The Last Target

by Christy Barritt

  “I appreciate your honesty, Mrs. Sergeant.”

  She stood. “Now that I’ve meddled, I better get started on dinner. I’m not used to having four extra mouths to feed, but I love every minute of it. Nothing better than having family and loved ones close.”

  Having family was great. Rachel had once had dreams of a big family. She’d learned to be content with what she had.

  Until Jack Sergeant came along.

  Rachel frowned. She had to stop thinking about him. It didn’t matter if his mother thought he cared about her. Rachel had to guard her heart.

  Mrs. Sergeant retreated back inside, leaving Rachel alone with her thoughts.

  Stop thinking about him, she chided herself.

  She glanced at Aidan instead. He’d given up his sword fight in favor of chasing a butterfly. She smiled. She would love to be a carefree child again.

  Her gaze traveled across the road to the cornfields. She scanned the rows of stalks for any sign of trouble. She’d become accustomed to doing just that—being on guard wherever she was, whatever she was doing.

  She needed to be equally as on guard when it came to her heart and Jack Sergeant.

  The cornstalks danced in the breeze.

  Think about the list, Rachel, not Jack.

  A farmer, an engineer, a scientist.

  An entomologist, a professor, a nonprofit director.

  She watched the cornstalks, mulling over her thoughts. How could the people on that list possibly be connected? What was she missing?

  She sat up straight.

  She knew the connection between the people on the list.

  TWENTY-THREE

  Jack straightened and stretched his back. They’d managed to retrieve some video images from the vice admiral’s house thanks to a server the images had been saved onto at Eyes. But studying the feeds for the past hour had proven useless. They could find no clues from their time at Vice Admiral Harris’s home. Nothing that would lead them to the answers they so desperately needed.

  “Jack!” Rachel appeared in the doorway, breathless and shaken.

  Adrenaline rushed through him at the sight of her. “What’s wrong?”

  “I think I know the connection between the people on the list, Jack.”

  Jack’s heart sped a bit. “Go on.”

  She gulped in another breath. “I know this might sound crazy, but I think the connection might be my parents.”

  “Why would you think that?”

  “Just think about it. A farmer, a scientist, an entomologist, a political science professor, and an engineer. Bring all of those people together, and what could they be working on? Something for the Department of Agriculture. Farming, crops, fertilizer. Agroterrorism.”

  “Agroterrorism?” He rubbed his chin and glanced at Denton. “We never considered that angle. But you’re right. It does make sense. The terrorists might want information that could destroy our food supply.”

  “That photo that was stolen from my house? It was from a cookout at my parents’ house, right? What if the person behind these attacks was in that photo? What if he’d been at my parents’ house for that cookout, and he remembered the photo, and he was afraid we might find it and realize it was him?”

  Jack rushed to the computer. “I think you’re on to something, Rachel.”

  “The only thing I can’t figure out is why they’d target people connected with my parents when they’re dead. Maybe all of the people on the list worked on a project for the Department of Agriculture together, and Apaka wanted information from them. I don’t know. And I don’t know how I’m connected other than my parents.”

  Jack placed his hands on either side of her arms to steady her. “You did great, Rachel. Let Denton and I take over now. We’ll see what we can find out.”

  She nodded, still looking dazed and breathless. She started to walk away but stopped. “Jack?”

  “Yes?”

  “Maybe there is hope.”

  “There’s always hope, Rachel.”

  Jack hung up the phone. He’d just talked to the son of the Kansas wheat farmer who’d been killed. The son confirmed that his father had been a consultant once for the Department of Agriculture. He estimated it was probably five years ago.

  Jack felt sure that Rachel was dead on with her suspicions. Her parents were the connection. Why hadn’t he seen it earlier? Now they just had to figure out why. He’d put in calls to the families of the others on the list, as well. It the meantime, it was a waiting game until he heard back from them.

  Denton leaned back in his chair, casually putting his hands behind his head. “Should we call the Department of Agriculture?”

  Jack took another sip of coffee, surviving at the moment on coffee and adrenaline. “They won’t tell us anything. The vice admiral would have more luck with that, but I’m not ready to present this theory to him yet, not until we have something solid to back it up.”

  Denton sat up and ran a hand over his five o’clock shadow, appearing equally as exhausted as Jack felt. “What if her parents were working on a top-secret project for the Department of Agriculture? What if it’s not even on the books? Maybe they were even working for the other side.”

  Jack considered the idea for a moment.

  “They wouldn’t do that,” someone said from the hallway. “They were good people.”

  Jack jerked his head up and spotted Rachel in the doorway. She didn’t wait for an invitation. She walked into the room and pulled out an extra chair around the dining room table. The way she sat down made it clear she planned on staying. “Aidan is making cupcakes with your mom. I want to help.”

  “I’m not sure what you can do, Rachel,” Jack started.

  “For starters, I can assure you that my parents would never work for the other side. They were good people. They loved their country.” Her eyes showed stubborn determination.

  “We have to examine every possibility, Rachel,” Jack said. “As painful as it might be.”

  “Here’s the bigger question. Let’s say they were working on a project—authorized or unauthorized—for the Department of Agriculture. Let’s say all the people on the list did help them with it in some way. The fact is that I didn’t help them and my name was on the list also. Why would my name be there? That’s the only thing that doesn’t make sense about my theory.”

  “Maybe you did help, you just didn’t know it.” Denton shrugged at the suggestion. “Maybe they tested out a project on you.”

  Rachel narrowed her eyes at Denton. “Now you sound like Aidan, who’s watched way too many superhero movies. My parents would never ‘test out a project’ on me.”

  Jack leaned toward her. “Maybe it was something subtle, that doesn’t even seem suspicious. Did they grow a garden in your backyard? Tell you anything about a fertilizer or genetically modified fruit or vegetable?”

  She shook her head. “They never brought their work home with them. I wish…I wish there was something I could tell you. I want this to end more than anyone. I feel like the answers are right within our grasp.”

  “They are, Rachel. We’re waiting on some phone calls. We need to confirm this theory and then we can start putting some pieces together.”

  “I just can’t imagine my parents having any affiliation with terrorists or why Apaka would be hunting people down now, after my parents have been dead for four years.” She leaned back in her chair. “We may have one answer, but now, at the same time, I have a lot more questions.”

  Jack could see the anguish on her face. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and comfort her. He didn’t, though.

  “There’s one big question that’s haunting me,” Rachel practically whispered.

  “What’s that?”

  “What if my parents’ accident wasn’t an accident at all?”

  Rachel couldn’t stop thinking about her parents now. They were the connection. She felt sure of it. But she also knew there was very little she could do except try to be “normal
” for Aidan.

  While Rachel had brainstormed with Jack and Denton, Aidan had made cupcakes with Jack’s mom, gone fishing with Jack’s dad and been cared for by two adults who obviously adored children.

  Rachel’s heart felt that familiar ache. She longed for Aidan to have grandparents who’d spoil him and let him have weekend sleepovers and sneak him candy when he wasn’t allowed.

  All Aidan wanted now was to watch a movie. Jack’s parents and Denton had all opted out and gone to bed early. Rachel would have also, except that Aidan was so adamant about watching the movie. The boy deserved an evening of fun after everything they’d been through. The problem was that he’d begged Jack to stay and watch the movie also. Jack had said yes.

  Rachel glanced across the couch. Her heart lurched when she saw that Aidan had fallen asleep in Jack’s arms. His head seemed to fit perfectly under Jack’s chin, and Jack’s strong arms held him up. Lights from the TV flickered across their faces and the half-eaten bowl of popcorn rested on the table in front of them.

  For a moment, Rachel felt like a family.

  But they weren’t, she reminded herself.

  This whole situation had thrown her emotions into an upheaval. Jack was simply doing his job. Somehow, it had begun to feel like so much more than that to her, though. How had she let her emotions get so out of control?

  But Jack had been so good for Aidan…so good for her, too, if she were to really think about it. How did he feel? The same way?

  No, it was just his job.

  She looked away, down at her hands, before Jack saw the truth in her gaze.

  Soon, they’d return to their normal life…she hoped, at least. That life would be absent of Jack. Why did the thought of that cause her heart to ache with sadness?

  “How about if I go put him to bed?” Jack whispered.

  Rachel nodded, her throat burning with emotions. “I’ll go turn down the sheets.”

  Quietly, they walked down the hallway. Rachel opened the door to Aidan’s room and quickly scanned the space, as she’d become in the habit of doing. Nothing appeared out of place. Rachel pulled the covers back and stepped away as Jack gently placed Aidan there and tucked him in.

  Unwillingly, tears sprang to her eyes. She’d always known she’d wanted a father for Aidan, but those desires hit her now a hundredfold.

  When Jack stepped back, Rachel leaned down to kiss Aidan’s forehead before quietly scooting out of the room. She tried to walk away before Jack caught a glimpse of her face, but it was too late. He grabbed her arm and she turned to face him. She saw the questions in his gaze.

  “Rachel?”

  She froze. “Yes?”

  “You’re more than an assignment to me.”

  She blinked a few times as his words sank in. “I’m sorry. What was that?”

  He stepped closer, his eyes sucking her into something that felt close to a trance. “I know I said I was just doing my job, Rachel, but the truth is, I can’t imagine my life without you or Aidan. There are a million reasons why we shouldn’t be together. I’ve thought about all of them.”

  “And?”

  “I’ve realized there are a million reasons why we should be together also. I know you don’t ever want to date a military man again, though.”

  That was what she’d said, wasn’t it? Could she date someone with Jack’s job description? In her heart, she already knew the answer. “Someone very wise just told me today that love always requires risks, no matter what the job.”

  He tucked a hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek with his hand. “The more I get to know you, the more I realize that you and Aidan make my life feel complete. I haven’t known you that long, but I already can’t imagine a life without you.”

  Rachel sucked in a breath, her limbs quivering in sync with her stomach. Her heart soared. Jack felt the same way about her as she felt about him. If nothing else good had come from this whole situation, there was that. There was the fact that she finally felt ready to take a risk.

  “Are you ready to stop beating yourself up over your ex-wife leaving you? You have to know that she’s the one who walked away. I know marriage is a two-way street, but it sounds like you did everything you could to make it work. You have to stop blaming yourself for it.”

  He lowered his head, and Rachel laid a hand on his chest. She held her breath, waiting for him to respond, waiting to see his eyes.

  “Jack?”

  He opened his eyes and Rachel saw something new there. Hope maybe?

  “Thank you, Rachel. Hearing you say that makes me feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders.”

  “God’s the one who can lift all of our burdens, Jack. Just give them to Him.”

  “You’re incredible, Rachel. You do know that, don’t you?”

  “I just think that God takes the bad things in our lives and turns them into something beautiful. If Andrew hadn’t been killed, I would have never started Operation 26 Letters. If you hadn’t been through the things you’ve been through, you probably wouldn’t have started Eyes. God can take tragedies and turn them into ministries.”

  “Rachel…”

  “Yes?”

  He leaned down until his lips brushed hers. Her arms encircled his neck as they pulled closer together.

  As quickly as the kiss began, Jack pulled away. Rachel stepped back, confused. What had just happened? She looked up and saw the anguish drawn on the tight lines on Jack’s face.

  “What am I doing?” He ran a hand over his face, his voice husky with burden.

  “I don’t understand…”

  “Rachel.” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I can’t do this.”

  “But you just said—”

  “I know. I know what I said. But…but Rachel.” His eyes met hers again, and Rachel saw the anguish there. “Rachel, I have to stop pretending. I have to own up to something.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Rachel, I’m the reason Andrew died.”

  TWENTY-FOUR

  Rachel took a step back. Her chest suddenly felt tight, like she couldn’t catch her breath.

  Had she just heard Jack correctly? Her eyebrows drew together in confusion as her thoughts began a collision course with her emotions. “What do you mean, Jack? I don’t understand.”

  Jack winced, the rigid set of his shoulders making him appear like he carried the weight of the world. “I didn’t want to tell you. I thought…I guess I thought I could just keep it to myself, that you didn’t ever have to know. But I care about you too much. I have to come clean about what happened that night Andrew died.”

  Rachel suddenly felt like she could throw up, as if an ominous cloud had appeared and she needed to brace herself for the coming storm. She ran her hands over her face, trying to gain some composure. “Okay.”

  “Let’s go sit in the living room. Is that okay?”

  She nodded and followed Jack into the other room. They both sat stiffly across from each other on the couch. Jack pulled his eyes up to meet hers, and Rachel could see the pain in their depths.

  “Rachel, I was sent over to Afghanistan by the CIA to work undercover. My assignment was to keep an eye on your husband.”

  “On Andrew? Why?”

  “We were afraid he was selling secrets to the other side. There had been a large number of battles we’d gone into where the enemy seemed to know our plans and prepare in advance for us. So many good men were killed in those ambushes. We had to find out who the leak was. Everything pointed to Andrew.”

  “Why? Why would things point to Andrew? What had he done?”

  Jack sucked in a long breath and looked in the distance before meeting Rachel’s gaze again. “He’d disappear from base for large chunks of unaccounted time. People said that they’d seen him fraternizing with the enemy on those excursions. Nothing could be proven. None of the guys on his SEALs team wanted to give him up. They’re more loyal to each other than brothers. So they stationed me at the base, posing as a Joint Fo
rces Command liaison.” He looked at his hands. “I already told you that I worked with him. I didn’t tell you that I was stationed there to spy on him.”

  Rachel could hardly breathe. Her muscles tightened into knots as she waited to hear the rest of Jack’s explanation. Time seemed fluid, like gelatin that she was mucking through. She leaned back, away from Jack, as she tried to process her thoughts.

  “I got to know Andrew. I liked him. I really did. I thought if he wasn’t my assignment, we could be friends. But I was there on assignment.” He paused. “The night he died, we were supposed to go into Kabul together during some free time. But I got some last-minute intelligence that suggested he could be meeting with someone that evening. I didn’t know if he would still try to have that meeting if I went with him. So I told him to go ahead without me. He wasn’t going to, but I pushed him to do it just so I could follow him.”

  “What happened?” Even to her own ears, her words sound thin, fragile, like they could break at any moment.

  “I wasn’t that far behind him when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. I rushed over to him and pulled him out of the Hummer. He was still alive—but barely.”

  Rachel’s throat burned as she pictured the scene, as she pictured Andrew, pictured Jack. Tears pushed to the surface.

  Jack ran a hand over his face again, each action seeming weighed down by a million anchors. “Andrew knew he wasn’t going to make it. He asked me to keep an eye on you. That was the last thing he said before he passed.”

  Rachel wiped a tear from her eyes using the edge of her sweatshirt. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to come to terms with what Jack told her. “So, you’re telling me that if you hadn’t told him to go ahead into Kabul, that he wouldn’t have hit that IED? He would have been safe and sound at the base. He’d still be alive right now?”

  He nodded. “I’m sorry, Rachel. The whole time we thought he was selling secrets to the other side, he must have really been trying to help Meredith and her family.”