Honor Among SEALs

by Dixie Lee Brown

  Jeremy nodded as though he’d followed MacGyver’s stream of thought. “Yeah. He knows who she is, and he’s betting Anna will come out of hiding to save her sister. That’s why I’m here. I’m trying to keep both of them alive, but, make no mistake—if it comes down to choosing one over the other, I’ll protect my witness.”

  MacGyver tamped down hard on the anger that coursed through him, because, strangely, he understood where the man was coming from. “How long have you been in love with her?”

  Unblinking, Jeremy stared back. “I could ask you the same question.”

  Travis darted a glance toward MacGyver, but he continued to stare at Jeremy. The question hadn’t surprised him. It was more like a gut-wrenching shock to his system. The words to deny the implication were swept away by remembered images of Kellie, shooting tequila, eating chili, while talking in the light of an open microwave, and her beneath him, lost in the responses of her body to his. Was he in love with her? He wasn’t even sure he knew what love meant anymore. Love equals commitment equals risk. A risk he wasn’t willing to take again. But he also wasn’t willing to stick Kellie with the short straw should the marshal decide to forfeit her life.

  “We understand each other then, right?”

  “We do,” Jeremy replied just as Kellie stuck her head through the doorway.

  “Coffee anyone? I made a fresh pot.”

  “Hell yeah.” Travis tossed out the dregs of his previous cup and followed the marshal inside, while MacGyver brought up the rear.

  Kellie handed him a full cup just as Charlie clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks for what you did for my little girl last night, MacGyver.”

  He choked on the first swallow of the hot liquid. Charlie was thanking him? What the hell had Kellie told him?

  “She doesn’t sleep well since she came home from Baghdad. You on watch while she slept was a godsend, Son.”

  The next swallow of coffee burned the shit out of his mouth, but he managed to smile. “Sure thing, Charlie. It was my pleasure.” Oh hell. He’d rather face the old man fighting mad than maneuver through a mine field of deception. MacGyver glanced toward Kellie, and her shit-eating grin made him sputter a laugh as he turned quickly away from her stepdad.

  They all took seats around the table, MacGyver sitting across from Kellie. Chip, his tail wagging in time with his steps, dropped to the floor between Charlie and his stepdaughter. As MacGyver looked around the room, he settled on Travis. “Where’s Blake?”

  “He called the airport last night, and they said he was good to go. Charlie offered his car, but Blake called a cab. Said to tell you thanks for the excitement in his otherwise boring life.”

  That sounded exactly like something Blake would say, and MacGyver couldn’t help smiling as he glanced at Kellie for her reaction.

  Apparently not paying their exchange any attention, she concentrated on her coffee for a moment before turning her head to face Jeremy. “Where is Anna? Is she all right?” Kellie reached for Charlie’s hand. “When can we see her?”

  Jeremy got that deer-in-the-headlights look, and MacGyver had a pretty good idea what was coming.

  “Anna is doing well. She’s worried about you, but she’s safe and healthy.” The marshal hesitated for a beat. “She’s in the witness protection program. Do you understand what that entails?” He was obviously treading lightly.

  “Of course. You’ve given her another identity and moved her across the country—somewhere Tony can’t find her.”

  “Right…but that’s not all. She had to give up everyone and everything she knew before. She couldn’t contact you or Charlie without putting you both in danger and, possibly, allowing the information about her location to fall into the wrong hands. The investigation into Tony Palazzi is ongoing and, believe me, he’d do anything to stop the source responsible for a good deal of our intelligence.”

  “What are you saying?”

  MacGyver leaned forward. “He can’t take you to her, Kellie, or even tell you where she is. If he did, he’d be putting you and Anna in danger. Palazzi would torture you for that information if he got the chance.”

  Kellie’s chair scraped across the floor as she stood abruptly. “He doesn’t know Anna is my sister. I made sure—”

  “Doesn’t he? Kellie, even Travis and I knew you were related to the girl in the picture you carry in your purse.”

  Denial registered on her expressive face, quickly turning to defeat. “It was all for nothing then?” She glanced to Charlie, disbelief marked by the tilt of her head. “We’re this close and still we can’t go to her? Maybe not ever?” Misery filled her eyes, and she looked toward MacGyver as though pleading for him to change the circumstances.

  If only he could. He caught the marshal’s attention with a glance. “Does the congressman have a secure line available? I assume the one you carry is.”

  Jeremy reached inside his jacket and laid his cell phone on the table. “I know it’s not what you were hoping for, but I can arrange for Anna to call. It’s the best I can do for the time being.” He looked back and forth between Charlie and Kellie’s back as she walked away.

  Charlie sighed. “We’ll take what we can get for now. Thank you, Marshal.” He shoved his chair back and rose. “I’ll go talk to her. She’s not trying to be unreasonable. She’s just disappointed. We both are.”

  Chip pushed to his feet and followed Charlie out the door to the porch.

  Jeremy palmed his phone, stood and punched in a number as he walked from the room.

  What a cluster and there wasn’t a damned thing MacGyver could do. He scraped his hand down his roughened face, then noticed his friend watching him, an I-told-you-so-grin in full view. “Don’t start with your shit, Travis.” Apparently, MacGyver’s warning came with just enough frustration to make Travis think twice. Good. MacGyver didn’t need Travis’s questions on top of his own jumbled thoughts. Just some fucking peace and quiet.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Kellie paced the length of the kitchen and stopped long enough to rake her hand through her hair before reversing directions. She’d lost count of how many times she’d glanced at the marshal’s phone in the past thirty minutes. Jeremy had made arrangements for Anna to call him at four thirty. It was now four thirty-five, and the damn thing refused to ring.

  Pop and Jeremy were playing cards at the table, both of them completely oblivious to her anxiety. The phone lay, dark and unresponsive, next to the marshal’s discards. MacGyver and Travis had each grabbed a beer and headed to the back deck to enjoy the last of the sunshine. It’d been a gorgeous day, but storm clouds were gathering again.

  Suddenly, the phone came to life, the screen lit up and it vibrated against the wooden tabletop. Jeremy grabbed the device and raised it to his ear. “Anna, are you calling from a secure line?…Good. I’m fine. I told you not to worry about me…Listen, I’ve got a couple people here who are anxious to speak with you. One of them is almost as impatient as you. You’d think you were related or something.”

  A high-pitched squeal sounded through the phone, and Jeremy yanked it away from his ear until the noise died away. Kellie would have recognized her sister’s excited scream anywhere, and she laughed with relief. Anna was really all right.

  “Great, Anna. Now I’m deaf.” The marshal’s voice said he was teasing, and his laughter sounded almost intimate. Or was Kellie imagining there was more to their relationship than witness and protector?

  “Okay, okay. I’ll let you talk to them, but remember, not a word about where you are.” Jeremy placed the device on the table, turned to Kellie and mouthed ten minutes as he hit the speaker button.

  “Oh my God! Kellie? Charlie? I didn’t think I’d ever talk to you again.” Her voice breaking, Anna quieted.

  Kellie strode to the table and sank into the chair the marshal vacated as he headed outside to join MacGyver and Travis. She tried
to speak but had to clear her throat of the huge lump that had formed at hearing her sister’s voice. “Anna, how are you? I’ve missed you.”

  “Is it really you, sweetheart?” Pop’s eyes weren’t dry either.

  “It’s really me. I’m so sorry for what I’ve put you through. I hated leaving like that, but Jeremy said it was the only way to keep all of us safe. It worked too, until you decided to try to find me. You’re crazy, Kellie, but I love you so much.”

  Kellie couldn’t stop the tears that ran down her face, and, for once, she didn’t try to hide them. “It seemed like a good idea at the time, but thanks for sending in the cavalry.”

  Chip stood at Pop’s elbow, his head cocked to the side, tail wagging. Suddenly, he barked once, sharp and loud.

  “Is that Chip? Hey, boy! I’ve missed you too.”

  They all laughed, and Pop scratched the dog’s ears with an affectionate smile.

  Safe topics of conversation—those that wouldn’t give away Anna’s whereabouts—were harder to find than Kellie had imagined. She wanted to know everything about her sister’s life. Where she worked. Had she finished college like Kellie had encouraged so many times? Did she have friends who cared about her? In the end, it was enough to simply hear her voice, filled with joy and life. Kellie’s ten minutes were almost up, and who knew if she’d ever get another chance to talk to her?

  “Are you happy, Anna?” As the words left her mouth, the screen door banged shut behind her, and Jeremy strode toward them.

  “I am now,” Anna said.

  “It’s time.” Jeremy spoke into the momentary silence, and Kellie’s world came crashing down around her.

  No. It wasn’t enough time. It was so unfair to have finally found Anna, only to have the dream jerked out from under her. The need to fight for more time filled her to bursting, but she wouldn’t do that to Anna—leave her with sadness as though their conversation had meant nothing.

  Pop evidently noticed her plight and reached across the table to squeeze her hand. “Anna, we have to say good-bye now, but I refuse to believe it’s forever. We’ll be together some day, you mark my words. And if Marshal Dahl doesn’t take good care of you…well, you remember how to get home.” A faint smile played around Pop’s mouth, but clearly he was serious.

  “Charlie, you’re going to make me cry again.” A long pause stretched, and Kellie struggled to hide emotions that wouldn’t help the situation. “Thank you for being my dad—our dad. Nobody could have done it better.”

  “The marshal and I are going to give you and Kellie a minute. Come on, Jeremy. Grab us a couple beers.” Pop motioned for Chip to stay and patted Kellie’s hand before he followed Jeremy outside.

  “I like your marshal, Anna, even though we sort of got off to a rough start. I can see he cares about you, but if you ever need me, all you have to do is call. I’ll be there.” Kellie laid her hand on the phone’s edge, feeling her connection to her sister coming to an end.

  “I know. You’ve always been there for me, even when I was too bullheaded to listen. I’m sorry I got us into this mess, Kellie.”

  “Aw, sweetie. It wasn’t your fault.”

  The screen door banged again.

  Kellie’s shoulders slumped. “Listen, I have to go. I love you, Sis, but I’m not going to say good-bye. I’ll talk to you soon. Okay?”

  There was a pause before Anna replied. “I’m not going to say good-bye, either.”

  Kellie tensed as the beep sounded to signal Anna had ended the call.

  A warm hand settled on the back of her neck. “Are you okay?” MacGyver’s voice hadn’t been the one she’d expected.

  She stood on shaky legs, not looking at him. “I’m fine. I just…I need to be alone for a while.” Without waiting for a reply, she strode down the hallway toward the bedroom that had always been hers and Anna’s.

  Chip slipped in right before she closed the door.

  * * * *

  A light tapping brought her from a deep sleep. She tried to roll over, only to find Chip was curled at her back, and he apparently wasn’t into moving. Damn. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep. It was pitch black outside her window and, judging by the light show in the distance to the north, the storm she’d predicted earlier was still on track.

  The tapping came again, and Chip gave a low woof. Her visitor apparently wasn’t going away, whether she was ready to face anyone or not.

  “Who is it?” Kellie switched on the bedside lamp and attempted to straighten her clothes as she scooted back to the pillows that lined the headboard.

  “It’s MacGyver. May I come in?”

  “If I said no, would it do any good?” She tried to sound grumpy, but it was unlikely she’d succeeded, considering the giddy pleasure his deep voice had sent tap dancing up her spine. Jeez, get over it already. She’d asked him to put the events of last night behind him. How could she expect him to comply if she couldn’t keep her mind from replaying the highlights?

  He didn’t answer—just turned the knob and pushed the door open. “I come bearing food, and you’ll have to be nice to me if you want any.” A grin riding his lips, he approached the bed, holding a tray aloft.

  Kellie was just about to tell him she wasn’t hungry when she caught a whiff of sausage and pepperoni. “Oh my God! Is that pizza?”

  “Yep. I owe you dinner, remember? Since it was my turn to cook, I did what any self-respecting Navy man would do—sent Travis to pick up pizza.” He deposited the tray on her lap and sat on the edge of the bed. “Charlie said it was your favorite.”

  “Thank you. That’s so sweet.” She grabbed one of the three pieces on the plate and took a big bite, enjoying the flavors that burst on her tongue. A sausage bit rolled off the slice and landed on the plate. Kellie picked it up and held it out to Chip, who slurped it into his mouth as his tail beat a drum solo on the bed.

  Kellie closed her eyes and savored another bite. “Oh God! If we weren’t over, I’d kiss you right now!”

  “Yeah, about that.” MacGyver grabbed her hand as she was about to take another bite and leaned toward her. “Your sister was your priority, and I totally agree, but now all you have to do is contact Marshal Dahl when you want to talk to her.”

  “Do you really think he’d go along?”

  “I think he’d be crazy to get between you and Anna.”

  Kellie pulled her hand from his grip and shoved another bite into her mouth, chewing as the prospect whirled in her brain. “Talking to her was beyond amazing, and I’m really grateful, but I want to see her, hug her and be together as a family again. Is that too much to ask?” Of course it was, but she was selfish enough to want it anyway.

  “I want that for you and Charlie too, but you’ll have to be patient.”

  Kellie scoffed. “Patient? What the hell is that?”

  “Don’t tell me they didn’t teach patience in the Marine Corps.” MacGyver slid closer until he was leaning against the pillows beside her, his legs stretched alongside hers.

  “Believe me, they tried. I was a hard case.”

  MacGyver laughed. “Really? Tell me something I don’t already know.”

  She jabbed him with her elbow as she studied the last slice of pizza.

  He grunted and held his side. “So…what do you think about reconsidering our friendship?”

  Her head turned, and she looked at him. “Is that what you call it—friendship?” So that was where he was headed with all the talk about finding Anna. She should have guessed.

  “We’re friends, no matter what happens, but we should think about being friends with benefits.” He cocked his head toward her, and the blue of his eyes darkened.

  “Friends with benefits, huh? For how long?” Interesting proposition, but she was sure to get attached and have her heart broken. Would it be worth it?

  “As long as you want. Until you find so
meone you’re serious about.”

  Was he kidding? “Until I find someone? Meaning you won’t?”

  An emotion she couldn’t recognize escaped his mask for a moment. “I’m not looking for a long-term relationship.”

  “Just benefits?”

  He grimaced. “Sounds crude when you say it like that, but yeah.”

  Kellie regarded him for a moment. “Who was she?”

  “What?”

  “The girl that turned you off relationships. What was her name?”

  He squirmed and rubbed the back of his neck. Clearly, the topic made him uncomfortable. “Shelby. We were engaged.”

  “What happened?” She’d seen that name someplace. Where was it? Oh yeah—MacGyver’s cell phone. Her name was above Travis’s. That made her number one. Did that mean MacGyver still loved her?

  “She wasn’t happy with my choice to become a SEAL. A short hitch to serve my country was okay but making a career of it or getting too close to the bombs that were sending men home in pieces—not so much.” MacGyver’s brow furrowed as he spoke. “The irony was I’d made the decision to come home and stay. I was standing on American soil when her letter finally found me. She married someone else, someone that would be there for her twenty-four/seven.” He shrugged, obviously embarrassed by the emotions that resurfaced with her memory.

  Kellie laid her hand on his forearm. “I’m sorry. That’s tough. You still love her, though?”

  MacGyver looked at her as though she’d spoken in a strange language. “No. Hell no. Why would you think that?”

  “She’s your number one favorite on your phone. I just assumed.” What else was she supposed to think? Was he stalking her?

  “A reminder that forever is only in fairy tales and relationships aren’t worth the heartache they’ll eventually bring.”

  Wow! He was serious. “So…friends, huh?”

  MacGyver brightened. “I’m telling you, friends with benefits is the way to go.”

  Kellie smiled, though his explanation made her strangely sad. “You probably don’t want to hear this, but you need to let go of your bitterness. Seriously. Every relationship has a different ending. Yeah, yours sucked but, if you weigh every woman on the same scale Shelby broke, you’re going to miss out on something with substance, MacGyver.”