from the door to the plane. “Keeneston is so small they know everyone.”

  Porter had seen the man before at Abby’s wedding and then again more recently at Ariana’s. Sebastian Abel was hard to forget. He was best friends with the president and carried a gigantic chip on his shoulder. From what Porter had heard about Sebastian, he had been a kid from the bad side of town who happened to be a computer genius. He started out in the tech industry with SA Tech and then branched out to form a massive conglomerate. He was a self-made billionaire before he turned forty. Then there was the fact he’d been Abby’s semi-date before she and Dylan finally committed to each other. However, in a strange twist, the three of them turned out to be great friends.

  Sebastian held out his hand to Porter after joining them at the base of the stairs. “Sebastian Abel.”

  Sebastian was an inch taller than Porter and his handshake was firm. “Porter Davies.”

  Sebastian turned his hard gray-eyed gaze to Greer. “Miss Parker,” he said, giving Greer a slight bow of his head. “I hear you’re joining Abby and Dylan for a couple of months.”

  “Dude!” Alex exclaimed with delight and even Roxie smiled at that.

  “I’m thinking about it,” Greer said, not giving away the surprise Porter was sure she felt. The town knew Abby and Dylan did some black ops type things, but now it appeared there were more people on the team who had previously been unknown. Jackson had met a couple of the team members and then Ariana had met two others. Sebastian, Alex, and Roxie appeared to round out the group.

  Sebastian took Greer in from the tip of her head to the bottom of her boots, but didn’t say anything. Then he looked up and his eyes landed on the pickup truck. “Is this our ride?”

  “Yeah,” Porter said, taking Sebastian’s suitcase in one hand and Roxie’s in the other.

  “I call shotgun. I get sick riding in the back. It’s bad, dude. Around the city is one thing, but I saw Keeneston is in the country and, dude, I don’t want to hurl,” Alex said, putting his luggage in the back of the truck and then leaping up into the front passenger seat.

  Porter almost laughed at the look of disbelief on the billionaire’s face when he realized he was going to be riding in the backseat of the truck since Roxie was already climbing in to take the seat behind her husband.

 
“After you,” Greer said sweetly and Porter had to cough to smother his laugh.

  “Oh no, after you,” Sebastian said, laying on the manners.

  Greer pulled a rifle from the floor of the truck and smiled. “I have to keep your ass safe. Get in the truck, Sebastian.”

  Sebastian’s smile fell as he grumbled and got into the middle seat of the truck. He seemed to take up most of the backseat and Greer had to wedge herself into what space was available.

  “Let’s go, Porter,” she called out when she was in position.

  The ride back to Keeneston was interesting as Alex said dude twenty-three times and Roxie asked questions about Keeneston.

  “I’m in the main house,” Sebastian finally said when Porter drove up the long drive of Desert Sun Farm.

  Porter dropped Sebastian with Dani and Mo and then took Alex and Roxie to where Kale and Brian were still working at the security center. The door to the security building opened and Kale came out with a huge smile. “Dude!”

  “Dude!”

  “I am so sorry,” Roxie whispered to them. “Dudenese is contagious. Thanks for the lift.”

  “This was a very interesting night,” Greer said with a chuckle as they got back into his pickup.

  “I don’t think Sebastian likes you very much,” Porter joked.

  “I’m crushed. I don’t know how I’ll manage to carry on,” Greer said sarcastically.

  Porter laughed as they left Desert Sun Farm. Now if these tech geniuses could track down The Panther before he or Willa were killed, he’d say dude as much as Alex wanted.

  28

  Willa had a big smile on her face and patted Apollo on the neck as they walked from the ring. He’d sailed over his jumps today and Willa knew their names would be at the top of the individual scoreboard going into the individual championship the day after tomorrow.

  Porter was beaming at her and Greer was jumping up and down as she dismounted outside the ring. “You were breathtaking to watch,” Porter told her before kissing her.

  She’d slept so soundly last night and when she had woken up Porter had been holding her in his arms. It had been the perfect, peaceful night she’d needed. They’d wrapped up the team competition and she kept her fingers crossed for the results. Tilly still had to jump, but right now they had a real shot at second place in teams.

  “I just needed one uneventful night of sleep,” Willa joked, but she stopped laughing when Porter’s smile fell.

  “About that,” Porter said as Greer shook her head and hid a smile.

  “Don’t be too mad at him,” Greer said to her as she took Apollo and gave his cheek a friendly scratch.

  “Mad about what?” Willa asked as they began to walk back to the barn.

  “So, about last night . . .”

  Willa’s mouth opened, then her jaw dropped, and somehow managed to drop again by the end of the story. “I slept through all of that?”

  “I knew today was a big day for you. Should I have woken you?” Porter asked.

  Willa stopped and thought about it. She wouldn’t have been able to do anything but worry. “I guess not. I know the good night’s sleep is what allowed me to be on today. So I guess, thank you?”

  “I’ll take it. Now, want to watch Tilly and then see how your father is doing on the case?”

  “Yes. I hope this is over soon. I’d really like to get back to my old life without fear of being kidnapped.”

  Willa didn’t think about what she’d said until Porter frowned. “Yeah, I bet you’re missing Florida.”

  Willa stopped and grabbed his arm. “Oh, Porter. I don’t know why we haven’t talked about this, but I’m not going back to Florida. Well, I am, but not for forever.”

  Porter’s brow creased and Greer hurried off with Apollo to give them privacy. “If we can catch The Panther and continue our contract with the government, the team I’ll be leading will be headquartered here in Lexington. So, yes, I’ll go back to Florida, but only to pack.”

  Suddenly Porter grabbed her up in a hug and twirled her around. “Are you serious? You’re staying in Lexington?”

  Willa cupped his face with her hands and kissed him. The joy she saw in his eyes was contagious. “Yes. If we can catch The Panther and can safely continue our contract. I even found a place to live, but it’s nowhere near being completed so I may have to stay with you for a while.”

  “I hope it’s never completed. I’d love for you to live with me. Let’s get to Keeneston and do whatever we can to catch the son of a bitch,” Porter said, full of determination.

  Willa laughed as Porter put her down, placed her hand in his, and ran for the barn.

  Less than an hour later they were pulling up to the security complex at Desert Sun Farm. “So, this is like a consulate?”

  “It’s considered Rahmi land and the US government can’t operate here unless invited,” Greer answered Willa’s question. She’d spent time as Ariana’s bodyguard and knew all the legal ins and outs of diplomats.

  “That explains all of the armed soldiers,” Willa said as she looked around.

  “Dani and Mo are on high alert with your father here and our guests from last night. It wouldn’t look good if anything happened to your father and the president’s crew while they were guests of theirs,” Greer said bluntly before pressing the button on the door and looking up at the camera. She gave it a little wave and the door buzzed open.

  Willa followed Porter and Greer down a hall into a cavernous computer room. There were more people in there than she’d thought. Not only were her father and Kale there, but so were Nash and someone who looked like an older version of him. Then there was Ahmed, a drop-dead sinfully sexy older man, a girl who looked like a rocker, and a shaggy-headed younger man.

  “Willa!” Her father was the first to see her. He jumped up and had that same smile on his face that she saw every time she walked into a room.

  “Hi, Dad.” Willa hugged her father and wondered how much longer they could go on like this. Her father may be smiling at her, but there were dark circles under his eyes and he looked very pale.

  “How did today’s competition go?”

  “Great. Apollo was really on. Our team finished second and I’m in the top three for the individual championship day after tomorrow,” she told her father.

  “That’s wonderful, honey. I knew you could do it. Rest up tomorrow and then knock ’em dead.”

  Willa looked around the room and at the giant television screens on the walls that people were looking at. “How are things going here, Dad?”

  “We have a good team. Come meet everyone,” Her father turned to the room. “You know Kale, Nash, and Ahmed. This gentleman is Nabi. He’s the current head of security for their highnesses.”

  “Miss Aldridge,” Nabi said with a bow of his head. He looked to be between Nash and Ahmed in age.

  “And this is Alex and his wife, Roxie,” her father said, indicating the shaggy-haired man and the rocker chick.

  “Dude,” Alex said with a welcoming grin that reminded her of a happy puppy.

  Roxie smiled kindly and then they went back to work. Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome stood up and held out his hand. “Sebastian Abel.”

  “SA Tech,” Willa said, shaking his hand. “What are you doing here?”

  “A favor,” Sebastian said before sitting back down behind a computer.

  “And here I thought you were just some billionaire who sold and bought companies,” Greer said to him with a little smirk. The look Sebastian gave her made Willa take a step back but just made Greer’s smirk grow.

  “I made SA Tech myself. The tech part usually means I’m good with computers, Miss Parker,” Sebastian said coolly.

  “Did they have computers back then?” Greer asked with faux curiosity.

  Willa took another step back. Sebastian didn’t seem like a man to tease.

  “You do realize you’re only ten years younger than I am, right? I’m just a year older than your brother, Ryan.” Seb
astian asked.

  A twinkle lit in Greer’s eye as the smirk turned into a smug smile. “You’ve been checking me out, Mr. Abel?”

  “I check out everyone I have to deal with, Miss Parker.”

  “So does Ahmed. I wonder which of you gets a more in-depth background check? Should we whip them out and measure them? You know, for length. Of the reports that is.” Greer said, mimicking Sebastian’s dismissive tone.

  “Sure. Ask him to pull out the stone tablets he has to use and we can compare background checks,” Sebastian said dryly.

  Greer burst out laughing and Ahmed narrowed his eyes. “You have a sense of humor, Bash.”

  “No one calls me Bash. It’s Sebastian.”

  “That’s not true. Abby refers to you as Bashy,” Greer taunted. “Would you prefer Bashy?”

  “Now who is checking up on whom?” Sebastian said with a dangerous smirk that Willa had to admit made danger look really good.

  “I got it!” Kale yelled suddenly.

  All teasing stopped. Everyone looked to where Kale sat. He wasn’t saying anything else. Instead, all his focus was on the computer.

  “Put it on the screen,” Brian told Kale, and all the television screens turned into one giant computer monitor. “Jackpot!”

  Willa was suddenly looking at a roster of stolen goods, auction prices, and who bought them.

  “That son of a bitch,” her father cursed. “I knew Oliver had stolen the coding for our last program. He sold it to The Panther who auctioned it off and our competitor bought it,” he said of one of their lead coders.

  “Could he be the one who told The Panther about the skeleton key?” Willa asked as her father was already at work on his computer. One of the screens turned to mirror her father’s computer.

  “There!” her father said. “A fifty thousand dollar deposit one day before that man showed up in Florida harassing you.”

  “We’ll take care of it,” Sebastian said as he picked up his phone and sent a message. A second later he set his phone down. “Oliver will be picked up and taken to a black site for interrogation in less than four hours.”