“What’s going on, Radar?” she asked.
“Just trying to decide if it’s time for me to retire.”
Peyton made a scoffing sound. “Retire? You’re way too young. What are you, twenty-five?”
He glanced over at her with a frown. “I’m younger than you, Sparky? Really?”
“I was going to say thirty-five, but I thought you might not see that as a compliment.”
He laughed and Peyton felt something ease in her chest.
“I’m sorry about Finn,” he said, twirling the sunglasses.
“So am I. I really hoped he’d made it out of here.” She couldn’t quite process the futility, the horrible sadness of that.
Radar sighed. “He set them up. That sonuvabitch Thatcher, he set them up. His own people. He wanted us to slaughter them. He wanted us to come in here guns ablazing and massacre his people. There’s no part of it that makes sense.”
“It does if you realize he wanted to be martyred. He wanted people to talk about him for generations like Jim Jones or David Koresh. He wanted to be a folk hero.”
“And it almost happened.”
Peyton bumped him with her shoulder. “But it didn’t because you were here, because you were our leader.”
He gave her a faint smile. “What you did, shoving your gun under his chin, damn it, woman, but that was the gutsiest, craziest thing I’ve ever seen anyone do.”
Peyton returned his smile. “Sarge said not to surrender my weapon.”
“We still need to talk about that.”
“We don’t really. It was nothing.”
“Apparently it was something.”
Peyton pushed herself to her feet. “It’s an incredibly boring story. It’ll put you to sleep.”
“I’m beginning to think nothing surrounding you is boring, Sparky.”
She held out her hand. “Come on, old man. Let’s get the hell out of here. This place is getting creepy.”
He chuckled and took her hand, letting her yank him to his feet, but when she started to pull away, he kept hold. “You’re going to make a good leader someday, Sparky, you know that.”
“Well, not today. Today we have a leader, who happens to be decades away from retirement.”
“Decades?”
“At least one decade.”
“I don’t think Mrs. Radar is going to want to hear that.”
“Well then, I’ll just have to talk to her, won’t I? I mean I’m certain Mrs. Radar and I will get along famously.”
“I’m sure you will.”
“And Mitten and Bootsy, they’re going to love me too.”
“That’s not their names.”
“Tiger and Pixie?”
“Not even close.”
“Lula and Jezebel?”
“Those are stripper names, Sparky,” he said, rolling his eyes.
EPILOGUE
Peyton climbed out of the Suburban, carrying a wooden box. The sun shone brightly and the brilliant green grass of the cemetery waved in the ocean breeze. She looked up the incline to where the small group gathered at the gravesite, then waited while the rest of her team exited the SUV.
Radar straightened his suit jacket, his sunglasses in place. Bambi came up beside him and slipped her arm through his, letting him help her over the rough terrain as they climbed toward the service. Tank offered Peyton his arm.
She smiled at him and took it, wishing she’d chosen her pantsuit and combat boots instead of a black skirt and heels for today. Shifting his hold to her elbow, he steadied her as they followed Radar and Bambi to the top.
“The professor finally figured out the coin,” said Tank conversationally.
Peyton gave him a quizzical look. “Coin?”
“Lance Corporal Daws’ mystery coin?”
Peyton stopped walking. “Really? What did she find?”
“It dates back to the Sassanid era from 225 BC to 640 AD.”
“What? From where?”
Tank gave her a pleased nod. “That’s the interesting part.”
“What, Tank? What’s the interesting part?”
“They’re Iraqi.”
Peyton opened her mouth to speak, but Radar called to them. “Are you coming or not?”
She held up a hand and they climbed the rest of the way. Janice separated herself from Lois Elder and Cheryl Watts, coming to her and hugging her. Peyton hugged her in return, then bent down and hugged Gina. As she straightened, her gaze met Molly’s. The girl held out her hand and Peyton took it, squeezing her fingers. Standing a little separated from them was Jeff King with a woman who Peyton guessed was his wife. She waved at him, then the pastor called them all together for the service.
It was a simple, lovely ceremony. Once the pastor finished the final prayer, Finn’s coffin was lowered into the grave. Janice came forward with a plain porcelain urn, which she opened and sprinkled into the grave, laying her mother to rest with her son. Bambi handed Peyton a tissue, slipping her arm around Peyton’s waist as Molly came forward and dropped a flower onto the casket.
The four women walked over to Peyton and her team, exchanging hugs. Janice held Peyton tightly and whispered in her ear, “Please thank everyone for helping me bury my brother.”
Peyton held her off and smiled at her, then reached down and stroked Little Gina’s bright red hair. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Janice. I wish things had turned out differently, but I promise you, Thatcher’s going where he can’t hurt anyone again.”
Janice’s eyes filled and tears spilled down her cheeks. “I’m glad.”
“What are you going to do now?”
She held out her hand and Mrs. Elder took it, coming to her side. “Mrs. Elder has offered to help us, Gina and me. We’re going to stay with her for a while.”
Peyton gave the older woman a grateful nod, then her eyes landed on Molly, standing with Cheryl Watts. Cheryl had her arm around the girl and was comforting her while she cried. “What about Molly?”
Janice glanced at her. “Cheryl’s letting her stay with her family. She’s helping them with the kids and she’s going to school. Community college for now.” She shot a look at Radar. “Thank him for us, for not charging her with anything.”
“I will.”
“Goodbye, Agent Brooks.”
“Goodbye, Janice.” She smiled at Gina and tucked a red lock behind her ear, then she watched the four women and the young girl wander back to their car.
As soon as they climbed inside, Peyton approached Jeff King, accepting his offered hand.
“This is my wife, Ruth, Agent Brooks.”
“Nice to meet you,” said Peyton, taking her hand.
“Same here.”
Peyton turned back to Jeff. “Finn’s sister Janice was very grateful to get the letters Finn wrote to your mother.”
He smiled. “It was the least I could do.”
Peyton extended the wooden box. “This is for you. When Janice went through her brother’s things, she found the letters your mother wrote to him. She thought they might help you remember her better.”
Ruth covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes going liquid. Jeff blinked rapidly a few times as he accepted the box. “Thank you, Agent Brooks. You don’t know what this means to me.”
Peyton smiled. “I can imagine, Mr. King. I hope it brings you some peace.”
He nodded at her and held the box close. “I’m certain it will. Best of luck to you, Agent Brooks.”
“You too,” she said, watching as he and his wife moved off toward their car.
Turning back around, Peyton hesitated. A tall man in a suit with a cane stood beneath the trees a little distance away from the grave. She would recognize him anywhere. Despite herself, her heart kicked up speed and she caught her breath, only half aware that the rest of her team had moved up behind her.
“Peyton, is that…” began Bambi.
Peyton nodded.
“What’s he doing here?” growled Radar.
“I don’t know.
”
“Do you want me to tell him to leave?”
Peyton glanced at him, then gave him a faint smile. “No, I’ll take care of it.” She squeezed Bambi’s hand. “It’s okay. Really. I’m fine.”
“We’ll just wait for you here,” said Radar.
Peyton nodded distractedly as she picked her way around the grave and climbed up to his spot under the trees. He gave her a sheepish look.
“What are you doing here?”
“Abe told me what you were doing today and I know how hard these things can be.” He nodded at the grave. “I wanted to be here for you.”
Her eyes swept over him. He looked so much better than the last time she’d seen him. His hair was cut short, his jaw clean-shaven. His eyes seemed brighter, less bloodshot. She was still angry with him, still hurt and confused, but he was here and right now that’s all that mattered. He was here. “I appreciate it.”
He glanced beyond her to her team. “So that’s Radar, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“He doesn’t look happy to see me.”
“That’s how Radar always looks.”
He smiled and Peyton felt her heart pick up speed. God, he still could make her giddy with just a look. “I was hoping you’d let me take you to dinner, drive you home.”
She hesitated a moment. She wanted nothing more than to accept, but every time she let him back in even a little, he hurt her again. She hated being a fool for any man, but with him it went so much deeper, hurt so much more.
“It’s just dinner, Peyton. Please.”
For so long, he was as integral to her as her next breath and the truth was, she still loved him, would probably always love him no matter what he did. That didn’t mean she trusted him, or that she’d ever be able to trust him again, but he was right. It was just dinner. It was a start.
She glanced at the others. “I guess that’d be all right.” She waved to them, indicating they could go.
They hesitated, but finally turned and started toward the Suburban.
“Where do you want to eat?”
“I don’t care.”
“Chinese, Thai?”
Peyton shook her head. “No, I want a hamburger,” she said, starting toward the Charger parked on the road above them.
“A hamburger?”
“Real beef, not soy.”
“Okay.”
“And a milkshake.”
“A milkshake?”
“Yeah. With whip cream and a cherry and...chocolate. I want chocolate.”
“Of course you do. Anything else would be ridiculous.”
“And after dinner I want pie.”
“Pie? Boston cream?”
“No, apple.”
“Apple?”
“Gotta have my daily allowance of fruit.”
“Right. That’s important.”
“It is.” She stopped and looked up at him.
He stopped beside her.
“Thank you, Marco.”
“For what?”
She tucked her arm through his and started him walking again. “For knowing me so well that you’re here today.”
He pulled her closer and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else, sweetheart,” he said.
THE END
Now that you’ve finished, visit ML Hamilton at her website: authormlhamilton.com for more information on the Peyton Brooks’ mysteries and her other contemporary fiction novel, Ravensong.
If you missed the first seven novels in the Peyton Brooks’ mystery series, download them now!
Then check out her fantasy series, The World of Samar, at worldofsamar.com.
All ML Hamilton titles available in ebook and paperback formats.
The Complete Peyton Brooks’ Mysteries Collection:
Murder on Potrero Hill Volume 1
Murder in the Tenderloin Volume 2
Murder on Russian Hill Volume 3
Murder on Alcatraz Volume 4
Murder in Chinatown Volume 5
Murder in the Presidio Volume 6
Murder on Treasure Island Volume 7
The Peyton Brooks, FBI Series
Zombies in the Delta Volume 1
Mermaids in the Pacific Volume 2
The Avery Nolan Adventure Series
Swift as a Shadow Volume 1
The Complete World of Samar Collection:
Emerald Volume 1
The Heirs of Eldon Volume 2
The Star of Eldon Volume 3
The Spirit of Eldon Volume 4
The Sanctuary of Eldon Volume 5
Mermaids in the Pacific (Peyton Brooks, FBI Book 2) Page 35