Lexi’s brow puckered. “But Papa, that is fun for me.”
“Nope. I remember when I was a little boy. I loved the slide and the swing. And my daddy was like us, Lexi. He went away for long chunks of time, so when he took me it was so much more fun.”
“But I don’t want to.”
“But I do want you to, and I think if you could just try, then you’d have a wonderful time. Can’t you do it? For me?” he chivvied.
She crinkled her nose, then looked at Gia…obviously for help. “Remember what I said earlier, Lexi? About helping?”
Heaving a long-suffering sigh, Lexi mumbled, “I’d love to go to the park with you, Daddy.”
All three of them bowed their heads to hide their amusement at her glumness, but Luke was the first one to talk. “I think you should go and get comfy on my bed. I’ll be in in a couple of minutes, sweetheart.”
She nodded and jumped down from her seat. “Thank you for breakfast, Mommy,” she told her and went over for a kiss and a hug.
Gia patted her on the back and whispered in her ear, “There’s a good girl. Thank you, Lexi.”
“We don’t have to stay for long, do we?” came the quick retort. “Papa doesn’t have to know how long I stayed on the swing set, does he?”
“No, but he’ll know if you don’t try to have fun.”
Lexi huffed and with a disheartened moue, slinked out of the breakfast room without going to either Josh or Luke for a kiss. As the door closed, Gia slumped back in her seat. “I told you she was getting bad, Josh. But you didn’t believe me.”
“She’s worse than before I left,” Luke commented, taking a quick slurp of his coffee. “And she wasn’t great then.”
“We don’t make her go out enough,” Josh murmured, switching his attention back to the paper. “That’s all. And I did believe you. Why do you think I’m going out? We’ll go to the park, and if she tries to play, we’ll go to the store so she can pick out a book.” Astonished that he’d not only listened but was trying to help, Gia gawked at him, but he grunted at her consternation. “She’s used to getting her own way too much. They didn’t let them stay in the classroom during recess at school. Here, she doesn’t have to go outside.”
“He has a point, Gia.” Luke grabbed another slice of bacon and chomped at the crispy strip. “Maybe we should encourage her to go out more.”
She sniffed, trying and failing not to be annoyed at their remarks. She thought she was doing a pretty bang-up job of teaching their daughter, as well as maintaining the house, keeping up with her writing, and keeping everything running as smoothly as possible. “I’ll let you talk her into going outside come recess, Luke. Maybe you’ll have more luck than I do.” She got to her feet and began to clear up some of the breakfast dishes. “Do you want anything else or have you finished?”
Luke reached out and took hold of her wrist as she made to grab hold of a plate. “Don’t be mad. We’re not criticizing, only trying to help.”
“Yes, well, I can’t do it all by myself. What with Josh at the base and you in your bedroom, I’m doing my best. If you can get her to enjoy the park and other normal stuff, then be my guest.”
Josh cocked a brow. “You up to the challenge, Luke?”
“If it means not having to listen to Harry Potter, I’ll give it my best goddamn shot.”
Josh snickered, and the sound was rare enough to make Gia stare at him in surprise. Of late, laughter hadn’t had a place in their lives. Things were so serious around here. It was no wonder Lexi was stifled. She hadn’t been chuckling and giggling as much either. Whenever she did, Gia had hushed her for fear of disturbing Luke. It wasn’t right to put the brakes on Lexi’s cheerful demeanor, but it wasn’t fair for Luke’s rest to be wrecked either.
Finding the happy medium was proving difficult, and Gia had no shame in admitting that the search was exhausting.
“Rather you than me.”
“It’s a good series,” Gia defended.
“It’s too old for her. She’ll have nightmares.” Josh took a sip of his juice. “But I’ll leave it in your expert hands.”
“Hardly expert,” Gia scoffed. “I’m muddling my way through this. If you don’t think she should read it, then find another book for her today.”
“Uh-oh, someone’s pissed.”
“You’ll bet I am, Luke,” she retorted, saccharine sweet. “I’m tired, a little strung out, and I have so much to do today I’m going to meet myself coming forward. It’s taken me ages to decide to let her read that series, but apparently His Highness over there knows better than I do!”
“I never said that,” Josh immediately denied. “I only meant as the series progresses, it gets a little serious for such a young girl.”
“How do you know if you haven’t read the story?”
At her question, he flushed. “I had to try them out. I might have enjoyed them.”
For a second, she was flabbergasted. Josh was not the sort to sit down with a fictional tale of a boy wizard. He was pretty much a stick-in-the-mud. Only his pretty face, his rarely appearing but wicked sense of humor, and his grit and determination, something that made him the best person to have on your team and the worst to have as an enemy, stopped him from being boring as fuck.
“Well, as it is,” she told him after she’d recovered from her surprise. “I’d like for her to get started on it. She might not like it, but she might. We have to come to terms with the fact she’s going to be reading ahead of her age, and will come across things we can’t always protect her from. At least she can ask us questions, questions she knows we’ll always answer. Even if they make us uncomfortable. I don’t know how else to do it. We know she’s smart, smarter than average. Let’s be glad we’re discussing Harry Potter and not Nietzsche.”
Josh snorted. “That would be advanced for a five-year-old.” He grinned. “Let’s aim for Nietzsche for her sixth birthday.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t encourage her, for God’s sake.” As she made to walk out of the door, she called out, “I’m making mulled wine to go with dinner. Do not disturb the chef as she creates.”
Her warning was met with a chuckle from Josh and silence from Luke.
Sighing at the silence, she retreated to the kitchen and set the dirty dishes on the counter. She started to clear the waste into the trash, then stacked the plates in the dishwasher. As she worked, she could hear faint chatter from the breakfast room as Luke finished eating. The doors swung open from the kitchen into the breakfast room, and as they were like the saloon doors of old, she could hear every word if she didn’t make too much noise as she worked.
Conversation was innocuous. Luke was interested in Lexi’s new neuroses, and Josh tried his best to answer what he didn’t know. As good a man and as great a soldier as Josh was, he wasn’t the best dad in the world. She didn’t get angry over it, because there was no point. On top of that, how was the best dad award measured? He didn’t beat Lexi or hurt her, physically or emotionally. He was a provider, and when shit came to shit, he was always there. If she had a boo-boo, he could tend to it, and when they ate dinner together, he made her laugh. He knew where her clothes were and what to do if she had an asthma attack… He’d even stepped up to the plate today. Josh was busy, and that made him less hands-on. It wasn’t a crime so she didn’t judge him on it, merely accepted it for what it was.
Grabbing the bottle of cheap wine she’d bought for a recipe of mulled wine she’d seen on the TV, she peeled off the foil and got to work on the cork. After four tries, however, the stupid thing was stuck. Deciding there had to be some advantage to two big guys being in the house, she strode back into the breakfast room and shoved it in Josh’s face.
“A gift? For me? You shouldn’t have,” he teased, ducking away from the bottle hovering a few inches away from his nose.
“She spoils you,” Luke mocked, nearly giving Gia a coronary. Smiles and humor first thing in the morning? Wow, today was a day for firsts.
“I
do, I know it, we all know it,” Gia retorted. “Now get uncorking, buddy.”
Josh raised an arm and for both of them to see, flexed his biceps. “I’d make Popeye jealous.”
“Well, Olive is waiting impatiently.” She snickered and gave his muscle a quick squeeze. “Get going.”
He winked, then growled when he couldn’t get the cork out either. Both Luke and she chuckled as he stood, placed the bottle between his legs and tried again. To no avail. “What the hell?” he grumbled. “They superglue this down or something?”
As he wriggled it around, doing a weird-ass dance at the breakfast table, the chuckles from Luke and her grew. It was like music, finally hearing him laugh and after so long. Josh’s antics were funny, but Luke’s amusement fed hers. And then, out of nowhere, things derailed.
A sharp, nasty bang exploded from the bottle. Wine sloshed out, but the pop had Gia jumping, Josh cursing as wine went onto his pants, but Luke? He jumped up from his seat, but he was seated so close to the table his thighs knocked into it. The force of his momentum knocked the table forward, but the upward movement jerked it up onto two legs. With it, came the crash of plates and silverware as they cascaded to the floor, sending food and bits of debris all around.
For a second, the three of them stood there. The frozen tableau belonged in a Marx Brothers movie, and had Luke’s reaction not been born of fear, it would have been irritating but funny. As it was, it was heart-wrenching.
Luke broke the stillness by backing away from the table, knocking the chair over as he retreated to the wall. He pressed his spine to it, then lifted his hands to cover his face. Harsh gasps escaped him as he slowly sank down, the movement awkward thanks to his injuries, but he curled up as much as his body would allow.
Gia stared at him a second, then helplessly looked over at Josh. The pity and empathy on his face told her he understood where Luke’s head was at. That he’d been there, in Luke’s position.
Agony tore through her at what Luke was enduring and at what Josh had endured. Lexi was right. This wasn’t right. The suffering was horrendous, and the people who had to deal with the aftereffects of war were always going to be poorly prepared to handle it all.
Josh walked over to Luke, crouched down, and placed an arm across his shoulders to hold him close. The soft crooning sound was the noise he made to lull Lexi to sleep, and Gia was amazed to see Luke uncover his face and turn his head into Josh’s shoulder.
She wanted to help, wanted to comfort him too, but knew, in her heart of hearts, that only someone who had endured similar terror would be of any use.
And so, aching for her two wounded warriors, she backed off and sought out Lexi. At least she wouldn’t mind if Gia hugged her to within an inch of her life.
Chapter Five
Three weeks later
“How certain are you of these findings?”
Josh cocked a brow at General Jarvis. The question wasn’t altogether unexpected, but Jarvis had to know he wasn’t going to hand over unsubstantiated evidence. Not when Luke’s reputation was on the line.
Wondering what game his CO was playing, he hedged, “More than certain. In fact, I know they come from the highest source.” He waited a second. “Have you managed to read through all the reports?”
“You know I wouldn’t have called you here today if that wasn’t the case.”
“Technically, that’s not true, sir.”
Jarvis’s top lip quirked up. “You know me well enough by now. Plus, you know I also hate that jackass Harrison.”
“Half the base knows that, sir.”
The half smile turned grim. “I’m not sure what I can do here, Josh. It’s already happened. A discharge is a discharge.”
The general’s about-face wasn’t entirely surprising, but that didn’t make it any less irritating. “You know what I want. Petition the Army Court of Criminal Appeals on Luke’s behalf and stand up for him. He wasn’t directly under your command, but he was a high-ranking officer on your base, sir. His reputation speaks for itself.”
“You don’t ask a lot, do you?”
“No, sir, I don’t. Especially not when I’ve handed you evidence of what that SOB is doing to destroy tentative relationships with some of the friendlier locals.”
“A few pictures aren’t enough to levy charges against Harrison.”
Josh pursed his lips as he studied Jarvis. So, that’s the game he was playing. Devil’s advocate. “Several women have been seen being taken from their homes by men in army dress under the guise of their affiliation to the militia and they never return…what do you think the locals believe is happening to their women? Especially when they don’t come back.” He pointed to the reports he’d handed Jarvis close to a month ago. “It’s all in there, sir. And it’s been going on since before Luke was deployed. Plus, look at the charges that were filed and conveniently trashed. Several claims of extortion and battery. All swept away.”
“No such complaints have made their way stateside.”
“No. Of course not. This is the first time it has, and what’s happened? The first one to rock the boat has been discharged OTH, assaulted upon his return by soldiers he won’t name, and has lost a nearly three-decade-long career.”
“According to Harrison, Lieutenant Colonel Gray assaulted him. Which I notice you don’t attempt to disprove.” Jarvis pursed his lips. “How certain are we that you’re not defending your husband, Josh? Is your relationship with him blocking your good judgment?”
He’d expected that question, but he hadn’t expected the rage that fueled his answer. It came out of nowhere. “I’ll not deny that my relationship with Gray means I know the man far better than any report’s findings could imagine. But his good character speaks for itself. I don’t have to do the defending, because all I have to do is raise the topic with the correct person. A person who is wise enough to discern the truth, to see through the BS of a doctored report by a commanding officer known to be rough with prisoners.”
Jarvis rapped his knuckles on the table. “I’ll speak on Gray’s behalf, but I’ll make no promises, Josh.”
“But you know my findings are a more accurate representation of the truth. Doesn’t that mean anything?”
“I can only do so much. My influence has a far reach but not as far as you believe.”
“If doubt is cast on the colonel’s character, sir, I believe that will be enough to trigger the necessary chain reaction.”
“You have more faith in our justice system than I do, Josh, but I’ll do what I can. Remember, no promises.”
One short nod was all the answer Josh gave. He expected for that to be that, and felt guilt that what he’d done wasn’t enough to help Luke, but then Jarvis drummed his knuckles against the table. There was an exasperation behind the action, a caustic irritation that snatched Josh’s attention.
“Dammit, as extensive as this file is, I can’t present any of these findings. Not without knowing where they came from. You’ve put me in a shitty position—one I don’t appreciate. I’ve physical proof that a high-ranking official is abusing prisoners, effectively abducting some local females as and when the whim takes him—who disappear not long after, and this extortion business… It’s troubling, Josh.”
“The information was procured from our own servers.”
“That’s not enough. Not when it was procured illegally. Hacking is never the answer.”
“I had to do something. Luke spoke up, he told the MPs on the base what was going on, what he’d seen—it’s all in those files—but they either dismissed it or brushed it off. How was I supposed to get your attention? To get you on Luke’s side?”
“I don’t take sides, Josh. Other than that of the truth.”
“Not many of our men are as fair, sir. That’s clear in that file.”
Jarvis pulled out a piece of paper he’d tagged with a neon-green sticker. “I mean, what am I supposed to do with this?”
Josh twisted his neck to look at the printout. “Harr
ison’s bank account is more than healthy, sir,” was all he said.
“Obtained illegally. I need proof, legal proof, before I can instigate an investigation.”
“I know, sir, but you wouldn’t have known an investigation was necessary if I hadn’t shown you these findings.”
The CO grunted as he ran a hand over his balding head. A frown puckered his white, freckled brow as he glanced over the figures. “From the paper trail, Harrison is using these funds to buy into a local oil field. Correct?” Jarvis sighed. “You’ve given me enough information to stir up a hornet’s nest, but no real explanation as to the why.”
“Any explanation would be presumptive. I don’t know the ins and outs of Harrison’s racketeering.”
“You have no notion as to what’s going on? Gray hasn’t advised you?” When Josh pulled a face, Jarvis sighed again. “I see. Gray’s in the dark. You’ve turned vigilante on his behalf and without his knowing. Why does that not surprise me?”
Josh grimaced. “Luke’s state of mind is…well, I don’t want to hamper his recovery with this. Not when I have enough information to sully Harrison’s name and hopefully cast doubt on his character without including him in the melee.”
“Which in turn will make his superiors question any and all statements he’s given.” Jarvis pursed his lips. “Smart, Josh, smart, but again, I need more if I’m to do anything other than make a recommendation on Gray’s good character.”
“What do you need from me, sir?”
“That’s the bitch of it. I don’t exactly know. You have no theories? Is this all the information you’ve managed to retrieve?” He narrowed his eyes. “I’m going to assume I have the more damning evidence here in my hands.”
“Yes, sir. That’s true. I do have certain theories, which the facts corroborate.”
“Oh? Do tell. Anything to shine a light on this farce and stop me stumbling around in the dark would be appreciated.”
“May I have the file, sir?” When Jarvis handed him the report Josh and his PA had collated, he skimmed through it, pulling out certain printouts. When he’d finished, he turned them around and began pointing at each copy as he spoke. “Abu-Bouri is a relatively large village and has two main families. They’re both wealthy, but El-Atar has more funds but unfortunately for him, more daughters.
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