The Last Target (9 page)

J
ack awoke early the next morning and went to the kitchen to cook breakfast. He’d tossed and turned most of the night. Though he knew Luke and Denton were keeping their eyes on the place, there was something unsettling about being here.

Maybe it was simply his close proximity to Rachel?

He’d wanted to go after her last night when she’d fled from the balcony. He’d wanted to explain his words, his actions. But instead he’d remained tethered where he was by some unseen weight from his past.

He’d only intended to go to the balcony and check on Rachel. But then he’d seen the tears rolling down her cheeks. The sight had done something strange to his heart. Pulling her into his arms had only seemed natural.

Answers were eluding them, and it was obviously starting to get to Rachel. He couldn’t blame her. He’d seen her heart break when she spotted Aidan in Olivia’s car. How could it not? Apaka was getting to people, turning innocents into their workhorses. Jack didn’t like it one bit.

Luke trotted downstairs, already looking fresh and energized. He grabbed a mug from the cabinet. “Just want to grab some coffee.”

“How’s the surveillance going?”

“Haven’t seen another car pass by since we got here.”

Jack nodded and poured some coffee into Luke’s mug. “Good. That’s what I want to hear.”

Luke surveyed the kitchen. “You making breakfast for us?”

Jack raised an eyebrow and flipped another pancake. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d actually cooked breakfast instead of simply eating cereal. “I’m trying to keep everyone occupied and their thoughts off of the events at hand.”

“Denton’s about to take over a new shift so I can get some shuteye. I have to say that I feel good about being here. Maybe we’re finally a step ahead of Apaka.”

“I’m not so sure.”

Luke paused, his coffee mug halfway to his lips. “Why would you say that?”

“They’ve always been a step ahead of us. The only way that’s possible is if there’s an inside man. I need you to look into that for me. Find out if there’s anyone suspicious at Eyes. I know we do extensive background checks on anyone before we hire them, but I need to know if anyone is hiding something.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I need it done ASAP.”

“I’m on it.” Luke grabbed his coffee and stepped back toward the dining room where all of their computers had been set up.

As Jack continued to flip pancakes and keep an eye on the bacon, his thoughts wandered to Rachel and Aidan again. Aidan was just like Andrew in so many ways. Jack’s thoughts went back to Afghanistan when he first befriended Andrew. In the beginning, he’d only struck up a friendship because of his assignment. Eventually, it had grown into the real deal, though.

He remembered being in the barracks when Andrew pulled out some letters from his pocket and began reading
them aloud. Rachel’s words had been eloquent. They’d given Andrew hope in his final days.

Jack had known when he listened to Andrew read those letters that Rachel was special. Someone who could express herself so beautifully and bring so much hope to others had to be special. He considered Andrew one lucky guy.

But Andrew had something dark about him, also, something he was hiding. Had Rachel suspected that? Did she know anything was wrong? And could Jack be the one to break it to her?

They’d had very few conversations about Andrew. Jack feared that she might ask too many questions, questions he didn’t want to answer. But the time was drawing near when he was going to have to. He’d have to own up to his role in her husband’s death. Once he shared those things, Rachel would never welcome his embrace again. Even acting like they were a couple to protect her would be out of the question.

His heart fell at the thought.

Why did it have to be Rachel? Why did she have to be Andrew’s wife? Why did her life have to be in danger right now?

He sighed. He could put some distance between himself and Rachel while at headquarters. In this house, and with so few men here, it would be impossible.

Just as Jack flipped the last pancake, he looked up and spotted Rachel and Aidan in the doorway. “Morning,” he muttered.

Aidan sucked in a gasp of air. “Are you making pancakes, Mr. Jack?”

Jack couldn’t help but grin. “I sure am. Do you like pancakes?”

“Almost as much as I like macaroni and cheese!”

Aidan scrambled from his mother’s arms and promptly sat at the table and grabbed his fork. Jack dared to glance up
at Rachel as he approached with their breakfast. He wasn’t sure what she was thinking about him. From the way she was avoiding his gaze, she wasn’t feeling too friendly.

That was okay. He just had to keep her safe. That’s what he told himself, at least.

They kept the conversation superficial while they ate—mostly centered on Aidan. When they finished, Rachel sent Aidan to watch some cartoons so she could cleanup the kitchen. Jack stayed around to help. Silence fell between them as Rachel washed and he dried. He glanced around the enormous kitchen for a minute, trying to think of something to talk about that didn’t involve terrorists, Andrew or the hit list.

“So, your uncle really makes this much money working for the Department of Defense?”

Rachel shrugged and handed him a plate. “My impression has always been that Uncle Arnold comes from old money. Although, I do think he makes a decent living doing his job. He’s always been one of my biggest supporters over at Operation 26 Letters.”

“How did he become friends with your family?”

“He and my father went to college together at Yale. They remained close ever after.”

“I see.”

She stopped and looked at him. “You don’t have to pretend, Jack.”

“What do you mean?”

“You don’t have to make small talk or pretend to be interested in my life. It’s okay.”

“Who said I was pretending?”

Rachel shook her head. “Jack, I’ve appreciated your support. Not only have you been my guardian, but by default you’ve also been a confidante. I apologize for that. I shouldn’t
have ever put you in that position. So from here on out, don’t feel obligated.”

“But Rachel—”

“Really, it’s okay, Jack. Just do your job. That’s all anyone expects from you.”

And before he could say anything else, she walked away.

Rachel and Aidan spent the rest of the day playing games, watching videos and trying to keep themselves occupied in whatever way possible. Jack hovered nearby, keeping one eye on the TV monitors that showed the perimeter of the house. Rachel decided she was glad she’d taken a moment to speak point-blank to Jack. She had to protect her emotions, and it was too hard to do that with Jack so close. So she’d keep her distance.

Halfway through a puzzle, Rachel heard Jack’s cell phone ring. She watched curiously as he pulled the phone from his belt and stepped into the kitchen. As always, she tried to interpret his grunts and other noncommittal expressions, but failed. He snapped the phone shut as he stepped back into the room. He went back to viewing the video feed without making eye contact.

Her shoulders sagged. “What is it? Did something else happen?”

Jack glanced over at her. “It was just an update on Meredith.”

Rachel straightened, suddenly anxious to answers. “What about her?”

“She is the one the money was being sent to.”

Rachel’s heart fell. Why would Andrew send her money? Did they have a child together? Were they married at one time? It just didn’t make sense…

“We’re trying to arrange a meeting.”

Rachel leaned toward Jack. “I want to be there.”

“We really need to keep your location quiet. The more you leave this house, the higher the chance that Apaka will discover where you are.”

“I want to meet her, Jack. I want to look in her eyes.”

“You could be looking in the eyes of a terrorist.”

“Or I could be looking in the eyes of someone who my husband cheated on me with.”

“It won’t do you any good to be there for either. What would it solve?”

“You can see the truth in a person’s eyes.”

“I’m sorry, Rachel. I’m going alone. I’m not going to walk you into what could potentially be a trap.”

Rachel’s heart sank. Not only was a terrorist organization trying to kill her, but answers that she’d longed to obtain for years were within her reach, yet Jack blocked her from getting them.

“Would you mind sitting with Aidan for a moment?” she asked. “I just need some time by myself to collect my thoughts right now.”

“Of course.” He nodded. His steady gaze on her made her cheeks burn, however. She really wished he didn’t have that affect on her. “Stay inside, please. And away from any windows. Just to be safe, of course.”

She nodded and fled upstairs to her room. She walked to her bed, rationalizing that her lack of sleep the night before was doing funny things to her emotions. She stopped at the edge of her bed and stared at it a moment. There was a wrinkle in the covers, as if someone had sat down there.

Had she sat down there to put her shoes on that morning? She shook her head. No, she’d sat in the chair over in the corner. She’d always been picky about keeping a clean house, and especially about making a bed with crisp, taut sheets. She
clearly remembered pulling the wrinkles out this morning, using her hand to whisk away any bumps.

Had someone been sitting on her bed? But who? And why?

The next day, Jack left early in the morning to drive up to Washington, D.C., and visit Meredith. His thoughts turned over in his head as he replayed his conversation with Rachel. She’d made it clear that she wanted to keep her distance.

Of course, she probably thought that Jack had made it clear that he wanted to keep his distance.

He’d never intended to hurt her. Perhaps they had gotten too close. What guy in his right mind wouldn’t dream, at least for a minute, about dating a woman like Rachel Reynolds? She was beautiful, kind, smart. She loved God. So maybe he’d gotten carried away. But Rachel was right. They should just keep things professional.

Why did that thought cause his heart to thud with sadness then?

He sighed and brushed off the thoughts as he approached the metro area. His GPS informed him that he was getting closer to Meredith’s house. He’d kept an eye on the road behind him for the entire trip here and hadn’t seen anything suspicious.

Denton stayed back at the house with Rachel and Aidan, and Jack felt certain they were safe with him for the time being. Meanwhile, Luke was back at headquarters, now trying to figure out who the mole was. Jack felt sure there was a mole; he rationalized this to himself as he exited off Interstate 95. Whoever it was had done a great job concealing their divided loyalties. Jack hadn’t suspected a thing until the past week or so, and Jack usually considered himself an excellent judge of character.

A few turns later, Jack pulled into a blue-collar neighborhood.
He checked the address again. This was where Meredith O’Connor lived.

As he stepped from the SUV, he glanced around, looking for signs of anything suspicious. Unfortunately, in this area of town, almost everyone looked suspicious. He got a few strange looks of his own.

He could feel his holster around his shoulders and the gun waiting there. He hoped he didn’t have to use it. He hoped that Meredith O’Connor didn’t have any association with Apaka.

Jack walked up to a wood-sided house and knocked at the door. A moment later, the door cracked open and a woman in her mid-twenties opened the door. She was tall and thin with long, dark hair that stretched nearly to her waist. She didn’t smile when she spotted him, and her eyes contained somewhat of a cool assessment.

“Jack Sergeant.”

He nodded crisply. “Meredith. Thanks for agreeing to meet with me.”

She opened the door wider. Her eyes skittered from side to side as he stepped inside, as if she were waiting for something—or someone—to appear. Jack’s guard went up.

The door creaked shut and Jack did a quick assessment of her home. Neat, orderly, slightly folksy. Nothing that would set off any alarms in his head.

Meredith led him to an old couch in the living room. He sat on the edge and waited as she pulled a dining room table chair across from him. She didn’t even attempt to smile or offer any warmth.

She drew in a deep breath. “You wanted to meet with me about Andrew.”

“We’re doing an investigation and exploring his possible connection to a case we’re involved with. We came across
some letters from you to Andrew, and we’re wondering about your relationship with him.”

She sighed and looked at her neat, unpolished fingernails. “I was afraid this day might come. I prayed that it wouldn’t, however.”

“What was your relationship with Andrew Reynolds?”

She looked up and for the first time, Jack saw some sadness in her eyes. “My family all worked with an aid organization over in Afghanistan. That’s how we met Andrew. He stopped by sometimes and always tried to keep an eye on us, to make sure we were safe.”

“I know that Andrew sent you money before he died, Meredith. I’m trying to figure out why.”

Meredith looked down at the fingers twisting in her lap. “He did send us money. But it’s not what you think.”

“Why don’t you explain then?”

“Things were very tight.”

“So he was sending money to help support the organization?”

She glanced up and Jack saw the hesitation on her features. “Yes. But there’s more to the story than that.”

“Go on.”

She looked up at him, and Jack could see the strain in her eyes. “You have to understand something, Mr. Sergeant. Andrew sent us money to help support us only because he killed my father.”

R
achel had been pacing for the entire morning. She tried to keep herself occupied by playing with Aidan and even doing some cooking, but her mind couldn’t stop imagining what kind of conversations Jack might be having right now.

She glanced back at Aidan, who sat at the kitchen table coloring in some new books that Denton had given him this morning. Denton sat in Jack’s normal place, watching all of the security video feeds in the dining room. He was pleasant enough—a little warmer and more laid-back than Jack—but he wasn’t Jack.

She missed the lighthearted companionship she and Jack had shared. It disappeared since that awkward night—had it only been two nights ago?—when Jack had comforted her and some unseen line had been crossed. That night when he’d admitted that she was just a job to him and she felt foolish for ever dreaming it could be anything more. She felt guilty for even thinking of herself when her son’s life could be in danger. It was better that she stay focused. If she needed to express some of her fears, next time she’d simply write in a journal instead of talking to Jack.

“You doing okay, Ms. Reynolds?” Denton stretched in the doorway, a customary toothpick in his mouth. “You seem a little nervous.”

“Just anxious to learn what Jack finds out today.”

“He should be back any time now.”

Rachel leaned against the doorway. “How long have you worked for Jack?”

“Three years. We were SEALs together, so we’ve known each other for longer.”

“Is it hard for him to go from being your equal to being your boss?”

“I couldn’t ask for a better leader. He’s one in a million. Would give his life for a brother.”

Rachel felt her cheeks warm but didn’t understand why. She’d sensed after only knowing Jack a day that he was loyal and kind. She’d always felt safe with him. Denton’s pronouncement shouldn’t have any affect on her, she chided.

“What about Luke? When did he come on?” She simply needed to keep talking, to keep her mind occupied.

“About the same time I did.”

“Where has Luke been? I haven’t seen him around today.”

Denton glanced back at her. “Jack sent him back to Eyes.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure of the details, Ms. Reynolds.”

Rachel nodded but knew there was more to the story. If Jack sent someone back to Eyes and back to the possibility of being tracked down on their way to or from their safe house, there had to be a good reason for it. What was Luke doing back at headquarters?

She heard a vehicle rumbling down the gravel driveway. She ran to the window and saw Jack’s SUV coming up the lane. She forced herself to stay in the living room and to not run out and greet him as every instinct seemed to scream.

Finally, Jack stepped through the door from the garage. Rachel waited in the living room, her stomach doing flip-flops. As much as she tried to prepare herself for whatever news he might have, she wasn’t sure that was even possible.

She tried to read Jack’s expression as he stood in the
doorway but couldn’t. He nodded toward the kitchen table. Aidan still colored and occupied himself, so Rachel slipped away.

It felt like a weight pressed down on her chest as she sat across from Jack. Would her fears be confirmed? Or was there a plausible explanation for the letters and secret debt? She closed her eyes and lifted up a quick prayer for strength before starting the conversation.

“How did it go?” she dared to ask.

Jack offered a slow, almost uncertain nod. “I think I finally have some answers for you.”

It took a moment for her to find her words as her heart raced with a mixture of anxiety and hope. “Then please, share.”

“Meredith did know your husband. They met through an aid organization over in Afghanistan. Her entire family was working over there together. They had been working there since Meredith was young. Andrew befriended them through his work as a SEAL. He always tried to pay special attention to the building where their agency was housed. There had been a lot of bombings in that area, and Andrew tried to keep them all safe.”

A sick feeling churned in her gut. Was this going where she feared it might? What started as simply protecting her family had turned into a romance? Why waste any more time wondering? She was beyond niceties at this point. “Just tell me, Jack. They had an affair, didn’t they?”

He looked at his hands for a moment. “No, actually they didn’t, Rachel.”

What? If not an affair, then what could their relationship have been? “I don’t understand then…”

“Andrew went into Kabul once during some of his free time. Enemy fire broke out. Andrew began firing back. There were some civilians nearby that he was trying to keep safe.”
Jack paused. “Meredith’s dad accidentally stepped into the line of fire. He died instantly.”

Rachel’s heart felt like it had stopped. “Andrew killed someone?”

“Mommy?” Aidan pattered into the room with one of his coloring books.

“One minute, sweetie.” She raised a finger, instructing him to wait.

Jack’s face remained tight. “It was an accident. But he felt terribly about it. Meredith’s family decided to report the death being from enemy fire so that Andrew wouldn’t face any disciplinary action. It could have meant leave from the military or possibly a trial.”

Rachel nodded, still trying to comprehend everything, yet also realizing that there was more to be told. “I see.”

“Mommy—” Aidan pulled at her shirt.

“Aidan, one minute. Mommy’s talking right now. Please don’t interrupt. It’s bad manners.”

Jack continued. “They knew that Andrew was one of the good guys and they didn’t want to penalize him for it. They said he was constantly bringing by toys for the children or helping with donations when they were low on funding. They really thought highly of him, even after the accident.”

Rachel heart swelled. That sounded like Andrew. Big hearted. Looking out for others. He must have been devastated by Meredith’s father’s death. That would explain the apologies and forgiveness and love mentioned in the letters. They’d been Andrew’s cry for forgiveness from the family, and Meredith had simply been talking about Andrew’s love for their organization.

“What about the money that Andrew sent them?”

“Andrew sent Meredith’s family money to try and help them out financially. They were barely making ends meet
with their nonprofit, especially after their father was killed. He was trying to help them keep it going.”

She swallowed, the saliva burning her throat. That’s what those letters had been? That’s where the money had gone? Relief washed through her with such force that she wanted to chuckle. “Thank you, Jack. I can’t tell you how much relief I feel in finally knowing the truth. Relief and…I don’t know. A few other emotions that will take some time to process.”

“I’m glad you can finally feel some closure.”

Rachel sighed, going back to the bigger problems at hand. Just for a moment she’d forgotten about them, but now they came back to the forefront of her mind, demanding more attention than ever. “I guess there was no connection with the list, however?”

He shook his head. “No, we’re no closer to answers than we were before.”

And as always, they were at a dead end. The sad part was that the term
dead end
had new meaning to her, with special emphasis on the word
dead.

“Mommy, I have a question. Please.”

She looked down at Aidan. “Yes, what is it?”

“Who did this in my coloring book?”

She looked down at the page. On the inside front cover, someone had drawn a cartoon-like picture of a woman who looked eerily similar to Rachel. Only this woman was crying and had a gun pointed to her head. In a bubble beside her face were written, “It’s almost time.”

She looked up at Jack and saw the alarm in his gaze.

How had Apaka gotten a hold of Aidan’s coloring book?

Unless they’d been in the house.