“It wasn’t us,” Evan states. “It was River. We’ve never had a dirty mission until he married Frannie, or whatever her real name is, and all of a sudden we’re being sent out to rescue the daughter of the vice president because she was kidnapped by the senator she was having an affair with?”
“Plus, the vice president dies weeks before you guys return, and I’m sent out on a bogus training mission before you come home,” Nate says, adding to the conspiracy.
“Holy shit, this is worse than one of those books my mother used to read,” Rask says, with a shrug.
Evan opens a notebook and pulls out a stack of papers, handing each of us one.
“Here’s what we know. When we left, River had just married Frannie, who happens to be Ingram’s daughter and Lawson’s sister. As far as I can tell, Lawson and Frannie have different mothers, neither of which are or were married to Ingram. River hadn’t known her long from what I remember, and days after they married we’re sent to Cuba on what O’Keefe called a snatch and grab. River tells us a few days, tops. We find the Chesley girl and kill Renato, setting off a chain reaction.
“At this point, O’Keefe should’ve brought another team in to assist, but doesn’t. We stay and uncover a child sex ring funded by a US man, who we can assume is Lawson since he’s currently in jail for raping Abigail Chesley. And again O’Keefe needed to bring in another team, but doesn’t, telling me now that there was a reason for us to stay.”
“Because Lawson was trying to rape or kidnap my daughter,” I continue, as I put in my two cents. “We know he kidnapped Abigail from the emails NCIS found, and my PI was able to locate the police report. By this time, we should’ve been home, but my wife files a police report and now we’re dead.”
“His surprise visits with our mail should’ve been our first clue that something was wrong, but we were warriors and there were children involved,” Rask adds.
He’s right. None of us would’ve left those children behind and we couldn’t really turn them over to the government in Cuba because we weren’t supposed to be there.
“You’re right, Rask. We also should’ve paid attention to our ammo, we always had supplies so O’Keefe or someone was cooking the books and not keeping an inventory. Someone had to track O’Keefe every time he took out a helo or a C-130. Everything is logged—how come no one was watching for all these trips to Cuba?”
We all shake our heads because no one knows the answer.
“O’Keefe ended up dead after we came back,” I remind Evan, who takes a note.
“What else?” Nate asks.
“Let’s see … the police report McCoy’s PI saw says that Penny was threatened by Lawson that if she told anyone her worst nightmare would come true. I’m guessing McCoy dying is her worst nightmare?”
“It’s not,” I say, shaking my head. “Losing Claire or not being able to protect her would be. That’s why I think she ran. She knew death was a part of my job, but if she lost me and Claire, she’d have nothing to live for.”
“So we think Penny is on the run?” Nate asks.
“I think so, or she’s living somewhere under a different name. I don’t know, but it makes sense.” At least it makes sense to me because I’m not willing to believe she left me.
“What else?” Nate asks again.
“The file Cara took back to DC went missing almost immediately, but she has multiple copies so they can still prosecute. Ingram is out on bail but under house arrest. And then there’s Chesley. I can’t figure him out yet. I don’t know what he’s doing over there, but we need to find out. At best he should be thanking us, but he’s not and I have a feeling he’s waiting for something big to happen. He’s part of this cover-up somehow, and not just the Brigadier General and grandfather. He has to know what was going on there and he’s protecting someone.”
“But who? Every time I enter a room on base, it goes quiet. I haven’t deployed with my team since you guys have been back. Honestly, I’m biding my time until reenlistment. I ask questions no one will answer, and Carole has to tread lightly so she doesn’t lose her job and pension.”
“Nate’s right, our hands are tied there,” I add.
Evan nods, but doesn’t say anything.
“We need someone on the inside,” Rask says.
“But who?” I question. “We can’t trust anyone.”
“Does anyone know you’re dating that Feds chick?” Rask asks Nate, who blanches at the way Rask refers to Cara.
“Her name is Cara and no. We’ve kept it pretty low-key. It’s another reason we don’t travel together.”
“Maybe she can help,” Rask suggests.
“How?”
“By getting me in to see Lawson. He knows where my family is and I want answers.” I lean forward on the table so Nate can see I’m serious. “Maybe if we scare him enough he’ll start singing. Remind him that he’s about to become Bubba’s bitch.”
“Unfortunately, I think our answers are back in Coronado, and I have a feeling the person who is going to be able to help the most is Slick Rick.”
“The bartender? Are you nuts, Evan?” Nate barks out, asking the question before I can.
Evan shakes his head. “Tell me who else has access to everyone that comes in and out of his bar, and the ability to talk your ear off until you’re divulging all your secrets over a pint of beer. Alcohol and truth telling go hand-in-hand, especially when you have secrets.”
“Remind me to never drink around you.” I punch Evan in the shoulder as we all start laughing.
“As much as I hate to admit it, I think you have a point.” Nate rolls his eyes at the compliment he just paid his brother. For all the unease Evan was showing upstairs toward Nate, its definitely not being shared now. It must have to do with Ryley and EJ when Nate’s around, because right now you wouldn’t know that there’s anything wrong between these two.
AFTER WE FINISH REHASHING how we ended up dead and returned home alive, Evan shows us the gadgets he has installed in and around his house. Nate, who thinks this room is overkill, is happily playing with everything. Even I’m impressed and I’ve been staying here.
“What about guns? What do you have on-site?” Nate asks, as he moves one of the cameras around.
“What do you want?” Evan shrugs and glances at something on his phone. I already know a few of the guns he has, but have a feeling there’s a whole arsenal of weapons stashed somewhere around here.
Nate looks at Evan and shakes his head, but not before he cracks a huge ass smile. I’m guessing he has a pretty decent idea of what Evan is hoarding and appreciates it.
“Cara’s here and Ryley says she’s ready for dinner,” Evan says, pocketing his phone. He opens the door and waits for us to leave before turning off the light and locking back up.
The four of us walk up the stairs so quietly you’d think we were on a mission. It’s the training that never leaves; always light on your feet, ready to go when the phone rings.
Honestly, I miss the phone ringing. I miss having a job and a place in this world. Being in the Navy, being a SEAL gave me purpose and some fucker has taken that away from me when I didn’t deserve it. I’ve always done things by the book, even exceeding the requirements because I had to prove to myself that I could. If the assignment were to run a mile, I’d try for two. When others would take shortcuts, I went the long way.
I stayed out of trouble, always doing what I was told, so why me? Why my family? And why River? He seems to be the missing link, along with why Frannie chose him. And Lawson—is my family on the lam because that prick wanted my kid and couldn’t have her? Or is it because we saved the girl he raped and sent her back to her mother, a woman that left him?
As soon as I reach the top of the stairs I’m hit square in the chest by what I see. Nate is standing with his arm wrapped around Cara. Evan is with Ryley with EJ on his back. Rask is staring out the sliding glass door with his back to everyone, and I’m feeling sorry for myself, watching happiness unfold in fron
t of my eyes. And I have to ask myself again, Why me?
“McCoy, wanna help with dinner?” Evan asks as he hands Nate a plate of steaks and ribs.
“Yeah, Archer.” Only after I say his name do I realize having the twins in the house could be awkward when it comes to their names, but then again if I need one, they’ll both come running so it could be comical.
“Tucker, do you remember Cara?” Ryley asks, always the hostess.
“I do, but I don’t think we’ve ever been fully introduced.” I extend my hand to shake hers. “I’m Tucker McCoy.”
“It’s nice to officially meet you, McCoy.”
“You too?” Ryley exclaims, throwing her hands up in the air. She comes over and molds herself to my side before placing her hand on my chest. “Why can’t you call him Tucker?”
Cara shrugs. “Because in our line of work we go by last names. To the guys I’m Hughes.”
“But you’re a woman. Don’t you want to feel like a woman when you’re in the presence of these men?” Ryley points at all of us. “I mean, look around, Cara. We have four highly trained lethal weapons who are willing to do whatever we ask. Just think of how they’d turn to mush if you said their names with a bit of honey added.”
I stand, frozen in place, not knowing what to say. If I didn’t know Ryley, I’d think she’s trying to come on to one of us, or trying to entice Cara to. I don’t know, but I’m suddenly hot under my shirt and trying to step away.
When Evan starts laughing, Ryley rolls her eyes and flips him off.
“Shut up, Archer,” she says, pushing him away from us. I pull Ryley behind me, intent on protecting her from her soon-to-be husband.
“I’m sorry, babe, but come on what the hell was that?”
“I’m sorry,” Ryley says as she comes out from behind me. “I’m here all day with you and Tucker, and all I hear is McCoy and Archer. And now Nate and Justin are here, so you add them to the mix. I just want Cara to be a girl. Is that too much to ask?”
“Yes,” Nate says. “My girl is a bad-ass-gun-toting agent and I like when she calls me Archer.”
“I agree,” Evan adds.
Ryley throws her hands up in the air, much to everyone’s delight, and kicks us all out of the kitchen, including Cara.
“Well I’m sorry I’m not girlie enough for her,” Cara mumbles, causing Nate and Evan to laugh.
“It’s okay, we’ve never been girlie enough for her. The only one that appeases the girlieness is Lois,” Nate tells us.
“Yeah, she misses Lois,” Evan says, as we all step out onto the deck. Rask is tending to the grill and Nate and Evan go over to help him, leaving Cara alone. Lois is Ryley’s best friend from high school. Lois and Carter, who happens to be Nate’s best friend, followed Ryley to San Diego, but chose to stay in California instead of moving back to Washington.
“I don’t want to be too forward, but I’m hoping you can get me into see Lawson?” I feel like I’m asking for her to do something dirty to me by the way my heart is pounding. Of course, it probably would’ve been better coming from Nate or Evan since she knows them better.
“Why do you want to see him?”
It’s a fair question, so I tell her what I found out at the PI’s office. Her eyes widen and I see a hint of tears as I recap my story and that of Penny’s when she found Lawson with Claire.
“I see,” Cara says, shaking her head. She stares off, out into the distance without saying a word. Her silence speaks volumes and has my mind spinning on how I’m going to get in to see him. Shit, maybe I’ll just break into Ingram’s house and get him to start singing about his involvement.
“I’m not sure if I have clearance, but I’m still on his investigation. Let me work a few angles and see what kind of strings I can pull. It’d have to be without his lawyer present because if that bitch is in there, Lawson won’t say anything. Not that he will anyway. The bastard is smug and just sits there saying nothing during questioning.”
“I’ll make him talk.” I shrug when she looks at me. “Especially if no one is watching. I’ll make him fucking beg for his mother, and that bitch of a lawyer, too. He knows about my wife’s disappearance and I want answers.”
Cara nods slowly before a mischievous smile appears. “I think I like you, McCoy. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you.”
“What’s your name, cowboy?”
I look around wondering who the leggy blonde is talking to. I don’t see anyone with a cowboy hat at the bar so she must be blind, which means she’s right up my alley because she won’t see how truly ugly I am.
“No cowboy here, ma’am.” I pick my pint back up and finish it off, signaling for Slick Rick to bring me another one.
“Well what would you like to be called?” She sits down next to me and places her large purse on the bar.
“Ma’am?” I question.
“You want to be called ma’am? Are you into cross dressing or something?”
It’s a good thing I didn’t have a mouthful of beer when she said that or she’d be soaked. Although, she has what looks like a nice rack and she is wearing a white T-shirt so maybe her being wet isn’t such a bad idea.
“What’s your name?”
“Penny,” she says in a sweet voice. One of the things I notice about her is that she’s sitting on the stool and not leaning into me, showing me the goods. Most chicks that come in here wear next to nothing for clothes so you can see everything they have to offer.
I look at her as if I’m inspecting her, but I stay focused on her face. Her eyes are light brown and her blonde hair frames her face. Her lips are definitely kissable.
“What?” she asks as a smile plays on her lips.
“Nothing. I guess I always thought that if I were to meet a Penny, she’d have copper hair, but you don’t, unless you’re not a true blonde.”
“Well there’s only one way to find out!”
I look at her inquisitively and watch as her cheeks turn bright red. I can already tell she’s not this forward, which I have to say I’m thankful for. I’ve had my fair share of women throwing themselves at me and it never lasts long.
“Wow. I … uh … yeah, I don’t usually talk like that, but my friends over there didn’t think I’d be able to get your number if I just asked for it.”
I hold my hand out for her to take and when she does, I bring it to my lips and press them softly against her skin. Her eyes turn dreamy and she sighs. I can’t help but smile before pulling my lips away.
“Let’s start over. I’m Tucker McCoy.”
“I’m Penelope Kolowski.”
“Penelope, what a beautiful name.”
“To go with a beautiful woman?” she asks.
I shake my head, but immediately realize my mistake. No man should ever tell a woman she isn’t beautiful.
“Beauty isn’t only on the outside. Everyone can make themselves pretty with hair and make-up, but it’s their character that counts the most.”
“Wow, what do you do for work? Do you write Hallmark cards or something?”
I shake my head once again and look around the bar. It’s filled with Navy personnel, but mostly SEALs and officers.
“I’m in the Navy.” I leave out the part about me being a SEAL. Most women think it is a glamorous life when they truly don’t understand what it means to be involved with a SEAL. We’re gone at a moment’s notice. It doesn’t matter if it’s at the beginning of family dinner while meeting her parents or about to blow your load. You get the call you go.
Her mouth forms an O and I’m wondering if she knows what that means.
“You know you’re less than a mile from a Navy base and this bar is known to cater to SEALs, right?”
“No, I didn’t know that. I’m in San Diego on vacation and my friends said this bar is the place to be.”
Leaning to the side, I look over at her friends and wave. They giggle and whisper amongst themselves.
“They’re cute, your friends. But yes
, you’re in a Navy bar and most women come in here to pick up a sailor.”
“And a SEAL, apparently.”
“Looks that way.” I wink at her and watch as she blushes uncontrollably. I find it cute that she doesn’t know anything about SEALs. I would’ve been turned off immediately if she did. “Why don’t we take a ride down the coastline? It’s a nice night and I’ll have you back before your friends are ready to leave.”
“How much have you had to drink?”
“Just one beer.”
She looks over at her friends once more and back at me. Her lower lip is pulled in between her teeth, causing me to caress her lip away from the hold they have on it.
“Okay,” she says almost breathlessly.
I throw a few bucks down on the bar and yell at Rick, “If I’m not back in two hours with her, tell Archer to hunt me down.” I wink at Penny as I take her hand in mine and lead her out of the bar.
“Have you ever been on a motorcycle before?”
She shakes her head. After climbing on, I help her onto the seat behind me.
“Don’t worry, I’ll go slow.” I pull her arms forward and wrap them around my waist.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she whispers against my neck.
Firing up the bike, I feel her move closer to me. Her grip becomes tighter as soon as I release the kickstand and start toward the street. She may be scared now, but in a few minutes, after the wind blows through her hair, she’ll feel the exhilaration. She’ll welcome the night air against her skin and the view she’s about to see will be some of the most spectacular sights of her visit. I don’t know what her friends have planned for her, but at least tonight I’ll show her a glimpse of my life.
As soon as I hit the highway I fight the urge to show her what my bike can really do. Instead, I do as I promised and keep it slow, allowing her to take in all that she can.
Every few minutes her hands wander. They start around my waist then under my shirt, only to retreat back to the outside of my shirt.
It’s not often I bring anyone out on my bike. It’s mine and for my enjoyment. It’ll go into storage when I deploy, being neglected until I return.
Save Me Page 7
