“I spent ten minutes on the phone with Owen Errol; he said his peeps managed to beat the schedule, that the rooms were painted and exquisite. He would get the tchotchkes in while we were living there. He said the landscaping will be zooted up and the stable will be painted by this afternoon. He decided to reverse the colors, red on white. The operations center and gates are fully functional and are certified by Blake and Tech. He also said the guest house is being painted now. Furniture for it will be delivered tomorrow, but he figured we would probably prefer not living in the Dupart house with all the kids.” Troy smirked.
“Who is Owen Errol?”Gwen giggled at Troy’s imitation of the man.
He laughed too.“Owen is a famous decorator. He has a show on HGTV with his husband, and he designed all the offices and the building decor here in San Diego, including Julian’s home, and did the training center in Virginia. And now he’s finishing up our home.”
Gwen jumped inside. She did hear him right, didn’t she?He did say “our”?
“From what I understand he makes phone calls to people in our lives to make the offices and homes specifically personalized for us. I hope he didn't talk to my mother too much. She'll have the house looking like tales fromAesop's Fables, or a Greek diner on steroids.” Troy put his arm over his brow in mock distress. “She’s coming tomorrow.” He sounded like a wounded animal.This time the distress was real.
“She can't possibly be that bad?” General North asked. “Owen was very nice on the phone, by the way.”
“That’s why my office was so wonderful. But that means you knew about my promotion before I did. And Troy...you already knew too. What if I said no?” she pouted.
“Because I knew you wouldn’t say no.” He turned to the general. “I’m sorry, sir, I shouldn’t speak poorly about my mom, but she can be difficult. In August, I was badly injured working a case in Iowa. When my colleagues wrapped up the case and I was still in the ICU at Horizon Hospital, she bothered everyone. Mike Johnson, who was covering for Martin Bailey, had to give one of our teams raises and bonuses. He called it the Fani Bremen plan. And when they transferred me to Denver, they flew her with me. She made me violently sick. PA Seth Brady dosed me. I think I woke up a day later.
“And, believe me, I know she loves me, but she will pick up on my feelings for your daughter immediately. And if I try to lie, she'll ask why I’m lying, and if I tell her we're brand new, she'll plan our wedding. Or she'll ask if Gwen is pregnant. I apologize in advance. I will need to make a lot up to you and even more to your daughter,” Troy explained.
Troy and the general stepped out for Gwen to dress and found Trask waiting for him. Troy’s eyes narrowed. “General, have your personnel ever sandbagged you?”
Gwen’s father’s brow rose. “They’ve tried.”
“Winslow, march. General, I’ll be back momentarily.” Troy pointed to the elevator. Soon they crossed the bridge onto the executive floor.
“You're full of shit. Now tell me what the hell is going on and why I need to be out of here by eleven!” Troy roared loud enough to be heard the length of the floor.
Martin tossed open Julian’s office door and stood in the doorway, a look on his face that could only be described as an angry bear. Hands on his hips, he shook his head. “Can you ever just get with the program? Asshat, there's a direct threat against your life and Gwen's. According to a call I took while you were in CT scan, one of the mystery callers is planning to do something at 1100 hours that he believes is going to destroy you and prevent you from being able to help Gwen. Another caller has plans for Gwen.”Martin put down a small tape recorder on the desk and pushed play.
Troy’s gaze locked on Martin, burning dark. When Gwen’s call played, Troy’s eyes filled with red-hot rage.
Troy growled, “Okay, your plan is to get Gwen and me out of the building randomly to screw up the callers without anyone being aware. An unplanned schedule. It could work. But I'll take advantage of it because I want to take Gwen to the new house with medical. I’ve invited her father too. I want to meet my estate security and staff. And, yes, Trask can drive and, yes, I will take your million backup people. I’m going back to medical so I can take Gwen out of here. Trask, arrange to bring in lunch for everyone.”
* * *
Troy walkedout of Julian’s office with Trask in tow. “I need to stop at my office to get some work to take home. It’s the only way I’ll get Gwen to rest.”
“Boss, we’d like to get you out of here before 1100.” Trask’s shoulders rose as he checked his watch. “I can get what you need and bring it to you later.”
“We have fifteen minutes.” Troy continued down the south corridor.
Verna looked up from her desk. “Good morning. I didn’t expect you today.”
“I’m not staying, just picking up a few things to work on.” Troy waved his hand in front of the sensor to unlock the door. “If anyone calls for me, get their number, and I’ll call them back later.”
Trask stood stiffly while Troy sat at his desk. “Grab the paperwork on the conference table while I pack up this stack of files.” Troy placed case files inside his briefcase, then sorted through his inbox. His eyes fixed on a large white poly mailer alongside other mail with a return address for TRB Media Corp from Los Angeles. Thinking it was a request for security commentary, he opened the envelope.
Inside was a high-gloss magazine. The background on the cover was of the Chase Towers in San Diego, with a headshot of him set off-center in the foreground. The headline readChase Security International Executive Rises from the Dead and Returns as Second in Charge of the Company’s Largest Branch—San Diego. A second article was titledSilverton, Iowa, the Corruption of a Middle American Town. A third article was consumed with the role of private security working with public law enforcement departments to solve crime. He inhaled sharply.
Trask turned at the sound. “Boss?”
“Good to go.” Troy stood and walked to his gun safe.
“Boss, Tim said no guns or major decisions.”
“It’s in its case—I want it at home. I don’t plan on coming in tomorrow.” He handed Trask his briefcase and walked him to the door. As Trask crossed the threshold, Troy slammed the door and hit the emergency button, which would seal the entrance and turn the windows opaque. His office became a secure safe room.
Troy returned to his desk and proceeded to open the article about him.His eyes glued to the pages.
In an amazing feat of survival, Chase Security Senior Executive Troy Bremen returns to work after he almost lost his life, and perhaps his soul. A group in Silverton, Iowa, brutalized him in unimaginable ways as he and a team from Chase Security identified the leadership of a network of pornographers specializing in violence and sexual assault of children as young as two to indigent or drug-addicted prisoners of all ages.
