Shane turned left on a hill and followed Kate onto the private road leading to an estate several times larger than Franky’s, or the Governor’s Mansion, and he suddenly felt out of place and confused. Kate’s house was a serious mansion, larger and more spectacular than the Governor’s by at least three times. The electric gate opened for Kate’s car and closed immediately behind Shane’s, shielding the magnificent grounds from easy entry or escape.
Shane’s training kicked in, and he began reading the compound, even as they arrived. He spotted a well-designed system of security cameras, much better placed than Franky’s, leaving no holes for someone to slip through. He saw no guards, but he had the distinct feeling he was being watched.
The experienced undercover operative was now abruptly caught between two feelings, passionate excitement, fueled by the hope of being with this extraordinary woman, and the self-preservation panic of being in a bad place, possibly outgunned, in an uncharted compound that may provide no opportunity for escape...or survival.
Shane was filled with excitement, anticipation, intrigue, caution and, once again, adrenaline. He said to himself, “If I fall victim to the wiles of a beautiful woman, I’ll be joining a long list of suckers, falling for the world’s oldest and most successful con! In that event, I’ll have a lot of company to share good stories with anyway!”
Shane parked behind Kate, on a circular drive that faced a six-bay garage. He opened his car door warily, and stepped out, continuing to read the grounds and surroundings, not sure what to expect. Kate walked to Shane, as he completed a 360-degree viewing of the area. She took him by the hand, and said, “Leave your keys in the car, so the staff can park it in the garage. Please come with me. Its okay.”
He looked into Kate’s eyes, and the warm, genuine caring Shane saw in her, melted away his apprehension. He threw the keys on the seat, left the door open, and walked along, a half step behind his beautiful escort. As he followed Kate, continuing to read the area, she pulled him gently along and up the steps toward the mansion entrance. He took a final deep breath at the door to control his adrenaline.
Shane turned to watch his car being driven into the garage, behind Kate’s, by drivers he had not seen before now. He noted that each of the six garage bays appeared to be capable of parking at least three cars in a row. Many other cars were already parked in the lit bays, which had exit bay doors on the opposite side of the building. He saw two guards standing in the garage, waiting for the drivers to park the cars, and, even though he saw no weapons, Shane assumed they were armed. Both guards watched him intently. Shane was once again on high alert, trying to control his breathing and adrenaline.
His mind went into overdrive, trying to figure out who Kate could be, and why she had such a high level of security. He half expected to see a ranking United States Senator waiting inside the house, with a cadre of Secret Service, NSA and CIA agents, eager to interrogate him when he walked through the door.
Shane’s stomach was a mixture of butterflies and knots – butterflies in anticipation of being with Kate, the woman dreams were made of, and knots to go with a sense of foreboding of the possibly dangerous and unpleasant evening awaiting him, behind the front door. He mentally prepared for the worst, and began to formulate a ‘fight and flight’ plan of escape, beginning with vaulting the surrounding fence and escaping into the night on foot. His felt a tinge of pain from his leg injury, and suddenly didn’t look forward to vaulting a fence.
As Shane’s apprehension continued to rise, he chided himself, “Who am I kidding? I knew this was too good to be true. I’m a little too lonely, after not dating for more than a year, and the first attractive woman who is interested in me, destroys all my defenses with a smile.” Shane suddenly felt like he had joined the list of a long line of historic fools, who, collectively, had launched thousands of ships, fought untold battles, lost kingdoms, and squandered immeasurable wealth, all for the love of an elusive, alluring woman. He was disappointed in himself…but not disappointed enough to bail out quite yet.
Kate seemed to sense his apprehension, and said, reassuringly, “I think you will really enjoy the house, and meeting George.” She squeezed his hand. He felt somewhat relieved, but not much.
As he and Kate arrived at the nine foot tall front double doors, the entry door opened quickly, but the only person to greet him was an elderly gentleman, whom Shane assumed was a butler. “If anyone still had a butler in this day and age,” he thought to himself.
The well-dressed man took Shane’s coat, with all the formality befitting the lord of a manor, and smiled at Shane, as if they were old friends. He greeted Kate with, “Your cocktails are waiting in the viewing room, Miss Katherine...lemon drop martinis prepared just as you ordered.”
Kate smiled, and stopped the old gentleman from leaving her side by tenderly placing a hand on his arm. When he turned toward Kate, she said, “Thank you, George,” as she gently kissed him on the cheek.
The old man beamed at Kate, as if he were admiring his own beloved child, and then turned, and slowly walked out to hang their coats on an antique rack in the foyer. Shane stood in quiet amazement, thinking, “Not quite the CIA interrogation team I expected.”
George gestured for Shane to follow him to a sitting room off the enormous entry, and he did so, relaxing more with every step he took. A crackling fire in a massive fireplace beckoned him to the cozy room. As he approached, Shane felt the radiant heat from the fire, and his attention was drawn to dozens of photos perched atop a large mantle over the fireplace. He looked back through the doors at Kate, who watched him follow George toward the fireplace. He began gleaning information from the photographs, glancing back and forth from the pictures to Kate, then to George.
Kate didn’t follow Shane, but playfully blew him a kiss and winked, as she disappeared up one of two matching spiral staircases on either side of the entry. Shane had entered the room through one of four giant wood and glass French doors. He marveled that the entire room was hardwood, floor to ceiling, resembling the interior of a sailing vessel. He noticed the fine detail and workmanship in the floor, baseboard, walls, crown molding, and ceiling, and then, looking up through the largest glass dome or cupola he had ever seen, discovered stars, shining into the room from above.
Reading his mind, George said, “The viewing room, sir.” George spoke properly and proudly, as though he were showing off the finest room in the house. Shane admitted the effect was astonishing, stars shining down through the high ceiling, while firelight flickered and danced off the multi-colored hardwood. There were no other lights on in the room, yet the lighting was perfect, relaxing, warm and inviting. And the soothing effect was immediate. His shoulders relaxed and he felt calm.
Shane continued to study the room closely. His inspection revealed that none of the massively heavy wood contained knots or blemishes. Every board in the room was of the highest quality, and, obviously, hand selected for its place in the room, as if designed and placed by an artist working with a ship designer.
Shane stood in wonder, gazing about at details of the magnificent room, thinking that even the Governor didn’t live in a mansion of this quality. When his eyes returned to George, he realized George had been holding out a drink for him.
Shane said, “Oh, thank you, George,” as he quickly took the martini, a little embarrassed at the royal treatment he was receiving. He politely sipped the lemon drop martini, smiled at George, and said, “It’s really quite good. I don’t think I have ever tasted one made this well. Did you make it yourself?”
George did not answer. Instead, he just smiled approvingly, as if Shane’s praise made all the difference in the world to him.
Shane said, “Thank you so much, George, for going to this trouble for me,” as he glanced down, increasingly embarrassed at the attention he was unaccustomed to receiving.
The old man could contain himself no longer. His face lit up, as he exploded into uncontrolled laughter. “Oh, that Kate, she’s a real characte
r!”
The distinguished gentleman held out his hand to Shane, and said, “My real name is Walter, Walter O’Leary, and I am Kate’s grandfather.” Walter O’Leary’s words rolled off his tongue, with all the formality and dignity he might use in addressing an audience, and announcing that he was the President of the United States of America.
As a bewildered Shane slowly took his hand, Walter O’Leary continued, “Shane, please don’t let on to Kate that you know who I am. She and I like to play this “butler and princess” game when she brings a friend here for the first time. We’ve been doing this since Kate was a small child. It’s been a very long time since we have had this chance, so we need to get some mileage out of it, if you don’t mind.” Shane nodded in bewilderment.
With a twinkle in his eye, Walter walked over to the fireplace and stirred the fire, placing another log on top of an already large inferno. As he did, Shane realized Walter knew his real name. He was once again on high alert, with adrenaline surging back into his system. He thought to himself, “Who the hell are these people!? How do they know who I am?! And what do they want with me?”
Shane quickly started talking, trying to get past the knowledge that the old man may have not realized he had slipped up, and given away the secret that he knew Shane’s real identity. He was careful, and spoke only about the details in the room, until Kate returned. While talking, Shane ran everything through his brain as fast as he could, trying to figure out the “who, what, where, when, why and how” of it all.
Nothing made sense, and yet, Shane found caution draining away once again, as everything about all of this somehow seemed right, as if he somehow belonged. Walter, for his part, answered more questions about the architecture, and continued to put Shane at ease by his very calming and reassuring nature.
Footsteps hurrying down the stairs alerted Shane, and he quickly turned, as he sensed Kate was approaching. Soon, he saw her, smiling that wonderful, coy smile that could light up any room with excitement and expectation. Shane noticed Kate had walked in bare foot, wearing a long, silk robe that outlined a bikini, framing her spectacular curves and toned body. The robe was pulled tight, across Kate’s abundant chest, and tied in place with a sash, exposing ample cleavage created by perfect, sumptuous breasts.
Shane thought Kate was the most stunning woman he had ever seen. She carried a folded-up pair of men’s swim trunks, which she placed on a coffee table, as she took her martini from the table.
She teased, “George, what have you and Shane been talking about?” George, or Walter, looked at Shane, winked at him as Kate turned to smile at Shane, and said, “Oh, just man stuff, Miss Katherine. I’ve been showing Mr. Shane the details of the viewing room, and discussing martini recipes. By the way, I turned the temperature up on the Jacuzzi, as you instructed, so it will be a comfortable 102 degrees when you are ready.”
Shane realized Kate had called him ‘Shane’ and a smaller dose of adrenaline surged back. He realized this back and forth between high alert and relaxation was going to wear him out quickly, and he needed some answers. He looked at George/Walter and then at Kate, as if expecting an immediate answer, but received only reassuring smiles in return.
It occurred to him that, if they really knew who he was, then they knew what he was doing here, and they were either allies or deadly enemies. Shane looked from George/Walter to Kate and couldn’t see either as an enemy. He decided to play along and not immediately press either for answers. He was sure answers would come along directly, one way or another.
With that, Walter walked to Shane, shook his hand again, and said, “It was a pleasure meeting you, my boy. A word of advice from an old man to a young man.” Walter looked at Kate and paused.
He said slowly, “She’ll try to tame you quickly with her overwhelming beauty and keen mind. If you’re smart, you’ll let her. But if you’re strong enough and resist just a little, so it takes her some time and maneuvering, you’ll be much better off. In the end, Shane, if you are truly a worthy, honorable and loving man, you’ll conquer a heart that will surrender to you forever. That heart is more precious than all the wealth of the richest kings on earth. Take very good care of it, my boy.”
The old gentleman squeezed Shane’s hand tightly and looked up at him as an innocent soul, entrusting his most precious treasure to a man he possibly considered only marginally worthy, and completely untested. He then raised his eyebrows, as if to seal the arrangement, cocked his head, and waited for Shane’s response.
“I’ll do my best to honor your trust, sir...and heed your advice!” Shane assured him, as he squeezed the hand in return. George/Walter’s hand felt warm and reassuring, like Kate’s, in a peculiar way, as if it were right for Shane to take it...and hold it tightly.
Walter turned to leave and then hesitated, looking back at Shane, and said, “I like your manner, Mr. Shane Beckett, so my prayers for your success are with you.” Walter walked to Kate and kissed her gently on the cheek, like she was his favorite person in the world and he might not see her again. “Good night, my precious Katherine,” Walter whispered. He left without looking back, closing the double French doors behind him.
Shane felt an odd sadness seeing his new friend leave. “What a delightful, gentle soul. A distinguished, grandfatherly man anyone would wish they had in their life,” he said, softly.
Shane stared after the man, and realized how much he missed his own grandfather. “How odd,” he thought to himself, “First, this raging beauty of a woman completely disarms me, and now, the unassuming kindness and gentleness of her grandfather finishes me off.” Shane decided he might just as well surrender now, and save any pretense of putting up a fight against this family...whoever they were.
Shane was still staring at the closed wood and glass doors, thinking about the advice, warning, and hope Walter had given him, when Kate’s laugh brought him back to reality.
“Don’t mind Granddad, Shane, he’s a character and loves to tease.”
Shane smiled as he turned to Kate, “Funny, he said the same thing about you. You two are quite alike, I think.”
Kate beamed her approval, and Shane realized that she looked even more radiant, as the firelight danced on her luscious skin. He was once again mesmerized by Kate’s sheer beauty. He only wished this were all real and would last forever.
“Am I really standing here with Kate?” Shane thought. He feared he might be dreaming again. He had been very tired from all the long hours lately.
Shane heard a faint warning from his subconscious mind, trying to break the moment with a warning from past experiences. He liked planning each move he made, to assure he wouldn’t make a serious mistake in life. He liked to know the future as well as could be expected. He rarely lived “in the moment.”
Shane’s cautious, calculated existence protected him well, but it also insulated him from a normal life and any attempt at happiness. He thought of a quote he had recently read from Indian-American philosopher, Deepak Chopra, “The past is history; the future is a mystery; the now is a gift, that’s why they call it the present.”
“Tonight,” he thought, “I’m going to let go and live in the present, the gift of one moment at a time.” Answers to his questions would come with time, but right now, he was willing to take a chance.
Kate took Shane by the hand and led him to a loveseat near the fire, where they both sat and sipped their martinis while they talked. He had never been a martini guy, but this drink was delicious.
He liked whiskey occasionally, but red wine was Shane’s drink of choice. If hard liquor was offered, he could drink anything, in mentally measured and noted quantities. Shane had mastered the art of blending into a crowd while drinking, without ever becoming drunk. He had developed phenomenal control with years of practicing this technique of timed and measured alcohol consumption, along with drinking copious quantities of water.
He had only been drunk once in his life, at his cousin’s wedding when he was 20 years old. That was a bad exp
erience Shane never planned on repeating. On the morning after the celebration, he had been sick, dizzy and unable to stand. The illness lasted for three days, and he thought he would die. He had even called his father at work and asked his dad to take him to the hospital. Patrick Beckett had just laughed at him, and told Shane he was experiencing the cost of too much fun and too little control.
Shane realized that day, that being drunk came with too high a cost for the few moments of pleasurable buzz he thought he remembered enjoying. Plus, there was the additional cost of the embarrassment he had felt, when he realized he had lost control of his senses and probably made a fool of himself. It was all too much for him, and he promised himself he would never repeat the ordeal. And Shane always kept his promises, even if he just made the promise to himself.
But Walter had told him this lemon drop martini was made with just the right amount of lemon, triple sec, sugar, and Grey Goose vodka. The glasses had been chilled, then rimmed with a special lemon-granulated sugar mix. The taste was sweet, tangy and exceptional.
Shane and Kate talked quietly as she stroked his hand gently with her fingers, and he knew he was as safe as he could be, with no reason to guard and maintain total control. He felt he could lower his defenses for the first time in a long time. He melted into the chair, drank in Kate’s beauty and sipped his drink without judging a thing. “Live in the moment, accept the gift,” he urged himself.
“Listen to the philosopher and to George/Walter, you fool,” the little voice in his head encouraged him. But another more distant voice chided, “Beware of a possible trap!”
Soon Shane felt the stress leave his body. Only once in the next several minutes did he read the room and check for any changes. He caught himself and smiled. Kate didn’t seem to notice, as she confided to him her interest in formally meeting him. As their conversation developed and grew more intimate, Shane found that he and Kate were totally comfortable with each other, as if their relationship was somehow older, tested and already established. It was like they were meant to be together by some larger design. Although familiar, the feeling was still foreign to him.
The Case Page 8
