Page 6 of Rescuing Erin

“Not really, a side profile of the man, and not even a good one. Whoever was in Erin’s apartment knew where the cameras were. What he was able to confirm was that the man entered using a key and had a toolbox. Gerard did a sweep, and it was bugged for audio but no video.”

“What?” Erin shrieked. “When were you going to tell me?”

“I wasn’t.”

The less Erin knew the better, I shouldn’t have been discussing this with Fletch in front of her, but I felt better when she was in my line of sight. The woman was practically Houdini the way she ghosted her security detail. I wouldn’t put it past her to try to sneak away and go back to D.C. on her own.

“And why not?”

“For a lot of reasons, one being, you’re not taking the situation seriously.”

“Maybe I would if I had all the facts, but I don’t. So, I think my father is being overprotective and I’m tired of being treated like I’m some national treasure that needs to be under lock and key.”

“Do you have any idea how valuable you are?” Fletch asked. Erin’s eyes widened in shock at his question. “You and your mom. If someone got their hands on one of you, they’d have the most powerful man on the planet in their back pocket.”

“The US doesn’t negotiate with terrorists.”

“The US might not. But a father will. Your father may be a good president and have the American people’s best interest always in the forefront, but he’s still a man. A husband and a father. And knowing him the way I do, he’d do anything to get you back. So if you don’t want to be the reason your father starts the next world war. I suggest you begin to take this seriously and listen to me when I tell you something is unsafe.”

I could tell she wanted to argue more, but she wouldn’t, not in front of Fletch. Sure, she’d throw me attitude with him present, but she wouldn’t let me have it, both barrels, like she did in private.

“Please, thank your team for me, it might not sound like it, but I appreciate you all keeping an eye on me. I think I’ll go back upstairs and read.”

“Remember, no cell phone.”

She was halfway to the stairs when she spoke. “Not my first rodeo, cowboy.”

Fletch let out a slow whistle once she was out of sight. “Damn. You’ve got your hands full.”

“You have no idea. Tex had to refit all of her jewelry with tracking devices. She’s good at giving the secret service the slip. The first few times I was pissed and actually called them incompetent. Until she did it to me at an event. The girl is a pain in the ass. I can’t wait until this fucking op is over and I can dump her ass back in her apartment.”

“Right.” Fletch chuckled.

“What did the colonel say about me taking Erin on post to the firing range?”

“You’re cleared. He’ll leave a pass at the gate for you.”

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all your help.”

“No thanks needed.”

“You got a minute for a beer?”

Fletch looked down at his watch before he answered, “Yeah, just one.”

I grabbed us two brews from the kitchen and joined Fletch on the back patio. Seeing him sitting, staring out over his old backyard made the hassle of having the new outside furniture delivered worth it.

“Lots of good memories in this house,” he mused. “First time I met my daughter was in the front yard. I was working on my Charger.” He chuckled. “And I’ll never forget the first time Annie met Truck, it was right here on this patio.” Fletch had a faraway look, as if he were replaying the actual moment in his mind’s eye. “Em was sick. The guys and I were out here having a barbeque and Annie wandered over. She took one look at Truck, climbed up on a chair, palmed his face, and poked at his scar, before she asked him if it hurt. I think it was then, Truck, Hollywood, Blade, Beatle, Coach, me, and Ghost all fell for her. God knows, she’s had Truck wrapped around her finger since then.”

The story about how Emily and Annie had come into Fletch’s life was widely known, but the tale about the barbeque was legendary. Truck was a big man with a gnarly scar that pulled one side of his face into what looked like a grimace. The fact that sweet little Annie had made her way to him said a lot about the goodness she had in her.

“She’s something special,” I agreed.

Annie also had to be one of the smartest kids I’d ever met, and pretty, too. Both inside and out. The girl had an old soul. Fletch was going to have his hands full with her when the boys start coming around.

“Then one asshole ruined it. Turned all the good into shit. My house was on fire, my wife and daughter were trapped upstairs, and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.” Fletch turned to me and pinned me with his stare. “Do me a favor, yeah?”

“Anything.”