“No, sir. I…umm…I didn’t mean anything by it. It just writes better is all.”
“Willie Reginald MacDonald,” came a stern voice from behind. “You had better knock that off right this instant.”
“I was just playing around a bit, Mama,” he said to Mrs. MacDonald.
“Don’t you ‘Mama’ me!”
“Yes. Yes, ma’am,” he replied quietly.
“These fine folks here are trying to help us get our home back, and your sarcasm is not welcome, I’m sure,” said Mrs. MacDonald. “Isn’t that right, Mac and Officer Lerner?”
“Well, ma’am…” said Cory, fumbling.
“There’s no need to reply. Now let’s get down to business here,” she commanded.
Mac looked at Cory and realized he had never seen Mrs. MacDonald outside of her home and had only spoken with Mr. MacDonald on the occasions he was up the mountain and found him sitting on his front porch.
She’s a real firecracker, he thought. I like her.
“What have we got so far?” she continued.
“Well, Mrs. MacDonald, we...”
“Drake, please call me ‘ma’am.’ It’s quicker, and we’ll get along just fine.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied nervously.
He showed her the board, and Mr. MacDonald drew in the underground basement with the extra supplies.
“Don’t forget my cellar,” she added, grabbing the marker out of her husband’s hand.
“It’s right about here,” she said, drawing a quick square. “I swear to the good Lord above, if those folks up there get into my vegetable cellar, they are going to wish they had kept on moving.”
It dawned on Cory why Mr. MacDonald might try to keep his wife away from this meeting. She was taking charge, and he was pretty sure she ran their home in the same way.
Hearing for the first time about Joshua, she wanted to know everything.
“Mac, Cory, let’s get that boy back to his mother first, before anything else.”
“Yes, ma’am,” they both replied. “We are working on that very thing.”
“Thank you,” she replied. “Let’s go, Willie, and leave these folks to their work.”
“Whoa!” mouthed Cory as they walked out the door.
“Can we add her to the security team?” asked Cameron, getting some laughs and a thoughtful look from both his dad and Mac.
“I’ll bet she would pass the training,” replied Mac, with a straight face. “Let’s get back to the plans, everyone.”
Three plans were made, with all assuming Ralph was still alive.
Mac and Cory called Bill to ask for a meeting with the council right after lunch.
* * * *
“Thank you for coming back so soon with plans, gentlemen,” said John, as they gathered with the council.
“Have we heard any news from the group on the hill?” asked a member.
“No, not so far,” replied Mac.
“Plan number one is for me and Cory to approach the compound unarmed, but covered from the cliff, and try to negotiate for Joshua and see what we are dealing with.
“Plan number two is more aggressive but still not deadly. Tear gas from Willie’s, I mean Mr. MacDonald’s, basement. It’s probably enough to drive them all outside, but not enough to make them leave entirely.
“Plan number three is a worst-case scenario at best. It requires a forceful removal of all persons on the premises, with clear instructions of the consequences if they return anywhere in this valley. This plan could quite easily end up looking like the Waco incident, even if we are careful. Are there any questions?” asked Mac.
Nobody raised their hand or spoke up.
“Okay, then Cory and I will be right outside when you’re ready.”
* * * *
They stepped out of the room and waited in the front grassy area. The smell of marijuana was in the air, but they couldn’t tell where it was originating from.
“Smoke travels,” said Cory. “That’s why we never bothered busting anyone for smoking it in public when I was Chief, as long as they were discreet and not around children. Walk around outside in Denver before the day, and you can’t get the smell off of you. Secondhand smoke was always a concern down there with officers I spoke to when random drug tests were administered.”
“I bet,” replied Mac, “and I’m sure John is not going to be happy smelling this—Samuel either.”
“I’ll stick to the occasional Scotch and whisky any day,” said Cory.
Twenty minutes later, they were asked to return inside.
* * * *
“We have discussed the three options with the council and opened the discussion for any more,” said John. “None of the additionally proposed options were feasible overall, and we have decided on option one, to start, with some mild to moderate changes. We can’t have our number one and number two security men both in harm’s way at the same time. It’s not fair to everyone else, including Samuel’s group. It’s your decision who goes, Mac, but considering your history with Ralph, we’re not sure you are right for the job.
“Next, Samuel has a woman down at the West who worked with the FBI for many years across the East Coast in hostage negotiations. She came to this valley five or so years ago after losing a child during tense negotiations with a crazed man. After that, she chose to retire and get away from her former life. Samuel has informed me she has no aspirations of joining the security team, but she does know both Patty and Joshua and has offered her expertise, only if absolutely needed. We feel unanimous that her experience is needed in this situation.
“Lastly, Drake knows the area better than anybody else, we’re told, and we would like him to be involved as well. I know we’ve come a long way with him in a short amount of time, and we here are not all on the same page with this, but enough of us want him involved, including Bill and me.”
“I’ll do
