The Devlin Deception: Book One of The Devlin Quatrology by Jake Devlin, (with Bonnie Springs) Page A

wonderful. I love that coat,” Jennifer
said, perking up a little.
    “If you've got a trash bag or two, that'd be great,”
Linda said.
    “I'll get some,” Jennifer said, and headed off to the
kitchen.
    “You two have done superbly,” Jon said.
    “Just our job, Mr. Payne,” said Wayne.
    “Well, you do it exceptionally well, as always.”
    “Thank you, sir.”
    “I'll be sure to mention that to Amber when I talk to her.”
    “Again, thank you, sir.”
    "And if you ever want to think about making a change, I would
love to make you both a very lucrative offer.”
    "Well, thank you, Mr. Payne, but OP-US has been very good to us
both and we'll probably stick with them till death do us part.”
    Jennifer returned from the kitchen with two large trash bags. “Will
these work?”
    “That should be fine. Thank you, Mrs. Payne,” Linda
said.
    "Did I hear you say 'Opus,' Wayne?”
    "Yes, you did, Mrs. Payne; Optimum Protection, U-S, the company
we work for.”
    "Oh, right; I forgot. Sometimes I can be such a ditz.”
    Wayne held one bag open while Linda stuffed the coat inside, and then
they used the other to double-bag it, careful to avoid dripping any
paint on the expensive carpet.
    Linda added, “I'm pretty sure I didn't let any drip in the
foyer or the elevator, but I'll double-check on our way out. And
we'll call you as soon as the coat has been cleaned.”
    “Anything else you need us for, Mr. Payne?” Wayne asked.
    “Not right now, Wayne. But if you want to bash a few of those
damned animal rights idiots out there, feel absolutely free.”
    “I'd love to, Mr. Payne, but only defensively.”
    “Oh, well; too bad. And from now on, feel free to call me Jon,
okay?”
    “Okay, Mr. – I mean Jon.”
    Linda said, “I guess we should be on our way and get the
cleaner started on this coat.”
    “Be sure to send me the bill.”
    “Okay, Mr. – I mean Jon. But that won't be much at all.”
    Jennifer gave each of them a hug and whispered, “You two are
real life-savers. Thank you so much.”
    “Glad we could be there for you. Bye,” said Linda, and
they both got into the elevator and headed down.
    “They are so cool, Poopsie.”
    “They're amazing, Jenn. And thanks for not calling me Poopsie
in front of them.”
    “Oh, I know that's just between us, Jon.”
    “You feeling better now?”
    “Lots better. They both really helped calm me down.”
    “How about a drink?”
    “I've got a better idea. Did you take that little pill?”
    “I told you I would, so of course. But you're sure you're
okay?”
    “I'm fine now, really. Let's go see if that pill has worked
its way down to Stevie Bruce. Ginny May is getting anxious for a
visit.”
    “Okay, Punkin. Let's go.”
    And they headed off to another room in the penthouse.

    -13-
    Six Months Earlier

    Sunday, June 12, 2011
    11:26 a.m. EDT
    Bonita Beach, Florida

    BANG! One gunshot, then two more: BANG, BANG!!!
    Who was shooting? Jake and Pam saw that It was the pale, muscled
young man south of Norm and Janet, holding a handgun in a two-handed
stance, firing out at the Gulf.
    Then three M-16s joined in, as three Marines in sand camouflage suits
burst up from the sandy beach where they'd been buried since before
dawn, sighted on the target the pale young man had first shot at and
fired on full automatic.
    Millie, struggling to get her rotund self up from her red blanket,
along with Fran and Alvina, cried out, "Something just goosed
me!!!"
    The man on the PVC lounge pulled his right hand back out from
underneath the fringe, scratched his left elbow and calmly watched
events unfold.
    Pam, still in her beach chair, but with a handgun of her own in her
hand, shouted in a stentorian, commanding tone, "Cease fire,
Marines, cease fire!" The gunfire immediately stopped. Jake
looked at her in amazement.
    A hundred yards further south, the teen in the Master Bait T-shirt
hurriedly closed his tackle box, tossed it and his pole into the
skiff and motored at full speed south