Chapter 19

When Chester Adamson left, I was all alone in Carlisle Kirby's study. That struck me as odd until the door opened, and a stunning woman entered and motioned for me to remain seated. She was about five feet seven, slim but not skinny, and she looked like an Olympic runner. She was that buffed out. Her light brown hair, like her ensemble, was put together perfectly. For some crazy reason I wondered if she got up in the morning looking like that, or if it took her an hour to get herself together. What was together was her lovely, compact, figure.

Not knowing her intentions I waited for her speak first.

"Good evening Kevin. My name is Catherine O'Malley, and I am a Special Agent in Judge Jones' group. I hope you had a nice visit with the Judge. He certainly seemed to enjoy speaking with you, which brings me to my reason for being here tonight.

"The judge has asked me to coordinate a few things with you. He has also drilled us all on your 'special' circumstances, as far as your health is concerned, and we are clear on our obligations to make sure you lead a 'perfectly charmed life, ' as the Judge puts it." Her eyes were serious as a heart attack, but she smiled the tiniest, little smile when she described the Judge's orders.

I waited patiently. As far as I was concerned, this was all their show.

"Kevin, your house on Marathon Key is ready to go to closing, and we hoped you would agree to head down tomorrow morning sometime and attend to it. I understand your personal attorneys are the ones who served President Gray so admirably, also have a special relationship with us, and we are happy to fly them down to help you with the closing.

"It is critically important that you take up residence as quickly as possible and begin to be recognized by your neighbors. We will go into the reasons for that at another time, but suffice it to say that the mission demands that as many of your neighbors become accustomed to seeing you as soon as possible."

She stopped to consider her next statement. I could see her struggling to decide whether to tell, or not tell me something important, so I waited her out, yet again.

Having made up her mind, Catherine O'Malley, Special Agent, said, "We are approaching a very bad time for America. What I know and what I can tell you are very different things, but I can tell you that your help will give us an enormous, unexpected advantage that we couldn't have hoped to achieve. For the first time, that advantage gives a glimmer of hope that we can win the next battle, which might put off the end of America as we know it, for another twenty years, or so."

WHOA!

Those were strong words. Any doubt I had about why I suddenly decided to look up real estate on Marathon Key evaporated with that statement, and why the Universe led me to choose that particular house might also become obvious quite soon.

Catherine O'Malley had more to tell me. "Before I go on like a babbling brook, is it possible for you to change your plans and fly down to Marathon first thing tomorrow? If so, I will get going on a jet for the Bells and get some other things rolling on our end.

"One thing, Kevin; your house is going to be unfurnished when you assume possession. We have our own contractors that will handle redecorating, furnishing, and upkeep. You won't have to worry about anything – not the lawn, not the paint, not the flowerbeds, or the interior. We have you covered as far as housekeeping, cooking, maintenance, repairs, and anything else that could conceivably crop up. You tell the decorator how you want to live, and she will have your house ready to go within forty-eight hours. We are serious about taking care of you."

Catherine stopped talking as suddenly as she started and looked expectantly at me for an answer. I'd grown so comfortable being spoken to, it was a surprise to find someone expected me to speak back.

"Of course I am happy to head down to Marathon tomorrow. I just wish my G-650 was here. It would be a wonderful shake-down cruise for it and me."

Catherine smiled in a very sneaky way. "Why Kevin ... Didn't I just finish telling you that the U.S. Government intends to take very special care of you? One of our best crews is flying your G650 in to Reagan National as we speak, and it will be serviced, stocked, decorated, and spotlessly cleaned overnight, so it is available tomorrow morning to take you to Marathon Key."

She was so proud of herself for saving that for a surprise reward to celebrate my cooperation. It was very cute, and I couldn't hold the smile off my face.

"Could you have them stop in Branson and pick up my lawyer on the way?" I asked.

Catherine thought that over and suggested something different. "Why don't you call and see if either one is free and willing to come, and let us charter a jet to bring them down?"

I could see that that was a better solution for me. It would take five hours of extra traveling off of me, and allow for less stress and tiredness once I arrived. I gladly acquiesced. "I'll call and cross my fingers."

Happy with how things were going, Catherine left to attend to business, and I called Colleen.

"Hey, Baby," I said when she answered.

"Ohhhh. I am so glad to hear from you. Thanks for calling." She sounded happy to hear my voice, and being Colleen, she dove right in to business. "It's a good thing you did call, because the realtors called and can close on your house tomorrow. It's a no brainer, and the closing agent notified us that you escrowed the entire purchase price, so other than some signatures and stamps, we can do everything from here..."

She would have gone on, but I interrupted. "I was hoping you could fly down and be with me for the closing..." She could hear the disappointment in my voice and stopped talking to think.

"I guess Mother and Daddy can look after things at home. The kids are fine. No one's sick, and as far as I know, nothing is pressing, so let me call the pilots and see what we can do."

Just then Catherine walked back in, and I interrupted Colleen and said, "Colleen, Catherine O'Malley is helping me with things here, and I think she has made some tentative arrangements about a jet for you. Let me put her on...

"Catherine O'Malley, meet Colleen Fleming, my attorney." I handed her the phone and waited for them to work things out.

They chatted back and forth and got their stuff together pretty quickly, then Catherine handed me back my phone. "Hey," was all I said.