Chapter 10 #2
Everyone settled in seats around the dining table. Chelsea urged Breely to take the one beside her. Moe claimed the seat on Breely’s other side.
Platters were passed, food dished out onto plates and glasses filled. When everyone had what they wanted, Breely spent the next few minutes taking the edge off her hunger with the best ham and roasted potatoes she’d ever eaten. Seasoned to perfection, the ham melted in her mouth.
“This is so good, Cookie,” she said. “Where did you learn to cook like this?”
“Aboard a Navy ship and then at the White House,” he responded.
Breely glanced around at the people gathered for the meal. “Is anyone at this table an ordinary person? I feel like an underachiever.”
“You’re anything but. I don’t know many women who can work a ranch, much less have done it for years,” Stone said. “You didn’t say anything about the work you do for the Brantt Philanthropy Foundation.”
“That’s right,” Kyla said. “I got online and did some research. Your work with the foundation has helped so many people. You’ve shown hungry families with little to their names how to grow food and raise livestock as well as trained them in specific trades they can earn a living with.”
“You should be proud of what you do,” Stone said. “Your work in Venezuela has opened eyes and spawned a movement they’ll have a hard time repressing.”
“Their current president has control of the military,” Breely reminded them. “He can and has ordered the police and the military to arrest people who speak out against the current regime.”
Stone nodded. “We spoke with your father about the death threats he’s been getting. They appear to have started around the same time as the election campaign got ugly.”
Bubba nodded. “Brantt said that the last time he was in the country, he met with the opposing candidate, Jesus DeVita. The media captured a photo of Brantt shaking hands with him. It’s been all over the news and tabloids.
The poor people the foundation has helped are spreading the word that Brantt is backing DeVita and government reform.
“DeVita is showing a strong lead in the polls,” Kyla said. “If he wins, the cartels playing Salazar like a puppet will be out. Or they’ll have to take out DeVita. It would be easier if Salazar’s opponent were eliminated or debunked before the election takes place.”
“What if the death threats and the attempted kidnapping have nothing to do with what’s happening in Central or South America?” Breely asked.
Stone’s brow dipped low. “Then we need to know about everyone who could have a grudge against you or your father. Anyone who has looked at you cross-eyed.”
“It could be anyone,” Breely said. “My father is a very wealthy man. Anyone who kidnaps me could ask for a lot of money for ransom. The motivation doesn’t have to be personal. Money is a very tempting motivation.”
“True,” Stone said. “But let’s eliminate grudges and payback before we throw the net out further.”
Breely nodded. “Okay.”
“After dinner, I’d like us to go over to our headquarters in the barn and get on a video conference with Swede and Hank.” Kyla laid her fork on her plate.
“You’re not finished, are you?” Stone asked.
Kyla stared at the plate of food she’d left untouched. “I’m not hungry,” she said. “I want to get started collecting data and digging into the people around Robert and Breely Brantt.”
Breely had eaten enough to satisfy her hunger. “I’m ready. The sooner I give your computer guys all the information you could possibly need, I’m going to soak in that clawfoot tub until my skin shrivels.”
“That sounds…nice,” Chelsea said. “All except the skin shriveling part.” She laid her fork on her plate. “I’m done. The three of us can wander over to the loft and get started with Swede. You guys can catch up when you’re done eating.”
“I’m going with you.” Moe tossed another dinner roll on the plate, covered it with a napkin and pushed to his feet.
The ladies were a little slower making their way to the war room, first carrying their plates to the kitchen and loading them into the dishwasher.
Moe leaned against a counter and continued to eat, one eye on Breely at all times.
Finally, Kyla led the way through the lodge and out a back door. A path of paving stones led to the barn at the back of the property.
Kyla entered and went to a brand-new set of stairs leading up to the loft.
The barn downstairs looked and smelled like a barn should, earthy and filled with the scent of hay and horse dung.
Upstairs was nothing like Breely expected.
The loft had been completely remodeled to include drywall, paint, plumbing and electricity.
A massive conference table stood in the middle, surrounded by rolling office chairs.
An array of monitors filled the wall in the back corner with keyboards ready for use.
Kyla went straight to the computer monitors and sat down at a keyboard.
Before long, she had the keyboard humming with the speed of her strokes.
Moe nodded toward a door. “That’s the armory. Hank outfitted it with everything we could need for any mission, from bodyguard and protection details to small-scale war conducted by members of our team.”
Breely’s eyes widened. “Why would they do that?”
His mouth pressed into a thin line. “Like when we had a faceoff with a drug cartel running drugs through the Wind River Reservation, which was killing off teens and making it look like suicide when they wanted out. The cartel came to claim their territory. We disabused them of their claim. Hopefully, they won’t be back anytime soon. ”
“Wow,” Breely shook her head. “Who even thinks we have wars going on here in the US?”
“You won’t see much about it in the newspapers,” Moe said. “It happened on a reservation.”
Stone, Hunter, Carter, Dax and Bubba entered the war room.
From the corner, Kyla called out, “I’ve got Swede and Hank on video. Transferring to the big screen now.”
The screen at one end of the conference table blinked to life. A giant head appeared before them.
“Have a seat,” Stone instructed.
Everyone gathered around the table.
Stone turned to Breely. “Swede, this is Breely Brantt, Robert Brantt’s daughter and only living child.”
Swede dipped his head. “Breely.”
Breely gave a tiny nod. “Swede.”
“We spent time at the dinner table discussing political issues that could have put Robert Brantt in the crosshairs of a corrupt government with connections to a powerful drug cartel.” Stone gave Swede a recap of what they’d learned from their research based on what Brantt had told them.
Hank’s face appeared beside Swede’s. “Hey, team. Breely, Chelsea. Glad to see Moe and Breely made it there safely. I hope the flights were smooth.”
“Couldn’t have asked for better flying weather,” Moe reported.
“Good.” Hank gave them all a quick smile. “We had a video conference with Brantt as well and went over every employee who worked at the ranch, those who still work there and those who were let go.” He nodded to Swede. “Can you put it on the screen for them?”
Swede looked down. The sound of clicking keys filled the silence. Moments later, Hank and Swede’s faces disappeared, and a list of names appeared.
Breely leaned forward, studying the list of names she found familiar and some she didn’t. Beside the names were listed two dates: date of hire and date of release.
Those without a release date still worked at the ranch. Breely skimmed over their names, familiar with all of them, a wave of homesickness washing over her. She’d grown up around these people, worked alongside them and knew their families, their dreams and sorrows.
None of the full-time employees jumped out as people who would attempt a kidnapping.
She focused on the names of those with a release date. Half of them had left of their own accord.
“Brandt put a star by the names of people who were fired or laid off,” Hank said. “It narrows down the list to ten people. We’re conducting background checks on those.”
“What were the reasons for releasing them?” Moe asked.
Breely knew all of them, going back to when she was a teen.
“Beau Joyner, Randy Denton and CJ Veatch were teenagers Daddy hired one summer, hoping to grow them into ranch hands. They liked to party at night and never made it to work on time the next morning. Daddy gave them multiple opportunities to make it work. He finally had the foreman send them home. It’s been a long time.
I doubt the few weeks they worked at the ranch made a lasting impression on them. ”
“We’ll do a cursory look at where they are now and dig deeper if there are any red flags,” Swede said.
“Cody West.” Breely’s cheeks heated. She hated how personal this could get, with so many standing around potentially judging her.
“Breely,” Hank said softly, “do you want to clear the room except for you, me and Swede?”
She considered it. No one liked airing their sex lives in front of an audience. No matter how well-meaning that audience was.
“Look, if this helps us find who is targeting me and my family, I can stand a little humiliation.” She lifted her chin toward the list. “I was sixteen; he was nineteen and an accomplished horseman, a cowboy familiar with wrangling cattle and horses. He had a bright future as a cowboy.” She shrugged.
“I thought I was in love with Cody West. We steamed the hayloft that summer. Then one day, he didn’t show up for work.
He never came back.” She met Hank’s gaze on the monitor. “I think my father paid him to leave.”
Hank nodded. “He did. We’re looking at him.”
“It’s been over a decade. Why would he come back to haunt me now?” Breely shook her head. “He’s probably married with half a dozen children.”