Friends and Family Series

Sandy & Dan

By: Ron Robbins
(© 2011 by the author)
Editor: Frank Perry

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 22

Dunnlap Plantation

Dan was having lunch in the small dining room with Pete and Penny. "Pete, I need to run over to take a look at the waste-water reservoir overflow field. Kent called this morning to let me know of the problem they were having with one of the programmable controllers. He had his program engineer run a test on the system at the plant and everything checked out. He believes the failure is in the radio controlled programmer receivers. They are using the telephone lines to activate the control now, but they only like to use the hard line as a backup. I pulled the schematic and will check it out as soon as I finish up here. If I'm not back here when the boys are back from school, will you have Joe take over for me?"

"I'll take care of it, Dan," Pete said. "Why is it that these problems always happen in the most god awful isolated area on the Plantation, and the smelliest part of the waste plant operation? I don't know why Kent didn't send the tech guy out to fix it this morning?"

"That was my first question. Kent told me that he and the tech engineer tried to figure out the problem but they were stymied. It could be the controller itself or a failure in the radio receiver. Even though they have the schematic, they don't have the expertise to check out the system. That's why I need to see for myself what the problem is. The only alternative is to have Sandy send a systems guy from his office to figure it out. It is easier if I run over there and check it out. Well, I must be off, I don't want Brian and John waiting around for me. Thanks, Penny, for the delicious lunch. Pete, I should be back in a few hours if all goes well."

John and Brian were standing by the double-cab Tundra waiting for Dan. Dan said, Hi guys, I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long. What's with this monster?"

Brian chuckled, "The thought of where we had to go to check out that controller, suggested we would be better off with a four-wheel drive truck in case we drove into any marshy spots. The area we are heading for is probably marshy after the heavy rain yesterday. You never know what you are going to find in the boonies."

"Well, you guys know best; I'm just a passenger," Dan said.

A half-hour later they were driving along a deserted stretch of elevated road moving along at a good clip. John said, "Brian, there's been a vehicle following us for a while. I have a funny feeling. He just hangs back and is maintaining the same speed."

Brian activated the talk button on his cell phone and called Chet Williams, chief of security at the Dunnlap control center. "Chet, this is Brian, there is a suspicious vehicle following us on SW-12 on the Dunnlap Plantation. I think you should scramble a chopper to have a look."

Chet asked, "Who is in your vehicle?"

"Boss number two, and John."

"Okay, "Chet said, "have John activate the vehicle beacon now. What is the terrain like in the area you are driving in now? "

"We are driving into a long stretch of deserted elevated road ahead with nothing in sight."

"If the vehicle following you tries to overtake you, or becomes hostile, activate the emergency button on your cell phone. I don't like this at all. I'll call the security office at the Plantation to have them send a security team to your location. Please keep this line open."

John said, "Brian, heads-up, they are closing on us and I think I see a weapon sticking out of the passenger window."

Brian looked out the back window as a spray of bullets hit the rear window. "John, take evasive action we can't outrun them and there is no place to turn off this road. Damn, we should have taken the van, at least it has firing ports we could use to fire back at them. Boss, keep your seat belt on and try to lay flat on this seat. This vehicle has a steel plate behind this seat that will deflect anything they can throw at us."

Dan was able to slide down at an angle and to stay behind the seat. Brian called Chet again, "Hey, Chet, we've got trouble. They are firing on us. John is laying down a cloud of black smoke. That should slow them down for a little but I'm afraid if they keep up their speed they could run us off the road."

Chet said, "Hang on, our chopper has you in sight and I'm in contact with the pilot, Mark Mills. Brian, the pilot said that you need to turn on the power and put some distance between you and your pursuers. They are going to fire a few rockets in front of the vehicle to stop them."

Brian relayed the message to John and he floored the accelerator and sped way ahead of the vehicle following them.

The chopper got into position to fire when the pilot saw the rocket fired from the pursuing vehicle. The rocked missed a direct hit on the truck and exploded close to the right rear tire causing the truck to fishtail and plunge down the embankment.

The shooter in the chopper lined up on the front of the Hummer and aimed at the engine and fired. The rocket hit home and the engine exploded as the vehicle tumbled down into the ditch.

The pilot said, "Chet, your bad guys are out of action. I suspect the occupants are either dead or badly injured. The Tundra truck is lying on its side and I don't see any movement. We are landing just ahead of the truck. I think you should get the Emergency chopper out here ASAP. We will be back to you as soon as we check out the truck."

"I'm on my way with a special ops team," Chet said. "The Dunnlap Plantation security team should be there in a few minutes. I've already contacted the Dunnlap Medical Emergency group and they are on their way. Try not to move any of the injured until the emergency team arrives. Give first aid to anyone you can, but don't move them."

"Okay, Chet, we've landed. I would suggest you tell the Emergency chopper to land on the road. There are too many trees close to where the truck went off the road."

All hell broke loose. The Sheriff's team arrived along with the security team from the Plantation. The Emergency Medical Chopper arrived and landed on the highway. The paramedics and a doctor ran over to the overturned truck. The doctor examined the three patients and said, "The driver is dead, he is a case for the ME. He climbed into the truck and checked on Dan. "This man appears to have a fractured arm and a head injury. Let's get him on a stretcher and into the chopper". The doctor checked Brian. "This man also has head and shoulder injuries. Let's get him in the chopper as well. We won't know how bad their injuries are until we get them to the ER". The two paramedics loaded Dan and Brian onto the chopper. The doctor and the paramedics boarded the chopper and took off for the short ride to the hospital.

While the doctor was examining the injured men, Chet's chopper arrived with his team of agents. Chet walked over to the crew of the first chopper and spoke to the pilot. "Well, Mark, what can you tell me about the vehicle?”

Mark said, "John didn't make it. The doctor said he had a fractured skull and a broken neck among other things. Mr. Dunnlap and Brian are alive but unconscious and he didn't offer any additional information until they get them to the ER. They were both strapped in, but the impact of the crash was so severe that the seat belts didn't hold. This cab didn't have airbags. Can your team bag and remove John's body?"

Chet said, "We can't do anything until the Sheriff and the ME arrive. The sheriff said his team has just arrived and that they will be checking out the Hummer first. This will give my forensic experts time to gather the evidence we need. Now for the tough part, I need to contact the big boss to let him know that Dan and Brian are on the way to the hospital."

Chet dialed Sandy's cell phone. Sandy answered, "This is Sandy."

"Hello, boss, this is Chet Williams calling and I have some bad news."

"Spill it, Chet.” Dan and his security guard were in a truck accident on the Dunnlap Plantation grounds. They on their way to the Dunnlap Medical Center and should be arriving in a few minutes. The second security guard, John, was killed in the crash."

"Oh my God," Sandy said. "Do we know anything about their injuries?"

"Only that they both have head injuries along with arm and shoulder injuries. Both are unconscious."

Sandy said, "How could this happen? Those are private roads on the Plantation, were they forced off the road?"

"No, sir; they were gunned down from behind."

"I'm heading over to the hospital now. I want you to call my brother, Pete. Tell him to let me know what happened to Dan and let him know that I am heading to the hospital. Please keep me posted on any new information you learn. I want to get to the bottom of this incident without delay. Was there another vehicle involved in this incident?"

"Yes, sir; there was a Hummer following Dan's truck. They fired a rocket at Dan's Tundra causing it to go off the road."

"I don't like where this is going, Chet. I think you are going to need some help on this. I'm going to call in the Macdonald-Stevens security people on this one."

"I can use all the help I can get, boss. I agree with you this hit was too organized and whoever is behind this knows a lot about our operation."

Sandy said, "I'll keep you posted."

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Sandy and his security team arrived at the hospital in record time. Sandy walked up to the reception desk and said, "I'm Sandy Dunnlap and I would like to speak to Dr. Grant."

"I will page Dr. Grant, Mr. Dunnlap."

Moments later, the receptionist's phone rang and she answered, "Dr. Grant, Mr. Dunnlap is in the reception area and wants to speak to you. ... Yes, doctor, I will tell him."

"Mr. Dunnlap, Dr. Grant said he will be right down."

"Thank you," Sandy said.

Dr. Grant walked over to Sandy and said, "Good evening, Sandy. What brings you here this afternoon?"

Sandy said, "My partner, Dan, was involved in a bad accident and was flown in by an emergency chopper. Dan and his security guard should be in the ER. That is all I know."

"Let me check this out, Sandy."

The doctor walked over to the desk and called the emergency room. He hung up the phone and walked back to where Sandy and his security guards were waiting. "Dan and his security man, Brian, were admitted ten minutes ago and our ER team is working on them now. Why don't we walk over to the ER and I'll find out what's going on."

Sandy said, "Thank you, David; I appreciate your looking into this mess."

David said, "What are friends for? We are at your disposal." David led them back to the ER and found an empty conference room. David said, "You will be more comfortable in here. I'll be back as soon as I know more about Dan and Brian."

Sandy turned to Jim and said, "Will you notify the receptionist what room we are in and ask her to send my brother, Pete, in when he arrives."

"Yes, sir."

Sandy called Mike Lee on his cell phone. "This is Mike, how can I help you?"

"Mike, this is Sandy, thank God I was able to get you. I thought you might be off somewhere."

"What's up, Sandy?"

"I need your expertise once again." Sandy went on to explain what happened to Dan and his security team.

After Sandy finished briefing him, Mike asked a few important questions, and then said, "Sandy, this is serious, and I wish I could fly down tonight, but I'm just wrapping up on an important case. I will, however, send you two excellent men who can run with this case. Their names are Dwayne Hicks and Martin English. One of them will call you back tonight. I'll act as the senior case supervisor and they will be the guys running the case on the ground for me. Don't worry, Sandy; they are two of the best."

"Thank you, Mike, I really appreciate you're taking on the case, I know you have a lot on your plate. Somehow, I get this uneasy feeling that my former VP, Brian Neely, and World Com may have something to do with this."

"You may be right, Sandy. I will brief Dwayne and Martin about that case. We may want to give Murdoch and Ryan a heads-up also. They need to be aware of your suspicions and alert their chief of security."

Sandy said, "It's only a theory now, but it doesn't hurt to be forewarned; again, many thanks, Mike, and I'll wait to hear from your team."

Pete arrived and hugged Sandy. "What the hell is going on, Sandy?"

Sandy sighed and told Pete what had happened. "We won't know anything about the extent of Dan's or Brian's injuries until the doctors in the ER have finished their examination. All we know at this point is they are alive."

"I don't believe this," Pete said. "Dan was on his way to check out a malfunctioning circuit at a remote location. He said that since he was here he would check it out himself instead of having Brad Stevens send one of his systems guys from corporate. Dan thought it was a glitch in the software program. We need to call Brad Stevens and have him check out that problem. He and Dan worked together on that program and he will know how to find and correct the problem."

Sandy made the call to Brad to explain the problem and asked him to personally check out the problem. "Brad, I have the feeling that there is something strange going on at that location. Document everything you find. You should contact Pete and let him coordinate everything at his end. Pete is here at the hospital with me now so he can set everything up for you. You will need an extra security detail as well as Kent's people."

Brad said, "I'll try to make it the first thing tomorrow morning. I'll rearrange my schedule tonight. Will Pete be able to contact his team to be ready to roll first thing tomorrow?"

"Hold on, I'll ask him." Sandy turned to Pete and asked if he could have his team ready to roll the next morning.

Pete said, "They will be ready."

Sandy relayed Pete's message and said, "I appreciate this, Brad."

Brad said, "I'm praying that Dan and Brian pull out of this without any problems. Hal Golden sent emails to all of us after he heard the news. Dan is well-liked here and we want to know if he is going to be all right."

Sandy said, "Thanks, Brad, I'll make sure you all are kept informed on their progress."

Sandy answered his cell phone. "Mr. Sandy, this is Ludlow, I'm so sorry to hear about Mr. Dan. I know you'll be missed at dinner, so I've prepared some soup and sandwiches for you to snack on while you are waiting."

"Thank you, Ludlow. Now that I think about it. I am a little hungry. I don't know how long I'll be here. Dan is being evaluated right now. We'll know more after the specialists come up with some answers. Waiting for the doctors to give you the results from their testing is always the hardest part. All I've been able to learn is that Dan's unconscious. Chet Williams told me that the paramedics said the Dan has head injuries as well as chest injuries. They can't do anything until the x-rays and scans are evaluated. So that is where we stand right now."

The ER doctor walked into the room and told Sandy and Pete the results from the x-rays and the scans. "Mr. Dunnlap, Dan received injuries to the head and chest. In addition, he has a broken arm. His brain is swollen and it will take some time before we know for certain if there is any brain injury. He remains unconscious and we plan to keep him sedated until his brain has a chance to recover. The surgeon is in the process of pinning his broken arm. The bruised ribs should heal in a few days. All tests indicate that his brain is functioning normally. We will be taking another scan tomorrow morning to see if there is any improvement or change in the brain. The other man is in surgery and should recover without any lasting effects. Both men are in excellent physical condition, so that is in their favor. The surgeons will be down to brief you after they both are moved into the recovery room."

"Thank you, doctor." After the doctor left, Sandy said, "I don't want anyone to know Dan's true prognosis. I'll tell the PR department and the hospital to tell people that he is in critical condition. The less his attackers know the better. As soon as I can move them home, the better I will feel. I'll have Nelson make all the arrangements. Craig Shelby is receiving excellent care at the Nursing home. I think Nelson would be happier taking care of Dan and Brian."

"I meant to ask you how Craig is doing." Pete said.

"He is not doing well at all. The cancer has spread to his other organs. The doctors are surprised that he is still alive, yet they don't give him much more time. They are talking days."

"That's too bad, he was a great guy. I hope the boys will take this in stride. It will be very traumatic for the boys to learn Dan is in a coma. From what the twins tell me, Chip and Lloyd have accepted their father's illness, yet they love their Uncle Dan. He is has been like a father to them. All the boys love their Uncle Dan for that matter."

"I love him, too," Sandy said. "You take all the safety precautions and think you are safe. But, I guess a determined enemy will find a weak spot and take advantage of the situation."

Sandy made a phone call to the hospital administrator and explained how he wanted the hospital to answer any questions regarding the condition of Dan and Brian. He also contacted his PR department to let them know how he wanted them to handle the situation.

A nurse opened the door and walked into the waiting room. "Mr. Dunnlap, Dan  has been moved into his private suite. Would you like me to escort you there?"

Sandy said, "Thank you, Nurse, but we know the way." Sandy and Pete walked out of the waiting room and to the private wing that Dan and Brian were moved to. They walked over to the nurses' station. The head nurse said, "Good evening, Mr. Dunnlap, it is nice to see you again. I'm sorry to hear about your partner. He is in Suite A and his security guard, Brian, is in Suite B. By the way, there is a connecting door between the two suites."

Sandy said, "Thank you, I was not aware of that. It makes it convenient."

"Yes, sir; Chet Williams and two other security guards are in the suite as well. The hospital administrator told us that they were allowed to be in Mr. Dan’s suite."

Sandy and Pete walked into the suite. Chet and one of the guards were seated in the sitting room area of the suite. Chet said, "Good evening, boss."

"Good evening yourself," Sandy said, "I'm glad to see you are here. How is Dan?"

"He's resting. The doctor and nurses hooked him up to the monitoring machines and left. We've been with Dan and Brian since they were admitted. The ER people started giving us a hassle about the rules, etc. But I called the Administrator and explained to him that we had to be with the patients and would he straighten everything out. He asked that we not get in the way of the ER people preventing them from doing their job."

Sandy said, "Way to go, Chet. Have your men had time to eat?"

"No, sir, it's more important that we guard Boss #2."

Sandy chuckled, "You're right, Chet. Why don't one of you stay here while the other two go down to the cafeteria and eat dinner?"

"Thanks, boss; I'll send Jim and Stan down now and I'll wait until they return."

Sandy said, "That sounds like a plan, I need to go over a few things with you anyway."

Sandy and Pete walked into Dan's room. "My God," Sandy said, "His face is all swollen and black and blue." Sandy walked over and took hold of Dan's right hand and kissed him on the lips, "Hi, sweetheart."

Pete stood next to his brother and said, "I'm surprised they have not put ice packs on his face to bring down the swelling?"

Sandy pushed the call button to summon the nurse. The nurse's voice was heard over the speaker built into the overhead. "Yes, sir, how can I help you?"

Sandy said, "Is there any reason why Dan can't have some ice packs on his face to bring down the swelling?"

"I'll check that with his doctor and get back to you, Mr. Dunnlap."

Five minutes later, the nurse walked in with a tray of chemical ice packs. "I'm sorry, Mr. Dunnlap. Your doctor had ordered ice packs for Dan and we just received them from the pharmacy." The nurse crushed the ice packs which started the chemical action and placed them on Dan's head. "I'll be back to check on him in twenty-minutes."

Sandy said, "Thanks, Bro, for being here for Dan, I really appreciate that. I think everything is under control now. Why don't you head back home to your family? I would appreciate your calling the rest of the family to let them know what's happened before they hear anything on the news. You know the press is going to latch on to this story. We can control what goes on at your plantation, but once the Sheriff's Department was called in and the ME was involved, there's no way we can keep it out of the press. If they start bugging you too much, have them call my PR Department. You might also let everyone know that the maiden cruise is off as well. We will reschedule as soon as Dan is back on his feet."

Pete said, "You don’t need to thank me Sandy; you know how we all feel about Dan. He is a member of the family now. Don't worry about the cruise; we can always reschedule that outing." Pete hugged his brother and left.

Sandy called Mac on his cell phone. Mac answered. "Hi, Sandy, Mike told me about Dan. Is there anything we can do for you?"

"As a matter of fact, you can. Would you notify the gang that I need to reschedule the cruise until Dan is well enough to travel?"

"No problem, Sandy. How is Dan doing?"

"All his vital signs are fine, but he is in a coma at the present time. The doctors are keeping him under until his brain has a chance to heal. His face and head look awful. In addition, he has a broken arm. Other than that, he is fine. I sure hope that Mike is able to find the bastards who did this to Dan. We lost a good man when the truck went off the road. It's such a waste."

"I'm sure Mike will track the guys who did this, he has his best men on the case. Now that a man has been murdered, the police will be trying to find these guys as well."

"I sure hope so, Mac. Look, my friend, I need to get home and talk to my boys. I know they will be worried sick about their Uncle Dan."

"Again, if you need anything at all, Sandy, please call. I'll talk with you later, my friend."

The specialist walked into Dan's room and introduced himself to Sandy. "Mr. Dunnlap, I'm Doctor Judge and I have been called in to examine Dan. All his x-rays and scans indicate that he has no brain damage. The same holds true with Brian. I am keeping Dan under for another day until the swelling in his brain has diminished more. I have ordered another brain scan tomorrow morning. If everything looks good we will wean him off the medication. He should wake up midday tomorrow. You are welcome to spend the night in this suite if you wish; however, Dan will be out of it until tomorrow."

Sandy said, "He appears to be resting comfortably right now, I just may take your suggestion and head home. My security team will be here to keep an eye on him. Thank you for your time, Doctor Judge,"

Sandy walked out to the sitting room and spoke to Chet. "I think two security men should be able to keep an eye on Dan and Brian, Chet. I want you home with me, there are too many loose ends to take care of and you can do that from the control center at the manor house."

Sandy, Chet, and their driver, Charles, took off to the Manor house.

"You're right, Boss; I need to reassign some of my team since I'm two men short. Mike told me he would lend us some good men if I needed them."

Sandy said, "Good old Mike. I talked to him earlier and he is sending two of his best agents to help us. You may need some heavy hitters for this job. I don't feel safe knowing a vehicle was able to penetrate our security. I think you need to talk to my brother Pete to see how we can close the gaps and coordinate our overall security. There is too much at stake at his Plantation. My brother's family and my kids are too important. This could develop into a serious situation if some nut case decided to kidnap or harm the family."

"I agree, boss, I'll ask Mike to suggest some measures that will beef up our security."

"I think that's a good idea," Sandy said. "If you two come up with a comprehensive security plan, I want you to lay it out for me; maybe Pete and I will need to invest some money in more men and equipment. I want tighter security from now on."

The driver pulled up to the main entrance to let Sandy out. Chet drove the SUV to the security building. Ludlow opened the door for Sandy and his security guard. "It's good to have you home, Master Sandy."

"Thank you, Ludlow. How are the boys holding up?"

"They have calmed down. Joe and his son, Steve, left a few minutes ago. Your son and nephews are waiting for you in the recreation room. They are too upset to go to bed. They've had their bath and are in their PJs."

Thanks, Ludlow, I'll go up and talk to them right away. Would you have the cook fix me a bowl of soup and a sandwich and have it sent up to my suite?"

"Yes, sir."

"I will call you after I talk to the boys to let you know what is going on with Dan."

Sandy headed up to the boys' recreation room. As he walked in, he could see all three were huddled together on the large sofa watching a Disney movie.

"Hi, guys, what are you watching?"

The three boys jumped off the sofa and ran over to Sandy to hug him. Sandy hugged them back and led them over to the sofa. They all sat down together. Jeremy asked, "Dad, how is Daddy Dan?"

"Well, let me tell as much as I know at this point." Sandy explained everything about the accident and about Dan's two security guards. I'm sorry to report that John was killed and that Dan and Brian are both unconscious but are in stable condition. They both have head injuries and are resting comfortably. Their doctors are keeping them heavily sedated until tomorrow to allow the swelling to go down. Daddy Dan has a broken arm and has bruised ribs. Brian also has a head injury and a broken leg. We will know much more tomorrow morning."

Teary eyed Lloyd said, "Uncle Sandy, I really miss Uncle Dan. I was afraid that he would end up like our father."

Sandy pulled Lloyd on his lap and pulled him to him. "Don't cry, sweetheart; Uncle Dan will be just fine. If the doctor will release him and Brian tomorrow, I plan to bring them home. Nelson will be here to take care of them."

Chip said, "I thought that Nelson was taking care of Father?"

Sandy said, "He was, Chip, but your dad is unconscious all the time now and his doctor said that the nursing staff can take care of him while Nelson is taking care of Dan and Brian."

"How is Dad doing?" Chip asked. "Is he still the same?"

Sandy said, "I'm afraid so, son. The doctor said his tumor is getting larger and is pressing on more brain tissue. They are not happy with his condition."

Lloyd said, "Uncle Sandy, the last time we visited Dad he looked very bad. He has lost so much weight and he is sleeping all the time. I have a feeling that he is not going to wake up."

"We thought the medication would slow down the growth of the tumor," Sandy said, "but we were wrong. Now, only time will tell. Come on, guys, it's time for bed. It's late and you have school tomorrow." Sandy walked them back to their beds where he hugged and kissed each on the forehead and then stayed with them until they fell asleep.

He walked down the hall to his bedroom suite. Ludlow had placed the tray with his soup and sandwich on the coffee table. Ludlow was seated in the arm chair. Sandy said, "You didn't have to wait for me, Ludlow. I had a long chat with the boys and tucked them into bed. They are all asleep now. I hope they sleep all night. Lloyd has had nightmares in the past; I hope he sleeps tonight." Sandy told Ludlow about the accident, the loss of John and about Dan and Brian.

Ludlow said, "I'm sorry to hear about John's death, he was a good man. I'm glad that Master Dan is going to be all right. I don't know how we would cope without him. He is such an important and loved member of this family."

Sandy smiled, "You're right about Dan; I don't know how I'd survive without him. We can't let our guard down, now more than ever, Ludlow. I want you to brief the staff to let them know that Dan's crash was deliberate. Whoever is responsible for this planned to kill him. They are ruthless and will not stop until they are caught. We all must be vigilant and report anything out of the ordinary. Our security people are going to be extra careful from this point on. No one sets foot on this property unless they are carefully screened and are checked out. I'm very concerned about the boys. Their security team is going to be increased and they are going to be watched like hawks. As soon as Chet has completed his evaluation of our security teams, he will decide how many more men we will require. Chet will make sure that you and the household staff meets the new security men. I am planning to bring Dan and Brian home tomorrow. This is to be kept confidential. The less our enemies know, the safer we will be. The PR department will still handle any calls with questions about Dan or the family. For the record, Security will record and monitor all calls in and out of the manor."

Ludlow said, "I can see a lot of thought has gone into this and I will see that the staff is aware of the threat to this family."

Sandy said, "I need to make a few more phone calls, then I'm off to bed. This has been one trying and hectic day and I'm bushed."

Ludlow took the tray and left. Sandy picked up his cell phone and dialed Ryan and Murdoch's number. "This is Ryan speaking."

"Ryan, this is Sandy, I'm glad I was able to reach you."

"How is everything going?"

"Not so good, Ryan. Someone tried to kill Dan this afternoon."

"Oh my God, is he all right?"

"Yes, thank God. He is in the hospital along with one of his security men. The second man was killed. The reason for this call is twofold, the most important reason is to warn you of a possible security breach. Mike Lee thinks this may be tied in with the World Com bunch and you should be on the lookout for any possible trouble. The second reason is to let you know we will be postponing the cruise until Dan is ready to travel."

"Thanks for the heads-up, Sandy. You know Murdoch will not rest until our security is airtight. He would go crazy if anything happened to me or the kids. I only hope he does not want to live in Scotland until this blows over. Keep us posted."

Sandy signed off and headed off to bed.

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To be continued...

Posted: 07/13/12