Lean on Me
Page 16
“And now?” Alex asked.
“Now?” Elizabeth asked. “My eldest son is dead. My daughter is acting like an insane person. My husband tells me that if I don’t come home, he’ll do to me what he did to Dahlia.”
“Has he said that?” Troy asked.
“Not is as many words,” Elizabeth said. “But you know how he gets his message across without saying the actual words.”
Troy grunted in acknowledgement.
“I’m sorry I’m so horrible,” Elizabeth said. “I… want things to be better between us, Troy.”
“Because I’m all you have?” Troy asked.
“No,” Elizabeth said. “Because you’ve always been my favorite. You were always smarter and stronger than any of us combined.”
“You never gave any indication that…” Troy said.
“I never stood in your way,” Elizabeth said. “I packed you up and sent you off to that camp every single summer. I signed the waiver for you to enter the army. And trust me, there was hell to pay for my efforts.”
“Dad?”
“Dahlia’s not the only Jasper woman who has been under a man’s tight control,” Elizabeth said.
Troy looked away to process the information.
“It’s not enough,” Elizabeth said. “I would understand if you didn’t want anything to do with me. I have failed you. I certainly failed Dahlia and the boys…”
There was no mistaking the look of sorrow and remorse on her face.
“And…” She spoke to gain her composure. “If my husband planned her ‘execution’ as you say, I paid for it.”
“Paid for it?” Troy asked.
“He has no money in his own right,” Elizabeth said. “We’ve been living off my salary for a decade or more.”
“What about your inheritance? His book sales?”
“He’s spent every penny,” Elizabeth shrugged.
There was a tap at the door.
“The DCPD is here for you, Elizabeth,” Alex said.
“When?” Troy asked.
“They called while you were in here,” Alex said.
“But…” Troy stood from his seat. “That’s my mom!”
“Glad you finally remembered that,” Alex smiled at him. Shifting to business mode, she turned to Elizabeth. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to go with the DCPD. They will book you for participating in a conspiracy to commit the murder of Dahlia Jasper and the attempted murder of Hermes and Hector James Jasper.”
“But I didn’t know anything…” Elizabeth said. “I…”
“Here’s what you’re going to do,” Alex said. “You’re going to go with the DCPD. You’re going to sit down with the detectives. You are going to tell them, without hesitation, every single thing they want to know.”
“What about your parents?” Elizabeth asked.
“They spoke with the police last night,” Alex said. “Shall I continue?”
Elizabeth nodded.
“We are not sending an attorney because we think you are better served with a public defender,” Alex said. “Don’t ask for one immediately. It makes you look guilty. Only call for an attorney if you feel like you’re being treated unfairly. One of my team will be there at all times to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“Are they arresting my husband?” Elizabeth asked.
“They already have,” Alex said. “Now, this has been so much fun that I’m due at the Pentagon to do the same thing. I’m going out through the kitchen.”
She smiled at Elizabeth.
“Good luck,” Alex said. With a nod to Troy, Alex turned to leave.
“Wait,” Elizabeth said.
Alex turned around. Elizabeth held out a disposable phone to her.
“Will you keep this for me?” Elizabeth asked.
Alex took the phone from her.
“But…” Troy said.
Alex winked at him and left the room through the kitchen.
“You have good friends,” Elizabeth said.
“I’m lucky to have such friends,” Troy’s eyes reviewed Elizabeth’s face for what she knew about the disposable cell phone.
“Friends change everything,” Elizabeth said. “And the boys? We probably only have a minute, but I would like to know how they are.”
“They’ve been in counseling for the last six months,” Troy said. “I don’t know how we will get over the loss of their mom, but… We’re moving to Denver as soon as we’re free to go.”
“They have your strength,” Elizabeth smiled at him. “Resilience. Dahlia loved them deeply and well. That makes all the difference.”
There was a knock at the door and two Washington DC uniformed officers came into the room. Elizabeth stood when they read her rights. She nodded that she understood. They asked her if she was going to cause any trouble.
“No,” Elizabeth said. “I’m glad to have a chance to help sort this mess out. May I?”
The officers nodded. She held out her arm and Troy hugged her.
“Gentlemen?” Elizabeth nodded.
The officers took her into the hall. They were in the entry when she saw Troy’s boys.
“Grammie!”
Hector James ran forward. Elizabeth dropped to her knees to hug him. Hermes jumped on them. The boys were talking a mile a minute but in Elizabeth’s arms, their words were unintelligible. One of the uniformed officers put his hand on her shoulder.
“These handsome young men are taking me to talk to some people,” Elizabeth stood. “I’ll see you when I get back?”
“But we’ll see you soon?” Hector James asked. He looked up at Leena then at Troy.
“I hope so,” Elizabeth said.
“Bye-bye Grammie!” Hermes waved.
“Don’t worry, boys,” Elizabeth said to Troy. “I’ll be back sooner than you think.”
Like Elizabeth Taylor, she gave an elegant wave and walked out of the house with the officers. Troy stared at the door. Feeling a pull on his hands, he looked down to see Hector James.
“Grammie always called me HJ,” Hector James said. “Can I be HJ?”
“You can be anything you want,” Troy said.
“I’m going to stay Hermes though,” Hermes said.
“Maybe I’ll think about it a while,” Hector James said.
“Good idea,” Troy said.
F
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Tuesday night
October 27 – 8:40 p.m. EDT
11th Street Bridge, Washington DC
“I’m growing to hate this city,” Raz said.
In the back of a cab on their way to Bolling Air Force Base, Alex had been staring out the window at the water. They’d spent most of the day in one long, pointless tap dance of “How long can we avoid doing the obvious?” Smiling, she turned to look at Raz.
“I used to love it here,” Raz said. “Remember that great apartment on the river?”
“Gorgeous,” Alex said. “Washington was your home base for a long time.”
“But never home,” Raz smiled. “Now that I have a home, I don’t ever want to leave. Sami wants to travel and I’m the one who hesitates. I almost didn’t go to the beach a couple of weeks ago.”
“Was that a couple of weeks ago?” Alex asked. “Seems like a lifetime.”
“I need to ask you something,” Raz shifted his knees so that he faced her. He took her hands in his. “Can you do this?”
“Find almost one hundred US citizens, not to mention over fifty of our allies?” Alex asked. “Did you hear that the rent-a-soldiers sent a couple teams? Do you remember how many?”
“Two,” Raz said.
“I can never remember,” Alex said.
“That’s because you don’t listen,” Raz said.
“I listen,” Alex said.
“They start talking and you drift off,” Raz said.
“That obvious?”
“You may as well have put your fingers in your ears and gone ‘la la la la la.’”
She sniffed and looked away. Watching the back of her head, he waited for her anger to subside.
“We have all the evidence!” Alex said. “Makes me crazy. Rent-a-soldiers are above the law.”
“Sadly true,” Raz said.
“They don’t have to submit to normal military review,” Alex said.
“Or police safety boards,” Raz said. “Just gung-ho frat boys with weapons.”
Shaking her head, Alex turned back to look at him.
“We’ve talked about this,” Alex said.
“More than once,” Raz said. “But I do like what you said to the General. ‘Get me the bastards that raped, tortured, and held my Petty Officer in a hot box and I’ll get your rent-a-soldiers. Until then I hold you personally responsible.’ Did you see his response?”
Alex shook her head.
“I thought he was going to puke,” Raz chuckled.
Alex shrugged.
“Between you and me,” Raz said. “Can you do this?”
“Truth?” Alex asked.
He nodded.
“I don’t know,” Alex said. “I thought we’d find something, anything, a scrap of paper or calendar or computer log but…”
“There’s nothing at JFCOM,” Raz said.
“Nothing at the creep’s apartment,” Alex said. “Nothing anywhere. We’ll have to find them by hand.”
Alex fell silent and watched the city fly. They continued down Anacostia Freeway toward Bolling Air Force Base where the team was waiting for them.
“I thought of this last night,” Alex said.
“What?” Raz asked.
“We have every resource, right?” Alex asked.
“Every resource,” Raz said. “Anything.”
“I think I’m going to activate the old team,” Alex said.
“The Fey Special Forces Team?”
Raz’s brow furrowed. His eyes scanned her face to see if maybe the strain and lack of sleep had gotten to her. Shaking her head, Alex laughed at him.
“No,” Alex said. “Joseph and I would have a tough time by ourselves!”
“Ma’am, we’re almost there,” the cab driver said. “You’re sure I can leave you at the gate?”
“They’re expecting us, sir,” Alex said. “Thank you.”
“The old team?” Raz asked.
“There was a group of people who extracted hostages,” Alex said. “It’s surprising, given all the POWs in Vietnam and Laos. Some of the men worked to retrieve people from Korea.”
“They’re good?” Raz’s voice spoke his doubt.
“Let me put it to you this way,” Alex said. “They had full military assignments. Hostage finding was a side job. Charlie did a tour with their leader. That’s what made him want to set up the Fey Special Forces Team.”
“They’re good?” Raz repeated.
Alex nodded.
“I feel like a broken record,” Raz said. “And you know I’d follow you to the end of the earth and back again, but…”
“Can I do this?” Alex asked. “Not alone. Not even with the team. And even then… I can only do my best. We can only do our best. That has to be enough.”
“Are you scared?” Raz asked.
“Kinda,” Alex said. “I have that Mount Everest feeling.”
“Mount Everest?”
“You know, I’m standing at the base of some big-ass mountain. I want to get to the top but there’s a lot of miles, a little rock climbing, some ice, some snow, a strong steady wind, and a bunch of unknown stuff I’ve never done before,” Alex said. “The Sherpas are here to help. I even have the best guides in the world, meaning you and the team. In the end, I’m setting off into the unknown. I have to trust that I’m capable of actually climbing the mountain.”
“You’re terrified and exhilarated at the same time,” Raz said. “What are you going to do?”
“I think I’ll make some calls,” Alex said. “Maybe on the plane. See if any of the usual suspects have any of the teams.”
“Usual suspects?” Raz asked.
“There’s a few people I check first,” Alex said. “Somalis, a warlord in Afghanistan, some pornographers in Prague, couple human traffickers in Thailand, a guy in Delhi, the Russian Mob – you know people like that. They usually stay far away from anything like this. Especially since they know I’m working again. They aren’t stupid either.”
“What’s that mean?” Raz asked.
“We’re here,” the cab driver said.
“They aren’t going to miss a chance for me to owe them a favor,” Alex said.
“You should make the calls,” Raz said.
Alex nodded. He paid the cab.
“Let’s hope we don’t fall off the cliff,” Raz said.
“Or get frozen on the way down,” Alex slid out of the cab. “I always thought that would suck.”
Raz laughed.
FFF
Tuesday night
October 27 – 11:04 p.m. MDT
Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, CO
“Sami says they were turned away at the gate,” Raz held up the text message. “John too.”
“What?” Alex asked. Joseph and Matthew came over to find out what was going on.
“They told them it was a security matter,” Raz said.
“Higher than John and Max’s clearance?” Alex asked. “Max works with Trece and White Boy.”
“That’s what Max said,” Raz said. “No go. They were going to wait, but they were told to vacate the premises. Sami tried to call you, but your phone is disconnected.”
Raz looked up at Matthew and Joseph.
“Everyone’s phones are disconnected,” Raz said.
“How did you get this?” Alex asked.
“This is a burner,” Raz nodded to the disposable phone in his hand. “Joseph gave one to each of us after the last time they shut off our phones. Don’t you have one?”
“Probably,” Alex shrugged. “No one ever calls me on the phone.”
“Because you never answer,” Matthew said.
“Eleazar,” Alex nodded. “He used to call me all the time. That wasn’t very fun.”
“Point taken,” Matthew said.
“John says cell phones are for work,” Alex said.
“Check your burners,” Joseph informed the rest of the team. “Our families aren’t allowed on base.”
“Prepare to land,” the US Army Calvary pilot’s voice came over the intercom.
“They’re waiting for us at home,” Raz said.
“Party at my house!” Alex said, and the team cheered.
They strapped into their seats and the Hercules C-130 landed. With her duffle bag on her shoulders, Alex was the first one waiting to deplane. As the rear of the plane began to lower to the tarmac, she saw two figures waiting for them.
“We have company,” she called.
She pulled her handgun and moved away from the exit. The rest of the team followed suit. They waited in anxious silence as the rear of the plane continued to lower. Trece and White Boy barreled out of the plane. When Trece laughed, Alex gave a sigh of relief and put her weapon away. Her assistant, Sergeant Dusty and Chief Petty Officer Royce Tubman joined them on the plane. Carrying their gear duffle bags, they were dressed in their Fey uniforms.
“What’s going on?” Alex asked.
“You found four teams,” Sergeant Dusty said.
“While I was sleeping my way here?” Alex asked.
“Seems that way,” Royce said. “We were recalled to base, sir. Sergeant Dusty has the information for you. We’ve been ordered to work on the plane while they refuel. We have a new flight crew to take us where we need to go.”
“And…” Setting down his gear, Sergeant Dusty nodded a greeting to everyone. “Captain Gordon is on leave.”
“Month’s leave,” Royce raised his eyebrows to Alex. “Told his staff he was having a medi
cal emergency but no one could figure out what that might be. Doesn’t he work out with Trece?”
“White Boy trains him,” Trece nodded to the bodybuilder standing next to him.
“He’s fit for duty,” White Boy said. “We just got back his blood work. His cholesterol has dropped to normal since we started working out. Heart test clear. Liver panel. Everything’s good; a lot better than a year ago. For an old guy, he’s healthy.”
“Here’s the weird thing,” Sergeant Dusty said.
“Weirder than that?” Raz asked.
“The Admiral is also on leave,” Sergeant Dusty said. “He told his staff that my wife, Peggy, his daughter was having complications with her pregnancy.”
“Didn’t she have the baby last month?” Matthew asked.
“As far as I know,” Sergeant Dusty said. “She’s clueless as to what he means.”
“How was that plane ride, sir?” Royce asked.
The team turned to look at Alex. Chewing on her cheek, she was staring off into space. She was so lost in thought, she didn’t notice their attention.
“Alex?” Raz touched her arm.
Surprised, she jerked to the present. She looked at Raz and noticed the group standing around her. Unsure of what she’d missed, she smiled.
“What did I miss?” Alex asked.
“Gordon and the Admiral took a month’s leave,” Sergeant Dusty said. “Medical.”
“I sure hope they’re all right,” Alex smiled.
“That’s it?” Trece asked.
“What’s what?” Alex asked.
“Your Captain and his boss are on leave and…?” Matthew asked.
“People get sick,” Alex shrugged. “We have a lot of work to do. Can we go to our offices?”
“No,” Sergeant Dusty said. “We’re to stay on the plane.”
“Well, that’s odd,” Alex said. “Do we know where we’re going?”
“Asia and Africa,” Sergeant Dusty said. “Mostly.”
“Why can’t we send people to get them?” Alex asked.
“It’s a condition of the prisoner release,” Sergeant Dusty said. “The captors feel like they did you a favor by collecting our guys.”
“They probably did,” Alex said.