“What’s going on?” Renner asked his boss as Tara closed the door behind them. “Did you know?” You son of a bitch!
Alex didn’t look any happier than Renner felt. He shook his head from where he sat with his arm around Kelsey, across the room on the stone ledge in front of his fireplace. Both dressed casually in jeans and matching gray sweaters, they looked steadily at the McCormacks.
Quite a few TEAM agents were also there, all with their wives at their sides, all dressed casually with a cup of steaming something in their hands. All somber as hell. Zack and Mei Lennox. Mark and Libby Houston. Harley and Judy Mortimer. Gabe and Shelby Cartwright. Taylor and Gracie Armstrong. Adam and Shannon Torrey. Beau and McKenna Villanueva. Maverick and China Carson. Others.
The TEAM members who’d been on overseas operations had been recalled, just like Alex did the last time Montego came to town. Seth and Beck were noticeably missing, as were Connor and Hunter. Rory, Lee, Eric, and Jake, too.
“What’s going on…” Jed stepped forward and grabbed Renner’s hand, “…is you, young man.”
“But I thought…” Renner didn’t know what to say. “I thought you were losing your mind or that you’d already lost it. Sir.” He meant to say, ‘Sir, you crazy son of a bitch.’
Alex huffed like he might be as pissed at Jed and Lois as Renner was. Harley outright laughed, but it came out stilted and off-key. But Jed grinned and exclaimed, “Good! That means I fooled you, too. It was easy fooling the press, but you guys were something else. I really had to polish my acting skills to pull this one off. But remember when we all thought Alex had been killed? Well, we thought if the president could pull something like that off, then, well, so could we.”
Silence answered his less than enthusiastic explanation, but Kelsey topped it off when she said quietly, in her no-nonsense voice, “Lexie, climb off Uncle Renner and go play upstairs with your cousins. Hurry, sweetheart. Daddy and I want to talk with your uncles and aunts.”
Lexie’s cousins were the agents’ children. Her aunts and uncles were the somber faced agents and wives. Once Renner set Lexie to the floor, she scurried off, still squealing, “Surprise! Surprise!” blissfully unaware of the storm clouds gathering behind her sweet little derriere.
“Good?” Renner asked McCormack once Lexie was gone, his temper rising. “Excuse my French, sir, but what part of this… this cover-up, is good? I carried your damned coffin that day,” he told Lois pointedly, “and I felt like shit doing it.” He didn’t mean for his voice to shift from curious to pissed off to accusing as quickly as it did, but… Fuck! Who fakes their death, then expects everyone who loved them to just forgive and forget? “You must have no idea what you meant—mean—to us. Losing you was like losing my dad all over again.”
Renner could still remember the day they’d buried Lois, because it reminded him of what he’d missed by not being at his mom’s side when she’d needed him most, of not being one of those chosen to carry his dad’s coffin. Of trying to act tough and manly in front of his USMC brothers while his heart broke. But making the tough decision to stay on task on that special operations mission in Pakistan, was something he knew Cody Graves would have surely done. So he’d missed his dad’s funeral. He hadn’t missed a day of that incredible man’s life, and that was what counted. All those living years…
Lois came to him quickly and cupped his jaw, her eyes misty as she peered up at him. “I’m so sorry for hurting you, Renner, and for hurting everyone else, too. But we had to lure that beastly woman back into America. She had to be stopped once and for all time. It was the only way we could think to get her here. Can you ever forgive me?”
Damn, he wanted to cry. “Forgive you for what? For being alive?” God, this was so fucked up! He swiped a quick finger under his nose. “There’s nothing to forgive, ma’am, but—fuck!” And now he was cursing a woman. “All. This. Time…” He set his jaw, not going to fall apart with his teammates watching.
Jed stepped up into him then, blocking everyone but Alex’s and Kelsey’s views. “We had to get that conniving woman back into America, Renner,” he told him with deliberate firmness. “She was killing us, too. Please understand. Lois and I knew she was greedy. We had to make her believe she could actually weasel her way into McCormack Industries, that she could get her hands on my name and fortune. And to do that, we had to make her believe Lois was dead.”
“But I saw you…” Renner said accusingly. Plaintively. God, he wanted to hit something! Jed would do. “You looked like you enjoyed her company, sir. And she wore your wife’s jewelry. Those diamonds. You gave them to her.” Renner glanced at Lois, wondering if she knew what else Jed had given Montego.
“That was my idea,” Lois explained evenly, her chin up and so very much like Tara that Renner had to wipe his eyes to see clearly. “I told Jed to give that bitch anything she wanted, well, except for him. She couldn’t have him. Not really. He just had to make her think she could.”
Jed had the grace to blush as he dipped into his jacket pocket and pulled out a plastic bag of Tattle Tales. “Trust me,” he said as he handed them to Renner. “What you think you saw, Agent Graves, was precisely what Lois and I needed you to see.”
“But she was… all over you.” You lying rat bastard.
Jed nodded. “Yes, but that, unfortunately, had to be part of the plan. I needed her to believe I was growing more and more senile, that I was losing my mind. Wasn’t really that, excuse the double entendre, hard, if you know what I mean. Us old guys don’t exactly have what it takes to party all night anymore.”
“That was my idea, too,” Lois interjected as if her saying that made everything better. “I saw what that woman did the last time she was here, and every time, all I could see was her hurting my Brady. No mother should have to live through what Montego...” Lois made a distasteful face, her lips pinched and her nose twisted as if she couldn’t bear to say the woman’s name, “…did to those poor boys.”
“No, they shouldn’t,” Kelsey murmured, “but you could’ve taken us into your confidence, Lois. I mean, we are family. You should’ve trusted us.”
“We do trust you,” Jed said, “but if you recall, Alex went through this very same ordeal during President Tom Adams’ first term. Tom needed everyone to think Alex was dead and—”
“You think I’ve forgotten that?” Kelsey snapped, her fingernails digging into Alex’s knee. “God, I still have nightmares!”
Alex visibly cringed at the true anguish echoing in his wife’s voice at the betrayal that had struck everyone. But Jed and Lois had betrayed the whole nation. The press would have a field day with this stunt, just like they did years ago when President Adams had tasked the FBI to make it look like Alex had been murdered. In the process of working that involuntary yet crucial presidential covert operation, Alex had outed the true betrayer, Vice President Winston. He’d been the money-man behind the home-grown terrorist organization, Chaos Now. They’d planned to unleash a dirty bomb in the District while, at the same time, they’d planned to assassinate President Thomas Beauregard Adams.
But the emotional cost had been especially hard on Kelsey. Renner knew the stories. Not only had she completely believed that her husband had been murdered—the FBI had actually done an exceptional job faking his death—she’d been targeted and nearly killed. Unbeknownst to everyone, including Alex, she’d also been pregnant with Lexie, which made forgiving the FBI impossible for Alex. Even now, he moved his arm protectively around her shoulders, tipping her into his side, his eyes gone icy and cold as he stared Jed—his friend—down.
Lois turned to face Kelsey, a tear glistening in the corner of her eye. “Oh, honey, believe me, we wanted to tell at least you kids. But we saw how this evil woman worked and how hard you took every death, Alex. Jed’s been worried for months about his good friends. In the end, right before I ‘died,’ we decided we couldn’t take the chance that she’d lash out at you more than she already had. She’d already str
uck at Alex through Beau. All it would’ve taken was for one word of our deceit to get out, and, well, you know how wildfires start in the District.”
Alex didn’t say a word.
Jed drew in a deep breath. “Which is why I needed to meet with each of you here today. I betrayed your trust, and I’m truly sorry. There’s no way to compensate you for what Lois and I did, and I would never insult you by throwing money at you. Tomorrow morning, I’ll pay for my sins on national television. I plan to re-introduce Lois at the award ceremony, and explain why we did what we did. But I need you good men and women to forgive me first, because you are my family, my sons and daughters.”
Tears leaked out of the corners of his eyes, but Jed brushed them briskly away. “To be honest, you kids are why we do what we do at McCormack Industries. I’d give my right hand to have Brady back, but…” Jed clutched Renner’s bicep then, as if holding on for dear life. “…but I’ve got you, son. You and your brothers and sisters in arms. Please, please forgive me.”
“Forgive me, too,” Lois said, her eyes bright with uncertainty, both hands on Renner’s wrist.
He couldn’t have gotten away from them if he’d tried. Which he didn’t. She seemed to need this motherly contact, and for a second there, he thought he saw Brady in her gentle features. Renner hadn’t personally known the guy, but every jarhead knew the story behind Brady McCormack’s unlikely rescue and the man sitting calmly across the room with his arm around Kelsey. Alex was the one who’d saved Brady’s life. Just like he’d saved President Adams’ life…
Well, shit. Renner didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at these two old people. He still felt stupid and used. Angry. But it made sense now, how Jed had come unglued when he’d first thought Lois’s headstone was vandalized, then how quickly he’d calmed once Montego started her slut routine. Renner chewed the inside of his cheek. Jed had kept his distance from Montego, appearing with her in public, but not going home until late. Not spending every minute of his days with her, which most infatuated males would have if they’d truly been in lust or love.
How he’d seemed to fluctuate between savvy, intelligent businessman and doddering old fool. And diamonds were just rocks, as far as Renner was concerned. Jed could well afford to toss all those expensive gifts he’d given Lois over the years out the window and buy her bigger and better.
“You screaming about her headstone was just an act?” Man, that had looked so real.
McCormack nodded. “I almost gave myself away that night. Wasn’t sure I fooled her or not.”
“You fooled me,” Renner admitted. But still… “I don’t want your award. Keep it.” Shove it.
“It’s not my award, Agent Graves,” Jed replied, a stern note in his voice. “It’s a Congressional Special Award, a one-time thing created especially for you. The whole nation has been watching this mess with Montego, aka LuAnn. Like you, most of them believed I’d lost my mind until they saw that final news report. Honest to God, she had the press eating out of her hand, didn’t she?”
He ran his fingers over his thinning silver hair, fingers that Renner realized were bent with arthritis and age. “But Americans are not as stupid as the press thinks, and neither were you, Renner. You saw through Montego from the start, and you’re the one who tracked her down. You’ve dogged her since that day in Arlington. You’re the one who led your team into her den, and you’re the one who—”
Renner’s palms came up. “Stop. No, sir, it wasn’t me. It was Tom and his men. He knew where she was, and he’s the one who—”
“Tom told us everything you did for him and his men,” Jed said quietly. “He’s not as crazy as you think. He knows he and his men are probably on their way to an institution for the criminally insane. They need serious help. He admits that, but he said if not for you, they would’ve gone down fighting that night. Suicide by police, that was how they’d planned it, to go out in a hail of gunfire, blood, and grit. But whatever you told them there at the end, well, you made them think, and you made them believe. Tom said you turned them into men again.”
“I’m no hero,” Renner ground out, fighting his tears. Goddamnit!
“Yes, you are,” Lois said sweetly as she slipped past his defenses and wrapped her arms around his chest, pulling him against her in a smothering motherly hug. “You’re just like my Brady, Renner. You are your father’s son. Believe me. Cody’s looking down from heaven right now, and he’s so proud of you.”
Well, damn. That didn’t help, bringing up his dad like that. Nestling under his chin like his own mother would if she’d been here. Her holding onto him while The TEAM watched, blinked, and sniffled. Renner was fighting a losing battle. He swallowed his pain down where it belonged, in his heart.
Lois stepped back, one hand still on his arm, while tiny sparkles filled the corners of his eyes thinking about the horrific battles each of Montego’s victims had ahead of them. At the godawful cost of war in general, both abroad and at home. At the downright wickedness of evil people like Montego and the bastard who’d killed his dad just because he was pissed at the president. None of it made sense, but evil never did. It just was.
Renner felt Tara’s fingers then, twining into his. Holding onto him. Holding him up. He tugged her into his side, needing the warmth of her body. Her courage. Her incredible heart. She settled against his hip like she belonged there, and by hell, she did. With her, he could do anything. Even forgive...
“Think of it this way,” Alex said from across the room. “You’re not accepting this award because you’re the hero of the day, Renner. You’re accepting it on behalf of men like Tom and his men who will never be recognized for all they endured. For the survivors Montego left in her wake and all the bodies we still haven’t found. For the names of victims that we may never know. Because they were and are heroes. You’d march into hell for your brothers, wouldn’t you?”
Stupid question. Renner had already done that. He nodded, not sure he could answer without his voice cracking.
“Then be that guy,” Alex said, his voice steel. “Man up and stand tall and give them something to be proud of again. Don’t let anyone forget them.”
Well, shit, shit, shit.
“Here, here,” Harley interjected somberly from where he sat with his arm around Judy. His hazel eyes were bright with tears, and he was doing all the sniffling. Poor tender-hearted Harley. “Proud to know you, Renner Graves. But then, I already was damned proud to call you my friend.”
“Me, too,” Judy said sweetly, her green eyes glistening as bright as her tender-hearted husband’s. She’d leaned her head against Harley’s shoulder. God, what a pair.
“I second the motion,” Mark added, then murmured, “Junior agent,” very clearly, letting Renner know he might’ve stepped out of line once or twice the past couple days. He and his blonde wife Libby were every bit the powerhouse couple Harley and Judy were. Like Alex and Kelsey. Hell, like every couple in this over-sized living room. They all had what Renner wanted.
The fight shuddered out of him. He squeezed Tara tight, afraid to look down at her, afraid what he’d see in her pretty eyes. But so thankful she was at his side.
“This has been one helluva tough mission, people,” Alex added, “but it’s over. Take the next two weeks off. I don’t want to see any of you until January.”
“Yeah, tough,” was all Renner could make his mouth say as he acknowledged his boss.
Alex and Kelsey looked good together. They looked happy, him with his arm around her, her with her hand on his knee. Like they loved each other. Like Renner’s dad and mom used to look before—
Damn, he needed a drink.
“You’re telling me,” dark-haired Beau Villanueva growled from the loveseat where he sat with McKenna, their baby girl, Essie, asleep on his lap. “I’d give my right arm if none of this ever happened. But hey…” He raised his left hand, then wiggled his brows and all five working fingers. A big shitty grin consumed his ugly face. “
I damned near did.”
That broke the tension. A couple people chuckled, but Renner wanted to cry. He didn’t have what Alex and Kelsey, Beau and McKenna, or most of these agents had. At the end of this day, it was quite possible that he’d still go home alone. That Tara meant what she’d said. And he understood, he did. She needed time to heal.
“Trust me, this week will be hard for me and Jed, too,” Lois told him, her eyes bright and sad at the same time. “I still have to tell my daughter-in-law I’m alive, only now Melissa’s married that awful Tucker Chase fellow, and he’s FBI, and he’ll probably have us thrown in jail for the rest of our lives.”
“You’re already dead,” Harley deadpanned, his eyes bright with Mortimer mischief. “He can’t put you in FBI jail, ma’am.”
That brought a hearty round of chuckles, until Alex intoned, “Tucker’s not so bad.” Uncommon praise for a former SEAL who still believed everyone else wanted to be him.
“So, you’re not losing your faculties?” Renner asked Jed, needing to look into the man’s bright eyes to be sure. “You’re not senile or tetched or…?” He tapped his forehead.
“No, son, no, I most certainly am not tetched.” Jed claimed Lois’s hand, grinning like the man he’d been before anyone had ever heard of the twisted Montego dynasty. “In fact, I’m on my way to Congress Monday morning. I’m going to propose they let me pay back what they spent when Lois’s funeral shut down Washington, DC. Do you think they’re smart enough to do that?”
“No, sir,” Renner said tightly. Damn, even Jed had Lois to go home to now.
Jed cocked his head, his eyes suddenly teary and tender. “But can you ever forgive me, son? This lie has been especially hard on you. I know that, and I’m sorry I avoided you these past few weeks. But having to go home to my penthouse, knowing she’d be there, pawing at me and, umm, other things…” He shivered. “I’ll never be able to repay you for what you did for me and my wife. For America.”
Renner (In the Company of Snipers Book 19) Page 33
