by Margaret Kay
“Hey, step over here with me for a minute,” Gary said, pointing towards the far end of the field.
“We’ve got a good spot here,” Allen argued.
“It’s important,” Sloan pushed, his facial expression serious.
“Okay,” Allen agreed, exchanging a worried glance with Leslie.
“Leslie too,” Sloan added when only Allen began to step away from the fence.
Leslie turned to the couple next to them, also wearing the dark blue Hornets team sweatshirts. “Sue, can you keep an eye on the girls for a few minutes?”
“Sure,” the woman replied.
“Girls stay with Mr. and Mrs. Davis for a few minutes. I won’t be long.”
Then Leslie followed Gary and Allen towards the far end of the fence past where the bleachers ended, and no one stood. Neither Allen nor Leslie noticed the brunette who followed them.
“What’s this about?” Allen questioned, when Sloan stopped.
“I need you both to keep quiet with anything you may say and keep neutral expressions on your faces.” He motioned to Kennedy to join him.
She came up beside him and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “Hello Allen and Leslie,” she said. “This makes me recall a line from some movie that goes something like, the news of my death was premature.”
They both looked confused. “Kennedy?” Leslie whispered.
“Yes,” Sloan said with a wide smile. “I knew the body on your prep table wasn’t her when I saw her. My team made finding her and solving the murder our mission, that’s why I had to go as fast as I did.”
“Oh, my God,” Leslie said. She reached out and hugged Kennedy. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you.”
“I don’t understand,” Allen said. “Then who was that girl who looked just like her that we buried?”
“My twin sister. It turns out I was adopted, and I had a twin I didn’t know about. We met in L.A. and became best friends. Her name was Melody.”
“You were adopted?” Leslie asked. “I never knew.”
“Neither did I until Gary and his team told me.”
“Do your parents know you're still alive?” Leslie asked.
“Yes, we just left them,” Gary answered. “It’s important that no one else knows she’s alive though. She is a material witness in a federal case, that’s why Melody was killed. They thought she was Kennedy, which is how it must stay. The world has to believe that Kennedy Bristow is dead.”
“Then why are you telling us?” Allen asked.
“Because we’re back together. Her new identity is with me, in Chicago. And, you’re my family. I came to watch AJ’s game like I promised I’d try to. I hope to make it for more things. I want to see you and the kids on holidays. And she and I are a package deal.”
“I’m going by Kaylee now,” she said. “As far as anyone is concerned, I’m just Gary’s new girlfriend, Kaylee Cole.”
Allen embraced her. “It’s nice to meet you Kaylee, welcome to the family.”
“I’d never have recognized you. I love the red hair on you,” Leslie said smiling. “I considered you my sister-in-law back then before you and Gary broke up. It’s nice to have you back. I missed you.”
Kaylee smiled. “I have so many great memories of dinners at your house, babysitting the boys with Gary, just everything involving your family. I hope to have many more of those times.”
“Speaking of which,” Allen said. “We should get back and watch the game. AJ will be thrilled to see you, Gary.”
“So, all introductions, Kaylee,” Sloan reminded them.
Leslie wrapped her arm around Kaylee and led the way back to their spot at the fence. Kaylee was introduced to Sloan’s two young nieces. She greeted them with hugs. AJ was on the field and just made a touchdown. The school’s marching band, seated together in the stands, played the drum-heavy school song that they had always played at every touchdown.
“Wow, they still do that,” Sloan said with a smile.
He glanced around the stands and the field. Except for the unknown faces, nothing had changed. He remembered the excitement he’d felt for four years playing football here. The last few years, Kennedy and her friends stood along this fence, cheering him on.
The last time he was back had been the fall before he joined the Navy, when he had asked Kennedy to marry him during the Homecoming game. So many good memories were associated with this field. He’d worked hard and learned the value of being a part of a team here, something that served him well when he joined the Navy.
“Yeah, nothing has changed,” Allen confirmed.
AJ made eye contact with Sloan. A big smile spread on his face. Sloan saw him step over to and talk with the coaches. He pointed to them and Sloan saw the coach nod yes. AJ came running over. With the chest-high fence between them, AJ engulfed Sloan in a fierce hug.
“Uncle Gary! You came!”
Sloan released him from the embrace. “I told you I would. Great play!”
“Thanks,” AJ said with a broad smile. “Will you be here after the game? Me and some guys were going to go out for pizza. Can you come? A few of my friends are also thinking of joining the military. They’d like to meet you. Can you talk to them?”
“Sure,” Sloan said. “But you haven’t told anyone what I do now, have you?”
“No, sir,” AJ replied. “Just that you’d been a Navy SEAL. That was okay, wasn’t it?”
Sloan nodded. “Yes, that part was fine.”
“I better get back,” AJ said, pointing to the players standing on the sidelines. The defense was still on the field.
Sloan watched him jog back over. He joined a group of guys, and two seconds later they all turned to look his way. Evidently, AJ had told his friends about his uncle, the Navy SEAL, and just shared that he was there. This kind of thing would make AJ one of the coolest kids for the night. Sloan had to chuckle at that thought.
“I’m pretty sure AJ will join the Navy,” Allen said. “It’s all he’s talked about since you were in town last month. And James wants to be a firefighter. He’s loving the cadet program at the firehouse. He’s there now, doesn’t care about missing a Friday night with his friends. I’m thinking of selling the Funeral Home.”
“What? Selling?” Sloan asked.
“Well, there is no ‘Sloan and Sons’ any longer. That was Dad’s dream. I guess it died with him.”
“I’m proud of you that you recognize the boys want something different. They have to follow their own dreams. It took a lot of courage for AJ to speak up,” Sloan said.
“Yeah, I know. When he told us last month when you were here, that was the first we heard of it. I didn’t even know he’d already talked to a recruiter. Of course, this SEAL stuff started after he talked with you.”
“Sorry about that, bro,” Sloan said. “I’ve had a good life. It’ll make a good man out of him,”
Allen shook his head. “I wish I could freeze time right now. I don’t like the thought of him growing up and going away.”
Sloan laughed. He clasped Allen on the shoulder. “You and Leslie haven’t done your job if he doesn’t.”
“Yeah, I guess not,” Allen admitted.
Sloan looked past Allen. Kennedy’s back was to him. She was talking with Leslie and the girls. Both of his nieces were awe-struck with Kennedy. Little girls loved big girls who gave them attention, and she was giving them a lot of attention. Yes, they definitely had to make it back home more often.
“Don’t sell the funeral home,” Sloan said. “Your girls may be interested in taking it over when they are older. Or who knows, I may have kids someday that want to be part of the family business. Why not rename it Sloan Family Funeral Home?”
Allen laughed. “You might have kids, huh? So, you and Kaylee are really back together?”
“Yeah, we are,” Sloan confirmed.
As Kennedy stood at the fence, she recalled how many times she had done the same thing during her high school years. Back then
, she stood with her girlfriends, her besties, watching Gary play. They’d go to a party after the game, or to the attic apartment over the funeral home, their private spot to sneak away from the world. She never told even her best friend about that place or what they did there. She knew her besties assumed she and Gary were having sex, but she never confirmed it. It was private, just between her and Gary. He was her everything back then. And she realized he was her everything now too.
In that moment, she knew she’d never choose anything over him again. She had become a different person over the past month. She was no longer Kennedy Lee, aspiring singer. She was Kaylee Cole, Gary’s girlfriend and elementary school music teacher. She had three new besties, Angel, Elizabeth, and Sienna. She felt so incredibly grateful for this second chance at life as Kaylee.
“Here you go babe,” Sloan said, handing her the soda and popcorn from the concession stand. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her from behind. The band took the field for the half-time show as the players ran to the field house for the half-time talk with the coaches. Sloan recalled those chats well. The coaches either patted them on the back for a well-played first half or busted their balls for every foul or error committed on the field. That too prepared him for life in the Navy.
Kennedy enjoyed the closeness with Gary. He kept his body pressed to hers up against the fence as they watched the band. They were much better than the band back when they were in school, of course everything these kids did these days was a few notches up from what things had been like in their day. God! She felt old. She ate the popcorn and sipped the soda, sharing both with Gary. When they were empty, he stepped away to throw them in the nearby trash can.
As the band wrapped up, and the players ran back from the field house, Sloan reached into his pocket and took hold of the ring that had been bouncing around his pocket. He took hold of Kennedy’s left hand with his other hand and then unceremoniously slid the one carat solitaire engagement ring onto her ring finger. “This belongs here,” he said.
Her breath caught in her chest at the sensation of the ring being slid onto her finger before her eyes even focused on the sparkling round stone in the ornate filigree setting. It was beautiful, and not what he’d given her before.
“Gary, it’s stunning,” she said softly. Her eyes bounced from the ring which shone with brilliance under the bright overhead lights, to his eyes and back again. “My God! Look at it sparkle.”
He pressed his cheek against hers, his lips to her ear. “Is that a yes?”
“Oh, yes, that’s a yes,” she said excitedly, cupping his face. She kissed him like they were alone in their bedroom.
When they broke from their embrace Allen, Leslie, and the girls huddled in close, smiling wide.
“Did Uncle Gary just ask Kaylee to marry him?” Samantha asked, wide eyed.
Sloan laughed. “Yes, that’s exactly what I just did.”
“Let me see,” Leslie said, taking Kaylee’s hand. “Wow, that’s quite a rock. I need sunglasses to look at it.” She kept hold of Kaylee’s hand and showed the girls the ring next.
“Congrats,” Allen said. He clasped Gary on the back. “We’ll be invited to the wedding, won’t we?”
Sloan nodded. He knew it would add complications to have non-agency guests there, but they’d have to work it out. Kennedy’s family would probably be invited too. He and Kennedy would have to discuss when it would be. He wasn’t sure how soon operationally they could pull it off.
Technically, he was on a mission right now, to get the adoption particulars from the Bristow’s. He doubted he’d be home long before his team went back out into the field on another DEA Partner Mission. He knew that all of Alpha Team’s weddings had been somewhat last-minute affairs, when operations allowed time for them, and offsite events like that, where the majority of agency personnel were present, were quite a task to pull off, security wise.
Kennedy stared at the ring some more. Gary had proposed the first time here, during the Homecoming game. He’d gotten down on one knee in front of the fifty-yard line and told her how much he loved her. He didn’t need to repeat it this time. The way he’d done it this time was perfect, romantic. She knew she was smiling like a fool.
Over Gary’s shoulder she saw two men in the crowd of people, approach. They looked familiar. Her gaze narrowed on them and terror took hold of her. She turned her face into Gary’s chest, hiding from them. They were the two men who had killed Melody. She was sure!
Sloan watched a horrified expression spread over Kennedy’s face. She turned herself into him. He knew something was wrong.
“Oh my God!” She whispered. “Gary, it’s them, the men who killed Melody. I’m sure of it!”
“Which men?” He whispered. He didn’t have to ask her if she was sure, the look on her face told him all he needed to know.
The men had passed them and were several yards away. “There,” she said pointing to their backs. “The man in the black leather jacket and the guy beside him in the jean jacket.”
“Stay here with Allen and his family. They’ll never recognize you, so watch the game and act normal.” Then he turned to Allen and leaned in close. “Keep your family right here and stay alert. If anything goes down, get them and Kaylee to safety in one of the bathrooms. Lock the door and don’t come out until I come to get you.”
His tone of voice was so serious that Allen merely nodded. Then he watched Gary move away from them.
Sloan passed the two men, who stood by the fence at the twenty-yard line. He continued past them and to the two uniformed cops that were near the endzone. He pulled his badge and credentials from his back pocket and held them up in front of his chest as he neared the cops, so the two suspects wouldn’t see him do it. “Agent Sloan, ATF. There are two armed suspects here with warrants for capital murder. I need your help to apprehend them.”
Both the cops played it cool. Anyone who watched them, would think they were just talking about the game or the weather. “We’d prefer it doesn’t go down here with all the people present,” one said.
“Agreed. Do you have any plain-clothes cops in the crowd?” He kept the two suspects in his line of sight while he talked with the two cops.
“Yes,” one answered.
“Get him on the radio or his cell phone. I’m afraid the two may have made me, so I can’t follow them, but I want someone on them. Over my right shoulder,” he said. He gave the description of the two men, who still stood at the twenty yard-line, casually glancing around at the crowd.
The shorter of the cops turned his back to the two men, so they wouldn’t see him squeeze the transmit button on his radio clipped up near the top of his bullet-proof vest. He relayed their descriptions to two plain-clothes cops patrolling the crowd and all the other uniform cops stationed at different places around the field. “We’ve got two men on them. Hopefully they’ll leave quietly, and we can take them down in the parking lot and away from everyone else,” he said to Sloan.
“Tell your men, we have to tackle them and take them down without identifying ourselves as law enforcement first. We will need the element of surprise to get the drop on them. They each have a weapon on their right hip. They won’t go quietly. I guarantee you that.”
Sloan knew this scenario was one of every cop’s worst nightmares. For Sloan, given that Kennedy, his brother, and his brother’s family were here, it was his too. He pulled his cell phone and called HQ’s Ops Center.
“Hey Sloan,” Madison answered.
“I have a situation.” He relayed it to her and the fact that the local LEOs had been informed and were assisting.
“Did they recognize Kennedy?” Madison asked.
“It doesn’t appear so, but the more they watch her, they just may. I don’t know if they tailed me here from the Bristow residence, or if this is a coincidence. I surely saw no tail, and I was looking, as always.”
“Roger that,” Madison replied. “I’ll notify Big Bear and the FBI. Go on comms.”
“Roger, Xena, thanks.” He disconnected the call. He pulled his comms from his pocket, turned it on, and casually stuck it in his right ear. Then Sloan turned back like he was watching the game, nonchalantly glancing at the two men. He clapped when AJ made another touchdown. He looked like any other parent at the game.
“That’s our man,” one of the uniformed cops said as a black male who looked young enough to be a student, wearing a dark blue Hornets sweatshirt stepped up to the fence a few feet from their suspects. “And the elderly-looking man who just leaned against the bleachers right behind them. He’s our man too.”
