by Cliff Ryder
“I can’t believe this is happening. You go away on one field assignment, and you come back and want to go traips-ing around down there like you’ve found your life’s calling.”
“Who knows, Paul? Maybe I have.” Tracy stood. “I’m going to say goodbye to Jennifer.”
“Maybe that’s not the best idea—”
“No, Paul, it is. For her, and for me.” She bent down and kissed him on the cheek, then lightly on the lips. His face had grown paler in the past few minutes, as if he had been drained of all his emotions. He sat on the bench, a shell of a man. “I’m sorry, I truly am.”
“Not half as sorry as I am.” He looked up at her with a rueful grin.
Tracy turned and walked across the park, stepping carefully on the layer of tree bark that covered the playing area.
She knew this goodbye would be extremely painful but it had to be done.
THAT NIGHT, TRACY WAS trying to pack her things and not break down, but when she realized she had folded and repacked the contents of one suitcase three times, she took a break and sat at her kitchen table, resting her head in her arms. She had unplugged the phone, not wanting to have Paul try to contact her. She knew that for the rest of her life, a part of her would always wonder what might have been if she had stayed and made a family with Paul and Jennifer.
Even though she knew she was making the right decision, her heart was going to take a while to come around to that fact.
An electronic chirping roused her from her fugue. Wiping her eyes, Tracy fumbled through her purse until she found the cell phone from the FBI. She flipped it open.
“H-hello?”
“Tracy? This is Stephanie Cassell. Have I caught you at a bad time?”
“No, this is fine.” Tracy took a deep, shuddering breath and leaned back in her seat. “I was just wrapping up some things here in town.”
“Yes, I’d heard about your resignation.”
Tracy frowned. “I didn’t know word traveled that fast.”
“Like I said before, there are some things that our government can do pretty well—like get information about certain people to those who need it the most. If you don’t mind my asking, what are your plans?”
“I was going to head back down to the border to try to get a post there helping out.”
“That’s very commendable of you. Will you be joining the Customs and Border Protection?”
“To be honest, I hadn’t thought that far ahead yet—I’m kind of burning my bridges here first.”
“I understand.” And the strange thing was, Tracy was absolutely certain that Stephanie did understand exactly what she meant. “I don’t suppose we could meet—after all, I have to get that phone back. And I have an opportunity I’d like to present to you.”
“Thanks anyway, but I’m not interested in another government job.”
“Good, I was hoping you’d say that.”
The words in Tracy’s ear made her frown even more.
“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“You are a very brave person. It takes tremendous courage to walk away from everything you know and face an unknown future like that. And that’s why I want to talk to you face-to-face one last time. I want to offer you a very special opportunity to help people, many, many people.”
“How?” Tracy asked.
“I’d rather not go into that right now. Tell you what, why don’t we get together for dinner tonight, and I can explain in more detail?”
“I don’t know—this isn’t an offer from the government? I thought you were with the FBI?”
“No, it is not an offer from the government, and I might have misled you slightly about that. But I’d appreciate the chance to explain my actions, and also tell you more about what I can offer you.”
“One more question before I answer you—could I be stationed on the U.S.-Mexico border?”
There was a chuckle from the other end. “We have three full-time operatives down there, and I’m sure they would welcome the help.”
“All right, let’s get together, and you can tell me how you’re going to give me a chance to save the world,”
Tracy said.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-1954-4
AIM AND FIRE
Copyright © 2008 by Worldwide Library.
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