“Good job Hinton, I’ll wake up someone in DC and see if they can locate the missing Sharon McCormick. I’ll talk to her mom in the mean time. Can you guys spare Pratt? I know he’s supposed to stay on ’til six, but I’d like to be ready to go over to the McCormick house as soon as possible.”
Knowing that Pratt is out following Mrs. Phelps nurse, Mary, who officially, they’ve been told to ignore, Hinton has to cover a bit. “As soon as he finishes helping us with something, we’ll send him your way.”
“Great.”
“Oh, um, Agent Caldwell, you said you were working with a VP of the company there?”
“Yeah, a Kenneth McCuchin, VP of sales.”
“Can I get him on the phone a few moments?”
He sighs, “Now what is this about?”
“Well, Mr. Market is just minutes from needing a padded cell over here, it would be good for him to confer with his VP for a moment.”
“I don’t know. He might say something that compromises us. Does the dad know NSA is on the case?”
“Yes. I tell you what, let me at least talk to him, and I’ll relay a message to the dad.”
Talking with Ken McCuchin, Hinton learns that the rehearsal presentation that they had planned, the one in advance of the actual presentation Monday morning, had to be scrubbed entirely as six government agents came storming into the building early Saturday morning.
Robert, of course, couldn’t be there because of the fire, but now that it’s a distant memory and even the whole kidnapper concern seems all but settled, he is more than eager to get to the office and lead his team. Hinton has picked up on his eagerness and is not quite sure how to break the news of what’s gone on at his company. But before he can find a delicate way to phrase it, Robert descends upon him.
“Mr. Hinton, did you speak with anyone on my team? Have they turned my office upside down? Did they have a successful planning meeting? I have Carla’s home and cell number in my phone, can’t you just use that to find her and let me talk to my office?”
Joanna, who has just come into the dining room with lunch hears the barrage of questions coming out of her husband and knows that his anxiety level is at about nine! She interjects, “Robert? What’s going on?”
But he says firmly, “One second sweetheart!” and returns his attention to Agent Hinton.
Hinton, “Okay, let’s take a breath.”
He walks over, and standing in front of the fireplace he says, “First, we have all the known points of contact for Miss Brayson. We found her cell phone in her place of residence.”
Robert says, “She wasn’t in her apartment?”
“No, sir.”
Something about the way her husband mentioned her apartment, plus the way he referred to her as Carla earlier, and the way he just silenced her, puts Joanna in a bad way, and her annoyance shows when she says, “Robert, they’re only doing their job. Miss Brayson can take care of herself if she is in fact innocent; and I have lunch–”
“I know sweetheart, but I still have a right to know whether I’ve just thrown two weeks of preparation by my entire team into the crapper because they are looking at Car– Wait. What do you mean, if she’s innocent? You know as well as I do that Carla Brayson could never do something like this!”
The boys stop playing their game as they feel a point of contention brewing.
Joanna, “Well, um …” but she respectfully stops shy of entering a dispute with her spouse.
But Hinton has no such concerns or desire of showing respect—by contrast, he actually enjoys shocking people into compliance. Without hesitation, he provides a not so sensitive reminder saying, “All due respect, isn’t that’s what you said about Calvin Stone?—so called, la crème de la crème? Packing all those darts, tasers, and need I add, bullets, he proved to be la Crumb de la Crumb!”
Lauren, who truly sees the Markets almost like family, and uncomfortable with his harsh tactics, looks at Hinton with a frown.
But harsh or not, they are effective, and Robert Market does back off of his position of Carla Brayson’s unassailable innocence. “Okay, I’ll accept that it’s possible that she could be involved somehow. But sitting that aside, for the sake of my sanity, will you tell me what you know about my office?”
“Sir, all I can tell you at this point is that your VP of sales, Ken, has been actively supporting our efforts to determine and remove any remaining threat.”
“Can you tell me if they had the planning meeting?”
“No.”
“No you can’t tell me, or no they didn’t have it.”
“No. they postponed it.”
Shaking his head in disappointment, Robert lets slip, “Damn.”
“Robert,” interjects Joanna, “can you please help me bring the rest of the stuff in?”
There’s nothing else all that necessary to be brought, but Joanna uses the excuse to speak with him privately. She is always respectful and careful not to disagree with her husband in front of others, but far, far from being a pushover. Lauren watches her with great interest, but not just because she’s her protectee, but because she’s curious how this very sweet woman will handle her husband’s high opinion of Carla Brayson, and especially the comment about her apartment.
Still quite upset, he dutifully follows his wife into the kitchen. Agent Coles follows Joanna and Agent Levy follows Robert.
To give them some semblance of privacy, the Agents flank the room. Lauren stands near the door to the hallway, while Levy takes up a position near the rear entrance to the house.
“Sweetheart,” says Joanna, “I’m concerned.”
Folding his arms, still quite unsettled, he says, “Well, so am I!”
“But Robert, you’ve never been this worked up.” She reaches out and touches his arm. With his sleeve rolled up she feels his skin and says, “Look at you, you’re actually sweating, and your skin is cold as ice.”
He relaxes his clenched body language some and says, “I’m sorry, you’re right. It’s just that, we’ve all worked so hard for so long on this.”
“I know sweetheart, but, you can trust God.” She looks to see his eyes.
Finally, he releases all the stress with a big sigh, “Yeah, you’re right. I don’t know how I let these things work me up so much. I guess …”
“Yes?”
“Well, to some degree it’s me, I mean, I have an ego like any other person. I am flesh like anyone else. But at the end of the day you’re right, I can trust God, and I know that no matter what, he’s got my back, and things work out for the better.”
Levy, who is standing looking out the back door with his back to them says, “Humph.”
Robert continues, “But the team, Ken and Sam, Jack, Randy, everyone, including Carla, has put in late nights, day after day; the last ten days, especially—last three months, really. We’ve all been there ’til midnight more often than not. This is a big, big deal for them. And with me bailing on them.”
“I know, sweetheart.”
Taking his hand and searching to catch his eyes, she looks in for a glimpse of hope. “I know it feels terrible, but it’s not like you’re out fly fishing, you have a legitimate emergency, and you are legally detained by your government.”
“Yeah. You’re right.”
Noticing his hands she adds, “My goodness, your hands are really cold honey.”
“Yeah, I need to eat something.” He massages his hands to remedy the ache, then motioning towards the living room he begins to lead her in, but Joanna resists.
“Sweetheart, I have to tell you something that I probably should have said a while ago.”
Robert, with anxiety in check, notices her tone and with concern turns to her to ask, “What is it, honey?”
“I know she’s one of your team members and all, and I appreciate the fact that she’s worked so hard, but …”
“But what?”
“I never really trusted Carla Brayson.”
“What?”
&
nbsp; “I never did.”
“Are you serious!”
“Yes.”
“But why? What did she do?”
“I– It’s nothing specific; little things. The way she … I don’t know, the way she behaved.”
“Carla. Carla Brayson?”
“Umm hmm.”
Confused, surprised and a little frustrated, he scratches his head and says, “Are you sure? What do you mean, exactly, the way she behaved?”
“Now, you’re not getting agitated again.”
“No.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Confused, but …”
“Well, the way she behaved with you.”
“With me!”
“Yes! The way she treated you, the way she talked about you, and around you.”
“W-What? How? What would she do?”
“Well, the way she would refer to you. A kind of honoring that–”
“Oh, good heavens, Joanna, I was her boss; she’s gonna be respectful and–”
“I don’t mean that. It’s the way she looked at you, or didn’t look at you, and the way she looked for you.”
“My goodness, it sounds like the poor girl couldn’t look at all.”
“Why are you defending her?”
“I’m not defending her! But, I’m sorry, you should hear yourself! You are not making sense. Are you sure this isn’t just you not wanting me working in town?”
“Yes! It’s not that at all! That was settled, sweetheart.”
After a moment of silence, Lauren simply cannot help but support Joanna’s argument.
“Mr. Market.” She interjects, taking a few steps closer to them, “I know that this may sound like nonsense, but any investigator will tell you these impressions, though often hard to express, are a valuable source for leads and should not be ignored.”
He turns to her and says, “Miss Coles, I appreciate your professional opinion, and I appreciate your support for Joanna, but this is a matter we’ve got to work through ourselves. You’ve been terrific through this ordeal, I really and sincerely mean that, but please allow us to navigate this topic as husband and wife.”
“Certainly, sir.” She steps back, feeling slightly put in her place, but nonetheless impressed at his forthright and honest way of doing it.
He says to his wife, “Joanna, I don’t doubt your intuition on stuff like this, you know that. I believe God gives women insight; but what I don’t understand is why you’re only now saying something? That’s not like you at all.”
Joanna drops her head and says, “Well, I must admit that I was concerned that you would think that I was waffling on our agreement, about working in the city, or worse, that I was jealous without cause.”
“Are you?”
“No!”
“Then let me ask you this, would you want me to have her reassigned when this is all over?”
Joanna thinks a moment and says, “I think so.”
“Really!”
“Yes.”
“I’m, I’m totally—I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything, just believe me.”
“I do, just as long as you’re sure.”
“Yeah. Yeah I’d prefer that. I gotta tell you, I just—I just don’t trust her.”
“Okay.”
“But Robert, think a moment, has Carla Brayson ever, ever, invited you to her apartment?”
“No.”
“Never, ever? Not out of convenience, or to pick up something, or drop something, or anything?”
“I don’t think so, I mean, I know I’ve never been there, but geez, it’s hard to remember if she’s ever, ever invited me over, like you’re saying.”
“I still don’t trust her.”
“Okay, consider it a done deal.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” She gives him a big hug, burying her face in his chest.
“And you don’t think I’m crazy to ask?”
With a smile he says, “Well, I’m not going that far.”
They laugh, and Joanna says, “I guess we go eat now.” Joanna takes his hand, and still notices that it’s unusually cold.
As they again head towards the dining room, Robert turns to Lauren and says, “Agent Coles, I hope I wasn’t rude to you earlier.”
“No, sir, just forthright and honest, like I remember my dad to be.”
Joanna catches her comment and reaches forward and touches her shoulder—a soothing touch.
The Connection Is Made
Agents Reese and Hinton, along with the boys, are already at the dining room table. They are all smiles at the prospect of finally getting to eat lunch. There are ten place settings; Joanna has one for the each of her family, one for each agent, Hinton, Coles, Reese and Levy, one for Mrs. Phelps, and—as is her practice—one in case someone drops by. They are arranged with Hinton at far end, the boys flank him, Lauren is next to James on the side closest to the back wall, Joseph is opposite James with the place next him open. Hinton deliberately had that place open and instructed Joseph that if anything happened he wanted him to duck and slip under the table. The other end has Robert at the head, Agent Reese and Joanna flanking him, with Joanna to his left and Agent Levy next to her. Everyone is pleased and impressed with the huge salad, sandwich fixings, chicken, fruit salad, and general picnic food that she has set out. Unfortunately, upon seeing Hinton, Robert is reminded of the situation at his office. He doesn’t say anything, but tomorrow’s presentation lingers in his mind, and worries him. Now that everyone is at the table, Agent Levy looks at them all, wondering why no one is eating. As he realizes what the hold up must be, he leans back, slouching in his seat, just barely respectful of their apparently necessary ritual.
Robert says to Lauren, “Miss Coles, you are a guest, would you like to bless the meal?”
Like a deer caught in headlights, she says, “Uh, um … I’m sorry, I’m so out of practice. Perhaps James would do a better job of it.”
James cannot contain his smile and teasing her says, “Are you sure? Not even a little, good bread, good meat?” She raises an eyebrow at him, and he realizes she’s uncomfortable.
As Robert scans the other guests to see if anyone else might want to, Reese avoids his look, as does Hinton. Levy actually says, “Pfft, don’t look at me!” At which time, our ever-hungry 14-year-old, says, “I got this.” And quickly says, “Precious Lord, thank you for our wonderful guests, and your magnificent hand of protection over all of us. Bless your provision to bring us health and strength, in Jesus name, Amen.”
Robert and Joanna look at each other, a little amused at how fast their son said grace. They both look at him, and he, with a piece of chicken already in his mouth, says a muffled, “What? I was hungry!”
To which Hinton smiles and says, “Amen!” They all laugh and begin to enjoy the meal. Joanna is especially happy. Nothing pleases her more than being a gracious hostess. She smiles at her husband, and inadvertently catches him lost in his thoughts. She says, “Robert. Are you alright?”
Snapping out of it, he says, “Yeah, sure.” He checks his watch as he is beginning to feel stalked by time.
Joanna squeezes his hand and whispers, “It will all work out fine. I know it.”
Her own comment reminds her of Joseph and his dream. She turns to her younger son and says, “Joey, if you are still willing, why don’t you tell me about that weird dream of yours.”
Joseph’s face lights up! He indeed cherishes the connection that he and his mom have on these things. They talk across Agent Levy seated between them.
Joseph, “Okay, here’s what happens. In my dream I’m out in back of the house gathering wood, just like the other day.”
“Okay,” coaxes his mom.
“So I’m picking up this huge load, which now that I think of it was way too much for our fireplace.”
“Uh-huh.”
“And then I hear a lot of commotion coming from the house.”
�
��Commotion?”
“Yeah, some crying and praying. Definitely sounds of distress.”
Very interested, Joanna asks, “Joe, whose voices did you hear?”
“Huh. Now that you mention it, I heard your voice, Jimbo and Agent Coles and Agent Hinton!”
Joanna, “We hadn’t even met them yet!”
There are several conversations going on at the table at this point, Robert and Agent Reese are talking about business, Lauren and James about getting into the Secret Service. Agent Hinton occasionally joins that one, but he keeps a partial ear open to Joseph at all times. Hearing his name, his attention switches and he says:
“What was that? Did I hear my name?”
Joanna says, “Yes, Joey was just telling me that he heard your voice in a dream he had on Friday!”
“What? You heard my voice in a dream?”
Joseph, “Yeah.”
“Really? Friday night?”
“Yeah.”
“So? What did I say?”
“But, Mr. Hinton–”
“Mr. Hinton,” interjects Joanna, “Joey didn’t meet you until Saturday morning!”
Hinton, “Wha– Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I met Joey. Wait. When did you dream this?”
Hearing the confusion, Lauren begins to listen in on their conversation.
Joseph continues, “I fell asleep in that chair about ten, ten thirty. So I dreamt this somewhere between–”
“So, wait,” says Hinton. “This was before the fire?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Why didn’t you say so!”
“I was trying.”
“What happened?” asks Lauren.
Hinton summarizes, “I’m just getting to bottom of it myself. Apparently, Joey, here, had a dream with us in it BEFORE the fire! Before he’d met or heard of either of us!”
“What?”
Suddenly an interruption comes from the other room, “Hellooooooo.”
The Journal: A Prophecy, A President & Death Page 37
