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Mr. Williams placed a reassuring hand on his wife’s arm to calm her tirade. “We want our grandchildren to have a normal, happy life, as much as possible with their parents gone. Mathias had the makings to be a star athlete, like my son, but he dropped out of all his extracurricular activities to be able to take care of his sister because his aunt is not capable. He’s already been dealt an unfair hand. He shouldn’t have to give up everything he loves because of a situation the court forced on him.”

Tristin’s brows furrowed, forming a point at the bridge of his nose. “Let me see if I understand correctly. You believe your grandchildren’s legal guardian is unfit. Because the court found in her favor in the custody battle, you believe your only resource is to hire private security to protect them and investigators to find hard evidence to reverse the custody agreement. Is this correct?”

When the Williamses nodded in agreement, Tristin continued. “You realize we cannot provide protection without the guardian’s consent? She has to okay us being around your grandchildren.”

“We’re not asking you to be their bodyguards, per se,” Mr. Williams elaborated. “We were thinking more along the lines of round the clock surveillance. Make sure they get home from school all right, make sure no one tries to break into their house while they’re home alone. Make sure no one tries to kidnap them or hurt them until we’re able to bring them home to Georgia with us.”

Jay leaned forwarded. “How often are they left alone?”

The husband and wife exchanged a glance before she answered. “We found out the job she accepted here is a second shift position. She works twelve hour shifts from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. They are left alone several days a week all night long. No one is there to make them dinner or make sure they do their homework. This is not what my son had in mind for his children.”

Jay leaned forward, unable to stay silent any longer. “May I ask how old your grandchildren are?”

“Mathias is sixteen. He had just gotten his driver’s license before he was forced to move here,” Mrs. Williams responded, regarding her husband. “And his sister is…”

“Twelve or thirteen,” Mr. Williams supplied when his wife faltered. “I can’t remember for sure. She’s not as active as her brother. She always has her nose buried in a book and doesn’t really talk very much. She needs constant supervision because she’s always breaking things or trying to make things. She once set our kitchen on fire while she was visiting. She said she was trying an experiment and wanted to work while we were all asleep and the house was quiet. If I hadn’t gotten up for a glass of water, who knows what might have happened?”

Mrs. Williams covered her husband’s hand with hers and picked up the explanation. “She’s shy and…awkward. She’s very intelligent, but her social skills are lacking. Quite common for someone her age, you understand, but without a reliable female role model in her life, I’m concerned. She’s at a very delicate stage in her life.”

Jay shifted in his seat. “If your son was aware of the care his children needed, why would he agree to award guardianship to his sister-in-law?”

Mrs. Williams clenched her jaw until her lips were a thin line. She took a deep breath. “It wasn’t his idea. We’re the only family Dean had. His wife’s parents are in poor health and retired to Florida because the weather better suited their needs. That left Jennifer’s sister. When you’re young, you don’t expect your life to be cut so short. I’m sure Dean thought he’d live to see his children marry and have children of their own. I don’t believe he ever thought the children would need a guardian, and he agreed with Jennifer’s suggestion to keep the peace in his marriage. Jennifer could be very stubborn.”

Tristin crossed his arms over his chest. “Typically in custody disputes, when they involve older children, the judge gives the children a chance to say who they would like to live with.”

Mr. Williams nodded, but seemed reluctant to answer. “He did in this case as well.”

“You have to understand, the children are hurting, and they’ve always been close to their aunt. It’s easy for them to be charmed by someone like her, young and carefree without responsibilities or people to tell her what to do. With their state of grief, they were not in any position to make a long-term decision about their future. Someone needs to watch out for them, and it seems we’re the only ones prepared to do this.”

A look passed between Tristin, Brick and Jay. Tristin nodded to Brick. Since he was the lead person in talking with the Williams’, he needed to be the one to break the news. “Mr. and Mrs. Williams, we appreciate how much you care for your grandchildren, but I’m not sure how we can be of help to you. We can certainly do some basic surveillance, but we can’t actively protect Mathias and Marlowe without permission from their aunt. Otherwise it would be considered stalking and cause us a lot of legal hassle. Without having close enough contact to provide adequate protection and complete an investigation, I’m afraid you may be wasting your resources.”

“We have the resources to waste,” Mrs. Williams insisted. “We want them to be safe, but we aren’t in a position to watch over them ourselves.”

“I’m sorry, but Mr. Coffey is right. We don’t believe we can provide you with what you’re wanting, and we couldn’t take your money for a job we’re not able to do,” Tristin added.

As if a switch had been flipped, the couple went from concerned grandparents to angry customers upset they weren’t getting their way. Mr. Williams slammed his fist on the table and stood, his hardening as if made of granite. Mrs. Williams also stood, a fiery storm raging in her eyes. Bright spots of color stained her cheeks.

“You should know we have been in conversation with another company who has assured us they can provide exactly the services we’re asking for. We wanted to give you an opportunity because you came highly recommended, but we are not above taking our case and our money elsewhere.”

Mrs. Williams stood ramrod straight, so stiff that Jay wondered how her spine kept from snapping.

As if they’d practiced their reaction, Jay, Brick and Tristin stood in unison. Brick moved to open the door and motioned for someone in the hallway to come to the meeting room. Jay moved to stand on the other side of the couple to corral them toward the door once Tristin had his say.

“I can’t stop you from taking your business elsewhere. We will not be accepting your case, and I have to question the ethical work behavior of a company that would when their hands would be tied by what they could lawfully accomplish. I believe the two of you are still grieving the loss of your son, and I am truly sorry for your loss. I do not believe the right move is challenging their guardian’s custody when you could reasonably offer help. You could use your funds to pay for a nanny to stay with them while their aunt is working instead of using what you call your considerable resources to destroy her reputation. I’m sorry you wasted a trip here, but I believe it’s time for you to leave.”

“Young man, don’t you understand we have the means and the power to destroy your little company?” Mr. Williams fired back.

“You’re welcome to try, Mr. Williams, but I can assure you my resources and friends have more power than yours.”

Brick spoke up from the door, motioning toward the operative he flagged down in the hall. “This is Lex Bishop. He will escort you to the lobby.”

The couple stormed out and almost left Lex behind as they headed straight for the elevator. Brick closed the door behind them and turned to face his friends, his expression grave.

“So my gut wasn’t wrong.”

Tryst settled into the closest chair with a long-suffering sigh. “They seem to care a lot about their grandchildren to be lying through their teeth. Was I the only one who got the impression they didn’t like their daughter-in-law?”

“They never said her name when I first talked to them,” Brick said.