by Zoe Dawson
“Make them available and let me know when I can talk to them. I’ll need a list.” Austin rose and handed him his card. “While you’re at it, I’d like a list of ‘rush’ candidates as well. Thank you for your time, Commander.”
“I’ll send them right over,” he replied, his tone now neutral.
Austin left the base, bracing himself for what he had to do next. He called Jenna and made arrangements to meet her at a Mexican restaurant in downtown El Centro. When he arrived, she hadn’t gotten there yet. His tablet dinged and he pulled up the email from the commander, who had sent the lists. The first one was the new members, but it was the second one, titled “Blue Angels Rush Pilot Candidates Who Didn’t Make the Cut,” he was most interested in.
Austin forwarded the lists to Kai with a note. When he powered off the tablet and looked up, he was knocked for a loop. Jenna was walking toward him as if in slow motion.
Adrenaline pumped and time stood still. Even as he fought it, the memory rushed back and the present melted away.
There was way more to his ending it with Melanie than he’d admitted to himself. He’d been in denial for some time, nothing but lies he’d concocted to make it easier for him to take.
Easier than the true story.
It had taken a long time to get Jenna out of his system, and he didn’t want to be reminded of what an impossible situation he’d engineered for himself. Six years ago his world had turned upside down and jerked him sideways. He had fallen for Jenna, her vulnerability, her sweetness, her beauty, and that inexplicable connection, both physical and emotional. No amount of denying it to himself would work. He'd wanted her in every way possible. After getting wounded, he'd gotten distance and control of himself. He didn’t want to be reminded of what a fool he’d been for a married woman, a woman who was an ambassador's wife. There had been no chance for them under those circumstances. He didn’t want to remember how he’d felt during and afterward. And he didn’t want to remember the bitterness that fate had thrown him.
But as she approached the table, there was nothing else he could do. She smiled, and he couldn’t seem to put two coherent thoughts together. But his manners had been ingrained by his mom and he rose.
He pulled out her chair and once she was settled in the seat, she murmured, “Thank you.”
He went back to his own seat, wishing he were anywhere but here. After Melanie, he’d dated, but the women never stuck. Jenna Webb didn’t fall in the same “easy come, easy go” category. But she’d stolen something those three days he’d been with her, and he’d yet to get it back. The memory of the look she'd given him in the helicopter, the same kind of longing and desperation he'd felt, had been mirrored in his own eyes.
“The food is great here, but the portions are huge.”
Austin grinned briefly. “Good thing I’m starving.”
“So, some things don’t change.”
He stared at her and she picked up the napkin with nervous fingers and set it across her lap. “You were always starving. I think I slipped you several granola bars during guard duty.”
A flush of warmth suffused him. “That’s right and, man, did that take the edge off for about…fifteen minutes.”
She laughed, and the sound of it filled him from stem to stern. “Well, it would have been very difficult to conceal a six-course meal in my bag.”
He let out a short laugh, nodding. “You got me there. Someone would have noticed.” They sobered and he said, “How you been holding up?”
“It comes and goes,” she said as the waiter approached and they placed their orders. Taco salad for her, a burrito platter for him.
“It’s not something that’s easy to handle.”
She nodded. “I went in to work for a bit, even though my boss wanted me to go back home. I told her that I was better off working rather than staring at the spot where Sarah died and thinking about it constantly.”
“Oh, you’re working here? I thought you were visiting?”
“I am, but since it was an extended stay, I wanted to do something with my time. ‘Work’ is stretching it. I volunteer at the local library for twenty hours a week. The rest of the time, I’ve been enjoying myself with some day trips and weekend excursions up and down the coast.” She gave a little laugh. “I’ve been all over the world, but this is the first time I’ve been to California.”
“I’m from California, and I’ve also been all over the world, but have seen very little of this state. When I got a chance to work in my hometown, I grabbed it. I have to admit, I’ve only seen parts of California and never on vacation. Mostly working the job.”
“Everyone needs some downtime, Agent Beck. You should make sure to get it before you burn out.”
“Too late,” he said, then smiled. “Call me Austin. I think I can now safely say there is no protocol here anymore.”
She took a sip of her iced tea once the waiter placed it in front of her, as if she needed some kind of fortification for calling him by his first name.
“How goes the investigation?”
“I wish I had more to report, but I’m getting some vibes from Sarah’s commanding officer and will be interviewing the main team and the rush candidates that were in competition for the slots.”
Their meals came and talk ceased as they ate a few bites. “Your super reported to us that there had been a prowler around your area. Do you have anything to add?” He'd already checked out Jenna's alibi, and the cameras at the concert arena confirmed she'd been there. He didn't feel the need to tell her about it and add any more distress to her grief.
“No, we called the police a couple of times, but the super has been keeping an eye out. As far as I know, it’s hasn’t happened for a couple of weeks. He thought it might just be a Peeping Tom out for thrills.”
“Most likely, but we’ll keep it in mind.”
“I heard you got out of the service.”
“Three years ago. I was kicking around the idea of going to law school, but after the adventure of serving, it seemed so…”
“Mundane?”
“Yeah. I was working on a Navy project. I’m pretty good with computers and fell into NCIS when I met an agent. I thought maybe cybercrime, but after training and being on a team, I found I had the interest and the aptitude for investigations. How about you? What have you been up to these past years?”
“Many posts and a lot of traveling.”
“Recently?”
“Ah, no. I’ve been in DC for six months then here for a couple .”
“Oh, Ambassador Webb got a cushy Washington post?”
“No, not exactly.” She cleared her throat. “Robert and I are no longer married. Our divorce was made final months ago.”
Austin choked on his iced tea and started coughing, his eyes watering. She was divorced? Dammit, that changed everything. She was unattached and he was single. That was a recipe for disaster. His interest in her hadn’t changed. He should end this now, go back to Pendleton and have Kai assign someone else.
If Kai knew he had a history with Jenna, she wouldn’t be happy. But what could he do at this point? The office was already stretched too thin. He would have to put his personal feelings and attraction to her aside. Finding the person who murdered Sarah had to take precedence. He’d have to make it about justice and nothing else. He didn’t want to admit that he felt loyal, protective, and proprietary, reminding himself with disgust he was no longer a Marine guarding her. She wasn’t even an ambassador’s wife anymore.
“And, you, Austin?”
He so didn’t want to talk about his personal life. “I didn’t get married,” he said softly and her face changed, surprise in her eyes. Those expressive eyes flashed to his ring finger and then away. She bit her lip, and he couldn’t help but think she might be…happy.
He wasn’t going that route. Not wanting to discuss his failed engagement, he changed the subject. “We should know more about Sarah’s death once the body reaches our ME.”
She look
ed back at him. “Right, then I can plan her funeral.”
He nodded and grabbed the check. At the register, he paid it and escorted her out into the street. He walked her to her car. She turned before she stepped off the curb to go to the driver’s side.
“Thanks for dinner and for catching up,” she murmured. Then her shoulders slumped, and she brushed at her temple.
“What is it?”
“I have to plan her funeral,” she whispered again. “She was so young and so excited about flying with the Blue Angels.” Her voice choked off. “I haven’t the first clue on how to do that or where to start.” She swallowed and when she turned her face to his, tears were filling her eyes and spilling onto her cheeks.
And it tore him up inside. He tracked the first wet streak down her cheek, and utter resignation and defeat washed over him. He swore under his breath.
“Aw, Jenna, please. Don’t do that.”
It was a plea, nothing less. She straightened and tried to hold them back, and her courage hit him even harder than her tears. Distance was what he needed, and a little cooling off time, time to absorb that she wasn’t married. Her cousin had been murdered, too, and he needed to clear his head and work on figuring it out.
But she sniffed and that’s when he did a supremely stupid thing. He pulled her against him, fighting off a little surge of panic. She was warm and her curves fit too perfectly to him. It physically hurt to have her against him. Jenna was so open and nonjudgmental about who he was, where Melanie was always trying to change him, control him. She might have allowed her husband to run roughshod over her in the past, but she was so much more courageous than Melanie. He was proud of her for divorcing him. Another surge of panic sizzled into his veins, and he held her tighter, the memory of that kiss washing over him. The small, distressed sounds she made deep in her throat completely did him in. Made him do something even more foolish and reckless. “Shush, I’ll help you. I’ve been through the process,” he murmured into her fragrant hair, so soft against his face.
He would take it easy with her. He didn’t want her feeling alone, mourning and bereft all at once. It was more than he could take, so the offer was easy to make.
Then he wanted to kick himself. What was he thinking? Volunteering for things had always gotten him into trouble, especially with her, from the age of twenty-two. He was one badass Marine, but she’d broken him with one soft, shuddering sigh, looking up at him with her blue eyes swimming in tears.
Getting tangled up with Jenna Webb was the stupidest thing he’d ever done. He could only chalk it up to the circumstances. The danger and the adrenaline, the way she looked at him like he was her hero.
He had been so wound up in hormones and fantasies that he’d been dumb-blind as far as she was concerned—and she was no longer married to the ambassador.
What did that mean for them? Had three days of stress led him to thinking they had more together than they really did have? Did she even feel anything for him or was he a port in the storm? Was their past a factor, or did he just think it was?
Chapter Five
After leaving Jenna, Austin couldn’t seem to shake the giddy knowledge that she was no longer hitched to the ambassador. She was free. He knew that getting involved with her during an active investigation was just as dangerous as it was when he was at the embassy. All the feelings and emotions from the death of her cousin also made her vulnerable. It seemed as if she also had no one in her life that she was close to, and he had to wonder why. Why had she isolated herself in the desert where she knew no one, and how had her life been in DC?
But he had a job to do, and standing around speculating about Jenna and a relationship that he wanted to pursue wasn’t going to get that job done.
He video-called into NCIS and Kai answered, looking tired.
“Hey, boss lady. I want a rundown of the candidates who didn’t make the team and check out where they were when Sarah was murdered. Do you have their whereabouts?”
“A step ahead of you. I brought in a fledgling agent to give us a hand. Her name is Andrea Hall and she’s fresh out of FLETC, former LAPD undercover cop.” She pronounced the center where all NCIS agents went for training as flet-see, short for Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers. “She’s got some chops and will be working with us until Derrick and Amber are back. So use her.”
“I will. Thanks.”
“Hello, Agent Beck.” A woman’s face filled the screen. She had long blond hair, a pretty oval face, and gray-blue eyes.
“It’s Austin.”
“I go by Drea.”
“Welcome to the team, Drea.” He smiled.
She smiled back, which lit up her face. “At least on a temporary basis. I haven’t gotten my final assignment yet, but glad to be of help. Seems I’m a rookie all over again. Anyway, I worked up profiles on those names Agent Talbot gave me. Are you ready for the info?”
“Yes.”
She went through each of the six candidates that Sarah had beat out for the job, detailing their records. No red flags in the bunch. “Most of them are on assignment, and on preliminary investigation, I couldn’t find any connection to the victim. But Lieutenant Benjamin Torres was on the same carrier as Sarah Taylor.” She consulted her notes. “The USS Bradley Jones. I could interview them for you and find out where they were the night she was murdered.”
“That would be very helpful. Leave Torres to me. Anything on the autopsy yet?
“No, but I can speak to Dr. Joiner and see when he might have the information.” She laughed softly. “All right. Anything else?”
“Yeah. It’s probie, not rookie,” Austin said. “Stop lollygagging, probie, and get on it.”
“Yes, sir. Semper Fi.” She saluted with a mischievous grin. He liked this woman. She reminded him of Amber.
“Ah, you do your homework. Smart.” He winked at her and she winked back. “Once a Marine, always a Marine, but the salute was a nice touch.” He laughed and disconnected the call.
His email dinged, and he checked it to find a message from Commander Washington saying the Blue Angel team was assembled for his interviews. He was thankful for the distraction. He didn’t want to fill the afternoon chasing his tail over Jenna or spend the rest of his life wondering what would have happened. Now that her cousin was dead, she’d be heading back to DC and he’d finish this investigation then go back to his life at Pendleton. After all, the world didn’t revolve around him.
In his car, he caught himself reliving that kiss. It was as electrifying, as strong as the one they’d shared in the dark of that embassy office. But he still didn’t know if it was the situation that was causing his attraction to her, and his doubts only made his resolve not to take advantage of Jenna and the circumstances tighten. He tried to put it out of his mind and focus on finding Sarah Taylor’s killer.
Once inside the El Centro base, he was ushered to a conference room. The team was assembled outside, some sitting on a couch, others standing and conversing.
Commander Washington’s booming voice filled the open space. “This is Special Agent Austin Beck from NCIS. He is here to investigate the terrible murder of Lieutenant Taylor. Answer his questions. This team is about honesty and integrity. You all are the best the US Navy and Marine Corps has to offer. See that you live up to the reputation.”
Austin entered the conference room, and the first team member came in. He asked personal questions he knew the answers to in order to get a baseline on when the men were telling the truth, then he asked the same questions of each of the first three members: Did you know of anyone who would want to harm Lieutenant Taylor? Where were you the night she died? Did you make any inappropriate advances toward her? How did you feel about her being on the team?
He made note that three of the members all had alibis he would need to chase down.
The next team member identified himself as the slot pilot, Lieutenant George Houser, and he took the seat across from him as Austin glanced at his notes. “You were statione
d on the USS Bradley Jones?”
“Yes, I have close to three hundred carrier landings.”
“You ran track in school, huh? I was a cross-country guy, as well. Good way to develop the lungs for a pilot.” Austin kept his voice even, conversational.
“I always wanted to scream across the skies and protect the country from the air.” He smiled, but unlike the first three members, Lieutenant Houser looked a bit nervous. Austin got down his patterns and started on the real questions. “Do you know of anyone who would want to harm Lieutenant Taylor?”
“No, sir. She was a good person and an amazing pilot.”
“How did you feel about her being on the team?”
“The vote was unanimous.”
“That’s not an answer, George. I want to know how you felt about a woman pilot being on the team.”
“I voted for her. She was enthusiastic, meshed well personality-wise, and she blew us away with her talent. Everyone liked her, as far as I could tell.”
“How about you, George? Did you like her?”
“I don’t get your meaning, sir. Yes, I liked her.”
“A little more than as a colleague?”
He stiffened. “No. I’m involved with someone, and I have no interest in ruining that relationship for temporary gratification.”
“So you made no inappropriate advances toward her?”
“None.” A trickle of sweat slipped down his temple, and his eyes darted away.
According to his cues, his answer was correct, but he was fidgety, and the sweat was telling Austin he was hiding something. The air conditioner was working quite well in the room.
“Where were you the night she died, at about eleven-thirty p.m.?”
“In my rack, getting shut-eye. We have to be alert for our flights, and just because we’re on winter break doesn’t mean we have any time off.” His whole body relaxed. So it was the questioning about harassment that was pushing his buttons.
“Can anyone corroborate your statement?”
“Yes, a couple of the guys on the enlisted team. We were playing cards right before I retired.”
