“Agent Riggins,” June called out. “Are you really here?”
“That I am,” he replied from the top of the stairs. “Are you alone?”
“Yes.”
“I’m with a fellow agent, and we’re coming down now.”
Cal took lead. He wanted to march straight into the living room, but they needed to take care, as a remote possibility existed that they’d missed something on their sweep and June was compromised by Keeler, saying anything he instructed her to say.
Nearing the bottom of the stairs, Cal swung around the corner to run his gaze over the room and confirm their earlier assessment. Once cleared, he lowered his weapon and smiled at June.
She stared up at him, her usual smile absent. “Now don’t the two of you look fierce.”
Cal stepped to the side and introduced Rick, who remained in the archway where he could see the porch and driveway.
June gave Rick an earnest smile. “Nice to meet you, Agent Cannon.”
“You too, ma’am,” Rick replied, his southern accent especially thick, as if he hoped his lazy drawl would help June relax.
Cal crossed over to June. “Not that I don’t appreciate exchanging pleasantries, but we need to arrange the proper assistance to deal with your bomb.”
“This little thing.” She smiled, and Cal was amazed at how calm she was being.
“I’ll call Max to get the bomb squad dispatched,” Rick said.
“Make sure they have a Faraday cloak for June, too, and let’s get someone on looking for the agents on June’s detail.”
Rick gave a clipped nod and dug out his phone.
“I assume you want to know where Tara is, and if I know where Oren went.” She patted the chair next to her. “Come sit down, and I’ll explain. You’re making me nervous standing there like an intense warrior.”
Cal took the chair next to her, but Rick remained at the entryway, a stance that would allow him to protect them should Keeler breach the front door.
June planted her hands on her knees. “All I know is that Oren strapped this thing on me and had me call Tara. He instructed her to make sure you responded to that bomb threat.”
So Cal had been right. Keeler was the reason for Tara’s apology. It was just like her to take the time to say she was sorry.
“Now before you get upset with Tara,” June continued. “She didn’t want to do it. She really cares for you, Cal, but Oren threatened to detonate not only this bomb, but the one on the woman you went to help. And he’s done something with the agents out front. Tara figured you could handle yourself better than anyone else could.”
“She was right,” Rick said.
“But where is she?” Cal asked, trying to keep his anxiety at bay.
“I wish I knew.” June wrung her hands together, raising Cal’s concern. “Oren left a phone on the dining room table, and he told her to come here to wait for his call. When he phoned, he instructed her to get in the car and take Highway 17 heading north.”
“Did he provide a destination?” Cal’s voice came out like a strangled cry.
June started to shake her head, then sat perfectly still. “I keep forgetting this thing could go off if I move.”
Anger over the mistreatment of this wonderful woman churned in Cal’s gut, but he swallowed it down so he didn’t agitate her even more.
“Oren didn’t give a specific destination.”
“Do you know what kind of car she was driving?” Cal asked.
“No. Sorry. I didn’t think to ask.” She twisted her hands together in her lap.
“It’s okay, June,” Cal soothed. “We’ll find her.”
“Squad’s on the way,” Rick broke in. “They’ll figure something out to cloak June with.”
“Cloak?” June asked.
Cal turned his attention back to her. “They’ll cover you with a specially coated metallic shield that will prevent a radio signal from getting through and arming the device.” Cal continued to keep his focus on June while sneaking quick looks at the bomb, trying to see anything different from the dummy bomb. He spotted a hole on the right side and got up to circle her.
“I feel like an animal in the zoo.” She laughed.
Cal found no reason to laugh. He dug out his phone. “I’m going to snap a few pictures of the device.”
“Should I smile?” June chuckled again.
Cal admired her attitude. He doubted he would be so relaxed in her situation. “You’re taking this awfully well.”
“You’re here to remove this, so why should I be worried?”
Why? Because I don’t know how to render this bomb safe, and until I figure it out, I can’t remove it.
June continued to peer up at him. “Will you start working on it now or wait for the bomb squad to arrive?”
The six-million-dollar question. He could grab tools from his car and try to remove the device like he’d done with Hadil, but if that device hadn’t been a dummy, both he and Hadil would be dead right now. Once he had a chance to study that bomb, he might be able to figure out what went wrong with the device and finally discover how to render this one safe.
“If you’re worried about Tara, she’s strong and resourceful,” June said. “After all, she managed to evade you for months.”
Despite the turmoil, Cal smiled.
June’s expression turned hopeful, and Cal came to a decision.
He was willing to risk his own life, but June’s? The woman who meant so much to Tara? No, that he wouldn’t do. He opened his mouth to tell her that her bomb was like a disease and there wasn’t yet a cure, but he couldn’t get the words out.
“You’re going to look for Tara instead. I understand, and the local squad will be fine.”
“No, it’s not that.”
Hope faded from her face. “You can’t disarm it, then.”
“Not yet, but I’ll figure it out.”
Her chin lifted. “I know you will, and I can wait.”
His anger flared over the situation. Over Tara missing, over all of the evil in the world that ended precious lives. He raised a hand to strike something. The wall, the chair, anything within spitting distance to release the pressure cooker in his gut.
“Looks like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders,” June said, catching his attention and distracting him.
“Not the whole world,” he joked, and shoved his hands into his pockets to contain the urge to lash out.
“Maybe not, but you’re worried about Tara and me, and if I’ve read you right, I suspect you’re carrying more than that around.”
Cal wasn’t about to share his struggles with her. “Something like that.”
She studied him, her perceptive eyes digging deep. “You guys might be these big strapping men with skills that simple country folks like me can’t even begin to imagine, but you’re just that. A man.”
“I know.”
“Do you, or do you think that you need to be perfect? That you don’t have flaws or know that there are times that you can’t figure something out?”
“I know. Trust me. People have died on my watch.”
“But how many people have you helped? Saved? Embrace that and let the other things fall away.”
Her words gave him hope, but then she hadn’t a clue about the cost of his failures. “You don’t understand.”
He waited for a judgmental look, but it never came.
“Did you do your best when these people died?” she asked.
He nodded.
“That’s all that can be expected of you. Just like now. You’ll do your best. I know that. Rick knows that. Shoot, even Tara knows that.” She firmly met his gaze and offered a smile so reminiscent of Tara’s that his heart ached.
“But,” she added, “if whatever’s eating at you today continues to linger, you could make one of those mistakes you’re talking about. I know how much you care for Tara, and I’m certain you don’t want that to happen.”
* * *
Tara dro
ve down the highway. She’d placed Oren’s phone on the passenger seat and kept glancing at it to see if somehow she’d missed a text or a call with additional directions. The cell sat there silently taunting her. Worrying her.
Worry. An old friend that had been eating her alive for far too long. She looked at her rubber bands. At the marks from her frequent use. She was tired of letting the anxiety steal her peace. It was time to break up with such a noxious friend. But how, when people she loved might die?
Words came to mind from her precious aunt who’d lived through so much and remained peaceful even with a bomb around her neck. Just trust in your faith, she’d said.
Sounded easy, but it was hard. So hard. Perhaps she hadn’t actually trusted God since her parents died. Then Oren. A gunshot wound. The bombs. And now…now with June and Cal in jeopardy, the trusting became even harder. Especially since she’d encouraged Cal to head into danger without warning him. Now Oren planned to kill him.
What have I done?
Tears brimmed in her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Her vision blurred, and she pulled to the side of the road to swipe at the tears and pray.
Maybe she deserved Oren’s wrath because she’d lost her patience with him and hadn’t handled rejecting him in the best way, but June and Cal didn’t. They were both good people—fine, compassionate, and caring.
She loved June. And Cal?…The terrifying ache in her heart said she loved him, too. This brave man she’d sent into danger.
She bowed her head and prayed, begging God for His intervention for both of them.
The phone rang, and she jumped.
She reached for the cell, and the air seemed to disappear in the car, so she lowered her window and let the cool night air wash over her face.
“Yes,” she answered.
“I suppose you’re wondering where I need you to go,” Oren said.
The sound of his voice sent her stomach roiling, but she swallowed hard. “I am.”
“I’ll text directions to you, and I want you to keep this call connected with me for the rest of the drive so I can monitor your actions.”
“That’s not necessary,” she said. “You have the cameras. Besides, I care about June and won’t do anything foolish.” Unlike you. “I’m not going to go anywhere else or alert anyone and risk jeopardizing her life.”
“All the same, keep us connected.”
She didn’t offer an additional argument but waited for the directions to arrive. Time ticked slowly by. Panic raised its ugly head, but she breathed it out. In with good air. Out with the stress. Again and again.
She could do this. If she focused on one step at a time and if…if she didn’t look ahead to the danger she most certainly faced.
Chapter 29
Cal paced up and down the driveway outside June’s house. The bomb squad had arrived and cloaked her for safety. As long as she didn’t move and no one tried to disarm the bomb, June would be safe. But Tara was far from safe.
He kicked a rock, sending it skittering down the drive. Kicked another one and stormed ahead, his hands curled and vibrating with anger.
“Hey, man.” Rick came up behind him.
Cal turned and glared at him.
“Get a grip,” Rick said. “You know Keeler better than anyone. If we’re going to find Tara, you have to calm down and think.”
Right. Calm down.
Rage took over, and he jabbed a fist into his car, striking the driver’s door and relishing the pain. He pulled back his hand to toss another punch.
Rick grabbed his arm, and Cal spun, lifting his fist to his teammate.
Rick planted his feet wide, ready to take the brunt of Cal’s anger. Staring. Breathing hard. His hands hanging limp, but standing rock solid. His buddy’s willingness to take a beating was enough to break through Cal’s fury. He dropped his hands.
“I’m sorry, man,” Cal said on an exhale that carried more of his anger.
“Hey, I get it, but you have to pretend Tara’s another hostage. Someone we need to rescue. What’s the first step?”
Pretend. He couldn’t possibly, but he could gain control. At least enough to move forward. One step at a time.
“We need to find her, of course.” His mind raced with thoughts of how to accomplish the task, until he settled on one. “We’ll pick up the dummy bomb, and when we get back to the office, I’ll study it and the x-rays the techs are taking. The rest of you pore over the evidence again, all of us looking for anything out of the ordinary.”
“Let’s go.” Rick held out his hand, palm up. “I’ll drive so you can think.”
Cal handed over his keys, not because of the offered time to think, but because he was too shaken up to drive. Not something he’d ever experienced even in the thick of mortar shells pummeling the ground in Iraq.
Love will do that to you. The thought came out of nowhere. He’d never been in love before, and he couldn’t fathom why such a notion popped into his brain. He’d never even seen real love modeled on a day-to-day basis. Not with his parents. They barely tolerated each other, much less displayed any affection or sign of love. His only experience with unconditional love was with his SEAL team and God.
His SEAL teammates would give their lives for each other, no questions asked. Sure, they served their country, but the willingness to die was born of love for each other. To give up their lives so others could live. God had done the same thing. Gave His son for everyone. And that meant Cal, too. Even if he’d given up on God, He hadn’t given up on Cal.
Who was he to carry around guilt over lives lost? He’d done his best as June had said, and he had to leave the rest to God. Cal’s guilt was misplaced. Maybe an excuse to not open himself up. An excuse to not let people hurt him the way his parents had.
Well, he was done with that. Starting now, and it was time to admit that even as he’d tried to fight it, he was in love with Tara. Totally in love. He didn’t yet know what to do with that, but he wasn’t going to lose her and miss the opportunity to find out.
He phoned Max and brought him up to speed. “I need Frankie to check the dummy bomb to see if Keeler packed it with real explosives or some sort of clay. If it’s not hot, I’m stopping by the site to pick up the device along with the x-rays.”
“I’m not at the site anymore. I’m questioning Meer and Yasin,” Max replied, and didn’t sound the least bit put out by Cal’s demands. “But I’ll give the locals a call.”
“Frankie has my cell number. Have him text me with an update.”
“Roger that. Oh, and you should also know that the K-9s found an additional bomb large enough to take out the apartment complex.”
Cal let out a low whistle. “Thank God for K-9 officers.”
“Affirmative. Frankie handled the situation like a pro. We should consider recruiting the guy for the Bureau. I’ll get him to text you.”
Cal hung up and filled Rick in.
“What are the odds that the dummy isn’t packed with C-4?” Rick asked.
“I’m guessing pretty good. If Keeler didn’t actually plan for the bomb to detonate, he wouldn’t use up pricey explosives.”
Cal focused out the window and ran through steps he’d take once he reached the office to keep from wasting valuable time. His phone soon dinged, and he glanced at it. “It’s from Frankie. Keeler used modeling clay on the necklace bomb.”
Cal texted Frankie to box up the device, and they met at the perimeter, where Frankie signed out the device and x-rays to Cal. When he arrived at the office, he collected his files and papers from the back of his car along with the items from Frankie and marched straight to the situation room while Rick went to round up the rest of the team.
Cal took the device out of the box and set it on the bench, then grabbed the x-rays and mounted them on the wall along with Tara’s drawings. He studied them but didn’t see anything new.
He moved to the device and ran gloved fingers over the housing seam that had remained intact under the drill’s vibrations. It
was smooth and neat, meaning Keeler must have used silicone gel, sanded it, and buffed it with an electrostatic cloth. Precision work. Not surprising since he worked as a security system assembler.
Cal examined the open seam. Keeler hadn’t secured it at all. No wonder the drill vibrations caused the seam to let go. Keeler was meticulous. He wouldn’t forget to glue the seam. So he left it loose on purpose. Likely to cause Cal to let down his guard, then cause mass casualties with the larger bomb. If so, Keeler had escalated to an extreme level.
The door lock clicked, and the team members minus Brynn filed into the room. Kaci took a seat behind her laptop at the table. Max, Rick, and Shane joined him at the workbench. Shane set down stapled copies of Keeler’s journals.
“How’d the interrogations go?” Cal asked Max.
“I didn’t get much,” Max said. “Except that they know each other and met when they started working together.”
“Where?”
Max shrugged. “I have Kaci trying to find employment records right now, but it’s looking like they were involved in a cash operation, making it harder to find.”
“Okay, so cash could mean something illegal.” Cal looked away to think, his gaze passing over the bags of evidence from Dallas. “Counterfeiting is illegal.”
“Where’d that come from?” Rick asked.
Cal pulled out the switch he’d studied. “This action circuit is counterfeit. I already have analysts looking for Keeler’s source, but so far we haven’t come up with anything actionable.”
“I’ll call my contacts at Customs to see if they’ve got anyone on their radar for counterfeiting electronic parts,” Max said. “That could be a long list, though.”
“China is the main importer of these parts, but India is known for it, too,” Cal said. “With Nabijah having an Indian background, we could cull the list down to those leads.”
Max gave a firm nod and strode to the far corner of the room to make his call.
Rick tapped the x-ray on the wall. “What I don’t get is why go to all of this work for the dummy bomb? He might as well have given us a blueprint of the device.”
Fatal Mistake--A Novel Page 27