The Dentzel carousel in Coolidge Park was a true work of art. Daniel admired the hand-carved animals and ornate decorations between the gold leaf benches through the binoculars as he kept an eye on Bethany waiting for the Guard contact to arrive. The park had also been decorated for Christmas, and bright red ribbons were on every post between hanging swaths of garland intertwined with strings of cranberries and popcorn. Hand-drawn pictures of traditional Christmas designs like reindeer, nativity scenes and snowflakes were posted on some of the walls, as well as a sign stating the art was donated by a local elementary school’s fifth grade class. Daniel was tempted to put down a couple of dollars and take Bethany on a ride once this entire episode was over, but the seriousness of the job at hand kept his mind off of his surroundings and focused on the job at hand.
Their discussion this morning had been like pouring salt on open wounds, and he still couldn’t believe that he had blurted out so much about himself. He and his older brother didn’t talk. They didn’t have a relationship worth mentioning.
He never talked about his mother.
It was a rule he had lived by since he had closed that chapter of his life when she was arrested. He had watched her being cuffed and led away on that fateful day, and in his mind, that was the end of their relationship. He hadn’t wanted to think about her or even know what was happening in her life since the police took her away. He was done. He had moved on. If he never saw either one of them again for the rest of his life, that would be okay with him. Yet, he had shared bits and pieces of his past with Bethany this morning and it had been oddly cathartic. Still, he had no desire to go any further with the discussion, and he tried to put it from his mind.
Why was Bethany so set on knowing his past? The question ate at him as he used the binoculars to scan the area. He saw two other men surveilling the area around the carousel that were probably with the Guard. He texted Bethany about them, using a special code they had devised so no one would understand their messages if either of the phones were confiscated. She texted back and let him know that she had seen them too, and he leaned back against the fence, once again surveying the area through the binoculars. Both men were obviously not there for the carousel. He kept watching.
He thought back over the year that he and Bethany had dated, and sorted through as many of the conversations they’d had as he could remember. He grudgingly had to admit that she had a point. He hadn’t told her much about himself. But why did it matter? She had seen that he was a caring and good person, right? They had spent a great deal of time together, and she had learned a lot about his personality. He knew her last boyfriend had been a real prince and had publicly cheated on her. Surely, she knew he wasn’t cut from that cloth. Wasn’t that enough? He grimaced. Apparently, it wasn’t. Especially if her “parting as friends” comment was anything to go by. Now he was well and truly stuck in a quandary. He didn’t want to talk about his past, and he didn’t want to lose Bethany either.
“Freeze, buddy.”
Daniel heard the words seconds before he felt the metal of the gun barrel against his side. He kicked himself mentally. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed that the two men had snuck up on him. He felt like an idiot. He did as he was told as one man wearing a Rays baseball cap took Daniel’s gun out of his waistband, while a man on his left wearing a red flannel shirt took his binoculars and his cell phone, then patted him down. Both men were blond and looked to be in their thirties. They were well built and both gave off a self-assured and aggressive vibe. They could have been brothers, with similar features, including high cheekbones and deep-set hazel eyes.
“Look,” the one Daniel nicknamed Flannel said lightly, nudging his partner as he found Daniel’s badge and pulled it out of his pocket and examined it. “Our friend here is a cop.”
“Is there a problem?” Daniel asked in a nonchalant voice. He hoped they were Guard members but didn’t want to assume anything. He chose not to challenge them and thought a non-aggressive response was the best way to respond. It made sense that the Guard would want to have people on the perimeter of the meeting as well; he just thought that he had been far enough back that he wouldn’t draw their attention. He had been wrong. If he were also wrong about who they were and he had just let common criminals get the jump on him and take his gun, he was in a great deal of trouble. In either case, he was on high alert and his muscles were tensed and ready for action at the slightest provocation.
“Are you on the job or off?” the Rays fan asked, pushing the gun a little harder against his ribs.
“I’m looking out for a friend.”
The man got even closer and spoke in a low tone, yet the threat in his tone was obvious. “You didn’t answer my question, friend. And I’m not fond of repeating myself.”
Daniel gritted his teeth. “And I’m not fond of getting threatened. A cop is always on the job, but to answer your question more specifically, I’m not here representing the police department today. I’m here helping out a friend.”
Flannel motioned with his hand. “Helping out how? I don’t see anyone but you. Maybe you’re some kind of criminal just casing the place. Maybe that isn’t even a real badge.”
“It’s real alright.”
Flannel laughed. “You really don’t like answering questions directly, do you?”
The Rays fan took a step back and looked more carefully at Daniel’s expression. When he finally spoke again, his voice was thoughtful. “I’m pretty sure you were told to stay home.”
Daniel nodded, but inwardly relaxed a measure. The man’s words reassured him that they were with the Guard and knew about Bethany’s meeting. He was still on high alert however. He didn’t know what to expect, but his undercover mission to infiltrate this group had officially begun. “You’re right, but it’s hard to stay back when you care about someone. I was out of the way if you wanted to meet with her in private. I’m not eavesdropping on any personal conversations. I just wanted to verify that she was safe.”
“You didn’t trust us?” Flannel scoffed. The Rays fan shot him a look that shut him up. It was clear that he was the one in charge and he didn’t want any superfluous conversations.
Daniel shrugged. “I don’t trust blindly. Do you? I don’t even know you. Yet.”
The Rays fan stepped closer again and this time there was something dark and threatening in his eyes. “We don’t trust people who don’t follow orders.” He looked Daniel up and down as if taking his measure. “We also don’t trust cops.” He handed Daniel back his badge, binoculars and phone, but stowed Daniel’s gun in his own waistband and covered it with his shirt. Then he pushed Daniel forward. “Head toward the carousel. Keep your hands where I can see them.”
Daniel obeyed, but stayed on alert. “I’ll need my gun back after this meeting.”
“You’ll get it back when I’m good and ready to give it back. Not before. Now keep walking.”
They walked in silence for a few minutes, but then Daniel said, “Not all cops are the same you know. We don’t all live by the same code.”
“How do you figure?” Flannel asked.
“I believe a man should earn what he gets and get what he earns. There are no free rides in this world. But not everyone in law enforcement agrees with me.” When he got no response, he pushed on, knowing he had to play a role, even though he didn’t necessarily agree inside with everything he would be saying and doing while trying to infiltrate the Heritage Guard. “My point is, you might actually trust a cop if you knew the right cop. Some of us agree with what you’re trying to accomplish.” He could tell that they were thinking about his words, so he didn’t push. The key to being accepted might also be to keep his mouth shut for the most part and just listen and learn. The FBI had created a very credible background story for him, and if he said a bit here and there that supported it and then just shut up and did what was asked of him, he might be accepted into the Heritage Guard without even a raised eyebrow.
Daniel said a prayer for Bethany’s safety since he was no longer able to keep an eye on her. Yet, he was cognizant of the fact that she had already been undercover with this group for over a year, so she was probably safer than he was in his current situation. He followed Flannel into a building that was behind the carousel, quite aware that the Rays fan was still armed and following him from behind.
The room they entered was bare except for a long table and six folding chairs. There were no windows, and the room only had one door in or out. It was probably normally used for storage and was dusty and smelled like stale cleaning supplies and paper goods. The Rays fan motioned toward one of the chairs.
“Sit.”
Daniel picked the chair farthest from the door so he could be the first to see anyone coming or going from the room. He eased himself down, keeping an eye on Flannel and the Rays fan as he did so. Both of the men stationed themselves by the door, almost like sentries. He wasn’t sure why he had been brought here, and neither man seemed ready to volunteer any information. After about ten minutes of waiting, impatience finally got the best of him.
“We waiting for someone?” Daniel asked.
“Yeah. Just hang tight,” Flannel answered.
Suddenly, the door opened and a bull of a man barreled in and tackled Daniel, even though he was still sitting in the chair. Both men ended up on the floor and the chair Daniel had been sitting in went flying. It was all Daniel could do to keep from getting his nose bashed against the floor again as both men landed hard on the concrete. Daniel struggled to free his arms and once he did, he hit the aggressor’s head against the wall as they rolled and wrestled for supremacy. Daniel knocked the man hard in the chin with his elbow and the attacker loosened his grip just enough so Daniel was able to roll him over, gain the upper hand and end up on top. He straddled the larger man and hit him hard in the mouth, drawing blood with the blow. A second punch drew blood from the man’s nose, but before he could throw a third, Flannel and the Rays fan joined the fray and pulled the two apart. The one Daniel had nicknamed “the Bull” spat blood on the floor and tried to pull away, his face contorted by the mess Daniel had made with his fists.
“Filthy cop!” the Bull roared. “Because of you, my cousin is dead!” He tried again to pull loose from the Rays fan but the bigger man held him fast.
“I don’t know your cousin, and I don’t know you,” Daniel answered, also jerking against Flannel’s grip. He’d had enough of these guys. Maybe they would respect him more if he showed them some fire, but either way, he was done getting attacked without provocation. He was going to defend himself. He felt blood trickling down his face and realized he hadn’t successfully protected his nose after all. The rush of adrenaline kept him from feeling the pain for now, but he was sure his face would start throbbing again once this episode was over. The way his week was going, he figured his nose would never heal normally again.
“So tell me about your boyfriend,” Bishop said as he leaned back and crossed his legs. His phone beeped and he looked at the screen, then silenced it and put it in his pocket. Bishop and Bethany were alone in the room, sitting across a rickety table from each other in a small building not far from the carousel. Another man had frisked her and taken her cell phone and sidearm when she was brought in. He gave both items to Bishop, then slipped outside and was probably guarding the door.
Bethany shrugged. “His name is Daniel Morley. We dated a bit in college, then went our own ways. I ran across him again during the bank robbery. He saved my life.”
“He’s a cop?” Bishop asked.
Bethany smiled. She was having trouble reading Bishop, but she could tell he already knew the answer to the question before he even asked. She had met him a couple of times before, but didn’t really know him, or what role he played in the organization beyond the basics. Justin had started to dig into his background, but they still knew little besides the fact that he owned and operated a mid-size rental car company. She did know he was powerful within the Guard, and she needed him to trust her if her mission was going to be a success. He was a distinguished looking man in his early fifties, with weathered skin and dark intelligent eyes. He had shortly cropped dark hair that was just starting to gray and a silver mustache. She could tell by his demeanor that he was used to being in charge and not having his orders questioned. Now he seemed to be testing her, but she wasn’t sure what he was looking for. The direct approach always seemed to work best for her. She tried it now. “Let’s quit playing games, Mr. Jacobs. I’m sure you already know his full history and have done a thorough background check. Is there something specific you want to know?”
“Fair enough,” Bishop answered. “Let’s cut to the chase. I want to know why he came with you today when I specifically told you not to bring him.”
She raised an eyebrow and tried to act calm and collected, even though her heart was beating through her chest. If they had found Daniel in the park, then he was probably in danger. They’d thought if he stayed far enough back, he wouldn’t be seen by any of the Guard. Obviously, they had been wrong. Was he hurt? Had their mistake jeopardized the mission? Questions fluttered across her mind, along with a healthy dose of fear. Still, she kept her emotions well below the surface and answered in a nonchalant voice. “He wasn’t close enough to get in the way,” she said quietly. “But since I almost got killed at the bank just a couple of days ago, Daniel was worried about my safety.”
“We take care of our own. You should know that.”
“I do,” Bethany answered. “But I just lost my entire team, and I still don’t know why. Something went terribly wrong at the bank, and until I know the reasons for their deaths, I’m being extra cautious, and so is he.”
“Cautious is good,” Bishop agreed. He steepled his fingers as he considered her words. “Defiance is not. I’m inclined to assign you to a new team, but I need to know that you are still loyal to the Guard. I need to know that you will follow orders in the future without question.”
Bethany tightened her fists. “The Guard is my family. I lost everything and everyone I cared about in that bank job. I’m still loyal, but now I’m also on fire for the cause even more than before. The police killed my family! They have to pay for that. It’s time for the Heritage Guard to take their rightful place in society and lead this nation. That’s the only way our future will be secure.”
Bishop’s eyes lit up as he heard the enthusiasm in her voice. She pushed on, knowing she was on the right track and that her passionate words were fanning the flames of his zealousness. “I brought you Daniel as a new recruit, as well. He proved his loyalty at the bank by saving my life and getting me out of there without getting caught, even if he is law enforcement. He’s a well-respected detective with the local police department, and can be very helpful to the Guard with our future projects, especially Operation Battlefield.”
Bishop narrowed his eyes. “What do you know about that?”
“Not enough,” she said forcefully. “Jackson only told me he needed me to get some C-4 explosives to help with the project. I’m working on that, but since he is dead, I need to know if you still want it and how much to get. He was only starting to share the plans with me before the bank job.”
“Does your cop know?”
“No,” she answered, her tone firm. “But he can help. Both of us can. Jackson said Operation Battlefield was going to bring more glory to the Heritage Guard than anything else we’ve ever done. I want to be a part of that, and I’m sure Daniel will too if you decide to bring him on board.” She leaned forward. “Of course, that decision is totally up to you.”
Bishop considered her plea and was silent for a few moments. Finally, he spoke. “I will consider your request, but you have to realize Daniel is untested. You’ve proven your loyalty by participating at the bank, but Daniel will have to show us his loyalty before he can be trusted. I’m willing to give him a chance, but he starts as a level one and has to earn his way up the ladder, just like everyone else.”
Bethany was relieved by his words. “I understand, and I’m sure he will. Thank you.” If Bishop was considering letting Daniel join the Guard, then even though they’d found him in the park, they wouldn’t hurt him. He was probably with Guard members right now who were already sizing him up.
Bishop smiled. “I know you can get your hands on things, and we need a few items besides the C-4 for Operation Battlefield. Can you help us out?”
Bethany nodded. “Give me the list. I’ll let you know what I can get and when.”
“I was hoping you’d say that. Our immediate problem is funding. Since the bank robbery didn’t yield any cash, we’ve had to come up with alternative methods to fund our operation. I’m going to put you with a new group, and your first assignment will be to help us obtain some of the money we need. After we get the money, we’ll sit down and go over the Battlefield plans. Are you ready?”
Bethany nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Good. Let’s go meet your new family.” He pushed her cell phone and gun back to her across the table and stood. She surreptitiously pushed a select number on her phone, then put it in her pocket. It only took a few short minutes to clone a phone, and then she would be able to access all of Bishop’s contacts and listen in on his cell phone conversations. Things were looking up.
She said a short but heartfelt prayer of thanks. God had helped her get this mission back on track, and she was immensely grateful.