It had been four days since the deal with Peter Phillips had been finalized. Preston Marbury was recovering from a heart attack. He confessed his crimes from his hospital bed. The DA was toying still deciding whether to seek the death penalty. Roger Cavanaugh was arrested and freed on a one-million-dollar bond. Cavanaugh agreed to testify against Marbury in exchange for the DA not seeking an accessory-to-murder charge. What remained regarding conspiracy and fraud would put him in prison for most of his life. Stan Manford agreed to testify against Marbury for reduced charges but was still looking at thirty years in prison. The other investors were cleared of any wrongdoing.

May and Jessup had been busily working together to rebuild a structure at Major Timber during the day and then making love in the evenings. May Major could not recall a time in her life when she was happier.

Commander Horner joined May and Jessup at the Cliff House, the nicest Seafood restaurant in Oceanside. They sat at a table by the window with a spectacular view of the sun setting over the ocean.

“I can’t thank you enough for saving this man,” May said to Horner, smiling at Jessup.  

“He’s a brother,” Horner said, “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for a brother and I know he’d do the same for me.”

“Amen,” Jessup said, raising his glass.

“You never told me how you found him so quickly,” May said.

“It was easy,” Horner said. “Marbury’s hired hands knew about Jessup but didn’t know about me. They weren’t expecting any trouble.”

“So… you followed me that morning?”

He nodded.

“You told me they would call me by phone,” she insisted.

“I was pretty sure they’d approach you in person. I wanted your reaction to Stan the Man’s approach to be genuine,” Horner insisted. “If Stan got any indication from you that you were expecting him, he would have become suspicious. That’s why I needed your reaction to be genuine.”

“It was genuine alright. I damn near pee’d my pants,” May responded.

“I had a man with eyes on you in the Starbucks parking lot,” Horner said. “He’d been on your tail since you left the house. I didn’t tell you because I wanted you to look as natural as possible.”

“He could have killed me,” May said.

Horner shook his head, “The whole time Stan was in your backseat my man had the side of his head in his sights. One aggressive move and he would have dropped the guy like a sack of flour. When Stan left you, we tailed him. He led us right to Jessup.  Once we determined Jessup’s location, I made the call to my friend at the FBI. SWAT was on the scene forty minutes later. It all went down without a single shot fired.”

“So, Stan didn’t put up a fight?” May wondered. “Or his thugs?”

“No. They damn near crapped themselves when SWAT showed up.”

“And when you got Stan, how did you get him to cave on Marbury so quickly?”

“I was a SEAL team interrogator, remember?” Jessup replied. “It was easy to get most of the information I needed before Commander Horner arrived.”

“I’m not following you,” May said.

“In Stan’s mind I would be dead right after you signed the agreement,” Jessup continued. “Dead men don’t talk. He spilled his guts when I gave him the opportunity to talk about it. Once SWAT had him, he couldn’t wait to cut a deal.”

May nodded solemnly, “I don’t know what I would have done without you, Jessup.” She looked at Horner, “You too.”

Commander Horner took a long pull on his beer and stood, “Well, I’m out of here.”

“Aren’t you staying for dinner?” May asked.

“Nope, my flight leaves for Bahrain soon,” he said. “My work here is done.”

“Thank you for everything, old friend,” Jessup said. May stood and hugged him. He smiled at her.

“You take good care of my boy now, you hear?” Horner joshed. “He’s a keeper, that one.”

May smiled, “I know and I will.”

After Commander Horner left, May and Jessup ordered dinner and shared a bottle of wine and enjoyed some light conversation. May ordered salmon and Jessup the lobster tail. They were on their second bottle of wine when May turned the conversation back to Major Timber.

“What you did today, Jessup, that was nothing short of masterful.”

He smiled, “I have my moments… for an old guy.”

“I won’t lie, just watching you in action with Peter Phillips… it was making me a little hot.”

Jessup chuckled, “I must check that out for myself a little later.”

“I’m staying on full-time as CEO,” she announced, abruptly.

“That’s a surprise,” Jessup admitted. “I thought you’d head back to Seattle right after your father’s funeral.”

“I think I can do this,” she said. “I know I have a lot to learn, but…. I can. I can do it.”

“I think you can do it, too,” Jessup agreed.

“And there are a lot of things to attend to,” she added. “My father wasn’t just CEO. He was a big part of this community. He provided oversight to lot of things.”

“I know, but what about your job in Seattle?”

“I’d leave it behind, obviously.  I feel alive here. I feel my father’s presence. The people here… the employees… the community… it gives me energy.”

She placed her hand on his, “And I’d like to see where this goes.”

Jessup’s face reddened, “May, I know we’ve been through a lot together, but it all boils down to the fact you’ve only known me for a few day days.”

“And nights,” she added, smiling. “I’m not proposing, you big lug. I’m just saying I felt a connection to you almost immediately. I think you felt it, too.”

“I did,” he said. “There’s also the age difference to consider.”

“I don’t care.”

Jessup sighed, “May, I’m a librarian.”

“I was a graphic designer a week ago. What’s your point?”

“When I retired from the Navy, my doctors told me to reduce stress in my life. Besides the medication a stress-free life is the key to managing my condition.”

“Are you saying a relationship with me would be stressful?”

“I know you, May,” he said. “You will want me to hang out at the office with you.”

“You’re right,” she said. “See, you see through me already… but I’m talking part-time. This place needs reorganization. I think you can help.”

“So, would I be reporting to you?” Jessup asked.

“What’s the matter?” she asked. “Worried about reporting to a woman?”

“Depends on the woman,” he replied. He smiled and squeezed her hand. “I’ve grown rather fond of… shall I say, jumping to attention at your every command.”

“Then we should be good then,” May said. “You and me? Together, solving all the problems of the world. What do you say we go out and kick some ass?”

Jessup nodded and smiled, “Ass kicking it is.”