Page 170 of The Texas Sterling Collection
They carried their bags up to the flat and into the bedroom. Wyl grabbed Rod and held him tight. “You don’t know how happy I am to have you with me. While I don’t like putting you in danger, you ease my nerves about our Emerald Mission.”
“Emerald Mission?”
Wyl nodded. “You’re the one who mentioned Emerald Isle. I think we can call this our Emerald Mission.”
“I like that,” Rod said. “And you don’t know how glad I am to be here.” Rod held Wyl tight. “I’d rather this were our vacation on our terms, but we’re here for a reason. Being together makes me confident we will succeed. Your experience in Italy is something you’ll never forget, but I wasn’t there to help you. I’m here with you now and will do everything possible to keep you from harm. I’m counting on us growing old together on Sterling Ranch.”
“Me too, babe.” Wyl sighed. He needed Rod’s strength, but more importantly, he needed to keep Rod safe.
“After we unpack, let’s go for groceries,” Rod said. “We need to stock the kitchen.”
“Sounds good. Afterward, we can relax for the afternoon and evening.” Wyl started unpacking his bag, stowing things in a dresser drawer. “Tomorrow, we need to connect with the Garda officials and learn the details of our mission from an Irish perspective. We must also contact the U.S. Embassy in Dublin and inform the Ambassador we have arrived.”
“At least we have this evening. We can enjoy our first night in Ireland.” Rod unzipped his hanging bag and transferred the clothes to the closet. “It’s a fabulous country. We’ll explore as much as we can while we’re here. After all, we’re officially on our honeymoon.”
They stowed the empty luggage in the closet and strolled into the living room. “We should message General Steinburg to let him know we arrived.” Wyl took his iPad from his briefcase.
“Good idea.” Rod checked his watch. “It’s noon here, so it is seven o’clock in the morning in D.C. He’s probably in his office.”
Wyl tapped the on-screen keyboard:Sterlings arrived in Galway. Awaiting further instructions.
A few seconds later, Wyl’s government cell phone rang. “Wyl Sterling.” He paused, then smiled. “Yes, sir, General Steinburg. May I put you on speaker, sir, so Rod can also hear?” Wyl pressed the speaker icon on the screen.
“Gentlemen,” General Steinburg began, “I am glad you made it safely to your destination.”
“Yes, sir,” Wyl said.
“I spoke with Commissioner Seamus Kane, the top-ranking official for An Garda Síochána. As I mentioned in our Pentagon meeting, Ireland has a national police force. The entire country is about the same size in square miles as Maine. Dingle, located on the southwest coast of Ireland, and Belfast, on the northeast coast, are only 317 miles apart. You Texas boys drive 250 miles from your ranch to your place in Kerrville, yet you think nothing of driving that distance for a weekend.”
“General,” Rod chuckled, “you certainly did a thorough job of vetting us.”
The general returned a chuckle. “Rod, neither of you would be in Ireland now if we didn’t know you. Now, back to Ireland. Commissioner Kane is the top guy and the individual who requested our assistance. He assures me of their full cooperation. Gardaí have been investigating the suspects for quite some time to no avail. They need someone on the inside, and that’s where you two come in.”
“Understood, general.” Rod glanced at Wyl. “Commissioner Kane. Is he our contact?”
“Good question, Rod. You two won’t deal with Commissioner Kane but with a local contact in Galway. Chief Superintendent Ciaran O’Brien is the top official for that district. Commissioner Kane has spoken to O’Brien. He is aware of your presence and expects your call.”
“Very good, general.” Wyl nodded. “What is your recommendation for contact with the Chief Superintendent?”
“Gentlemen, I strongly urge you to avoid face-to-face contact with Gardaí. A honeymooning couple would not interact with law enforcement. O’Brien will know how best to handle communication. Use your government-issued cell phone to call his office and inform them that you are in the country. He will take it from there. And speaking of cell phones, I assume you also have your personal cell phones?”
“Yes, sir,” Wyl said.
“Good. Use your personal phones anytime you contact the suspects. Having a phone number they can verify helps with your cover. However, and this is crucial, always carry your government-issued phone with you. We can easily track your location through those phones. If Gardaí asks for your personal cell phone numbers, provide them. Having alternate methods of contact and location is very helpful. However, all contact with Gardaí or other agents on the mission is made using your government-issued phones. We don’t know what access the suspects have. If they can break into the financial system, they could also break into other databases, including phone records. We want nothing to arouse suspicion.”
“Very good, general,” Rod said. “Is there anything else we need to know at this point about the mission?”
“Gentlemen, I cannot stress enough that you are the right two people for this job. I specifically chose you because of your expertise and suitability. I handled many missions, but never had more confidence in a team than I have in the two of you.”
“Thank you, general. We appreciate the support and the information,” Rod said.
“Be safe, gentlemen, and keep me posted.” The call disconnected.
“Ready to go?” Wyl asked.
Rod opened the front door and stepped outside. “We can load up on enough food for a week or so.”
“Good idea.” Wyl followed Rod and closed the door behind him.
