Hallowed Ground

by Mary Alford

  Erin traced her finger over the last two-and-one-half-inch star on the row. Blake’s.

  She searched the Book of Honor, sandwiched between the US flag and the one bearing the CIA emblem, for Blake’s name.

  In honor of those members of the Central Intelligence Agency who gave their lives in the service of their country.

  She’d read those words a dozen times. It wasn’t just their lives that were sacrificed on the country’s altar; it was the wives, friends, parents, and children there with them. She’d heard the word used to define Blake. Patriot. Now, her hands shook. She was furious. Had been since the day the truth finally sank in and she realized her best friend wasn’t ever coming home. She still didn’t understand why. But, today, like all the other times, these hallowed halls kept their secrets. No answers echoed from the names listed here.

  She touched the cross given to her by her parents. Growing up, she went to church every time the doors were open, her faith strongly secure in God’s grace. But, lately, that faith had taken a beating. Anger and bitterness controlled her heart. She was furious with everyone, including God, and she hated being this way. Blake wouldn’t want that for her.

  Controlling the tears was hard, but she laid her heart bare before God.

  I need You now. I don’t know why this happened, and I’m just so angry and embittered. Please, help me. Erin slowly opened her eyes. Her only answer was the gentle sound of the AC system above, taking the Indian summer heat away. Still, a calmness she hadn’t felt in a long time enveloped her like a warm blanket.

  She touched Blake’s star once more. “I’ll always love you, brother. And I promise I’ll learn the truth behind your death, and then I’ll find a good place for you to rest.” Wiping tears away, she pivoted and left the building. Shielding her eyes against the late afternoon sun, she headed to her car. She needed to go home. Prepare for what was ahead. Going to Afghanistan would be impossible under most conditions, but being there now after losing Blake, well, it was going to be an emotional experience, and she wasn’t sure how much more emotion she could handle.

  Starting the car’s engine, Erin pulled out onto the street. A vehicle was parked on the opposite curb. A blacked-out Suburban. As she drew closer, something about the SUV grabbed her attention and anxiousness pooled in her stomach. Heading toward the vehicle, she could see at least two heads inside. As she passed the vehicle, she noticed no license plate on the front. Glancing in her rearview mirror proved there wasn’t one on back either. A shiver ran down her spine. Something about the vehicle sent up alarms.

  She kept her speed steady as she continued down the road. Another look in the rearview mirror and she spotted the Suburban making a U-turn. Fear made it hard to breathe. She couldn’t lead them to her house.

  Even after several evasive moves, the SUV remained several car lengths behind her.

  Erin pulled into a fast food drive-through and saw the vehicle slow briefly, then speed past. This was no accident. Those men were following her.

  She ordered burgers and fries, then paid and pulled back around to the front, making sure the vehicle was nowhere in sight. Erin needed to tell someone, and there was only one person she trusted.

  Still uncertain about the vehicle’s location, she waited an additional half hour before leaving the parking lot. With her body on full alert, Erin drove through the familiar neighborhood and parked in front of Jax’s house. His car was out front instead of in the garage as if he’d been in a rush to get inside.

  Shoving aside the myriad of emotions that swamped her heart, Erin grabbed the bag of burgers and got out. She panned the area. The SUV was nowhere in sight. Without hesitating, she dashed to the door.

  Jax answered before she hit the doorbell. Had he been watching? What had him feeling so uneasy? She held up the bag. He slowly smiled, opened the door wide to let her in, then stepped outside and gave a quick look around.

  Something troubled Jax, and she was spooked enough to believe it might be related to her tail from earlier. “What’s going on?” she asked, dropping the burgers on the coffee table, her brows slanted upward. Fear caused goosebumps to form on her arms.

  Jax shut the door and faced her without making eye contact. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “You were checking for something. You answered the door before I even rang the bell. What is it, Jax?”

  The worry in his blue eyes was undeniable. After several seconds ticked by without him answering, he blew out a breath and said, “Nothing really. I’m on edge, I guess. It’s this upcoming mission. I guess after what happened to Blake, well . . .” He left the rest unspoken, but he wasn’t telling the whole truth. “Those burgers smell delicious. Let’s dig in.”

  Erin forced her misgivings aside for the moment. As her commander there were things Jax couldn’t tell her, but still . . .

  He grabbed a couple of sodas from the fridge and handed her one while she took the burgers and fries from the bag and put them on plates, warmed them in the microwave, and then carried them back to the coffee table.

  Jax dug into his burger while she snuck covert glances his way. Even the way he sat accentuated his edginess. She would have liked to help ease his mind, but he’d chosen not to tell her what was really troubling him. It seemed to drive home the truth of their relationship. Jax was her commander. Nothing more.

  That reality cut like a knife. In time, perhaps, her feelings for him would fade. He’d been there for her when she needed a shoulder to lean on. She was grateful for his gentle hugs. The times he’d let her cry without saying a word. She’d seen that tender side of him that few people knew. Jax Murphy was a kind and caring person.

  “As nice as this is, you know you should be home resting,” he said once he’d finished his burger, wiping his hands on a napkin. “Tomorrow is going to be a grueling day, and you’re still not a hundred percent.”

  She dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand. “I’ll be fine. I could do this in my sleep.” Should she tell him about the vehicle that followed her?

  He grabbed his soda and took a sip, his piercing eyes taking in every detail on her face. “Is something wrong?” he asked, correctly interpreting her worries.

  She hesitated. “I’m not sure. I stopped by the Wall of Honor earlier.” He would understand her need to be close to something related to Blake. He’d told her he’d done the same thing many times. “But when I left the building, a vehicle was parked across the street from me. An SUV.” What if she’d been wrong? The driver could have just been traveling the same way as she was. She was a trained agent, not someone who jumped at her shadow. Her gut confirmed she wasn’t mistaken about the vehicle’s intention.

  “Jax, I know this sounds crazy, but I’m almost positive they were following me.”

  That she had his full attention was clear. “What type of SUV?” The muscle working in his jaw told her he was taking what she said seriously and it didn’t come as a surprise to him.

  Her brows knitted together in a frown. Something else was going on. “I don’t know. I think a Suburban. It was definitely black.”

  Jax jumped to his feet and strode to the window, looking out as if expecting someone to be waiting there. She followed him and peered outdoors.

  “What are you looking for?” she asked, scanning the quiet street. Nothing unusual appeared.

  “Your Suburban.” He faced her, mere inches separating them. Her heart was doing its usual somersault at his nearness.

  Erin swallowed deeply. “What do you mean, my Suburban?”

  What Jax had to say was frightening. The vehicle had been parked outside his home the night before. Her instincts were right. The vehicle’s appearance wasn’t an accident.

  “It has to be the same SUV, but why is it following us?” She couldn’t make sense of it. Couldn’t dismiss the premonition that it was related to Blake’s death.

  He shook his head. “I don’t think they’re following us. I’d say they’re following you. The vehicle was here wh
en you left the other night, but not for long. They’re tailing you, Erin, and I have no idea why.”

  The nervousness pooling in her limbs told her she wasn’t going to like the answer to that question when it came. “You think this has something to do with Blake?”

  He met her gaze, the truth clear in his eyes before he spoke. “I think it’s a good possibility.” He stopped for a moment, then said, “Stay here tonight. I have plenty of room. We can go to your place in the morning to get your things before heading out to Langley.”

  Though the offer sounded tempting and the prospect of returning to an empty house terrifying, she shook her head and headed for the door. “No, I should go.”

  He followed her. As she turned to face him before leaving, she could see all the worries on his drawn face. She reached up and touched his cheek briefly before opening the door. “Don’t worry so much. I’ll be okay. I do know what I’m doing.” She faked a smile that he didn’t return.

  “Be careful,” he told her instead. “We aren’t sure what we’re up against, and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  With those chilling words standing between them, she headed to her car. Spooked, her eyes darted around the quiet neighborhood, her heart thundering.

  As much as she wanted to take him up on his offer, the other danger—just as frightening as someone following her—was being close to Jax all evening.

  ◆◆◆

  Jax had never felt so frustrated. Dylan called shortly after Erin left. He’d hacked into the embassy’s security system. The camera feed had been deliberately wiped clean.

  Danger lurked all around. Closing in. Suffocating them. Yet every time he was near Erin, all he could think about was how he felt about her. The way she kept him at arm’s length assured him his feelings weren’t reciprocated.

  This whole lie he’d been ordered to tell the team went against everything Jax believed in. He hated lying to his people. Hated that the higher-ups believed someone from his unit was dirty. It went beyond his ability to accept—yet Peter had all but confirmed that they had the evidence to back up the claim.

  With nothing but the rest of the day stretching out in front of him and his misgivings growing, Jax knew he had to get out of the house if he stood a chance at keeping it together.

  He grabbed his keys and headed outdoors. Driving through the light afternoon traffic toward the downtown area, only one place came to mind.

  Outside Blake’s old apartment building, he stared up at the ten-plus floors. He’d been here dozens of times in the past. He and Blake used to hang out, watching a game on TV or discussing their latest mission. So many good times were memorialized inside the four walls of Blake’s apartment.

  Jax slowly climbed out of the car. Since Blake’s death, he refused to set foot in the place. He knew it was past time to clean the place out, even though according to Blake’s landlord the rent was paid up for another couple of months. His friend had no living relatives. Erin, Jax—the team was his family.

  He took out the key Blake had given him, unlocked the door, and went inside. The stillness froze him in place, reminding him of the finality of death. The person who’d lived here wasn’t coming back. The cares of this world were over for Blake.

  All around, the last moments of Blake’s life stateside unfolded before him. In the kitchen, he’d left a box of cereal sitting on the counter. The closet door was open in the bedroom. A piece of clothing hung from one of the dresser drawers, as if Blake had packed in a hurry. The unmade bed just about reduced Jax to tears.

  Why had he come here? What was he expecting to find?

  It’s imperative that we find the mole and bring him to justice, if that hasn’t already been accomplished. He couldn’t get Kirkpatrick’s accusations out of his head. It cast doubts on all the good work Blake had done. He loved his country. He deserved better than to have the blame laid at his feet postmortem.

  Jax began opening drawers in the kitchen, not sure what he was looking for. The usual array of utensils and junk filled most of the drawers, along with way too many take-out menus. Blake hated to cook. Jax could count on one hand the times he’d seen his friend prepare a meal.

  When the kitchen gave up nothing useful, Jax continued his search in the living room. What was he expecting to find? Perhaps something to prove Blake’s innocence once and for all.

  In the desk shoved in the corner of the living room, he found a receipt to a safety deposit box. Jax did a double take. As far as he knew, Blake never mentioned having one. What was in it? Uneasiness crawled up his spine. Jax glanced at his watch. Even though Jax had Blake’s power of attorney, it was too late to check on the box today. As soon as he returned from Afghanistan, he’d investigate. See what Blake felt the need to protect.

  Beyond the receipt, he located a bank statement for a branch bank. Blake had a small savings account and little money in his checking.

  Jax blew out a breath, letting go of his momentary doubts. If Blake were taking bribes to betray his country, it sure wasn’t reflected in his bank statement. He shook his head. It was just this assignment. The accusations that were lodged. While there had to be enough evidence for Kirkpatrick and the director to act on, Jax was positive they were wrong about his team, and he intended to prove it.

  He gave the apartment one final glance, then left. When this thing blew over, he’d get with Erin. Together they’d go through Blake’s possessions and clear out the apartment.

  Back outside, the rain had begun again, chilling the early evening air. Jax slid into his car and eased out into the thickening traffic, trying to prepare himself for what must be done.

  A glance in the rearview mirror had him sitting up straighter. Parked a hundred yards away was the same SUV that he’d seen outside his home. Probably the same one who’d followed Erin.

  Jax braked, the car behind him almost slamming into him, before he did a U-turn in the middle of the road. The car behind honked his annoyance. Several other drivers joined in. He knew he was drawing attention to himself, but Jax was determined not to let the driver of the SUV get away this time.

  He drove back to the location where it was parked. The vehicle hadn’t moved. Jax whipped into the closest parking space and sprang out of the car. With weapon drawn, he hurried toward the Suburban. “Get out of the vehicle with your hands up.”

  His order was met without a response. Jax was aware of calling unwelcome attention to himself from several people passing by. When you brandished a weapon in public, you drew attention. It wouldn’t be long before the DC police arrived.

  Advancing on the driver’s side door, Jax looked inside. The vehicle was empty. He quickly shoved his weapon behind his back and out of sight.

  Being as careful as he could, he took the edge of his jacket and opened the driver’s door, peering inside. The vehicle looked as if it had been wiped clean. He could smell the chemicals.

  Jax grabbed his phone and called it in to Lane. “I have your stolen vehicle.” He gave Lane the location.

  “How’d you find it?” Lane asked curiously.

  “It’s parked across from one of my team member’s apartment.”

  “You think that was deliberate?” Lane asked the obvious question and Jax spun back to face Blake’s apartment building. There’d been no sign the place had been ransacked, but maybe whoever was there didn’t want to leave any traces behind.

  “I don’t know. It’s possible, I guess. Can you let me know what you find out once your lab has a chance to process the vehicle?”

  “Sure will,” Lane assured him.

  “Good. We’ll talk soon.”

  Jax ended the call then climbed back into his car and drove away before patrol cars responded to the report of a man waving a gun in the area. His gut assured him he’d barely peeled back the first layer on the truth. Something bigger than a stolen vehicle was going on, and it was all somehow connected to Blake’s death.

  Someone was deliberately trying to set up his team, and the suspec
ts were numerous. Al Hasan was believed to have some influential people on his payroll. Was someone from the Afghan Embassy dirty, or were the stolen vehicle, the evasive response from the embassy’s driver, and the ambassador’s lack of cooperation a fluke? Jax couldn’t believe that was so.

  Heading home, he took extra precautions, making sure he wasn’t being followed. In the growing darkness outside, he was too keyed up to sleep. There’d be plenty of time on the plane. So many disjointed thoughts coursed through his brain. Were they walking into another setup that might prove far worse than the one that took Blake’s life?

  Chapter Five

  Headlights flashed across the front of her dark house. Erin grabbed her weapon and slipped to the window, parting the curtains. Jax’s car rolled to a stop in her drive. She breathed out an enormous sigh of relief, feeling it down to her knees. She’d been on edge since realizing she was being followed the day before. What Jax had told her about the Suburban matching the same description as the one following her earlier was alarming.

  The knock on the door had her jumping, even though she knew who it was. Erin pulled it open and braced herself to face her commander. He stood before her. Tall. Handsome. Jax.

  “You didn’t have to pick me up,” she said and held the door open wide. He came inside and closed it.

  “I thought we could ride in together. No need to take two vehicles.” In other words, he was worried about her.

  Erin smiled at his consideration. “I’m almost ready. Want some coffee?”

  He nodded and poured himself a cup before surveying the place, his gaze finally landing on her.

  “I’ll go grab my backpack,” she told him when those piercing eyes became too much. She hurried to her bedroom and closed the door, blowing out a breath. Her nerves a wreck, she was terrified by the upcoming mission. Unsure if she was up to the task at hand. Add her growing feelings for Jax to the mix, and she was a mess.