seemed to make pulling
Noah up impossible as it went against the laws of physics. But if he didn’t
give it his all, the boy would surely die today.
Noah’s pleas for help grew shallow as he sobbed
and his energy waned. Cole’s eyes stared straight down, locking onto the boy’s.
After one last heave, and just as Cole thought his muscles would tear from the
bone, he finally raised Noah up and over the edge safely before collapsing
beside him in exhaustion. Helene knelt beside Noah and cradled his head in her
arms. “Oh, Noah, you’re safe,” she sobbed and kissed his forehead tenderly.
“What on earth were you doing?”
“Yes, son, why are you out here in the
first place?” Deputy Greenbaum asked as he too hugged his son in relief.
“I’m sorry, Mom and Dad. I’m okay, it’s
no big deal, really.”
“No big deal?!” his parents both barked.
“Right, Noah, no big deal. You could have
died!” Deputy Greenbaum could barely hide his anger.
Jimmy stepped forward, seeing how
distraught the adults were, “You’re really lucky, Noah. If it wasn’t for the
big agent guy…”
“Yes, thank you so much, Agent Nielsen.
Thank God you were here. I can’t imagine what would have happened…” Helene
trailed off in a sob. “Thank you.”
“I think we’ll call it a day. I declare
this golf game officially over since my head just isn’t into it now. Hope you
understand, James,” Deputy Greenbaum faced his friend.
“Completely. I feel the same.”
“Me too,” Jimmy said with a nod.
Zachary was still crying over the
incident. Noah sat in shock, having thanked Cole over and over. Cole could tell
he was sincere, though probably still in shock. He apologized for the stress
he’d caused everyone, though the apology had been given after some coaxing from
his father.
Jimmy, Secretary Mitchell, and the
Greenbaums walked toward the golf carts.
“We have room for everyone,” Helene
offered, but Cole said he felt like walking to shake off the experience.
Katrina said she would head back to the beach to gather her and Helene’s
belongings.
“So much for our Pilates workout,” the
distraught yet relieved mother looked at her apologetically.
“There’s always tomorrow,” Katrina
reassured as the golf cart pulled away. She began to walk toward the beach and
Cole fell into step with her. “And? How are you really?” She looked up and met
his gaze.
Cole tried to hide his anxiety. His body
was completely charged and still shaking. “I just can’t imagine what might have
happened. I don’t want to think about it.”
“I’d like to know where the nanny was
during all this. Shouldn’t she have been watching them?”
“You’d think so. Then again, she’s here
for Jimmy only. Besides, those boys are old enough to know right from wrong.”
“What is it about boys and danger?”
Katrina shot him a playful look. “I bet you were mischievous as a little guy…or
maybe you came out of the womb wearing a suit and tie, all prim and proper.”
Chuckling, he felt her size him up as they descended the embankment toward the
beach. “Where you ever little?”
Cole was grateful for the small talk,
anything to get his mind off what had just happened. Katrina was obviously well
practiced in the art of distraction in more ways than she could possibly
fathom. “As a matter of fact, I was the smallest boy in my class all through school.”
“Ah, a late bloomer. Good things do get
better with age.” Katrina flushed a little, as if taken aback by her
unintentional flirtation.
Cole looked at her and laughed. He could
tell she’d let the phrase slip. “What am I, a fine wine?”
“More like a ripe, aged cheese,” she
joked.
“No, that would be Agent Kensing,” Cole
couldn’t help himself as they both laughed.
“Yeah, no love-loss there. Why?”
“He’s not my team. I’ve never worked with
him before, but his reputation surpasses him. He considers himself the
self-described ‘Lone Wolf’,
Noah up impossible as it went against the laws of physics. But if he didn’t
give it his all, the boy would surely die today.
Noah’s pleas for help grew shallow as he sobbed
and his energy waned. Cole’s eyes stared straight down, locking onto the boy’s.
After one last heave, and just as Cole thought his muscles would tear from the
bone, he finally raised Noah up and over the edge safely before collapsing
beside him in exhaustion. Helene knelt beside Noah and cradled his head in her
arms. “Oh, Noah, you’re safe,” she sobbed and kissed his forehead tenderly.
“What on earth were you doing?”
“Yes, son, why are you out here in the
first place?” Deputy Greenbaum asked as he too hugged his son in relief.
“I’m sorry, Mom and Dad. I’m okay, it’s
no big deal, really.”
“No big deal?!” his parents both barked.
“Right, Noah, no big deal. You could have
died!” Deputy Greenbaum could barely hide his anger.
Jimmy stepped forward, seeing how
distraught the adults were, “You’re really lucky, Noah. If it wasn’t for the
big agent guy…”
“Yes, thank you so much, Agent Nielsen.
Thank God you were here. I can’t imagine what would have happened…” Helene
trailed off in a sob. “Thank you.”
“I think we’ll call it a day. I declare
this golf game officially over since my head just isn’t into it now. Hope you
understand, James,” Deputy Greenbaum faced his friend.
“Completely. I feel the same.”
“Me too,” Jimmy said with a nod.
Zachary was still crying over the
incident. Noah sat in shock, having thanked Cole over and over. Cole could tell
he was sincere, though probably still in shock. He apologized for the stress
he’d caused everyone, though the apology had been given after some coaxing from
his father.
Jimmy, Secretary Mitchell, and the
Greenbaums walked toward the golf carts.
“We have room for everyone,” Helene
offered, but Cole said he felt like walking to shake off the experience.
Katrina said she would head back to the beach to gather her and Helene’s
belongings.
“So much for our Pilates workout,” the
distraught yet relieved mother looked at her apologetically.
“There’s always tomorrow,” Katrina
reassured as the golf cart pulled away. She began to walk toward the beach and
Cole fell into step with her. “And? How are you really?” She looked up and met
his gaze.
Cole tried to hide his anxiety. His body
was completely charged and still shaking. “I just can’t imagine what might have
happened. I don’t want to think about it.”
“I’d like to know where the nanny was
during all this. Shouldn’t she have been watching them?”
“You’d think so. Then again, she’s here
for Jimmy only. Besides, those boys are old enough to know right from wrong.”
“What is it about boys and danger?”
Katrina shot him a playful look. “I bet you were mischievous as a little guy…or
maybe you came out of the womb wearing a suit and tie, all prim and proper.”
Chuckling, he felt her size him up as they descended the embankment toward the
beach. “Where you ever little?”
Cole was grateful for the small talk,
anything to get his mind off what had just happened. Katrina was obviously well
practiced in the art of distraction in more ways than she could possibly
fathom. “As a matter of fact, I was the smallest boy in my class all through school.”
“Ah, a late bloomer. Good things do get
better with age.” Katrina flushed a little, as if taken aback by her
unintentional flirtation.
Cole looked at her and laughed. He could
tell she’d let the phrase slip. “What am I, a fine wine?”
“More like a ripe, aged cheese,” she
joked.
“No, that would be Agent Kensing,” Cole
couldn’t help himself as they both laughed.
“Yeah, no love-loss there. Why?”
“He’s not my team. I’ve never worked with
him before, but his reputation surpasses him. He considers himself the
self-described ‘Lone Wolf’,
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