Page 23 of Fighting for Brielle
At eleven-thirty a man wearing jeans and a dark hoodie perched on the barstool next to her and ordered a bottle of beer.
Looking straight ahead, he murmured, “What do you want?”
“Information. Where are the arms coming from?”
“China. North Korea. Russia. Syria. Take your pick.”
“Okay, then. When is the next shipment due?”
“It’s already arrived and on the move.”
Faith cursed beneath her breath. “Get me inside.”
He risked glancing at her. “No fucking way. You’re an all-American girl. A patriot. They’ll identify you as a plant the moment you step foot inside the compound. Anderson will know you aren’t the type to turn against your own country. And the methods they use…” He shook his head. “They’ll kill you.Afterthey dehumanize you. I’m lucky I got out alive. You won’t see me again. I’m a dead man if they find me.”
He drained his bottle of beer and threw a twenty on the counter. “You won’t be able to contact me after tonight. My advice? Drop it. You can’t stop them.”
“I can try.”
“You’ll die.”
Faith winced. “Then I’ll die for a noble cause.”
He snorted. “You’re brave but stupid. Dyin’ isn’t easy. And Anderson will make it especially painful for you.” With that final remark, he turned and left her alone.
A coldness crept through Faith. She had an incredible and frightening story to tell, but first she needed to be on Laguna Beach when the next shipment of weapons arrived, record it on her phone, and follow it straight to Axel Anderson’s compound which she knew was located somewhere in Oregon. Only then would she alert the authorities.
Brave but stupid.
* * *
On Saturday morning Justice and Franklin decided to eat breakfast at Pop’s Diner before heading to the airport. A couple of officers were having eggs and coffee at the end of their shift and greeted the McQuaids as they were seated. Justice looked around for the gorgeous, amber-eyed woman he’d seen at the YMCA, but she wasn’t there.
After a waitress poured cups of coffee for them, Justice said in a low voice just in case anyone was listening, “I’ve only been on the job for a few days, Dad. I don’t want you to leave. I need you.”
Guilt swept through Franklin. Justice saw it in his eyes. Guilt over sleeping with Adrienne because he couldn’t control his libido. Guilt over abandoning his son because he couldn’t handle the feelings Adrienne invoked in him. He was leaving both of them and heading back to his empty house haunted by the spirit of his beloved wife.
“Son, I beg you, please don’t make this any more difficult for me than it already is. You’ve got this. The department is behind you one hundred percent. I can tell the difference even in the short amount of time you’ve been chief. Don’t ever underestimate your ability to lead.”
Justice waited until they’d been served their breakfast before he replied, “Your love and loyalty and respect for Mom are admirable, Dad, and I hope I feel that way about a woman someday. But Mom made it clear she didn’t want you to live a lonely, empty life. It’s been five years. You’ve grieved. Every day. It’s all right for you to find happiness again.”
Justice saw the tug-of-war between Franklin’s brain and his heart?his heart wrapped in old memories and a lifetime of loving just one woman?playing across his weathered face.
“Justice, I pray every day that you’ll find a woman worthy of your love. A woman who will return your love and stand proudly by your side. That is my greatest hope for you.”
What could Justice say after that? He couldn’t change Franklin’s mind. His father was dead set on returning to Connecticut. They finished eating in silence, lost in their private thoughts.
At the airport, though, Justice tried one more time to convince Franklin to stay with him.
“Dad, please consider moving to California. I can’t stand the idea of your being alone. You don’t have to sell the house that you and Mom built. If you discover you can’t be happy here, you can return to Connecticut. At least you can say you tried, and I won’t stop you from leaving. And you don’t have to see Adrienne again, if that’s an issue for you.” To his great mortification, hot tears stung his eyes.
Seeing Justice’s emotional reaction caused tears to spring to Franklin’s own eyes. Swallowing heavily, he replied, “I promise I’ll consider it. I may get home and feel those walls closing around me.”
He pulled Justice into a tight hug. “I love you, son. Never doubt how much. You’re going to do great things for this community.”
“Thanks for that. Your faith in me means the world to me. Call me as soon as you get home. I love you, Dad.”
“I will.”
