Page 8 of Bernadette
“Thank you, General.” Bernadette nodded and swung the door wide so she could walk through it. Once she cleared the door, she headed to her office with the ideas of how to draft the requested report without telling the current Commander-in-Chief in Washington that he was an asshat and had no business sticking his nose in where it didn’t belong. It was going to be a long week.
* * *
“Patterson,”came the barked response into the phone, and Bernie smiled at how rushed the other man sounded.
“It’s Bernadette Cromwell. What can you tell me about the job you’re offering me?”
“Ah, right to the point, I see.” Hank laughed into the phone. “Let’s see, I don’t know if you know what I do, but I own and operate a couple of branches of the Brotherhood Protection Agency. It’s an agency I started, and all my operatives are former military. I have a branch here in the Crazy Mountains of Montana, another one over in Fool’s Gold, Colorado, and yet another one down in Yellowstone.”
“What do you do?”
“In a nutshell, we protect people. The people that hire us have stalkers, or someone out to get them. It’s my operatives’ job to protect the person at all costs.”
“Okay, sounds simple enough. I’m not saying I’m going to, but what exactly would I be doing if I come to work for you? Field work, or desk duty?”
“First, we’d see if someone needed protecting, and you may be assigned to them. I have to warn you, so far, most, but not all, but most of our clients have been rich people who think they don’t need the protection. You’ll have to deal with their egos, without shooting them,” Hank laughed into the phone, and Bernie couldn’t hold back the snort of laughter that slipped out.
“Okay, so far it sounds good, but let me ask you this. Let’s say that I can’t run, that in order to walk, I have to wear a knee brace from about mid-calf to mid-thigh?”
“Shit, no chance of getting rid of it anytime soon?”
“Not really, the base doctor told me that I’m as good as I’ll ever get. Which is about eighty percent use of the knee. I’ve had four surgeries in six months, and they can’t do any better. I haven’t gone to any private doctors, and frankly, Patterson, at this time, I don’t want to. I’m tired of going under the knife. Maybe I’ll go in a couple of months, or even after the first of the year, but that’s for another time.”
“I understand, I guess, after you told me about the brace, the only thing I can offer you at this time is desk duty.”
“That’s what I thought. What would I be doing while on desk duty?”
“I’m sorry to say this, but you’d basically be a glorified file clerk at this time.”
“Thank you for being honest with me. With that being said, let me be perfectly honest with you. I have one more person to call to see what they have to offer me, then I will make my decision. I’ve applied for my DD 2656, and I should have it issued by noon on Friday. I’m cleaning up my desk before I leave the military.”
“Christ, I’m sorry. How long have you been in?”
“Twenty years and eight months.”
“Damn, I wish you luck, and let me know what you decide either way, please.”
“I will.”
“May I ask who else is trying to recruit you?”
“A woman by the name of Morgan Stuart, from something called Boswell Group.”
“Son of a bitch.”
“What? What can you tell me?” Bernie hadn’t expected such a heated response to her answer. She wanted to know what Patterson knew before she talked with Stuart.
“That I know Morgan, I know what she’s into, and tomorrow I and several of my operatives are heading that way. I have no clue what, but there’s something big about to go down, and they’re going to need help.”
“Can you tell me anything else?”
“All I know is that along with Morgan, the other women she has working for her are former EWMs. That’s all I know. I don’t know what they did, or how long they were in, but I do know that whatever they’re involved in is big.”
“I did talk with Stuart last week and she told me that it has to do with the alphabet soup from the government, but they’re not stepping on Boswell’s toes.”
“I had heard that also, and I’m glad to hear it. The only thing I can say is to give Morgan a call and see what she has to say.”
“I will, thanks, Hank. I’ll let you know either way what I decide.”
