Betrayal (2 page)

Alex Toles had stolen her heart. Alex was strong and beautiful, intelligent and compassionate. Cassidy admired her strength and her tenacity. She respected all that Alex had endured in her past, serving in Iraq, confronting war, facing danger, but in the end it was the agent’s gentleness that had captured her heart. It was the way Alex’s eyes danced when she looked at Cassidy and the way they softened when she looked at Dylan. It was the tenor in her voice when she spoke of those she
loved; her captain and her colonel, her brother, even Cassidy’s mother Rose. And, it was the agent’s playfulness and sincerity that seemed to always captivate Cassidy. It was Alex Toles’ devotion and honesty that reminded Cassidy in every moment that no matter where life’s path might lead, she would walk the rest of hers beside Alex Toles.

The smile on Alex’s face as she chased Dylan nearly brought Cassidy to tears. The truth was that getting Alex inside would be nearly as difficult as wrangling the boy running away from her. Cassidy laughed at the thought. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Waking up here, heading down the stairs, brewing the coffee, watching Alex fix Dylan’s cereal; these were life’s simple moments and Cassidy knew they were also life’s most important memories. The sudden sound of the doorbell snapped Cassidy from her private world. “Can I help you?” she asked the man standing before her.

“Mrs. O’Brien, sorry to disturb you,” he smiled. He was not quite Alex’s height and he had a few extra pounds. Cassidy’s eyes sparkled with her question and the man smiled. He shook his head. “We haven’t met….Michael, Michael Taylor.” The teacher’s surprise was evident. She had never met the NSA director, but as far as she knew Michael Taylor lived and worked in Washington. She couldn’t imagine what would bring Alex’s former captain and friend here now. She noted that the man looked exceptionally tired. “Is Alex here?”

“Yes…I’m sorry, of course…come in.”

“I’ve been trying to reach her all night,” he explained.

Cassidy sighed. “Oh, yeah…sorry, she shut off her phone.” Taylor smirked a bit. “She’s out back with Dylan. Is everything all right?”

“You haven’t heard,” he said flatly.

“Heard?”

The sliding glass door opened and a smiling Alex stepped through. “HAH…I win!”

“Alex,” Cassidy’s voice had a heavy tone and Alex looked up to catch sight of her friend.

“Taylor? What are you doing here? Is Cass…”

“No,” he immediately interrupted her with an understanding of where his friend’s fears would travel. “Your family is safe, Alex. It’s not that.” Alex looked at Cassidy and then back to her friend.

Taylor looked Alex squarely in the eye, summoning his strength. “It’s the colonel.”

“What?” Alex asked.

“You really did shut everything off,” he noted. “Alex, someone shot the president last night.”

Cassidy nearly fell over and put both her hands on the counter to steady herself. Alex flew to her side, pulling the teacher to her and holding her shoulders firmly. “Cass,” she whispered and then looked at Taylor who was puzzled by the younger woman’s reaction. “Is he…”

“No,” Taylor answered. “He’s alive, but it isn’t good. Strickland has the reins. We need to talk, Alex.” Alex nodded and gestured toward the outside. Taylor understood and headed out the back door to wait.

“Cass.” Cassidy could not move. She covered her face with her hands.

“Why does this keep happening?” she asked the agent, thinking back to her ex-husband’s recent car
accident
.

“I don’t know,” Alex confessed, guiding Cassidy’s face upward.

“Alex…Chris and now John. I….”

“I know,” Alex said as she pulled Cassidy into a hug. “I have to go talk to Taylor. Cassidy, listen to me, John is tough.”

“What have I done, Alex?”

“Nothing. Why don’t you take Dylan down by the stream,” Alex suggested wiping a tear from her lover’s eye.

“Alex…If he…”

“Stop. You need to stop. You did what you had to do, so did he. I love you, Cass.” Cassidy drank in the agent’s embrace. “We’re okay. Dylan is okay. That’s all that matters.”

Green eyes met blue and Cassidy had to momentarily close hers to calm herself. “I love you, Alex.”

“I know. Go…get Dylan.” Cassidy nodded and swallowed hard, heading for the door.

Two Days Earlier

“I’m glad you told me,” Alex said softly. Cassidy sat with her face in her hands, finding it impossible to breathe. “No secrets. Not between us. Cass…”

The teacher looked up with tear stained cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Alex.”

“Cassidy, this has nothing to do with us. You made a mistake. To be honest I’m not sure I’d even say that.”

“You must think….”

“What? I must think what?” Alex asked, guiding Cassidy’s face to her own.

“Alex, I never…”

“Cass,” Alex let out a heavy sigh. “I love you. I love you more than anything. We all have a past…so do I…”

“I should have told you.”

“Probably,” Alex chuckled. “But, when would you have done that? John could have told me. Cassidy, listen to me,” Alex paused afraid to continue.

“Alex, please tell me what you are thinking,” Cassidy pleaded.

“Honestly?” Alex sighed and finished her thought. “I think Christopher O’Brien is a selfish asshole who never deserved you or Dylan in the first place. I’m actually surprised you never did have a real affair. God knows he did.”

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

Alex shook her head. “Cassidy, you really do have that backwards.”

Cassidy rested her head on the agent’s strong shoulder. “I couldn’t keep it a secret, not from you. To me…Dylan is your son now. I wish he was.”

Alex smiled. “Well, it’s a new start for us all. I have to ask you, Cass; does he know?”

Cassidy titled her head in question. “Chris? No.” Alex shook her head. Cassidy had never discussed the truth of her son’s paternity with anyone. She suddenly realized Alex was referring to the president. “Oh. We never talked about it. It was just that one night. He had too much to drink. I was lonely. It was before Chris ran for congress. It was at a fundraiser for the party. I saw him go off in the corner with one of John’s aides. We both left feeling regretful. Never spoke of it again. At first I didn’t want to think it, but Chris and I never could seem to,” Cassidy paused and gathered her thoughts. “But, yes…Alex, he knows. I am sure. He has always taken an interest in Dylan. Look at him.”

“That explains a lot,” Alex mused.

“What do you mean?”

The agent looked deeply into her lover’s eyes. “It explains why he wanted me to protect you. I wondered why he would do that. Presidents don’t generally assign FBI agents to cases. He is always deliberate in what he does. I just figured it had something to do with the congressman and he needed someone he knew he could trust.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” Cassidy apologized.

Again the agent shook her head. “No, you couldn’t. He wouldn’t. But, if he knows Dylan is his son, he would go to the ends of the earth to protect him.”

“You love him,” Cassidy observed.

“Not like he wanted me to, no. We went through a lot together, Cass. Seeing death, it makes you…well, yes…in my own way I love him.”

“I can’t imagine how this must make you feel.”

“What? That you slept with my friend before I knew you? Cassidy, I slept with Agent Brackett for God’s sake.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“That you reached for comfort in a horrible relationship or that John is Dylan’s real father? Cass, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t change anything.”

Cassidy sighed. “There were times I wanted to tell him, tell Chris; but he would use it as a weapon. I know he would. It would destroy John’s presidency. It would devastate Dylan.”

Alex considered the statement. “Cassidy, sometimes truth is not the best medicine. I know that’s what they say. It isn’t always the case. All I ask is that we don’t keep secrets. I promise you there is nothing that could make me love you less or walk away.”

“Well,
this
is it.”

“Well, then tomorrow we leave Nicky’s and we go
home
. Our home, and we start with a clean slate. Cass, when Carl Fisher had you, I thought I might never see you again. Being here with Nick and Barb, with you and Dylan, well…I just want us to be together. It’s time we both think about our future more than our past. Okay?”

“You amaze me, Alex.”

Alex smiled. “I love you, Cassidy.”

“So…” Alex began as she walked beside her friend.

“Toles…”

“What the hell, Taylor? Who shot him?”

“I don’t have that answer. Jordan is the last name. My best? Deep cover, military.”

Alex rubbed her temple as she watched Cassidy head down the slight hill at the back of the yard with Dylan. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Alex, I don’t know much. What I do know, I don’t like.” Alex looked at her friend. “He’s into something.”

“What does that mean?”

“I mean I have been looking into Congressman O’Brien’s accident, Cassidy’s abduction, all of it. The dots; connecting them; our old colonel is at the head of every line.”

Alex shook her head. “You know there has to be an explanation.”

“Well, let’s hope he lives to give it to us,” Taylor said.

“What connections?” Alex asked now.

“Brackett, Fisher, Krause, and Merrow, all their fathers worked on the same project.” He watched as Alex pinched the bridge of her nose. “There’s more.” Alex nodded and licked her lips. “The president sent Agent Brackett to Congressman O’Brien. Brady picked that up in some chatter. Claire Brackett is not very quiet; about anything.”

“What?” Alex shook her head in disbelief.

“You heard me.”

“So?” Alex asked.

“So…The president has been sleeping with Agent Brackett.”

Alex rubbed her face. “Jesus. Taylor, I don’t….”

“He’s into something. Whether he put himself there or not…”

“Fine. What do you need?”

Taylor stopped his own pacing and considered his next statement carefully. “Alex, the only words he’s spoken….He asked for you.”

“I see.”

“Maybe he will…”

Alex nodded. “Fine.”

“I’m leaving on the nine o’clock out of Kennedy back to D.C.,” Taylor told his friend.

“All right. Book me a flight and book me back for the next feasible…”

“Alex…it’s a seven hour flight to California.”

“It’s not a request, Taylor. If you recall I am suspended. I’m not currently on anyone’s payroll.”

“Cassidy is safe, Alex…I really…”

“Book it. I’ll meet you at the airport. I made a promise to Cassidy. I intend to keep it.” Taylor sighed as the agent gave him a faint smile. “Michael…”

“Yeah?” he asked.

“He may have his reasons.”

Michael Taylor offered his friend a halfcocked smile. “I hope so,” he said as he turned to leave.

Alex closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. “Me too. Colonel, what are you doing?”

“I’ll be back by late afternoon,” Alex said.

“Alex, if you need to stay…” Cassidy began when she was immediately interrupted.

“No.”

Cassidy moved to the agent and took the spoon she was repeatedly tapping on the table away. “This is what you do,” she said to Alex. “Is this because of what I told you about Dylan? I am all right, Alex. I really am.”