Absolution (3 page)

Shit. Why the hell hadn’t Rayne called him to 14

Absolution

tell him? Luke snatched up his cell phone and dialed his son, but it went through to voicemail. He tried Bryn, but the same thing happened. He jumped up from the couch and went to the kitchen. It took some digging, but he eventually found his daughter-in-law’s cell number. He paced as he waited for the call to connect, then it rang once, twice, three times—

“Hello?”

“Christa, it’s Luke.” He didn’t bother apologizing for the late hour, but she didn’t seem groggy so maybe he hadn’t woken her.

“Hi! How are you?”

He was too worried to make small talk. “I just got an e-mail from Bryn about Emily.”

“Oh...”

When she didn’t offer anything further, Luke suppressed an irritated growl. “What the hell’s going on?” “Just a second.” He made out the sound of a door closing and then treads down wooden steps. She must be headed down the rear steps of Emily’s house, toward the garden. Luke knew every square inch of that property, so he had a good mental image of where she was as he counted the seconds. After another few moments she came back on the line.

“Sorry, just wanted a little privacy.”

So Rayne and Emily wouldn’t know who she was talking to. “What’s wrong with her?”

“She’s...sick.”

Yeah, no shit.

“We only found out yesterday when we came in to visit for a few days.”

Luke pictured Christa peering cautiously over the shrubbery to make sure no one in the house could see her. “Sick with what?”

“We’re still prying details out of her, and she doesn’t want anyone to know.”

Luke clenched his jaw. If Christa’s career as an 15

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Olympic softball catcher didn’t pan out, she could make a living working for the Agency with non-answers like that. “How bad is it?” Although he already knew it was pretty damn serious. It scared him to know Emily hadn’t even told Rayne or Bryn about it.

“Uh...she’s putting on a brave face, but— Hold on.” A moment’s pause. “Be right up,” she called, her voice muffled as though she’d put the phone against her chest. So much for the covert op. “Sorry,” she said to him, her voice a near whisper, “but I gotta go back in or she’ll be suspicious.”

“Is Rayne there?”

“He’s uh...busy cleaning up the kitchen with her.

Can I have him call you back in the morning?”

It is morning
, he wanted to say, but held back the words. Luke couldn’t help but notice that his son had contacted Bryn instead of him, and that Christa hadn’t offered to put Emily on the phone. Since Christa was the soul of politeness, he had to assume it was because she thought it would upset Emily to speak with him. Or that it might piss Rayne off.

“They tell you not to talk to me?”

“What? No, it’s just...I’m not sure if she...”

Christa took a deep breath. “I’m not sure what to do,” she admitted. “That’s why I asked Bryn to contact you.”

So Christa wouldn’t be incriminated on her own.

“Fine. Have Rayne call me when he gets a chance.”

“Okay. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more, Luke. I want to, but—”

“It’s all right. I understand.” He understood all too well.

“I don’t want to interfere with

your...relationship with her—”

Relationship? He almost laughed. What he and Emily had wasn’t anything close to a relationship.

He didn’t even rank a spot on her Christmas card 16

Absolution

list anymore.

“—but Bryn and I talked about it and we both think she needs... I’m not sure if you’re comfortable with it, but—”

Jesus Christ
, he wanted to snap,
just say it
already
.

“We think she might...need you.”

Ah, hell. Luke closed his eyes as a wave of pain washed over him. Whatever was going on, Emily had faced it alone until today, and he was likely the last person she wanted to find out about it. He hated knowing that because it emphasized what a shitty husband he’d been and how badly he’d hurt her when he’d left. “I hear you.” But what could he do for her? They were barely on speaking terms.

Once he got off the phone, Luke debated the situation for all of three seconds, then went to his bedroom and took a duffel from his closet. Sitting around waiting got him nowhere, and he knew Tehrazzi was up to something. On the off chance Emily might be in danger, he would put an undercover security detail on her.

He packed enough clothes to last him a week, then got his gear together. Improvising was second nature to him, so he’d handle this situation the same way he would a military operation: his way.

To hell with waiting for his son to call him back.

He was putting his ass on a plane ASAP and getting some answers from Emily face to face.

****

Boxing Day

Emily sat curled up on the porch swing overlooking her back garden, while her new daughter-in-law puttered around the yard pruning and cleaning up the beds for the winter. She loved Christa to pieces, and would be eternally grateful 17

Kaylea Cross

her son had married such a sweetheart, but if they didn’t let her get up and help with something soon, she’d go nuts. They’d made her lie on the couch all morning while they’d taken down the few Christmas ornaments she’d put up, along with the fresh cut Blue Spruce tree she bought each year. Tradition was important to her. The owner of the tree lot always put one aside for her and called her when it came in, but this year she almost hadn’t bothered decorating at all. She wasn’t exactly in a festive mood these days.

When Rayne and Christa had surprised her on Christmas Eve by showing up on her doorstep, they’d given her the best present in the world.

Bryn’s arrival this morning made it all the more special. Holidays were hard enough for Emily without spending them alone. She hadn’t wanted them to find out what was happening and they’d been mad as hell she hadn’t told them before, but now the secret was out and she was relieved.

“Aren’t you getting cold?” she called out, glancing at her watch. Christa’d been at it for over an hour, and Charleston was chilly in late December.

“No, I’m good. Almost done here anyhow,”

Christa replied, kneeling as she deadheaded some of last year’s perennials. Her face was hidden by her Team Canada ball cap that proudly proclaimed
You
Only Wish You Could Play Like A Girl
.

Since she’d gotten ill, Emily had let the garden slide. It made her happy Christa was here to lend a hand because it was too beautiful to let it go by the wayside. Full of memories, too. Like the ones from her wedding reception.

Quit thinking about him.
“How about some tea, then?”

Christa stopped what she was doing and looked up at her with narrowed eyes. “You move one toe off 18

Absolution

that swing and I’ll come up there and duct tape you to it.”

Emily laughed. “I might be more scared if I thought you really meant that.”

She set down her spade and put her hands on her hips. “Don’t try me, and if we want tea, I’m sure Rayne will make it.”

“I’m not an invalid, contrary to everyone’s opinion.”

“You’re supposed to be resting, and you should take advantage of that. Just for once let someone else do the work around here. We’ll be gone soon enough as it is.”

She wasn’t going to win this argument, so she might as well enjoy the break. “Have I told you you’re an angel?”

“About a hundred times.”

Smiling, Emily leaned back against the pillows and pulled the thick quilt around her more snugly.

The air was cold, but not frigid. The tall palmetto that graced the center of the back garden waved its fronds gently with a soft rustling sound. Moving in swirling gusts, the slight wind coming off the harbor brought the briny tang of the water with it. The cool temperatures seemed to help the nausea that plagued her, and refreshed her sluggish brain. Both miraculous things, given how awful she’d felt lately, but she was much better today. The imposed rest was definitely helping. Good days were so rare for her now that she’d learned to cherish them.

The black, wrought iron side gate swung open and Bryn came through, just returned from her jog.

She pulled off her knit cap and grinned. “Hey, how are you guys doing?”

“Great,” she and Christa replied in unison.

Bryn rolled her eyes. “You two are like twins, I swear. It’s scary.” With her long legs encased in her tight yoga pants, she loped up the back steps and 19

Kaylea Cross

took a seat next to Emily. She ran a critical eye over her face. “You look better.”

“Feeling better, too. The air helps, along with the peppermint tea y’all keep shoving at me.”

“We do what we can.” She studied Christa’s work for a moment with a shake of her head, her long dark hair brushing across the middle of her black Nike jacket. “Did you guys inherit some kind of super female gene that I didn’t? Is that why you can cook gourmet food, keep a spotless home, garden and do everything else in regards to running a household and I can’t?”

“You just need more practice,” Christa told her without looking up. “As for me, I’d much rather be able to kick a terrorist’s ass and walk away dusting my hands.”

Bryn made a sour face. “It didn’t happen quite like that.” She tilted her head at Christa. “Where’s your hubby?”

“Doing laundry.” Her aquamarine eyes sparkled with humor. “Phase one of his domestic training is nearly complete.”

Bryn shared a conspiratorial grin with her. “I like the way you think. I only had limited time to get Dec trained the way I want him before he got called out, so I’ll live vicariously through you. You’ve got a better shot with perfecting Rayne anyhow. Mine won’t be home enough to make the effort worthwhile.”

Yeah, Emily knew how that went. As the wife of an active-duty SEAL, Bryn faced a tough transition, and while Emily didn’t envy her, she was going to make sure she helped her friend through it. The same as Bryn and Christa helped her now with their unexpected visit.

As much as she’d intended to fight this alone and not worry any of her loved ones, it was such a blessing to have them gathered around her, and 20

Absolution

more so to know they’d done it because they loved her so much. That in itself was better than any medicine a doctor could prescribe.

Beneath Bryn’s nonchalance about her husband getting called out to duty, however, Emily heard the terrible uncertainty she herself had once been forced to live with. She nudged Bryn’s knee. “Heard from Dec?”

“Not since yesterday when he responded to my e-mail. He told me he’s fine, and not to worry.”

Their first Christmas together, and he was overseas on deployment. Emily rolled her eyes. “Why do they say such ridiculous things to us? Do they think we’re stupid?”

Bryn chuckled. “I guess it’s all they can think of to put us at ease.”

“Oh, please.” As if anything could do that. She’d spent many a sleepless night glued to the TV

watching a cable news report about developing situations and conflicts overseas. That’s the only way she’d ever been able to guess where Luke was when he deployed during the years they’d been married. It had taken its toll over the course of their marriage, but she’d still been willing to stick it out until they were old and decrepit, sitting on this same porch swing together. Little good it had done her.

Emily laid a hand over Bryn’s and met her friend’s dark eyes. “I know it’s not much, but I understand what you’re going through.”

Bryn offered a smile. “I know, and I’m glad I’ve got you to talk with.” She got up and stretched her back, reaching her arms over her head, five-feet-nine-inches of toned muscle. “How about something to snack on? It won’t be homemade petit fours or anything, so I don’t want you to be disappointed,”

she warned with a wry edge. “But I think I can handle some yogurt and granola parfaits with strawberries. Sound okay?”

21

Kaylea Cross

Emily double checked with her stomach, imagining the flavors in her mouth. Luckily, her body didn’t protest with all the signs that heralded a bout of vomiting. Things were looking up. “I think I will have some, thanks.”

“Back in a flash.” She passed Rayne as he stepped out onto the back porch from the kitchen.

“Tell your wife to get off her damn knees and relax.”

“But she does great work on her knees,” he replied, laughing as he caught the gardening glove Christa chucked at him.

Emily shook her head at her son, tall and strong and way too handsome for his own good. “I’d watch what you say about your wife,” she advised. “That girl’s got a wicked arm on her.”

His hazel-green eyes, the only part of him that wasn’t a carbon copy of Luke, were full of mischief when he looked at her. “That she does,” he murmured, the Low Country drawl still evident in his voice. He held out a hand to her. “Come on. Time for your appointment.”

She groaned. “Already?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He tugged on her wrist, his hand so broad and strong compared to hers, but still so gentle. “Come on, don’t make me carry you.”

And he would too, she thought with another groan, pushing up from the swing and letting her feet touch the gray-painted floor. Rayne might not have that same hard edge to him, but beneath the playful image he was every bit the alpha male his father was.

She almost asked Rayne if he’d heard from his father, and how he was doing, but stopped herself.

Luke had left a message for her a few days after her surgery, but she hadn’t called him back. While in the hospital this last time, she’d finally made up her mind to let him and all her dreams of him go. If only she could stop thinking about him, she thought with 22

Absolution

a sigh.

Following Rayne into the house, at least Emily could comfort herself with the knowledge her son would be a much better husband than Luke had ever been to her. She’d made damn sure of that while she’d raised him.

23

Kaylea Cross

Tribal region of Afghanistan,
northeast of Jalalabad

Weak wintry sunlight touched the back of Farouk Tehrazzi’s upraised head as he lifted in the midst of his prayers. He faced the south-western sky toward Mecca, and overlooked the rose-tinted valley below. Early morning rays fell on his shoulders and back as he lowered his forehead to the soft nap of his prayer mat. A cold breeze picked up, carrying his words heavenward to Allah over the craggy peaks of the mountains.