by Kat Martin
Relief filtered through him. But those few casualties would have suffered deadly symptoms, starting with nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, severe blisters, and burns on their skin and mucous membranes. The most critical side effect was a pulmonary edema caused by filling the lungs with fluid, which killed in less than thirty minutes.
“Why gas their own people?” Bran asked.
“They were trying to replicate attacks made by the Saudis in the Saada province in 2015. The rebels wanted the US and the UK to believe the Saudis were guilty of war crimes and intercede against them on the rebels’ behalf.”
“Were you able to locate the supplier?”
“Not yet, but Army Counterterrorism is on it. NSA and Homeland are also involved. With the information you provided, we know the cell is located in San Diego. Rounding them up shouldn’t take long.”
“That’s good news, sir.”
“I managed to keep your name out of it, but know that the army is grateful for your part in this.”
“Thank you, Colonel.”
Bryson ended the call and Bran turned to Jessie, who waited impatiently on the sofa beside him.
“They found the chemical weapons in Yemen and destroyed them. Casualties kept to a minimum.” He filled her in as much as he could on the attack and the reasons behind it.
“When you say ‘they’ you mean army Delta, right?”
He just shrugged. He couldn’t talk about the actual mission, even if he knew, but given Bryson’s involvement, it would likely have been a Delta operation.
Jessie seemed to understand. “So the gas attack was meant to be a false flag. The rebels set it up so the Saudis would take the blame.”
“That was the idea. The colonel says NSA and Homeland are working together to find whoever supplied the munitions to the rebels.”
She gave a sigh of relief. “That’s great, Bran. The majority of the weapons are no longer a threat. Now we just have to prove my father wasn’t involved and find the rest of the weapons.”
“Yeah...piece of cake.”
* * *
It was close to noon when the call came in requesting their presence at the medical examiner’s office. Before they left for the base, Bran went down to the business office and printed the information Jessie had assembled.
Then all three of them piled into Maddox’s Jeep Cherokee and drove onto the base, parking in the lot in front of the Army Community Hospital complex where the ME’s office was located.
Nerves had her stomach jumping as she and Bran climbed out of the vehicle.
“I’ll wait for you here,” Maddox said. “Keep an eye on the car.” He and Bran were both edgy. They were closing in on the bad guys, always a dangerous time.
Or at least they hoped they were getting close.
“Let’s go,” Bran said, setting a hand at her waist, urging her toward the glass front door.
According to the phone call, a different ME had performed the second autopsy, a double check that would leave no possibility unexplored. The man who greeted them introduced himself as Dr. Terence Chang, a small man with military-short black hair and wire-rimmed glasses.
Off to one side, a man Jessie hadn’t noticed rose from his chair. Silver hair gleamed as Colonel William Larkin approached her.
“I wanted to be here when Dr. Chang presented his findings.”
Jessie felt a fresh shot of nerves. Larkin’s pale eyes were impossible to read, yet it was clear he knew the results. Her mouth went dry. She caught a look from Brandon. This was it. Everything they had worked for hinged on the next few minutes.
“Please have a seat,” the doctor said.
She and Bran sat down in front of the desk, but Larkin remained standing.
Chang adjusted his glasses and opened the folder in front of him. “I’ll try to put everything in layman’s terms.” He looked down at the top sheet of paper. “To begin with, an examination of the contents of your father’s stomach showed he had ingested listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria that causes food poisoning. It was a particular variety that reacts within very few minutes and results in severe nausea.”
“The reason he was transported to the infirmary,” Larkin put in.
Jessie said nothing, but her stomach was churning. What if they were wrong?
“As you may know, we were given broader parameters this time, a wider range of testing. The tox screen administered showed something different. Traces of calcium gluconate. An equal amount of potassium phosphate also appeared in the colonel’s blood.”
Chang looked directly at her. “The combination of those two drugs, when administered together, causes a myocardial infarction. A heart attack.”
Jessie swayed in her seat. She felt Brandon’s hand wrap around hers and hold on tight.
“Pinpoint needle marks were found in the back of the colonel’s neck, the injection site of the drugs.” The doctor closed the file and his gaze returned to hers. “The official cause of death has been modified. James Kegan’s death has now been ruled a homicide.”
A sob escaped. Jessie clamped down hard to stay in control.
Larkin took both her hands and drew her to her feet. “I’m sorry for your loss, Jessie. It may help to know that as a result of what happened to Brandon last night and the autopsy results, the CID is bringing General Holloway in for questioning.”
She opened her purse and removed the envelope that held the summary of information Bran had printed in the hotel business office. Her hand shook as she passed it to Larkin.
“This is the way we believe it happened,” she said. “But we’re still investigating, collecting information.”
“That’s no longer your concern,” Larkin said. “It never should have been.”
Jessie didn’t say that if she hadn’t started digging, none of this would have been discovered. Or that she wasn’t stopping until her father’s name was completely cleared.
“Thank you, Colonel Larkin,” she said. “I hope you’ll keep me informed as your investigation progresses.”
“I’ll do what I can. If we have any questions, we’ll certainly be in touch.”
Meaning the investigation was army business and she wouldn’t be part of it.
“After the autopsy was completed, your father’s body was returned to its final resting place,” Larkin said. “It was my decision to go ahead with that. I felt you had already been through enough.”
She nodded, locked down her emotions. Her father’s part in this was over and he was back at rest. They had the proof they needed. She was grateful to Larkin once more. They made their farewells and left the office.
Maddox was waiting beside the Jeep, his face filled with concern. “How did it go?”
Since Jessie’s throat suddenly tightened, Bran answered for her. “Colonel Kegan’s death was ruled a homicide. Now they have to investigate, and Samuel Holloway is at the top of their list.”
Maddox nodded. “I’m sorry, Jess.”
“Thank you.”
Maddox glanced over at Bran. “I don’t suppose you two are out of it now.”
Bran looked at Jessie. As usual, he knew what she was thinking. “Not quite yet,” was all he said.
THIRTY-SIX
The following morning Special Agent Derek Tripp phoned Brandon.
“I thought after what happened to you in that jail cell, you deserve to know where the investigation stands.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
“Where can we meet?”
“We’re staying at the Broadmoor. Why don’t you come up to the suite?” Bran gave him the room number and directions.
Half an hour later Special Agent Tripp walked into the living room.
“Nice place.” His gaze took in the warm amber sofa and chairs, the manteled fireplace, ornate mahogany writing desk, and views of the mountains.
“Special Agent Tripp, this is Jason Maddox,” Jessie said. “A friend from Dallas.”
“Jase was marine spec ops,” Bran said. “He’s up to speed on what’s been going on. You don’t have to worry about what you say in front of him.” The men shook hands, then they all sat down.
Tripp jumped right in. “To begin with, the guard who opened your cell last night has been arrested. He’s been charged as an accessory in the murder of Wayne Conrad Coffman and also the attempted murder of Captain Brandon Garrett, retired.”
“Good to hear,” Bran said.
“He did it for money. So did the two men who attacked you. They, however, are members of the Aryan Brotherhood, which fits your suspicion they were following Edgar Weaver’s orders. Unfortunately, so far they aren’t talking.”
“If they do, they’ll be as dead as Coffman.”
“I’ve also had our computer team looking deeper into the offshore account in Colonel Kegan’s name. There’s a chance we’ll be able to find the person or persons who opened the account.”
Bran slid a look at Jessie.
“What about Mara Ramos and Ahmed Malik?” she asked.
“Out of my hands. They’re being interrogated by Counter-Terrorism.”
“And Holloway?” Bran asked.
“I shouldn’t tell you this, but we’re trying to get a warrant to search General Holloway’s office and residence.” He rose from the sofa. “I’m afraid that’s all I have for now.”
“Thank you, Special Agent Tripp,” Jessie said, walking the agent to the door. “We really appreciate everything you’re doing.”
“I’ll be in touch.” Tripp walked out and Jessie closed the door.
“This is starting to move pretty fast,” Bran said.
“About damn time,” Jessie said, making him smile.
He checked his watch. The afternoon had slipped away, and there was something he needed to do.
“Once this is over, Hawk and I will be heading back to Texas. I was hoping maybe you and I could talk about a few things before that happens.”
Jessie’s gaze met his. “Like what?”
Bran looked over her head to Maddox. “You won’t feel left out if I take Jessie to dinner at that fancy restaurant downstairs, will you?”
Maddox chuckled. “I’ll manage to console myself with a big steak dinner and an on demand movie right here.”
“We won’t be gone too long,” Bran said.
“If we’re going out, I need to change.” Jessie headed for the bedroom.
“Put on something sexy,” Bran called after her. “I promise not to drool.”
Jessie just shook her head. Twenty minutes later, she emerged in a short black dress cut low enough in front to reveal the soft mounds of her cleavage. A pair of black high heels added a good five inches, and her long fiery hair hung loose around her shoulders.
“You look luscious,” he said as a rush of heat slid into his groin. She turned to give him a view of the back, showing off the curve of her sexy little ass and great legs. He almost groaned.
“I packed it when we were in Denver, just in case.”
“In case what? In case you wanted to seduce me?”
She laughed, but her eyes sparkled.
“You ready?” He had dressed in black jeans and his tweed jacket over a lightweight black turtleneck sweater. The bandage covering the slash on his shoulder was uncomfortable, but the wound wasn’t serious and he’d be able to strip off the dressing in a day or two. Jessie had fretted over it and babied him so much getting stabbed had almost been worth it.
She slung the strap of a small black handbag over her shoulder and walked ahead of him out of the suite.
The maître d’ at the Ristorante Del Lago seated them at a quiet table in the corner. A man-made lake shimmered outside wood-paned glass doors that slid open in the summer for alfresco dining. The restaurant had a European feel, with terra-cotta tile, heavy wooden beams, warm beige linens, and flowers on the tables.
Bran pulled out Jessie’s chair and seated her, then sat down across from her. He ordered a bottle of Chianti, which the waiter brought and poured, then left them to enjoy for a while before making their selections.
Jessie swirled the wine in her glass and took a sip. “Mmm...nice. What’s the occasion?”
Bran smiled, took a drink of wine. “Maybe I just wanted to do something special for my favorite girl.”
One of her russet eyebrows went up. “Am I? Your favorite?”
He reached over and covered her hand. “You’re my only girl, Jess. The only woman I want. All of this is going to be over soon. When it is, I want you to come back to Dallas with me.”
“What?” She sat up straighter, her eyes wide with shock. She eased her hand away. “Where did that come from? You’ve never mentioned anything like that before.”
Unsure of himself in a way he rarely was, he ran a finger down the side of his glass. “I’m not good at this stuff. Truth is, I never had a reason to be. I never thought I’d find myself in a serious relationship and never really wanted to be. Not until I met you.”
“I can’t believe you’re saying this.”
“Why not? I’m crazy about you, Jess. Surely you can see that. When this is over, I don’t want us to end.”
Jessie’s pretty green eyes filled with tears. “It has to end, Bran. We both know it could never work between us. The kind of life you live? Just because you aren’t in the army anymore doesn’t mean you aren’t a warrior. You’re a bodyguard, for heaven’s sake. You face danger every day.”
“It’s not always this bad. Your dad’s murder and the attempts on your life...that kind of thing doesn’t happen every day.”
Jessie just shook her head. “I don’t want to live like that, worried every time you leave the house you might not be coming home. I saw what my mother went through. I was there when Danny died. Now my father is gone. I want someone I don’t have to worry about.”
Something was squeezing inside his chest. It was a different kind of pain than he had suffered before, not a bullet wound that could be stitched up, but an ache that in some strange way hurt even worse.
“It doesn’t have to be that way,” he said, desperate to make her understand. “People can change. You said so yourself. I can change, Jess. For you. I can be the man you want me to be.”
“Brandon...” A tear rolled down her cheek.
“Just think about it, okay? We have a good thing going. Surely you can admit that much. We’re good together. Really good.”
She swallowed, and he could see she was trying not to break down. “If things were different...if I was different, there is no man on earth I would rather be with than you.”
Bran leaned back in his chair. Something was burning behind his eyes. He took a deep breath. “Is it because of what happened in Mara Ramos’s garage?”
Her fingers tightened around the stem of her wineglass. “For a while that bothered me. But I’ve had time to think about it. I trust you to do what’s right. You were trying to save people’s lives—and you did. This is something else. The life you lead just isn’t something I can handle.”
Inside his chest, his heart beat dully. He thought of Danny. Maybe he didn’t deserve a woman like Jessie. Maybe he was being punished for living when his friend had died.
“Maybe you’re right,” he said, his voice suddenly gruff. “We live in different worlds. It was probably just spending so much time together, you know?”
She nodded, wiped another tear from her cheek. “I know,” she said softly.
He glanced away, took a long drink of wine. “We should...um...probably order.”
She tried to smile, but her lips trembled. “Actually, I’m not very hungry.”
“Yeah,” he said, closing the menu. “Me, either.”
“Hawk’s upstairs. Maybe we
could take a walk before we go back up. It’s kind of windy, but there’s a full moon tonight.”
“A walk sounds good.” He need a good stiff wind to blow some sense into him, get his head back on straight.
Calling for the waiter, he paid for their wine, then helped Jessie out of her chair. As they walked out the door to look at the moon over the lake, he draped his jacket over her bare shoulders.
They stepped out onto the flagstones, the breeze lifting her long red-gold hair away from her face. Jessie looked up at him. “Don’t change, Bran. Not for me or anyone else.”
His hand came up to touch her cheek. He drew her into his arms. “Jessie...” He kissed her long and deep, and Jessie kissed him back. Instead of a promise of things to come, the kiss felt like a farewell.
* * *
She just wanted to go home. Back to Denver, away from all of the intrigue swirling around her. Away from the heartache. Away from Bran.
Lying in bed alone, she turned her face into the pillow to muffle the sound of her tears. She had never considered that Brandon might have feelings for her beyond that of a temporary lover. Her brother had warned her about him. Bran wasn’t a one-woman man.
But tonight...when he had said those things...it sounded almost as if he loved her.
She bit back a sob. Surely it was just working so closely together, as he had said. That and the element of danger. Surely he didn’t feel the same sickness in the pit of his stomach that giving him up was causing her.
She took a shaky breath. None of it mattered. She had done the right thing. If they were together, she would be afraid every day of losing him. He had offered to change, but there wasn’t a single thing about Brandon Garrett that she would change.
The sob escaped. She loved him so much. Her throat ached. She just wanted to go home. She would talk to Bran and Hawk about it in the morning.
The clock said 4:00 a.m. when her eyes finally slid closed and she fell asleep. Even then, she didn’t sleep late the next morning.
As she dragged herself out of bed, showered, and dressed, the need to escape grew even stronger.
