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WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sunday, Dec. 15, 2012) — Mac and Kristy walked down the Capitol Mall, strolling past the reflection pool, toward the Lincoln Memorial. Kristy wanted to see D.C., and collect stuff to take back to her second-grade class. She’d been taking snapshots with Troy’s camera all day. It was cold now and only getting colder. They were forecasting snow for later in the week.
The two of them had been checking out all of the tourist sites. Mac’s arm was in a sling, although he thought he could have done without it. They’d seen the Smithsonian, the Air and Space Museum, where he’d still be if he’d had a choice. They’d gone to the Museum of Art, the Capitol, the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress. The Washington Monument was behind them. The Lincoln Memorial was the next stop on their agreed-upon list, then the Vietnam Memorial. Kristy was hinting that she’d like to tour the White House. Mac was trying to decide between pleading that his arm was hurting or giving her the tour she wanted. Plenty of time to decide, he thought, as they strolled hand in hand. At least no one was shooting at them.
Earlier in the morning he’d gone out to see C.J.’s wife. He’d given her the two certified checks totaling $100,000. She’d stared at them with disbelief.
“I don’t even know your name,” she said looking at him. “100,000 dollars!”
Mac had nodded, handed her a piece of paper with Shorty’s email address and telephone number on it. “Bank those checks,” he warned. “They’re just like cash. Then call him, he’s a friend of mine. He’ll help you make it go even farther.”
“I will always remember how much I owe you,” she said, tears filling her eyes. “If you ever need anything....”
Mac shook his head vigorously. Was this how it had started for Parker, he wondered. “You don’t owe me a thing,” he said with certainty. “Just raise some good kids, you hear?”
She kissed him on the cheek and then went back into her home.
He’d talked to Janet last night. She had been elated with the stories. “You’ve most certainly impressed Jason and his boss,” she said. “They’re talking about offering you a job at the D.C. bureau. Are you interested?”
“No,” Mac assured her. “I’m coming home to Seattle.”
“Good. When? There’s all kinds of follow-up stories that need doing.”
“Actually, I need vacation time,” Mac said. “There’s a girl I’d like to spend Christmas with.”
“Vacation? At a time like this? This is your story!” she’d protested.
“Is that what you would have done? Stayed home and worked the story?”
Janet was silent for a moment. Then she sighed. “Yeah. Still would, I suppose.” She was silent again. “Take the girl somewhere warm, Mac. You’re right, there’s other reporters to take it from here.”
“I’ll stay through Wednesday,” Mac compromised. “Most of the story will be over by then. So, if I come back to Seattle, do I get a pay raise?”
Janet laughed. “I’ll see what I can do about that, but no promises.”
Stan Warren had called shortly after that. “He’s not dead, but he’s not ever going to be the man he was,” he said. Mac had done serious, permanent damage: two broken ribs, and a broken collarbone, a concussion. Smashed testicles from that last kick. “But he’s conscious. Making threats.”
“Should have hit him harder,” Mac said coldly.
Warren laughed, but he was under no illusions that Mac was joking.
“I keep wondering why the CIA didn’t show up in all of this,” Mac said. “He called in markers from everyone else.”
“I’m only guessing, but I doubt he wanted anyone to know he’d had Clayton killed,” Warren said. “Some of those agents aren’t to be messed with.”
“Yeah,” Mac said doubtfully. They’d never know for sure. Mac suspected there was more that could be discovered about Parker’s past. Someone else’s job.
“I’ve been authorized to offer you a job at the FBI,” Warren said, changing the subject.
“You want me to become a cop?” Mac yelped.
“An agent,” Warren said, sounding insulted at being lumped in with cops. “What’s the matter with that? It’s a step up from being a reporter.”
“No way, man,” Mac said. “Besides I would never pass the background check.”
Warren laughed. “So, you’re going back to Seattle? Say hello to your editor for me.”
“Why don’t you call her yourself?” Mac asked, thinking of Janet’s moody reply to his vacation request. “I thought the two of you hit it off.”
Warren sighed. “Two workaholics have no business trying to conduct a long-distance relationship. Won’t work. And neither of us are likely to change, not at our ages.”
“Just go visit for Christmas, forget any thoughts of a serious relationship,” Mac said.
“Maybe,” Warren said, but Mac didn’t think he would.
Now, standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial, Mac studied the statue. Impressive. But it was freaking cold. He reached inside his coat, pulled out two airline tickets and handed them to Kristy.
“What’s this?” she asked, looking at them.
“I thought maybe you’d like to spend Christmas with me somewhere warmer,” Mac said, smiling at her. “What do you think?”
“Mexico?” She opened the tickets. “Wednesday?”
Mac nodded. “I asked for some time off, being wounded and all,” he said and grinned. “Want to go?”
She hugged him, smiling. “I’d love to spend Christmas in Mexico,” she said, laughter in her voice.
Mac kissed her deeply.
“About time,” she said, a few minutes later, her face rosy in the wind. “Do we still have time for the White House tour?”
Mac laughed. At least it would be warm inside. “We have time for whatever you want,” he promised.
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Postscript
Hi, I’m the author of this book, and I hope you liked it. I liked writing it! As a former journalist, I wanted a reporter protagonist who could solve problems. Mac came into being based on my reporting experiences as well as others. In particular, I wanted to create a military hero who was under 30. There are many great mysteries and thrillers created with military heroes, but most of them served in Vietnam. Vietnam vets are in their 60s and 70s in real life. I wanted someone who fought in the Middle East and came home to civilian life.
Next up? In God’s Name, book 2 in the Mac Davis thriller series. Mac’s boss, Janet Andrews, is being stalked. She doesn’t know if it’s because of their current investigation into the financial practices of Pregnancy Crisis Centers, or because of her past — a past that she thought was long behind her. But she does know who can find out.
Available in ebook and paperback wherever you buy your books.
I have written more books! Look for them at your eBook retailer, or sign up for my newsletter, and you will get the first announcement of future books, and a few other things. (Oh, and you get a free Mac short story for signing up too.) You can sign up by visiting my website, ljbreedlove.com where all my books are listed. I’m also on Facebook at L.J. Breedlove. I hope you’ll join me there.
Thanks again for reading!
L.J. Breedlove