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CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Forty minutes later
Thursday evening
March 27 – 7:00 P.M. MDT
Denver, Colorado
Standing in the doorway, Alex looked around the basement room where the men had assembled. She smiled when Ben touched her back on his way into the room. She chose to sit alone in a chair near the wall. Alex didn’t trust them. She would rather sit alone with her pad of paper, a yellow pencil and her cup of coffee than even be near any of them.
Reading her decision, the men shifted in their seats. Joseph smiled at Alex then nodded when she didn’t return his smile.
“Would you like to call the meeting to order?” Joseph asked.
“I’m no longer active military, Major Walter,” Alex said. “But I’m happy to assist you in your endeavors.”
Alex felt Joseph’s eyes on her face. Rather than look at him, she kept her eyes on the mug in her hands.
She had thought she was all right.
She had even thought she was over it.
But looking at the men assembled, her heart ached. The men had worked harder in the last twenty-four hours than they ever had for her. Tapping her pencil on her pad, she knew her decision to leave the military was justified.
“You’re making up stories to hurt yourself,” Jesse said. “These men worked hard for you. They want to prove themselves to you, not Joseph.”
Alex glanced in Jessie’s direction. Matthew came into the room. Moving slowly to minimize his pain, he came to the corner where Alex was sitting. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear.
“Jesse’s right, you know.”
Matthew kissed her cheek then pulled a chair over to sit near her.
“We are meeting tonight to discuss Cee Cee Joiner,” Joseph said. “In the next hour, we’ll share everything you have uncovered in your search. This is the time to share everything. The smallest detail can make the biggest difference in the final analysis. I believe Captain Olivas should begin. Second only to the Lieutenant Colonel Hargreaves, Captain Olivas is an expert on Cee Cee Joiner. Lieutenant Colonel? You may interrupt when you feel necessary.”
“I spent the last twelve years in Central and South America,” Troy said. “Most of what I will tell you is hearsay, rumor and will not stand up in a court of law.”
“But true?” Trece asked.
“Probably,” Troy said. “I think the most important aspect to understand about Joiner is his appetite for women. It’s almost a defining characteristic. Anyone know what wife he’s on?”
“He’s currently married to wife number five,” Raz said. “His divorce from wife number four was final only three months ago. Wife number five is seven or so months pregnant.”
“Do you know the gender of the child?” Alex asked.
“Male,” Raz said. “Would you like to see the latest imaging?”
Alex shook her head.
“A second defining characteristic is that Joiner has a lot of children,” Troy said. “Do you know how many legitimate children?”
“Eight. Four boys and four girls,” Raz said. “All Texas named: Mitzi, Cody, Candy, Tristan…”
“Eight legitimate children with one on the way,” Troy said. “I know of at least six illegitimate children spread all over the Americas. A few in the US, a couple in Central America and at least two in South America. Any in the Middle East, Matthew?”
“There’s a whisper of a couple children but no one is quite sure,” Matthew said. “He’s not popular in the Middle East.”
“Not popular is an understatement,” Alex said. “He’s been kicked out of almost every Arab speaking country. Even OPEC won’t negotiate with him.”
“Cee Cee Joiner is the father of sixteen children?” Larry’s voice echoed with shock.
“At least sixteen children,” Troy said. “He may have children no one knows about.”
“Troy used this term: ‘appetite for women,’” Alex said. “I don’t think he likes women. He’s no ladies man.”
“He uses women as a means to an end,” Joseph said. “That’s why the Fey Special Forces Team was involved with him. Joiner sees the Lieutenant Colonel as a tool for his use. If he gets in trouble, he wants the Fey.”
“The President said the Fey fixes Joiner’s problems,” Raz said.
“Joiner demands my help,” she said. “I’m his personal extraction agent or so he tells anyone who will listen.”
“What does he get by having so many children?” Vince asked. “He can’t interact with them or even see all of those children.”
“Good question, Vince. I don’t know,” Alex said. “Anyone?”
The men shook their heads. Alex looked at Ben. He seemed to be deciding whether or not to say something.
“Ben?” she asked.
“I’ve heard it’s about money,” Ben said. “Raz and I went to visit Joiner Sr. He has an ocean-side home outside of Cancun.”
As if to pull the information out of his head, Ben tugged his shoulder length salt and pepper hair.
“I don’t remember who said it, sorry. I get the impression it was… dinero para los niños.”
“Money for children?” Troy translated.
“Those were the words, I don’t remember the context. I don’t think the person realized what she was saying. Who was she?”
“Ágeuda?” Raz asked. “Joiner Sr. has Alzheimer’s. He has a full time nurse named Ágeuda.”
“No, it was the cook,” Ben said. “Remember she mumbled to herself.”
“Almost all the time,” Raz said. “You listened?”
“I make it a practice to listen to that kind of thing,” Ben said. “Mostly it doesn’t make sense, but sometimes it’s vital.”
“We need to find out why Joiner has so many children,” Alex said.
The words left her mouth before she realized she had given up her neutral position. Shit. She made her face go blank.
“Sergeant Flagg? Are you keeping the list?” Joseph asked.
“Yes sir,” Larry said.
“Add to your list: why does Joiner have so many children?” Joseph asked.
“Yes sir.”
Alex could hardly believe the interaction. Larry did what he was told without a word of back talk. Looking at Joseph, he winked at her. She gave him a soft smile.
“Lieutenant Colonel Hargreaves, will you share your information with the group?”
“Yes Major,” Alex said. “Where should I start?”
“Joiner was all over South and Central America,” Troy said. “I ran into him a couple of times, but he doesn’t know who I am. He says he’s exploring for oil reserves, but don’t they do that by satellite now?”
“They determine regions of interest by satellite,” Alex said. “Usually they will send an engineering team or a field team. For example, you were supposed to work out the transportation details for a specific region of Afghanistan the Corps of Engineers asked me to re-map.”
Troy blinked. He opened his mouth then nodded. He had not even looked at what had been assigned to him.
“Do we need to add the re-mapping to our list, Lieutenant Colonel?” Joseph asked.
“You’ll have to ask your superior officer, Major,” Alex said. “I’m not certain what your team’s priorities are at this time.”
Joseph squinted at Alex in response. The room became very still. At that moment, there was a small bark. Max stood in the doorway holding Maggie.
“Excuse me,” Alex said.
She felt every eye on her as she went to speak with Max. Max pressed his forehead against hers in support.
“I’m going to take her out for a little walk,” Max said. “John called. His attending figures if he’s not in a class, he can do a few surgeries. He thinks he’ll be home by nine. Cian’s making dinner.”
Alex nodded.
“Go easy,” Max said. “You’re not yourself.”
Alex closed her eyes and leaned forward. She felt the familiar comfort of Max’s forehead on hers. Wishing she could go with him, she watched him leave the basement.
Turning in place, she heard Joseph’s raised voice. Looking across at her former Fey teammate, she saw he was furious.
“And exactly what did you expect? Olivas, did you do the work your commanding officer asked you to do? Did you even look at it?”
“No sir,” Troy said.
“Then what do you expect? You are the laziest, bunch of babies I have ever seen in ANY team, let alone elite soldiers. The President of the United States has asked for our assistance and you can’t even keep your egos in check to get the information you need.”
Nodding to Joseph, Ben stood to walk over to Alex. He hugged her to him then, as if she was a small child, he took her hand and led her to an empty loveseat. He helped her settle in then sat with his arm around her. His body language was clear. He was protecting his fragile child.
“Before we continue, we must make a decision. Are we willing to do what it takes to become a team?” Ben said in French. “If not, we will not waste any more time here.”
“I can only speak for White Boy and myself,” Trece replied in French. “We’ll do whatever it takes.”
“I will do whatever it takes, even if it costs me my life,” Vince replied in French. “I owe Alex my life. It’s hers to do with what she’d like.”
“I’m willing to go as far as it takes to regain the trust and friendship lost,” Matthew replied in French. “Alex owns my life, as well.”
“What did Ben say?” Larry asked. “He spoke so fast. I didn’t get it.”
Joseph raised his eyebrows to Larry.
“Anyone like to translate for Sergeant Flagg?” Joseph asked.
“Ben wants to know if we are willing to do what it takes to become a team. You need to put ‘learn French’ on your list, Flagg,” Troy said in English. Switching to French, he said, “I’m even willing to translate for the jerk off. I will do what it takes.”
“I will do anything, anything, really just ask me,” Larry said in English.
“To hear you ask if I shall love always, and myself answer: Till the end of days.” Speaking in his mother’s tongue of Patois, Raz quoted a line from Jamaican poet Claude McKay poem. “My allegiance is yours, my queen.”
“What language was that?” Larry asked. “What did he say?”
“None of your business,” Joseph said. “Alex? Are you willing to continue?”
Overwhelmed by the men’s words, Alex gave a small nod.
“We were discussing Cee Cee Joiner,” Joseph said. “Joiner told people he went around exploring for oil, Alex?”
“Joiner works for Pecos Oil, a company his father, Cecil Joiner Sr. started,” Alex said. “Joiner Sr. was dirt poor when he married his wife. They lived with her parents while he worked the oil fields. One day, they discovered oil on the in-laws property.”
“Like Jed Clampett?” Trece asked. The men laughed. “I apologize for my interruption, sir. I will return to practicing my listening skills.”
Alex smiled at Trece. He responded with a shrug.
“Joiner Sr.’s in-laws died in a freak accident maybe six months after they discovered oil on their property. Raz helped me research the records. The police report indicates drunk driving on the part of the father-in-law. But they were a Baptist family: no drinking, no drugs.”
“Flagg, put the accident on your team list,” Joseph said. “Joiner Sr. was fond of his in-laws. So it’s kind of a dead end.”
“Was Cee Cee alive when the accident happened?” Matthew asked.
“Yes, he was about three,” Ben said. “Raz and I went to Mexico to speak with Papa Joiner. He was incoherent. Raz? The photo?”
Clicking a button on his laptop, Raz brought up a photo showing a gray haired man slumped in a wheelchair. He turned the laptop so everyone could see the image. With a flick of Raz’s finger, an image of the gentleman with a young Hispanic woman came on the screen.
“This is the lovely Ágeuda. She said Joiner Sr. has been in this condition for the last four or five years. She prays every day he will finally go to see our Lord. His file says Alzheimer’s. Anything happen four or five years ago? Alex? Troy?”
Both Alex and Troy shook their heads.
“I’ll put that on our team list,” Larry said.
“Cee Cee technically runs Pecos Oil,” Alex said. “However, Joiner Sr. set up an executive committee and C class officers before retiring. Cee Cee is little more than a figure head. I’m not sure he attends to or knows any of the company’s details. One time, when we were trudging through another jungle with Cee Cee Joiner, Mike quizzed him about Pecos Oil. Mike loved to harass him. Joiner’s answers changed from day to day. When you’re stuck in the jungle, it’s pretty funny to listen to the moron scramble.”
Alex smiled then remembered that this moron probably had her entire team killed. Her face fell and she sighed.
F
Learning to Stand is the second novel in the Alex the Fey thriller series
written by Claudia Hall Christian.
The novel is available in paperback at Amazon, our store, your local library and bookstore.
Entire chapters are be published at On-a-limb.com,
StoriesbyClaudia.com and AlextheFey.com.
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