Shadow of Doubt (An SBG Novel Book 2)

by P. A. DePaul

  “You’ll find no judgment from us.” Raymond sprang from his perch on the couch’s armrest and moved toward her. “Just respect.”

  She swallowed and watched his advance. He was clad in another designer suit, this one black, but what kept her captivated was the lack of censure or negativity in his liquid brown eyes. He enveloped her in a huge hug. “I mean it,” he whispered in her ear. The air tickled but caused nothing like the reactions Jeremy elicited. “I knew you’d be someone special but to also help Sonya.” He paused, his grip tightening. “Thank you. Thank you for getting her to open up.”

  She blinked, shocked at the words and bowled over at the acceptance into his world.

  Raymond kissed her cheek.

  A low growl reverberated from the corner behind her. Did they bring a dog? Michelle searched as much of the floor as she could see, but didn’t find one.

  Jeremy lunged and pulled her out of Raymond’s embrace. She lost her balance and flattened against his hard body. Not a bad position to be in, but what was with the manhandling? She glared at him but the effect was lost since he glowered at Raymond.

  Raymond’s smile grew wider and a twinkle lit within his eyes.

  Just that small action chased the terror from inside her. Oh my God. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes and she scanned the other’s faces through her eyelashes. They all seemed to feel the same way as Raymond. She wasn’t about to be shunned. They were opening their arms to her.

  “Since we’re at the posturing phase of the meeting.” Talon’s voice cut through the testosterone-induced tension, though Raymond still smiled like the Cheshire Cat and Jeremy still glowered. “I have something to report about last night’s rounds.”

  Jeremy loosened his stance and dropped back in the chair, taking her with him. She flopped onto his lap then immediately hopped up. No way could she face this bunch from Cappy’s lap. Her emotions were already on too much of a roller coaster ride to handle such an intimate position. She didn’t trust she wouldn’t throw herself at him and beg he give them a chance. Only her pride kept her from the shame-worthy display . . . but that was hanging on by a sliver after knowing this group would welcome her into their fold.

  She searched the room but didn’t really see a place to sit. Jeremy reached for her hand but she stepped to the side, fully prepared to sit on the floor if she had to. Her leg wouldn’t appreciate the position, but she’d figure it out.

  “Hold on.” Casper jumped up and hoisted in a dining room chair.

  Cappy scowled and Grady swerved to place it beside the high-backed chair, in front of the fireplace.

  “Thank you,” she breathed and settled onto the seat.

  “Go ahead, Talon,” Cappy ordered gruffly, a disgruntled frown filling his face.

  Tough darts, mister. You made the decision, now you have to make the first move if you’ve changed your mind.

  Talon scraped his knife under his fingernail and continued. “In my rounds of the complex, I happened upon three stoners.”

  Michelle stiffened and Jeremy leaned forward. “How old were they?” he asked.

  “Late teens. Old enough to know better,” Talon replied. “I sufficiently educated them on the error of their ways. They’ll not be making that mistake again.” His eyes glittered and a shiver ran down her spine.

  “You, uh.” Michelle swallowed, unable to look away from the knife. “Didn’t do any permanent damage, did you?”

  “Awww,” Talon taunted. “You’re worried about the boys who terrorized you. That’s a cute, naive way to die.”

  “Talon,” Cappy barked.

  SCK smirked. “Just to their attitudes, Sixty-nine.”

  It was like talking to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. SCK and Talon.

  “Excellent.” Jeremy thumped the armrest, then gave her his attention. His rich irises filled with remorse as his callused palm encircled her hand. “I opened the rest of the frames after you went to sleep.”

  Her blood froze.

  “Eight photographs were of you shackled to that goddamn bed and four were of me and you together.” His eyes hardened. “The bastard who planted those somehow got a hold of the camera from Jersey’s vest.” His other hand clenched into a fist. “There’s even one of me placing you in the Black Hawk.”

  Dots danced before her eyes and she touched the spot below her ear.

  “Yeah, he captured that,” Cappy said softly, motioning to her hand caressing the area.

  Violation like she hadn’t experienced since those days made her gag. “I want to see them,” she wheezed. How dare this . . . this . . . butthole cheapen the one and only good moment she had from that hell. Jeremy’s kiss was hers. Not something to be exploited.

  “No.” His growl cut through her railing.

  “No?” She straightened. “What do you mean ‘No’?”

  “You don’t need to see any more of this psychological bullshit. One was one too many. Christ, you’re already experiencing episodes and reliving those days. Why in the world would you want to have those photos permanently etched into your brain?”

  “He’s got a point,” Sonya said softly.

  It was on the tip of Michelle’s tongue to lash out at her, toss in her face how Sonya would demand the same thing if the roles were reversed, but she slammed her mouth shut. She’d never use someone else’s tragedy to get her own way.

  “So, as you speculated last night, the same asshole who killed April and Colin broke into Michelle’s apartment and planted photos of you two together,” Talon stated coldly from his position at the other end of the fireplace. “He’s trying to now screw with your heads as well as the Senator’s.” His blade paused. “He’s blurred the lines and made it known that whatever the fuck is happening directly relates to you two as well. I’m even more convinced this has to do with how you two met. We need the whole story.”

  Chapter 48

  Cappy had been waiting for the demand. Knew it was coming the moment he saw those damn photos, but he still rebelled against admitting his colossal fuck up.

  He forced his clenched hand to unfurl, and held every eye in the room. This team had been together for so long he could almost predict their reactions, but still he feared opening his mouth. What if he guessed wrong? Would they reject him? Demand someone else be their CO?

  Take it like a man, soldier. This thing was now bigger than his pride and risked Michelle’s safety. No fucking way would he be the cause of her getting hurt because he couldn’t take his lumps and accept the consequences of his past.

  He let go of Michelle’s arm. A man with disgraceful actions did not deserve to be comforted.

  Clearing his throat, he told the story he vowed to never speak again, yet had revealed twice in as many days. When he reached the section about his team crossing the bomber’s path because of his order, he faltered. Not sure if he could move past the visions of seeing each member of his unit running directly into the kill zone. He had no clue what his explanation sounded like as he forced himself to finish it, but toward the end Michelle gathered his hand into her lap and clasped it between both of hers. He drew another breath and continued. “I woke up in a hospital bed, not remembering a damn thing. I couldn’t even recite my name, age, or anything personal.”

  “Amnesia?” Grady asked, cradling Wraith against his chest.

  “Yeah. For weeks. Sam filled me in. He saw the whole thing. Luckily my memories eventually returned but by then, it was too late. My family had already had the funeral service and the Army had some to-do with giving them my medal.” As if he really deserved it. “Anyway, Sam convinced me to stay dead and start over to keep my parents and sisters safe from retribution from the cartel. He never would tell me why he thought that was necessary, but he was adamant. I didn’t want to take the chance, so I agreed . . . And here we are.”

  He held his breath.

  No one spoke, just s
tared at him.

  Christ. Should he offer to walk away? Make it less awkward for everyone?

  Wraith sat up, her eyes shuttered, so Cappy had no clue what she was about to do.

  Here it comes. He tried to pull his hand out of Michelle’s but she held fast.

  Wraith smoothed her palm over Grady’s chest and said, “You know I love you with all my heart, right?”

  Grady blinked and answered with a drawn out, “Yeah.”

  “Good.” She dipped her chin and turned back to Cappy. “Then you won’t feel threatened when I say, Cappy, I think I’m a little in love with you.”

  The air in Cappy’s lungs froze. “What?” He scanned the room. “You can’t mean that—”

  “You forget we saw Michelle’s condition,” Romeo asserted. “You just saved her life, risking your own in the process, and put her on a fucking chopper in the hopes the hospital could heal her. Jesus Christ, they tortured her,” he growled. “You did what any of us would’ve done, and I’m pretty sure I was already candid with you about—”

  “Yes.” Cappy cut him off, worried he’d blab his mouth about Cappy loving Michelle, and choices. “You, Sonya, and Sandra made your views loud and clear.” He searched the room again. “Don’t make me into a hero.” He shifted, unable to even glance Michelle’s way. He hadn’t liked it then when she voiced the same sentiment and he sure as hell didn’t want the notion now. “I did what any soldier would’ve done.”

  Michelle snorted and tightened her hand around his when he tried to yank it away.

  “Yeah, not buying it either,” Magician said wryly, exchanging a rolled-eye look with Michelle.

  Cappy opened his mouth but Wraith chimed in instead. “Let me ask a question. When you ordered your unit to burn down the building, was that sanctioned by the Joint Commander?”

  “Well, yes, but—”

  “Okay.” She talked right over him. “When you gave the order to your unit, did you see the truck containing the explosives?”

  His frustration grew. “No, but—”

  “So, if you were carrying out orders and had no knowledge of a random truck driving up within moments of you giving the command, how are you responsible for their deaths?”

  “Because it was my fucking duty to ensure every man in my unit made it home,” he snarled, finally getting a word in.

  “No,” Wraith snapped back, her hazel eyes flashing, “it was your job to protect the innocent, and you did.”

  Grady leaned forward. “From one military man to another,” he drawled, his accent thick and pitched in a way that demanded Cappy needed to listen, “we all know the risk when we put on the uniform. Every man in service knows they’re putting their life on the line to protect this country and its citizens.” His crystal blue eyes were piercing. “We also know a mission can go FUBAR at any second. No one can take the blame when things are Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition unless the commander had prior knowledge. You didn’t. Don’t cheapen their sacrifice by not remembering the success of the overall mission.”

  “You helped cripple a major cartel,” Magician interjected, “and literally saved the life of the woman beside you.”

  Cappy heard every word but had trouble internalizing the meaning. For too long he’d lived with the pain and guilt. “So that’s it?” He peered at them all, wanting to ask about leadership change, but couldn’t with Michelle in the room.

  “You needing something else?” Talon asked, twirling his knife.

  “Yes. Maybe. Hell, I don’t know.” Cappy scratched his chin. For five years he had dreaded this moment, hyped it to the point of paranoia, and the complete opposite happened.

  “I told you last night we’re not the Army,” Wraith said pointedly. “Give yourself a break and have a little more faith in us.”

  Cappy relaxed just a little. Michelle stroked her thumb across the top of his hand, soothing him more than he wanted to admit.

  “So this Jersey,” Talon stated.

  The tiny bit of peace evaporated. I guess he’s ready to close this topic.

  “You sure he’s dead?” Talon drove right to the heart of Cappy’s fear.

  “I told you, the whole unit died.”

  “Supposedly, so did you,” Talon shot back.

  Damn, the bastard loved to drive stakes into soft spots. Cappy raised his chin. “Jersey made it to a hospital in the states, but died shortly thereafter.”

  Talon’s piercing gaze drilled into Cappy. Finally, he said, “Stay with me for a second.” He paced into the center of the room. “What if he survived like you did? He may have an axe to grind if he found out you’re still alive.”

  “But why wait six years?” Cappy hated even speculating that a member of his unit lived and he did nothing to connect with the man.

  “I don’t know, but I think Colin’s death, the Senator’s blackmail calls, and the frame job on Michelle aren’t a coincidence,” Magician responded slowly, tapping her chin as if in thought. “Now pictures are planted in her apartment of you two in Colombia? I think Victor and the killer are tied together.”

  “Do you think Jersey’s alive too and a member of Victor’s assassin squad?” Cappy asked, not really buying the story but unable to fully discount it either.

  “Assassin squad?” Michelle asked, horrified. “Good God. What the heck is going on?”

  Christ, where to begin answering that? “That’s a loaded question we’ll have to put on hold for now.”

  “It’s a theory,” Romeo postulated. “The only one we have that ties you, Michelle, and the Senator together.”

  “Hey, guys.” Ted’s voice wobbled into the room. “Sorry to interrupt, but the nightclub manager sent the footage from Friday night. Isis just forwarded it to me.”

  Everyone shot out of their chairs faster than if they’d heard a “Free Beer” announcement and jockeyed to find a spot behind Ted’s chair.

  “While he’s queuing that up.” Cappy firmly placed Michelle in front of him. It had nothing to do with taking advantage of holding her in the tight circle. His maneuver freed a spot for someone else, that’s all. “Talk to me about the investigation. We have the executed search warrant and the blood-free dress stacked in our favor. Any new findings?”

  Romeo positioned himself behind Magician and placed a hand on her suited shoulder. “The Marshals discovered Michelle’s car at a Ford dealership after a mechanic called in the tip.” His eyes twinkled when they peered at Michelle. “Way to think outside of the box. I like it.”

  She dropped her head and blushed. “Thanks. Just kinda came to me when my lit check-engine light caught my attention.”

  Cappy felt a spurt of pride over lacing his annoyance at Romeo’s flirting. A car dealership was a good place to blend in if it was big enough. Malls, airports, and train stations were usually the first checked when the manhunt commenced.

  Magician chimed in with, “Her case worker, Rueben, admitted he had tried to track her phone but by the time he got the program working the PussyFoot Strip Club was already known.” Magician smiled. “He’s been unsuccessful since.”

  “Colin’s friend and Michelle’s coworker received their tickets to the opening night through an unnamed third party,” Wraith supplied.

  “You think it was a setup?” Cappy asked.

  “I do,” Talon answered. “I think it was your pal Jersey lining his dominoes up.”

  “Well, let’s see if you’re right.” Cappy waved at the laptop. Acid gurgled and churned, doing its best to eat through his lining.

  Ted pressed Play and in a weird sense of déjà vu, the team watched another round of video, looking for evidence of a murder.

  The process was tedious, and he’d been delighted to watch the scenes with Michelle and her coworkers. The smile on Michelle’s beautiful face gave him hope that she’d be able to continue to find happiness when he left.r />
  Slosh. A wave of acid cramped his gut. He pushed the thoughts aside and scanned the rotating scenes. Every time Colin showed up, Ted pressed Pause and they all stared. Nothing. Not one face looked familiar.

  “Wait,” Cappy ordered, leaning around Michelle. “Back that up.”

  Ted did as commanded then played it forward frame by frame. “There.” Cappy pointed.

  “Is that money exchanging hands?” Magician asked, also squinting at the screen.

  “Can you zoom in?” Romeo asked.

  “Uh, a little,” Ted answered, fiddling with the keyboard.

  The images enlarged some, but not as big as Cappy would have liked. “Can you get them larger?”

  “It’d be pointless,” Ted replied. “You’d lose definition and wouldn’t be able to see a thing.”

  Frustrated, Cappy stared at the screen. Money and a square object traded hands.

  “That looks like a keycard. We had to get a new one from the front desk,” Michelle said pensively. “He claimed he lost his.”

  “Way to bury that lead,” Talon grumbled. “Should’ve told us that yesterday.”

  Michelle stiffened.

  Cappy squeezed her shoulder and shot Talon a shut-it look.

  The operator just rolled his eyes.

  “I think you’re right,” Grady agreed, squinting at the screen.

  “Cappy,” Talon piped up again, “you recognize that man? He Jersey?”

  Million-dollar question. He recalled the sergeant’s hard face and compared it to this guy. The camera angle wasn’t the best but it was enough. “No. That’s not Jersey.”

  Many shoulders slumped, telegraphing everyone’s desire to have a name to go with the horrid deeds.

  “You sure?” Talon pressed.

  “Yeah. Face is wrong. Jersey was ugly as sin. This guy’s not.”

  Romeo and Magician’s phones rang at the same time.