Page 3 of Landon

After their rest, Logan stood, and everyone gave their attention to their leader as the LSIMT manager, Bert Tomlison, rode into view on a four-wheeled Gator. As they watched, he swept the canvas off the back of the vehicle, allowing them to see it was filled with T15 paintball guns, replicas of the US Army's M4 assault rifle.

“Hell yeah!” The shouts rang out as Landon and the others took to their feet, each hustling over to claim their weapons. There was playful jostling while the Keepers still maintainedcompetitiveness. One thing Landon knew about the Keepers from all three localities was that the bosses liked to encourage cooperation as well as competitiveness, and training was essential for both.

The trip down the mountain involved dodging paintball hits, ducking behind boulders, racing around curves, and even a few skids down into small ravines. By the time Landon arrived back at headquarters for the group to be dismissed, he was ready to hit the showers before heading home for the evening. Calling out his goodbye, he climbed into his SUV and rumbled down the road.

He had purchased land not far from the compound and built a house. Since he was living alone, it would have been easy to keep the structure small, and at times, he wondered why he didn’t. He’d watched when the men and women from the LSI West Coast had fallen in love, married, and started families. Logan was now married to Vivian, a woman he’d met on an assignment. Even Sisco was now married to a single mom and had adopted their little girl.

When Landon planned his house, he liked the idea of single-story living with extra bedrooms upstairs. The large living room and owner’s bedroom faced the mountains, with windows allowing easy viewing. The eat-in kitchen, dining room, and office faced the east and offered panoramic scenes of the sunrise. A two-story garage led through a laundry room that led into the kitchen.

The two large bedrooms upstairs both had en suite bathrooms. Those were for guests, which, except for his parents, he’d never had. But one day, he hoped to have someone to share his house with. Snorting, he wondered if Montana wasn’t the place for him to find a forever someone.

That night, he willed sleep to come, but his mind roamed to the other Keepers he’d worked with while in California. Each ofthem had found great women, perfect for them to fall in love with.So when will it be my turn? And if not, why the fuck did I build this big house?

The dawn streaked across the Montana sky as Landon stood by the sliding glass door, the early light casting a gentle glow over the kitchen. His gaze lingered on the stone patio, where the morning stillness was broken only by the faint chirping of birds. He lifted his mug, the rich aroma of coffee mingling with the crisp air, warming him from the inside out. His mind was still on the thoughts from last night. While he was comfortable with solitude, he wanted someone to share his life with.

His phone vibrated, and he grinned at seeing the caller ID. “Hey, Mom. How’s the sunshine?” His parents had moved from their longtime home in Pennsylvania to South Carolina several years ago. They were desperate for warmer weather and no more snow to contend with.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” she said. “I wanted to check in since I figured you would be heading to work soon.”

“Everything okay?”

“Oh, everything’s fine,” she assured him, her tone laced with fond exasperation. “Though your father decided he could fix the garage door by himself. He nearly toppled off the stepladder. I told him it was a terrible idea, but you know how he is. ‘I’m not paying someone to fix something I can do myself!’” She snorted, the sound both loving and resigned. “I did manage to convince him to get some help. Next thing I know, our seventy-five-year-old neighbor is out there in the garage, trying to help. I finally left them to it. If those two old coots want to strain their backs, who am I to stop them?”

Landon chuckled, the image of his father and their spirited elderly neighbor bumbling around the garage vividly playing in his mind. His parents’ dynamic, filled with humor and unwavering partnership, was something he deeply admired. They had built a marriage on love, laughter, and teamwork, setting a shining example for him and his brother.

“I spoke to Robert the other day,” his mother mentioned casually.

“How’s he doing?”

“If you’d ever call him, then you’d know,” she teased with a playful huff. Before Landon could respond, she continued, “He’s fine. Says work is going well, although I never really understood what on earth he actually does.”

Landon smirked. His brother was seven years younger and was a software engineer for a tech company in California. Landon and his brother enjoyed each other’s company when they met at their parents' house for the holidays but only talked about once a month on the phone. “I’m glad he’s good. I’ll call him in a couple of weeks.”

“I won’t keep you, but I just missed hearing your voice,” she said, her affection evident. “Now, I need to get your father’s breakfast going before my book club luncheon later.”

“Love to you and Dad, Mom. Talk soon.” He ended the call, the lingering warmth of their conversation settling over him. Finishing the last sip of his coffee, he rinsed the cup and set it in the sink. With a deep breath, he grabbed his keys and stepped into the garage, the echo of his mother’s voice still wrapping around him like a comforting embrace. It didn’t take long to drive to the LSIMT compound. Walking into the main building, he passed through the security Logan had built in and headed down the hall.

He smiled at the woman in a wheelchair rolling past him with her tablet and several files on her lap. “Good morning, Mary,” he greeted.

She smiled and nodded. “Logan is about ready to start once everyone gets here.”

“Think he’s got something for me?”

She winked. “Go on in and find out. Then come see me.”

With that bit of encouragement, he grinned and headed inside. Greeting the others, he sat at the conference table with the other Keepers at the compound.

Logan looked up and said, “Okay, let’s get started. Cory, you and Dalton have a security design to work on. You’ll fly to Michigan, leaving the day after tomorrow. Casper… you’ve got a security detail to prepare for. It’ll take you to Canada, so Mary will have all your travel arrangements ready for next week. And Landon, you’ll make a trip to the Caribbean.”

The room buzzed with energy, the voices erupting in fake protestations, all clamoring for the assignment. Logan, sitting at the head of the table, let out a deep laugh and shook his head. “Sorry… this one is for Landon. It’s a slow burn but needs someone with a steady hand. Someone not as scary to kids as the rest of you.”

“Hey!” Sisco protested, lowering his brow. “My little Evie thinks I’m a teddy bear!”

Landon grinned at his friend whose last big assignment brought the beautiful Lenore and her daughter, Evie, into Sisco’s life. Turning his attention back toward his boss, Logan’s expression gave nothing away as he continued to review open and upcoming cases, then dismissed the meeting. Chairs scraped against the floor as the team dispersed, each retreating to various computer stations and desks around the room. Landon walked over to sit beside Logan, his curiosity piqued.He dropped into the seat beside his boss, feeling the weight of something unspoken hanging in the air.

“This just came in,” Logan said, his tone low. “Thurston Fugate reached out. He and his wife, Margaret, own one of the largest ranches in Montana. There’s a situation involving their son, Stan, his ex-wife, Pamela, and their twin grandchildren.”

Landon looked down at his tablet as the information and photographs filled the screen before lifting his gaze back to his boss.

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