Two dayslater
February
Laguna Beach, California
Tawny,Hutch, Luca, Miguel, and Owen assembled in Justice’s conference room at the Laguna Beach police station the morning after he’d returned from Washington, D.C. Almost four years ago, Justice had faced them in this room for the first time, afraid of making a mistake and appearing like a bumbling fool because of the brain injury he’d suffered in Afghanistan. Today, he didn’t feel fear. Love and pride swelled in him. Overcome with such fierce emotions, it took a moment for Justice to speak.
“A strange fate I couldn’t have foreseen brought me to Laguna Beach, a man broken physically and emotionally. I didn’t know what to expect, but you showed me the way. Tawny, you condensed the policies and procedures for me into a comprehensible document when I couldn’t even read a map. You have no idea how much that gesture meant to me.
“Hutch and Luca, you’ve been as strong as rocks in your loyalty to me as your Chief. I can’t express how much I appreciate you.” Justice turned toward Miguel. “River, your humility and dedication to mentor at-risk youth in our community inspires me every day to be a better man.
“And Owen,” here he grinned, “well, you were a mess when we first met. You were disrespectful, out of shape, a mediocre cop with a chip on your shoulder the size of Texas. But look at you now. Promoted to Captain of the Cambridge Police Department, a husband, and a father-to-be.”
Owen’s face grew red. “Aw, Chief, I wouldn’t have such a great life if it weren’t for you. You saw something in me I couldn’t see for myself. You gave me a second chance, and I owe you far more than I could ever repay.”
“I’ve asked a lot of you in the past, and now I’m asking if going on this next journey with me is really what you want. Hutch, Luca, and Tawny, you’re newlyweds, and Owen and Luca, your wives are pregnant. We’ll be away from our families for weeks while Madam Secretary is campaigning. Not to mention shifts that may last twelve hours or more.”
“That’s nothing new,” Hutch pointed out. “But, Chief, what about the department? It’ll be short on manpower, not to mention,you. Who’s going to step into your shoes?”
“I’m working on a solution for that with the mayor. We also have recruits from the police academy who are asking to work in Laguna Beach.”
“Because of you,” Tawny argued.
“I believe the department will be in good hands. Now, you haven’t answered my question. Are we all in? Yes or no?”
They gazed at each other. Their thoughts and emotions surged like electric currents among them. They worked together. They socialized together. They defended together. They stood together at their weddings. They cried together, shed blood together, and faced death together. They’d do this together, too. Protect Madam Secretary during her bid for the presidency.
A collective answer rose in the room. “Yes, Chief!”
Relief swept through Justice. It heartened him that the people he loved and trusted the most would be by his side.Though he’d made their agreement to become Secret Service agents a condition of his acceptance, everyone knew Justice was too honorable to say no to Madam Secretary. He owed a debt to her.
While Miguel drove Owen to John Wayne Airport and the others returned to their jobs, Justice sat at his computer and pulled up the old case file on Axel Anderson, Jr. He zoomed in on a photo of him. His gut clenched. Dangling around Axel Jr.’s neck was a sterling silver tag with his name engraved on it. Was it an unusual coincidence? Or another possibility too horrific to consider?
An urgent desire to uncover the truth caused Justice’s heart rate to increase. His fingers flew across the keyboard as he searched for the digital records of evidence collected at Axel Anderson’s underground compound in Oregon. He clicked through the files until he landed on a rare photo of the Anderson family. Justice enlarged the picture. Identical sterling silver nametags hung around the siblings’ necks. His pulse raced. He pulled up one of the photographs snapped at Barbara’s press conference and zoomed in on Julia Washburn and Lola Anderson placed side by side.
“Holy Mary, Mother of God.” Unless his eyes deceived him, Julia and Lola bore similar facial features.
His breath came fast as he called the one person who could help unravel the truth—John “Tex” Keegan, a former Navy SEAL who’d helped Justice and his friends in the past.
“Tex, we have a problem.”
“For fuck’s sake, Justice. Already? It’s only been three months since your last crisis.”
“Very funny, Tex. Just wait. One day you might need protecting.”
Tex guffawed. “Protecting me? Tex? That’ll be the day.”
“In any case, this time it’s not about me. It affects Secretary of State Barbara Washburn.”
“So, you accepted a Secret Service position protecting her? What’s going on?”
Justice explained his suspicions.
Tex whistled. “You really stepped into some deep shit, Justice. I’ll dig around, see what I can uncover.”
“Keep it confidential, Tex.”
“No need to even ask. I’ll let you know when I find out anything.”
