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gun, it’s the person.’

      ‘And my point is if we don’t try these restrictions then America won’t know if they work. But I appreciate you telling me your view… Now send him the goddamn photos. And Teddy, you need to find those votes and I don’t care how we do it, just get them.’

18

      It had been two days since Cooper had returned from Washington and even though there was a lot to think about, he’d been trying to do anything but. Work was his escape as well as his self-imposed imprisonment. A license to avoid anything other than the job he was doing. A place where the task in hand was a substitute for his reality.

      He remembered back to how his Uncle Beau had been just before he’d left the Navy, unable to contemplate anything other than the life he’d built around it. Unable to see any future in the midst of his own fear of leaving everything he’d ever known. Everything he’d relied on after a lifetime of avoiding his own conflicts. His own internal war, which seemed worse than facing any adversary out on the field. But unlike his Uncle, who’d found his peace through God, giving him the courage and strength to think, allowing him just to be, he knew he didn’t have that. He had no God. No peace. And no matter how unafraid of his fellow man he was, how many perilous situations he found himself in, he didn’t have the courage just to be. For that, he envied his Uncle.

      He stood in Granger’s office next to Maddie and Rosedale, impatient to know what was on offer. He had to get out. Feel like he was doing something worthwhile. And maybe it’d be a good thing to put some distance between himself and Maddie. Not that there’d been a problem. They’d been cordial, hell, almost friendly, when he’d dropped Cora off.

      He’d had the feeling Maddie had wanted to talk. But that was women! He didn’t have anything to say. Nothing to give her even if he wanted to. He couldn’t feel a goddamn thing. So why make things harder and disappoint her more by talking? It was better for Maddie to think him an uncommunicative jackass than let her know that her husband, estranged or not, felt absolutely nothing at all.

      ‘There’s a job for you if you want it, Cooper. Came in from one of the international banks.’ Granger unapologetically threw some papers at Cooper, but it was Maddie who bent down to pick them up. After skim reading the details she stared at Granger in disbelief.

      ‘Are you serious? You can’t send him there.’

      Granger leant forward, clearly annoyed but somewhat curious to hear Maddie’s rationale. He swivelled round in his chair letting her talk. ‘Go on.’

      ‘I thought we’d decided we were going to send that job back to the bank. It’s too dangerous. Let them sign it off.’

      ‘And why would I do that if I’ve got Cooper here to do it?’

      Maddie’s face flushed. A flash of anger crossed her eyes. She chewed on her lip – something she did when she was trying not to show her true feelings. But she didn’t have to say anything. Cooper knew she was worried about him.

      He said, ‘Listen, Maddie, it’s cool, okay?’

      She stared at Granger. God, she hated that she felt like this. In fact, she hated that she felt anything at all. She wanted to be free of it. But how could she? How do you just turn off loving someone? She’d loved him from the beginning.

      But he’d been in love with Ellie. As obsessed with Ellie as Ellie had been with him. So there was nothing to be done apart from try to get on with things. And that had been fine, or rather she’d had to make it fine. But, after the accident, she’d reached out to him. She could see he’d needed someone to help and love him, as his obsession over his search for Ellie had grown, and he’d spiralled. Helter-skeltering into bottles of pills. Getting further and further away from reality. Out of control. Out of his mind.

      When things had got really dark, really bleak, she’d almost lost faith. Almost. But then in one session at the veteran’s psychiatric medical facility, promoted by his therapist, he’d asked her to marry him and – maybe foolishly – she’d said yes. Hoping her love for him would help him begin to live again.

      Initially there was no glimmer of anything nearing hope. But when Cora had been born, he’d stopped searching. Fought his addiction. Fought his demons. Given up the ghost… literally. And they’d been happy… or so she’d thought.

      But now, like a haunting, the ghost had come back. She could see it in his eyes. But now it was different because they had Cora. She couldn’t stay and disappear down the tunnel with him. Drowning alongside. And even though it had hurt to leave. Did hurt. Still hurt. Couldn’t breathe. It was the right thing to do. Happy or not.

      Keeping a level voice, she spoke to Granger. ‘If you care about him at all, you wouldn’t let him go. Not there.’

      Cooper looked embarrassed by the care Maddie still showed him, even after everything; it made him feel uncomfortable. He decided to take over the conversation. It was the easiest way out.

      ‘Can someone just tell me what we’re talking about rather than talk around me? If it’s escaped anyone’s notice, I’m a grown man.’

      With his slow Texas drawl like a lazy summer’s day, Rosedale winked. ‘The jury’s still out on that one, Thomas.’

      Cooper gave him a cold stare, but avoided being drawn in. ‘Granger, what’s this job?’

      Granger rubbed the middle of his chest, the eggs over easy his wife had made him for breakfast repeating on him. ‘Guy’s fallen behind on his payments for a plane.’ He stopped to study the paperwork before continuing to talk. ‘Looks like he hasn’t paid for six months. The usual deal. The banks and the like have tried to get in touch with him but he seems to have gone underground, so now of course they’re looking to get the plane back. It’s a nice little number, a Daher-Socata TBM-900, six seater with up to 330 knot cruise speed and a G1000 Avionics Suite. The whole thing is worth in the region of 3 to 4 mill. Less than a year old, so it’s worth the bank pursuing it for a resale. The problem is the place they have to go to get it.’

      ‘Which is?’ asked Cooper.

      Maddie butted in. ‘Which is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Go figure.’

      Granger spoke dryly to her. ‘I think I can manage this conversation on my own, Maddison. But she’s right, that’s where it is, and it’s also why they asked us… No job is too big or too much trouble.’

      ‘Seriously, Granger,’ said Cooper, ‘you need to change that tag line.’

      Rosedale, flicking the flame of his silver lighter on and off, grinned. ‘Hell, Thomas, if you’d rather go home and drink your milk, I’m sure we can handle it. Me and Miss Maddison here. I’d rather take my chances on her.’

      Maddie, who also seemed to want to ignore Rosedale, seethed, her cheeks turning even redder than before.

      Cooper was glad she refused to rise to the obvious bait. The man was a schmuck. Maddie had confided in him that Rosedale had annoyed her from the very first day they’d met, and she and Levi had apparently had various discussions as to why Granger had employed him. She’d thought his employment was strange, mainly because Granger was usually so transparent in his business and staffing policies.

      He knew Maddie had picked up an air of secrecy over the hiring of Rosedale, and he also knew, women being women, she’d wanted to get to the bottom of it. She’d asked him what he thought, but he hadn’t said anything. Just shrugged as she’d carried on surmising, with her concluding that although she didn’t care for Rosedale, and she was sure Granger was hiding something, she could understand why he’d asked him to join the firm; he was probably one of the best. But being one of the best didn’t mean she was ever going to like him.

      ‘You can’t do this, Granger.’

      Granger, already irritated by the invasion of his office, snapped. ‘Maddison, you’re part of the team which means you’re

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