The Achilles Heel (33 page)
Authors: Karyn Rae
“Well, up until the last eight months, I had a good woman waiting for me at home,
who made my life seem unbelievably normal, and now, that’s gone too. All by my choice,
but gone just the same,” he answered.
I turned to face him with my hands swinging wildly. “Then why did you? Why did you
leave me? Why did you run out on our marriage—run out on us?” I didn’t wait for
an answer because fury consumed my every thought, my every movement. “If you’re waiting
for me to tell you all is forgiven and everything is okay, then you’ll be standing
here awhile, because it isn’t and it’s not,” I scorned, really twisting the knife,
trying my best to punish him.
“I had to leave! My handler discovered I’m on their radar, and if they are willing
to kill innocent people—their people—then killing you wouldn’t put a dent in their
conscience. Believe me, Andrea, I understand that more than you’ll ever know. You
see, when I was at the airport waiting for my flight home, the breaking news came
over the television with the footage of dead children’s body parts littered around
that school; he blew it up anyway. Savage bombed that school to cover our theft of
the diamonds and then sold his story to the President under the premise that the terrorists
struck first. Not to mention, those kids would eventually grow up, embrace their hatred,
and kill Americans.”
“Oh!” I gasped. “Oh, God, no! I’m sorry, Jack, so sorry for what you went through.
I can’t imagine how it felt seeing all those dead bodies, and I can’t believe you’ve
kept this inside all this time, but that has nothing to do with me. I just don’t really
know what to say.”
“Say you’ll come with me! We can start over, go anywhere in the world you want to
go; it will be another adventure for you, for us, together!” he coaxed and by the
sound in his voice, he actually thought I’d say yes.
I won’t lie—for a second I might have said yes, but Kessler’s face was all I could
see, all I wanted to see.
“I have started over, Jack. I’m already on that next big adventure you’re talking
about. Of anywhere in the world I’d want to be, I choose Nashville; it’s not the city
for everyone, but it’s the right one for me,” I told him. “There’s no going back for
me; I’d never be able to trust you. Although, I meant every word I said at your grave
site. Thank you for the money. Thank you for the ability to change lives, because
that’s exactly what I plan on doing.”
“I knew you would, and that’s why I left them to you; something good must come out
of this horrible situation. Please think carefully about whom you give them to, and
spread them around the country if you can. I love you, Andrea; I always have. To say
I’m sorry doesn’t begin to explain how I feel, but I am so very sorry. Are you sure
you won’t change your mind?” he asked one last time.
“I love him, Jack, and it’s your fault that I do.”
“I know, and I’ll never forgive myself. Please don’t say no, just tell me you’ll think
about me, about us,” he asked, as he put his hand on my hip.
“Maybe, but I’m not promising you anything, Jack.”
The corners of his lips wrinkled with a smile, and his eyes brightened with my response.
“Thank you. Maybe is good enough for me,” he said.
“How do I get in touch with you?” I asked as we approached my car.
“You don’t. I’ll find you, but first, I’m going to start making some of my wrongs
right,” he said.
I kissed him, knowing I shouldn’t but doing it anyway.
“Where are you going now?” I asked as I opened my door.
He stood silent for a moment, looking up and down the long and narrow road which circled
around the cemetery as if he was waiting for someone or something. A black Lincoln
Town Car slowly made its way around the corner and up the hill, stopping next to Jack.
As he opened the door I saw the driver, her unmistakable red wasps’ nest hair, and
Jack said, “I’m going after the Vice President, and I’m going to destroy him. He needs
to suffer a public death first before an actual one, and admit his numerous murders
over the last twenty years.”
My mouth hung open, but my brain slammed shut at a lack for the right words to say.
All the while, the silence between the three of us spoke volumes.
“Are we good here?” Gail asked Jack as he climbed into the car with her.
“Yeah, we’re good,” he replied, and Gail mouthed an, “I’m sorry” as Jack closed the
door, putting his fingers to his lips and then holding them against the window.
I was left standing in the exhaust as the car crested the hill and eventually, drove
out of sight.
Acknowledgments
This has been such an amazing journey! So many people have been an integral part of
this process and deserve my thanks.
First, an enormous thank you to my editor, Samantha March. Thank you for finding me!
You were an absolute pleasure to work with, and I wish every first time novelist could
find an editor like you. Thank you so much for your professionalism, kindness, and
advice. Here’s to a hundred more!
To my mom, Sandra Hiller, my first editor, beta reader, and constant cheerleader who
read and reread this book a dozen times, never failing to ask, “What’s happening with
the book?” Thank you for your love and continual support!
Also, to my dad, John Hiller, who spoke candidly about his tour in Vietnam and graciously
allowed me to use one of his many, near-death experiences in my novel. Thank you for
fighting for the freedoms that most of us take for granted every day.
To my in-laws, Larry and Cherryl Morrow who took the kids several weekends over the
last two years so I could write or sleep. Without those weekends, I’d still be on
chapter twelve.
For all my beta readers: Alli Ritchey—the first one to make it a “real” book, Stase
Ochoa—my Louisiana transplant and SEC Experience, Christi Nies, Amy Spence, Christi
O’Riley, Samantha Halsey, Abbe Montgomery, Fred Seaman, Johanna Morrow, Hannah Dodson,
Shana Burblinger, Lisa Rau, Sarah Conroy, Aimee Jeter, and Connie Kilgore.
Thanks, also goes out to Dave Haley for his wealth of knowledge about the music industry
in Nashville. He took the time to enlighten me, even on his vacation. Any mistakes
made in this book solely belong to me; don’t hate on Dave.
For my girls (in no particular order): Lisa Rau, Aimee Jeter, Nancy Vosters, and Jessica
Britten. Thank you for giving me fifteen years of detailed backstory! What an amazing
history we have together. My life is so much better because you girls are in it. I
love you all and can’t wait until our next girl’s trip!
Huge thanks to Christi Nies, my mentor in writing and life in general. She took every
text and phone call over the last two years, even though she had her own life to live.
From the moment I walked into her classroom, she has helped me to become a better
person, and I would never have finished this project without her honest advice. To
only say thank you is such an understatement, but there are just not enough words
in the English language to describe my heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for believing
in me since the ninth grade.
Max and Mia, thank you for being a constant stream of hilarity in all you say and
do. I’m so glad I was chosen to be your mama. My love for you both runs deeper than
any writer could ever articulate.
Finally, my biggest thanks goes out to my husband, Lance Morrow. Thank you for taking
me to the Cotton House in St. Croix on our honeymoon, and again three years later
as a family. St. Croix holds so many fantastic memories for us, and it was fun to
relive them while writing this novel. Thank you for holding court at the kitchen island—brainstorming
storylines, character development, and talking incessantly about this book when you
would have rather been playing golf. Thank you for the time, energy, and sacrifice
you gave to see this dream of mine come true. So much love to you Sug!
About The Author
Karyn Rae is a member of the Romance Writers of America, and the Columbia Chapter
of the Missouri Writers Guild. She resides in Missouri with her husband, son, daughter,
and chocolate lab—Augusta Mae. Find Karyn Rae on her website:
www.karynrae.me
