The Officer's Secret

by Giusti, Debby

  He let out a ragged breath. “If you hadn’t stopped me, we would have had even more to regret.”

  She looked up, startled. “I… I stopped you? I always thought it was the other way around.”

  “You said you couldn’t do that to Dani. Plus you were a nice girl. That’s why I fell for you.”

  Bile soured Maggie’s stomach at the memory of what she had done. “Nice girls don’t go into the woods with their sister’s boyfriend. You may have used me, Graham, but I used you to get back at Dani.”

  Maggie thought of the hateful words Dani had hurled at her, words that cut her to the quick about how their father didn’t love her, how Maggie was ugly and timid and she would never have anyone who really cared about her.

  If only she had endured Dani’s outrage in silence, like she had the other times. Instead she had gone to the party by the river and flaunted herself at Graham. Then she’d followed him into the nearby woods when the other kids weren’t watching. The cops eventually closed down the party and took the teens home to their parents. Late that night, Maggie told Dani everything—except that the “other” girl had been Maggie.

  Dani hadn’t known how to react to Graham’s rejection. Their father had been tied up with his own problems and was even more distant than usual. Looking back, Maggie realized Dani had shoplifted in hopes of getting their father’s attention. The commanding general called their dad into his office, and the next thing they knew, he’d been relieved of his duties. The following night, their mother found him in the attic.

  “My…my mother kept saying over and over again that all the problems had started with me.” The shame of what Maggie had done swept over her, filling her with anguish. “When Dani and I met for lunch in Alabama I wanted to tell her the truth and ask her forgiveness.”

  “She knew.”

  Tears stung Maggie’s eyes. “But she never said anything.”

  “Dani forgave you long ago, but she didn’t know how to ask you to forgive her.”

  A lump filled Maggie’s throat. Graham wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled Maggie to her feet. “We need to get out of here. My car’s outside.”

  Steeling herself, she swiped her hand over her cheek and sniffed. “The box.” She pointed to where it sat on the table. “Nate needs the evidence.”

  Grabbing the package with one hand, Graham held her up with the other. With his help, she stumbled forward. He pushed the door open, and she followed him outside, chilled by the wind that gusted through the trees and the light mist that had continued to fall.

  “Just a little farther, Maggie.”

  “How…how did you find me?”

  “I knew Dani wouldn’t have taken her own life. Someone made her death mirror your father’s. There was only one person I had ever confided in about his suicide. Shortly before Dani redeployed home, he came over one night with a bottle of red wine in hand. The alcohol and his leading questions loosened my tongue. We had been together socially a number of times. He seemed like a nice guy, or so I thought. But before long, I had revealed everything. Today when I stopped by the house to pick up some things, I saw your dad’s medals and flag in the plastic bag. I knew you wouldn’t leave them behind. Then it was just a matter of putting together some of the things I had overheard at work and determining where he had taken you.”

  “He?”

  “The person who masterminded this entire operation that Dani must have stumbled onto in Afghanistan. I realized he had to have been the one who killed her. I just didn’t know why. When I went back to the office and checked the AmeriWorks records, everything made sense.”

  Tires screeched in the distance, causing them both to look toward the road. Graham nudged her forward. “Hurry.”

  Reaching his Mustang, Maggie leaned against the rear door. Graham dug for the keys in his pocket.

  Before he could open the door, a silver Saturn— Maggie’s silver Saturn—pulled into the clearing and braked to a stop. The MP who had been on the cell earlier crawled from the passenger side. A second man sat behind the wheel, but his face was hidden by the tinted windows.

  Mills pulled his weapon.

  Graham pushed Maggie to the ground and gunfire exploded around them. Something warm and wet spread across her back as Graham’s full weight fell momentarily upon her shoulders. The package from Afghanistan had taken a hit and shattered into scraps of shredded cardboard and broken earthenware.

  Struggling to rise, Maggie put one hand on the car door and reached for Graham with the other. As if in slow motion, his hand slipped out of her grasp. When she looked down, all she could see was the gaping hole in his chest and the precious gems scattered around his body from the broken package.

  Another burst of gunfire caused her to turn. The MP fell across the hood of her car, and the driver lay slumped over the wheel.

  Whimpering, she watched the shooter step into the clearing. He aimed a gun straight at her heart. “You and I need to take a little walk down to the river.”

  Nate headed south out of post along the narrow, two-lane road that wound through the countryside. Usually the trip was relaxing, but today, with the steady stream of rain and the strong wind adding to his worry over Maggie, conditions were less than ideal. As far as Nate knew only a handful of folks lived on this side of post, and many of them had evacuated the area due to the rising water.

  Common sense told him to bypass the first bridge and head for the more stable southern access, but he went with his gut instinct that kept screaming Maggie was in danger and he needed to find her fast. Besides, if Zart had made it to the other side, Nate would, as well.

  An isolated fishing cabin would be the ideal spot to hold her hostage. Nate shook his head and groaned. He should have listened to Maggie. She’d been convinced her sister had been murdered, but Nate had been too focused on evidence that never materialized.

  Eight months ago, he had made a mistake by allowing his brother to sway his opinion, which had cost Michael his life. Nate had become too cautious so he’d closed his mind to what Maggie offered as a logical explanation.

  The rain intensified, making it difficult to see the road. Nate clamped his hands around the steering wheel—white-knuckled, struggling against the powerful wind that threatened to push the car off the narrow roadway.

  The bridge appeared in the distance. Corporal Otis had been right about the rickety structure. The crossing had been constructed years ago without side guardrails. If only the aged wood could withstand the pressure from the driving water long enough for Nate to make it to the other side.

  A momentary lull in the storm cleared his view. He spied the cabin huddled close to the water’s edge. A blur of metallic red was visible through the underbrush.

  Graham’s Mustang.

  Nate picked up his cell phone and pushed the speed dial for Jamison. “I’m approaching the bridge. Water’s spilling over the sides, but it looks navigable. I’ve got a visual on the red Mustang parked in the underbrush near the cabin. I’m moving in.”

  “The bridge from the south is washed out, Nate. We won’t be able to get to you.”

  “What about from the air?”

  “Not in this storm.”

  “Then I’ll have to handle this one on my own.”

  When Jamison failed to respond, Nate glanced at his cell. Call Disconnected. No bars. No reception. He threw his phone on the passenger seat, knowing he couldn’t rely on anyone else for help.

  Anyone except the Lord.

  Pulling in a ragged breath, he gripped the steering wheel even harder. “I don’t deserve Your help, God, but Maggie does. Let’s work together to save her.”

  The bridge lay ahead. Water washed over the wooden planks. Nate shifted into low gear and eased the car onto the bridge, keeping an even pressure on the accelerator. If the engine died, he’d have to risk hoofing it to the other side. Feeling the pull of the water, Nate knew he’d be sucked into the river and washed downstream.

  “Stay with me, Lord,” he m
uttered. Without railings, he could be headed off the bridge and straight into the swirling mass of water. Once the wheels gripped pavement on the far side, he let out a sigh of relief. Maybe God was listening after all.

  Increasing his speed, Nate approached the cabin and parked in the underbrush, knowing surprise would be an advantage. He pulled his weapon from his holster, grateful for the sound of the rushing water and the rumble of thunder that muffled his footsteps. Two cars sat in the clearing. Rounding the Mustang, his heart leaped to his throat.

  Graham lay on the ground, the broken shards of earthenware and the remains of a shipment box still in his hand. His gut hung open, and blood, mixed with rainwater, pooled around his ashen body. The mail ring hadn’t been about drugs, but precious gems like the stones scattered in the debris.

  Maggie’s Saturn was parked nearby. A second victim lay slumped over the hood. Blood oozed from the back of his head. Nate turned the body over and groaned. Corporal Mills stared back at him with a bullet hole between his eyes.

  Flicking his gaze around the clearing, Nate stepped to the driver’s side, keeping his gun raised and his senses on high alert. He opened the door and, using his free hand, lifted the third victim’s shoulder until he could make an ID. Arnold Zart.

  Nate’s neck prickled. A noise made him turn. Footsteps broke through the underbrush along a path that led to the water’s edge.

  Knowing Kendra’s body had been pulled from the river, Nate’s gut constricted. Oh, dear, God, no. Not Maggie.

  EIGHTEEN

  Lieutenant Colonel Foglio stepped into the clearing. Nate saw a flash of steel and heard the bullet fire immediately after he got off the first round.

  Hot, searing pain cut through his left upper arm. Nate gasped, firing another round that caught Foglio in the chest. He crumbled onto one knee.

  Racing forward, Nate grabbed Foglio’s lapels and raised him off the ground. “What have you done with her?”

  The officer shook his head. “She’s gone.”

  Nate shook him again. “Tell me.”

  “The water. The last I saw she was headed downstream.” He tried to laugh, but choked on the blood that gurgled in his throat.

  Nate threw him down on the ground and kicked his gun into the underbrush. Foglio might survive, but he wouldn’t leave the area on his own accord.

  Determined to find Maggie, Nate ran along the path. The bushes pulled at his clothes. He shrugged out of his jacket and dropped his gun on the ground near the water’s edge. Toeing out of his shoes, he scanned the wide expanse of river. A sea of dark, churning water raced south. Running in the direction of the flow, Nate searched for any sign of her.

  “Maggie,” he screamed, knowing she’d never hear him over the river’s fury.

  A huge pine tree, uprooted by the rain, lay half submerged in the water. Its branches had formed a makeshift dam.

  A splash of orange caught his eye.

  Maggie!

  Nate dove into the river. The cold took his breath away. He came up gasping for air, unable to orient himself. Finally he saw her hung up in the downed foliage.

  The current propelled him forward. He neared the pine and grabbed one of the branches that broke before he could establish a firm hold. Kicking with all his might, Nate steered his body closer to where the current had entwined her among the boughs. Her eyes were closed, but her head was above water.

  “Maggie,” he screamed again.

  Her eyes opened. She flailed. The motion caused the pine to shift. Nate caught her just as the tree groaned and released her from its hold. He pulled her close and encircled her with his good arm.

  “Feetfirst,” he screamed, turning her so her face would be protected from any obstacle floating in the water.

  His fingers tightened on her shoulder. God, don’t let me lose her now.

  Lightning illuminated the darkening sky, and thunder cracked overhead. If the river didn’t kill them, the storm could.

  “Keep your legs up, Maggie. Watch out for rocks and floating debris.”

  The water sped them along like a kayak on rapids. Waves broke over them, spewing brown water, thick with mud, into their eyes and mouth. Maggie coughed, once again flailing. The motion turned them about-face and prevented Nate from seeing what lay ahead. He kicked his legs, grateful when they reversed position.

  Growing intensely fatigued, Nate lifted his left arm out of the water. His raw flesh oozed red. He hadn’t realized how much blood he was losing. Continuing at the present rate would be his undoing.

  Please, God.

  Up ahead, a portion of a boat dock had broken free and was jammed between two boulders, forming an oasis in the middle of the swirling river.

  “Aim for the platform.” Nate kicked and forced Maggie forward. She grabbed the edge of the wooden barrier and held on tight. Her face was too pale, and she shivered in the frigid water. She wouldn’t last much longer. Land was too far away, and the current too strong for them to swim to shore.

  Nate encircled Maggie with his arms, hoping his body heat would warm her. If only she could crawl onto the dock. “Honey, try to shimmy up onto the wood.”

  Maggie struggled to raise herself, and with Nate’s help, she eventually collapsed onto the platform, gasping for air.

  “Now you, Nate.” She reached for his hand.

  “I… I’m okay in the water.” He could barely hold on to the side of the dock. His feet were being yanked under by the current, and he no longer had the energy to withstand the strong pull.

  So many things swirled through his head that he wanted to tell her about her dad and how she wasn’t to blame for his death. Hopefully, Colonel Rogers would reveal all that if she ever made it to safety.

  Then he mentally corrected himself. When she made it to safety. Please, Lord, make it happen.

  Nate’s face was white as death and blood seeped from the wound on his shoulder. Maggie tried to pull him onto the platform, but she lacked the strength to do so, and he was too exhausted to help.

  “You…you were right, Maggie, about your sister’s death. I should have listened to you from the beginning.”

  “Shh, Nate.” She put her finger to his lips. “Don’t waste your energy. It doesn’t matter now. At least I know Dani didn’t take her own life.”

  “You’re…you’re not to blame for your father’s death, either.” Nate’s eyes closed.

  She grabbed his good shoulder. “Help will be here soon. Don’t leave me, Nate.”

  The frigid temperature and loss of blood were sapping the life from him. She lowered herself into the water and cradled him in her arms.

  “God brought us together for a reason. I’m not going to let you go.” But as the sun began to set over the horizon and the temperature dipped even lower, Maggie began to fear that neither she nor Nate would live to see the dawn of a new day.

  NINETEEN

  Maggie had to remain strong. Nate was depending on her. The rain subsided, and the clouds parted bringing the last rays of the evening sun to shine down on them as if the Lord were touching them with His light.

  Maggie turned her face toward the sky, hoping to feel warmth from the setting sun. She didn’t feel anything except the cold wind, but she heard a sound that stirred her heart.

  Searching the sky, she saw a tiny pinpoint of black in the distance. The spot grew closer and brought with it the whomp, whomp, whomp of a helicopter flying overhead.

  “Nate!” She shook him and pointed to the heavens. “Look. They found us.”

  Despite the hypothermia that had settled over him, he smiled. Maggie waved her arm in the air. She felt a surge of elation when the chopper hovered above the water and dropped a harness down to them.

  Nate grabbed for the straps. “Fasten…these…around you,” he said through tight lips.

  Once the harness was securely around her chest, Maggie reached out for him. “Hold on to me, Nate. We’ll go up together.”

  “You’ll…you’ll never make it with me hanging on.” H
e raised his hand, signaling the crew in the craft. The harness started to rise, taking her from him.

  “No,” she screamed. Nate wouldn’t survive long enough for the crew to lower the harness again. “Grab my hand. We’ll do this together.”

  “I… I can’t.”

  “You saved me, Nate. Now let me save you.”

  She opened her arms.

  He reached for Maggie, and she pulled him close. He straddled the harness with her in it, and together they were lifted into the air.

  The crew pulled them into the chopper. Maggie collapsed onto the floor of the craft next to Nate. She reached for his cold hand and entwined her fingers through his.

  “We made it, Nate.” Looking into his lifeless eyes, Maggie realized the truth. They may have made it to safety, but it might not be in time for Nate.

  Maggie left her hospital room, in spite of the doctor’s orders to remain in bed. She had to see for herself.

  A team of specialists had been waiting when the chopper landed at the military hospital on post. Nate’s condition had been touch and go throughout the night. While in the O.R., he had received four units of blood, and although the wound on his shoulder had been stitched up, infection was the biggest concern. Round-the-clock IV antibiotics were working to stave off the virulent organisms that had spiked his temperature and threatened to shut down his major organs. Although Nate still wasn’t in the clear, the last report had been more favorable.

  Maggie was taking oral antibiotics and had been watched closely after a CAT scan revealed a severe concussion. Her vital signs were good, but not good enough to be walking around the hospital.

  Finding Nate’s room, she pushed through the door and stepped to his bedside. A wave of anxiety passed through her when she gazed down at his ashen face. Unable to keep her hands to herself, she reached out and touched his cheek, surprised to see his eyes flutter open.

  “Maggie.”

  She smiled, feeling her heart swell with emotion.