Path to Convergence
Copyright© 2025 by Vonalt
Chapter 9: Unsettling Visitors and a Trip Back to Our Roots
Karen and Andi had their ride to Tysons Galleria the following weekend. I apologized to them for not being able to get the SUV as promised, but I hoped that what I had managed to purchase would make up for it. They went out expecting to see the Camry, or something similar, parked in front of the house. I think that Karen’s reaction could have been heard all the way to the National Mall when they saw the limousine instead. She was dancing around like a little girl who had just received a puppy for Christmas before getting in. Andi stood beside the limousine, acting as though she were afraid to touch it.
I waved to Karen and Andi as they left to pick up Olive, Jean, Imelda, Molly, and Elaine. Their plan was to spend the day at Tysons Galleria, followed by a spa session at a place that Molly had discovered. I knew that they were ecstatic about the outing, and so honestly was I. They would enjoy shopping, while I had the rare chance to spend an entire day with my daughters.
First on my agenda was a trip to the park, where we could relax without a care. I crammed Beast and both Dobermans into my Volvo for safety’s sake. It was a tight fit, but the park I had in mind fortunately wasn’t far. It was a quiet spot near the Potomac River with swing sets and slides for the girls, and plenty of open space where the dogs could run without bothering other visitors.
The girls kept me busy pushing them on the swings for a good ninety minutes. They eventually grew bored and hungry, while the dogs began finding ways to irritate other park-goers. I rounded everyone up, deciding that it was best to leave before the park police took notice, and slowly herded the crew back to the car.
I headed south leaving the park, in search of a sandwich shop that I hadn’t visited in ages. What brought it to mind were the hamburgers that they used to sell by the bagful. I figured a few bags would be enough to feed all of us, including the dogs, so I wouldn’t have to keep apologizing to strangers when Beast tried to crash their picnics. Half a dozen bags, give or take, should be enough to fill everyone up.
It was a farther drive than I remembered, and I did get some strange looks at the drive-up window when I ordered six of their Power Burger bags, six extra-large orders of fries, and three small soft drinks. The smell proved too much for Beast, and I was afraid that his drool would ruin my car’s interior. I found a small park where I could pull in and have the girls sit at a picnic table to eat their lunches. Beast and the Dobermans behaved themselves quite well and stayed close by my side. They knew that there wouldn’t be any more burgers for them if they misbehaved, as I dished them out one at a time. I hadn’t seen Beast this well-behaved in ages.
It was getting close to mid-afternoon by now, and the girls were starting to get tired. I decided that it was time to call it a day and drive everyone home. Even the dogs were weary, forming a giant pile in the front passenger seat and on my lap. The ride home took forty-five minutes from the last park we visited until we pulled into the driveway and I could activate the gate to drive the car back to the carriage house.
I didn’t notice it right away, but someone had been poking around in our backyard. There, across the sidewalk between the carriage house and the main house, were footprints made of grass clippings from when I cut the lawn earlier that morning. The wet clippings had stuck to the bottom of the intruder’s shoes and left a trail along the paved walkway, leading toward the house. They must not still be here, as neither Beast nor the Dobermans had alerted to their presence.
I cautiously walked up to the back door, looking for any signs of tampering or forced entry. Not seeing any, I unlocked the door and opened it. The house alarm was still armed, patiently waiting for me to enter the code to prevent it from going off. My daughters and the dogs were playing a game of tag on the patio, while I checked the kitchen. I didn’t see any signs of disturbance, so I called the girls and the dogs inside.
The girls were fading fast and needed to be put down for their naps, but I still didn’t want to take them upstairs before checking the rest of the house. I was wondering how to keep them occupied in the kitchen while I cleared the rest of the house until one of the girls solved the problem herself. She pointed at the jar on the counter where Imelda kept the cookies and said, “Cookie.” I sat them both down at the table and gave them one each. The cookies would keep them occupied long enough for me to finish checking the house.
I had the Dobermans stay with the girls as I knew that no one would get to them as long as those dogs had a breath left in them. Beast came with me, and I gave him the command ‘Seek’ at the bottom of the stairs. ‘Seek’ was a game to him, a chance to go on the hunt and find whoever might be hiding. He hoped that he would find someone. I hoped that he wouldn’t.
He came and sat in front of me looking disappointed a few moments later. He hadn’t found anyone. I gave him the expected ear scratch as a reward for a job well done. The look that he gave me almost said what he was thinking; ‘What’s my next job, Boss? I want more ear scratches’.
I went back out to the kitchen to check on the munchkins and found one of them asleep in the chair where I’d left her. The other twin wasn’t far behind. I carefully picked them both up and carried them upstairs to their beds, laying them down for their naps. The Dobermans took up their customary positions in front of the bedroom door and lay down to nap as well.
Beast must have appointed himself as my official assistant, because he followed me downstairs into the home office where I placed a call to Scotty. I was surprised when he answered. I thought that he would be out with Jean, until I remembered that she was with Karen and Andi.
After some brief small talk about him being home alone, and me being a dad who’d spent most of the day with my daughters, I told Scotty about my visitor while we were out. Scotty wasn’t pleased to hear that and was concerned that the alarm system hadn’t detected anything. I suggested that it probably did, but with no one at home, how effective could the alarm system be without someone monitoring it? We both acknowledged that this was a known weakness in the system that we had never addressed. Scotty said he would get an improved video recording device to connect to the alarm system on Monday. We already had cameras that could be monitored from the carriage house, but a better video recording unit that would allow us to capture and review frame-by-frame video would be a big improvement.
I hated the need for a security system, but it was a necessary burden given my family’s past. It was clear after this latest intrusion that we needed a complete overhaul. Most of the system was several years old, practically ancient by today’s technological standards.
The hallway clock chimed three PM The girls would soon be waking from their naps, and I was expecting Karen and Andi home any minute. They’d be riding high on shopping endorphins, ready to give me a full rundown on the limousine, their purchases, who they saw, and more importantly, who saw them. Despite our earlier dispute over the limo, I was glad that I’d bought it for Karen, Andi, and the girls. It was my way of letting them how much they meant to me. The only real sacrifice was that lunch would be instant ramen from now on, and I’d be skipping the Mexican food truck to help cover the cost.
It wasn’t long before Karen, Andi, Imelda, and Olive came pouring through the front door. I could clearly tell that someone had been drinking right away. Karen and Andi were unusually bubbly and affectionate, far more than usual. Their affection normally meant a quick peck on the cheek or a passing hand squeeze. This was just shy of a full-on make-out session. Imelda blushed at their antics, while Olive, just as blitzed as the others, wasn’t the least bit amorous. She was too busy doing a surprisingly good job of holding up the wall. It was safe to say that their shopping endorphins had completely taken over.
I called Randy to come pick Olive up and gave him a heads-up that she was tipsy., I knew from past conversations that Olive could get aggressive when she’d been drinking. Depending on her mood, it could swing either angry or amorous. He deserved a fair warning. I also suggested that he grab some Chinese takeout so that we could all have dinner together and enjoy a relaxed, extended family evening.
Randy showed up close to an hour later. Olive had mellowed out by then, and was actually pleasant to be around, not the prickly version of herself that I’d come to know since Grandma Jorgenson’s funeral. The ladies gave us the full rundown on the limousine, from the moment that they were picked up to when they got home. I got the usual grocery list of who they saw and who saw them getting in or out of the limo, once again. I smiled and played along, while Randy glanced over at me and rolled his eyes whenever the ladies weren’t looking.
I asked Imelda to join us at the table once Karen, Andi, and Olive finished recounting their shopping adventures. The effects of the alcohol had mostly worn off by then. That’s when I told them about the visitor, the one whose grassy footprints I’d found on the backyard walkway. Karen instantly sobered and demanded to know what I’d done about it.
I told her there wasn’t much I could do at the time. I’d been carrying two tired little girls who insisted on being brought inside. I explained that I’d carefully opened the rear door and checked the alarm. There were no signs that it had been tripped, as far as I could tell. I had Beast clear the house to make sure that it was safe for the girls and me to enter before going any further.
Beast wandered over at the sound of his name, thinking that he was being called for table scraps. Karen slipped into one of her rare weepy moods, wrapping her arms around his neck and clinging to him as she cried, instead. She scratched behind his ears and along his spine, his two favorite spots, all the while. I knew that he’d patiently endure her tears as long as the petting continued. He’d move on once it stopped.
Karen admitted through her tears that she didn’t know what we’d do once Beast was gone. He was one dog in a million, and we’d never find another like him. Beast, of course, had no idea what was being said, but he wasn’t going anywhere as long as he was getting that kind of attention.
I let Randy know that I’d called Scotty about the intruder earlier, and we’d agreed that upgrading the video recording system to link with the existing cameras would be a smart investment. I mentioned that I was surprised it hadn’t been done sooner, especially back when we were under Secret Service protection. Randy said that it should be our top priority, and I agreed. I told him that Scotty had promised to have it installed early next week.
Randy added that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have some of the new recruits from our protective services team patrol the property while we slept at night, and assign a small crew to watch the house whenever we were away. I liked the idea and asked him to move forward with it. It was a great opportunity for newer employees to earn money and gain experience, while also ensuring that the property was looked after around the clock.
Randy asked if any of the footprints were still visible. I wasn’t sure, so we went outside to check. Sure enough, they were still there. He studied them closely, tracing their origin. He examined the prints from different angles for a good ten minutes, even dropping to his knees for a closer look several times.
He stood up, looked at me, and said, “There wasn’t just one person here, Doc, there were two. One had a much smaller shoe size. I’d say that one was male and the other female if I had to guess. They accessed the backyard by climbing over the wall near the carriage house where they wouldn’t be seen.”
Randy headed in the direction that he’d been pointing, and I followed. He walked over to where the backyard wall met the carriage house, inspecting the mulch that the landscaper had laid down to control the weeds that tended to grow along the wall. Randy dropped to his knees once again to examine something that had caught his attention.
He stood up and shaded his eyes as he looked toward the top of the brick wall. His gaze then dropped to the mulch, and back toward the house. He finally turned his attention to the top of the wall once more, closely studying it.
“Your visitors came over the wall just like I suspected, right here next to the carriage house, Doc. Their footprints are visible in the mulch. See here? You can make out two distinct shoe sizes where they jumped down from the top of the wall. You’ll notice, if you look closely, how the grass clippings have been disturbed by their footsteps. The clippings from this morning were heavy with dew, that’s what caused them to stick to their shoes, and that’s what made the shoe imprints that you saw on your sidewalk leading up to the house.”
“This wasn’t just a pair of thieves looking to break in, Doc. These people were casing your home looking for a way in. They’re planning to do you and your family harm if I had to guess. I’m no expert in that sort of thing, but you need to contact your friend, Lawrence, and tell him what’s going on. He’ll know what to do.”
The hair on the back of my neck stood after hearing Randy’s words. I’d been through this too many times before, and the law of averages said that my luck was running out. Someone was going to come for me and my family sooner or later. My own safety mattered, but what terrified me most was the danger to my wives and children. Real fear took hold of me for the first time in years.
I didn’t say anything about what Randy had told me to my family. He and Olive left shortly after he and I had thoroughly explored the backyard. Imelda was in the kitchen cleaning up after our carry-in Chinese meal, and Karen and Andi were upstairs getting the girls ready for bed when I placed a call to Lawrence back in Chicago.
Lawrence immediately grew concerned when I told him what I’d discovered while walking from the carriage house to the back door of our home that afternoon. His concern deepened once I filled him in on what Randy had observed. We didn’t talk much after that. His only advice was to clean my guns, keep them loaded, and be ready to use them if necessary. He also told me to have Beast and the Dobermans sweep the yard thoroughly before bed each night. What surprised me was that Lawrence wanted to speak with Randy directly, so I gave him Randy’s number.
Sunday was a rare day that the Mercer clan stayed close to home. I’d spent two hours cleaning, lubricating, and loading my expanded Makarov collection the night before. I made a mental note to look into getting fresh ammo for the pistols. What I had was getting old and was Russian-made. I wasn’t too confident in the quality, so I wanted a new supply for my carry rotation.
I didn’t need to tell Karen about the footprints or what they meant. Big-mouthed Olive had already called and filled her in on everything that Randy and I had discussed the night before. She’d also overheard Lawrence’s call with Randy that morning and passed that along as well. Karen was adamant by the time she confronted me. I was to stay armed at all times, and so was Andi. She also demanded that I clean her revolver, which she hadn’t touched in years, and load it for her to carry.
I did as she asked in the spirit of the old saying, ’Happy wife, happy life’. I wasn’t worried about Andi or myself being armed, my concern was Karen. I made her promise not to touch the revolver until she completed a refresher course in weapon safety and the self-protection classes offered by the gun club that we belonged to. We hadn’t used the membership much, given how busy life had been, and with my deployments to the Middle East.
I called Jean at home before work Monday morning, and asked if she would spend the day with Karen. She was already aware of the situation I’d encountered and readily agreed to stay with Karen and the girls. I thanked her for doing as I asked, and for her close friendship with both Karen and me.
Andi rode to the office with me. She was armed like me, and kept a close watch on the cars around us during the drive. The trip was uneventful fortunately. What was unusual, though, was that Andi, herself normally happy and talkative, was solemn, her head on a constant swivel as she scanned the traffic around us.
I asked Randy, Scotty, and Andi to join me in the conference room once we arrived at the office. I’d spent a lot of time thinking while cleaning and maintaining my pistols on Sunday, trying to come up with a plan that would keep everyone safe and help us catch whoever had invaded my family’s home. What I needed now was my friends’ approval, and their help, to make it work.
The outline of my plan was straightforward. Our top priority was securing and installing a new video recorder for the surveillance system. Next, I wanted to establish a 24-hour security detail at my home, at least for the time being. I figured that two personnel would be sufficient during daylight hours, but the team should expand to at least four, ideally six, at night.
The assignments would be:
One person to patrol the grounds.
One person positioned in a vehicle to monitor the property from the street.
One person stationed in the carriage house to monitor the video surveillance system.
Two personnel conducting a roving patrol, walking in tandem along the street in front of the house and the alley behind it.
One additional person kept in reserve, both to relieve others as needed and to serve as an extra gun hand if the situation demanded it.
No one saw any problems with my proposed changes, and they all agreed to help select the personnel needed,
Then I added the kicker, the part where I expected some objections. I proposed that Randy and Olive, as well as Scotty and Jean, move into our home. They would carry on as they always had; the only difference would be that I was taking Karen and Andi on a road trip. Our daughters would not be coming with us. If something were to happen to us, there was no one I trusted more to raise and protect our girls than I trusted them to do it as I would myself.
I reminded everyone that we were family, and family looks out for one another. I didn’t anticipate any problems, and life would go back to normal once we returned. Randy and Scotty needed to make a few phone calls before committing, but no one objected in the end.
I felt good about my plans. My girls would have Imelda watching over them, with plenty of support backed by Randy, Scotty, Jean, and Olive. In addition to their human watchdogs, They’d also have their canine protectors, Beast and the two Dobermans. The security team from Mercer, Frisch, & Associates would be walking the beat, guarding the boss’ home and family on top of that.
Andi almost breathless asked where we were going on our road trip after the meeting. Teasing her, I said that we would be doing a circle tour of the Rust Belt; sightseeing in Youngstown, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, and finishing up in Flint. You’d think that I’d just murdered someone’s puppy from the look she gave me. I just smiled and told her that it was a surprise, and I wanted to keep it that way. It wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but she didn’t press me.