by S A Monk
She wondered if he missed having a family, a child of his own, a wife. He’d never married. As far as she knew, he’d never had any long term relationships. And while she was glad, she’d often wondered why.
She saw Christine studying him while he played with her baby girl. “I notice you’re wearing the Navy SEALs trident insignia on your shorts,” she mentioned. He had on the navy blue shorts Hanna had seen SEAL instructors wear on a Discovery channel program she’d watched once. His shirt was the drab olive green printed with the USMC lettering and the Marine Corps insignia.
“When I’m stationed at Coronado, I do a lot of combat diving and amphibious instruction for the Navy SEALs.”
“So what exactly is a Force Recon Marine? Are you special forces?” Christine asked as he tickled Katie’s tummy.
“We’re similar to the Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Airborne, and such, but we complement, rather than replace other special operational forces. Primarily we’re deep reconnaissance, but we engage in direct action missions, too, working independently out in the field. Traditionally, we provided a theater commander with a range of options that focus on intelligence for forward operations. I’m part of MARSOC now; Marine Special Operations Command. As a major, I ran several deep recon platoons. Sometimes I work with other agencies.”
Hanna knew the latter meant he and his teams did work occasionally for covert intelligence agencies and the DEA.
“What does it take to be a Force Recon Marine?” Christine asked.
“Time in the field. Recommendations from XO’s, and a pipeline of schools. Traditionally, a Marine goes through a lot of additional advanced training like combat diver, jump master, SERE, which is survival, evasion, resistance and escape training, and other special warfare schools; sometimes a language school. I’ve been through all of them, plus the Navy’s BUD/S program— just to see if it was any tougher than the BRC, the basic recon course the Corps put Force Recon recruits through. It wasn’t,” he laughed. “Depending on the training or the mission, when I’m home, I’m usually stationed at Camp Pendleton or the U.S. Naval Amphibious Base on Coronado Island in San Diego.”
“Nick doesn’t like to brag,” Hanna added. “But he’s one of the best diving instructors in the country. He tests a lot of the Navy’s new underwater diving equipment and submersibles. He also gives training classes in underwater demolition.”
Nick grinned at her. “And where did you hear all that?”
“From your mother and brother, and sometimes you even let out a little bit of information about yourself in your letters.”
Nick smiled at her as he played a silent game of peek-a-boo with the baby, who was giggling up a storm. After lifting Katie for a kiss on the cheek, he wrinkled his nose and then handed her back to her mother. “Think she’s smelling a little fragrant, Mom.”
Christine took the baby to the car to change, and Nick began a game of Uno with Christopher. They let Hanna play as well. When Christine returned, she rocked the baby to sleep in her infant carrier. The brief interruption had not stilled her curiosity.
“Dylan told me your dad was a war hero.” Christine didn’t know Nick very well. She’d been married to Dylan for two years, but she had never met Nick until yesterday. She’d heard a lot about him, though. She knew her husband had written regularly to him, and that Dylan had always admired him. The admiration and pride of his family and close friends had always intrigued her. “He was in the Vietnam War, right?”
Nick nodded yes. “He was given the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for saving the lives of two special operations teams.”
“Tell us ‘bout grandpa,” Christopher urged. Hanna knew Lance had told his son about Nick Kelly Sr. and his bravery. She also knew Christopher loved to hear the story as much as Lance and Nick had loved to hear it as boys.
Nick smiled at her, guessing what she was thinking. “In 1971 most of the troops were slowly pulling out of Vietnam. The SEALs and Force Recon units were leaving, too. It was a dangerous retreat because the North Vietnamese had gained control of much of the country. Grandpa’s Recon unit was working with a SEAL unit providing information about enemy troop movement, so American troops could withdraw more securely and safely. The two teams were being extracted from a hot zone when they got caught in a fierce firefight, a big gun battle,” he clarified for Christopher. “The choppers couldn’t land, so everyone had to climb ropes to reach them. In order to get everyone out, someone had to stay on the ground and keep the enemy from shooting all the men being extracted. Grandpa was in charge, so he decided it was his responsibility. Everyone got onboard the helicopters alive, although some of the soldiers were wounded. One helicopter flew away. The other one, the one with Grandpa’s Marines in it, waited for him and were shooting at the enemy from the air. While Grandpa Kelly was climbing up to the helicopter, he got shot. He hung on, and your Grandpa Sean pulled him inside. Grandpa Kelly was shot real bad, though. He died before they got him to base.
“I was a little younger than you, squirt, when they buried my father, your grandpa, in the big military cemetery in Washington D.C. It is a real honor to be buried there. The government gave your grandma a special flag and a special medal for bravery that grandpa had earned by saving all those lives. Your dad and I got some special things, too. Your grandma was real sad, though. So were your daddy and I. We missed our father, but we were real proud of what he’d done. He was a true hero.”
Hanna knew how proud Nick had been of his dad. He’d been eight when his father had died, old enough to remember. The tales Sean had told his stepsons afterward had made a lasting impression on the two young brothers, particularly Nick, who thereafter, had wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps. His father’s heroism, bravery, and self-sacrifice had guided Nick’s life. The impact of it had directed his decision to become an officer in the Marine Corps, like his father had been.
“Are you a hero, Uncle Nick?” Christopher asked with all the innocence of an adoring child.
“Naw, just a good Marine.”
“He is a hero, Christopher,” Hanna amended. “Your Uncle Nick has been awarded lots of medals for bravery, himself, including the Navy Cross which is one of the highest honors a man can receive. Maybe he will show that to you sometime. He’s saved the lives of many men he has served with and commanded.”
Christopher was staring up at his uncle with awe. “Tell a story ‘bout you, Uncle Nick,” he asked excitedly.
Obviously uncomfortable with the adulation, Nick was quiet for a long moment. With Hanna’s encouragement, he recalled an incident with one of his teams in Iraq, but while the story awed the ladies, it didn’t seem to impress his nephew too much because of all the political ramifications beyond his comprehension. Capturing well-known terrorists didn’t mean much to a ten-year-old who had no idea how important they had been.
He decided to tell him a few of the interesting things he got to do as a Recon Marine instead. “Well, I get to jump out of airplanes thousands of feet up in the air. We put on special masks and suits. Sometimes I fly like a bird for a long way before I use my parachute. It’s called HALO jumping. When we jump out of an airplane so far above the ground our enemies don’t know we are coming because they can’t see us on their radar.” Nick smiled as Christopher’s eyes rounded with wonder. “Sometimes I have to slide real fast out of helicopters on a long rope that drops us into the ocean or onto the ground. It’s called fast roping, and it’s very dangerous. But what I like best, is putting on all my very special diving gear and swimming underwater. The Navy also has little submarines that I get to use.”
“Cool!” Christopher liked that one best.
“Yeah, I get to play with lots of cool toys. That’s the fun part of my job.”
Christopher was thinking hard about something. “What are emees and terriers, Uncle Nick?”
It took Nick a second to figure that one out, then he chuckled. “They are bad guys.”
“You shoot emees and terriers with your gun?
”
“Its terrorists, not terriers, big guy,” Nick corrected gently, slowly enunciating each phoneme. “Terriers are dogs, and terrorists are really bad guys that kill a lot of innocent people. Sometimes I have to shoot them,” he explained solemnly and honestly. “But it’s an awful thing to shoot someone, Christopher.”
Because his uncle said it, the boy believed it. “Daddy says Antie Hanna is a hero. She saves hurt people.”
Nick looked at Hanna and saw her flush with embarrassment. “She is, Christopher. It’s very important to save people who are sick or hurt. It’s more important than what I do.” He saw how his praise surprised her and smiled softly at her. “Her mommy and daddy were heroes, too. They were doctors who helped people in parts of the world where there are terrible things like earthquakes and floods that kill lots of families. Like my father, they died trying to save people. You know they were Uncle Dylan’s parents, too. That’s why Dylan and Hanna went to live with Grandma Colleen and Grandpa Ben when they were little— because their mommy and daddy had died.”
“Is my daddy dead, Uncle Nick?”
That question hit them all in the gut. No one was sure what Christopher thought about his father’s disappearance, especially since he was delayed cognitively.
Nick pulled his nephew onto his lap and gave him a reassuring hug. “I don’t think so, Christopher. Your daddy and I have always been real close, and I’m pretty sure I’d know it if he was dead. I’m going to find your daddy and bring him home as soon as I can. I promise.”
The look of complete confidence the ten-year old gave his uncle was stunning. “Okay, Uncle Nick, but hurry up. I miss daddy.”
Nick kissed the top of his nephew’s head, closed his eyes for a second, and then opened them to find Hanna staring at him with silent tears swimming in her own. His own felt misty.
He regrouped, stroked her hand in comfort, then ruffled the little boy’s hair. “Let’s go find the playground equipment. I want to swing. How about you, squirt?”
Christopher jumped to his feet with childish exuberance.“Yeah, let’s go!” He turned to the two women. “Come on guys! Come on baby!”
Nick raced his nephew to the playground equipment in the distance, while Hanna, Christine, and Baby Katie followed at a more sedate pace.
“Boy, Hanna, Nick Kelly is one heck of a man!” Christine exclaimed with obvious admiration. “We’ve all turned to him to solve Dylan’s death and Lance’s disappearance, and he hasn’t even flinched. Most men would have said I’ll see what I can do. He just says I’ll do it. I’m really beginning to think he will, too. I mean, any man who can do what he does for a living has to be extraordinary. How has he remained single for so long?”
If Hanna didn’t know how much Christine had loved Dylan, she would have been jealous of the awe in her sister-in-law’s voice. “He’s married to the Marine Corps, and he’s never in one place long enough to meet a potential candidate for a wife.”
“How about you?”
“We’re just friends.”
“That was no just friends kiss I saw him give you.”
Hanna still didn’t know what to make of that intimacy, or the way he always seemed to be watching her lately. “I have no idea what that meant, Christine.”
“Well, Doctor, I have a feeling you’re going to find out over the next couple of weeks. My advice is, whatever it is, go with it. A man like Nick Kelly is a rare breed. God doesn’t make too many like him.” Then she smiled, a rarity itself lately. “Of course, there’s Dylan and Lance. Maybe God decided they needed to come in three’s once in the while. Lucky us.”
Hanna turned to her friend because she heard the sad regret in Christine’s voice. When she saw the unshed tears in the other woman’s eyes, she put her arms around her and hugged her tightly. “I’m so awfully sorry, Christine. God, I wish I could reverse time for both of us!”
Christine patted her back, comforting her in return. “I had three years of knowing and loving Dylan. He gave me a beautiful baby. It wasn’t enough, and yet I thank God I had that much. For Katie’s sake, I’m going to get through this.”
“You’re such a courageous lady, Christine.”
“It runs in this family, don’t you know.”
By the time, the women joined Nick, he was pushing Christopher high into the air on the swing. Hanna sat on the swing beside the little boy, and pushed off the ground. On the backward motion of the swing, Nick reached out to push her, too. His big long-fingered hands moved from her waist to her bottom as she got higher and higher. A shiver of delight swept through her every time he touched her bottom. With each push, his hands seemed to linger just a fraction of a second longer until she was sure he was doing it deliberately.
Laughing, she arched backwards in the swing and looked at Nick upside down. Somehow, he managed to plant a kiss on her forehead, and she wondered in delight if this time things were going to be different between them.
On the way to the car, at the end of their afternoon, they ran into the police chief, Phillip Douglas, and his family. Hanna didn’t often see Phillip with his wife and two children. She hadn’t realized that he was married to another one of Nick’s old girlfriends from high school, until she saw the old flame greet him with exaggerated enthusiasm.
Mandy Phillips was also an ex-cheerleader and prom queen. Funny how all those cute little cheerleaders in high school had names ending in “y”― Ashley, Mandy.
Apparently, Mandy hadn’t seen Nick the other times he’d been home. She acted obnoxiously pleased with how well he looked. She kept commenting on it, eyeing his big muscular frame like she wanted to touch. It irritated Hanna to no end. She saw that it also seemed to elicit a similar reaction from Phillip.
“Any word from your brother?” Phillip finally asked as if he didn’t know the family considered his disappearance foul play.
“You tell me. How’s the investigation going, Phillip? What have you learned about his disappearance?”
“We’re not looking at it as a missing person incident. Lance is old enough to take off on his own.”
Nick glanced at Christopher, and Hanna could tell he didn’t think this was the time or place to discuss the matter with the police chief. “I’ll be in to see you on Tuesday. around nine, after I take Hanna to work. I’ll want to talk to the sheriff and the coroner then, too. Let them know. Have your reports ready. I’ll want copies.”
Hanna saw Phillip Douglas’ eyes widen before he leveled a fierce scowl on Nick. “I’ll have to check to see who’s available.”
“Make them available.”
“Damn it, Kelly!” Phillip cussed in exasperation. “No wonder they made you a Colonel.”
“See you Tuesday at nine, Phillip,” Nick concluded. “Mandy, nice to see you again. Take care.”
“Nice seeing you, too, Nick. Maybe we’ll run into each other again.” The woman was practically drooling, and Hanna wanted to tell her to grow up so badly she nearly said it aloud.
After watching the police chief and his family depart, she walked side by side to the car with Nick. Christopher, Christine, and the baby were several feet ahead of them.
Hanna turned to look up at him. “You know you have an amazing way of directing people to do what you want.”
“Douglas hasn’t done what I want yet.” At the car, he opened the passenger door for her and gave her one of his sexy, crooked grins. Christopher, the baby, and Christine were already seated in the back seat.
Hanna slid inside the car and smiled up at him as he closed the door. “I have every confidence you’ll get more out of the three of them than we did.”
CHAPTER 6
ON WEDNESDAY, HANNA was in her office at the hospital, working on her backlogged paperwork, when the receptionist from downstairs called to tell her she had a visitor, a Colonel Nicholas Kelly. She wanted to know if it was okay to send him up to her third floor office. Hanna smiled. It certainly was, she told the woman.
She’d been buried in paperwork all mo
rning. She didn’t often get several hours in a row to work on it, but it had been quiet enough for her to get out of the Emergency Room, and she’d taken the opportunity. She wanted to be caught up before her vacation started. But she’d been thinking about taking a lunch break, and seeing Nick was always something she welcomed.
True to his promise, he’d brought her to work the last three mornings, and picked her up once she was off. And he’d driven Lance’s Jeep, so she didn’t have to make accommodations for coming to work on the back of a motorcycle, which being a doctor, she didn’t approve of anyway.
She was just shutting down her computer when Nick came through her open door. The sight of him filled her with delight. Little happy bubbles, as she secretly called them, churned in her stomach. Today he was wearing baby blue Levis that snugly fit his long muscular legs and another knit polo shirt, this time a pale gray. The color made his eyes look lighter, more silvery. His hair was tousled and wind-blown, and she just bet he’d come into town on his motorcycle. The smile he returned hers with was devastating.
“I’m going over to Seattle on the ferry this afternoon to see a friend of mine,” he announced as he came to stand in front of her cluttered desk. “I thought I’d drop by to see if you’d like to have lunch with me first.” He looked at all the paperwork still on her desk and his smile turned rueful. “Can I drag you away from all this?”
Hanna pushed her dark rimmed glasses back up onto her nose. “Absolutely. I was just thinking about going down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. Is it okay if we just go there?”
“Sure, if that’s what you’d like.”
She made a grimace of distaste. “It’s probably all I have time for, unfortunately. I’m trying to get caught up on my paperwork before I go on vacation.”
