Silent Shadows

by Natalie Walters

  When David was done, Claudia shrugged. “You have me, so you can let my sister go now.”

  “You probably thought I was a monster.” David looked at Pecca. “That I was the one lying, but now you can hear it from your sister.” Using the gun, he pointed between her and Claudia. “Go on, tell your sister the truth. It can be your final confession.”

  “David, please,” Pecca begged. “You’re not a monster. Don’t do this.”

  “Ask your sister whose fault this is.”

  Pecca looked to Claudia, and without speaking a word, she could see the truth in her sister’s face. “What did you do?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” She turned to David. “Call your boss so we can get this over with.”

  David grabbed Claudia’s hair and yanked her backward so that her back arched. “Tell your sister who you are and why all of this is your fault.”

  “Stop, David. You don’t have to hurt her.”

  He turned his cold gaze on her. “Don’t you want to know the truth? How we got to this point?”

  “I want to go home, David. Back to Maceo. Please, let us go.”

  “And I want my family back!” Using his foot, he swept Claudia’s feet out from under her, causing her to fall hard to her knees against the concrete. Claudia winced but didn’t make a sound. “Do you know how long I have worked to secure the safety of my family? I gave Hector everything—”

  “Which is why Señor owns you now,” Claudia said. “You double-crossed your own family in Colombia. Betrayed them to their enemy. Did you really think the Zaragosas were going to forget about you? That Hector was going to protect you forever? He was only waiting for the right opportunity to use you, but it looks like Señor will get that honor.”

  David struck Claudia across the face, pitching her sideways. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Hector would never do that. I was loyal.”

  “Loyalty can be bought.” Claudia straightened, blood dripping from her lip. “One call from Señor to Zaragosa and you’re dead. Your family too.”

  He raised his hand to strike her again, but Pecca screamed.

  “Stop!” Pecca couldn’t make sense of what was going on and who betrayed who, but she wasn’t going to sit by and watch her sister die. “Are you with the CIA, Claudia? The truth.”

  Claudia spit out blood before her eyes met Pecca’s. The truth was in them, and Pecca didn’t realize how much it was going to hurt. How long had her sister been lying to her? The last several years played through her memory in quick bursts. Claudia’s random work hours, always traveling, too busy to visit. Every excuse she gave Pecca and their family—was it all an elaborate lie?

  “Then fix it.” Pecca narrowed her eyes on her sister. “If you caused this mess, then you fix it. Help David get his family back and end this so I can get back to my son.”

  Claudia’s shoulders lifted with a breath. She looked at David. “You’re wasting precious time, Juan. The lives of your child and wife are in the balance. I’m here. Make the call to Salvador before it’s too late.” She pinned him with a scathing glare. “Unless you don’t care about your family.”

  The thwack against the back of Claudia’s head sent her tumbling forward. She landed at Pecca’s feet and groaned.

  “David, stop!”

  He walked over and pressed the gun into Claudia’s spine. Pecca squeezed her eyes closed, unwilling to watch. Please, God, don’t let him shoot.

  “You do not give orders, entiendes?”

  Pecca opened one eye and saw David walking away, cell phone to his ear. She scanned Claudia. “Are you okay?”

  Claudia rolled to her side, her hand going to the back of her head. When she brought it in front of her, Pecca cringed at the sight of the blood.

  “Ouch.”

  Ouch? Claudia’s dry wit was one of Pecca’s favorite parts about her sister, but now was not the time. She was bleeding, Pecca was tied up, and David was teetering on the edge of full-blown mania.

  “Can you untie me?” Pecca shimmied.

  “Not yet.”

  “Wha—” But before she could finish her sentence, David, phone in hand, was already marching toward them.

  “Señor, I have someone you’ve been waiting to speak with.”

  “Lo encontraré.” Claudia spit the threat out of her mouth. “I will find him, and I will kill him.”

  Pecca gasped. She’d never heard her sister speak like that. The glare etched into Claudia’s brow was so threatening, it scared her. It was like she didn’t even know who her sister was.

  David tapped a button and raspy laughter echoed from the phone’s speaker. “Isabel, it is good to hear your voice,” Señor said.

  Pecca frowned. Who was Isabel?

  “I could’ve gone without hearing yours.” Claudia snickered. “Give me time, and I’ll silence yours just like I did Hector’s.”

  What was Claudia doing? She’d always had a smart mouth, but she was only fueling the fire.

  “Not this time, Isabel. This time, you are mine.”

  “Why don’t you ask about your family, Juan?” Claudia whispered. “Ask to speak to them.”

  David yanked Claudia back to her feet by her hair, then brought the phone to his mouth. “I have her, Señor. My debt to you is paid, now where is my family?”

  “When you bring Isabel to me, you will have your family.”

  “That’s not the deal.” David clenched his teeth. “I want to speak to them now!”

  “Hold that thought.” Claudia reared her head back and swung it forward, smashing David’s nose with the front of her forehead. The sound of his nose breaking reverberated in the room, making Pecca sick.

  Screaming, David dropped the phone and lunged for her, but Claudia was quick. She ducked, swinging her leg around and catching both of his legs. In a single move, she swiveled and brought him crashing down to the ground next to her.

  Pecca wriggled beneath the ropes. She had no time to wonder how her sister knew to do that, only that she had to help. If she could just break free—

  A guttural scream cut through the air, and she froze.

  Turning slowly, Pecca saw David back away from Claudia, her face ashen. She looked down at her side, touched it with her hand, and when she brought it up, Pecca saw the crimson stain.

  “No, Claudia!”

  David, breathing hard, backed farther away as blood poured out of his nose. He scooped up the gun and pointed it at Claudia. “Estás muerto.”

  Claudia took in a sharp breath, her brow furrowing. With a pained exhale of air, Claudia extracted herself from the rusty, metal fencing David had pinned her against. Clutching her side, she dropped.

  “We . . . are looking . . . for your family, Juan.” Claudia spoke carefully, as though it strained her to talk, and Pecca ached to go to her. “Señor will not honor his word to you, but I can—”

  “Shut up!” David slapped Claudia across the face and then raised the gun to her forehead. “You are a liar, and you have cost me everything.”

  “David!” Pecca struggled against the ropes, the chair rocking. She had to stop him. A cry escaped her lips. She could not watch her sister die. “Stop! Please don’t!”

  There were several sounds that became unforgettable to a soldier. The sound of a SCUD missile sailing through the air. The sound of a soldier crying over his fallen brother in arms. And the sound of a gun slide being pulled back to send a bullet into the chamber.

  It was like a whistle being blown on the field—game time.

  Colton felt the steel of the gun pressing against his back. It was easy for Claudia to tell him to take the shot, but doing so would put her and Pecca in danger if the bullet went astray. He couldn’t take that chance.

  Hurtling out of the shadows, Colton dug his feet into the concrete, trying to gain as much momentum as possible. From his position, David didn’t see him coming until it was too late. A growl escaped David’s mouth as his body crunched beneath Colton’s tackle.

  Pain sliced
through Colton’s body, but he ignored it. He crushed David beneath him, his fists landing blows along the side of the man’s face when they weren’t slipping in the blood still pouring from his nose.

  David landed a quick strike to Colton’s ribs before connecting another on the side of his jaw that sent stars flashing in the back of his eyes.

  “Colton, the gun!” Pecca said.

  In the scuffle, the gun from Colton’s waistband had fallen out. Both he and David looked to the gun lying a few feet away. David twisted, freeing his hand from Colton’s grip long enough to get a solid punch to his kidneys. The breath rushed out of Colton’s chest.

  Taking advantage of his positioning, David smashed his fist into the side of Colton’s head. Colton rolled, trying to protect his head, and David crawled toward the gun. Colton searched for the one David had been holding against Claudia, but he couldn’t see it.

  “Colton!”

  The terrified emotion in Pecca’s voice made his blood run cold. Colton turned in time to see David wrap his fingers around the gun and push himself up to standing. With a hand on his side, David turned to Colton with rage in his eyes.

  “Who do you think I should shoot first?” David pivoted, aiming the gun at Claudia, who was lying on the ground looking pale. “This whole mess is her fault, so a slow death seems appropriate.” He turned the gun on Pecca, and Colton clenched his teeth. “I really didn’t want to have to hurt you, Pecca. Truly.”

  Colton searched for something he could use as a weapon. His eyes landed on the cell phone. His right arm jerked, and Colton knew the only chance he had was to use his left hand. Tucking the phone into his palm, he rolled to a seated position. The move grabbed David’s attention.

  “I’m sorry it’s not going to work out between you two.”

  David twisted to look at Pecca, and it was all the distraction Colton needed. Gripping the phone, he pulled his left arm back and prayed all of those practice throws with Maceo were going to pay off. He released the phone just as David turned back.

  It was a beautiful spiral—for a cell phone—flying straight into David’s chest hard enough that it caused his shoulders to buckle forward slightly. The gun he had aimed at Pecca lowered—

  CRACK!

  A piercing ringing filled Colton’s ears as he watched David drop to the ground. The harsh smell of cordite filled his nose, and he turned to see Claudia holding a gun in her hand. The doors of the warehouse screeched open and a team entered, shouting, “Savannah Metro Police, hands up! Hands up, now!”

  Chest heaving, Colton raised his hands, keeping his eyes on Pecca. Two police officers ran to her and began untying the ropes. She was shaking and her face was drained of color, except for the dried blood on her chin and lip.

  She turned to him.

  “Are you hurt?” His voice was raspy from the strain of the last few minutes.

  She shook her head. Her gaze fell to David, who was lying motionless on the ground. “Is he dead?”

  “Have I ever missed a shot before?” Claudia wheezed, leaning into a pair of police officers who were holding her up. “I could’ve gone to the Olympics.”

  “Ma’am, we’re going to get you some help,” one of the officers said before two paramedics rushed in with a gurney.

  “Is she going to be okay?” Pecca called out.

  Claudia waved a hand as if she were brushing the question away, but Colton could see from the spread of blood that she needed immediate treatment.

  Charlie, shaking his head, jogged in. “The only reason I’m not going to be angry about this is because you saved me from having to explain to my pregnant wife why I was involved in another gunfight.” He helped Colton up. “She blames me for Walton’s recent uptick in crime.”

  The second Colton had finished giving his statement to the police, he rushed to Pecca. A medic was already assessing her wounds. “Is she okay?”

  “I’m okay,” Pecca answered. “Rope burn, mostly.”

  The medic stepped aside after telling her they would bandage her wrists in the ambulance. Colton reached for her hands. The skin on her wrists was red and bloody, evidence of her struggle to break free. Emotion burned his eyes.

  “I should’ve . . .” He cleared his throat and traced the outside edges of her wounds with his fingers. He looked up. “I’m sorry.”

  Tears edged her soft, black eyelashes. “For what? That was the greatest tackle in football history.”

  Colton exhaled the breath he’d been holding and brushed a stray tear from her cheek. He wanted to tell her all the things filling his heart, but at the moment, he was afraid all he would be able to do was cry tears of gratitude that God had taken care of her—of them.

  “Well, that was quick.”

  Colton turned to find Charlie next to him. His eyes were directed on the suits filing into the warehouse. Two of them went to Claudia. The others headed for the police officers, who, up until this point, had probably assumed they would be in charge of the scene.

  “Better take some mental pictures of this moment,” Colton said. “Because I have a feeling what just happened . . . didn’t.”

  Forty-five minutes later, the isolated warehouse was still teeming with federal agents, state police, and several deputies from Walton, including Sheriff Huggins, who were all trying to get the story straight. In the end, Colton knew from his experience in intelligence that government secrecy would prevail. This day would survive only in a redacted file tucked away in some storage room in Langley—and in the memories of those who witnessed it.

  “You’re all good, Captain Crawford,” the EMT announced. She tilted her head to the ambulance where Pecca was seated, watching Claudia being tended to by another team of paramedics. “You can check on your friend now.”

  Colton hopped out of the ambulance and then swayed. His body felt like it had been run over by a truck. He took his time walking toward the other ambulance. He stopped a few feet away, unwilling to impose on the privacy of the moment shared between sisters.

  There was a large welt, purpling with each passing minute, on Claudia’s forehead from when she’d used it to break David’s nose. She was receiving IV fluids and when she shifted, her attention pinning him, he caught sight of her bandaged side, the blood already soaking through.

  “I told you to take the shot.” Claudia’s directive was jolting.

  Pecca’s gaze swung to meet his, a relieved smile cresting high into her cheeks. Man, he missed that smile.

  “At least you can tackle.”

  Colton took another step forward and addressed Claudia, ignoring her jab. “Are you going to be okay?”

  “Apparently.” Claudia flashed a smile at Pecca. “At least I’ll have a personal nurse to help take care of me.”

  “Were your people able to get a location on Salvador?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did they get him?”

  “If I tell you that, I’ll have to kill you.”

  Colton smiled. “Ha, another one of your agency jokes, huh?”

  “Want to find out?”

  “What about David’s family?”

  “They’ll be okay.”

  He wasn’t sure if he was going to get much more of an answer out of her, and he’d have to be content with that. His eyes flashed to Pecca. At least she was okay. Or would be. The day’s events had sucked the color out of her face and left shadows beneath her eyes.

  “Ahem.” Claudia, her eyebrow arched, pressed her lips together. “I think I remember you had something to say to my sister.”

  Pecca looked to him, anxiousness wavering in her eyes. Colton licked his lips, wishing he was going to be able to have this conversation in private. His arm twitched, and Pecca put her hand on it.

  “I told you last night that I thought you’d made a mistake.” Colton ignored the derisive snort coming from Claudia. “That I don’t have anything to offer you.” Her hand tightened over his arm. “I’m the one who made the mistake. This whole time I’ve been looking at my movement
disorder as a life sentence. I’ve been angry at God. My family has been telling me God has a plan, and like a child, I’ve been unwilling to accept that maybe his plans for my life are better than my own. After all, his plans brought me here—to you and Maceo.”

  Pecca rolled her lower lip between her teeth, and he could see the energy lighting her eyes. It took everything in him not to blurt it out, but he had a plan—one he hoped to get some help with.

  “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m sorry, and I hope you will give me the second chance I don’t deserve.”

  THIRTY-FOUR

  THE FINAL WHISTLE BLEW, and the kids roared with victory. The Warriors had played their last game. Pecca eyed the wide lawn in front of Home for Heroes. Family, friends, neighbors, Chaplain Kelly, Shirley and her husband, even the kitchen team had shown up to cheer on the Warriors.

  The veterans from D-Wing had come out in full force, cheering more than officiating as they waved homemade banners and pennants. There was even a band. Okay, so it was a few of the team members’ older siblings who also happened to play in school band, but they played all the football game favorites, with only a few errant notes.

  “That was the most exciting game ever.” Lane wiped her eyes.

  “There’s no crying in football.”

  “That’s baseball,” Claudia mumbled, and Pecca noticed the glassy haze covering her sister’s eyes.

  “Are you crying too?”

  Claudia scowled. “I just watched my nephew play football. Give me a moment.”

  Pecca laughed, grateful Claudia had decided to ask for some time off. It was still hard to believe her sister was a CIA officer. After spending several nights in the hospital, Claudia revealed what she could about her career, and Pecca couldn’t be prouder. Though she still wasn’t entirely at ease about keeping Claudia’s career a secret from the rest of the family, she understood that it was a matter of safety and security.

  “Thank you for being here today.” Pecca wrapped her arm around Claudia’s waist, careful of her still-healing injury. She rested her head on Claudia’s shoulder. “You always know when I need you most.”