Reagan nodded. “What you’re sharing with Julie today is a good start.”
“Seeing Julie isn’t the only reason I came to Timber Lake.” He rocked back on his heels. “I had to deliver this to you. John wrote it the night before his final mission.”
“I don’t understand.” Frowning, Reagan glanced at the envelope. Why had Heath given him this?
“That last night, John felt a sense of dread. Every mission is dangerous, but we’d always come back in one piece. Right before we left, he instructed me to keep his letter safe, and only to open it if he didn’t make it home.” Heath took a drink of water. As he lowered the glass, his hand trembled. “When I finally worked up the courage to open it, I realized what he’d done. The letter was meant for the man who would fall in love with Julie.”
Relaxing his jaw, Reagan looked again at the envelope, which became instantly more valuable. “Why are you giving this to me? Julie and I ended our relationship months ago.”
“Your love hasn’t ended, and your actions tell me your feelings are unselfish and true. Julie deserves that kind of love again.” Heath stepped off the deck and walked slowly toward the water.
Reagan now stood alone. What was so important for John to convey to another man, one who may someday fall in love with his wife? He gently opened the envelope and pulled out the yellowed paper inside. The writing looked hurried and unsteady, like John wanted to put these thoughts to paper before he lost his nerve. Reagan began reading.
Dear Sir,
We’ve probably never met, so let me introduce myself. My name is John Ellis, and I had the privilege of being married to the most amazing woman. Since you’re reading this letter, I’m sure you’ve already realized how special Julie is. As much as thinking I may never come back to her hurts, I have peace knowing a man exists who will help her fall in love again.
Julie put up with a lot being married to me. I haven’t been there for her like a good husband should. While I was running around the world, she’s stayed behind to keep a home ready for me when I returned. She took care of our son when I wasn’t able to and made sure Aiden knew how much I loved him. Her heart is strong and resolute. When she loves, she does it with complete devotion. Knowing Julie, leaving my memory behind and starting a new life with someone else will be hard.
Please be patient and give her time to heal. When she does turn that corner, she’ll love you with a commitment that will take your breath away.
I met Julie when I was a junior in high school, too young and full of dreams to fall in love. But I couldn’t help but love her. When I enlisted, I hated leaving her behind. My biggest regret is not giving her the life I promised. She deserves to have her dreams come true.
If Heath has given you this letter, I know you are worthy. Thank you for caring for her and Aiden in my absence. Your love for them will be greatly rewarded. You can trust me on that.
Thank you for allowing me to put my faith and trust in you.
In gratitude,
Sergeant John Ellis
Reagan lifted his head and wiped away the tears that had pushed free. His hand shook while he folded the letter and slid it into the envelope. After reading that, how could he say goodbye to Julie again?
Chapter Nineteen
Julie sat on the sofa and tried to focus on the book in her hand—an exercise in futility. Even Pride and Prejudice couldn’t hold her attention. An unexpected ring of her phone sent her stomach leaping into her throat. Glancing at the screen made her heart skip a beat when she saw Reagan’s name. She’d just been ready to call him. Must be divine intervention. Inhaling one steadying breath, she answered the call. “Hi, Reagan.” She tried to keep the tremor from her voice.
“Hi…hope I’m not calling at a bad time.”
She absentmindedly reached up with her free hand to fluff her hair. “Oh no, I’m just hanging out at home. Aiden’s gone to his grandparents, and I have the day off.”
“Julie,” he said then cleared his throat. “I need to see you today.”
“Do you want to come over?” Did he want to mend their relationship? The butterflies in her stomach were fluttering wildly. “We can talk here.”
“I’ll be over in an hour, if that’s okay?”
“Sure, whenever. I’m happy to see you again.”
“I have some information to share.”
His voice sounded detached, like he was talking to a stranger. A chill brushed across her skin. What if his love had been replaced by indifference? “Sure. I’ll see you soon.” She didn’t care about his motivation for reaching out. All she wanted was Reagan back in her life. After ending the call, she ran upstairs to pull herself together before he arrived.
Julie was at the door before Reagan could knock. “Hi,” she said in a quiet voice. “Come in.”
He leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
The heat of his kiss seared Julie’s skin. Seeing him again made her heart rise with hope, and her legs went weak with desire. He remained as handsome as she remembered. As Reagan moved inside the house, she noticed the other two men standing behind him. “Heath!” She ran out and threw her arms around him. “What are you doing here?” Her dear friend looked tired and worn, with a scruffy beard and dark bags under his eyes.
He grinned and stepped away. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.” His deep voice cracked. “I’m here to do something I should’ve done a long time ago.”
The third visitor approached and held out his hand.
He looked to be in his forties, with a small but rugged build. Julie received a firm handshake.
“Hi, I’m Greg Jackson. I work for the Washington Times as an investigative reporter.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Greg, but I don’t understand what’s going on.” Panic rippled through her core. What was going on? She glanced at Heath, hoping he held the answers.
Heath took Julie by the elbow. “Let’s all go inside, Jules. You’ll need to sit for this.”
She went inside to find Reagan pacing back and forth in her living room. Her worry grew. What was the real reason for Reagan’s visit? And how did he know Heath? Julie guided the group into the kitchen. “Would anyone like something to drink?”
Reagan took her hand and guided her to a chair. “Have a seat.” He sat in the chair beside her.
“Julie.” Greg rested his folded hands on the table and leaned forward. “Last October, I received a call from an associate at the newspaper. Reagan contacted him in an attempt to uncover the mystery surrounding your husband’s death.”
Shock numbed Julie’s body. She could barely feel Reagan’s large hand surrounding hers.
Greg straightened in his chair. “After I had a chance to talk to Reagan, I agreed to do a little digging into the story. As a journalist, I’m trained to sniff out a cover-up, and the story the Army told me stunk to high heaven. Of course, their denials piqued my interest, and I’ve spent the last six months deeply investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of John Ellis.”
Glancing over at Heath, she saw his normal strong form shrink. He’d kept the truth from her. “Tell me.” She felt the world shift underneath her. Every muscle in her body tensed with anticipation. After all this time, she was finally getting answers.
“Julie.” Heath raised his head to make eye contact. “I’m sorry. While I was on active duty, I had orders not to disclose any aspect of our missions, including the one that killed John. Last month, my enlistment ended, and I returned to civilian life. That’s when I got a call from Reagan. He told me about your attempts to find out what happened to John and how much you’ve struggled. He convinced me to meet with Greg and tell him what I knew. I was surprised to learn Greg was already familiar with many of the mission details.”
“I’ve made several trips to Afghanistan.” Greg raised a thick notebook. “Even though the mission was highly classified, I still found some people willing to talk. When this story finally breaks, it will be national news. Be prepared.”
“John died a hero.” Heath’s voice became choked with emotion. “What happened was controversial, but the world should know his bravery.”
“John loved you like a brother.” Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision. “I need to know what he died for.”
“First, you should know John and I were part of a Delta Force unit.” Heath rubbed a hand over his beard. “John never told you because he didn’t want you to worry any more than you already did. As Delta operators, everything we did was highly classified. Technically, ‘The Unit’ doesn’t exist. We received specialized training, in order to take on the most dangerous missions.”
Heath shifted in his seat. “In the spring of 2011, a series of deadly bombings in Afghanistan killed many American service members, along with countless citizens. After extensive intelligence gathering, the CIA learned the man behind the bombings was a college-educated US citizen who’d traveled to Afghanistan to join the Taliban. He had the knowledge and the materials to make sophisticated bombs. This guy moved from one safe house to another, and we had a hard time keeping track of him. Finally, we learned he was being housed just over the border, in Pakistan, with minimal security. In a few days, he would be moved deeper into the country.”
“I didn’t think you were allowed to cross the border.” Julie digested every little detail of Heath’s story and compared it to what John had shared.
“We’re not,” Heath said. “That was one reason everything about the mission was clandestine. No one outside our direct chain of command knew the details. At that time, our twelve-man team was stationed at a Firebase set in the foothills. When we got the final go-ahead for the mission, our team loaded into two choppers, which inserted us under the cover of night, high in the mountains. We walked several miles over supply trails before we crossed the border. Fortunately, the trails were clear that night, and we didn’t come under enemy fire.”
Julie imagined the many challenges John had experienced during each mission and shuttered. She’d always been impressed by his bravely, and no more so than right now.
“A few hours before dawn, we reached the safe house and situated ourselves to secretly observe the movement around the area. John, being the best shot, had the best vantage point. He could look out over the whole compound and cover the rest of us at the same time. By the time the sun rose, we realized more Taliban were present than what our intelligence brief reported. The place was swarming with activity.”
Heath wiped away beads of sweat from across his forehead.
Seeing her friend’s distress, Julie poured him a glass of water and set it on the table.
“Thanks.” He took a drink, stood, and then started to pace. “This story doesn’t get any easier with the passing of time.”
“I understand.” But in reality, Julie could never understand the demon’s haunting Heath—the man who’d been with John during his last moments.
“Officially.” Heath spoke with his hands along with his words. “We were instructed to bring in the target alive. He was an American citizen. But on scene, our commander made a tough call. We couldn’t get through all the Taliban fighters to take custody of the bomber. We were commanded to shoot on sight. He was a serious danger to every soldier and citizen in Afghanistan, and he needed to be stopped at all costs. Even in a way that was politically incorrect.”
She didn’t consider herself naive, not after living around the military for so many years, but Heath’s story shocked her. John had never shared so many details about his missions overseas.
“After hours of waiting, a man finally emerged from a tiny, dirt hut,” Heath said. “John signaled he had the target in his sights, and our captain gave him the go-ahead. He took him out with one shot, but our cover was blown. Taliban were everywhere, yelling and grabbing their AK47s. We gave them a good fight until Will got shot in the leg. John stepped out to provide cover fire so we could pull Will to safety. That’s when John got hit twice, first in the neck, and then in the upper arm.”
Heath’s straight posture crumpled. He gripped the top rail of an empty kitchen chair until his knuckles turned white. “As the team’s medic, I’m trained to provide trauma care in combat situations, and this was my best friend.” He looked at her with wide eyes. “Julie, I did my best to wrap his wounds and stop the bleeding. Our captain gave the order to fall back, and I pulled up John to get him on his feet. Then, we raced to the planned extraction point. The enemy fighters were dangerously close, trailing right behind us. I noticed John looked pale and weak, but he kept pace with the team. He used the last of his strength to push back down the mountain, the whole time providing cover fire. I believe he saved our lives, because his shots kept the Taliban from overtaking us.”
Bile rose in her throat. The edges of her vision blurred blood red. In her mind’s eye, she pictured John continuing to fight, even while he knew he was dying.
Heath took a few deep breaths. “We contacted the Operation Command center and notified them we had two wounded. When we got onto the medivac chopper, John had already lost too much blood. The bullet had nicked his carotid artery. I did everything in my power to save him.” Heath’s voice wavered. “I pulled out your picture, the one he always carried in his uniform pocket. He stared at it for the longest time, and then told me how much he loved you and Aiden. By the time the chopper returned to the base, he’d already slipped into unconsciousness. At the hospital, the doctors tried to bring him back, but they were too late.”
Throat burning, Julie walked to where Heath stood. As he began to sob, she wrapped her arms around him. Waves of emotion washed over her. With painful acceptance, she came to grips with what happened during John’s final hours. She held onto Heath, and after several minutes of shared grief, Julie led him to the table.
“The Army doesn’t want to acknowledge the fact a US citizen was killed on Pakistani soil.” Greg shook his head. “Technically, the man was an enemy combatant, but his death will still trigger questions by the media and civil liberty groups. I believe, since John was the shooter, they wanted to keep his name a secret. They’re afraid of retaliation against his surviving family. I would advise you take precautions, Mrs. Ellis, when this story goes public.”
“Thank you for giving me the truth.” Julie looked deeply into Heath’s hazel eyes and sucked in a deep breath. “I’ve always known John died for something he believed in. He loved his job, and I’m not surprised he gave everything to protect his team.”
The chair screeched, and Reagan stood. “I should get going. You and Heath have a lot to talk about.”
Her heart lurched, and her hands fluttered to her chest. She had to convince him to stay. So many things needed to be said. First and foremost, that she still loved him.
Greg and Reagan made their way toward the front door.
Julie followed in their wake. “Thank you for your part in this, both of you.” She glanced over at Reagan, who seemed only interested in the laces of his shoes.
“Reagan is the one who orchestrated the whole thing. I was just doing my job.” Greg gave her a brief handshake before walking to his car.
Heart in her throat, Julie reached out to touch Reagan’s arm. “Please don’t go.”
“My part in this is finished. I wanted to help you find the truth, and hopefully, you now have some peace.” His thumb brushed across her cheek. “Take care, Julie.”
Before she could say another word, he opened the screen door and stepped outside.
As she stood paralyzed in the doorway, Heath came up beside her.
“You’d be an idiot to let him go.” He scratched at his scruffy, brown beard.
“What?” She swung to face him.
He winked and smiled. “You heard me. Don’t be stupid. Reagan loves you. He’d do anything for you. Don’t let that kind of love slip away.”
Heath’s first loyalty was always to John. His advocacy represented John’s blessing. She took off running, not caring if the whole neighborhood thought she was crazy, and intercepted Reagan
before he opened his car door. “I was wrong,” she blurted. “About everything.”
Reagan slowly turned to face her and raised his eyebrows. “Well, I don’t hear that every day.”
Nice to see his playful nature again, after all this time. She searched his face, wanting to find any traces of the love he’d once had. “Are you—” she stammered and stared down at her bare feet. “Did you find someone else?”
A brief laugh escaped him. “No, Julie. I haven’t wanted to be with anyone but you.”
Relief replaced fear, and she almost sagged. “I don’t want you to leave. Stay with me, please. Give me another chance.”
Reagan shook his head. “I can’t love someone with my whole heart and only get part of them in return.” He reached for the door handle.
Blood pounded in her ears. Julie blocked him with her body. He may be twice her size, but he didn’t stand a chance against her will. At that moment, she was an unmovable force. “I’m not letting you leave without a fight. You want my whole heart, well…here. I’m offering it to you.” She took his hand and held it over her rapidly beating heart.
A slow smile emerged onto Reagan’s face. “Well, looks like I’ve got myself a little warrior.”
“You can laugh at me all you want, Reagan Harrison, but you will hear me out.”
He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. First, give yourself some time to digest what you just learned. Spend some time with Heath. He’s a good man, and I think he needs your support as much as you need his. Call me tomorrow, and then we’ll talk.”
“No. I’m not calling you.” She smiled with the knowledge of what she had planned. “You’re meeting me. I’ll tell you the time and place. Oh…and wear comfortable shoes. We’re going for a hike.”
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