“I may as well tell you the rest. Again, you can’t tell anyone, not even Sissie or Randy. I was on the team that got Vi back home.”
Tears ran down his mother’s face. “I didn’t think I’ve ever been prouder of you or love you more, but I am, and I do.”
The three hugged, and he told them his plan.
“Where can I find Vivian Webley?” Hawke asked the nurse standing at the nurse’s station in the ER.
“She’s in exam room five. You can wait in our visitors’ lounge. I’ll let her know you’re here.” The nurse nodded toward an open doorway on the right.
“I want to be by her side right now. The police chief and I suspect her life is in danger.”
“You’re Taylor Bartlett,” the nurse said and smiled. “I was two years behind you in school.”
He glanced at her name tag. “Sorry, I don’t remember you, but it’s been some years now. I haven’t come home much since I joined the Navy.”
Her eyes looked up and down his body. “You don’t look much like you did in high school. The Navy’s done well by you.”
He hated the heat that he felt on his face. “Thanks. I think.”
“Oh, there’s her doctor coming out of the cubicle. “Go on down and speak with him. Dr. Sampson,” she called out. “Taylor Bartlett wants to speak with you.”
The doctor walked toward Taylor. “I haven’t seen you in years.”
“No, sir. I don’t get this way as often as I should, but I’m going to do better from now on.”
“Everyone will be at your parents’ anniversary party. They are well thought of by all the town’s people.”
“I was lucky in the parent department. But what I wanted to ask you is how Vivian’s doing.” He glanced toward the number five cubicle.
The doctor’s expression turned serious. “I’m sorry, Taylor, but you aren’t family. I can’t say anything without her permission.”
“Will you go with me to her room and ask if you can talk about her condition with me?”
“Sure,” the doctor said and shrugged. “I didn’t know you knew each other that well.”
“We don’t, but I want to talk with her about what happened.”
“You’re in the Navy. Right?”
“Yes, sir.”
Damn, I hope everyone in town isn’t going to guess my job because of how I look. The other times I visited I mostly stayed on the ranch.
The doctor peeked inside the curtain. “I have a visitor who’d like to speak with you, Vivian. Taylor Bartlett. Shall I let him in?”
“Yes.”
When the doctor parted the curtains, Vi looked pale with haunted eyes. Hawke had to stop his impulse to take her in his arms and hug her.
“Taylor wants me to discuss your condition with him. I explained I needed your permission.”
“Why the interest, Taylor?”
“I’d rather explain later.”
“It’s all right, Doctor. We’ve known each other a long time.”
“Then let me show him your head.” The doctor pointed to singed hair and a tiny cut. “Of course, the cut bled more than she expected, but cuts on the head tend to bleed a lot. It’s nothing. She won’t even get a headache. Still, it was best to be safe and come in to get checked. People can assume they’re all right and end up losing their life.”
“You were lucky. I heard Emma’s apartment was totaled,” Hawke said.
“Pretty much. At least the living room and dining area.”
“I’ll leave you two to talk,” Dr. Sampson said. “Vivian, I’ll write discharge papers. You can leave whenever you’d like.”
“Thanks for your care.”
The doctor nodded and slipped out between the curtains.
Vivian studied Hawke’s face. “What’s the real reason you’re here? Did you fear I’d let others know your true occupation?”
“No. I appreciate how you handled the situation at the restaurant.”
“I got my cue from you. That still doesn’t tell me why you’re here now.”
“The man you identified is being arrested,” Hawke glanced at his watch, “right about now. I’m certain he’s unhappy his hired thug missed you. But they won’t give up. You are the only one who saw his picture and remembers it. To be on the safe side, Captain Buchanan and his Commander will see Glenn has protection. I’m to protect you.”
“You must hate this assignment, but then, I’ve heard SEALs never refuse even the most difficult and distasteful jobs.”
Hawke had trouble keeping his face straight. She had a wicked tongue. He liked it. “I will do my best on any assignment, no matter how difficult it may be.”
If Vi hadn’t been watching him closely, she’d have missed the twinkle in his eyes. It made her feel better.
“How do you plan to keep me safe?”
“My parents are going to stay at my brother’s house. We will be at the ranch in an old cabin my Dad and I used when we went fishing or hunting. I’m not certain what condition it’s in, but it will be better than being shot.”
“You don’t think this person will find it?”
“Eventually, but it gives us time to look for him first, or I should say it gives the police time. I’ll be staying with you. Ask Emma if she wants to come with us.”
“No, she’s planning to stay with her parents. I don’t think the sniper will go after her.”
“I’m sure you’re right. In the sniper’s head, Emma would have been collateral damage, but the gunman would have no interest in her now. He’ll want you more than ever.”
“Because the man paying him is going to jail?”
Hawke nodded. “And because he failed. If it gets out he missed his target, it will ruin his reputation.”
“So he is more determined.”
“Yes.”
“You said he’s a sniper. How can you stop him?”
“I know how snipers think.”
“You’re a sniper?”
“If you tell anyone, I’ll have to kill you.” He winked.
“Oh, my gosh, caught between two snipers. I’ll never get out of this alive.”
“Yes, you will.” His blue eyes darkened. “I will not let him hurt you.”
“You aren’t invincible, Taylor.”
“No, but I’m very good.”
When he smiled, a shiver rolled down her spine. Ty’s dangerous to my heart. The next few days aren’t going to be easy. He thinks I stood him up all those years ago, and I still have feelings for him.
They charged into his office. He’d been expecting them. His attorney stood by his side.
“I see you know why we are here,” the FBI agent said. He handed the arrest papers to the attorney.
“We will have him out on bail in a few hours,” the attorney said and nodded for his client to stand and let them put on the cuffs.
Captain Buchanan had asked to accompany the agents. “When I saw the picture, Dugal, I was stunned. We went to college together, and then you decided the money route was for you, and I joined the Navy. But I never believed you’d be a traitor to our country.”
“I’m not.”
The attorney warned him not to speak. “They don’t have a picture. Not a real one.”
“I suppose there are spies for you everywhere. We’ll find out who leaked the information to you.” Buchanan shook his head at the man who’d been his college roommate, then turned and left the room.
Buchanan took the stairs and then strode out of the new tall building. He remembered when Dugal had bought this office and invited him to see it. Afterward, they went for lunch. Dugal had been in high spirits. Everything was going his way.
Captain Buchanan wandered down the crowded street, oblivious to the people walking around him and a few bumping into him. He’d asked Dugal how he’d done so well.
“I’m a fighter. In business, you stick your neck out and take chances others won’t. It’s paid off in the long run. Are you still happy you chose the Navy?”
�
��Yes. I’ll never be rich, but I’m helping to keep our country safe, and I work with some of the finest men in the country.”
“You always did like to do the right and good thing, while I never minded bending the rules a bit.”
He’d never thought his friend would bend the rules far enough to break them altogether and turn to treason. And now he says he has a person near me working for him.
Buchanan’s phone vibrated, and he reached for it. He looked at the number. Hawke. Good — he needed something to concentrate on besides his old college roommate’s betrayal.
“What’s happening?”
Hawke described the attempt on Vivian Webley’s life. “She’s one hell of a woman. She got a shot off and wounded him. They’ve sent the blood sample to a lab for DNA.”
“Do you know who taught her to shoot?”
“I suspect it was her father. My Dad once told me her Dad shot better than any man he knew.”
“She must have inherited his talent. Do you need me to send someone from your team to help?”
“No, I can handle this on my own. Let the rest of my team enjoy their free time.”
“Don’t hesitate to call.”
“I won’t. Was the person arrested, the man you knew?”
“Yes. I also found out someone around me is a spy for him. I’m going to be cleaning house back at headquarters. Dugal knew we were coming. He had his attorney with him.”
“Maybe you need more help than me.”
“I’ll figure it out. Be careful.”
“Always. Bye.”
Hawke put his phone in the holder and got inside his Mom’s car. He’d brought it to pick up Vivian and take her back to the ranch.
The nurse helped her into the seat beside him. Vi leaned back and closed her eyes.
“Are you going to sleep?”
“No, I’m just resting my eyes.”
“I’d have thought you’d be looking all around.”
“I don’t need to. I’m sure you were watching every
second during your call.”
Hawke liked her comment. He had been turning and watching. They’d taught him in training to always be on the alert and observing the area around him.
“We’ll head to the ranch, get my truck and leave the car in front of the house.”
“How do you know he’s not watching us from somewhere or will follow us to the cabin?” she asked as he turned onto the highway.
“I don’t, but if he gets anywhere close, I’ll see him.”
They didn’t talk on the way. She’d closed her eyes again. Hawke glanced at her. Her pale face and clenched hands showed him she wasn’t as relaxed as she’d like him to believe. He turned onto a gravel road. Few people knew of this route to the ranch. His family seldom used it, and the car bumped along the uneven back road.
“Where are we?”
“I thought the bumps would wake you. On an old road to the ranch. If anyone comes after me, they will most likely take the main road. What we need to do is park Mom’s car and disappear before he gets to the ranch house.”
“Can we do that?”
“I snuck in many a night this way.”
“I always saw you as being so serious. It’s difficult to picture you sneaking home from a party or a date.”
He gave her a conspiratorial smile. “If I were late, I’d go to the cabin and say I didn’t want to wake them. It never fooled them. Dad and Mom were smarter than me, my brother, and sister combined.”
“How about you? Did you ever sneak out?” Hawke asked.
“Not exactly, but I told my mother I was staying at Emma’s the day I met you in the library.”
He glanced at her. “Did she find out?”
“Yes, someone saw us.”
Hawke didn’t comment. There wasn’t time to think about what she’d said. He parked the car and helped Vi into the truck. He guided the truck at a quick clip down another back road until they were into the woodsy part of his parents’ ranch.
“I’ve never been in this area,” Vi said. “Your sister and I went riding one day, but we didn’t ride in this direction.”
“Dad and I enjoyed keeping the cabin secret. Sometimes Randy came with us, but he usually preferred to stay home and fiddle with a car.”
“You have a nice family,” Vi said.
He glanced at her. “Isn’t your family close?”
“No. Mom and Bella are close. I didn’t agree to have the life my mother wanted for me. Dad was sweet, but for years he stayed away from us, building his business. I believe he did it to avoid my mother.”
He started to ask a question but seeing the cabin he decided to leave any further discussion for another time. He guided the truck into the shadows beside the building and turned off the engine.
“Oh, it’s nice.” Vi got out and walked around the cleared area.
“I don’t know what the inside will look like, but Dad said Mom had cleaned it several times this year.”
He opened the door and let her go in ahead of him. Dust covers were on the furniture, and the windows were a bit dirty. Overall, it wasn’t bad.
Vi wandered around and peeked into the two bedrooms and lone bath. He followed her, removing dust covers and folding them to put in the large closet in his parents’ room. It was the largest bedroom.
“Did your mother and father come here together?”
“Oh, yes. My parents said they often stayed here before we were born. Afterward, it was mostly my Dad and me, but I suspect once we were all out of the house they returned more often.” He smiled. “We always knew our parents loved each other. If they argued, it wasn’t in front of us. But they showed their affection to each other openly. They’d kiss or hug, which made my brother and I blush and groan, and my sister smile.
“Come on, we’d better get the supplies I put in the truck before I picked you up.”
Vi helped carry in groceries and drinks. Hawke carried in two coolers full of ice and one with food and ice.
“Are you expecting us to be here for a long time?” she asked.
“Maybe. If not, it’s better to be prepared. I’m going to move the truck. Here’s a gun. Use it, if needed. I won’t be long.”
Chapter 8
Vi locked the door and checked out all the windows. The silence made her nervous. Taking sheets out of a bedroom cupboard, she made each bed, keeping the gun in reach. It was only then she realized she had no clothes, but the ones she wore. Ruefully, she shook her head. There were more important things to worry about, and Ty must have a plan in case they had to stay longer than a day or two.
The air in the cabin was stuffy, but she feared an open window might alert the man chasing after her. An old-fashioned paper fan lay on one of the living room tables. It stirred the air, but not much.
Hawke drove away from the cabin and hid the truck behind a grove of trees. The low-hanging branches covered most of it. It took him ten minutes to run back toward the cabin. It’s a good way to keep in shape. I haven’t exercised much since coming home.
He ran a zig-zag course back. Once he got closer, he bent low and looked and listened for any sounds or evidence of a person being here besides them. Then he bolted for the door. He gave it a single rap. “It’s me,” he whispered.
Vi opened the door immediately. She’d been worried that he’d been caught or hurt.
“I’ve been worried. You were gone a long time.”
“I parked the truck a distance away.”
“You saw no one?”
“For now, it appears we’re the only ones around.”
He sniffed. “What do I smell?
“I started a stew to keep busy and not think about what might happen. I found the meat and vegetables in one of the coolers.”
“You cook?”
Vi nodded to the kitchen. “I’m not sure I’d go that far. You can tell me whether I’m any good or not after you taste the meal.”
She walked into the living room and sat in what they had all c
alled “Mom’s chair”. He sat across from her on the sofa. “Were you scared?”
“Some, but I kept the gun close, and I checked the windows and locked the door. But when birds suddenly flew out of a tree, it scared me. Then I saw a cat skulking near the tree and I relaxed a little.”
“You must have been terrified when those men ran after you.”
She knew immediately he was talking about her adventure half a world away. “I was. I’d never been in danger before.” She smiled thinly. “Maybe that’s why I thought it’d be so exciting, and I romanticized the job of an overseas correspondent. I’ll never take the job they do casually again. I realize now how much my fellow journalists take serious risks to let us know what is happening in the world. I admire them, but I don’t want to become one of them.”
“What happened to you doesn’t often happen, but reporters can be injured or killed. None of us give them the credit they deserve.”
“SEALs are the same,” Vi said. “You do secret jobs, and few know the chances you take for the country. It’s only lately that SEALs have been mentioned more in the press.”
“True. Most of us liked it the way it was before, more secretive.”
“I won’t ever tell anyone you saved me. But I’m glad I have this opportunity to thank you.”
“From what I saw in that village, you were doing pretty good on your own. Who taught you to shoot? Dad said it was probably your father.”
“It was. Dad’s an exceptionally good shooter, and he insisted I learn.” She grinned. “I didn’t dare let him think I might do as good or better than him. It was our joke.”
“Did your sister learn?”
“Oh no. Bella had no interest and mother insisted I not learn. My father overrode her and taught me anyway.
Her expression turned sad. “They’re getting a divorce. He told me he’d thought about it many times. Mom made a scene at my homecoming party, but of course, only Belle’s friends were there, and Mom sided with them that I needed to tell all about my experience in the Middle East. Dad stopped her and brought Emma and me to the restaurant.”
The SEAL’s Surprise Mission (Special Forces: Operation Alpha) (Rache) Page 6