dressed and went into the kitchen to make breakfast.
Jason stepped onto the loading dock at five-thirty and found his brother already there. Matthew heard him approach. “Morning.”
“Morning.”
Matthew stood ramrod straight with a cup of coffee in his hand. The air was a bit cool, and the steam was visible as it spilled over the Styrofoam. Both men were armed just in case this morning didn’t go as planned.
***
Jason watched workers as they continued to load the truck to capacity. It wasn’t scheduled to leave until six, and by the looks of it, they were on schedule. There was no sign of threat, but that wasn’t reason to let their guard down.
Glancing over at his brother, he noticed dark circles under Matthew’s eyes, and the stiff set to his shoulders remained. To anyone else, Matthew just looked like he was standing at attention. Jason knew better. He’d seen his brother’s stiff posture more often this past week than he had in years and wondered what was going on with him.
As the workers loaded the last of the order onto the truck, Jason saw Matthew’s weight shift and followed his eyes to a car across the street. Jason couldn’t see much due to the distance and lack of light. However, he could tell the vehicle was occupied.
“How long?” Jason asked.
His brother knew what he was asking. “At least ten minutes.”
“No movement?”
“No.” The brothers continued to watch but nothing happened. No one got in or out of the vehicle. It just sat and waited. “They must be planning something once you’re underway.”
Jason nodded. “We’ll be ready.”
As though in response to their conversation, Alec and Sam approached them on the dock. Matthew nodded a brief hello and then focused his attention back on their surroundings.
“All set?” Jason asked.
“Yes, sir,” Sam replied.
“Good.” Jason cocked his head to the side, nodding toward the vehicle he and Matthew had just been discussing. “It looks like we might have some company.”
Neither Sam nor Alec followed his gaze. They knew an attempt at hijacking the delivery was a possibility. It was why they were here. “Everything on time?” Alec asked.
Jason nodded. “Yeah. Looks that way.” Turning back to the truck, he noticed the crew had just finished loading. “Be ready to go in five minutes.”
The two gave a slight nod of consent and disappeared. Jason stayed where he was until the driver of the truck climbed into the cab. Moving to the stairs, he left the loading dock and walked toward the truck. He was seeing this delivery safely to its destination personally. “Jason?”
Jason stopped in his tracks and turned back to his brother. Their gaze held for a moment, and then Jason turned, making his way to the truck.
***
Matthew watched until his brother and the shipment were out of sight. The car across the street waited barely a minute after the truck pulled away from the dock to follow. If he’d had any doubt before, he didn’t now. Chances were they would try to take the truck out on the open highway away from traffic. As long as it was just the one car though, it would be okay. Sam and Alec might even be able to diffuse the situation before any action was taken. It was out of his hands now in any case. He turned, went back into the building, and disappeared into the elevator waiting to take him up to his office. There was nothing to do now but wait.
Chapter 13
Cali made it to work with ten minutes to spare. She’d been debating all morning whether to show up on the docks despite being told not to. In the end, she’d decided to defer to the expert and do as Matthew had asked. Well, asked wasn’t exactly what she’d call it.
Lisa was already sitting behind her desk, surrounded by paperwork as always. She smiled when she saw Cali walk in, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Cali stopped in front of Lisa’s desk. “Everything alright?”
She looked a bit startled. “Yes, yes. Everything’s fine. Um. I
Jason stepped onto the loading dock at five-thirty and found his brother already there. Matthew heard him approach. “Morning.”
“Morning.”
Matthew stood ramrod straight with a cup of coffee in his hand. The air was a bit cool, and the steam was visible as it spilled over the Styrofoam. Both men were armed just in case this morning didn’t go as planned.
***
Jason watched workers as they continued to load the truck to capacity. It wasn’t scheduled to leave until six, and by the looks of it, they were on schedule. There was no sign of threat, but that wasn’t reason to let their guard down.
Glancing over at his brother, he noticed dark circles under Matthew’s eyes, and the stiff set to his shoulders remained. To anyone else, Matthew just looked like he was standing at attention. Jason knew better. He’d seen his brother’s stiff posture more often this past week than he had in years and wondered what was going on with him.
As the workers loaded the last of the order onto the truck, Jason saw Matthew’s weight shift and followed his eyes to a car across the street. Jason couldn’t see much due to the distance and lack of light. However, he could tell the vehicle was occupied.
“How long?” Jason asked.
His brother knew what he was asking. “At least ten minutes.”
“No movement?”
“No.” The brothers continued to watch but nothing happened. No one got in or out of the vehicle. It just sat and waited. “They must be planning something once you’re underway.”
Jason nodded. “We’ll be ready.”
As though in response to their conversation, Alec and Sam approached them on the dock. Matthew nodded a brief hello and then focused his attention back on their surroundings.
“All set?” Jason asked.
“Yes, sir,” Sam replied.
“Good.” Jason cocked his head to the side, nodding toward the vehicle he and Matthew had just been discussing. “It looks like we might have some company.”
Neither Sam nor Alec followed his gaze. They knew an attempt at hijacking the delivery was a possibility. It was why they were here. “Everything on time?” Alec asked.
Jason nodded. “Yeah. Looks that way.” Turning back to the truck, he noticed the crew had just finished loading. “Be ready to go in five minutes.”
The two gave a slight nod of consent and disappeared. Jason stayed where he was until the driver of the truck climbed into the cab. Moving to the stairs, he left the loading dock and walked toward the truck. He was seeing this delivery safely to its destination personally. “Jason?”
Jason stopped in his tracks and turned back to his brother. Their gaze held for a moment, and then Jason turned, making his way to the truck.
***
Matthew watched until his brother and the shipment were out of sight. The car across the street waited barely a minute after the truck pulled away from the dock to follow. If he’d had any doubt before, he didn’t now. Chances were they would try to take the truck out on the open highway away from traffic. As long as it was just the one car though, it would be okay. Sam and Alec might even be able to diffuse the situation before any action was taken. It was out of his hands now in any case. He turned, went back into the building, and disappeared into the elevator waiting to take him up to his office. There was nothing to do now but wait.
Chapter 13
Cali made it to work with ten minutes to spare. She’d been debating all morning whether to show up on the docks despite being told not to. In the end, she’d decided to defer to the expert and do as Matthew had asked. Well, asked wasn’t exactly what she’d call it.
Lisa was already sitting behind her desk, surrounded by paperwork as always. She smiled when she saw Cali walk in, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Cali stopped in front of Lisa’s desk. “Everything alright?”
She looked a bit startled. “Yes, yes. Everything’s fine. Um. I
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