Page 86 of Viking Unchained

“I don’t wanna take a bath. I ain’t dirty.”

Everyone laughed at that. Aside from his hands and arms, which he’d been forced to wash before eating, Mike had smudges of dirt on his nose, different stains on his T-shirt and jeans, some of which might very well be manure, and his hair was going every which way, with a few sprigs of hay mixed in.

“You can come back down after your bath, honey,” Lydia told him. “Since it’s a special night, you get to pick three books tonight.”

When Mike trudged off behind her mother, grumbling, Finn turned to her. “He is a fine boy. You have done well with him.”

She wanted to say thank you, but all she could do was nod.

After that, she and Jogeir took the plates off the table and began to run a first load in the dishwasher, which did not meet with Finn’s approval, she could tell, but there was nothing he could do about it. Jogeir was a good-looking man of about twenty-five who resembled his father not just in stature but also in love of farming, apparently.

When Torolf came over to help, Finn jumped up to help, too.

Finn said the oddest thing to Torolf while they were jostling each other in front of the sink. “By the by, cousin, your love advice stinks.”

Torolf burst out laughing. “You didn’t! Oh, God, don’t tell me you actually said that?”

Finn shoved Torolf, who almost fell over.

“Wait ’til I tell Hilda what you said about her doing intimate things in front of a mirror.”

“Don’t you dare!” Torolf gave Finn a good shove then, too. Soon they were on the floor wrestling.

While Torolf and Finn behaved like children, Geek took over coffee-dispensing duties, and JAM washed the pots and pans. When everything was relatively cleared up, Lydia sat down at the table with them.

“The FBI wants to meet with us tomorrow morning,” Sly said. “At first we planned to gather at Green Meadows Farm, but there’s too many damn people here now. So, they suggested the conference room at City Hall. They’ll let us in on what they know so far, which isn’t much.”

Lydia had talked to Julie and Herb Denton this morning to tell them that she had arrived and everything was calm at the moment. Although normally Mike would be going to their farm, starting tomorrow, for a week’s stay, they decided to hold off ’til the danger had passed. When she dropped by there the next day, it would be the first she’d seen them since Christmas.

“Well, we’ve already got a few leads,” Geek said, surprising them all. “We figure there must be a connection between Lydia, Mike, Dave, the SEALs, and the memorial service. Who would have a grudge that encompasses all of those?”

“Could it be connected to SEAL missions in general?” Sly asked.

Finn shook his head. “Nay. If that were the case, others would be targeted, too. It has to be one particular mission that has sparked rage in this villain.” Finn might not be a modern soldier . . . yet, but he had the right mind for it.

“Okay, can you have Commander MacLean pull up data on every mission Dave was on?” Sly asked Geek.

“He’s in the process of doing that right now. We should get the faxes any minute,” Geek replied as they all walked to the living room. “But the lead I mentioned . . . the Fibbies got an anonymous call a few weeks ago, which they traced to an Arab doctor in Michigan. He warned about something his brother was planning. It was kind of garbled, but it might have something to do with that last bloody mission of Dave’s . . . the one where the . . . um, explosives . . . I mean . . .” Geek’s eyes darted to Lydia, uncomfortable at the reminder of Dave’s gory death. No one ever spoke of it, but she suspected there were only body parts in Dave’s coffin at Arlington. Dave had once told her about a phenomenon called “pink mist,” which occurred in an explosion involving people. It had needed no explanation. “They’re interviewing him as we speak.”

Everyone was uncomfortable then at the reminder of Lydia’s dead husband and the SEALs’ dead buddy.

The living room looked like a NASA launch headquarters with computers, monitors, TVs, faxes, and a state-of-the-art ear mike system that connected all the SEALs. And probably the FBI and police, after tomorrow.

“Another thing,” JAM said. “Tomorrow a dozen or more of us will spread out and search the wooded areas around both farms.”

“Good idea,” Finn said.

“Are we safe?” Lydia asked.

“Yes. As long as we’re careful.” This from JAM.

“Hah!” Finn said. “Anyone who attempts to harm Mike . . . or Lydia will have to do so over my dead body. I protect those under my shield.”

Her father frowned. Whether at Finn’s strange language or his vehemence in protecting Lydia and Mike, she wasn’t sure. One thing was certain. Her father would be grilling her once he got her alone.

“So, Mr. Hartley, it would be best if you and Mrs. Hartley went about your business, as usual. With covert protection,” Geek advised. “The rest of us will get to work in your living room and try to come up with a plan.”

Her father nodded, then looked at Lydia. “Why don’t you come out to the barn with me, honey? We’ll check on the cows ready to calve tomorrow.”