Max nodded and told him about the assault, the hospital visit, the attack on the way to the safe house, Franks and Southern and the last attack after he left the safe house today. During the recitation of events, Max held Chip’s gaze and read horror, regret, anger, fear, pain and self-loathing, cross his friend’s face. For a man trained to hide emotion, Max understood what it cost Chip to remain seated listening to what befell a woman he cared deeply for and his unborn child. When Max was done, no one spoke. Even Bernard seemed affected as he stared off.
Head bowed, Chip sucked in air a couple times and then shook his head. “I have some time off, use me.”
“What?” Max asked confused.
“Use me to help find the bastards who did this. Even if she doesn’t want me, I have to make sure she and my kid are safe.” He looked at Bernard. “I didn’t think Vi knew about the baby, maybe she does. Maybe she’s been keeping tabs on me all along. Check with the doctor, see who else got a copy of my medical report.”
Bernard nodded. “Even if she knows you can father the child that information came out within the past week. This happened before. Has Vi ever accused you of being with other women before?”
Chip rubbed his eyes and shook his head. “No. We agreed on it, as long as I was discreet and had the operation. I wasn’t about to live without sex and she had no interest, at least not with me.”
“Is there someone else in her life?” Max asked, surprised. Chip and Viola looked and acted like the perfect couple.
Chip leaned back and dropped his chin. “Could be, I don’t know and don’t care. Don’t get me wrong, I love Vi. She’s a great hostess, takes care of details and works hard on my career. But—”
“Man, in marriage, the one thing a wife can do for her man that no one else can, is satisfy him sexually. Everything else you can hire an assistant,” Max said earning a look from Bernard.
Chip nodded. “Before we got married, we couldn’t get enough of each other. Man we fucked everywhere, all the time. The old man knew it, allowed it. I agreed to all her terms, no kids, military career, allow her to travel with friends while I was deployed. I loved her.”
Bernard clapped him on the shoulder and squeezed. “She loved you too, as much as she could.”
Chip snorted. “Did she? I wonder about that sometimes. How could she have changed so quickly? Two years into the marriage, she moved into another bedroom because I snore. No other woman ever complained, but my wife,” he spat. “She moved out of my bed. When I confronted her about it, she agreed I needed more sex than she could give.” He looked at Max with his lips twisted in a sneer. “She gave me permission to fuck around, as long as I was safe, and didn’t bring anything home.”
Max hid his surprise. Why would any man put up with that? He never would’ve.
“If she has anything to do with what happened to Adele, I want Adele to press charges,” Chip said, his tone hard and absolute.
Bernard looked at him for a moment and then nodded. “When do you plan to tell her about the baby?”
Chip looked at Max. “Can I speak to Adele, for just a few minutes? I need to hear her say she’s okay.” He paused. “Please.”
Max pulled out his phone and called Skinny. “Put Adele on the phone.” He watched Chip slump in the chair and hoped Adele would talk to him.
“Max?” Adele said after a few minutes.
“Yeah. I just told Chip everything that happened and he wanted to hear you say you’re okay.”
“Really?” There was a wispy, hopeful quality in her voice.
“Yes. Do you want to talk?”
“Umm, okay.”
Max handed Chip his phone.
“Adele, I am so sorry you went through all of this. Sweetness, why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve come immediately.”
“I couldn’t.”
“Because of what I said about the vasectomy? You were right, it unraveled and the child is mine. I know you’re angry with me, but I promise to make this right. I can’t stop thinking about you. Please tell me you’ll talk to me about all of this soon.”
“I’m not sure. But we can talk about it later. I have to go. Thank you.” She disconnected.
He handed Max the phone.
“She sounded okay, a little distant, but she said we can talk later, that’s the important thing.”
Max’s phone rang. He looked at the name and held up a finger. “Sergei?”
“What just happened?”
“I called Adele for Chip; he wanted to talk to her.” Max watched Chip’s puzzled expression form.
“Who the fuck is Chip?”
“Ask Adele.”
“No. I’m asking you. No games... please.”
“Her child’s father.”
“He has resurfaced? Where has he been?”
“In and out of the country, like you.”
“Who’s that?” Chip asked.
Max waved him down. Sergei could be a loose cannon, best to tell him this information from a distance.
“Not like me. Who is he?”
“An officer she dated in the past.” Max couldn’t recall how long the two carried on the affair.
“And the child? Does he know who would do this?”
“We are discussing that now. How is she?”
“She cares for him.”
That surprised Max. “Why do you say that? Did she say anything?”
“No. But I noticed a difference when she hung up, that’s why I called. I will keep her safe while you and he search for the men who threatened and attacked her. I ask that he does not come here, or speaks with her again until the matter is resolved and I leave.”
Max understood but wasn’t sure the love-birds would. “Talk to Adele, get her to agree. If she does not contact him, then he won’t respond.”
“I suppose you’re right. I will talk to her.” He disconnected.
“What was that all about?” Chip asked.
Times like this, family was a pain in the ass. “That was Sergei, the other guy Adele dated. She refused to name the child’s father and Sergei assumed that role and the role of protector. He is at the safe house with her.”
Chip stared off for a moment, sighed and then nodded. “Okay.” He stared at his hands for a few seconds and then straightened. “Let’s figure this out. My father has been after me to retire and work in the law firm.”
“What?” Bernard shouted and shot forward.
Chip raised his hand. “I am going to name everyone who might suffer if word of my child got out.”
“But dad would be as excited as I am. He has no grandkids, this will be the first. He wants you to work in the family business because you’re good and he despises the way you prefer Viola’s family over your own.”
“That’s not true. But we’ll discuss that later, right now we’ve got to form a list of people who would go to extraordinary lengths to prevent my child from being born.” He looked at Max. “I’m assuming you’ve done the same for Jose? Adele? And Sergei?”
“Adele doesn’t have any family and few friends. We have checked Sergei; he did the same thing you’re doing. Why do you say Jose?”
“What if someone knew Jose and is upset she is having a child from someone and not him. He may have some family or friends out there who’re pissed over this. Like you said, a note makes it personal; they didn’t kick her in the stomach which would have harmed the child.” He shrugged. “Just a thought.”
“Viola’s family should go on the top of the list,” Bernard said. “She’s the youngest child and the only girl. She flies home once a month to go shopping with her mom and have dinner with her family. When was the last time you went with her?” He looked at Chip.
“Been a few years. Sometimes she didn’t move when I changed bases. If it was a short assignment, she’d go and stay with her parents. With our agreement in place, it left me free to do as I pleased. She would fly in for social events and stay at the apartment with me, complaining all the time, until she returned
home.”
Max blanked his face but he couldn’t imagine living a sham. Consequences be damned, he’d divorce Tamara in a heartbeat if she flipped on him like that.
“Her father’s Admiral Tyler?” Brock asked typing into his Smartphone.
“Yeah. The youngest brother’s is a Major and the oldest just made General.”
Max whistled. “They moved up fast. Pug right?” He remembered seeing the man around when he’d gone for a debriefing in the Pentagon.
Chip nodded. “The brothers are okay when the old man isn’t around. It’s as if he sucks the air out the room and expects everyone to breathe only when he does. When Viola first introduced us, I sensed he didn’t want her involved with me. But later he changed and welcomed me into the family.”
“I told you then and I’ll repeat it. She sold you, promised to deliver someone he could use later. Didn’t you tell me he started talking politics five years ago?”
“Yes, he said I should consider what I’d do when I retired and said politics were in my future. From time to time he sent emails regarding former military officers who won an election.” Chip pursed his lips and then frowned. “But I don’t see him authorizing an attack to for politics. I never agreed to be involved.”
“Maybe not, maybe Viola agreed and is grooming you,” Bernard said and then looked at Max. “Make sure her name is on that list. She has an agenda, always had and it didn’t include making Chip happy. The only thing she does is make appearances, attend social events and things like that. If Chip has a kid, he’d lose his commission, and political chances, she’s worked their entire marriage to prepare him. I doubt she’d let that happen without a fight.”
Max looked at Bernard, thinking over his words. He’d hadn’t realized the state of Chip’s marriage and if he had, Viola and her family would’ve been on his list. “You asked about two men when we met at the club. Why?”
“I caught glimpses of them a few times months ago, too many to be a coincidence. When I had them checked out, I found out they’d retired. At first I thought it had something to do with a highly classified job I’d been working on at the time. Now… they were watching me, weren’t they?”
Max told him more detail about Franks, about his death.
“That means either Viola or her family knows about Adele’s pregnancy and that it’s possible I’m the father, or they didn’t want her to make claims about me being the father.”
“They know. This last mission was to kill not restrain like the others,” Max said recalling all the ammunition Skinny found on the men.
Chip closed his eyes and inhaled. “So, my in-laws would kill an innocent woman and my child to keep me from losing my commission? I can retire, they know that.”
“They also know you love what you do. To date, you haven’t made any mistakes and if that cold-hearted bitch hadn’t closed her bedroom to you, chances are we wouldn’t be having this discussion. In a way, they set you up to fail and intend to penalize you for it,” Bernard said.
Max agreed but they needed to shut down the threat. “What do you suggest we do, Chip? Adele has to be safe. This threat against her cannot continue.”
“I planned to tell Viola tonight.”
“Not by yourself, you’re not. Who knows who’s in the house with her?” Bernard said.
Chip looked at him. “If you’re there, they could turn against dad and the business. Don’t put anything past them. Anyone capable of ordering the death of a pregnant woman wouldn’t think twice about you or dad.”
“Don’t worry about us.”
Chip held out his hand. “Then don’t give me something else to worry about. Protecting my child is number one on my mind and I may need to destroy my marriage to do that.”
Bernard looked at Max and then Brock and then returned to Max. “He shouldn’t be there with her alone. Seriously. If she starts crying and calls her dad who knows how many sleepers will show up at the house.”
Max glanced at his watch. “Where is she now?”
Chip looked at his phone and stood. “Should be home. No time like the present.” He extended his hand to Max who took it. “Thanks, man. I know you hate being in the middle of shit like this. But I appreciate you looking out for Adele and the baby. I can count on you to keep them safe.”
Not liking Chip’s fatalistic tone, Max stood, released his hand and picked up his cell. “Thanks are not necessary, that’s my brother’s ex-wife and the woman of my friend. Brock and I are coming with you.”
Chip frowned. “Why? You think Viola will do something?”
Max shrugged as Brock moved away from the wall. “After you tell her what happened to Adele, I’ll tell her I’m investigating. The best way to handle this is to set some type of surveillance in place, so we can hear her talk to her father or brothers. Can we do that?” he looked at Brock.
“Give me an hour and I’ll rig something. Chip I’ll need you to place a few things in the areas she uses her phone to talk.”
Chip frowned. “I’ve only been in this place twice.” He looked at Bernard. “Where does she go to talk?”
“Balcony, bathroom, bedroom, mostly bathroom, I think,” Bernard said.
“Yeah, she talks a lot in her bathroom, which I never go into.”
“Since I can’t get in first and set things up, you’ll have to place the mics in places so I can hear. I’ll be around the corner monitoring things,” Brock said.
Max nodded. “We have an hour, let’s go eat and if you think of anything else you can tell me.” He waited for Chip and Bernard to leave before he checked his pistol and blade. Both were where they needed to be.
Chapter 25.
“Max? Maximus Delgado?” Viola said moving toward him with her hands extended and a smile lighting her face. The years had been good to her, she was just as beautiful as the first time he met her at the Officer’s Ball over a decade ago.
He took her hand and smiled down into her eyes. “Viola, it’s so good to see you.” He lifted both her hands to the side, and watched her smile widen. “You look the same.”
“Oh posh,” she gushed after he released her hands, she looked behind him. “Chip, there you are. You didn’t tell me we were having company.”
Under normal circumstances, Max would’ve thought her words playful banter, he wouldn’t have noticed the slight tightening around her mouth or seen the flash of aggravation in her eyes when she looked at her husband.
Chip clapped Max on the shoulder and chuckled. “Haven’t seen him in a while and wanted to have a beer and catch up. Excuse me a minute, I need to use the boys room.” He pointed at Viola. “Tell him about the new house I’m buying you.”
Her face immediately brightened. Sliding her arm through Max’s, she walked slowly to the living room of the condo she and Chip rented until they closed on their home.
“Tamara outdid herself. When she pulled into the driveway of this house, it was like she stepped into my mind and read my every fantasy. This house has everything I wanted.”
Max kept his smile in place as she prattled on, hoping Chip placed the small devices in as many places as possible. Once Chip told Viola about his affair, Max knew she’d throw a fit. Despite her outer appearance remaining constant, a cold, calculating gleam radiated from her eyes as she discussed the parties they would host and how he and Tamara needed to attend. All the right people would be at her events… blah, blah, blah. The woman didn’t have an off button when it came to talking about herself.
He looked up, saw Chip head in their direction and released a stream of air in relief.
“I haven’t seen the house yet,” Chip said looking at Viola and then meeting Max’s gaze. “Have you set up a time for me to see it?”
“No, not yet. I’ll call Tamara tomorrow and arrange a private showing,” she said. “I’m sorry, I got so caught up in the house I didn’t offer you anything to drink. Can I get you something?”
Max waved his hand. “No thank you, I’m good.”
“Come
on, let’s sit outside for a bit,” Chip said.
“Just for a few minutes, I need to get home to my son. Truth be told, I just wanted to see your beautiful wife, not you, you old dog.” He pushed Chip playfully in the shoulder.
Viola laughed. “Still a charmer, Max. It’s great seeing you again after all these years. I wanted to visit your club earlier this week. Tamara called, but you couldn’t talk at the time, so I went shopping.”
“She mentioned it to me. That had been a busy day, I had a lot of errands to run and fires to put out.”
She turned to Chip. “I’ll leave you two to catch up. There’s snacks and beer in the refrigerator.” Viola walked out the room.
Chip gestured for Max to follow him outside. Once on the patio, Chip walked around a bit while telling Max about his last assignment. When he dropped the small mic in the potted plant Max pulled out his cell phone and placed it on his lap. Brock would send a text to tell them the status of the mics. Hopefully they wouldn’t need to reset any of the ones Chip placed, especially in the back rooms.
Chip sat in the chair next to him and continued talking. When the message came from Brock, Max stood. He needed to make his way to the truck to listen in on the conversation and be available if Chip needed them.
“Well, I’m glad you made it back and will be stationed here for a while,” he said walking toward the front door. “Don’t be a stranger.”
Chip smiled. “I won’t. As always, it was good seeing you.”
Max nodded and left. Once he cleared the elevator, he strode to his SUV and drove to the parking area where Brock sat in his van.
“Anything?” he asked Brock when he stepped inside.
“She just came into the room, he told her he needed to talk to her.” Brock locked the doors and pointed to the chair.
Max put on the headset. “Show time.”
Brock adjusted the dials.
“What’s going on, Chip?”
“A woman’s pregnant. From me.”
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