Chapter 83 – Major Thompson
When Nathan got to the door, he was surprised to see Major Marcus Thompson standing there.
"Sir." Nathan said. "You didn't have to come out here yourself."
"I wanted to." Marcus said. "I thought that this was James and Margaret Sims' place? What are you doing here?"
"Come in." Nathan said. "I will explain."
Nathan stepped back and the major stepped in carrying his messenger bag.
"I am working close protection for the Sims' grandson and his girlfriend." Nathan said. "Let's go and I will introduce you to everyone. We were just finishing up lunch."
When Nathan walked back in with a member of the State Police in uniform, Tommy swallowed hard. Gran looked up, saw who it was and was immediately on her feet.
"Marcus." Gran said. "Welcome. How have you been?"
When Gran got to him, she greeted him with a hug.
"I am good." Marcus said.
"What are you doing here?" Gran asked.
"I have some business that I need to talk to Nathan here about." Marcus said. "As well as your grandson and his girlfriend."
"Sit." Gran said. "I will get you some coffee and my spice cookies."
"I would love that." Marcus said. "But I have a schedule to keep. Kathy will have my head if I am not home on time tonight. She has a date planned and even went to the trouble of arranging for the kids to be gone."
"Okay." Gran said. "Let me introduce you to everyone and I will send some cookies home with you."
"I would love that." Marcus said.
"Okay, everyone this is Major Marcus Thompson." Gran said. "Marcus, you remember my daughter Charlotte. Next to her is her husband, Thomas Thornton. Then their youngest, Tommy. On the end of the table is a family friend, Lee Coulter. The other side of the table is a family friend, Doug Burke."
"Burke?" Marcus said. "Any relation to Chief James Burke?"
"My father, Sir." Doug said.
"Tell him hello the next time that you talk to him." Marcus said.
Doug nodded
"Finally." Gran said. "My grandson, JP and his girlfriend, Elizabeth Thatcher."
"Nice to meet you all." Marcus said. "Do you have a place where we could meet?"
"Nathan." Gran said. "Feel free to use the library. No one will bother you there."
As Gran spoke, she gave a sharp look to Charlotte and Thomas. Jack and Elizabeth stood and moved away from the table. They shook hands with Marcus and then headed to the library.
"Don't you think I should be in this meeting?" Thomas called.
Marcus and Nathan turned around to look at Thomas.
"No." Nathan said. "Your firm may represent Elizabeth, but this is business and the last time I checked, both Jack and Elizabeth are adults."
Marcus looked at Nathan, but didn't say anything. Gran gave Thomas a sharp look which Nathan caught.
"This way, Sir." Nathan said.
Nathan led the major into the library, closed the doors and locked them as Father Mark had done. Nathan also pulled the blinds down.
"Sorry about that." Nathan said.
"No problem." Marcus said. "First, do you prefer JP or Jack, as I have heard you called both of them."
"I prefer Jack." He said. "My family is not that accepting of me changing my moniker. Gran tries, but I give her and Grandpa more leeway than others."
"Jack it is." Marcus said. "So you know why I am here?"
"Fingerprints." Elizabeth said.
"Yes." Marcus said. "I am going to assume that this has something to do with the fuss that the Kensingtons are making?"
Marcus saw the face that Jack made.
"Yes." Jack said with an edge to his voice.
"Just so we are clear." Marcus said. "I have read the complaint against the Kensingtons and you had every right to file it. I don't see them winning as you have physical evidence and witnesses. I think all the fuss that they are raising is trying to muddy the waters and get the media on their side. But that is just my opinion."
"You are not the only one." Nathan said.
"I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't ask." Marcus said. "Miss Thatcher, is this what you want?"
"Please call me Elizabeth." She said. "More than anything. I want nothing to do with Charlie Kensington or his family. Jack and I are in love and are going to get married."
"Just so we are clear." Marcus said. "Is this some love triangle and Kensington is a jilted lover?"
"No." Elizabeth said. "I never met Jack before he stepped in to help me that day in Central Park. I had on previous occasions asked Charlie to leave me alone. What I didn't know at the time was that apparently, my father had promised me to Charlie as part of some business deal with his father. I barely know Charlie and what I do know of him, I don't like. I am now convinced that if Jack and Doug had not stepped in that day, a lot worse than a sore, bruised wrist would have been my fate. There is a part of me that wonders if I would have survived going to the frat house."
"Yet, you say you are getting married to Jack." Marcus said.
"We instantly knew that we had feelings for each other." Jack said. "We have a connection that we can't explain."
"Okay, I understand." Marcus said. "I knew when I met my wife that she was the one. I proposed to her on our second date and we were married six months later. This weekend, we will be celebrating our twenty-first anniversary."
"Congratulations." Elizabeth said. "Thank you for understanding. Most people don't, even family."
"When you know, you know." Marcus said. "I asked the questions to get a better understanding of what is going on. In all honesty, I have fielded a number of calls from the Kensingtons seeking our help in locating you."
Elizabeth stiffened in fear. Jack felt her stiffen and heard her sharp intake of air. Jack didn't like that Elizabeth was afraid, but he hoped that the steps they were taking would protect them.
"You are going to tell them where she is?" Jack asked.
"No." Marcus said. "As far as the State Police are concerned, Elizabeth is an adult and is free to do what she wants. I will tell you, Elizabeth, that your father has tried to file a missing persons report with us, but we refused to accept it after speaking with your best friend and the New York City Police Department."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "I have decided that as long as my family sides with the Kensingtons, that they have no place in my life."
"So you are here of your own free will?" Marcus asked. "And you are free to leave if you want to?"
"Yes, on both accounts." Elizabeth said. "However, I don't want to leave. My life and future is with Jack."
"Sir." Nathan said.
"Yes, Nathan." Marcus said.
"I have spent most of the last week with these two." Nathan said. "We came up here on Saturday and if you would see the two of them together, you would see that they truly have a connection and that they are very much in love."
"Good enough for me." Marcus said. "Now let's get down to business."
Marcus pulled out a folder and a small machine out of his messenger bag.
"First." Marcus said. "I need you to sign these forms. They are giving consent to have your fingerprints taken and stored in a civil database. The second is attesting you are who you say you are. Nathan can sign as a witness."
"They say we need two witnesses." Jack said.
Nathan stood up and opened the door before stepping out. Seeing Doug still sitting at the table, he smiled.
"Doug." Nathan called. "We need you for a moment."
"Coming." Doug yelled.
Doug hurried over.
"What do you need?" Doug asked.
"Come inside for a moment." Nathan said.
After Doug had stepped in and he had relocked the doors, Nathan motioned for Doug to sit next to Jack.
"Doug." Marcus said. "Do you attest that these two are who they say they are and are not being forced to be here or do this against their will?"
"Yes." Doug said. "I have known Jack for almost five years. I may have only known Elizabeth for just over a week, but she is more than willing to be here."
"Good enough." Marcus said. "Will you sign these as a witness?"
"Sure." Doug said.
After all the signatures were done, Marcus explained how the machine worked. Jack went first, handing over his id to have it scanned. He placed his right hand, then his left on the machine. When Jack was done, Elizabeth handed over her id and explained that she didn't have her new one with her new address. Marcus assured her that it was okay. Elizabeth then followed the directions placing her right hand, then her left on the machine. When they were done, Marcus put everything back in his bag.
"Thank you." Marcus said. "I wish you the best. Please if you need anything, just let me know."
Marcus handed each of them a card with his personal cell phone number written on the back.
"Thank you for coming out." Jack said. "Have fun with your wife and happy anniversary. Please come again when you can sit and visit."
"I will." Marcus said.
"Actually." Elizabeth said. "We are hosting a show jumping event here in July the weekend before the races start. It is a Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon show for all levels. We will have vendors, food trucks, bounce houses for the kids and everything."
"Do you think we could set up a booth here?" Marcus asked. "We have stickers and coloring books for the kids, and handouts on safe trail practices. I think with everything going on, having us have a presence here would be a good thing."
"You are more than welcome to join us." Elizabeth said.
"Please email me the details." Marcus said. "I don't know if I will personally be able to be here, but I will make sure that the booth is covered. I will tell Kathy as I think that the kids would love to come out on Saturday at least."
"I will." Elizabeth said.
"I wish you the best of luck together." Marcus said. "Now if you will excuse me, I need to have a word with Nathan in private."
"We will be in the kitchen." Jack said.
Nathan let them out of the library, closed and locked the doors again.
… … … …
As soon as Jack and Elizabeth were out of the library, he looked and saw that his parents were no longer sitting at the table, so he pulled Elizabeth into him and kissed her. Doug just patted Jack on the back and headed to the kitchen. When Elizabeth pulled back, Jack still held her close.
"What was that for?" Elizabeth asked.
"Because I love you." Jack whispered. "Are you okay?"
"More than okay." Elizabeth said. "I love you too."
Jack leaned in and kissed her again. Elizabeth pulled back and didn't let the kiss get as intense as the first one.
"Jack." Elizabeth whispered.
"What?" Jack asked.
"We need to stop." Elizabeth said. "I don't want to push the boundaries and I know how I am feeling and I know you are feeling it too."
Jack loosened his hold on Elizabeth and stepped back half a step. Elizabeth saw the color creep into Jack's cheeks.
"It is okay." Elizabeth said. "But we do need to be careful. I don't want to make things any more ha … difficult then they already are. I don't want you to break the vow you made and nor the promise that I made to myself."
"You're right." Jack said. "I will meet you in the kitchen in a moment."
Elizabeth headed to the kitchen and Jack headed to the bathroom to splash his face with cold water and calm his body down.
… … … …