Chapter 3
CHAPTER 3
Alex Wolf sat in his spacious office at the Guardian Security D.C. Center reviewing the preliminary profit estimates for that year. His surroundings looked exactly like the other nine offices spread across the United States; bulletproof window overlooking the quiet commercial area far away from the city center, oak desk with his laptop connected to three large computer screens, a multi-line office phone, and a window looking out at a bustling office. As managing partner of the multibillion-dollar company, he couldn’t believe he was the same person who grew up in one of the poorest sections of the nation’s capital. Yet, there he sat looking at the proof of his success.
What had initially started as personal security, a.k.a. bodyguards, had quickly grown to include installation and twenty-four/seven monitoring of corporate and high-end residential security systems. A few years later, Guardian Elite was formed to handle requests from United States Special Operations Command. As contractors to the government, they were often better equipped and could covertly do things the military couldn’t. The company had grown in a different direction the past year.
The far-right screen showed his ten-month-old son, Riccardo, sleeping in his bed at the daycare center attached to the back side of the Guardian Security office building. The first of the Guardian Angels childcare facilities opened three months ago under the guidance and direction of Grace Mitchell, one of his wife’s former Black Swan teammates. No longer a special operations officer, she now worked diligently right down the hall from her husband, Griffin, who managed the Guardian Security Miami Center. Alex was excited to see them soon. They were flying up, with his daughter, Jenny, for Christmas and would arrive on Christmas Eve.
He glanced at the next screen over and clicked on their newest venture tab. Caring for children at high risk for kidnap was so profitable they had already decided to expand it to the other locations. Of course, they’d started with their own children since Katlin Callahan, his wife who had decided to keep her maiden name, had to return to work when their son was twelve weeks old. The son she’d kept from him throughout her pregnancy and the first few months of his life, but that was a different story.
Their niece and nephew, her brother Daniel’s two children, expanded the age group. They now included up to six-year-olds and offered after-school care through elementary school since his oldest son, Simon, entered first grade the previous September. Daniel’s wife Nita, also a former Black Swan teammate, had just finished her pediatric residency at Walter Reed Medical Center. Everyone had attended her official coating ceremony and was thrilled to hear that she was going into private practice.
Her old friends and former neighbors, the Silvas, dropped their two-year-old daughter off at Guardian Angels daily before Rafe went to work at Guardian Security, and Harper went to the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives headquarters. She’d taken a lateral position after giving birth to Skylar, taking over the international sales tracking of explosive materials and analysis department.
Lei Lu (Sorensen) Morgan, another former Black Swan teammate, dropped off her twelve-week-old infant before walking through the building to the Guardian Security portion. She had accepted the position as the head of cybersecurity for Alex and Katlin’s company. Alex was looking forward to expanding that division in the upcoming year. He had purposefully only allowed Lei Lu to do initial planning since her son decided to take after his father, Henry Morgan, who was a big man, and she was so tiny in stature. Her pregnancy hadn’t been an easy one.
Guardian Angels had an impressively long waiting list of ambassadors from several countries, children and even grandchildren of beltway contractors, and their own growing population of babies.
“Sir, you have a call on line three from a Commander John Carson, Team 4 U.S. Navy SEALs,” the male voice announced over the intercom in his office. The man currently answering the phones added, “He said it’s urgent that he speaks with you and only you. He said it was personal.”
Most of the time when someone from the military called him, it was General Lyon from U.S. SOCOM. That usually meant an overseas mission. Alex wasn’t excited about taking on any kind of black ops over the holidays. His elite team of former Special Forces, Navy SEALs, Marine SpecOps, and a few select others had been busy this past year as evidenced by their profit line. He wanted to give them some downtime during the holiday.
“Do you know what this is about?” Alex asked.
“No, sir, but I can ask him again. He was insistent that he speak only with you.”
“I’ll take it,” Alex replied as he pressed button number three. “Alex Wolf. What can I do for you, Commander Carson?” As he spoke the name it sounded vaguely familiar.
“Are you former Marine Captain Alejandro Lobo?” the baritone voice on the other in asked.
“Yes.” That was all Alex was going to say.
“You might remember me as one of Tyler Malone’s groomsmen. I also had the honor of eulogizing him at his funeral.” There was a brief pause as though he was collecting his thoughts. “I’m actually calling you today on behalf of Tyler Malone.”
What the fuck?
Before Alex had a chance to say a word, the commander continued, “Tyler Malone has reached out from the grave to touch both you and me.”
“What the hell?” Alex interjected before the Navy SEAL had an opportunity to speak again.
“Those were my thoughts exactly when I first heard about this. It will be a whole lot easier if you give me a private fax number. I’m pretty sure you don’t want anyone else knowing about this situation right now. I have a copy of a letter written by Tyler Malone to you. Don’t feel alone. I have one too, instructing me to find you.”
Since Alex changed office locations often weekly, he took a minute to find the fax machine’s phone number and to gather his thoughts. Within seconds a copy of a handwritten letter from Ty spit out of the machine on the credenza behind him.
“Commander, it just came through. May I call you back at this number once I’ve read through it carefully?” He read aloud the number displayed on his phone.
“Yes, but I have a lot more to tell you about the situation. Time is of the essence. Please, call me back soon.”
Faxed paper in hand, Alex collapsed into his desk chair.
Alejandro, if you’re reading this, I’m dead and so is the mother of my son. Yes, I have a son. His mother and I have had an on and off relationship since we were at the Academy. You have to know that I’ve always loved Katlin, but when Caroline turned up pregnant, able to give me something Katlin never could, I encouraged her to keep the baby. Watching my son be born was the most wonderful moment of my life. I suddenly understood why you told me that Jenny was the best thing you’d ever done. Holding my son was a miracle I knew I could never have with Katlin even though I love her from the bottom of my heart and always have. She is the only woman who has ever had my heart. I truly believe we were soulmates. I hope you and Rachelle were there to take care of Katlin during and after my funeral. You and Kat always had a special relationship. Since you’re reading this letter, that means my son’s mother has succumbed to the cancer she refused treatment for while carrying JT, Justin Tyler. I know this is a big ask, but you are the best father I know. Would you take JT and raise him as your own? Give Jenny a younger brother, if you and Rachelle have not already done that. I have no one else to ask. You’ve met my brothers and know what assholes they are. And how self-centered my sister is. My parents are too old and there’s no way in hell I’d ask Katlin, although I’m sure she would be a wonderful mother. Please, I beg of you. I don’t want my son to end up in the state system possibly raised by horrible foster parents. Would you please do this one last thing for me? Ty
Alex dropped the paper and his hands to his lap and stared into the past. Fucking Ty. He had no idea what he was asking. He picked up the letter and started to reread it.
I’ve always loved Katlin.
Yeah, hell of a way he’s showed her. Fucking other women every chance he got.
… able to give me something Katlin never could.
Wouldn’t Ty be shocked to find out that Kat and he had a beautiful son? His gaze popped up to the sleeping child on the screen in front of him.
Watching my son be born was the most wonderful moment of my life. Anger raced through Alex. Katlin had denied him the privilege of watching his son be born. The deception his childhood friend, Jael Jimina, known internationally as the famous actress JJ, had almost cost him Katlin forever. Intellectually Alex understood why Katlin had left him, but emotionally, those months he’d missed while his child grew inside her and she had their baby without him would always sting. He was to blame, not her. He hadn’t been there for Jenny’s birth either, another missed opportunity that was his fault.
I love her from the bottom of my heart and always have. She is the only woman who has ever had my heart. Alex shook his head side to side. He sure had a fucked-up way of showing it. Alex thought about his love for Katlin and wondered if Ty had ever truly loved her the way he did. Katlin was and would always be his world. She was everything to him. Other women didn’t interest him in the least. There was no desire whatsoever within him for another woman.
I hope you and Rachelle were there to take care of Katlin during and after my funeral. He thought about Ty’s funeral. All Alex had wanted to do was hold Katlin and share her grief. They had both lost someone they’d loved. But her father wouldn’t allow him near her. Rachelle was too pregnant with her new husband’s child to come to Virginia from Miami to offer condolences and support.
You and Kat always had a special relationship. Alex grinned as he thought about how much he loved Katlin. Perhaps he’d always loved her. And now she was his…and he was hers. Forever. Legally and in the eyes of God.
Would you take JT and raise him as your own? If he were the only one in the equation, he would take the boy in a heartbeat. But he was no longer alone. He had to think about Katlin. How would the child feel about an instant family that included his ten-year-old daughter Jenny and baby Riccardo? True, Jenny only visited on half the holidays and long weekends and for a few weeks in the summer, but Ric was his son with Katlin. He wasn’t going anywhere.
… you are the best father I know. Right. He’d fucked up royally with Jenny, rarely there while she was a baby. Until Katlin came back into his life, he’d never known what to do with his own daughter when he visited her in Miami several times a year. He’d gone for months without ever seeing her. Ty was absolutely right about his brothers and sister, though. They hadn’t gotten better with age and had become even worse after their father died of a heart attack and their mother had fallen into a deep depression.
There’s no way in hell I’d ask Katlin, although I’m sure she would be a wonderful mother.
Of course you were too much of a fucking coward to ask Katlin. You left that up to me. As well as your son. Alex smiled as Ric sat up in his bed making baby noises. Well, Ty, you were right about one thing, Katlin is a magnificent mother. She loves our son unconditionally. Alex wondered how she’d feel about adding Ty’s son to their family. It had to be her decision in the end.
I don’t want my son to end up in the state system possibly raised by horrible foster parents. Alex questioned where the boy was right then. Was that the urgency? Was he headed into a foster situation or perhaps an orphanage? Alex never knew anyone who had been raised in the system. Given his childhood neighborhood, though, he knew plenty of children who had been taken away from their parents, sometimes for a week, sometimes for a month, but they were always back home with their own parents eventually. But he’d never known anyone completely raised in the system, so he had no basis for comparison. Of course, he’d heard stories, and had probably seen a television show or movie about children in foster care. He glanced at the number for Commander John Carson and picked up the phone.
Alex had to go through an administrative assistant, but was quickly transferred to the commander.
“Commander Carson,” the man announced.
“Alex Wolf.” When there was a pause, Alex recalled the previous conversation. “I legally changed my name from Alejandro Lobo to Alex Wolf when I created Guardian Security.”
“You Americanized it. That makes sense.” The commander continued, “Thank you for calling me back so soon. What are your thoughts?”
“If you read the letter, then you’re aware that Ty wants me to take his son. I’m not in a position to accept that responsibility immediately. There are a lot of other factors that have to be considered and the decision is not mine alone.” Alex had no idea how he was going to broach the subject with Katlin. She was comfortable in her new job as director of operations for Section 7 of Homeland Security and they were doing great as newlyweds with an infant. She had always loved Jenny as her godmother and now her stepmother. But adding another child—who had to be at least five years old and who happened to be her dead husband’s illegitimate child—full-time to their family might be too much to ask of her.
“I can imagine. According to the letter, you’re married with a child of your own.” The commander let out a short breath. “I can’t imagine what my wife would say or do if I came home and asked her to raise someone else’s child.”
“You have no idea. Rachelle and I have been divorced for almost seven years. She’s remarried with three more children and has custody of our daughter. I, too, have remarried.” Alex remembered what the commander had said in his initial call. He’d been in Katlin and Tyler’s wedding. “I’m not sure if you remember Tyler’s wife, Katlin. She and I are married and have a ten-month-old son.”
“Oh. Fuck.” After a short pause he asked, “Is she still in the Navy?”
“No, she’s now with Homeland and director of ops at Section 7 and badass as ever.” Alex chuckled. “Before I show Kat this letter, and we discuss our next steps, when you called you said time is of the essence. What’s the hurry?”
“First, the boy is eight years old, currently living in foster care. His mother passed away from cancer, and her aunt gained guardianship to raise him. She was killed in a car accident three years ago. JT was severely injured in the accident and hospitalized for several months as a result. When they couldn’t find his father, he became a ward of the state. He’s lived with this foster family for over two years, but recently the father got hurt and the family has asked for him to be removed from the house immediately.”
“Oh, Jesus.” Alex crossed himself.
“It gets worse,” the commander warned. “He’ll be taken from the house within the next twenty-four hours and moved to the state orphanage. The social worker informed me that placing him in another foster home won’t happen until after the new year and it could be months before she finds one she deems suitable. It seems out there in Kansas farmers will take a foster child, especially a boy, as free labor to help on the farm. I have a lieutenant in the area who discovered him to be Tyler Malone’s son. He’s willing to go to the foster home and get the boy and bring him to you. But it has to be done before the social worker takes custody of him. I know you want to talk to Katlin about this. The sooner the better. Once he goes back into full custody of the state of Kansas, there’s going to be a fuck ton of red tape if you want to get him. It’s always been my belief that custody is nine-tenths of the law.”
The commander gave Alex his personal cell phone number. “My lieutenant is waiting to hear his next orders. I’ll be waiting for your decision. Call me anytime. The sooner the better.”
“Katlin should be here soon. I’ll let you know our decision.” His stomach twisted. “I’ll let you know as soon as I do. By the way, how did you find me if you didn’t know my name is now Alex Wolf?”
It was the commander’s turn to chuckle. “I was on a call with General Lyon at U.S. SOCOM about the situation in North Korea. I took a chance and asked him if he’d ever heard of you. When he stopped laughing, he gave me your number. I understand you’re the one I need to thank for buying him a new chair. Fuck, that thing squealed so loud it about busted my eardrums.”
“It wasn’t me,” Alex confessed. “That was all Katlin. She sent it to him as a Christmas present…for everyone who has to deal with him.”
“Please thank her for me. Talk to you soon, one way or the other.” The commander hung up.
Alex glanced at the fax still in his hand. He had no idea how Katlin would take this latest development. His heart went out to the little boy who had grown up without his father, and most of his life without his mother. But Alex and Katlin’s married relationship was still so very new. Yes, they’d known each other for over a decade, but as a couple, living together under one roof, with a new baby, Katlin in the new high stress job, Alex had no idea how she would feel about a lifetime commitment to her former husband’s bastard child.
He’d find out soon enough.