Stories in the series (in order):
The Lady for a Lady
No Easy Way
Sleeping Beauties
An Act of Betrayal
The Devil You Know
Demons
THE FIRM
LATER THE SAME DAY
Michael was working on a cigar when someone knocked on his door. He had been back less than twenty-four hours, was suffering from a major case of jet lag, and had already been hounded more times than Elvis on tour.
He put his cigar back in the box for later and ordered the person to come in.
Not to his surprise, Caitlin came through the door wearing a pair of jeans and matching jean shirt. He had seen her hours before she was imprisoned and she had the same haggard look on her face now as she did that night.
"When were you released?" He asked before she could sit.
Caitlin took a seat and Michael got up to get her a drink. When they both had a glass in their hands, Michael sat back down.
"Oren had me released an hour ago. Thanks for him; by the way, he was great."
"What about Hawke and Dominic?" Michael asked.
"Oren arranged to take me to the hangar instead of having them pick me up. I needed to come here first. How's Kelby?" Caitlin asked thinking about the former limo driver and undercover agent she met months ago when living with Henri Duveaux. She had lost track of him after Duveaux and Rupert were arrested only to see a disheveled version of him on the steps of her apartment building the night she barbecued at Hawke's cabin with her family.
Little did Hawke know, the "someone" Kelly described to Hawke as being in the woods with her that night was Kelby. They had been feet away from each other that night.
"He's safe. Caitlin, what the two of you set up was very risky. It could have backfired at anytime." Michael took the cigar from the box and lit it. He let out a puff of smoke before saying, "I regretted saying yes to the idea the second after I said it."
"But you had no choice," Caitlin reminded him. "After all, Henri was released from prison early because of a problem created by the FIRM. The least you could do was get Kelby safely out of the country."
Michael sat up in his chair. It squeaked from the movement. "You watched a man die, Caitlin, does that have no affect on you at all?"
Caitlin remembered seeing Henri lying on the floor of her apartment with one of her kitchen knives in his chest. Kelby was standing over him with that same blank look in his eyes he had the night she found him on her steps. When trying to pour him a cup of coffee, her shaking hands dropped the carafe splashing hot coffee on her hand.
"I wasn't in the room when Kelby killed Henri." Caitlin stated.
'He killed my family and hid my daughter's body', Kelby had told her through the tears he cried as they sat in her living room. Caitlin found the daughter's body in the forest with the help of Hawke, Dominic, and Airwolf. At that time, she didn't know it was Kelby's daughter or that Henri had left the body knowing she would find it. How he knew, she still didn't know.
From that night on a plan was devised to lure Henri to Caitlin's apartment. Kelby was going to take care of the body's disposal. Unfortunately, events led to Caitlin's neighbors coming home early from their trip and hearing suspicious noises from her apartment.
"What will happen to Gustav?" Caitlin asked Michael. She remembered the man that came to help Kelby get rid of the body. Gustav was another man whose life was ruined by Henri.
Michael sat back in his chair and held the cigar in front of him examining the smoking brown object. "On the jet, Kelby told me Gustav was diagnosed with cancer. He hated Henri enough to go to jail for Kelby where he'll be dead in a few months."
"But that wasn't the plan!" Caitlin raised her voice.
"The plan had to be altered!" Michael matched her tone. "No one knew a camera was recording Henri entering your building or Gustav leaving once he heard the sirens. The damage was done and Gustav was ready to take the blame. As far as the others are concerned, you had just regained your memory of the kidnapping and subsequent shooting by Horn, you were in shock and confessed to killing Henri Duveaux."
"And Kelby?" Caitlin asked. "You assure me he is safe, Michael."
"We took your car to the airport, parked it in long term parking, loaded the groceries onto the jet, and took off for a destination only my pilots and I knew about. Once Kelby was safely hidden away, he told me how to contact Gustav and finish the plan. Now a day later, Gustav is a happy man knowing Duveaux is dead, Kelby will never be seen again, and you are sitting in front of me." He smiled and leaned back in his chair with the cigar in his mouth.
"You forgot Dom and Hawke?" Caitlin reminded him.
Michael's smiled faded. "No, I didn't. I have more messages from them about you than can fill up the trashcans in this building. They thought I was at the White House in meetings and that's how it will stay. Now, go home, Caitlin, and try to put this all out of your mind."
Henri lying dead on her floor, Kelby's tears staining her carpet, Hawke's face when they walked into the officer filled apartment. How was she supposed to forget anything about the past week?
Caitlin stood, set her glass down on the silver decanter tray and turned to leave.
Now, came the difficult part.