by Ali Vali
“Thanks for trusting us,” Karen said.
“How do you think Wiley’s going to take this?” she asked.
“Don’t worry about that. It’s not like we could help it.” Danielle held her hand out to Tanith. “If you were the guy named Walter, you’d have a problem.” They all stood in the kitchen and watched Danielle close the back of the freezer. “Let’s go through the steps of how to access that room in case we need to use it again.”
“Do you think they’ll be back?” Karen asked.
“They didn’t find what they came for, so I wouldn’t discount it, but hopefully Wiley and Buck will be back before that happens,” Peter said, and almost as if he’d conjured them up, the phone rang.
The explanation didn’t take Danielle long, and she said the word yes about twenty times, obviously answering Wiley’s questions. “She’s right here, hold on,” Danielle said before handing her the phone and escorting everyone into the den.
“Are you okay?” Wiley asked, their connection static-filled and noisy.
“Your mom made sure we were, and I’m sorry we had to barge into your space.”
“It’s not like you’re going to put an ad in the paper.” Wiley actually joked. “At least now you know they won’t let go without a fight. You should think about that.”
“You’ll need a better line of attack, Major. Tanith is setting up a fan club now.”
“We both know better than that, and I’m sorry you had to go through that when I wasn’t there. Walter, if he was behind this, was out of bounds. I’m sure he and the rest of those guys won’t be back, so you’ll be fine.” An announcement that sounded like it was coming from a speaker close by came over the line in Spanish. “That’s our flight.”
“Did something go wrong?”
“Not yet, so keep your fingers crossed it stays that way. I’ll see you soon.”
Those were the words Wiley always said right before they parted in their past. “Keep your head down, and try to get some sleep on the way home.” She smiled at Danielle as she listened to Wiley’s steady breathing on the line. “When you get back we’ll figure something out.”
“It’s time for a little offense, so you bet.”
*
“What were Levi and Kevin doing outside Almoloya?” Carter Winslow asked Walter. The flight FBI Agent Annabel Hicks had escorted Walter onto had arrived ten minutes before at the private airstrip Carter had leased for the night. For nine minutes of that time he’d listened to Walter curse, since he’d had his men disarm him as soon as the plane’s door opened.
“The last time they checked in, Levi said they were following a lead that initiated from you in New Orleans. I need the answer to that as well as the reason you were in New Orleans.” Carter crossed his legs and ran his finger along the top edge of his diet-soda can. Walter could scream all he wanted, but it wouldn’t rattle him. “Why you got the FBI involved is something we’ll get to eventually, so relax.”
“Carter, you don’t ever get your hands dirty in the field, so let me explain a few simple concepts. With Levi’s help, we brought down Pombo and let the retards from the federales take the credit.”
He didn’t glance up when Walter smashed the table top with his open hand. “You reported the Pombo case closed. According to you, no other involvement was needed, not without giving away our involvement.” He flipped through the file his boss, Craig Orvik, had given him after he told him to take care of it. “Why press the Pentagon for a shooter? Is Pombo’s case closed or not?”
“Don’t you think he’s going to throw all of us under the federale bus to save his ass?” Walter stood up and pressed his back into the nearest wall. “Isn’t the objective of our job to not leave a friend behind?”
“We’ve already taken steps to make anything Pombo says not believable, so he’s not your problem anymore.”
Walter stepped closer to him. “Why has Orvik cut me off?”
“He’s busy trying to explain your two dead team members to the director, as well as why you pressured Major Gremillion and, more precisely, why everything you told him to pressure the Pentagon with didn’t pan out. Enough history, though. Tell me what happened with Levi and Kevin.”
“We were following leads that Pombo was still conducting business from jail. His operation is an octopus with thousands of tentacles. Levi volunteered to stay in Mexico while I tried to pick up anything stateside that’d lead us to the Tajr group Pombo was working with.”
“What were Levi and Kevin doing the day they died?” He aimed Walter’s chair in his direction and pointed at him to sit. “Before you answer, you should know that Levi called Mr. Orvik, and he did take that call.”
“What’s this about, then? Careful with trying to burn me, Carter. I will make you sorry if you have the balls to do it.”
“Mr. Orvik needs your side of things to close this, so take your paranoia down some.”
“My paranoia is why I’m still alive.” Walter was flip, but the sweat was pooling at the waist of his pants.
“If you need bluntness, then you’re done. Pombo brought some arrests, but the death of two of our people wasn’t worth it. You can walk with no pension, which Mr. Orvik will take into consideration, or you can stay. You know him well enough to know what steps he’ll take.” Carter picked up all his paperwork and placed it in his briefcase. “Let me know what you decide. I’ll give you a few days to think it over.”
“I don’t need time,” Walter said, moving uncomfortably close to him. “Tell Orvik he’s a chickenshit for not coming himself, and if he tries to push me out he’ll have his own lynch mob to deal with. You can fuck yourself.”
Carter watched him leave and nodded at the guys with him to follow. “Sir,” he said when Craig Orvik answered, “he refused and walked.” He went on to tell him everything Walter had said, including the threats.
“Make sure you don’t lose him.”
“Anything else?”
“Pay Mr. Pombo a visit since you’re already there, only go through his attorney. We’re missing something and I need to know what that is. Once you’re done, make New Orleans your next stop. Tell this shooter it’s in his best interest to give up whatever Walter shared with him.”
“Wiley’s a woman, sir, but don’t worry. I’ll cut off all the loose ends.”
“Don’t miss any. Make double sure of that.”
“Yes, sir.” Carter hung up and pulled Wiley’s file. He had his orders, so if it took a nuke to scorch the land Walter had made, he wanted to know what he was up against. From the first paragraph of the classified information he knew the mountain had gotten much steeper.
“You don’t realize what you’re asking,” he said to himself about Orvik’s order regarding Wiley. “Jesus.”
*
“What’s first?” Buckston asked as their plane took off.
“If you’re not too tired, I’d like to stop at the FBI office before we head home. I’ve already called and made an appointment with the agents responsible for the search.” Wiley took out a notebook and started writing down everything that had happened since Walter showed up with Don. It was time to draw connections among all the players as well as the events.
“What do you need from me?”
“The hard-ass attitude you do so well. I’m not going to appreciate an audience if I’ve got to stretch my wings a little.”
“No problem,” Buck said, then reclined his seat and closed his eyes.
She had an idea of how to get Walter out of her life, but she didn’t have an exact road map. Her only real clue was the woman Pombo had mentioned. She doubted Amber Willow was in the book, but it was a start.
Agents Lauren and Sean were waiting when they arrived at their offices from the airport. Wiley didn’t care to be put in an interrogation room, but it was necessary.
“Can you explain why you showed up with a team to search my daughter’s house?” Her father’s voice sounded especially loud in the enclosed space. “And before you thr
ow out the word classified, call this number and check my level of clearance.”
“We had information of a Tajr sect setting up in New Orleans, so we had no choice but to follow up, sir,” Sean said.
“You thought I’m branching out into terrorism?” she said, laughing. “Did you even ask about me before you scared my mother with the show of force?”
“The tip led us to your door, Major. You know we didn’t have any choice but to go wherever it took us.”
“Who was nice enough to deliver this gift?” she asked, concentrating on their expressions. “It had to be some generous guy, because I don’t think I pinged your radar because a sect leader friended me on Facebook.”
“We can’t give those kinds of details,” Lauren said, and her father took his phone out and pressed one of his contacts. He gave his tag number and asked for the secretary of defense. Lauren hesitated, but her dad motioned for her to continue. “Both of you would’ve done the same in that position.”
“You might want to call your supervisor in,” she said when her dad placed his phone on the table, the speaker feature on. The classical music always made her want to laugh. Considering that it was the Pentagon, she thought they should’ve played a snappy military march tune instead.
“Major Gremillion,” the woman at the door said. “I’m Special Agent Annabel Hicks, and while I’d love to talk to the secretary, let’s us straighten out a few things before we waste his time. General, it’s a pleasure, sir,” Annabel said when he disconnected the call.
“I need a name, ma’am,” she said, once the niceties were done.
“Walter Robinson came and dropped this off as bait.” Annabel placed a file on the table. Wiley flipped though it, not having to read anything since it was the same crap Walter had shown her the day they met. “Both of you know I couldn’t ignore the Tajr connection, but we didn’t go in blind. The courtesy I gave you was giving in to your mother’s wishes to have only my two agents search your place. Before we got the warrant I made a few calls about Walter. His supervisor told us he was not sanctioned for his visit here and his talks with you were out of bounds. No one over Walter’s pay grade had cleared whatever he asked for.”
“Contact Colonel Don Smith in Washington. He was the first person Walter reached out to, and once he asked for his favor, Don, as well as his supervisor, General Carl Greenwald, received plenty of pressure from someone other than Walter. Both men wanted me to come out of retirement.”
“Major Wiley Gremillion, code name Black Dragon, recently retired and hands off, according to General Greenwald and Colonel Smith. From what wasn’t redacted from the file they shared, you’re almost mythical,” Annabel said with a smile.
“You don’t have to worry, ma’am. The army will vouch for my mental stability. My being here will not be an issue.”
“I’m not your problem, Major.”
“I’m retired, it’s Wiley.” She flipped through the file again until she got to the picture of the alleged terrorist. “Can I have a copy of this?”
“The entire file is yours.”
“A gift?” she asked, knowing nothing in life was free.
“Yes, but if you’re a stickler for thank-you notes, address it to Don. My gift is the call I received from Craig Orvik. After an incident in Mexico, Walter is now considered burned. He walked out of a meeting to explain how his team was killed in a way that suggested one of the cartels was responsible.”
“Thank you for the information, and I’ll return the favor by coming by and telling you this story’s ending.” She stuffed all the pictures into the file and shook Annabel’s hand again. “I hate to be piggish about asking for anything else, but you and your team need to stand down.”
“That’s the orders we’ve gotten, so no worries. The only way you’ll see us again is if you ask, or if the Tajr angle pans out.”
“If Walter was right about that, you have my word you’ll be my first call.” She walked out, with her dad right behind her. Annabel had been extremely helpful but not exactly truthful. No way in hell would she make her agents back off, but that could be useful, especially when it came to keeping Aubrey and her family safe.
*
The lights were low throughout the house when Wiley and Buckston got home, and she enjoyed the hug he gave her before he headed toward his bedroom. She wasn’t tired, but a shower was necessary before bed. In the morning she had to find a way to visit General Lee without the world watching.
She flipped the bathroom light off and stopped before she reached the bed. It’d been a long time since she’d found Aubrey in her bed anywhere but in her dreams, but that’s where she was, lying on her side waiting on her.
“Do you think for one night we can turn back the clock?”
“To what date?” she asked, her fingers twitching from the urge to paint Aubrey like this.
“To right after you kissed me for the first time. It was easier to get you to hold me after that.”
“Letting go was the hardest thing I ever did,” she said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Holding you was always my privilege.”
“I’ve always loved the way you express yourself.” Aubrey sat up and scooted closer so she could take her hand. “It was one of so many things I missed, but the top of my list has to be the feel of you. I always loved how you held me, Wiley.”
“Hopefully Maria gave you a little of that.”
“If you want me to lie, I will, but that won’t excuse me my sins. I’m still not sure who I’m angrier at, Maria or myself. After I moved in with her I allowed myself to become someone I would’ve readily criticized once upon a time.”
“What do you mean?” She didn’t hesitate when Aubrey pulled her down and pressed against her.
“I’ve been a kept woman whose only contribution in a long time was picking furniture pieces and paint colors. She paid the bills and touched me even when I really didn’t want it.” Aubrey wrapped her fist in her T-shirt and exhaled against her neck. “I was a great prostitute.”
“You’re a great mom, and the rest is crap. Maria’s gone, and once I’m done you’ll be free to do whatever makes you happy.”
“Don’t say things you don’t mean,” Aubrey said, lifting herself up a little so she was looking down on her. “And it’s okay to be honest. If you’d met me for the first time a year ago, nothing about me would’ve been memorable.”
“Problem is, with your theory anyway, I didn’t meet you a year ago. I met you when I was young and impressionable,” she said, smiling as she touched Aubrey’s cheek. “They give you rose-colored glasses when that happens, so you’ll always get a pass from me.”
“Let’s hope that’s always true,” Aubrey said before she leaned the rest of the way down and pressed her lips to Wiley’s. “Are you mad your mom showed us your room?”
“Now that you know it’s there, you should realize who the real whore in the room is. The army isn’t the kind of pimp to let go easily, so don’t make any decisions out of misplaced loyalties. How we got here hasn’t changed.”
“Right now what I want is for you to not kick me out of here.” Aubrey kissed her again before she lay back down. “If we take baby steps maybe we won’t screw up as badly.”
Wiley’s craving won out, so she put her arms around Aubrey and closed her eyes. The bed moved again a few hours later but she didn’t budge, not wanting to scare Tanith off. In a way she came alive again, if only a little, when Tanith took her hand and whispered, “Thank you, Wiley.”
She didn’t know what Tanith was grateful for, but it didn’t matter. She wanted to pretend for one night what her life could’ve been. It was a reward to herself for doing without for so long.
Chapter Seventeen
“Do you think that’s smart?” Buckston said when Wiley described the next part of the plan.
“I don’t think Roth would’ve gone to the trouble for kicks. At least I’d like to think so. Who tries to piss off the person sent to kill you?” She sat back in her of
fice chair and held her coffee cup against her chest. Since she hadn’t spotted Aubrey or Tanith, she assumed they were both still asleep in her bed. “Right now all I have is Roth and some other bad guys that have drugs in common. Maria might’ve given me some information, but she’s dead.”
“You talked to Don,” Buck said, crossing his bare feet at the ankles. “Walter’s own people have fucked him over, so he’s certainly not your problem anymore.”
“So I should leave a wounded, cornered animal alone? He’s been here, he came back looking for something, and he’s going to keep coming back until he gets what he wants.” The air kicked on again, raising goose bumps along her sweat-slicked body. She’d worked out but didn’t want to disturb Aubrey and Tanith by taking a shower.
“Which do you think it is?”
“You’ve memorized my file, what’s your guess?” She had the answer already and so did her father, but sometimes saying it out loud shook something loose.
“He came for you, but when you didn’t roll over, he came for Aubrey.”
“The question is, how did he know to come for Aubrey? She’s in Carl’s file of me, but that section of the paperwork is closed. So—”
“He’s either a really lucky guesser, or there’s some other connection. Which do you think it is?”
“The only way to know for sure, if I’m right in my game of connect the dots, is to talk to Amber Willow. I believe she doesn’t have all the answers, but enough of them to get us going in the general vicinity of the right direction.”
“What do you need from me?”
“A ride later, then to stay out of sight until tonight.”
“You aren’t seriously thinking of walking around Lee Circle out in the open? If someone wants you eliminated from all this, you can’t pick a better location for a drive-by with multiple exit points.”
Lee Circle was in fact a traffic circle with a small park featuring a bronze statue of General Robert E. Lee on a tall marble column in the middle. She’d driven around it numerous times but had never actually gotten out and walked the perimeter. “No. I have a better idea.”
