by Mary Alford
Jase watched the sedan disappear around the corner, yet he still couldn’t move. It felt as if his last chance at happiness had been taken away.
It’s an illusion. Whatever you feel for her will disappear in time. She’s your last hold to Kate.
So why didn’t he believe any of it?
Jase ran up the steps of the building and went inside. He was just feeling sentimental. A lot of things had happened over the past months. He needed to tie up loose ends here and go back to New Zealand. To his ranch. To a fresh start where memories of Hannah didn’t exist. Hannah? Now why hadn’t he thought of Kate?
He knocked on Aaron’s open door and his friend, who was still talking on the phone, waved him inside.
Aaron promptly ended the call. He stood and came round the desk to embrace Jase before sitting back down. Jase did the same.
He started to ask Aaron why he hadn’t chosen to debrief both Jase and Hannah right away. He decided to let it go. It was time to let a lot of things go.
“So is it official? Kate’s case is closed?”
“Yes. The more we dig, the more we uncover. The Foreigner, or Mohamed Ahamed was in cahoots with some very nasty men.”
Why didn’t it feel over? Maybe he was still in shock. “I still can’t believe it. Kate had been so certain of him.” And so had Hannah.
“Kate was wrong. So was I. No one knew this, but Mohamed was my contact initially. I’m the one who handed him over to Kate.”
This surprised Jase. “I didn’t know. She never said how she came in contact with him. Kate guarded her contacts identities to the point of obsession.”
“Yes, well, it doesn’t matter now. The point is we have all the proof we’ll need to close this thing and lay Kate’s death at his door. It’s over, Jase.”
“Not yet. Not until Kate and Travis are cleared.”
Aaron held up a hand. “I’m doing everything I can, but we have to follow the evidence. If Kate was involved, then it will come out. If not, and it was part of The Foreigner’s ploy to frame her, we’ll find it, I promise you. There’s nothing you can do at this point. It’s okay for you to let it go. I’ll keep in touch. I’ll let you know whatever we find. Jase, this is what you wanted, to leave this life. Well, you’re out. It’s over.”
Over. Somehow, Jase doubted it would ever be over for him. But he was determined that no matter what the CIA uncovered, he wouldn’t let Kate or Travis take the blame for what happened that night. He’d fight to clear their names, even if he spent the rest of his life doing so.
“You’re free to move on now. Go back to that ranch of yours. Put this part of your life behind you. Start over, my friend.”
Impossible.
“Yes. You’re right.”
“So when do you fly out?”
“I have a few things to wrap up here. The apartment…”
“Ah, yes. Let the agency handle that task for you,” Aaron told him. “As my friend, I’m worried about you. This whole thing with the Sandoval woman has been difficult. The best thing for you right now is a fresh start.”
Jase felt humbled by his friend’s concern. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you, Aaron.”
Aaron stood and came around the desk once more. Jase stood as well. “We’ve been friends for a long time now. We’ve been through some difficult times. I know how hard Kate’s death was for you. It was hard on us all. I want you to be happy again.”
He embraced Jase again. It hit Jase then that this might be the last time he saw Aaron for a long time. He hadn’t expected this to be such an emotional parting. He’d been so full of anger and resentment over Kate’s death and the way things had ended between them. He realized that anger was gone. He had Hannah to thank for that.
Aaron let him go, stepped back, and attempted to smile. “I hate to bring up business at a time like this, but I need your ID and weapon.”
“Ah. I almost forgot. Protocol.” Jase grimaced then made sure his weapon was on safety before he handed it to Aaron along with his ID. “I can’t say I’m going to miss those, but it does feel kind of strange without them.”
Aaron laughed. “I’m sure. Isn’t there something on the UN building about beating weapons into plow shores? Kind of fitting now isn’t it?”
Jase was ready to walk away, but he needed to fight for his friend and former partner still. “What about Travis? You know he’s not involved in this.”
Aaron’s mouth tightened into a frown. “What I believe has nothing to do with this. If Travis’s innocent, it will come out in the internal investigation. Don’t worry. I’ll do everything within my power to help him.”
It would have to do. What choice did he have now except to do everything within his power as a civilian now to help his friend? “All right.”
“Stay out of it, Jase. This is no longer your concern.”
Jase smiled and gave Aaron a little two-finger salute before walking out of his office, and the building he’d once called a second home for what he hoped would be the last time. In this lifetime at least.
He stepped out into a crisp evening. He’d book the first flight out and then he’d go back to the apartment and pack whatever few possessions he wanted to take with him back to New Zealand.
If only he could dispel this feeling nagging at his gut that things were not as close to be over as he and Aaron hoped.
Chapter Eighteen
She must have fallen asleep in the tub, but something had awakened her. The water had long since turned cold. The silence of the apartment became disturbing.
Hannah got out of the bath and dressed in the clothes she’d earlier discarded. Something was off. Call it an intuition or gut instinct, but something had the hairs on the back of her neck worried.
She opened her closet and found the only thing that came close to being a weapon. The set of golf clubs she’d bought when Michael talked her in to taking up golf with him so they could spend more time together. She grabbed the nine iron and cracked the bedroom door.
The rest of the house was dark.
She slipped from the bedroom and stood in the kitchen listening. Nothing. No sound. No movement. Simply the silence of the place.
Hannah sat the club down on the kitchen counter. She was being paranoid. Just residual emotions from the past. Bits of Kate’s dangerous life creeping into her world again.
She opened the fridge. She hadn’t eaten since the morning, and she was starved. She grabbed ham, cheese, and mayo, found some bread and chips from the pantry and went about making a sandwich. Probably not the healthiest meal and certainly not what her doctor would recommend, but at the moment, hunger won out over a healthier choice.
She flipped on a light, dragged out a chair, and then sat eating at the bar. She wondered if Jase was still around. Had he left to start his new life in New Zealand already?
“I love you.” The words slipped out into the silence. She knew she loved him with all her heart.
She grabbed her phone and then dug out his cell number. She needed to hear his voice, talk to him one more time. She dialed the number and waited. She still held the phone in her hand when she heard it.
A noise. Not in the distance, but coming from right inside her apartment. Footsteps. She jumped to her feet and whirled around.
Then she saw him. The man who’d shattered Kate’s life. The man who’d probably taken Mohamed Ahamed’s life as well and destroyed his family. And suddenly, it all became clear. The last of the puzzle fell into place. She saw Kate’s final seconds again. His face. The face of a friend.
No! “Aaron?” Aaron was the Dark One. Another one of Kate’s memories fell into place. Kate had been investigating the possibility of someone within the CIA being the true arms dealer. She’d known no one would believe her without proof. She’d stumbled upon the truth a few days before her death, but she knew she needed hard evidence to bring Aaron to justice. She’d gone to the meet, despite of her misgivings, to prove Aaron’s involvement, but something had gone dreadfully wrong.<
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Jase’s friend and commander stepped into the light. His face was exactly as it was that night. Distorted with contempt. He’d felt nothing then. The same was true now.
“Hello, Hannah. Or maybe I should say Kate.”
She still held the phone. She wasn’t sure if Jase had answered her call or not. Please Father, don’t let it be too late. Don’t let this happen again.
“Why? Why did you do it? How could you kill her? She was your comrade. Your friend.”
He laughed a maniacal laugh much as he had that night. The sound of it sent a chill down her spin. It was like reliving her worst nightmare over and over again.
He stepped forward. He had something in his hand. A gun. There was a silencer attached to it. “So it’s true. You do remember. And here I thought it was a fluke and Jase was losing his mind. We’ll that’s too bad for you. You should have forgotten everything about that night. You should have let it go, Kate.”
She gripped the phone tight. She could hear Jase on the other end. His tone frantic. Thank God. Please don’t let him be too late.
“Why did you do it, Aaron? Was it for the money?”
He moved closer and she took a step back, her legs slamming into the chair she’d vacated.
“The money?” he asked incredulously. “I knew you’d never understand. All that patriotism. You and Jase were both the same, always for the greater good. Well, forget the greater good. It took me long enough, but I finally understood it. I realized no matter how much we fought we’d never win this war, because it’s not about who’s right or wrong, what’s good or evil. It’s about the power.”
He was inches away from her now. The gun waving wildly in his hand. Please, Jase, Please hurry.
“I thought I was rid of you that night. I would have if it weren’t for the mix-up at the hospital. I found out Mohamed Ahamed was on to me. It was only a matter of time before he reached you and I lost everything. I forced him to call you that night. Kept him alive until he was no longer useful, then I put him down like the dog he was. Nice touch dumping his body in the desert near Farah, don’t you think? With a little help from me, everyone will believe he was working for Al-Aljazaha. All the loose ends would have been tied up so easily. Except for you,” he snarled at her. “You were supposed to die that night, but you couldn’t let it go, could you, Kate? You were always so tenacious. Look where it got you.”
He spotted the phone in her hand and yanked it away from her, then he exploded with fury. “Who did you call?” He glanced at the caller ID then to her. He’d recognized the number. He would have spoken to Jase on that same line.
Aaron disconnected the call and tossed the phone across the room. “Well, it’s too late. He’ll never make it here in time to save you. He’s probably at Dulles by now anyway. You’ll be dead, I’ll be gone, and no one else will give a damn.”
He grabbed her hair and pulled her close. “I’m really sorry that you got mixed up in this, Hannah Sandoval, but now you’re going to have to kill yourself. It’s the only way. You couldn’t live with the memories of what Kate had done any longer. Accepting payoffs. Betraying her country. It’s her fault, you know. She was supposed to be dead.”
Aaron raised the gun to her right temple. “Jase’s weapon. He turned it in tonight. Fitting, don’t you think? Everyone will think you took it from him.”
“No, please. I promise I won’t tell anyone. It’s okay. No one will believe me anyway.”
He lowered the gun and looked at her. This man had once been Kate’s friend. She and Jase had shared meals together with his family. “You’re right about that, but I can’t risk it. I’m sorry, but you have to die. I can’t leave any loose ends.”
“What about your wife. Think about your family, Aaron. You’ll never get away with this. It will destroy your family.”
He waved the gun around. “Nice try. If I don’t kill you, I’ll lose them. Everything. I’m sorry, Hannah. It has to be this way…”
“Drop the gun, Aaron.”
Aaron jerked toward the door, dragging her in front of him as a shield. Jase. The two agents who brought Hannah home stood, weapons drawn, next to him. Sirens blared close by. The D.C. police had been called in for backup. Jase hadn’t left. He’d saved her life.
“It’s over, Aaron. I know everything thanks to Hannah. You kill her, and you’re not walking out of here alive.”
Aaron laughed again. It sounded insane. He’d truly slipped over the edge. “Do you think a federal prison and the possibility of being executed for treason is an option. Sorry, my friend, I can’t do that.”
Jase moved closer, he glanced at Hannah. He was trying to reassure her. “Drop the weapon. It’s over.”
Aaron shook his head. In an instant, he let Hannah go and aimed the gun directly at Jase.
“Jase, watch out!” Hannah shouted then dove for the gun, knocking Aaron’s hand from position before he managed the shot. The bullet hit somewhere above Jase’s head. The sound ricocheted throughout the apartment.
A heartbeat later, Jase fired off two rounds, both hitting Aaron in the right shoulder and knocking him to his knees.
Time seemed to stand still while the activity around her sped up. More agents and police poured into the apartment. Agent Jones kneeled close to the bleeding and incapacitated Aaron.
And Jase, well, he never even glanced Aaron’s way. He holstered his weapon and came to Hannah. “Are you okay?”
He touched her hair, her arms, trying to satisfy himself she was all right.
“I’m okay. He didn’t hurt me. I can’t believe it, Jase. It was Aaron. He’s the one who killed Kate and The Foreigner. He was going to kill me as well. I can’t believe it was Aaron.” She glanced over at the man who lay holding his injured arm and cursing.
She felt sick. The person who took Kate’s life was someone she’d trusted. One of them. She’d almost hoped Kate’s dreams had been wrong.
Hannah went into Jase’s arms, and he held her. She couldn’t stop shivering.
He brushed back her hair from her face. “It’s okay. It’s over. He won’t hurt anyone ever again.”
“Hannah?” Beverly ran into the living room followed closely by Andrew. Beverly glanced around the room and saw Aaron bleeding on the floor waiting for the EMTs. Her hand flew to her mouth. She spotted Hannah with Jase and made her way over to them.
“Hannah, what happened? Are you all right? What took place here? I heard noises, then what sounded like gunshots.” She glanced back at Aaron then she focused on Jase who still held Hannah close.
He let her go reluctantly. “It’s going to be a long time before this gets sorted out, but it will. And we finally know the truth about what happened to Kate.”
“Kate?” Beverly glanced from Hannah to Jase. “So this is about the murdered agent?”
The last thing Hannah wanted to do was to try and explain the impossible to her sister, but Beverly deserved answers. “Yes. That man was the one responsible. He killed Kate Willows.”
Beverly’s hand flew to cover her mouth. “That man came after you because of what you remembered? Oh, Hannah. You almost died.” Beverly tugged her into a bear hug and squeezed her tight. Hannah could feel her sister trembling.
For once Hannah was the strong one. She pulled away and managed a weak smile for Beverly’s sake. “But I didn’t. Thanks to Kate’s memories, her killer has been brought to justice. He can’t hurt anyone ever again. And I’m okay.”
After what felt like an eternity, Beverly finally nodded. “Yes, you’re okay.” She turned to Jase. “And this is…” she asked in a somewhat unsteady tone.
Jase stuck his hand out. “Jase McCoy. Agent Jase McCoy.”
Beverly recognized the name right away and glanced Hannah’s way.
“Yes, that Jase McCoy,” Hannah told her.
Beverly reacted like someone who had suffered a tremendous shock. Almost as an afterthought, Beverly shook Jase’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you. This is Andrew, my husband.” Jase
nodded at Andrew.
The EMT arrived followed soon after by Travis.
“Excuse me a second,” Jase told them when he spotted his partner and friend.
When they were alone, Beverly put her arm around Hannah’s waist and whispered in her ear. “Wow. He’s unbelievable. I can understand this Kate person not wanting to let him go.”
Hannah couldn’t tell her how much those words hurt. She didn’t want to let him go either, but she knew there would be no other choice for Jase.
Something must have showed in Hannah’s face because her sister said, “I’m sorry. That really sounded crass considering.”
“No, it’s okay. It’s been … hard.”
“I know, and I truly want to hear the whole story, but I’m glad you figured out what happened to her. Maybe now you can move on with your life. Now that she’s at peace.”
Peace? Hannah could only pray now that Kate Willows was finally at peace she’d find some herself.
* * * *
“Boy am I glad to see you.” Jase told his partner. Together they watched as the EMTs raised the gurney and wheeled Aaron from the apartment. Agent Jones and McIntyre came over to where they stood.
“I’ll need to take your statement and Ms. Sandoval’s,” Jones told him. “We’ll go with him to the hospital. Once he’s in stable condition, he’ll be officially charged. We’re hoping to garner his cooperation, but who knows. It could be a while before all the facts are known.”
A small part of Jase wanted to know why someone both he and Kate trusted and counted as a friend could do something so evil. But nothing Aaron had to say would bring her back, and he was finally ready to move on with his life. Maybe Hannah could do the same.
So why did the thought of leaving Hannah again feel like a punch to the gut?
He glanced over to where she stood beside her sister. He didn’t want to leave her, but if she stood a chance in hell of moving on, he’d have no other choice.
Jase realized he hadn’t answered Jones. “I’ll stop by the hospital tonight. The sooner the better. I changed my flight to leave in the morning.”
Travis appeared surprised that he was still leaving. “You’re going? Don’t you want to stick around? Be part of the interrogation? Learn the extent of his treason? This is huge.”