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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781490729541 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Trafford Publishing |
| Publication date: | 06/20/2014 |
| Pages: | 440 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.98(d) |
Read an Excerpt
Color of Grace
By J. S. Delaney
Trafford Publishing
Copyright © 2014 J.S.DelaneyAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4907-2954-1
CHAPTER 1
Washington D.C. USA Agent Christopher Kane sat quietly at his desk writing a report he knew would be shuffled quickly through the political channels to someone taking money under the table. It had happen many times before. The faces, personalities of two small children and a very young woman ate at him. He shuffled the papers together and marched to Colonel Russell McAlister's office. Rapping on the Colonel's door with raw determination, he peeked through the glass side panel for a hint of what he might expect.
"This better be earth shattering Kane. Get in here." he barked. As Christopher grabbed the door, he prayed that he was right and it was earth shattering, instinct told him it was. As he shut the door behind him, holding a folder open in front of him, he waited for the Colonel to raise his head in acknowledgement but instead he simply spouted, "Days not getting younger Chris make it quick, this report of yours is making the forefront even before it is written. You know something so spill it." Without further prodding, Christopher stepped forward.
"Sir there is something very wrong with that sting. There are false birth certificates for the children, and the marriage license for the marriage of Julius and Miranda Montclausen, well sir, I can't find any documentation. When the over throw occurred Princess Margareta Angelina Aghustoff, her brother Prince Michael Renaud Aghustoff were said to be dead in the fire along with their parents and the Queen's sister and brother. They were having a family meal when the fire broke out. Rescue wasn't able to save them. We have no official records, but the few records that I have point to the fact that the children and Miranda Montclausen have some DNA match, as brother, sister or cousin but not her children. Further, the records that we have on this Julius are no DNA match to Regna, the little girl or the young child Mishka. We are already receiving death threats and intelligence regarding these three stating that if they aren't returned dead or alive there will be more bloodshed. Why? The prince is to be King in less than a year after the investigations are complete. Why would he worry, especially with three girls no matter what the bloodlines are? Regna was not Julius's child. I would understand that maybe she had a child previously but she doesn't seem to match any one of them. So I went further and the child Mishka is the Princess's relative alright but she isn't her child and she isn't a she." Colonel McAlister looked up and then stood up "You took the long way around Chris. What in the hell kind of mess are we into here?" Agent Kane put his hand up to stop his rant and stated quickly "It just gets worse here, get this, Miranda Montclausen doesn't exist and Princess Margareta Aghustoff is not dead. Miranda never had a child at all. Not that there is a Miranda and I have no real idea whom Julius Montclausen is or was but he was not her husband." Agent Christopher Kane stood back and waited for the over load button to strike hot and he was not disappointed.
"Why the hell are we getting this information now and where the hell was it before we stole a Princess and the future King from a country that is on shaky ground now?" His face was bright red and he gave the appearance that coming over the desk to pummel him was a real option. "Get me to JAG to find out how to proceed and then get me that nut Professor Ambrose McAlister from the Special Forces and do it before lunch. I want them briefed and in my office before I leave for my daughter's birthday party" He took a couple of breaths and clearly stopped grabbed a cigar and lit it. When he turned back to Agent Kane, he took one more puff and blew the smoke into his face. "I promised my wife I would be calm and relaxed and by God I better be, because if she is upset it will come out of your ass, do you get that Chris?" He stood back and Chris quickly saluted and turned to leave.
Chris stopped at the door turned and quickly stating that public buildings were no smoking zones and cigars were clearly bad for his blood pressure.
"GET OUT!" Was the only thing he heard as he closed the door?
By the time he got back to his desk the phone was already ringing. When he picked it up Colonel Russell McAlister was heard throughout the office clearly, as he told Agent Kane to clear all other appointments.
Across the base, only three hours later....
A holding cell, it could be nothing else with putty colored walls, floors and doors, she asked the guard at the door.
"Where are my daughters? I must see them." A guard blocking the exit without looking her way gave no answer. She spoke quietly at first, trying to maintain the regal stature of the royalty she was. As she stood, once again ignored by the soldier, she tried to leave but soldier filled the doorway. She stared, standing directly in front of the soldier she was only 5'2" and 120 pounds and the soldier looked over her head and away. "Either you answer my questions or I start throwing these chairs at you. I will accept nothing less than an answer sir." She spoke with demure straight forwardness. The soldier she noticed was young, probably only a year or two younger than herself but certainly the horrors of her young life had put ages upon her face and sadness in her eyes that would take a lifetime to erase.
"Someone will be here soon to let you know what is happening, your daughters are safe!" She quietly bowed and turned back to the table to sit and wait her fate.
"Hello, my name is Mrs. Claremont, and you are Miranda Montclausen? Did I say that right?" She was a very pretty older woman with dishwater blonde hair, short with a pencil skirt in gray and a short sleeve soft blue blouse. Her shoes were gray low heal office shoes. When she walked in she gave the impression of a no nonsense officer with a gun on her hip, a file in her hand and a business attitude. Miranda thought she could have been asking her if the plates on her car were up-to-date. Miranda looked at the woman and then turned back to her folded hands in her lap.
"Whatever you need will be given to you after I see my children. I must see Mishka and Regna!" Mrs. Claremont stopped her pace, closing her file. She looked directly at Miranda, with a smug look, she started her interrogation speech.
"Let me get this straight, you were caught with a gun on a roof pointed at a Prince and a government official and you think you can ask the questions?" Miranda stood and Mrs. Claremont put her hand over her gun and shouted for help. "Sit down and answer my questions and then maybe we can see to any requests that you may have." As the help came Miranda backed further into a corner waiting to see who would come, waiting for all to settle down. While Mrs. Claremont stood pointing to the chairs, it was Miranda's cue to find out whom she was going to have to work with.
"If you are going to shoot then you should have done so, otherwise please get my children so that we can move forward because I will say nothing more until I know they are here and safe." At that, Mrs. Claremont threw up her arms, making a huffing noise like a steam engine.
"Miranda is it?" Looking pointedly with an authority that was supposed to be impressive,
Miranda seemed to be calmly waiting for something else or someone else.
"You don't really understand so I will help you." Miranda stared clearly through the woman she looked upon as a servant. "You cannot help me so until you find someone who has authorization to do so this conversation is complete." Mrs. Claremont looked forward to the glass on the wall obviously, it was a request for help. A minute later, a large man was instructing the guard at the door and he turned telling Mrs. Claremont that she could step outside for a while. The first thing you noticed about the man was his very large size and the second thing you noticed about him was his quite calm almost practiced patience. His thick long dark hair and beard came next. He was neat, clean with his long hair purposefully hidden under his jacket and his beard cut neatly defining his face rather than hiding it. He wore a suit that was rather old but clean in dark blue; his eyes were dark blue if you could find them. His face was tired and there was a piercing intensity she had come to know as security or secret service. She could identify them by age seven. Usually they were mission based, this man was trying to figure out what was needed for this mission. That was different she thought, a thinking secret service agent. Stay alive long enough and occasionally you can be surprised, she thought she would test the waters.
"Do you have authority?" He nodded when Mrs. Claremont passed him to leave he thanked her. He then turned quickly, assessing her. Leaning against the doorframe with the soldier at his back, he tilted his head behind him. "Jim, give it a rest but stay close, I'm going to close the door for now." The soldier nodded and stepped away. As the door closed quietly with authority, the man stood and pointing to the chair on the opposite side of the little table where the file remained, she was still staring at him as if he held a snake, he looked familiar but she was not taking any chances. He sat and opened the file as if he was interested and then looked up again. "It would make things a lot easier if I didn't have to crane my neck. Please sit down I want you to read this please." She unfolded her arms and slowly reached for the chair not losing eye contact for even a second.
As she pulled out the chair, she sat sideways then swung her legs around to the front of the chair. All while running her hands down her legs as if to adjust her clothing before neatly folding her hands above the table. It was almost as if she was trying to calm herself by taking the extra time. He slid the folder in front of her and in it he had written "Your cover is blown!" and when she looked up her face was ghost white. "Since you won't talk you will be taken to another facility where, in isolation you can think things through." He then wrote another line as he spoke barely looking up. "The children are fine and we will leave tonight." Without another word relief washed over her as tears ran down her cheeks. He grabbed the paper and folded it, putting it into his coat pocket, slightly so that it looked almost accidental, he brushed her hand in reassurance. Putting his hands flat on the table giving a look of disgust, he got up. "We don't have time for your games Miranda and after a couple of nights at Guantanamo I am certain you will sing like a little bird." He gave her one last look of disgust and hurried out the door. Soon after he left, her food came, or that's what she thought it was supposed to be. The guards left to her own musings. She was so tired she put her head down on the desk and was sound asleep in minutes thanking God that Bear had found her.
A couple hours later across town in a hoody and sweat pants, a man jogged up the stairs at the military hospital. As he reached the top floor, he saw Officer Marie Jackson from the medical core writing in her chart. Two steps toward her three MPs were on him looking for his badges. He pulled his clearance from beneath his sweats before they tackled him to the ground.
"This is a special assignment Captain and we need to call it in." As Marie Jackson heard the ruckus she looked up and as the MPs came toward the desk to use the phone she smiled.
"Oh yeah boys that's truly Captain McAlister. Hard to believe but it is." The officers looked at Officer Marie Jackson handing her the pen to sign off stating that she verified his identity. After she signed it, she turned her attention back to the bearded man with the long braid in the torn up black hoody trying to untangle his tags lanyard tangled in his hair. He saw her smile, she shook her head, and he smiled back
"Well Ms. Jackson, you beautiful lady are you ready for a night on the town yet?" She was a tall slender as a reed black woman with braids of her own gathered into a neat bun at the back of her neck. She was neat, lush and red lipped. When she smiled, she gave a bit of a giggle. Walking over to the captain running her hands over his cheeks she stepped back assessing his outfit and giggled again. She shook her head again trying to get over the get up as she walked back to her desk.
"The kids are great and ready to go. Uncle Bear is it?" He walked past her wiggling his eyebrows.
"Next time it is" and he went toward the rooms. The children had guards in the rooms and at each door. He identified himself but once inside the kids hugged him with excitement, even as tired as they were. Michael was only five years old but once you got past his small size, his intelligence left you to believe he was at least ten. Regna seemed normal enough at eight but she was far from "normal" having watched her mother being beaten to death and raped. She was fearful of all men and without speech. The doctors stated that she would talk when she was good and ready to, which could be tomorrow or never. Bear was the exception. Regna had learned to tolerate Bear when he was undercover at the palace with them after the fire. She would even let Bear hold her hand or pick her up without screaming. He had never seen her tolerate those things with any other man. Even women that were unfamiliar to her she would avoid physical contact.
Michael was what Bear McAlister called neon white. Ice blue eyes, white hair and white skin, the Baltic triple threat that made him stand out. As it was, Michael, they asked to not speak but shake his head or look at Bear without answering because of his accent and his speech patterns. Regna was not light yet not too dark, with hair the color of walnut and skin warm honey. The kids were both wearing black sweats and sneakers that were many times too big and coats and hats that were cast offs from the hospital.
There was a S.W.A.T. team member directing them to the hospital helicopter pad on the roof, where they would soon be taking off for a safe house far from the Washington D.C. danger zone.
They would be picking up Margareta Aghustoff in chains for appearance sake and the children would have to hide. She would be guarded and delivered to the helicopter as if she were a hardened criminal being taken into custody.
They were going to have to get down to business quickly. Her country was becoming more unstable and dangerous by the minute. The point of eruption could be soon and then control would be lost. Bear needed information only Princess Margareta would be able to fill him in on. Her safety was at risk even inside the facilities. He was taking her where he could watch her and where she could feel at home, Wyoming. Mountain views and ridges would be just the place to see anyone coming and the weather this time of year was snow, lots and lots of snow!
To their surprise, Bear unbuckled the children and hid them behind the seats under some flight suits that were left casually tossed there.
"Uncle Bear! What have you done? Why is Margie like this?" The fear in the boy's voice was so sad. Bear tucked his head back down under the flight suits stuff behind the seats in the helicopter and focused on making Michael understand.
"Remember how we tricked the guards at home by putting you in a dress? Well we are tricking the guards here Michael! Be quite so we can. Later Margie will tell you all about it." Bear quickly jumped down from the helicopter to keep the guards as far away from the helicopter as he could. He quickly signed the release for the prisoner and took the Princesses' arms by the handcuffs she wore to show no mercy. He couldn't treat her different than he would any other prisoner. The guards were satisfied and the doors to the helicopter closed. He signaled to the pilot to get the bird in the air.
As soon as it was safely up in the air he turned to the driver and said "Hey Hoss change of plans, time to go back home!" Bear quickly gave the thumbs up and the smile he was hoping for from the pilot was received. They were off to the base to pick up a plane. There was no plan set or tower to tower flight plan in place. The code name Flyboy said it all, black ops.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Color of Grace by J. S. Delaney. Copyright © 2014 J.S.Delaney. Excerpted by permission of Trafford Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Prologue, ix,1 Washington D.C, 1,
2 Safe in Wyoming home, 15,
3 Bear and Margie in Wyoming, 30,
4 Home with a family, 41,
5 Bear's report, 57,
6 Home with a family, 63,
7 Bear takes a wife, 73,
8 Margie's gets read in, 91,
9 A Cheyenne Wedding, 102,
10 A New York Beginning, 115,
11 The Sting is in, 127,
12 Lead with Lunch, 139,
13 A wedding with style, 150,
14 Vary More Engel, 161,
15 A Shot for a Bear, 177,
16 A Mother of a Encounter, 188,
17 A bomb with the pastor, 197,
18 The Death of a wedding, 208,
19 Ireland, 220,
20 A Rescue in Norway, 239,
21 Bearly Alive, 246,
22 No longer alone as Queen, 261,
23 Caring for a Bear, 271,
24 Bearly Better, 285,
25 Margie Make Bear Better, 307,
26 Council meeting, 324,
27 Bear tells a Story, 341,
28 Margie takes aim, 355,
29 Bear understands his worth, 366,
30 Bear hides the Truth, 382,
31 Auria Regina, 389,
32 Oh What poison deceit, 396,
33 A Herrington for Shamus, 404,
34 Bear Takes a Pass, 413,
35 Maragreta Takes a Bear, 423,
Epilogue, 427,