Tropical Safeguard (Men Of The Secret Service) Read Free Page A

immediate area to take in the surroundings as he waited
for Trudy to exit. She looked about his age, with naturally wavy auburn hair
and little if any make-up. She was elegant in her simplicity none-the-less and
Cole wondered how long she’d been looking after Jimmy. She smiled at him and
gawked around in awe of the mansion’s beauty. Turning, she helped Jimmy out of
the truck and handed him his backpack.
    “Don’t forget your hat, Sweetie,” she
said, passing it to him.
    Jimmy scratched his head before yanking
the hat on snuggly. He slipped his arms through the straps of the backpack. He
wore faded jeans, a purple tee shirt, and sneakers. He too looked around
inquisitively, and then his eyes came to rest on Cole. “Wow, you’re big!” His
candidness caught Cole off guard and he couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m gonna
eat whatever you eat if it means I get to be that tall one day. How tall are
you anyway?”
    “Six-four. Just keep doing what you’re
doing, kid,” Cole advised.
    Secretary Mitchell was the last to leave
the vehicle. Cole swept the area with his eyes, following procedure, and
watched as the slight man walked toward the house. He nodded at Cole as he
went, unmistakably uncomfortable with the level of security on this family
holiday. Secretary Mitchell had apologized for inconveniencing the Secret
Service twice while en route from the airport. Cole had tried to put him at
ease, assuring him it was his pleasure to keep them safe.
    The group congregated in the main foyer
and then traveled up the grand staircase to the bedrooms while Cole remained in
the foyer with Agent Kensing. Cole could sense his partner’s growing anxiety.
    “What’d the briefing say?” Agent Kensing
asked curtly.
    “Staff quarters are behind the kitchen.”
    “Seems a little far from our assignments
if you ask me.”
    Cole shrugged, not quite sure how to answer.
He could already tell working with Agent Kensing was going to be work itself.
As they passed through the kitchen, the tremendous smell of cooking hit them
like a blow to the senses. Cole’s mouth began to water at the prospect of
lunch.
    Finally alone in his fair-sized room,
Cole set his small black suitcase down on the double bed. Unzipping the edges,
he flipped the top back to expose the meticulously packed clothes. He gently
lifted each piece from the case and laid them into the open dresser drawer. He
hung the linen button-downs up with care, aware that he would have to iron them
later this evening when he traded off with Agent Kensing. Having gone to
private schools for most of his life, the precision of personal grooming was
ingrained. Cole took pride in his appearance. His parents had hoped he would
pursue a career in law or politics – but he’d had other plans. He’d
fallen in love with the idea of the Green Berets and the Secret Service since
reading his very first adventure book as a boy. Fighting crime wasn’t just for
superheroes.
    Cole’s unpacking was interrupted by a
brief knock. Without waiting for an answer, Agent Kensing opened the door and
stood in the frame. “We should do a briefing recap and walk the perimeter while
everyone’s getting settled in. We need a lay of the land.” Once again, it was a
demand.
    “Yes, of course, Tom,” Cole said
casually.
    Agent Kensing held up a hand. “No, not
good…” he paused, closing his eyes briefly and sneering. “The name’s Thomas. I
detest Tom. In fact, let’s make it Agent Kensing so people around here
understand our level of professionalism.”
    Cole noted the man’s eagle-eyed stare.
His eyes were piercingly blue, like steel. He was weathered, yet his chiseled
jaw and broad shoulders indicated a man who was once a force to be reckoned
with. Internally chuckling at his unnecessary intensity, Cole agreed.
    “Good. Follow me then. I think we should
start at the front and work our way around the back.”
    “And then we can break for lunch,” Cole
interjected.
    “The entourage will eat