a last-minute equipment glitch would be distracting. He wanted nothing on his mind after tonight but the big event.
Buzz dropped his lunch pail on the counter in the kitchen, continued to his bedroom, and pulled out his list. One by one, he laid the items on the bed, ending with the black hood that had seen its share of marches and demonstrations.
But never had it been as critical as it would be this weekend.
He gave the clothing and equipment one final survey. Double-checked it against his list. Nodded. Come Saturday, he’d be ready to roll.
Now he could relax for the evening. Eat dinner, take a shower, read.
And while his high school acquaintances were wasting their weekend with babes and booze, he’d be making an important contribution to the cause. One he’d never get credit for—but that was okay. The hood would keep him out of jail so he could continue the good fight.
Besides, this wasn’t about one man’s glory. It was about securing power for everyone.
He strolled toward the kitchen, a hum of excitement thrumming through his veins. One person would know what he’d done, though—and if he pulled this off, more responsibilities would come his way. More chances to contribute on a large scale. All he had to do was show up, stay cool, and wait for the perfect moment.
Ten seconds later, in the chaos that followed, he’d disappear into the crowd.
And there would be one less voice proclaiming the greatness of America’s corrupt social, economic, and political system.
“Thanks for being such a trouper all week.” Eve glanced at Brent as he swung the car onto her cul-de-sac. “Getting up at the crack of dawn isn’t for the fainthearted.”
“It wasn’t an issue. I’ve put in a fair number of odd hours during my career.” He slowed as he approached her driveway. “Now that Friday’s here, let’s talk about the weekend.”
Drat.
She’d been hoping he wouldn’t ask about her plans. Her Saturday schedule wasn’t going to thrill him—and she was done imposing on him for bodyguard duty. But there was no avoiding his question.
“I’m giving a speech tomorrow.”
He frowned. “Why didn’t I know about this until now?”
“Because it’s no big deal. Everything’s been normal all week. Whoever left that last note must have decided not to take any further action—and as you told me yourself, Steve won’t try anything else or his lawyer will have a fit. I feel perfectly safe.”
A bit of a stretch . . . but she wasn’t going to walk around in fear either. She had a life to live—and commitments to keep.
“Tell me about the speech. Who, what, when, where, why.” He pulled into her driveway and set the brake.
“Wow. You got very official on me all of a sudden.” She grinned and nudged him with her elbow.
He didn’t smile back. “Just give me the details.”
“Fine.” In staccato fashion, she rattled off the particulars about the Young Republicans event and her keynote address.
A muscle clenched in Brent’s jaw, and he closed his eyes. “That is not what I wanted to hear.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
He looked at her. “Did you know there could be an Antifa presence at that gathering?”
“Yes. The president of the group called to tell me he’d been alerted to that possibility. I wasn’t thrilled, but he said they were beefing up security. They’re even sending a car for me. They’ll whisk me in, I’ll do my thing, they’ll whisk me out. Piece of cake. Otherwise I would have called Phoenix.”
Brent’s taut features said he wasn’t buying her assurance—and his next comment told her why. “County is gearing up for trouble.”
Despite a sudden kink in her stomach, she did her best to maintain a placid expression. “What kind of trouble?”
“We don’t know. But that’s a volatile, unpredictable group. There will be a large law enforcement presence.”
“As a precaution, right? There haven’t been real threats of disruption, have there?”
“Antifa doesn’t always tip its hand. FBI intel suggests quite a few of the groups aligned with the movement have encouraged members from our region to attend. It’s being touted on their websites and message boards. What will happen after they all convene is anyone’s guess.” The twin furrows on his brow deepened. “Have you ever had any direct contact through your show or on your blog with anyone who’s identified themselves as a member?”
“No—but many of my critics could fall into that camp. I stand for everything they abhor. Left to their own devices, they’d abolish the government and Constitution, which they believe are inherently racist.