Stark Shadows (Stark Trilogy Book 2)

by Bradley,CD

  “Really? You think leaving AMA is worse than them thinking that you nearly drank yourself to death?” Paige’s brow furrowed above her dark eyes.

  She was right. Kira shuddered to think what shape her military career was in now. How would her CO handle this? Was she finished? Kira rubbed her fingers deeply into the white leather. “I’m not sure what is worse facing my CO or stepping foot back that apartment.” Kira groaned louder than she realized. She opened the car door and stopped. “I’m not sure I can do this.” Standing she felt suddenly queasy. The bile threatened to return and the world started to spin. Kira held on tightly to the vintage chrome. Paige was by her side. Kira felt her warm fingers steadying her.

  “You don’t have to stay here. You can come home with me or back to Stark’s. I know he won’t care.” Paige started reassuringly.

  “No. I am not running away anymore. Damn it this is MY LIFE. I’m not going to waste it being afraid. Hell if I dreamed the whole thing then the only thing I have to be afraid of is me.” But Kira knew she hadn’t dreamed it. Maybe the apartment would give her a clue. Maybe trigger more of a memory, offer some proof.

  As they opened the door the clinical smell of disinfectant burned in both their nostrils. Paige gagged and stepped back. Instinctively she put an arm out to stop Kira from going in. “Either you are a serious germaphobe or someone has bleached the hell out of your apartment. Don’t go in there. Let me call in a favor.” Kira stepped back sick. She could hear Paige on the phone with an officer of some kind but she sounded a million miles away. Kira’s heart sank. Someone had cleaned, no doubt erasing any evidence that may help her piece this together. Any hope of proving she wasn’t crazy that she didn’t make this up had washed down the drain with a bucket of dirty water. They waited outside for almost a half hour before Paige’s friends showed up. Kira found herself looking around for the cat. No trace. Kira wondered how much she could believe Holt.

  “Kira, this is Detective Ebble. Let’s just say he is a friend of the club.” Paige let her fingers trail down his sleeve. Detective Ebble maintained square stance but raised an eyebrow and smiled at Paige.

  “Something like that.” He started, his voice deep and gravely. His face was weathered and when he extended his hand to Kira she noted the roughness of lines and callouses of manual labor.

  “Are you still on the force?” She asked puzzled looking at his fingers.

  “No. I’m retired. I spend most of my time in my wood shop, but I help out with the club from time to time.” His tired eyes shown a little brighter. “You’re very observant. Paige said you were a doctor, right?”

  “Yes sir. I am serving here on base.” Kira answered. Retired or not she was not ready to have a major investigation into her private life. “I would rather not make this a part of an official record if that’s ok. As a female officer, I really don’t want to draw negative attention to myself. If I make accusations and they are unfounded I am hosed.”

  “As I said I am retired. I have looked into several matters for Lysander. All on the down low. Anything you tell me will be confidential and anything I find will be only for you.” His voice was gruff but somehow reassuring. He continued without giving Kira time to think it over. “So you think someone has been in your apartment? When? Is anything missing?” He dove right in to the point.

  Kira did her best to fill him in without sounding crazy. She told him about thinking she heard something in the living room and then the pain in her head and waking up at the hospital. Kira couldn’t help flashing back to that night. Though she could never tell the detective the wicked laughter still rang in her ears. Every time she closed her eyes she could feel hands tightening around her throat. The detective disappeared into her apartment after promising to contact Paige as soon as they were done. Kira let her head fall to rest in her hands as she sat back in the front seat of the Bel Air.

  Paige gave her a ride to work. Kira reminded herself that her focus had to be on her work. She needed to get back on track. The last year had been sensational and heartbreaking all in one. Now she needed to concentrate on herself, healing, and her career. Owen Stark was a beautiful moment in time but he did not define her. She had faced and would overcome the pain both physical and emotional of being violated and ridiculed but that would not define her. She was in charge of her own destiny. They screeched to a halt in front of the clinic jarring Kira from her thoughts.

  “Watch where you’re going!” Paige barked out the window at a group of pedestrians. Kira started to interject that they actually had the right of way but decided now was not the time to interfere with Paige’s chronic road rage.

  “Vanilla,” Paige called to her as she stepped out of the car, “Be careful ok? I’ll call you as soon as I hear something from Ebble. Just watch yourself.” Paige’s dark brows furrowed into a worried line.

  Kira was thankful to have someone in her corner. As unlikely as their friendship was, having Paige through all of this was probably the one thing keeping her sane. “I will. Thanks Paige. Really thank you.”

  “Oh brother don’t get all mushy on me vanilla, you’ll melt.” Paige yelled over her shoulder and punched the gas nearly taking out another group of pedestrians.

  Kira made her way into the clinic. Hushed whispers as she passed the reception area let her know that the gossip network was in full effect. Kira shook them off and went to her office. She could hear Abby’s footsteps approaching. What could she say to her?

  Abby moved like an animal treading across thin ice. She eased into Kira’s office bearing a cup of steaming coffee and shut the door behind her. Without asking she placed the coffee on the desk and planted herself in one of the government issue chairs. “Now honey you don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. But if you do I am here.” Her voiced soothed like a mother cat to her kitten. Without waiting for Kira to respond she continued. “I feel so badly for encouraging you and that boy. Sweetie ain’t nobody worth…”

  “Worth what? What exactly is everyone saying?” Kira felt fresh rage resurfacing. Here it goes again. She felt sick.

  Abby twisted her hands in her lap. Usually so sure of herself, she seemed lost for words. “Kira,” She started but stopped. “It’s just the usual busy bees. Don’t worry about them.” Abby looked down at the floor.

  “Spill it!” Kira hissed. She realized she had wadded up a paper on her desk griping it tightly.

  “The story is you fell head over heels for some guy and when he broke it off you nearly overdosed on alcohol and ended up in the hospital. There’s all sorts of speculation as to who it was but no one’s pegged Sergeant Stark. Thankfully.” Abby’s usually loud voice was barely audible. “You know you can always come to me. I am here anything you need. I just want to be sure you are ok.”

  Kira swallowed hard. Could she explain what really happened? Or what she thought happened? “Abby I am ok. Really I’m just fine.” She knew she didn’t sound fine at all.

  Abby circled around the desk like a hen reaching her wing out to cover a chick and placed her hand on Kira’s shoulder. “I just want you to know that Josh and I are here for you. If you want to stay with us for a while, we have a spare room. It’s all yours if you need it.”

  Kira felt waves of self-doubt cross over her. How could she even voice what she was going through when she wasn’t even sure what happened. “Look Abby, I’m not exactly sure what happened that night. I am not heartbroken ok. I never tried to hurt myself. This is a huge misunderstanding. I am back and ready to focus on work.” She smiled as confidently as she could and tried to assure Abby that she was ok now and got started on her patients. As the day wore on Kira caught Abby watching her from time to time like a mother hen checking in on her little ones.

  As each physical drug on she couldn’t help thinking of that first exam with Stark. The memory of his scent warmed her. She could still feel the electricity in her fingers as they brushed his skin. Stop This! Kira finished with her morning schedule and went to her office. She decided to ea
t alone and catch up on paper work. Avoiding the rumor mill until things blew over would be hard. She could only hope some higher up would get caught with his pants down and everyone would move on. Maybe Paige could… No scratch that. Kira giggled at the idea of Paige creating a big drama distraction with an over worked undersexed Major. No there had to be a moral high ground somewhere. She would get through this on her own. Time to stand up. As Kira reached into her desk for slightly stale bag of Chex mix, she noticed an envelope on her desk. She paused the snack search and opened it carefully. Her eyes scanned over the document and her hands started to tremble. She knew this was coming. Kira took a deep breath and reminded herself she knew this was something she would have to face. No surprises here. Her head tried desperately to maintain order while the rest of her body went into full fight or flight. She had an official order to report to her Commanding Officer’s office at 0700 in the morning. This would be a hearing. She breathed heavily again. With no appetite left she abandoned her idea of lunch and worked steadily to get all her paper work done in case this was her last day in the army. The afternoon’s schedule was heavy and would provide no chances to catch up.

  What felt like two thousand physicals later, Kira got a text from Paige.

  Detective Ebble said they found nothing.

  No blood, no finger prints not even yours.

  He wants to see you right away.

  ***

  After clinic Kira met Paige and Detective Ebble at her apartment. “There were no prints.” He was saying as she walked up. “Not even yours, none. The fridge the doors, the tables, every surface is clean. Sterile. It’s almost deliberate. Like someone wanted you to know they were here. Has anyone else been here that you know of?”

  Kira explained about Holt finding her and calling an ambulance. “He said there was blood all over the bathroom floor.

  “Not now.” The detective held the door open for them to come in. “This house has been cleaned professionally.”

  Kira had a momentary thought of the movie pulp fiction and The Fixer. She followed him through the immaculate apartment. It seemed so foreign. Her usual small stacks of medical journals gone. Not one dish in the sink or visible on the counter. In the bathroom they found gleaming tile that would make Mr. Clean proud. Her shower curtain was missing. Kira shook her head. Had Holt done this? Why?

  Kira pushed back past the detective and Paige. She needed some cool air. As she passed her room the reflection of metal on her dresser caught her eye. Kira froze and turned abruptly to go into her bedroom. There on her dresser lain out perfectly were her dog tags. Upon closer inspection they were both there. One of hers and one of his! Just the sight of his name brought back a rush. How had they gotten there? Maybe Paige was right maybe Holt dropped them from her purse when he picked it up.

  Paige walked up behind her. “You’re tags! Where were they?” She exclaimed.

  “Just laying perfect on my dresser. Maybe Holt found them.” Kira looked back to the dresser and noticed for the first time the small red and black match book lying just behind where the tags had been. She picked up the small book and turned it over in her hands. The paper was a rich crimson. Black filigree writing spelled out the words:

  The Apex Club.

  Chapter 4

  Clouds of sand blew up in gusts as their convoy rolled down Highway 1. Sergeant Stark sat in the front passenger seat and watched for any sign of disturbance or freshly altered ground. IEDs (improvised explosive devises) were at this point in the war the number one cause of casualty. The hidden mines hastily made in the sand. Crafted by hands whose one goal was to obliterate them from the earth. No matter the odds the United States Army Rangers never turned back. They were soldiers. They would fight with their last breath if needed. They would fight to the last man standing.

  While the country had been withdrawing regular infantry over the last several months, they had doubled down on Special operations. He scanned the roadside with an eagle eye but his thoughts raced back to Kira and Paige. He knew Kira was furious with him. The message that he got from her the night he failed to meet her at Garden of the Gods still haunted him. When he first got in country their mission had been urgent and top secret so he had no way of contacting her. He hadn’t been able to even get to a phone for a week. He knew she would be mad but the text that greeted him when he finally turned on his phone nearly killed him.

  This was all a mistake.

  You and I were never meant to be.

  It’s over. Do not call or contact me.

  He knew he wasn’t the first man in that shit hole to receive a dear fucking John letter. That didn’t make it any easier. FUCK. If he just had the chance to explain. Damn it she had to know that as special operations sometimes they got deployed at the last minute. It was part of the job. Part of that life. How could she not understand that? Or maybe she did and that was the last straw for her. He desperately wanted to believe that she was stronger than that. That he meant more to her than that. He knew losing her dad and the trauma that caused would always stand between them. He knew he should have walked away. He should walk away now. But he knew even thinking that was futile. Her touch, the look in her eyes when he took her was stronger than any drug. He would never be able to let her go.

  “Hey Fuck breath are you awake up there?” Sergeant Colin bellowed from the back seat, over the drone of the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). “In case you forgot you are trying to keep a lookout to keep us from getting blown the fuck up.”

  “I’m awake you homeless Ronald McDonald looking mother fucker.” Stark barked back. Sergeant Colin stood six feet four inches. When in country his red hair and beard became dust magnets. They all did but Colin’s red hair stood out like a sore fucking thumb and they reminded him of it every chance possible.

  “Shut the hell up and watch the damn road. That good girl pussy has fried your brain. You need to come back to the dark side.” Sergeant Colin made no secret of enjoying the girls at the club. Though the club itself was not public knowledge, Colin loved to describe his exploits with multiple women. He started into a detailed diatribe of his last night with Kelsey, Stephanie, and Lia. “Now that is some kinky fucking shit! Lia man she…”

  “Put your dick away.” Captain Michaels ordered. We are only 3 clicks from our destination. Look alive gentleman. This final stretch has been heavy hit in the last couple days. We’ve got to get this embed to the Wardak Province” Captain Michaels was hands on, hardworking, no uppity bullshit. He had been married for as long at Stark had known him and his wife just had their second child. “Let’s get this meet and greet bullshit over with and head back to the COP.” The COP (command outpost had been their moon dust covered home for the last several weeks.

  “You still wetting your pants up there Miller or are you keeping an eye out for T-man” Colin chided the newbie manning the big gun.

  “I’ve got my eyes on the sandbox sir! If there is a squirter I’ll mow him down with this fitty.” Came the enthusiastic reply from their gunner Private First Class Nathan Miller.

  “Jesus Fobbit quit stroking that gun.” Colin continued. Fobbit was a combination of FOB and Hobbit. Soldiers who do not patrol outside the Forward operating base were dubbed Fobbits. They never left the cushy safe post. Restaurants with real food, beds, hot water for showers and laundry as well as rec facilities made the FOB seem like a five-star resort compared to the COP.

  “Leave Fobbit alone, Shit balls.” Stark threw back. “He’s just happy to finally be out with the meat eaters instead of being a PowerPoint ranger.”

  “I’m sorry Fobbit. That’s a shiny watch you got there Geardo. Is that new? Did you put that on just for us” Sergeant Colin continued to kid PFC Miller as they rolled along the moon dust covered road.

  “This is the new G-shock GWG-1000 Mudmaster Sir. I got it at the PX.” PFC Miller answered from the gunner position above the Humvee, enthusiasm still blaring from each word. Stark and Colin exchanged glances and grinned.
r />   “They tell you how good those things are?” Stark started.

  “Hell Fobbit.” Colin continued. “They say you could get blown to shit with an IED and that thing would still be ticking.”

  “That’s what they said sir.” Miller answered

  “Course, I don’t know about you, but that damn watch will probably be the last thing on your mind if your arm is in the fucking sand.” Colin retorted laughing.

  “At least I’ll have the time sir.” Miller shot back immediately and earned some points. This kid was ok.

  Their vehicle was third in line of the convoy. The diesel engine rumbled along over the dusty road. Stark thought again of how while the news talked about pulling troops out and bringing them home, they increased Special op missions. They went back time after time. It was like playing Russian roulette except when someone was blown up they just reloaded and started the game over again. A small group of women with children walked huddled together on their right as they passed. Their long dark burkas trailed in the dust at their feet. A small dark haired boy with big dark eyes stared at the passing convoy. Stark saw the small child’s grip on his mother’s hand tighten.

  “That kid should be in school.” Colin bellowed

  “Pretty hard to be in school if it’s blown to hell shit brain.” Stark answered.

  “Ya know what…” Sergeant Colin started. In that moment the ground erupted. Concrete and sand boiled up like liquid magma and then exploded everywhere. A thick cloud of smoke and fire engulfed the vehicle in front of them. Debris flew into their window and the ballistic glass splintered. A thousand tiny cracks spread across the surface but it did not break out. Smoke billowed into the vehicle and a hail of bullets pelted all around as the enemy opened fire.