Once, and For All

by Kendra G. Johnson

“Yeah, you know, the one I showed you?”

  “Darling, that is scary face.”

  “Too much?” she asked anxiously.

  “Well, let’s just say you should reserve it for lethal situations.”

  “Okay, but I need to be cool and sexy tonight.”

  “You are.”

  She grinned at him. “But I need to feel cool and sexy.”

  He leaned in next to her ear, whispering a personal encounter they had shared recently. She laughed and relaxed. “I think I have a new buzz word.”

  Andy laughed.

  * * * *

  She was armed with Kenann’s look should she need to drop someone in their tracks, but the mental image Andy had placed in her head made her feel warm and languid. She flowed from the car and up the steps on Andy’s arm, turning heads along the way. Her aura was subtle but alluring. Andy reaped the benefits as well, for as long as he could keep that image in her head, the looks she gave him went straight to his core.

  He led her to the gentleman who had invited them to the party, making those introductions first. From these encounters they branched out as they were led to others with whom to be introduced. It was a very smooth process, but calculated. There were the main players and then there were the newcomers who were being auditioned, as it were. The main ballroom floor was left open for mingling with drinks and the dancing that would come later. Round tables encircled the room. Both Andy and Judy memorized any information they gleaned from mingling with the crowd. At the host’s cue, wait staff led people to their respective tables for the dinner.

  Judy and Andy were seated beside the gentleman and his wife, who had invited them, as well as a couple from Saudi Arabia and one from Russia. Judy forced herself to relax and forget that she was a kid from a small town in Arkansas. Andy gave her leg a reassuring squeeze under the table. It helped. He kept her focused throughout the meal and she was able to hold her own in the conversation. Judy was a very bright woman and well-read, so this was not a hard task for her.

  Both Andy and Judy had filed all their information away to take back to the group when it was announced that there would be dinnertime entertainment. They knew she would be in attendance, but to Judy and Andy’s surprise, Bridget entered the center of the room with a cordless mic and began to sing. Her voice was low and smooth. She put her whole self into the songs without being campy. Judy was impressed. Now there is a gal with presence, she thought, and was reminded of a very young Lauren Bacall from old black-and-white movies.

  After the meal, the guests were free to dance or relax at their tables. Andy wasted no time pulling Judy to her feet.

  “I’ve been wanting to get my hands on you all evening.”

  “Down, boy, we have a job to do.”

  “I am the master of multitasking.” He turned her in a swift, tight circle on the floor. She giggled. Before their second dance was over, a man tapped Andy on the shoulder to cut in. He smiled and whispered in her ear, “Go get ‘em, tiger,” before releasing her from his arms.

  * * * *

  Andy was able to snag Bridget at one point in the evening. He had been keeping an eagle eye on Judy to make sure she was okay. She was doing great.

  Bridget said as they moved around the dance floor, “She is quite the hit, your girl.”

  “Yes, she is. Have you had any luck?”

  “Well, if you count offers of room cards, yes.” She laughed under her breath. “But I am noticing some intense exchanges between the men at your table.”

  “You saw that, did you? They were pretty banal throughout dinner, but they appear to have turned up the heat since we left. I think it’s time for Judy and me to take a break.”

  “They may clam up. Let me see what I can do.” At the end of the song she made her way to her targets and, leaning over, laid her hand on the table between two of the men. They laughed at something she said and then she moved away. Andy had no idea what she had up her sleeve but trusted her to pull it off.

  She waited for several minutes before she came back to him and whispered in passing, “Go see what you can find out.”

  He retrieved Judy from the dance floor, to the disappointment of a little bald man who had been waiting his turn to dance with her. They returned to the table where the conversation immediately changed tempo. Andy held out the chair for Judy then sat down beside her. The men smiled at them and made small talk. Their wives had long left the ballroom. It was not clear if it had been at the order of their husbands.

  Andy put a toe into the conversation. “Gentlemen, my mother informs me that there may be a new market for our petroleum interests.”

  The men eyed him warily. One of them replied, “Your mother is a shrewd woman.”

  Andy said honestly, “You have no idea.”

  The men laughed. “Do you share her skills?”

  Andy laughed self-deprecatingly. “I don’t hold a candle to her, gentlemen.”

  Judy could tell he was charming them, putting them at ease. Now move in for the kill, baby.

  “But there is one thing I have that my mother doesn’t.”

  They were all ears by now.

  “I have a direct line to the White House.”

  Even Judy turned to look at him at this admission.

  One of the men crooned, “Oh really?”

  “Let’s just say I know people.”

  The men laughed and leaned in.

  “And your mother does not take advantage of this?”

  “Which is the very reason she does not know of my connections, gentlemen. And I will respectfully ask each of you to keep that between us.”

  They laughed again, offering assurances.

  “Well, son,” Mr. Douglass, who had brought him to the gathering, said. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

  Andy looked at Judy in question. “We have another performance tomorrow night, but I am free until perhaps six o’clock.”

  “Performance? Oh, that’s right, you are both in that new smash play on the West End.”

  Andy and Judy merely nodded. They were becoming more intriguing to these gentlemen by the minute.

  The man from Russia, who spoke with perfect British English, said, “Fancy a round of golf then?”

  “I would be pleased,” Andy replied.

  They made arrangements of where and when to meet and then begged their leave.

  They passed Bridget in the hallway and Andy asked, “Want a ride?”

  She said, “No, I’ll make my way there in a few.”

  * * * *

  The she-devil and her man watched them leave the ballroom. He had danced with Judy but learned nothing of any value. The fact that those three men were getting chummy with Andy, well, she found very, very interesting.

  “Go get our car,” she ordered.

  * * * *

  The council of war was held in Mrs. Gage’s suite. She had managed to get extra chairs, brought in by the concierge. They were all gathered, with the exception of Blade and Leticia. It was way past his bedtime. Jake answered the knock at the door, admitting Bridget. Everyone nodded in greeting and she took the seat Jake offered her.

  Andy spoke first. “I know it was a calculated risk, but one I think can pay off. They know my mother runs in Washington circles and, to some extent, so do I. I just upped my hand with a connection to the White House.”

  Carter answered, “I don’t have any heartburn with this plan, son. I think it will work.” He turned to Bridget and said, “Well, did you gain anything by your lounge act?”

  A feline smile slid across her face. “I placed a dissolvable mic on their tablecloth and heard about twenty minutes of conversation before it lost signal.”

  Everyone commented at the same time. “Great Job.” “Way to go.” “Nice Work.” Bridget continued to stare Carter down. He finally nodded in acknowledgement of her feat.

  “These men are about to broker a large deal with Syria. I could not tell if it had to do with the war, funding terrorists, or just simple financial i
nterests, but they certainly do not want anyone else to know about it,” Bridget said.

  Carter turned to Andy. “Can you run the other two men at the table?”

  “Sure thing.” He pulled up his laptop and logged into his encrypted website.

  “Benjamin Douglass, as we know, is a wealthy New Englander who made his money in textiles and then oil. Dimitri Skolkov is also an oil baron with ties to the Russian Mafia and Yousef Al Ghamdi, is relatively new to the international scene, but has been a major player in the Saudi oil market for several years.”

  Bridget added, “I got the sense that they did not trust each other completely.”

  Carter laughed. “Probably with very good reason.”

  Bridget smiled at him. “Yes, indeed. But it was as if they were a newly formed cartel checking each other out. Dogs circling, if you will.”

  Jake queried, “I wonder if we can use that to our advantage?”

  “Quite possibly,” Mrs. Gage replied. “Andrew, look for any weaknesses in their relationships that we can exploit.”

  “Will do, Mrs. G.”

  Carter added, “All the information we are gathering is being sent back to my team at Langley. They are developing profiles. We will continue to feed them the info we get and they can do the legwork.”

  “And with that, dear ones,” Mrs. Gage said, “let us retire and meet our new challenges tomorrow.”

  Jake laughed. “So is that another way of saying, ‘Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry’?” Everyone laughed and rose to leave.

  Mrs. Gage motioned for Granny James to stay behind. After everyone had departed, she turned to her friend. “Moira, are you all right?”

  “Ever since we got on that plane in D.C., I have had a growing unease. But now it has turned into an acute fear. And I have absolutely no reason why! I am not usually so edgy.”

  Mrs. Gage considered this at length. She had been having her own premonitions but wanted to keep those close to the breast for now. She did not want her past to hurt anyone, especially these beloved friends. “Do you think it has anything to do with our dreams?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. I am confused and so frustrated. I have prayed and prayed and feel absolutely no answers.”

  “Well, we are not going to get any answers tonight. I want you to know you can talk to me anytime you are feeling uneasy. We are in this together, Moira.”

  “I know. I am being silly. I appreciate your friendship. Gabrielle, you have my heart.”

  “And don’t forget. I also have your back.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  The she-devil was pacing again. “I cannot stand this inaction. I must know what they are up to. How could people of that ilk walk in such powerful circles?”

  The man said, “This Andrew appears to have come from a rather influential family.”

  Her profanity rolled over him. “He is nobody. Now this Gage woman intrigues me. I want to know more about her. She is a player if I’ve ever seen one. And why is Moira James living with her? No, there is more to this situation than meets the eye. And I intend to find out what it is. I am tired of following them around, waiting on bread crumbs. I’ve had it. I am going after Kenann myself.”

  * * * *

  Bridget had taken a room at the Sofitel for convenience sake. She was coming out of the shower late the next morning when there was a knock on her door. She grabbed the robe off the back of the bathroom door and looked through the security opening. She smiled her signature smile and opened the door.

  Carter took one look at her and did not enter. “I’m sorry. I have caught you at a bad time.”

  “Nonsense. Come in.”

  Reluctantly he did.

  “What can I do for you?”

  Carter couldn’t stop the thoughts that flooded his mind at that offer. “Um, I wanted to apologize for my attitude to you last night.”

  “Oh, Mr. Carter, we are beyond that, aren’t we?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We are both people of the world. We play our little games. I am beyond getting my feelings hurt.”

  He was not sure what to say at that. She appeared to have won this round. “Of course, but I do not want to appear bullish.”

  She appeared to consider this and him. “No, I would not compare you to a bull…perhaps…a panther.”

  He cocked his head quizzically, and knew he was on uncertain ground. “A panther?”

  “Yes, most definitely. Strong, lithe, low to the ground, and when you least expect it—deadly.”

  He was considering her words when she loosened the belt on the robe and let it fall to the floor.

  * * * *

  “Now you have hurt my feelings.” Bridget had replaced her robe and was sitting in one of the two lounge chairs opposite Carter. He looked shaken.

  Carter stammered, “I, uh, I well it’s just that I can’t really…” He stopped and just looked at her.

  “Can’t really what?”

  “Oh, for goodness sake. Don’t make this any more difficult.”

  “Seems pretty simple to me.”

  “Well, it’s not!” Carter was getting agitated.

  “Don’t you desire me?”

  Carter coughed. “That’s not the point.”

  “It’s exactly the point. Do you?”

  “Of course, I do!” He almost came out of his chair with the intensity of his words.

  Bridget smiled, satisfied. Carter slumped back and scowled.

  * * * *

  Later that afternoon, the duke and duchess of Cambridge sat with Bridget at Clarence House, their London home.

  Kate leaned forward and asked, “So what do you think?”

  Bridget was all business. “As I told you from the beginning, this group has it all. They have the experience and backing of the insufferable Carter, the resources and ingenuity of Mrs. Gage, and the energy and unique skills of the other individuals on their team.”

  William added, “So you think they can do the job?”

  Bridget’s answer was unequivocal. “Yes.”

  He continued. “Carter has asked me to use my influence with my royal relatives across Europe to advance his plans. Of course, no one else will be brought into our confidence. But I’m sure the cousins will see playing the muse to this group as a lark. I hesitated to involve them until I felt sure. All right then. Are you free to join them for as long as it takes and be our eyes and ears?”

  She laughed. “For you two, I am most certainly available.”

  With that business concluded, they sat back and enjoyed their tea and conversation.

  * * * *

  Their four week run of performances in London was coming to a close. Andy had spent time with the trio of oil barons and found out vital information to pass on to Washington. They were indeed trying to broker a deal with known terrorists in order to gain power in that region. The decision had been made to sit on the information in hopes of discovering further intelligence, as well as make further connections through them. They were building their own network of resources and Andy had become the trio’s ally.

  Carter reported to the group that the security advisors were very pleased with their efforts so far. He told them that their group was being viewed as having the spy craft that was perfected during World War II—especially under Churchill, with his infamous SOE (Special Operations Executive). Unconventional but very effective.

  The duke and duchess had done their bit to promote the play and the notoriety of the actors and had announced that they would host the closing night party after their final performance on Friday.

  Danny Mac pulled Kenann aside after their last council of war and took her in his arms. The others were milling about Mrs. Gage’s suite. Kenann laughed and looked up at him.

  “What’s up MacKenzie?”

  “Run away with me.”

  “What?”

  “Let’s take a day. Just for ourselves. Be tourists.”

  “Why, so your adoring fans can mob us in Trafalg
ar Square?” she teased.

  He grimaced and released her. “Well, when you put it that way, it loses its appeal. We would never have had this much exposure if it had not been for the endorsement of the duke and duchess.”

  “Oh, honey, it will be all right. We can still run away for the day. Let’s rent a car and see the countryside. This notoriety is exactly according to plan. This is exactly what Carter wanted.”

  “Exactly,” he mimicked, but then he smiled. “You’re right. I am feeling caged in and I just want a day with my best girl.”

  Her eyes beamed. He always knew just the right things to say to her. She would have moved heaven and earth at that point to get him what he wanted.

  * * * *

  So Kenann did the next best thing. She went to Mrs. Gage. The next morning, they had an Aston Martin waiting out front. In the front seat were brochures and maps of local sites that they could explore. Danny Mac hugged Mrs. Gage before they left and whispered, “Thank you,” into her ear. She patted his cheek.

  “Thank your wife. She made it happen.”

  Kenann winked at Mrs. G. as Danny Mac took her hand and led her out the door.

  “Can I drive?”

  Danny Mac laughed. “Be my guest. I’m not sure I can stay on the right side of the road.”

  “You mean left,” she replied and laughed. “Adam used to let me drive all the time over here. Actually, way before I was old enough. But I have longed to get behind the wheel of one of these babies.”

  They slid into the sleek vehicle, both appreciating the feel and luxury of the interior. When the engine purred to life, they looked at each other and grinned like schoolchildren. They were off.

  She took them by memory around London, past the Tower, and across the London Bridge. She circled the tall statue of Lord Nelson in Trafalgar Square and they talked about their favorite music while coming out of St. Martin in the Fields. She took him down Fleet Street and past St. Paul’s Cathedral. She loved that place and all that it represented to the people during the London Blitz. They talked about the famous photograph of it shining through the smoke as a beacon of hope and victory. She reveled in their shared love of history. Once he had seen Parliament and Big Ben and all the other iconic sites of the city, she headed out the M4 to the countryside.