†
The charming ranch house sat nestled on a half-acre lot in the cozy, older neighborhood. The well cared for home was lovingly landscaped with colorful flowers, tidy bushes, and two strategically placed weeping willow trees. It was just after midnight on Monday morning, when a mid-sized car pulled into the driveway and stopped short of the garage. A weary looking woman in her mid to late thirties got out of the car and headed for the house while fumbling with her house key. A motion sensor light came on as she approached the house. She wore a nurse’s scrub uniform and a hospital nametag clipped to her smock. Despite not wearing make-up and her hair pulled up in a messy ponytail, Ellie Rafferty was an attractive woman.
She approached the small porch darkened by the weeping willow tree blocking the outside house light. As she wearily climbed the steps, she saw a man move within the shadows, startling her. She gasped and stopped halfway up the short set of steps. Gil showed no emotion where he stood facing the surprised nurse. Ellie groaned softly and placed her hand on her chest.
“Damn it, Gil,” she gasped. “You scared the hell out of me.” Ellie immediately became defensive while glaring at him. “It’s after midnight. I thought we discussed boundaries and unannounced visits.”
Gil continued to stare at her as his eyes glossed over. “Zack and Ross are dead,” he almost whispered.
She stared at him with surprise clearly on her face. Her expression immediately softened as she hurried up the last few steps and pulled him into her arms. “Oh, Gil,” she gasped. “I’m so sorry.”
Gil held her against him a moment then broke down sobbing for the first time.
†
Gil sat hunched over the coffee table in the living room with a drink clutched in his hands. He stared into the glass of whiskey that he hadn’t even touched. Ellie sat on the sofa alongside him while gently caressing his shoulder. She had changed into a pair of floppy shorts and a worn, comfortable gray sweatshirt with the Navy logo proudly displayed on the chest.
“Are you sure Ross is dead?” Ellie gently asked while studying his sorrowful expression.
“They’re still sorting through the rubble,” Gil replied with a slight quiver in his voice. “They found Lee’s purse with her passport still in it.” He hesitated a moment and drew a deep, shaken breath. “They haven’t been able to identify any of the bodies yet, but if Lee was there, so was Ross.” He finally took a large swallow of the whiskey and immediately cringed.
“Did you want me to come to Colorado for Zack’s funeral?” she gently asked.
He didn’t bother looking at her and shook his head. “Nah, it’s just going to be the guys for a memorial,” he replied. “There’s no reason for you to travel all the way to Colorado. We gave him a proper, military send-off on Giovanni’s private island.”
“Twenty-one gun salute?” she questioned.
Gil nodded. “We’re just going to drink all day Tuesday,” he informed her. “Kirk will be loud and obnoxious. Beck and Monroe will hurl obscenities at each other, and someone will undoubtedly punch Bogart. No reason to expose you to that.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Ellie remarked.
Gil finally looked at her and managed a smile. He finished the whiskey and set the empty glass on the coffee table. He sighed deeply and stood.
“I shouldn’t have come here,” he announced with little emotion, now appearing mostly sedate.
Ellie sprang to her feet and faced him, appearing slightly offended. “Of course you should have,” she insisted. “You’ve never been real good at showing your feelings around the guys. Some macho Navy SEAL trait, I suppose. You know you can come to me when something’s bothering you. It’s something we could always count on each other for.”
He studied her a moment then placed his arms around her and held her against him. He drew a deep, shaken breath and released it. “I know,” he replied. “That’s why I came. I knew you’d make me feel better. You always do.”
She pulled back while in his arms and met his gaze with a warm and loving look. Ellie gently touched his face and kissed him quickly but warmly on the lips. “Then I’ll get no argument when I insist you have another drink and stay the night,” she firmly announced. “I’m not letting you drive or fly in your current condition.”
Gil managed a smile and snorted a soft laugh. “You know whiskey and I don’t mix well,” he reminded her. “Add some raw emotions, and you know how I get.”
She stared into his eyes while running her hand along his chest. “And I’m willing to let you work out your frustrations,” Ellie replied seductively.
He stared at her a long moment in silence then grabbed her by the back of the neck and kissed her passionately and aggressively. Ellie returned the kiss while holding nothing back. She ran her hands firmly along his body, encouraging his aggression. Although only a short-term cure, intimacy was more beneficial than drinking away his sorrow.
†
Gil and Ellie writhed within each other’s arms beneath the covers within the dimly lit bedroom. Her screams of ecstasy met his groans of pleasure. The bed creaked and thudded against the wall with each aggressive movement as the couple came together in long anticipated passion. Although divorced, Gil and Ellie could always share in fleeting moments of unbridled passion. Finally exhausted from their long, wild lovemaking, the couple collapsed to the bed then cuddled in each other’s arms while attempting to slow their heavy breathing and rapid heartbeats. Gil nuzzled his ex-wife and appeared relaxed for the first time.
“You’d make a great therapist, Ellie,” he announced while panting softly.
“I consider myself lucky your stress release is something you’re very good at,” she remarked while hiding her smile as she caressed his bare chest.
Gil cast a look at her where she remained nestled in his arms and hid his pleased grin. “I don’t know why, but I never grow tired of hearing that.”
She rested her chin on his chest, met his gaze with a loving smile, and affectionately caressed his shoulder. “Your ‘take charge’ attitude in bed is the only reason we’ve been married so many times,” she teased.
He chuckled while clinging to her and nuzzled her head. “Maybe the next time we get married, we should agree to never get out of bed.”
She grinned her approval. “Deal.”
Chapter Five
The rural residential development just outside Colorado Springs was peaceful for a Monday morning. Average middle-class homes lined the clean empty streets. Most of the residents were coming to life signaling the beginning of their workweek. An official looking black SUV pulled into the driveway of a quaint, modern two-story home nestled on a corner lot. Jackie invited Blake Harris into her home, immediately taking him to the kitchen where Monroe was making them coffee. Jackie hadn’t slept much since the beginning of her nightmare, which officially began Saturday afternoon with Zack’s fiery crash. Yesterday’s news of Holden’s disappearance only made things worse for the weary, young woman. She wore one of Holden’s official FBI t-shirts and a pair of floppy shorts that had seen better days. She hadn’t showered yet that morning, and her hair was barely tamed in a messy ponytail.
Although Jackie was eager to see Holden’s boss, there was little light in her eyes, which were red from two days’ worth of crying and contained dark circles from lack of sleep. Monroe placed coffee on the table before both Jackie and Blake. He’d been Jackie’s only saving grace the last twenty-four hours, making certain she ate and tried to sleep. Her endless pacing exhausted him, although he looked shower fresh and dressed with his usual stylish flare. As Monroe joined them at the table, Jackie wrung her fingers together while staring at Blake.
“You brought the footage from the hospital security cameras?” she eagerly asked.
Blake remained tense while sitting across from her. He placed his laptop on the table and opened it. “I don’t want you to read too much into what we’ve found so far,” he announced firmly. “We have footage of an unidentified orderl
y taking Holden from his room in a wheelchair sometime around one A.M.” His look was stern and serious. “We don’t have anything to support that this man removed him from the hospital. We’re still trying to identify the orderly, so he may not even have anything to do with Holden’s disappearance.”
Jackie eagerly nodded and trembled while waiting to see the footage.
“Nothing is conclusive,” Blake again insisted.
“Can I see the footage?” Jackie demanded, becoming impatient and anxious to see who took her husband.
Blake reluctantly turned the laptop to face Jackie and Monroe and played the security footage. Both watched with anticipation as Holden was pushed from the room while slumped in a wheelchair with a blanket wrapped around him. Jackie stared helplessly at Holden’s sedate condition. She almost didn’t recognize him in the grainy, black and white footage. They saw the orderly who was pushing the wheelchair as he emerged from the room. The large, heavyset man turned in such a way that his face was barely visible in the grainy footage. Jackie and Monroe’s mouths simultaneously fell open as they stared at the heavyset orderly with wild, curly dark hair. Jackie jumped up from her chair, knocking it to the floor while screaming. Monroe sprang to his feet, joining her while crying out. They hugged each other with relief and excitement.
Blake stared at them with surprise. “Did I just miss something?”
Jackie pulled away from Monroe while barely controlling her tears of joy that she wiped from her cheeks. “It’s Othello!”
“Son-of-a-bitch,” Monroe exclaimed and nearly cried with her. “That bastard! Holden is with Othello!”
Blake continued to stare at them, uncertain how to react. “So he’s a friend?”
“He’s a sneaky, conniving genius bastard of a conman,” Monroe exploded excitedly.
Jackie sobbed and again hugged Monroe. He held her against him while she cried with relief.
“I don’t understand,” Blake remarked while eyeing both, remaining clueless.
“For whatever reason, Othello must have thought Holden’s life was in danger,” Monroe informed him. “He’s on top of underworld gossip. He must have received some information that sent him to get Holden. As long as Holden is with Othello, he’s almost certainly safe.”
“Then we need to find this Othello guy,” Blake announced while collecting his laptop as he stood.
Jackie pulled away from Monroe and shot a horrified look at Blake.
Monroe shared the same look of concern and waved his hands erratically before him. “No, no, no,” he cried out. “Holden’s safe wherever he is. If the danger were gone, we’d have heard from Othello by now.”
“So we just wait for this guy to contact us?” Blake almost demanded, not seeming keen on the idea.
“Exactly,” Monroe announced while already scheming, deep in thought. He then looked at Blake. “He’ll get in touch with us when he thinks it’s safe. If he doesn’t contact us, we don’t go looking for him.”
Blake glanced at Jackie, who wiped the tears from her face. She was still concerned, but she was smiling for the first time. “Are you in agreement with this?” he asked.
She immediately nodded while sniffing. “Yes, Holden’s safe wherever he is,” Jackie insisted with conviction. “Othello saved my ass once. I trust him with Holden’s life.”
Blake sighed deeply and placed his laptop into his bag. “I owe you and your team,” he announced, although somewhat distrusting. “If you believe in this guy, I’ll stay out of it.” He stood proudly. “I was never here. As far as the Bureau is concerned, Holden is still MIA.”
“Thank you,” Jackie announced in a timid voice.
“As soon as you hear anything, let me know,” Blake replied then indicated the hallway. “I’ll see myself out.”
As Blake left the kitchen, Jackie and Monroe again hugged each other in a long, relieved embrace.
Chapter Six
The panoramic, aerial view of the lodge could be seen below as the Bell 412EPI helicopter passed overhead. The commercial 14-passenger helicopter contained a spacious, 220-foot cabin with aft-sliding side doors and adjustable seating for transporting those attending Zack’s memorial that Tuesday afternoon. Jackie set the helicopter down within the spacious, overgrown parking lot not far from the lodge entrance. Once she shut down the helicopter and the rotors slowed, her passengers disembarked. Darth enthusiastically raced to the helicopter and immediately jumped on Gil, excited for the return of his best friend. Besides Gil and Monroe, Sal Romano had made the connecting flight from Chicago to join them at the lodge as well.
They made a quick stop at Ross’s ranch to pick up his brother-in-law, Liam, and his niece, Selena, as well. Liam was a moderately attractive man in his early forties with a slightly receding hairline. He had been married to Ross’s sister before a car accident claimed her life several years ago. Selena was thirteen years old and had sandy brown hair like her mother. Ross often said she looked like her mother. He was happy to have his niece living with him and mostly got along well with his brother-in-law, who tended to his gentleman’s farm while he was away on assignments.
Jackie and Monroe were only at the lodge a few minutes before finding out the horrible news about Ross and his girlfriend, which overshadowed the mildly good news concerning Holden. According to Ross’s brother-in-law, the last of their teammates, Bogart, still hadn’t shown at Ross’s farm with his recently acquired horse and there was no word from him either. Jackie was growing concerned that no one had yet heard from Bogart. She assumed he’d call if he ran into trouble while illegally transporting the horse from Giovanni’s island just off the coast of Columbia. She’d tried his cell phone, but she continually received a ‘not in service’ message. Jackie failed to include anyone in her suspicions that Bogart might be her brother. They had no evidence to support the possibility, and with everything that had happened during their last assignment, they didn’t have time to have the proper tests done. It was something that would just have to wait.
†
Zack’s memorial was kept small and intimate, mostly due to few people knowing he’d been resurrected from the dead after the last time he supposedly died. Technically, this was the second time Jackie and the team attended Zack’s funeral. The first time was when the team staged his death some time before her father died. Jackie had been conveniently left out of their secret and didn’t find out he was actually alive until some years later. It was a time when every terrorist organization wanted Zack dead and laying him to rest seemed the best way to keep him from being killed. They considered it a form of retirement.
Jackie remembered the funeral very well. They buried his big toe, which was a horrible memory that stayed with her a long time. She never did find out whose toe they buried that day. They laid the toe to rest in the same cemetery as her father and mother. Today, they placed Zack’s new headstone in the old garden behind the lodge. Beck, Kirk, and Pinto cleared a lovely spot beneath a large tree. Jackie knew Zack would approve.
Once the sun went down, Ross’s niece nestled into one of the many guestrooms, leaving the grieving adults to mourn the loss of their departed teammates and friends with expensive scotch. By the time midnight rolled around, they were all fairly drunk. Kirk turned into a miserable, drunken bastard. He allowed anger to replace sorrow, so he wouldn’t have to deal with what he considered a weaker emotion. Pinto surprisingly held her own while drinking with the boys. Jackie had never seen her drunk or even drink alcohol for that matter, so she never expected her to maintain her dignity while intoxicated. Beck and Monroe started arguing the moment the alcohol hit them. They were always in a pissing match when they drank. If Jackie wasn’t mistaken, it was the same argument every time playing out on an endless loop.
Sal and Gil, although clearly intoxicated, held an intelligent conversation from politics to real estate. Jackie was bored just listening to them. It wasn’t normal. Drunken men were supposed to babble and argue like idiots. Frick and Frack, otherwise known as Beck
and Monroe, were how drunken men were supposed to behave, in her opinion. Ross, Zack, and her father would get into heated debates while drinking. Usually, the debate was over something stupid and trivial, but that was what she found endearing. It then dawned on Jackie. They were gone. The three most important men from her childhood were gone. After her father died, she at least had Ross. He was like a second father to her and her life remained moderately normal knowing he was only a phone call away.
Despite being a permanent fixture in her life, Zack was far from a father figure and he made that very clear with his moderately sexual innuendoes. He helped her father teach her martial arts, he taught her life lessons, and he was one person she knew she could count on when she needed him most. She never had to call. Zack was always just there. They shared a strange closeness, not that she wasn’t close to the rest of the team. They all played their parts in her life and defined the woman she became, but Zack was her conscience, her mentor, and set the bar for her achievements. She wanted to be Zack. It was then that she realized she’d lost her best friend.
†
The last thing Jackie remembered was hearing the guys arguing about trivial matters and someone asking her where she was going. She didn’t remember responding, and she wasn’t sure where she was going. She remembered the world going dark and nothing else. As Jackie drifted off, she was once again on Giovanni’s island sitting on that godforsaken beach. She stared at the debris floating in the ocean and the remaining helicopter pieces from the explosion that gently washed to shore. She seemed to sit there forever, although she was certain she hadn’t been there that long. Zack was out there somewhere in the water. She wanted to recover his body, so she’d have something to bury, but she somehow knew he was where he wanted to be when he died. Something glistening in the surf caught her attention. Jackie stared at the object as the water washed past it a second time. She finally stood and approached the surf before the water could take away the object. Jackie picked up the ruby and diamond tennis bracelet and stared at it a moment with surprise. It was a rare and valuable find, yet its presence seemed almost odd. She placed it in her pocket and stared back into the ocean. Unfortunately, Zack wasn’t coming back.
Outside the Wire Page 3
