Page 19 of Leo

Having only spent a month together, they were just starting to get their rhythm and learn what was needed in the villages they were working with. It only gave Frederick an even greater love and appreciation for his mother.

Children shouldn’t have to cry for food because their bellies were hurting. They shouldn’t be dying of simple diseases like measles, polio, or scarlet fever when there were vaccines and medications that could save them.

The services provided by Hope Together could, quite literally, change the world. It had been his mother’s fondestwish. Her huge heart and desire to make the world better than the way she found it was his constant inspiration.

Spotting the large wooden back door of the church, he prayed that someone would open the door for him. He knocked several times but got no response. Unable to stay in the open as he was, he walked around to the front door and pulled, grateful that it opened.

“Oh,” he whispered to himself. There was a service happening, which was why no one answered the back door. Quietly, he took a seat in one of the pews, respectfully listening to the priest.

He wasn’t particularly religious, having cursed God for taking his mother. One day, he would need to make amends about that, but today wasn’t the day. It wasn’t that he wished death on someone else or that he’d taken his father instead of his mother. It was simply that the world had needed his mother.

When the service was done, he waited until all the parishioners were gone and approached the priest.

“Excuse me, Father, I need your help.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

“Enter,” said Frederick upon hearing the familiar knock of his secretary.

“Excuse me, sir,” said the secretary. “There are four men here to speak with you. They said that you had a conversation yesterday about your son with Luke Robicheaux. The gentleman at my desk is Marc Jordan.”

“Ah. Yes,” he nodded. “Show them in.” Frederick stood to greet the four men and nearly gasped at their size. He wasn’t a small man, but these men were gigantic. Like the old fairy tales his beloved wife told Frederick as a child.

“Mr. Jordan?” he asked. Marc nodded, sticking out his hand.

“I am Marc Jordan. This is my brother Wes. These are my friends and partners, Devin Parker and Aiden Wagner. It’s an honor to meet you, Duke.”

“I see,” he nodded with a small smile. “You know who I am.”

“I do,” said Marc, “but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that we, Luke and our team, got off on the wrong foot yesterday. He lost his temper, and we apologize for that behavior. I’m sure that this is a very difficult time for you, and Luke recognizes that he didn’t show any compassion. My apologies to you.”

“Thank you,” he said, walking around the desk to grip each man’s hand. He waved to the comfortable seating area and took a chair for himself. “Ingrid, could we get some coffee? I suspect these men like it strong.” The four men nodded at the middle-aged woman.

“It’s funny. I was just thinking about all of you and my ill-behavior. I hope you’ll accept my apology as well. As you’ve figured out, I’m not myself right now. Fred, Frederick, or Brad, God-awful name,” he chuckled, “is my only child and heir. Although he’s hardly a child. We did everything possible to hide his true identity so that no harm would come to him. It seems I didn’t do enough.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, sir, why didn’t you send security with him? I mean, that’s our business, and we’ve done things like this before. Someone who would work beside him as a best friend but also be watching out for him.”

“He didn’t want that. He wanted to be able to freely interact with the people of each country. I had men who would check on him from time to time, and they all said he was handling things quite well on his own. I’m very proud of him for that.

“But my pride won’t bring him home safely, and that’s what I need. I’m an old man, gentlemen. I know that although it won’t be today, in time, I will no longer be here to run this house, my businesses, and our great pride, this charity.”

“It’s a worthy charity, sir. We don’t want to give you false hope,” said Aiden, “but we received an anonymous tip that your son may be in Brooklyn, New York. We took the liberty of sending in a team to try and help him. We’re hoping to hear something soon about the situation.”

“I am afraid to have hope,” he said, relaxing his shoulders. “My behavior yesterday was totally based on my fear and concern for my son.”

“I understand,” said Marc. “And my colleague’s rudeness was based on our protective instincts for our friend, Tillie.”

“She’s been a valuable part of our team for many years now. I knew that she had nothing to do with his disappearance, but I was desperate. That young woman has been in some terrible places helping people, especially young girls.”

“Yes, well, her father isn’t thrilled to find out all the places she went without telling us,” grinned Aiden. “But we are proud of her as well. She’s very brave and worried about your son as well as the two women who are missing.”

“Oh, about that. The woman, Jewel, called me early this morning. She apologized for not returning my calls sooner but said that she’d been unplugged, whatever that means, resting and visiting friends. She said she knew nothing of my son or Gemma.”

“Jewel called you? She’s alive and well?” frowned Devin.

“I assume so. She knew who I was, and she told me everything that happened in Botswana.”

“She knew that you were Duke Frederick Mansberg?” asked Wes.

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