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Rhianne Carson approached the intimidating-looking woman at the reception desk and prepared herself for battle.
“Good morning,” she started, her eyes darting to the schedule open in front of the woman. “I—”
“Don’t have an appointment,” the woman seated behind the desk finished. She was an unsmiling gatekeeper that Rhianne needed to bypass in order to get to the person she was there to see. Someone who’d been like a big brother to her, and who’d said to reach out if she ever needed his help. Someone who could get shit done no matter the mission, which was exactly what she needed.
If she could just get past the pit bull in pumps.
“No, I don’t have an appointment, but it’s urgent that I see Charles Bronte. Could you please tell him Rhianne Carlson is here? We’re old friends.” Rhianne straightened her back and added a half-smile to her not-quite-a request. She’d left the Coast Guard years before but she still knew how to stand her ground. Rhianne’s eyes fell on the woman’s name plate on the desk. “Thank you so much, Rosa. I really appreciate your help.”
“I’m afraid he’s on a call and can’t be interrupted,” Rosa said, not giving an inch, which, given her job was probably an asset. “If you could wait until that’s ended, I can ask him then if he could see you.”But I can’t promise anything, her tone said.
“That’s fine. Thank you.” Rhianne made for one of the chairs against the wall. She didn’t have to sit for long—within minutes a doorway beyond the reception desk opened and Charlie Bronte came out.
He leaned down to speak to Rosa, then glimpsed her out of the corner of his eye. “Rhianne Carlson? Is that you?” he asked, surprised but smiling as he walked towards her. “I wasn’t expecting to see you!”
“I don’t have an appointment,” Rhianne said, before Rosa could. “I know how busy you are.”
“Stop, don’t worry about that. Come in—”
“Signin,” Rosa corrected, interrupting him. “Please.” She indicated the visitor’s sheet and guided Rhianne through the process. “Thank you.”
“Thankyou.” Despite her tension, Rhianne had to smile at Rosa’s ruthless organization. She felt Charles studying her, and wondered what picture she presented, strung out from lack of sleep, her taut nerves evident. He looked as fit as ever, his green eyes just as watchful, although his near-black hair was longer and slicked back, and he wore an expensive-looking suit rather than the naval uniform she was used to.
“Geez, Bronte Security Services sure is secure,” Rhianne muttered, hitching her thumb towards Rosa’s desk as they walked away.
“You get used to it,” Charles laughed. “I was just going to grab a coffee. Want one?”
“Please.”
Charles moved about the small kitchen with the efficiency Rhianne recalled from working with him and his team on a Navy/Coast Guard joint operation four years ago. All the SEALs had been brisk and competent—though Charlie was aformerSEAL now, she reminded herself. He hadn’t re-enlisted any more than she had. Instead, he’d started up this security agency with some of his former teammates. Civilian life seemed to suit him. She just hoped their big brother/kid sister rapport was still there.
“Now.” Charlie set the coffees down on the small table in front of the window. “I can look for some of the cookies Rosa kindly brings in and we can sit here and talk over old times…or do you want to talk in my office? Because I get the feeling this isn’t a social call, right?” he finished, studying her with concern plainly visible in his eyes.
His perception didn’t surprise her. “Would you mind? I mean, do you have time?” Rhianne bit her lip. “Even if it’s just to listen, then tell me I’m being stupid?”
“Hm. The problem with that is you aren’t. If you’re worried, then I’m pretty sure that means something’s wrong. So, let’s go.” Charlie took their coffee cups and shepherded her to his office.
She was grateful he didn’t sit behind his desk with her in front of it. That would make it too, well,real. Instead, Charlie pulled the visitors’ chairs around a small coffee table, and that made it easier for her to start.
“You know I didn’t re-enlist three years ago, right?” she began haltingly. “I came to Chula Vista to be near my mom and little sister. Mostly my sister, because, well…she was having a rough time.”
The corners of his mouth turned down. “So this is about family. Tell me what’s going on.”
“It’s complicated.” Rhianne felt her throat closing. It still hurt to talk about the sadder elements of her past even though they were years behind her, and given what was going on it felt even worse now. “My—my father died of a sudden heart attack not long after I left for basic training.”
“I’m so sorry to hear it.”
She nodded and forced herself to continue. “My parents were against me enlisting, and my mom has always said the stress of me being away was part of the reason why my dad died.”
“Rhianne, no…”
“Oh yes. And it gets worse.” Rhianne paused to collect herself. “You know how basic training is, right? It was impossible for me to leave to go to the funeral, and you can imagine how well that went over with my mom. What I didn’t realize was how hard that time was for my little sister Robyn. Dad was gone, I was gone, and Mom was hurting and angry, which left Robyn basically without anyone she could lean on. She was only eight when he died.”
“It’s terrible that that happened to her, but it’s not your fault,” Charlie said, back in the big brother role she knew so well.
“But it feels like it is,” Rhianne managed. “Because Robyn started acting out. She did it for attention at first, I think, but then she got locked into that behavior and it just started cascading. Bad grades, fights at school. She started sneaking out at night when she was twelve, and stealing money from my mom’s purse. By the time she was fifteen, she had a criminal record. Minor stuff—trespassing, some shoplifting—but the way she was acting out made it clear that she was heading down the wrong path. Mom kept me out of the loop at first, but when we finally started talking again, she admitted how bad it had gotten. That was when I knew I had to help my sister.”
