Page 23 of The Long Way Found

Students walked every which way across the quad. Two young men—undergraduates, probably—held hands. They were still gangly, with trendy shaggy hair, wearing down vests and carrying backpacks. Good for them, he thought, wondering briefly how that kind of freedom might’ve set him on a completely different path. It was almost too much to think about, so he shut it down.

He continued inside and heard someone call his name.

“Colonel Garrison! Jack, please come in, come in.”

Jack turned and saw Dean Richard Hallicks, who was not what Jack had expected. He was short and compact, maybe five feet eight, with a round face and wire-rimmed glasses that kept sliding down his nose. He wore khakis and a gray corduroy blazer, gesturing before they’d shaken hands.

“Coffee? Of course, you want coffee. I’ve had four cups already—the drink of life.”

Hallicks guided Jack to his office. Books covered every surface, topographical maps adorned the walls like posters, and Colorado trail guides were scattered across his desk, with a pile of folders that seemed semi-official.

Jack gestured to one of the maps. “You climb?”

Hallicks’ face brightened. "Forty-three down, fifteen to go," he said. He pushed his glasses up, pride evident, as he referred to the Colorado peaks that rose above 14,000 feet. "The fourteeners. My wife claims I’m obsessed, and she’s probably right."

Jack liked him immediately.

“You know how these mountains are here,” Hallicks continued, settling into his chair and gesturing for Jack to sit. “So much history—from the Utes to the miners… Sorry. I’ll stop myself before I bore you with a full lecture.”

“No apology necessary,” Jack said. “I’d forgotten how much I missed them.”

“They have a way of calling you back,” Hallicks said, pushing his glasses up again. “Your father and I go back twenty-some years. He was stationed here when I was still learning to run a department. Terrifying man, your father… But I learned more from him about leadership than from any seminar. Mutual respect between peers, he used to say. That’s the foundation.”

“He speaks highly of you,” Jack offered.

“Does he?" Hallicks said. He shuffled some papers, then looked up. “He also mentioned that the state party’s been courting you for a congressional run?”

Jack hadn’t expected that to come up so quickly. “He told you?”

“In confidence. But if we’re going to work together, I’d rather know where your head is,” Hallicks said, slightly leaning in. “Is it something you’re seriously considering?”

Jack looked out the window before answering. “I don’t know. That’s the honest answer," he said. "For twenty years in the Army, I always knew my mission. But then I retired, and suddenly everyone’s got a plan for me. Run for office. Join a think tank. Consult for defense contractors.”

Stay in Calder Ridge with Luke.

The thought came out of nowhere, startling Jack. Too much, too soon, and he quickly pushed it aside.

“I needed to stop and look around. To figure out what I want, not what’s expected.”

“That sounds wise,” Hallicks said, nodding. “Now, permit me to show you the campus. Then we’ll discuss the essentials.”

Hallicks moved and spoke with brisk energy as they passed through the historic administration building.

“You’ll find I’m a hands-off manager. I trust my people, especially those as experienced as you. I let them do their jobs, advocate for them when they need me, and otherwise stay the heck out of the way.”

They stopped at the student union, ordered coffee, and sat by the windows overlooking the quad.

“I’m not building a dynasty here, Jack. I’m running a university in a small town in Colorado. If you give us six solid months, we’re ahead. If you stay longer, even better. But I won’t guilt you either way.”

Jack hung on the word “guilt.” Would Luke try to guilt-trip him into anything? Would Jack guilt himself, seeking some kind of forgiveness for something he did long ago that, frankly, wasn’t exactly a capital crime?

Jack extended his hand to Hallicks and said, "Then I accept.”

“Excellent,” Hallicks replied, shaking hands firmly. “Welcome aboard, Colonel. Now, do you hike? If you’re going to be here for six months, I’m dragging you up Mount Elbert at some point. Colorado’s highest peak. The view from the summit will clear your mind of anything clouding it.”

Jack smiled.

“I’ll keep that in mind," he said.