Page 80 of Once a Hero

This, Jake had to hear. “You’re thinking of a career change.”

“I can’t until my brother takes my place and lets me stay home. He won’t leave the house and I can’t make him.” Beatrice folded her arms across her chest. “If we both stay home—at the office—we don’t have anyone to send to the field.”

“Kenichi and Raynelle?”

“They have special skills, yes, but they’re in supporting roles. No one is going to think like Benjamin or me.”

Jake removed Beatrice’s dinner from the microwave. Beatrice placed two trays on the counter for both of them. Jake offered to carry both of them. “Just show the way.”

Beatrice grabbed a couple of apples from a fruit basket on their way out of the galley kitchen.

When they sat down in the main cabin, Jake offered to say a blessing for them.

“Go ahead. We’re both Christians here.”

“So you knew I’m a believer.” Jake didn’t reach out for her hand, just in case it sent the wrong signal.

Wrong signal?

And what might that be?

Jake had no idea himself.

“Research goes both ways,” Beatrice replied.

“How much do you now about me?”

“Enough.”

That was all she said.

“How about you say grace first?”

“Okay. Sorry.” He closed his eyes. “Lord Jesus, thank You for this food. I pray that You will provide nourishment and healing for our bodies. I pray that You will give us a safe flight to Paris.”

Then Jake went on, thanking God for their lives and their salvation. He asked for divine help to “defeat the enemy of humankind.”

“Amen.” Beatrice drank some water first. “Whoa. Your prayer sounded like we were marching into a battlefield against a formidable enemy.”

“God is the Lord of the Army, after all.”

“Good point.” Beatrice started eating.

“So you travel the world to find stolen treasures to return to their rightful owners,” Jake said. He could eat pretty fast but he slowed down now so that he could talk with Beatrice.

“You’ve done your research. Very good.”

“Helen’s team did, while I was trying not to get stabbed and killed.”

“Well, I delegate research too. My brother and Kenichi dig up most of the information, and then I go out there to track down the artifacts. Most of the time we find lost paintings and family heirlooms. But we’re limited to only World War II treasures. Did you know that billions of dollars’ worth of artwork was stolen during the war?”

“Could you hire more people to help you?” Jake thought the chicken pot pie tasted good, although the chunks of white potato would surely find their way onto his waistline if he didn’t exercise it off.

“We don’t want to add more people—at least, I don’t.”

“How does it work?” Jake asked. “Do people pay you to find their lost treasures?”

“We take a percentage of the appraised value for our hard work.”

---