Hallowed Ground

by Mary Alford

  Erin clasped his hand. “Don’t be. I’m okay.” He glanced down at their entwined fingers, a muscle working in his jaw. At once, feelings that had no place happening between them resurfaced. She remembered the gentleness of his kiss the night before. Her own awakening to it.

  “I have to go,” she said and pulled her hand free. “I have some errands to run before the trip.” She stumbled over the words, blindly heading for the door.

  He followed her. “Erin . . .” Her name came out in a ragged whisper. She reached for the door handle. Before she could turn it and escape, he covered her hand with his. What was wrong with her? This was Jax, her commander. Her friend.

  Jax gently turned her to face him. “I’m sorry I stepped out of line yesterday. I shouldn’t have kissed you.” The words threatened to cut the knees out from under her, and she struggled to hold onto her composure.

  “It’s okay.” She managed what passed for a smile. “We’ve been through a lot together. There’s bound to be some residual feelings.” It was a lame excuse and one he didn’t like.

  “I guess you’re right.” His hands dropped and he stepped back, his gaze cold. “You should get some rest. Tomorrow will be difficult.” He turned away, the change in him like a knife to her heart.

  Erin clenched her hands tight. She could feel the prickle of tears so close. Facing the door again, she didn’t want him to notice.

  “I’m sorry,” he murmured so low that she almost didn’t hear.

  “For what?” She struggled and somehow captured her blank expression before turning to him once more.

  “For springing this on you. For sending you back into the field so soon. I just found out before the briefing. I wish . . .”

  It was there again. That look on his face she couldn’t define. It had her curious. “What? What do you wish?” She couldn’t explain it, but she wanted to understand him. What he felt. The secrets he kept inside.

  He looked so lost that she touched his face, surprising them both. He captured her hand in his and kissed her palm sending shivers speeding down her spine.

  Jax shook his head. “Nothing. I just wish that you didn’t have to go back there.”

  Don’t let it get too intimate, her heart urged. Using all her willpower, she stepped back, and he let her go. “I’ll be fine. I want to . . . help.” Her voice faltered over the word. She wanted to make the person responsible for taking Blake’s life pay dearly.

  Jax’s brows knitted together. He hadn’t missed her slip. “Are you sure that’s all you want?” he asked quietly.

  She took another step backwards, so she could breathe again. “What do you mean?” But she knew.

  “Killing Al Hasan or a thousand other terrorists like him won’t bring Blake back.”

  She blew out a breath and broke eye contact. “I know that,” she mumbled without looking at him.

  Jax stepped closer and she steeled herself. She wouldn’t back away.

  “Erin, Blake . . .” He stopped. His expression pained.

  “What about Blake?”

  Jax shook his head. “Blake wanted you to get out of this life. He didn’t want you to keep doing this.”

  What he had to say was too close to her dream. Erin spun on her heel, tossing her words over her shoulder. “Yeah, well, Blake’s dead. I’m not. I have to keep going. I have to live.”

  And right now, to do those things, she needed to get away. From this place. Jax. These people. They were a constant reminder of Blake, and it was like living the loss all over again.

  Erin hurried out of his office and past Jen, who, thankfully, was on the phone and distracted. She barely made it to her car before the panic took hold. She struggled to open the door and climb inside the sanctuary of her vehicle. She scanned the parking area as if expecting Al Hasan to emerge from the shadows.

  With the silence of the car settling around her, she breathed out, let what was bottled up inside of her come out, and then she screamed and slammed her fist against the steering wheel until there was nothing left inside her but emptiness.

  ◆◆◆

  Jax arrived at the Afghan Embassy shortly before the appointed time, where he’d been asked to wait in the lobby for almost an hour—the request cordial but guarded. Finally, he was ushered into an office to meet with the driver.

  “Thank you for meeting with me, Mr. Sediqi.” Jax addressed the solemn-faced man.

  “It is no problem. Ambassador Nuristani asked me to give you my full cooperation. I am at your service. How may I help you, Agent Murphy?”

  “You reported the Embassy’s SUV missing two weeks ago, is that correct?” While Jax held a pad and pen in his hand, he kept his focus on the man’s facial expression. Nothing changed. Either Sediqi had perfected the deadpan stare or he was hiding something.

  “Yes, that is correct. I’d finished cleaning it earlier in the day, and I parked it in front of the embassy in preparation for the ambassador’s evening out at the opera. He normally attends every Thursday. He and his wife have dinner out first. One hour later, when I went to start the vehicle, it was gone. I reported it missing to the local police. They came and took the report, but were not very reassuring about its recovery, though. So far, they were right to have doubts. The vehicle has not yet turned up.”

  Sediqi’s story was a little too convenient for Jax’s tastes. Why would the man leave the embassy’s vehicle parked out front when there was secured parking beyond the gates and the crime rate for stolen cars in DC continued to rise each year?

  “I’d like to see the security footage from the camera in front of the embassy, if I may. Perhaps I can discern the perp’s ID from it and help you recover the missing vehicle.”

  Sediqi blinked several times and appeared to grow uncomfortable. “I’m afraid that would be impossible. As it turns out, the camera was not working properly. When the vehicle first went missing, the embassy’s security team reviewed the camera feed. Sadly, nothing recorded.”

  Not for a minute did Jax believe him. What he didn’t understand was why the driver was being so evasive.

  “Still, I’d like to check it for myself,” Jax insisted.

  Sediqi broke eye contact. “You would need to speak to Ambassador Nuristani about that. I have no control over the workings of the security team.”

  Jax hid his frustration badly. If the vehicle was stolen, wouldn’t the embassy want to do everything in its power to recover it?

  His thoughts went to the SUV watching his place. He hadn’t noticed it before, but then again, he hadn’t been looking. Was it the first time it had been parked outside? He thought about asking his neighbors, but didn’t want to alert them to trouble unnecessarily.

  “You can be sure I will do that.” Jax assured the man. A flash of anger took life in Sediqi’s eyes. Had he been expecting Jax to let the matter go?

  Sediqi bowed his head. “Very well. If there is nothing more?”

  Jax blew out an annoyed-sounding sigh and slowly nodded. Sediqi excused himself and hurried away while Jax watched him disappear through the same double doors he’d walked through a short time before.

  Rubbing a hand across his neck, the story was becoming more and more tangled. He returned to the receptionist’s desk. The young woman seated there met his gaze with an unwavering look.

  “I’d like a word with Ambassador Nuristani, please.”

  With raised brows, the young woman took her time answering. “I’m sorry, the ambassador has a very busy afternoon. May I ask what this is regarding?”

  Jax held onto his patience with difficulty. “It’s about the embassy’s stolen vehicle. I’d like to check the feed from the security camera out front.” He waited while the young woman wrote the note.

  “I will pass the request along to the ambassador’s assistant. Perhaps he will have a moment to spare. Excuse me, please.” She stepped through the double doors behind her. A second woman focused her full attention on the computer screen in front of her, ignoring Jax entirely.

 
; He stepped back from the counter and milled around, ending up at the windows facing out to the street. The camera in question was positioned to catch every movement in front of the embassy for a reason. Security for foreign dignitaries was always of grave importance. The camera would have been checked periodically to insure it was in working order. He didn’t believe that it hadn’t captured any images. Whatever was on the tape, the embassy didn’t want it to be made known to him or the local PD for a reason. Did it show someone from the embassy taking the vehicle? Perhaps Sediqi?

  A noise behind him, someone clearing a throat, sent Jax whirling at the sound. The woman had returned, her face giving away nothing.

  Jax approached the desk.

  “I’m afraid the ambassador is unavailable. I’ll have his assistant call you when he has some time.”

  Her message was loud and clear. There would be no further help coming from the embassy or the ambassador.

  “Thank you for your time,” Jax told the young woman and then turned and left the building, stepping out into a relatively clear afternoon.

  Afghanistan was a US-friendly country, and yet he’d gotten nothing but shutdown from the moment he entered the embassy. Sediqi was hiding something. Had the vehicle been stolen at all? What if Sediqi was following Jax for some reason?

  An uneasy feeling slithered into the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t dismiss the notion that his treatment today and the vehicle parked close to his place were connected to Blake’s death in some way.

  Jax unlocked his car and climbed behind the wheel, tapping a rhythm with his fingers while reviewing his options. Ahmed Sediqi told him that he’d reported the missing vehicle to the DC police. He’d call his buddy in major crimes and see what he could find out.

  After squeezing into the heavy traffic in front of the embassy, Jax dialed his friend’s number and waited.

  “Detective Alexander,” Lane answered in a hurried tone. Jax couldn’t imagine Lane’s caseload. The DC police were overworked as the crime rate continued to soar in the capital city.

  “Lane, it’s Jax. Got a minute?”

  In the background, Jax heard a door close. “For you? Of course, I do. What’s up?” He and Lane had grown up together outside of DC, both attending the University of Virginia. After university, they’d taken different career paths.

  Jax explained about the stolen SUV.

  “Let me take a look into the police report, and I’ll call you back later today when I know more.”

  “Thanks, Lane, I appreciate it. How’s Molly?” Jax had been best man at Lane and Molly’s wedding. They’d kept in touch through the years, but Jax hadn’t gotten together with his friend in a long time.

  “She’s doing well. Our first child is due in two months.”

  Jax still couldn’t imagine Lane being a father. As kids, they’d gotten into trouble more times than not. It was ironic that Lane had gone into law enforcement, and Jax was in the CIA.

  “I can’t wait to see you as a dad,” Jax laughed. “After all the stuff we pulled as kids, payback is going to be rough.”

  Lane joined in the humor. “What about you? When are you going to settle down? Give up the spy business for good.”

  The question was an uncomfortable one. If Lane had asked it a year ago, he’d have answered never, but his growing feelings for Erin had shaken him to the core. With Erin, he could imagine settling down. Giving up the shadow games. “Not anytime soon, unfortunately, since business is booming, but I can’t wait to spoil your child, then give him back to you.”

  Lane chuckled. “Sounds like something you’d do. Anyway, I’ll give you a call back when I have information.”

  For once, Jax was happy to let his friend go. Erin was a touchy subject and one he didn’t want to get into with Lane. Every time he was near her, he went up in flames. He wanted more. Wanted her heart. Wanted the impossible.

  Once the call ended, he crawled along with the heavy traffic. He felt pulled in a dozen different directions. The earlier meeting with the secretary of defense and Director Dean had him on edge. He couldn’t let himself believe someone from his team would betray their country in such a way, it didn’t matter what the higher-ups claimed to have. Why had the SOD mentioned Blake in particular? It was bad enough that he’d died trying to protect his country, now his good name was being dragged through the mud.

  Jax clicked off each member of the team in his head, including their newest, Tyler. He’d evaluated them all personally. Knew about their pasts. Their likes. Dislikes. Their families. They were all good people. Whatever evidence Kirkpatrick thought he had, he was looking in the wrong direction.

  In spite of his misgivings, the briefing had gone smoothly enough. No one on the team had a clue that the mission they were scheduled to leave on tomorrow morning was a ruse. He’d take Sam aside and tell him the exact location of the meet, then see what happened. He prayed this wasn’t going to prove to be a waste of valuable time they could use to hunt down Al Hasan.

  The entire team believed they would be pursuing a lead from Blake’s asset. He hated lying to the people who had his and each other’s backs, but he had no choice. He was following orders, but more than anything, he wanted to prove the allegations being lodged against his team wrong.

  Jax pulled into the drive of his home. Today, no strange vehicles were parked down the street. Nothing out of the ordinary. Had he been wrong about the vehicle belonging to the embassy? Dylan was right. Dozens of vehicles were stolen around DC on a weekly basis. Many resembling the SUV he’d seen. Why couldn’t he let it go? There was enough to worry about with the upcoming fake mission.

  He barely made it through the door when his cell phone rang. Jax dropped his backpack that held his laptop onto the floor by the door and dug the phone out of his jeans pocket. Lane’s number popped up on the screen.

  “You have news for me?” Jax asked without a hello.

  “I do. You were right about a report being filed on the missing SUV, but we ran into the same results as you did. Our detectives were told the camera outside the embassy was on the fritz. So, basically, I have nothing new for you. For what it’s worth, the lead detective working the case didn’t buy the story about the camera being broken either. He checked it out. Said the camera was working fine. No reason why it shouldn’t have captured the perp.”

  Jax glanced out the window at the quiet street in front of his house. “What are they hiding?” Whatever it was, it had to be important.

  “I don’t know,” Lane said with an audible sigh. “But I’m guessing it has to do with more than a missing vehicle.”

  The thought was a disturbing one because it matched his own. “You’re right. It does.” Jax ended the call and tried to deny the unease in the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t get it out of his head that there was more going on with the missing embassy SUV than what those surrounding it were willing to divulge, and he was positive it connected to Blake’s death somehow.

  Shoving aside his unease, Jax grabbed the backpack. Carrying it to the bedroom, he began packing for the upcoming mission while resisting the urge to call Erin and tell her everything. He’d lost his anchor. In the past, he’d been able to talk to Blake about things that troubled him. Now, he felt as if he were on an island with dangerous waters churning all around.

  With no one to talk to, he called Peter, even though he was still angry with him.

  “I’m glad you called,” Peter said quietly, as if reading his thoughts. “I’m sorry about the way things went today. I know you felt blindsided by the news, but I was asked not to say anything.”

  Jax stuffed down his anger. Peter was only doing his job. “I know you couldn’t mention it, but you of all people know Blake would never do what Kirkpatrick suggested. None of the team would, for that matter.”

  The length of time it took for Peter to answer assured Jax his friend didn’t agree. “I know this is hard, but I’m afraid it’s not only possible but likely.”

  Peter wouldn’t be so con
vinced if he didn’t have solid proof. “What do you know?” Jax asked, tone sharp, knowing his friend wouldn’t be able to answer that question.

  “I can’t say, but the evidence is reliable. Someone on the team is definitely dirty, and we have to find out who the mole is and fast before someone else dies.”

  If he’d been looking for comfort, Peter’s words fell woefully short.

  “I’ll see you all before you head out in the morning,” Peter said after the silence stretched out between them. Jax ended the call without responding.

  It was still the middle of the day, and Jax was too restless to sleep. He couldn’t get the strange reaction he’d received at the embassy out of his head. On an impulse, he called Dylan, knowing he’d be at the office. Dylan was a workaholic who did his best work on little sleep.

  “You know you should be getting some rest,” Jax told him. “We’ve got a tough road ahead of us.”

  “As should you,” Dylan shot back, without concern that Jax was his superior. “What’s up?”

  Jax wasn’t sure how to approach the subject, so he took the straightforward approach. “How good are you at hacking?” The uncomfortable silence that followed his question confirmed how odd the request was.

  “Good. Why do you want to know?” Dylan asked, clearly surprised by the question.

  Jax knew he was asking Dylan to go against the law, but he needed answers. “Can you see if you can get me the recordings for the camera outside the Afghan embassy? I’m sure they have it stored somewhere on their system.” He told Dylan about his meeting with the driver and the dismissive shoulder he’d received from the ambassador. “They’re hiding something. I want to know what.”

  Chapter Four

  She hated this place. Hated what it represented. The CIA Memorial Wall was one of the first things visitors saw when they entered the Original Headquarters Building in Langley. The wall—located on the north side, stood as a silent memorial to those CIA employees who died in the line of duty. The Honor and Merit Awards Board had received the recommendation from Coleman to add Blake’s star to the wall. The board expedited the request, and the ceremony took place as a memorial service a few weeks after the team returned from Afghanistan.