The Dysfunctional Expansion: The Dysfunctional Chronicles, #7

By Hadena James

Nadine is supposed to be in Mexico with Zeke looking at properties to buy to allow Daniels' Security to expand.  Instead, when she got to the border, she learned her passport had been flagged and she was sent home while her husband crossed the border alone.  

But there is always something to be done in Kansas City and Alex has a new case.  A professor recorded video of a UFO and then two strange men dressed all in black threatened his family and took the video.  Nadine joins the investigation into the Men in Black. As they search for answers, one of Daniels' Security's more eccentric clients calls  saying that somebody is trying to dognap her award-winning dogs. Nadine is ready to dismiss the case until she discovers the client lives in the same neighborhood as the professor. Is the fence dismantling dognappers or is it related to the search for UFOs?   

It seems unlikely the two things are related, but Nadine has a feeling that something else, something bigger, is going on.  Especially when her and Alex discover the real identities of the men in black. Now, they will have to dig through the conspiracies to find the truth behind the UFO encounter, the fence being taken down one board at a time, and the Men in Black.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hadena James
• Release date: Apr 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393523093

Book preview

The Universe Speaks

The Universe is playing Whack-A-Mole with my life.  I’m supposed to be in Mexico with my husband looking at property to expand Daniels’ Security into Mexico.  However, two days ago I’d landed in Dallas to switch planes heading for Mexico City and suddenly, my passport wouldn’t let me board.  I was pulled out for special investigation, and I insisted Zeke go ahead and board without me.  We had appointments to keep and this was just one of those things.  I was put on the next plane back to Missouri and so here I am—home arguing with a very dangerous US Marshal.  The only reason I can come up with for all of this; is that the Universe thinks it’s hilarious to screw with me.

UFO Flap

A ll I want are your best four or five guys to go to Louisiana, with my mom, to pick up my nieces and nephews, Aislinn repeated patiently for the tenth or eleventh time. 

You used your influence to get my passport blacklisted after Zeke and I didn’t find anything suitable in Vera Cruz.  I tried not to shout at her.  I was a little afraid to see her face if I shouted into it or maybe she’d just Taser the crap out of me like she does Malachi.

You were being unreasonable.  Aislinn responded with a shrug. 

Zeke and Anthony are unavailable, but I’m willing to send Sebastian and four or five others, if you want.  Zeke is in Mexico City, like I’m supposed to be, looking at property and Anthony has Kenzie to deal with, I told her.

Fine, Aislinn said, her voice very calm and cold.  She could be unnerving at times, and this was one of those times.  If the brother-in-law wants to come, bring him too.

Will do.  None of my guys are bad at their jobs, Ace. 

I know.  But I trust Zeke most.  Also, Nadine, I’m flattered you think I have the influence to deactivate your passport, but realistically, think about that.  Malachi could probably talk Peter West into doing it, but I couldn’t.  Plus, I have no intention of owing Malachi anything.

Your mom, I said.

My mom would have that kind of influence and those kinds of friends, but she wouldn’t do that to you, not even for me.  Ace’s face was impassive, totally unreadable.  But she had emphasized the word ‘my.’ 

My mom wouldn’t . . . I stopped.  My mom would do something like that, and she knew a lot of the same people Myrna Clachan knew. 

Crazy, huh?  Ace said and smiled.  Since the smile was not friendly, or even very nice, I knew it was genuine.  It took some serious getting used to.  As a PS, the SCTU is glad you’re expanding into Mexico.  We’re hoping you’ll deal with the serial killers in the tourist towns.

I really hate serial killers, I told her. 

We all do.  Ace nodded, then she took her keys out of her pocket and left me standing in my home office, staring after her.  Aislinn’s nephew was supposed to be moving to Missouri to attend college.  Unfortunately, during the interim month between the decision being made and Graham Grantchester moving, a serial killer showed up at their house.  His father was stabbed five times and Graham was stabbed once while fighting the killer off him.  After the incident, the news had reported that the Grantchesters of some tiny town in Louisiana that no one had ever heard of were related to Aislinn Cain.   The father had survived; most of the stabs were flesh wounds and it turned out he was a tough bugger, but he had been a missionary in some pretty scary places and this wasn’t the first time he’d been stabbed.  The day after he came home after spending three weeks in the hospital, a second serial killer had shown up at the Grantchesters’ and one had shown up at a Clachan residence in Columbia; one of Ace’s cousins or aunts or something.  I was fuzzy on those details because Ace hadn’t wanted to talk about it.

The Clachan clan not already housed in the Federal Guard Neighborhood was being taken into protective custody.  Unfortunately, while the Department of Justice was providing the kids with an escort to Missouri, they wouldn’t authorize one for Myrna to go to Louisiana, and both Myrna and Aislinn wanted Myrna there.  Aislinn had turned to me, but unfortunately, the two guys she wanted were unavailable. 

I picked up my phone to call Daniels’ Security.  I still owned the company, but I was no longer employed there. I drew a check, but that was it.  With all the death threats I was receiving, Zeke had decided it was too risky for me to continue to go into work every day.  I finally found home-based employment after months of searching for a hobby.  It killed time, but even better, I really enjoyed writing fiction, along with writing Ace’s memoires as if I were Dr. Watson and she were Sherlock Holmes.  My first fiction novel, Goddess Investigations, had sold well for an independently published author with no other books to her name.  My mom had bought paperback copies to ship to Russia. 

Hello, boss, Sebastian cooed into the phone.

I agreed to send you and four or five others to escort the Grantchesters to Missouri.  Pick a team, you all leave tomorrow.  You’ll pick up Myrna and head south.

That’s too many for one car, Sebastian said.

Which is why you should take three,  I replied.  Myrna is retired but she can still hold her own.  Teams of two in each car.  Last she heard; their father wasn’t sure he wanted to come with them.  DOJ is moving their stuff.  They’ve been told one suitcase each for the trip and something to occupy them.  Don’t let them con you into more.

Has anyone figured out why there’s a sudden interest in the Grantchesters and Clachans? Sebastian asked.

If they have, they haven’t told me.  I lied.  Myrna had sort of un-retired when she and Ace had been kidnapped by Ukrainian mobsters.  Her name had made the papers and some idiot reporter had done some digging and come up with the names of Myrna’s grandchildren in Louisiana. Since they were Ace’s nieces and nephews, they made good targets for those wanting to hurt Aislinn Cain and Myrna Clachan.

Okay, will Myrna be armed? Sebastian asked.

I imagine she will.  But you might bring some extras for her just in case Ace didn’t let her go through her arsenal in the panic room, I told him.

Gotcha, Sebastian said, and I hung up.

Since you’re sending my husband to babysit, you can help me, Alex said, walking into the room.

"Help you