None of my novels are sequels, but they all happen at the same approximate time and they are all based in Boston, although some involve extensive travelling to other locations. As such there are moment of overlap and occasionally interaction between the stories. The most dramatic example of this is found at the end of The Heritage Key and the start of Don’t Drift Off.
THE HERITAGE KEY – MATTHEW’S PERSPECTIVE
Matthew entered the foyer of his office tower in downtown Boston and made his way toward the elevators. He pressed the up button and waited anxiously for the doors to open. He was still on a bit of an adrenaline high from his meeting with Morgan and Zander, but he was also paranoid that they may have sent someone to follow him around and jump him as soon as they knew for sure he had the workshop key. So far his plan had more or less fallen into place, but the line between squeaking through and everything going horribly wrong was paper thin.
The elevator opened, he stepped inside and pressed the button for the 15th floor. The doors slowly closed but were interrupted by a hand sliding in between them at the last second. The doors opened wide once again and a young man in a suit entered the elevator.
“That was a close one,” the young man chuckled. “Um, can you press 24 for me, please? Thanks.”
Matthew pressed the button and waited impatiently for the doors to slowly slide closed again. Time was of the essence. The longer he was gone from Garda the more suspicious Morgan and Zander would become. Besides, he didn’t like being locked in a small confined space with someone who, for all he knew, was sent to take him out. Of course, this guy looked nothing like any of the thugs Morgan had employed, but it would make sense that in this case she would favor blending in over intimidating.
“Floor 15, huh?” the young man asked, noting the only other lighted button. “Who do you work for?”
“Um, Finch and Steele,” Matthew answered distractedly. “I’m a, um, an engineer.”
“Cool. I’m a lawyer,” the man cheerfully replied. “I work upstairs, in the law office… ‘cause that’s what lawyers do, work in law offices” he explained awkwardly in an unintentionally comical way.
“Uh-huh,” Matthew said, not really paying attention.
“My name’s Sam, by the way,” he said, extending his hand.
“Yeah, Matt. Nice to meet you.” Matthew said shaking the man’s hand which caused him to look at his companion for the first time. “You ride your bike to work today, Sam?”
“Yeah, how’d you know that?”
“You’ve got a bike helmet strapped to your briefcase handle and your right pant leg is still tucked into your sock.”
“Oh, yeah. I always forget that.” Sam gazed at Matthew for a minute which was more than long enough to make him nervous. “Hey, man, are you okay? You seem, you know, wound pretty tight.”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Matthew replied trying as hard as he could to sound calm. “I’ve got a huge deal I’m trying to close today. That’s all.”
“Man! I know what that’s like. Believe me!” Sam smiled reassuringly. “Hey, mind if I give you a little advice? I know sometimes these things can feel like they’re life and death, right? But in the long run, a lot of stuff isn’t nearly as important as we think it is. Just remember, even if your deal doesn’t go well, it’s not the end of the world.”
“Almost any other day I’d agree with you, Sam,” Matthew grinned just as the elevator door opened to the fifteenth floor and he sprinted out.
“Alright, catch you later, Matt. Good luck,” Sam called out as the elevator doors slid closed in front of him.
Matthew sped to his desk and started to rummage around the stacks of paper that had accumulated in his absence. The longer he looked the more frustrated he got. He began rifling through his drawers as well, searching frantically.
DON’T DRIFT OFF – SAM’S PERSPECTIVE
Sam turned the corner, entering a long, vaulted corridor, and saw the doors on one elevator sliding closed. A quick glance at the light above the doors showed the elevator was on its way up, so he sprinted down the hall, hoping to catch it in time. His bike helmet banged against his briefcase as he ran. At the last second, Sam stretched out his arm and slid his hand in between the closing doors. Sensing the pressure point, the door retracted, and he stepped into the elevator.
“That was a close one.” Sam laughed. “Um, can you press 24 for me, please? Thanks.”
Sam hated the awkward silences elevators were notorious for. He was a friendly guy by nature and could almost always find something to chat about with whomever he might meet. The other passenger in the elevator, a young man roughly the same age as Sam, shifted back and forth.
“Floor 15, huh? Who do you work for?” Sam’s law firm owned the building, but several of the lower floors were leased out to other companies.
“Um, Finch and Steele.” The young man was nervous and distracted. “I’m a, um, an engineer.”
“Cool. I’m a lawyer,” Sam cheerfully replied. “I work upstairs, in the law office… ‘cause that’s what lawyers do, work in law offices.”
“Uh-huh.”
“My name’s Sam, by the way,” he said, extending his hand.
“Yeah, Matt. Nice to meet you. You ride your bike to work today, Sam?”
“Yeah, how’d you know that?”
“You’ve got a bike helmet strapped to your briefcase handle and your right pant leg is still tucked into your sock.”
“Oh, yeah. I always forget that.” Sam leaned down and gave his pant leg a firm tug, releasing it from the grip of his sock.
Matt gazed at the display above the door as it ticked up floor by floor. His expression screamed that the elevator could not rise fast enough for his liking. He looked anxious about something, which was likely none of Sam’s business. In which case, you should probably just keep your mouth shut, Sam thought. “Hey, man, are you okay? You seem, you know, wound pretty tight.”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Matt didn’t sound terribly convincing. “I’ve got a huge deal I’m trying to close today. That’s all.”
“Man, I know what that’s like, believe me. Hey, mind if I give you a little advice?” Sam asked, but didn’t wait for a reply. “I know sometimes these things can feel like they’re life and death, right? But in the long run, a lot of stuff isn’t nearly as important as we think it is. Just remember, even if your deal doesn’t go well, it’s not the end of the world.”
“Almost any other day, I’d agree with you, Sam.” The young man grinned just as the elevator door opened to the fifteenth floor and he stepped out.
“Alright, catch you later, Matt. Good luck,” Sam called out as the doors slid closed once again. “That guy’s gotta learn to go with the flow,” he announced to the now empty elevator.
A few minutes later, he arrived on the 24th floor, which was already abuzz with activity. He walked past the reception desk toward his office.