A kidnapping!
That single word was enough to plunge any mother into an emotional abyss. Claire suddenly felt a wave of sympathy for Archie Adelson. Who was she to judge him without knowing him? And as the mayor of one of the most tolerant communities in Florida—if not the entire country—she had to steer clear of any form of prejudice.
"Are you alright, Claire?" Jack Hogan asked as he prepared to start the car.
"I had no idea about any of this," she replied, still shaken.
"Oh, you mean the kidnapping? It's perfectly normal that you didn't know."
"It must've made the front page of the papers. Archie Adelson is such a well-known figure."
"That was twenty-two years ago, Claire! How old were you back then? Ten?"
"Nice guess," she thought. Just one year off, since she was thirty-three now. Back then, she had been more concerned with dance lessons than reading the newspapers.
"Besides," Jack continued, "back then Archie wasn't nearly as famous as he is today. And he worked hard to keep the story under wraps, afraid it might inspire another lunatic."
"I understand," Claire said quietly.
"You can probably see now why security is such a major concern for Archie. Like you noticed, everyone knows who he is. That's why he needs serious protection." He added,
"You'd be surprised how many celebrities and billionaires hire people like me."
"Politicians too, I imagine?"
"Of course. After my training with the Secret Service, I spent most of my career in Washington, behind the scenes, guarding politicians. I even provided protection for the President for a while."
That last point genuinely impressed Claire. Clearly, Archie had hired someone he could truly rely on. And as it turned out, she and Jack Hogan shared some common ground. During her early days at the federal department of public relations in Miami, she had met high-profile politicians—including Roman Betancour, whose smoldering gaze and undeniable charisma had instantly swept her off her feet.
A Cuban immigrant who arrived in Florida at the age of six, Roman had climbed the social ladder with ease, becoming a respected figure in both the Hispanic community and greater Miami. After completing a stellar academic career, he had launched a successful construction business. Influential colleagues later encouraged him to run for Senate. Roman took up the challenge with flair and won the election by a landslide.
It was during his second term, when he was forty-six, that Claire met him. She was twenty-four at the time. Her job was to coordinate Roman's public appearances, whether for political meetings or cultural events related to his heritage. And so, the fairy tale began… A few months later, Roman married her, and Claire became stepmother to his teenage son, Wilcher.
One year later, Chise was born, and Claire was living in bliss.
Alas! The fairy tale lasted no more than six years: a fast-acting cancer took Roman from his family and stole their future.
Claire jumped slightly—Jack was talking. She had been so lost in thought that she'd lost track of the conversation.
"Most people know that politicians and celebrities have security details," Jack was saying. "It's the same for businessmen of Archie's caliber. Believe me, he's not an exception, even if the team I lead is larger than usual."
"My husband was also deeply concerned about security," Claire said.
She recalled the heated arguments, Roman trying to convince her of the need for a bodyguard every time she went somewhere without him…
"I resisted it," she added with a sad smile. "The idea of being followed constantly really bothered me. Besides, I didn't see the point—Roman was a popular senator."
Her words must have sounded quite naïve to someone like Jack Hogan, she realized. But she had been sincere—back then, she truly couldn't imagine Roman having enemies. Looking back now, she saw how naive she had been.
"For Chise, though, I complied with his demands," she added.
The thought that Chise could have been a potential target in a huge city like Miami made her shiver. Claire took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Now she lived on Blue Heron Island, and her daughter had nothing to fear.
As Jack steered the car around potholes, she suddenly asked:
"In what circumstances was Archie Adelson's son kidnapped?"
"On a football field, right under his father's nose—Archie was in the stands. Proof that danger can strike anywhere, especially where you least expect it. That's what the years have taught me."
No, Claire refused to become that pessimistic! There were still peaceful places left on Earth—like Blue Heron Island, for example. She felt as safe there as she had in the communal farm in Ohio where she'd grown up. Back then, everyone lived as they pleased, as long as they respected others. Just like here. Claire believed that freedom of thought and action was a source of personal contentment—and therefore, of peace.
Still, she wasn't blind to her privileged status, and the thought of what Archie had endured twisted her heart with pain. She also felt sympathy for Jack Hogan, whose vastly different life experience had given him a cynical view of the world: through his eyes, humanity appeared riddled with suspicion.
"How did it end?" she asked. "Was his son returned to him?"
"Yes, thank God, Ethan was rescued," Jack replied, as he swerved to avoid palm fronds scratching the Cadillac.
"Feels like we're in the jungle out here!" he exclaimed. From his tone, Claire could tell he was speaking from experience.
"Phew, we're almost out of it!" he added as he spotted a shaft of sunlight about thirty meters ahead. "To answer your question, Archie paid a ransom of two hundred thousand dollars—not a huge amount for him, even back then. In fact, the kidnapper was acting out of revenge: he was a foreman Archie had fired just a few days earlier."
Jack glanced sideways at Claire and went on:
"The dismissal was totally justified. The kidnapper was later caught and convicted. But Mrs. Adelson never really recovered from the ordeal."
"And Ethan?"
"He lost some weight, I think… but he quickly wanted to forget the whole thing."
They had just arrived at a rundown but still imposing house with a huge veranda. All the windows were topped with gables. Jack turned off the engine and studied the building.
"Impressive," he concluded.
After a pause, he continued:
"Ethan is a young man I admire deeply and care for immensely. Even now, he refuses to talk about the kidnapping. He's a bit like you, in that he doesn't want a bodyguard. But then again, after his ordeal, he had to grow up with one constantly nearby. So now, as an adult, he craves freedom. Still, he's cautious and smart—even if his need for independence drives his father crazy."
Claire felt sympathy for both father and son. Since moving to the island, she had also taken precautions related to safety. Roman had left her a considerable fortune. Though no one in town knew the exact amount, everyone was aware she lived comfortably—and no one had ever tried to take advantage of that.
"No butler to greet us," Jack said dryly. "I guess we can go on in without waiting."
Jack felt confident about the new relationship he was building with the island's mayor. It was turning out to be much more relaxed than he'd expected… and, frankly, he greatly enjoyed her company. He'd never had a problem with strong, competent women holding high-ranking positions.
But in his private life, he preferred them a little less assertive.
And while Claire Betancour clearly ran things with an iron fist, there was a vulnerable, feminine side to her that he would have liked to explore… if circumstances had been different. Being a pragmatic man, Jack knew better than to get carried away. In relationships, there was always room for the unexpected. A man who thought he truly knew his partner could suddenly realize vast parts of her life and character had been hidden from him.
His divorce, a few years back, had taught him that lesson well.
It was best, he now believed, to stay on guard—and not build any foolish hopes.