Luke had a hunch there was more Jack wasn’t saying. He suspected there was a personal angle to it, but decided not to pry.
“He comes to their house to try to convince her parents to let him carry her away with him. Her parents are afraid and do not know what to do.”
“Ah.” So it was as Luke suspected. Like many things in the Afghan culture, allegiances and balances of power were very important. What Hamid hadn’t realized was, although he could get away with bombing a school, killing innocent teachers and children…but coming between a boy and his love interest was a mistake he might have to pay for with his life.
It was smart they hadn’t told the U.S. Government this part of the story. Although they had a good enough reason on the surface. He knew the school had been teaching a modified Christian message, funded by some powerful groups in Washington. He knew there had been some twelve hundred schools laid waste or shut down in the past three years. One more wouldn’t amount to much, yet they were here. And that was all there was to it. He never questioned the why of it all.
And in the past year, young Jack Daniels had learned to do something his country’s government was still learning: how to summon the most powerful strike force in the world. And he’d get men who knew what Hamid looked like, knew the village, and wanted to get even for all those dead kids. He looked at the kid with renewed respect. Another man who would do anything for the woman he loved.
Deal done. Just another day at the office.
Chapter 31
‡
JULIE BEGAN HER week of the summer session without incident. Her mother delivered Corey the first two days. Julie tried to engage the woman in conversation.
“I understand she has a fondness for chickens and rabbits.”
“I am not aware of any such thing,” Mrs. Miller had answered. She seemed afraid to reveal anything personal about her daughter and quickly turned to go.
“Your husband told me this. Your older daughter raised them, he says.”
She stiffened. “She was not my daughter.”
“I’m sorry.” Julie had made the slip on purpose. “She’s gone to live with her mother, then?”
“I believe so. Why are you asking me all these questions?”
“Like I told your husband last week, it will be easier for me to engage Corey if I do it through things she already likes. It will make it more fun.”
Mrs. Miller stopped briefly at the doorway. The bell rang, and Julie knew the students would be filing in any second. “She used to like her dolls.”
“Does she still have them?”
“No. Look, I’d like to help, but I’m afraid I can be of no use. You’re on your own, Miss Christensen.”
The strange woman departed quietly when the room started to fill with students. Corey stood by the window and watched her mother drive off. Julie wondered why the woman hadn’t said goodbye to her.
ON THE THIRD day, she got a call from Luke. The phone call was scratchy, and she could barely make out his voice. But hearing he was alive and out of immediate harm’s way was reassuring.
“Love you, baby,” she could hear.
“Come home to me, Luke.”
“I plan to. Take care.”
JULIE THOUGHT SHE was coming down with the flu and opted to stay home. They found a sub for her and she went back to bed, feeling dizzy and sick to her stomach. When she woke up a couple of hours later she barely was able to make it to the bathroom to be sick. She spent most of the day trying to drink broth and bland cottage cheese and toast, but everything she ate made her sick. Even the smell of coffee turned her stomach.
Later in the day Noreen called her.
“Sorry you’re sick.”
“How did you know about it, Noreen?”
“I spoke to Carl. He told me you weren’t there when he dropped Corey off.”
“Carl?”
“Carl Miller.”
“No, Noreen I meant you are calling him by his first name now?”
Noreen laughed on the other end of the phone. “He’s not a creep, Julie. Honestly I think he’s a pretty good guy.” After a pause, she added. “He’s stopped by and brought me lunch a couple of times.”
“You’re dating?”
“Not allowed and not smart under the circumstances. But I have to admit, Julie, I have a fondness for him. I think he’s pleased with the progress you’re making with Corey.”
“What progress? She still won’t talk in class. And she gets angry if I make her read. That’s new, but I would not call it progress.”
“Well, he’s told me you’re working hard and he appreciates it.”
“Good to hear.”
“So, kiddo, you feeling better?”
“I’m just tired. I guess all the stress of starting the summer program and Luke shipping out has gotten to me a bit. I never know when he’ll call. I worry.”
“Of course you do. How long—”
“I’m not on the list to get the information. He’ll tell me when he’s back in country. I’ll have no warning.”
“Exciting.”
“Not when you’re sick to your stomach.”
Noreen chuckled. “Maybe you’re pregnant.”
Julie was going to laugh it off…until it hit her they’d not used any protection more times than they had. She mentally counted the days and, yes, her period was late.
Holy mother of God.
“Jules? Did I just strike a nerve?”
“Don’t be silly.”
“Is it possible? Could you be pregnant?”
SHE PURCHASED A home test kit and the results were negative. But she decided to have a blood test done, and did so on her way into work the next day. Friday dragged on slowly, but she thought the kids were beginning to trust her. Her nausea subsided and she finally began to feel normal again. Maybe she wasn’t pregnant after all. The test had been negative. It was foolish to worry about it.
At the end of the day, when the clinic number came up on her cell phone, she excused herself to the hallway. The kids were working on their first test for the week.
“Julie Christensen?”
“This is she.”
“The results of the pregnancy test are in, and you are indeed pregnant. We recommend repeating the test in another two weeks.”
The caller kept talking, but Julie was staring off at the large oak trees bordering the school grounds. A gentle breeze made their boughs wave from side to side. She was carrying Luke’s child. She was going to have a baby. She’d never even considered the possibility. How was he going to take this? Would he pressure her to—want to—she couldn’t bear to even contemplate the choices. What if he didn’t come home? What if he got angry and broke off their…could this even be called a relationship?
The buzzing in her ears came back. Then she realized the clinic person was still talking, asking questions.
“Thank you,” she said, and hung up while the person was mid-sentence.
Her life had suddenly changed. She couldn’t even decide if she was happy about it or not. Pregnant and not married. Not even engaged, although Luke did love her, she was certain.
What would her mother say? Here Colin and Stephanie had gotten married, yet she was the one who was going to have the baby. Everything was backwards and inside out. She and Luke had never had time to sit down and really discuss a future, she’d been so selfishly caught up in the sex. She felt sure they had one, but to bring a baby into the world before all of this nailed down just seemed wrong.
She was filled with regret, because she remembered they’d had the opportunity in Vegas, and she’d been too greedy for him to allow them time to talk. And the next wave of emotion coursing over her was shame. Shouldn’t she be happy about this? After all, she did love Luke. But had her lapse in good judgment cost them the chance they needed?
Like a zombie, she returned to class. She studied the bowed heads of little minds while she began working out future study plans. Her eyes filled with tears, until suddenly she f
elt the warmth of Luke’s love flooding through her. A little part of him, of them, was growing inside her, using the nourishment her body provided, growing, becoming a child.
Then she realized that, regardless of what Luke did about it, she would love this child. She’d do everything in her power to bring him or her into the world in a loving household, hopefully with Luke at her side.
So, yes, she was happy. Very, very happy.
Corey sat staring at the same page in her workbook. Julie was filled with compassion for the little girl.
She took Corey outside the classroom while the other students were quietly occupied.
The two of them walked slowly down the hall to a concrete bench. She sat and asked Corey to join her.
“Anything you want to tell me?” she asked the youngster.
Corey looked up at her, and that’s when Julie noticed the child’s pallor and the dark circles under her eyes.
“Honey, are you feeling okay?” A sudden wave of nausea hit her, and she had to swallow hard to keep it at bay, because this was Corey’s time. She wanted to show some tenderness to the girl, perhaps pat her on the top of her head, but knew it wasn’t wise, so kept her hands to herself.
“What do you mean?” Corey asked.
Julie saw fear and dread, two things shed hoped never to see on the face of a second grader. But could this be her own maternal instincts kicking in? Without thinking, her hand went to the top of Corey’s head, and when she made contact with the youngster’s hair, the child flinched. Which allowed Julie to see a two-inch-long bruise that had been partially obscured by a large barrette.
“What happened to your head, Corey?”
“Nothing.”
“You have a bruise there.”
Corey pulled away, and then stood up. “You’re not supposed to touch me!” Her eyes were wide in her pale face, and her little mouth was turned down into a frown, her lower lip quivering. She was about to burst into tears.
Julie knew she finally had the evidence she needed. The confirmation of the feeling she’d had about Mr. Miller and Corey’s family was physically evident right in front of her. Although heartened by the realization her gut instinct had been correct, she now had to decide whether to call CPS.
“Who did this to you, Corey? Did someone hit you?”
The girl looked confused for a second, as though she didn’t understand the question. The anger was gone. Her words slurred, she said, “My dad. I was bad.”
Had Corey also been drugged?
Oh my God!
Julie knelt in front of her student, placing her hands on the youngster’s upper arms, and gently squeezed, keeping a safe distance between them.
“Don’t you worry about anything, Corey, sweetheart. I’m going to fix this.”
“Fix what?” Mr. Miller’s voice barked behind her. Julie jumped to her feet as Corey fell into her skirt, hugging her knees and hiding her face. Her young arms clutched Julie’s legs while she shook in fear.
Julie turned, keeping an arm on the child. Miller’s cold, hard eyes stared back at her, smoldering in anger, his fists tightening at his sides like he was barely able to hold back a display of temper. He looked wild and dangerous.
“You’re a monster,” Julie spat at him.
“Not. And this is none of your business,” he said, yanking his daughter’s arm, jerking her away from Julie’s protection. He turned to storm away.
“You can’t get away with this.”
Little Corey gave her a look Julie knew she’d remember for the rest of her life. The girl had tried to hold onto her skirts but Julie had let Miller yank her away. The girl’s face was full of betrayal, and fear of what was coming next.
“Help!” Julie shouted. “Help me please!” she yelled at the top of her lungs. At first no one came, but then a couple of doors opened and heads peered out into the hallway. “Someone please call the police.”
She wasn’t sure what to do, but she couldn’t let Miller take Corey off the school grounds. Behind her, the classroom she’d been teaching piled out into the hallway. The kids were agitated. She shouted to another teacher, “Please, watch them. I have to go after him. He’s been abusing that child. I have to stop him.”
She ran after Miller and the girl. Corey had been strapped into the front seat of Mrs. Miller’s minivan, but when Julie tried to open the door, she found it locked. She banged on the glass. Corey’s terrified stare switched to something on Julie’s left.
Next to her, Miller whispered, “You couldn’t stay out of it, could you?” just before he placed a cloth soaked with something that smelled like lighter fluid, and her vision tunneled.
And then nothing.
Chapter 32
‡
KYLE, LUKE, TYLER and Armando had been sleeping on top of the large two-story building down the block from the target house. Jack Daniels had brought them food to supplement their rations, as well as fresh water. They’d found shade in the makeshift cover installed by the owner, which was just large enough for a couple of folding chairs to fit under it. But it still was hot as hell.
The rest of the team waited on the ground floor. Rory and Jones were waiting behind the hulk of a destroyed Russian tank which lay on its side, and which gave them shade as well as cover. The crew downstairs rotated, taking turns moving so they stayed sharp and ready to roll on a moment’s notice.
Two black SUVs pulled up to the front door of the target house. Luke recognized the swagger of the dangerous militia leader. He felt Jack tense up beside him.
They counted four men entering the building, all dressed in white robes. The SUVs barreled out of sight. Kyle spoke into his Invisio. “Have them, and I count two, repeat two black SUVs, to be followed discreetly once they’ve left the city proper.” They were working in tandem with a Marine unit who had been stationed in this part of the city for several months. Luke knew the Marines would pick them up and conduct a thorough interrogation.
Showtime.
Normally entering the home of a person of interest didn’t involve a firefight. They would allow the SEALs to remove the insurgent. In some cases, the insurgents’ families seemed relieved. At first, Luke had been surprised about their cooperation. But then he learned people who didn’t care about killing innocent women and children often mistreated their own.
But today would be different. The entire family of the young girl Hamid wanted was being held hostage. Hamid wouldn’t even have to pay them a bride price. He was just going to steal their most precious cargo for his own evil designs.
Which meant there would be no peaceful snatch and grab today.
They surrounded the building. Armando stayed back but still within sniper range, also on the lookout for other bad guys or accomplices from other homes nearby.
Sure as shit, when Kyle banged on the front door and shouted, “United States military, permission to enter,” Luke observed a scramble, and two white-robed figures climbed out on the roof through a hatch in the second floor. Armando took care of them quietly.
Luke was second to enter the house behind Kyle, followed by Tyler, who touched him on the leg, to let Luke know he had his back. The family of the girl huddled off to the side, leaving room for the SEALs to maneuver. Luke put a finger to his lips for them to be quiet. The Team needed to hear what was going on upstairs to avoid any of their own from being injured. Except for minor sniffles and muffled cries from a baby, the downstairs was relatively quiet. A television program was playing Arabic music somewhere upstairs.
Jones and Rory were watching the back door. Luke wished they had more men inside, but he followed Kyle while they trained their guns on anything that moved. Kyle motioned for Tyler to stay downstairs and got a thumbs-up. Tyler gave another thumbs-up to Luke, who returned it.
On the second floor, they found their person of interest holding the young girl, a pistol jammed into the side of her face. She was in a white cotton nightdress, her head uncovered, her hair wildly twisted around in all directions. Luke knew
they were just in time to prevent a rape.
He recognized Hamid, because Luke himself had knocked one of the asshole’s two front teeth out with a swift kick during the fight just before the insurgent had escaped. The Afghani shouted something in Arabic which didn’t require translation. Hamid had one arm under her chin, cutting off her circulation, while the gun remained steady at her temple. Hamid had pulled his face away from her wild hair and it was all Luke needed. He aimed for the vacant spot between his teeth and fired. The man’s head exploded like a watermelon.
The fourth intruder surrendered without a fight and was turned over to the Marine unit for questioning off-site.
Jack came running up the stairs calling a name. Horrified at the bloody scene, he fell at the feet of the girl, who hurriedly reached for a headscarf and blanket to cover herself. Jack shouted something downstairs and they could hear the happy acknowledgement from her relatives, who had anxiously waited to learn the results of the mission.
AN HOUR LATER they mounted a transport to Norfolk, and then they’d take the bird back to San Diego. It would be another twenty hours or so before he arrived. He tried calling Julie’s number and there was no answer, so he left a message.
Thinking she might be teaching or in a meeting, he texted her the news.
Headed in country. Home in twenty. Love, L
Kyle moved to take up the seat next to Luke. Across from them sat Tyler, who was listening to music with ear buds.
“I’d have you covering my fuckin’ ass any day, man.” Kyle extended his hand, and Luke shook it.
“Honor. Just like shooting fuckin’ clowns at the fair back home.”
“You knew for sure he was the motherfucker?”
“No question about it.” Luke pointed to his two front teeth. “I did that to him two years ago. He was a mean motherfucker. You keep screwing over your own people, sooner or later you run out of fuckin’ places to hide.”
“Yup. Fuckin’ died on his wedding day.”
“Fucker.”
“One thing I liked about today, though,” Kyle said.
SEAL My Destiny (SEAL Brotherhood) Page 19
