her to do what she did best.
Feeling more confident, she took a few moments for herself.
No matter how bad things got, she loved her work. What she did every day made a difference, and that’s what kept her going.
Of course someday she’d have to make a choice—her work as a marshal or becoming a single mom. The crazy hours and the danger were all part of what had drawn her to the job, but her child would need security and deserved a parent who’d be home more often than not. That was one of the holdbacks she’d yet to figure out.
Sooner or later she’d have to find a new career, hopefully one that wouldn’t make her feel she was just punching a time clock somewhere. She’d never be able to open an electronic security firm like Paul’s. The work was too routine. Watching monitors or doing background checks all day would make her crazy. She was made for more active work, and if she didn’t remain true to herself, what kind of mom could she hope to be?
She shook her head. All that could wait. Right now she had work to do.
As she stepped back into the hall, Paul was there to meet her. “My brother Preston is here now to help out. What’s the news from Denver?”
“Evan Thomas, mysupervisory inspector, thinks you were probably the primary target, but I got in the way and needed to be taken out.”
Paul said nothing for a moment, his gaze so steady it was unnerving. He seemed to be looking right into her soul.
“Yeah, and I know Thomas and where he’s coming from. But you know he’s wrong, and you’ve got solid reasons for believing that.”
Paul was right on target. He could read her thoughts with amazing accuracy, and it was a bit unnerving. “You were a Deputy U.S. Marshal once, Paul. You know there are details I can’t discuss, not even with you.”
“You still need help, Kendra, and you’re going to have to start thinking outside the box. My record’s spotless. You can trust me. Talk to me.”
“Not here.”
“Yes, here. My brothers are the most reliable backup you can possibly hope to have, but we can’t work with you effectively if you’re going to keep information from us.” He paused and took a long breath. “I know you’ve read my brothers’ files. They’re men of honor. If we’re going to stand in the line of fire, we deserve to know what’s going on.”
It took her several beats, but at length, she nodded. He had a point.
As they entered the room where two of Paul’s brothers—Daniel and Preston—were waiting, she’d already decided that trusting them was the only way to go.
Kendra sat down at the big conference table and looked at the men already seated there, coffee mugs in hand. As Paul suspected, she’d read all their files. She knew about each of Paul’s foster brothers.
Besides Preston, the city cop, and Daniel, the business security expert, there was Kyle, who was with the NCIS at Diego Garcia. Rick was with the FBI, but his current overseas work—location not listed—had been redacted in the one paragraph summary she’d been able to access. Reading between the lines, she assumed Rick was working undercover. All of the men, raised in a foster home by a tribal medicine man, were connected to law enforcement in some way. All except for Gene, who was a truck driver turned rancher in southwestern Colorado. From the documents she’d seen, they were a tight-knit group, and she could certainly use trained, trustworthy manpower.
“I’m going to need some help, guys, but what I say here today can’t leave this room.” She took the offered mug of hot coffee.
Paul looked at her and nodded.
Daniel did the same.
Only Preston hesitated. “I can’t withhold information from my P.D., not if it’s something that affects them directly.”
“I understand, but this has more to do with the marshals service than it does with your department.”
“Come on, Preston. I need you in on this,” Paul said.
She saw the look that passed between both men and knew that
Feeling more confident, she took a few moments for herself.
No matter how bad things got, she loved her work. What she did every day made a difference, and that’s what kept her going.
Of course someday she’d have to make a choice—her work as a marshal or becoming a single mom. The crazy hours and the danger were all part of what had drawn her to the job, but her child would need security and deserved a parent who’d be home more often than not. That was one of the holdbacks she’d yet to figure out.
Sooner or later she’d have to find a new career, hopefully one that wouldn’t make her feel she was just punching a time clock somewhere. She’d never be able to open an electronic security firm like Paul’s. The work was too routine. Watching monitors or doing background checks all day would make her crazy. She was made for more active work, and if she didn’t remain true to herself, what kind of mom could she hope to be?
She shook her head. All that could wait. Right now she had work to do.
As she stepped back into the hall, Paul was there to meet her. “My brother Preston is here now to help out. What’s the news from Denver?”
“Evan Thomas, mysupervisory inspector, thinks you were probably the primary target, but I got in the way and needed to be taken out.”
Paul said nothing for a moment, his gaze so steady it was unnerving. He seemed to be looking right into her soul.
“Yeah, and I know Thomas and where he’s coming from. But you know he’s wrong, and you’ve got solid reasons for believing that.”
Paul was right on target. He could read her thoughts with amazing accuracy, and it was a bit unnerving. “You were a Deputy U.S. Marshal once, Paul. You know there are details I can’t discuss, not even with you.”
“You still need help, Kendra, and you’re going to have to start thinking outside the box. My record’s spotless. You can trust me. Talk to me.”
“Not here.”
“Yes, here. My brothers are the most reliable backup you can possibly hope to have, but we can’t work with you effectively if you’re going to keep information from us.” He paused and took a long breath. “I know you’ve read my brothers’ files. They’re men of honor. If we’re going to stand in the line of fire, we deserve to know what’s going on.”
It took her several beats, but at length, she nodded. He had a point.
As they entered the room where two of Paul’s brothers—Daniel and Preston—were waiting, she’d already decided that trusting them was the only way to go.
Kendra sat down at the big conference table and looked at the men already seated there, coffee mugs in hand. As Paul suspected, she’d read all their files. She knew about each of Paul’s foster brothers.
Besides Preston, the city cop, and Daniel, the business security expert, there was Kyle, who was with the NCIS at Diego Garcia. Rick was with the FBI, but his current overseas work—location not listed—had been redacted in the one paragraph summary she’d been able to access. Reading between the lines, she assumed Rick was working undercover. All of the men, raised in a foster home by a tribal medicine man, were connected to law enforcement in some way. All except for Gene, who was a truck driver turned rancher in southwestern Colorado. From the documents she’d seen, they were a tight-knit group, and she could certainly use trained, trustworthy manpower.
“I’m going to need some help, guys, but what I say here today can’t leave this room.” She took the offered mug of hot coffee.
Paul looked at her and nodded.
Daniel did the same.
Only Preston hesitated. “I can’t withhold information from my P.D., not if it’s something that affects them directly.”
“I understand, but this has more to do with the marshals service than it does with your department.”
“Come on, Preston. I need you in on this,” Paul said.
She saw the look that passed between both men and knew that
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