“Wasn’t the concert lovely?” Mrs. Bennett asked. An attractive woman, her pleasant smile was welcoming.
“Absolutely. I was late getting a ticket and wasn’t sure I was going to be able to make it since I was traveling. I’m thrilled that I was able to be here.”
A teenager who looked like a younger version of Mrs. Bennett popped into their circle. Mrs. Bennett smiled wider and wrapped her arm around the girl. “Our Amelia is going to learn how to play the violin, so we wanted her to come tonight so that she could hear the entire symphony.”
He smiled politely at the bright-eyed young woman before turning his attention back to the congressman. After another moment of small talk, he was finally able to say his goodbyes. Turning, his heart fell when he realized the hall was emptying, and the beautiful violinist had disappeared before he had a chance to talk to her further.
Clay loved the early morning deep in the caverns before everyone else arrived at work. Mace had created the headquarters for Lighthouse Security Investigations in the caves underneath the decommissioned lighthouse he now owned, having explored them as a child.
As he passed through the kitchen when entering the house, he greeted Marge and Horace, the couple Mace had hired to keep LSI running smoothly. Horace, a retired Navy Seal, kept his gray hair cut high and tight. To the casual eye, he would easily seem to be the laid-back caretaker of the grounds. But Clay knew Horace’s eagle-eyed gaze was on every aspect of maintaining and securing LSI. Marge, with the looks and demeanor of a grandmother drill sergeant, eagerly accepted her duties of taking care of the Keepers with as much dedication as when she’d first met Mace on a CIA Special Operation.
Now, down in the main compound room, he munched on one of Marge’s famous breakfast biscuits while fixing his coffee. Josh walked up beside him, refilling his mug. Glancing down, he asked, “You on your second cup?”
Josh laughed and shook his head. “Third.”
“Damn, you did get here early.” He and Josh often worked security from inside the compound. He enjoyed fieldwork but also enjoyed the mental stimulation from puzzling together investigation clues of the information they divined electronically.
Rank and Blake walked in together, and he offered a chin lift in greeting. They were soon followed by their newest Keeper, Levi.
“Are you and Claire getting settled?” Rank asked Levi.
“Yeah. We’re doing great. I’m afraid her introduction to Maine was wild considering that somebody was trying to kill us on the way here, but she’s enjoying it now.”
Shaking his head, Clay said, “You’re crazy! Every one of you is a magnet for relationships that start out with drama.”
“That’s what keeps everything lively,” Babs said, laughing as her fellow Keeper and husband, Drew, leaned over and kissed her with a large smacking sound.
Sylvie placed several files on her desk and turned to smile at him. “Don’t you think a little bit of excitement is good?” Mace had stepped in when Sylvie’s son witnessed a murder and was threatened. Now, happily married, she was not only Mace’s wife but also chief administrative assistant at LSI.
Shaking his head slowly, Clay emphasized, “No, not for me. I think calm, quiet, and easy is the best relationship to have.” He kept his reasons private, but his parents had been the poster family for loud, dramatic… and angry. Very angry. It might be Psychology 101, but he knew there was no escaping the chaos that had been his childhood without making sure his adult life was orderly.
Mace walked in, winked at Sylvie, then settled into a chair as the other Keepers filled their seats at the large, round table in the middle of the room. “The International Joint Drug Task Force has offered their official congratulations and thanks for our assistance. The two men that Tate, Clay, and Walker apprehended and turned over were part of a Montréal drug gang, the Minotaurs. The head of the Task Force has asked if we’re available for future endeavors.”
He looked around the table, every Keeper nodding their acquiescence. Mace’s gaze landed on Clay. “You had point on this one, any problem with working with them again?”
Shaking his head, Clay responded, “Nope, not at all. With Levi acting as our FBI liaison, it was smooth sailing.”
“Good to hear, because we’ve got a new assignment.”
Chuckling, Tate said, "Hell, that didn't take long."
The others laughed as well, then turned their attention back to Mace. “Continuing to use Levi as our FBI liaison, the Task Force is looking into an American with political connections.”
“Who’s the target?” Tate asked.
“State Congressman Bennett’s closest friend and campaign manager, Jerry Kincaid. The congressman already had basic security set up by our company on his estate, but our target is his campaign headquarters and the residence of Jerry.”
“Their suspicions?” Josh asked, tapping on his computer to bring up pictures of the congressman’s headquarters. With a few more clicks, he also brought up Jerry’s condo.
“His name came up in an investigation of drug trafficking to Canada. So far, the Bureau has nothing concrete, and because of his political and judicial connections, they’re trying to keep this under wraps as they dig further. But since they’re limited in the scope of what they can do at this juncture, they’ve asked for our assistance.”
Clay rubbed his chin, the vision of the congressman, his wife, and teenage daughter coming to mind. “The Bureau doesn’t suspect Congressman Bennett?”
As he looked across the table, he noted Mace’s raised eyebrow. He recognized the unasked question in their iconic leader. “I actually saw the congressman and his wife at a concert last evening. Since I was one of the ones who’d initially set up the security for their estate he remembered me.”
Nodding, Mace continued, “At this time, the Bureau has no indication that the congressman is involved in anything untoward or illegal. It seems their entire focus is on Jerry Kincaid. Granted, they have nothing concrete, but with his name being linked to the congressman, they want to follow this through. Since you’ve met with the congressman and have actually been in his campaign headquarters, I’m putting you on this.”
“Is the congressman aware of the investigation?”
Mace leaned back in his chair, the metal squeaking with his weight. “No. There’s nothing on the congressman, but Jerry is his closest friend and business associate. The Bureau doesn’t want to tip their hand to the congressman with their suspicions.” He looked toward Clay. “Do you want in on this one?”
“Absolutely. Got no problem working this mission.”
“Cobb, I want you on this assignment as well. Your particular expertise will be helpful. Levi will continue being our liaison, and others can help as needed.”
With the next assignments divvied out, Clay walked over to Josh and Cobb, settling into their station to plan the first steps of the mission. Thinking of the beautiful violinist he’d just met when the congressman interrupted, he smiled. Having tickets to another philharmonic concert on Friday evening, he’d have the opportunity to meet her again. With that in his mind, he turned back to business.