Kate Educates Jacob #36
A Lover's Mission
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Jacob’s Point Of View
The FBI team looked sullen as they traipsed away from the house, almost to the point of expressing open contempt for Kate. I wasn’t about to let Carter have a parting shot at her, so I escorted him to his vehicle, making sure he felt intimidated.
“What are you doing buddy?”
“Kicking you off our estate.”
“I’m FBI.”
“Yes, that’s true. You’re an FBI guy who fucked up.”
“What do you mean?”
“You should probably think carefully about how you’ll explain this failed raid to your bosses.”
“I had a solid tip-off. We were justified.”
“Ah look buddy, you were rude to my fiancee so get in your truck and fuck off before I create an even bigger problem for you. I’m sure a few of your guys would love watching me kick your arrogant ass up and down this parking lot.”
He was stuck with Hobson’s choice, so Carter got in his vehicle and ignored me while his driver turned their SUV around and headed off
I returned to Kate and Catherine smiling and nodding as though nothing much was afoot.
“What did you say to him, Jacob?”
“I just told Carter to have a nice day while making sure he knew the shortest route to get off the estate.”
“He’s following the Sheriff who has been here dozens of times.”
“You can never be too sure sweetheart.”
Kate wasn’t convinced, but she smiled wryly knowing there were times and situations that had to be dealt with the Jacob way.
I glanced at my phone and saw a proximity alert from woodlands on the outer edge of Granger’s estate. I kept my screen out of sight from the others not to panic them and because the detection was far enough away to not be an immediate problem.
Kate was still in an excitable state, watching our Sheriff's department and the FBI vehicles’ dust cloud as they left Granger’s Estate with their tails between their legs. I’d stay around long enough to get a rough explanation of what just happened from Kate, then leave to find my intruder.
Catherine’s relief was palpable and I noticed a tense expression eased immeasurably. She gawped at her daughter with both hands outstretched, palms facing upwards, undoubtedly requiring an explanation for the disappearance of a fortune in gold.
I’d already figured out what happened.
“You moved the gold Kate, right?”
“This morning in a horse box, yes. Any other vehicle would have been invaded by Jacob and his SWAT team.”
“You got me out of the way too and executed your cunning plan while we were at GD?”
She looked cute and thrilled by herself.
“Are you impressed by my machinations Jacob?”
“You outfoxed me, but in my defense, I was up against a double agent.”
“Plausible deniability, sweetheart. Mom was in town and you were sighted by at least one hundred GD employees when the heist was going on. Your security codes were used to access several departments on the campus. If anyone discovers me, you both and everyone else will be in the clear with very sound alibi’s.”
“And what about you, Kate?”
“I’m in the crosshairs for this one alone darling.”
“Why?”
“Because I inherited GD and with all the wealth comes any problems daddy couldn’t solve. I can’t allow anyone else to become embroiled in this issue.”
“I would have helped willingly.”
“I know Jacob, and that’s why I worked so hard to exclude you.”
She eyed me, pleading that I didn’t agree with her. The signs in her body language were evident, but I would raise the matter again at the right moment because Kate’s safety was compromised.
“Where is the gold now?”
“By now it will be on an aircraft heading towards the United Arab Emirates. By the time it arrives there, the bullion will have been legitimized and can be banked.”
“How did you get it past US customs?”
“A friendly Arab prince from my college days with diplomatic immunity and a big private jet.”
“Okay, that sounds like a great plan.”
“And Jacob… as a bonus GD gets a nice order for main battle tanks, discounting slightly for private jet air miles and a friend's rate.”
“I don’t know how the hell you came up with this plan Kate.”
“There is an alternative financial system that moves money around the world. Governments use the system as frequently as criminals do. I knew how to access it and have friends who will turn a blind eye.”
I felt angry, struggled to contain it, blurting out my frustration before I could can it.
“Fucking hell Kate, you’ve really played fast and loose with your liberty here.”
“Don’t get testy with me please, Jacob.”
Catherine turned white as a sheet, almost running into the house. I knew she’d be relieved that Richard’s problem would finally be off her hands but the Machiavellian manner in which Kate conceived of and executed her plan was a difficult approach to deal with.
“You broke the law, Kate.”
“I hope we won’t fall out over this. You’ll learn soon enough that ‘so called’ financial capital’s around the world are arbiters and organizers of the most corrupt systems humanity ever conceived of.”
“All bankers are corrupt now?”
“Not all. I’d say many banking heads and owners likely are. They collude with politicians all the time. Bribes are paid, money gets moved around, and contracts are awarded. It happens. Look at Goldman Sachs and the 1MDB scandal in Malaysia.”
“It’s still illegal.”
“In my mothers’ hands the money will do a great deal of good for many people. I stand by what I did.”
“I’m more concerned about your safety, Kate. Carter might have got here a day early and then where would you be?”
“Carter was always going to be here a day late Jacob because it was me who tipped him off.”
“Holy shit, why? I don’t understand.”
“Because after this failed FBI raid, any gold my family may or may not have hidden away for decades is either ridiculous legend, malicious gossip or disproven by a police investigation.”
I thought about it for a moment, realizing Kate had executed the only viable strategy other than coming clean and having the treasure impounded, probably lost.
“I’m sorry I snapped at you.”
“Your only concern was for me Jacob. Let’s move on. You probably should go and identify who is wandering around in our woods, though.”
“You saw that alert?”
“Like you sweetheart, I see everything.”
“Okay, I’m off to do some tracking, then.”
“I’ll bet it’s poachers.”
“I’m sure it is.”
I knew it wasn’t poachers. When laying down my camera and motion sensor system there was a single ten meter stretch of vulnerability caused by an ‘S’ bend in the main road four miles away. A sliver of woodland wasn’t covered by my security system until almost a mile into the estate.
Whoever breached our perimeter to that extent knew exactly what they were doing. I’d planned for this eventuality and knew how to deal with the situation.
It wouldn’t be an armed intruder because there was no need for any assassin to visit Granger Hall. Eventually, whoever it was wandering about unauthorized would get picked up by my security response team, but I wanted to deal with this intruder personally, needing to exercise my darker side, Carter having pissed me off and all.
I suspected a nosy neighbor, private investigator, or journalist snooping around for a story.
I jogged a couple of miles through pasture and light woodland, closing in on the only route my intruder could have taken given the density of forest and some open grassland they would avoid.
When I reached a choke point through which my target must pass, I stood with my back against a tree, waiting for telltale signs of someone coming my way.
They were good, making sure not to walk noisily through brush or dead leaves, taking their time, advancing cautiously. When the intruder was about twenty meters away, I guessed by a heavy footfall that it was a man and not a small one either.
When I stepped out, he shit a brick.
“Can I help you?”
“Argh fuck! I wasn’t expecting you man.”
French.
“This is private land friend, but I guess you already knew that.”
“Yes, I’m sorry. You probably know already about a ten-meter section of woodland along the road not covered by your CCTV.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Nice job on the motion sensors. I didn’t see the one that got me.”
“You weren’t meant to.”
“Well, you’re here and I’m caught, so obviously you know what you’re doing. I’m Renoir by the way.”
“I’m Jacob.”
“Are you British Special Forces?”
“Royal Marines.”
“Ahh, very good soldiers, Jacob.”
“You’re Special Forces too.”
“I was once 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment.”
“Another great unit, Renoir.”
We had a stand-off. Renoir’s body language wasn’t threatening which pleased me because he was a big guy and we’d do each other a lot of damage in a fight.
“So… Renoir. Will you keep me guessing, or could you explain why you are enjoying a walk around our woods?”
“I came to see someone, Jacob.”
“Why not use the driveway?”
“I wouldn’t have got a mile up there and anyway, I saw a bunch of cops heading in earlier so I thought-.”
“You’d use the distraction to your advantage, and hide out in the tree line until the cops left, then toddle down to the house where you could introduce yourself?”
Claude snorted and covered his mouth to avoid seeming rude. His eyes were mischievous and he grinned at me nodding like a kid who’d been caught out, but in the most friendly manner.
“Only you British toddle though, Jacob. We French do not.”
“What do French people do?”
“We flâner, Jacob. It means to wander aimlessly. It makes us seem magical and enigmatic.”
“Ah, so you toddle in French, then?”
“Yes, that’s exactly it.”
We both laughed and I was sure Renoir wasn’t intending anyone harm, but he still hadn’t been clear about his presence. I smiled, kept my hands and body posture open, posing no threat until I needed to. We eyeballed one another and I felt a killing instinct surge, loving every moment of our encounter.
“But you weren’t wandering aimlessly though Claude. You deliberately searched for a vulnerability, found one, and now, here we are.”
“Yes, Jacob. Here we are. I wonder, could you take me in a fight?”
“Men like us always wonder about that when meeting one another.”
“Could you though?”
“Do I need to, Renoir?”
“Nah, I’m just having fun. I haven’t enjoyed the company of another dangerous man for a long time. You’re a big guy, Jacob, and I see death lives casually in your eyes.”
“I see the same thing in you, Renoir.”
He turned deadly serious for a moment and I saw the killer beyond a friendly face with his painted on smile.
“Do the things you’ve done keep you awake at night Jacob? They do for me.”
“Sometimes, but I have the love of a good woman who fills the dark abyss and nightmares that combat missions created.”
He wagged a finger at me, grinning broadly, as though a nail were struck on its head and his problem would be easily solved by replicating my solution.
“I like you Jacob. Perhaps we could be friends… what do you think?”
“Maybe, but I’m still waiting to know how I might help you right now, Renoir.”
“I need the same thing you have, Jacob.”
“Peace of mind?”
“And the love of a good, kind woman.”
“In whom at Granger Hall is your loving interest?”
“Hannah.”
“Ahh.”
“You know her Jacob? Is Hannah here?”
His eyes lit up and I saw a genuine friendliness in Renoir’s expression when I confirmed by a nod that Hannah might be nearby. It was the oddest way to get to meet a woman, so I assumed the connection between them wasn’t a familiar one.
“She hasn’t actually arrived at the estate but will do soon this evening. Since you clearly know her, can I ask if Hannah’s expecting you?”
He leaned back against the tree, gazing up through the forest canopy at a clear blue sky. He nodded his head a few times, then shook it and I saw uncertainty in his waning smile.
“Not exactly expecting me… no.”
“What then Renoir? For fuck’s sake, I’m praying for you to win here. Give me something that justifies me taking you down to the house. How do you know Hannah?”
“I’m sorry Jacob, I cannot say.”
I was frustrated because Renoir was a comrade, as all military on the same side consider one another to be. It would be nice to help him but not if that gave Hannah an unexpected fright.
“I’ll make a pact with you Renoir.”
“I appreciate your support however much that might be Jacob.”
“I’ll call my fiancee. She knows your love interest and will convey a message. If Hannah wants to see you, we’ll walk down to the house, sharing our bullshit stories for a while until we meet the ladies.”
“And if Hannah rejects me?”
“You’ll leave peacefully and tell nobody about my ten-meter problem.”
“I would tell no one anyway my friend.”
He thought about it for a cool minute, figuring out his various options.
“We have an accord, Jacob.”
He offered me his hand, we shook on it and Renoir sat down on the forest floor with his back against a tree. I followed suit, choosing the largest tree opposite.
I withdrew a phone from my woodsman’s jacket pocket, speed dialing Kate who answered immediately with a slightly panicked tone of voice.
“Are you alright darling?”
“Of course Kate. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Sorry, I just worried about you. Why did you call? Did you catch our intruder?”
“I’m with him now. I have you on loudspeaker, so he can hear everything we say to one another. We have a favor to ask.”
“Who is we?”
“Renoir and me.”
“Go ahead and ask your favor fiancee. You sound like a couple of kids playing with marbles who want to stay out late.”
“Our friend wants to meet Hannah.”
“Does he know her?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“He’s too much of a gentleman to say.”
Renoir nodded appreciatively at me, smiling.
“What does he want?”
“He just wants to meet Hannah. If she says no, he’ll leave peacefully and never return.”
“Okay, what does he look like?”
“He’s an extraordinarily handsome man like me, of similar height and very polite. His French accent drips like honey on toast.”
“You sound as though you like him, Jacob.”
“I do.”
“Are you planning to run away together?”
Renoir laughed, placing both hands together and with fingertips touching just below his lips he mouthed the words thank you.
“Let’s just say, I’m hopeful he gets a positive outcome, Kate.”
“What’s his name?”
“Ren-.”
Renoir waved urgently at me to prevent my saying his name. I held a hand over my phone and leaned forwards.
“What’s up Renoir?”
“Hannah will know me as Claude. I am Claude Renoir.”
I returned to the open microphone.
“His name is Claude Renoir and I’m getting a love vibe.”
“Okay, Jacob. I’ll call Hannah right away and ask her.”
“Love you, Kate.”
“I love you too, Jacob.”
The call disconnected and I stared back at Claude. He smiled, looking like a man chancing his luck, hoping a girl liked him and was likely to be devastated if she didn’t.
“You didn’t have to be so amenable towards me, Jacob.”
“You gave me no reason to be rude.”
“I like you man.”
“Let’s hope Hannah likes you, then maybe we’ll become friends for longer than an hour.”
It didn’t take long before a message flashed up on my phone. I opened Kate’s chat box and turned the phone around for Claude to read.
Claude is very welcome to visit Granger Hall. Chef is setting an extra place for dinner.
He looked like a gold medal winner at the Olympics and leaped up, shaking my hand vigorously.
“I owe you big time Jacob.”
“I’m glad you won this round, Claude. Let’s walk and talk.”
By the time we reached Granger Hall, Claude and I had established we’d attended Jungle Warfare training school in Brunei together. He was taught in a different squad to me, so we never saw one another to the extent of achieving permanent recognition. Mostly, we were all covered in camouflage cream and stank of shit for a month.
When we walked down the grassy hill towards home, I saw Kate standing at the front door with Hannah. When she spotted Claude, our new VP of Marketing sprinted the fifty or so meter gap, launching herself into his arms, wrapping both legs around his waist.
“You really came for me Claude?”
“How could I not?”
“Oh wow, I’m so thrilled and happy to see you.”
She kissed him on the neck, cheeks, and lips while squealing delightedly. Claude looked at me grinning comically and like a man in lust and love. Hannah paused, planted her cheek against his, staring sideways at me.
“Can Claude stay for longer than just dinner please, Jacob?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“Kate says you run the estate and all house guests are to be cleared through you.”
Her face begged me like a teenage girl imploring her father when asked out on a date by a boy she liked.
“Of course Claude can stay. I’ll arrange a room for him right away.”
She looked at me in utter amazement with her mouth agape, not knowing what to say next. I held my best poker face, but it was the same one Kate declared many times to be a poor winning hand.
Eventually, Hannah’s eyes narrowed, and she grinned at me.
“Are you teasing me, Jacob?”
“Of course I am. Claude can stay for as long as you want.”
I left them to catch up while strolling the rest of the way down to Kate. It was early evening and we’d had a long day, so I almost fell into her arms, completely exhausted but infinitely overjoyed that I had a woman who loved me to hold on to.
“What’s the story here, Jacob?”
“Claude is a man in love. Who am I to stand in the way of that?”
“This is why I love you so much, Jacob.”
“Why Kate? Because I let strangers into the house contrary to my job description.”
“No sweetheart, because you understand people and how to treat everyone with respect.”
Next Chapter:
Dear reader, please use this link to read about Hannah and Claude Renoir’s backstory if you didn’t already.
Great chapter, with a character new to me. I’m off to catch up on Claude now.