Page 54 of After 5

“You?”

“Yeah, I sort of envisioned we’d have a double wedding. I mean, Caiyan and Brodie are best friends. Wouldn’t it be romantic to have a double wedding?”

No. Gertie and Brodie were sunflowers, red-checkered tablecloths, beer, and barbecue. I envisioned escargot, champagne, white linen, and roses.

“It doesn’t matter. Caiyan, for whatever reason, has chosen Mahlia.” The reason had better be life changing because if he was only after his key, he could say goodbye to white roses, champagne, and Jennifer Cloud.

Chapter 10

When morning came, I found myself in bed with the sword and my gun on the nightstand. Nothing was going to happen to my only connection to Caiyan.

Gertie left early for work. She had research she wanted to get in before her Sunday shift at the library.

Jake arrived after my second cup of coffee.

He leaned over my kitchen table, where I had placed the sword, and examined the blade with the eyes of a CIA agent, taking in every detail over the damaged area.

“Damn.” His fingers traced the word ending in burg. He retrieved Gertie’s magnifying glass from the table next to the sword and hovered over the scratched-out words. “I agree with you, this word looks longer than the word key, but maybe it was two words—like ‘the key.’”

I placed a cup of coffee next to him and folded my right leg under me as I sat at the kitchen table. “First Texas is a regiment under Major General John Hood. It was part of Longstreet’s First Army Corps. I looked it up.”

Jake picked up the coffee and placed the magnifying glass on the table. He sat next to me and took a gracious sip. “You’ve been doing some research.”

“I don’t think my research will be needed anytime soon. Ace told me Caiyan’s already been to Gettysburg.”

“Yeah?”

“I sort of told him I found the sword.”

“Jen.”

“I know you told me not to tell anyone, but he would find out eventually.”

“When I tell you not to do something, it’s for your protection.”

I sulked into the bottom of my coffee mug like a bad child.

“There aren’t any records when McGregor was at Gettysburg, when he was absent from the WTF. Don’t you think that’s odd?” Jake asked me.

“They didn’t have Pickles then, maybe someone took them.” I sipped my coffee and watched Jake go over the sword again.

“Word on the streets says Mahlia is planning a formal wedding. Surely, it will take a few months to pull it together?”

“My field operative tells me the same thing. I don’t know why we bother paying men to do surveillance when I have Ace’s ear to the gossip ground.”

“Jake, I need to speak to Caiyan before the wedding. He’s got to have a good reason for marrying Mahlia.”

“Maybe they deserve each other, and—”

Jake stopped when he saw my eyes fill, “Crap, Jen, I’m sorry. It’s been tough not having him as an agent. I hoped he would get his key back and return to the WTF. It’s been longer than I expected. Although his methods may be illicit when he goes after a brigand, his reasons are solid. He’s a good agent, and I hate to admit it—I need him.”

“Why hasn’t he reported in?” I asked him, wiping a random tear from my face.

“I don’t know what’s involved this time. He refused to go in undercover, he told me it wasn’t worth the risk.”

“He won’t get his key back if the Mafusos discover he’s undercover. I can see how that’s a risk.” My sarcastic tone caused Jake’s face to drop.

“Jen, the risk he meant was you.”

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