The Last Target (6 page)

J
ack had to admit that he kind of liked the feeling of Rachel’s fingers intertwined with his own. And he’d be amiss if he didn’t take some delight in the way she blushed at the mere hint that they were a couple. Something about being side by side with her, strolling through the zoo and keeping an eye on Aidan just felt right.

She’d made it clear that she never wanted to be with someone with his job description, though. So he didn’t know why he was enjoying himself so much, especially when he knew they could never be together. Even if Rachel didn’t have the convictions that she did, Jack knew there was no place in his life for a relationship. So why was it so tempting to toy with the thought whenever Rachel was around?

He looked across the way as Aidan squealed with delight at the prairie dog exhibit. “He really loves animals, doesn’t he?”

“Animals and superheroes.” Rachel smiled. “He’s all boy. I’m always a little nervous that I’m not going to be able to help develop those boyish qualities in him. I can’t exactly teach him to play baseball or how to be tough or to think like a man.”

“Your uncle doesn’t ever come down?”

“Not very often. Busy with his job, you know.”

“I do know about busy jobs.”

Silence fell for a moment. Rachel cleared her throat. “Any news on George Anderson?”

“We have witnesses that place him at work at the time the shooting in the park occurred. But that doesn’t mean he’s not involved. We’re still investigating him.”

“How about Nancy? Do they have any idea who shot her? How’s her family doing? Have all of my board members been contacted?”

“Whoa. One question at a time. The FBI is handling Nancy’s death, and, last I heard, they don’t have any leads. I’m not sure how her family is doing. I had Luke contact everyone on the board and inform them that you’ve been taken somewhere safe after your office exploded. They all seemed to understand, especially given the circumstances. We also warned them all to be careful.”

“What about the backup of my computer files? Were you able to access them?”

“There’s someone at the office working on that now. Right now, the apparent connection of the people on this hit list is Operation 26 Letters, though we don’t know why.”

The group began to walk toward the Africa exhibit where Aidan would get his award. Jack scanned the crowds, just as he’d done every five minutes since they’ve been at the zoo. Everything appeared peaceful, like a normal day at the Virginia Zoo. But the most peaceful moments could be deceptive.

“You look worried,” Rachel whispered.

“Not worried. Just alert.”

The teacher looked back at them, and Jack pulled Rachel closer.

“Is that really necessary?” Rachel’s voice held an edge of agitation.

Was it necessary? A good question, but why miss an opportunity? “Look happy, so no one gets suspicious,” Jack said.

A smile crossed her features. Jack could tell she tried to
soften the tight lines at her lips, but it didn’t work. Her smile looked forced. And he was pretty sure she was blushing again.

“Ms. Reynolds?”

Rachel’s head swung toward the voice. Jack looked up and saw a woman with a cameraman trailing her. She thrust a microphone in Rachel’s face. Rachel raised a hand to shield herself from the lens just as Jack stepped between them.

“I’m Vanessa Rodgers with Channel 8. We’d agreed to do a Top Kid of the Week special on your son, Aidan, and his award here at the zoo today.”

Rachel’s shoulders sagged and she frowned. “I’d totally forgotten. Listen, I’m sorry to do this to you, but it’s not a good time. Some things have happened since then and—”

“By ‘some things,’ do you mean the bombing of the building housing your nonprofit, Operation 26 Letters?”

“This is not the time or place,” Rachel muttered.

“Does the FBI have any leads as to who was behind the bombing?”

“No comment,” Jack said. He kept Rachel moving but the reporter stayed on them.

“Is it true that it was an anti-military group behind the attack?”

“No comment,” Jack repeated. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave, ma’am. This isn’t the time or place to ask those questions.”

“Can we set up a time somewhere else then?”

“Please, just leave,” Rachel said.

Jack heard the strain in her voice.

“Is everything okay?” Patricia appeared with a worried expression on her face.

Rachel nodded. “I’d forgotten that the media was coming to this event. I’m sorry, Patricia, but this just isn’t a good time, not with the bombing at my office.”

Jack motioned to two of his men. They stepped forward and distracted the reporter while Jack led Rachel away. It was too late to pretend nothing had happened, though. Crowds of onlookers stared at them, including all of the children in Aidan’s class.

Jack placed his hand on Rachel’s back. “It’s going to be okay. You did just fine.”

“I can’t believe I forgot about that. How could I have forgotten?”

“You’ve had a lot of other things on your mind, to say the least.”

“And now everyone is staring.” She rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes.

“They’ll start minding their own business soon.” His gaze scanned the crowd again for anyone suspicious. With everyone staring at them, everyone seemed suspicious.

His job just got exponentially harder.

Though Rachel was immensely proud of Aidan for his fundraising efforts, she was counting down the minutes until they could leave. Her cheeks still felt flushed from her earlier encounter with that reporter, and she self-consciously kept brushing her forehead when she noticed the looks the other parents gave her.

She’d contacted the media herself about Aidan’s award. She was a former public relations spokesperson, so she had contacts within the media. She’d hoped to gain attention for the zoo and its projects. As a nonprofit director, she knew all about how important funding was for such groups.

Of course, the reporter had seemed more interested in the bombing of her nonprofit than Aidan getting his award. She frowned. Go figure.

She remembered Jack’s admonition that if the media reported on the list, the terrorists would simply get the public
ity they desire and spark the fear in people that they longed for. She wouldn’t let that happen. That was one battle they wouldn’t win, if she had anything to do with it.

But if she thought everyone believed her excuse that she just needed to get away, she was delusional. Patricia continually gave her fleeting looks, and a wrinkle of concern seemed permanently pressed between her eyes.

“Don’t look so worried,” Jack whispered.

Just the feel of his breath on her ear made her muscles tighten again. Why was she letting the man have this effect on her? Was she a teenager, inexperienced with the opposite sex? Hardly. But that’s what she felt like.

“Mommy! Mommy! Look!” Aidan ran over and thrust his plaque into her hands.

“Congratulations, honey. I know you worked hard to earn this. I’m so proud of you.”

“I get to go feed the giraffes now!”

Rachel tried to smile as he skipped away to join the zoo-keeper. She looked around, waiting to see someone out of the ordinary appear. She waited to hear gunshots, to feel a panicked frenzy spread throughout the crowd. Instead she heard children laughing, a lion roaring, a custodian pass with a squeaky cart.

From below, she saw Aidan holding a handful of hay. She held her breath, anxious for him to be beside her again. From across the deck, she spotted Luke dressed in casual clothes. A woman stood beside him and together they pointed at the animals and she pulled up a camera to snap a picture. If Rachel hadn’t known who he was, she would have never guessed he was an Eyes agent.

Finally, Aidan joined her back on the viewing platform and they began the last leg of their field trip to the zoo.

Lord, You’ve gotten us this far. Is it too much to ask for a few more minutes?

With relief, they approached the exit. Her heartbeat finally slowed as they stepped outside the gates. Jack still kept up his façade as they left by holding her hand as they walked through the parking lot. At least, Rachel justified, she did feel safe with Jack so close. Physically, at least. Her heart was a different story. Her heart fluttered with betrayal every chance it got.

Jack lifted his collar and spoke into the wire there. Suddenly, his grip on her hand tightened. She looked up and saw his gaze darting around the parking lot. Every sense seemed to be on alert.

“What’s going on?” Rachel whispered, throat tightening. She pulled Aidan closer.

“Come on. We’ve got to go.” Jack’s gentle tug on her hands became an urgent pull. In two heartbeats, he grabbed Aidan and whisked them across the parking lot. He pushed them into the SUV just as a man threw himself against the windshield and began banging on it frantically.

Rachel sucked in a breath.

It was George Anderson.

“S
tay down!” Jack barked.

Rachel didn’t have to be told. She hugged Aidan, trying to shield him from the chaos around them.

George beat against the windshield. “Rachel! Rachel!”

Rachel tried to block out George’s voice, the desperation she heard there. Had he been behind the attacks this whole time? Had he tried to kill her?

Yells sounded outside the window as Denton and Luke grabbed George off of the SUV. George flailed, slugging Luke in the mouth. Finally, Denton caught him in a choker hold, while Luke came to his senses and cuffed him.

Rachel closed her eyes and hugged Aidan even tighter. Was this it? Would George be arrested and this nightmare finally end?

“Stay put,” Jack ordered, his hand on the door handle.

What choice did they have? She had no desire to go anywhere near George.

Jack climbed from the SUV and approached George. Rachel strained to make out their conversation but couldn’t.

“Who was that man, Mommy? Was it Mr. George?”

Rachel’s throat burned. “Yes, honey. It was.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“I have no idea. Maybe Mr. Jack can tell us, though.”

“Because Mr. Jack is a superhero?”

She ruffled her son’s hair. “He’s not really a superhero, sweetie. You know that, don’t you?”

“I like him, Mommy.”

She rested her chin atop his head. “I’m glad, honey.” Why did hearing Aidan say that cause her heart to do strange things? Aidan was becoming attached to Jack. She could tell by the light in Aidan’s eyes when he looked at Jack. Soon, hopefully, they’d be safe, and Jack would be out of their lives. Rachel had a feeling, though, that it would be a crushing blow to her son when that happened.

Jack knocked at the window and Rachel cracked the door open. No sooner had it opened when she heard George in the background. “Are you okay, Rachel? Are you hurt?”

Rachel looked at Jack, confused, desperate for answers.

Jack stepped closer to her. “He claims you were abducted.”

Rachel tilted her head. “What?”

“He claims you were abducted and he was trying to save you.”

“You mean, he’s not working for Apaka?”

“Luke and Denton are taking him down to the FBI office for questioning, but he’s claiming to be on our side.”

“I see.”

“And he wants to talk to you.”

Rachel just wanted to go back to headquarters and hide in her room. On the other hand, maybe she needed to hear George out, find out what he’d been thinking. Finally, she nodded. “Okay. I’ll talk to him.”

A moment later, Denton brought a handcuffed George to the SUV. He shoved him into the front seat. “We patted him down. He’s got nothing on him,” Denton told Jack.

George—thirty-something, short and wiry with a shaved head that hid a receding hairline—turned toward the backseat.
Sweat covered his brow, and his gaze looked almost frantic. “Rachel, are you okay?”

“Am I okay? I’m fine. What are you doing, George? How did you know I was here? What were you planning to do?”

“Rachel, you disappeared. Your office was blown up. I knew something was wrong.”

“How’d you know I was at the zoo today?”

“You told me that you’d be here today the last time I talked to you. I decided to see if you would show up. What’s going on? Who are these goons?”

“They’re not goons, George. They’re protecting me.”

“What’s going on, Rachel? I know something’s not right. I just want to help.”

Rachel glanced over at Jack, and his look made it clear that he was leaving the decision what to share up to her. She drew in a deep breath and prayed that God would help her to find the right words. “I can’t discuss it right now, George. But some very dangerous people want me dead. Those people are being tracked down right now.”

“I want to help.”

“You can help by just letting people believe that I’m okay. We don’t want the media to catch wind of this. We just want the people behind these attacks to be captured before they can do any more harm.”

His gaze fell on Jack. “Don’t I know you? Afghanistan, right?”

Jack looked out the window at Denton. “Get him out of here. We’ve caused enough of a scene already. We need to get Rachel and Aidan to safety.”

“Rachel—”

“We’ve got to go, George. I do appreciate the fact that you were looking out for me. Thank you for that.”

“But—”

Before George could say anything else, Denton pulled him out of the SUV and slammed the door.

Rachel lay in bed, reviewing the events from the day. How could she not? She’d felt so much relief, followed by adrenaline rushes, then confusion and more paranoia.

Who would have thought that George Anderson of all people would have shown up at the zoo? That he would have remembered that she mentioned going there today for Aidan to receive his award?

Rachel thought he had good intentions—although Jack hadn’t been so sure. George had always tried to keep an eye on her since Andrew died. Jack thought it was way too suspicious that George had shown up today. He’d been quiet for most of the ride home, looking even more tense than usual, if that were possible.

She remembered the look that George had given Jack before he was ushered out of the SUV. George thought he knew Jack from Afghanistan, and Rachel thought Jack looked familiar. Rachel still felt certain that Jack knew more about Andrew than he let on. Why wouldn’t he tell her? It didn’t make sense.

Rachel had a feeling that there was a lot about Jack Sergeant that she didn’t know. Would she ever know? He wasn’t the type to easily open up. He was probably the type of man who didn’t like to open up—the exact type who was terrible in a relationship.

Then why did she find herself picturing what it would be like to have a future with Jack? Was it because her emotions had gotten the best of her today? When Jack had held her hand, when he’d stood close, put his arm around her waist, it had stirred up something inside her.

No, she chided herself. She was being foolish. Even if Jack were the type she was interested in, there was still the issue
of his job. She didn’t want to lose two husbands before she reached thirty. Then there was the small issue of his emotional closure. She couldn’t even dream of a relationship with someone who wasn’t willing to share his life with her. She’d only end up unhappy and miserable. Besides, exactly what had happened with his ex-wife? He’d said he screwed up. What did that mean?

She shook her head. She shouldn’t even be thinking such thoughts. Instead, she listened for a moment to Aidan sleep, at the even sound of his breathing. Despite everything that had happened today, she was glad they’d gone to the zoo. Glad he’d gotten the award he’d worked so hard to achieve.

A sound perked her ears. She sat up in bed. Was that her door leading to the hallway clicking open?

She watched the light underneath her door, which was already faint at best, waiting to see if a shadow might pass by.

She held her breath, hardly wanting to breathe lest the sound interrupt her careful listening. She waited for a footfall, a creak, the turning of the doorknob.

Why would someone be in her room here at Eyes? That wouldn’t make sense. She was safe here. Jack had promised her.

She remembered her purse, the feeling that someone had gone through it. Could the terrorists have breached security here? It was possible. Jack himself had said these men were brilliant, not simply cave-hoppers without a plan. They had resources, he’d said. Money. They could look like any of the men who worked here. That’s what she feared the most. How they might blend in.

Her heart began racing, the rhythm pounding in her ears.

Her eyes remained on the bottom of the door.

Nothing.

She shook her head. She was just imagining things. She had to be.

Her shoulders sagged for a moment as she realized her foolishness.

Until a shadow passed beneath the door.

Someone was in the living room, she realized.