Boston to Birmingham Ch. 04

"I need to find a man. A man with a specific skill set. A dangerous man, who stays loyal to the job he contracts. He needs to be familiar with Mexico and comfortable working there. Can you help me?"

She rose and sat against the headboard.

"Are you looking for a killer?"

"Yes and no. I don't want anyone hurt, but I want him prepared to do whatever necessary to achieve the end I want. And I want the people I'm going to deal with to know he's prepared to kill if he has too."

"What are you into? No, don't tell me, I'm pretty sure I don't want to know. Somehow I see your wife tied up in this. Wait, I've changed my mind,

tell me a little more and I might help you."

He told her of the situation his wife was in, and how he intended to help her.

"You may not understand this, Anne, but until the divorce is final the family sees her as belonging to me. I can't let harm come to her, they may take things into their own hands and I won't be able to control them. It could get ugly, fast. Innocent people, people not even aware of what is going on, will be caught in the crossfire. I don't want that on my conscience."

"Can you help me? If not, I'll go down to Mexico and recruit people myself."

"Can you give me a few days? I could get into trouble helping you."

"Sure, and if there's the least bit of doubt, don't help me."

He gave her a big kiss and jumped into the shower. She sat on the bed, marveling again at his tight butt as it went through the door. She knew she would at least try to help, hoping she didn't help get him killed.

..................................................

She was no fool, you didn't hold her job in military intelligence by being one. She had researched Hardy pretty hard after their first encounter. The information made her nervous, it was hard to reconcile the man on paper to the happy, smiling guy with the goofy sense of humor she slept with. But she had learned to trust her instincts, and her first assessment of him had been pretty much on the money.

Deciding to take a chance, she made some discreet overtures to the 'farm boys', telling them it was purely research.

That flimsy excuse got her called on the carpet of her commanding officer. Knowing better than to lie, she told him everything. He frowned, made a phone call, and she found herself in the office of Major Stein. She repeated the story.

He sat, rocking slightly in his office chair, as he considered the news. Sitting up, he was suddenly all business.

"Hypothetically, could you find someone who fits his parameters?"

"Of course, sir. Already have."

He eyed her sharply.

"Your relationship with Mr. Wilkes, define it."

"We're lovers, the new term is friends with benefits. I only see him when he is in town, I've never been to his home, met his friends and family, if that's what you're asking. There is a fondness between us, but we both know there's nothing long term for us. He's in the middle of a pretty interesting divorce, and I'm married to the Army for at least the next eight years."

"Do you know why he needs this man?"

"Not really, something to do with protecting his soon to be ex from some drug people I surmise."

He sat back again, tenting his fingers.

"Do it."

She almost didn't catch his words.

"I'm sorry sir, would you repeat that?"

"Do it. Put him in contact with your man. And monitor Mr. Wilkes, if he looks even remotely on the edge of doing something unwise, alert your commander."

Anne looked distressed.

"Sir, I don't know if I could spy on...."

He cut her off.

"Nonsense! You knew when you sent out feelers it was going to get back to your boss. You're too sharp to have been so sloppy, you wanted us to question you so the situation would be exposed.

You'll want to watch over him, this just gets you the means to do so through channels. We don't want details, just information that may be pertinent. Go on now, you have your orders."

He sat back, thinking.

"Hardy, Hardy, what are you up to now? Maybe Bill has some insight."

So it came to pass that "Wilkes War" was closely monitored by the army. It lead to a wealth of information on the Escobar cartel, particularly North American contacts, on the East and West Coast. Some of the hot line tips even came from them. The information was very helpful to various agencies.

Hardy never knew it, and Anne made sure the watchers didn't slip. Then, in a fluke chance of fate, while Hardy was in Mexico making contact with the man she had provided, she ended up drunk in a hotel room with his wife.

Anne didn't believe in coincidence, and decided fate had told her to end it with Hardy. She did the next weekend they were together, in her normal upfront manner. She knew he suspected something, but was too considerate to last. Instead, he did his utmost to make their last time together memorable. As she watched the jet fade into the distance, she sat in her car and cried, wondering what if.

................................................

The last session with Bill was brutal in intensity.

Gwen tried to be upbeat, but Bill stopped her.

"Gwen, Hardy has some things to say to you. Please listen and try not to interrupt. Could you do that?"

She nodded, felling the first tendrils of fear clutch her throat.

Hardy slid a chair over to the loveseat, so he could face her. He held her hand gently.

"When I was in Iraq the second time, I was tasked to meet and cultivate a local tribal leader. My interpreter and I happened onto a pre-marriage lecture to three couples. The cleric was speaking slowly, making sure the couples could hear and understand. We had to wait, so my interpreter explained what he was saying. I remember the words to this day."

"My children, marriage is a sacred temple, supported by three columns. Love. Trust. Respect.

Topple any one of those columns and the temple wobbles. Topple two, and the temple crashes to the ground Love is the strongest column, supported by respect and trust, for if either of those two weaken, love cannot be supported."

"Do you understand, Gwen? I still love you, heart and soul. But you destroyed the temple, honey. You've destroyed my trust with your lack of respect. I believe you when you say you realize your mistakes, that you're a stronger, more mature person."

"As such a person, you should know this marriage is over. But in this instance, because you want it so bad, you're still the spoiled little girl, saying 'I want'. I'm sorry, but this time it won't work."

"I'm not coming back to counseling. Bill knows and understands. This is it. I'm leaving the papers here, if you truly are the person you say you've become, sign them."

He leaned over and kissed her cheek before rising.

"Goodbye, Gwen."