Digitalis (29 page)

She huffed. And he almost smiled as the quiet trip dragged on with the steady drone of the engine, the thwump-thwumping over the bridge, the quiet
swish
of the rain washing away the filth of the city streets, and the occasional squeak of the windshield wiper blades. They all weakened his resolve—that and her soft sniffles.

Colton glanced in the rearview mirror and eyed his daughter, sitting in her car seat, sucking her two middle fingers. His heart clenched. She hadn’t done that since she was two, when Meredith died.

“We haven’t even buried him,” his mother whispered through her tears.

“I know.” And they couldn’t. Not for another three weeks since burials at Arlington were backed up. “I want Pop to have his full honors.” Didn’t want to settle for something quick just so they could get on with things. “It’ll be done right.”

She patted his leg. “Thank you.” Tears glittered against her red-stained eyes. “You’re just like him, keeping your calm in the face of trials.”

“Don’t know about that.” He’d certainly lost control regarding Piper and wanted nothing more than to put her down, so quick to believe she was trying to escape again.

As he took the exit for the airport, Colton steadied the truck as it hit a rut of water—hydroplaned. He tightened his grip and worked to control the truck—and his thoughts, which were just as contrary, slipping and sliding straight into the eyes of a beautiful woman. He’d wanted so much with her … a life. A family. His heart seized as he realized all the dreams he’d secretly imagined with Piper at the center. Why … why did it have to turn out this way?

“Where’s Piper?”

His mother’s question speared his heart. “In custody.”

“Oh, Colton—”

“Mom, don’t.” He followed the road around to the departure terminal, bright lights glaring and agitating his thundering headache. After a quick check of the departure schedule, he nodded. “Looks like things are on time.”

She shifted to him. “Please let me stay. I’ll find a place, set up home while you’re gone.”

He put the gear in P
ARK
and unbuckled. “Mom, I want you and Mickey somewhere safe while I’m taking care of things. Okay?”

“I want to stay … with you.” She licked her lips, eyes glossing over. “I need family. You, McKenna. You’re all …” Her lips trembled. Then a sob. Buried her face in her hands. “He’s gone! Oh, God help me. He’s gone.”

Colton drew his mother into his arms and held her close. Kissed the top of her head as he battled his own tears. They sat for several minutes in the twinkling darkness, a busy world whizzing around them and ignorant of the heartache tugging at their very souls.

“I feel so numb,” she murmured against his shoulder. “But I know God is with me. He’s going to take care of me.”

Although he listened, Colton—for the first time in a very long time—noticed her words bounced off his hardened will. The realization stung. Thought he’d grown more than that, dug in deeper into his faith. Thought when push came to shove, he’d find his trust in God rock solid. More like putty-flimsy.

The back of his throat burned. The only thing he could think to say was, “It’s not going to be the same without him.”

Wow. Understatement of the year, genius
.

“No, of course not. But I have you and God.” His mother drew away and took a shuddering breath. She tried to smile, but he saw it for what it was: her pulling herself together, determined to be strong. With a pat on his chest, she nodded. “I’ll be okay.”

“I know you will. Pop always said you were cut from steel.” He climbed out and walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for her.

She swung her legs around, and red eyes narrowed. “Promise me one thing, Colton.”

“Sure thing, Mom.”

“Don’t blame Piper.”

The impact of a .308 had nothing on those words. “Can’t promise that.”

She hopped out and planted her hands on his chest. “Colton Benjamin, if I know one thing, I know you love that girl.” Cold fingers traced his cheek. “Give her a chance—”

He caught her hands, tightening his lips and heart. “Leave it alone.” Though everything in him wanted to shove her back, shove away her thoughts and imploring, he ground his teeth and let go. “Please.” He hated the way that word cracked and twisted.

He opened the rear passenger door and worked the buckle and harness to free Mickey. “For pity’s sake, Colton. I thought I raised you better than that.”

He blinked. Had she forgotten? “Pop is dead.”

She winced at the intensity of his words. “Yes, and he was dying—and I can’t help but think he’s glad it was over quick instead of wasting away. But that’s beside the point. Piper was protecting something very special to her.”

“And it cost Pop his life.” He lowered Mickey to the ground and lifted her small black duffel from the back.

“ ‘Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.’ “ She smiled as the verse sailed across her lips.

He jerked back to his mom. “Yeah, a
friend
—not a woman hiding things.”

“Oh,” she said with a vehemence yet a gentleness that snapped something awake in him. “I beg to differ, young man. Your father believed, unequivocally, that Piper was his friend—and your soul mate. He saw it, Colton. Told me he couldn’t be prouder.”

“That was because he didn’t know her, the
real
her.”

“And who is the real her, Colton? Who is the real us?” She tapped his chest. “You have so many secrets hidden in there Who are you really? Colton, my son? Colton, the Marine? Colton, the cowboy? Tell me—what of
your
secrets? Your secrets so deadly and horrible that they have you whipped out of your mind at times.”

“That’s not fair, Mom. It’s not the same thing.” Shoulders slumped, he tried to … What use was it? She was right. He was whipped.

“It’s a nightmare, Charles.”

“Yes, but one that’s been brewing for years.”

Olin rounded the desk and leaned against it as they stared out over the bay of the warehouse. “Do you trust her?”

Falde chuckled. “The question is—do you?”

Running his knuckles along the edge of his jaw, Olin watched as Griffin entered the building with Max, both chatting quietly. “What I know is that she brought one of my most impervious, unassailable men to his knees.” Hands on his belt, he let out a long exhale.

“Come now,” Charles said as he pushed out of his chair and joined him at the window. “You cannot blame Lily for one of your men—”

“I can.” Olin snapped his gaze to his old friend. “And I will. These men are the best. The best! If he hesitates … You don’t realize what that man means to this group.”

“You must realize what Lily has been through. She’s a wonderful girl.” His gaze skidded to the floor below.

A brand-new Camaro rolled into the parking bay, and by the time Canyon emerged from his car, the Kid arrived in his luxury SUV.

“They’re all here. Except him.” Would Colton show up?

“You should know, Lily is like a daughter to me. I know her. And this … tragedy has had a horrible toll on her.” Charles turned to him with a sad smile. “For what it’s worth, I know she loves this man.”

“It may be too late for that.” But curiosity gripped Lambert. “How can you be sure?”

“For the last eighteen months, a young girl with no resources save a pittance of an account—”

“Ten thousand dollars is not a pittance.”

“Olin, she opened that account with fifteen thousand. Eighteen months ago.” Brown eyes bore into his. “She has a car, a home—”

“Had. She cashed it all in, remember?”

“Exactly what Yitshak instructed her to do. She must’ve figured out someone was close to finding her.”

“She figured it out a bit late.”

With a conciliatory nod, Charles smiled. “Put aside your protective urges for this man you think she’s harmed so gravely—”

“His father is dead. Killed by a sniper!”

Charles hopped out of the chair, much faster than his rounding belly should’ve allowed. He hurried to Olin and hovered over him. “Look at this with the skilled eyes of a general who commanded thousands, instead of a father pouting over his son.” His eyes narrowed. “Do you see what I see? A twenty-six-year-old woman who thrives on family and friendship, living alone, isolated in a paltry apartment wondering if her father—the reason she’s in exile—is still alive. Or if something she’d said or done has killed him. If her confessing to you has, after all this time, sent her father to his grave and wiped Israel from the map.

“She’s worked hard, kept to herself—survived. Alone for a year and a half. Spent every night and weekend in a lonely apartment, afraid to make a friend or acquaintance who might be an enemy. Never dating or letting someone into her home for fear they might figure out her secret.” His chest rose and fell raggedly.

Olin tried to allow the thoughts, tried to understand the sacrifice. It just seemed so small … but maybe because his first duty was to America. Hers was to Israel.
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”
He stilled as the scripture sailed through his mind.

“Isolated,” Charles said, his voice a pained whisper. “The concept goes against Lily’s very nature.” He smoothed a hand over his balding dome and returned to his chair. Let out a heavy breath. Then nodded. “What I want is to meet the man who drew my beautiful goddaughter out of that darkness, pushed her to sacrifice
everything
. Even her father.”

A throaty rumble rattled the rafters of the warehouse, drawing Falde to the window once again.

“You’re about to get your wish.” Relief coursed through Olin as he slid his hands into his pockets, finally feeling a semblance of hope tinge his outlook. “But you may not like it—he does not look happy.”

D
awg if the team wasn’t all here. Colton climbed out of the truck and adjusted the Cattle Baron, bringing the brim lower. Could he conceal what he felt if the hat shielded his eyes? When he shut the door, he spotted the silver Lexus SUV the Kid drove. Then Midas’s shiny new sports car. The black Escalade. The motorcycle.

He paused, hand on the door of his truck. Considered getting back in and leaving town. Never looking back. All he wanted right now was to beeline it to Lambert’s hovel on the second floor and do what he came to do. Weren’t no good way, so he’d just do it and be done with it.

Instead … he was going to have to face the team.

As soon as he stepped into the main bay, a small crowd formed. Griffin. Max. Midas. They greeted him, their welcomes somber. But they didn’t bring up the attack. For that he was glad.

He glanced up at the dingy window. “What’s with the AHOD?”

A strange, knowing look drifted over Griffin’s face, but then he shrugged. “He’s been up there since I got here.”

A cackling laugh rattled Colton’s nerves as the Kid entered. “Man, it is good to be back in action.” He clapped his hands twice and rushed toward them looking every bit the eager, uniformed beaver.

Colton stepped back, eyeing the stairs … the window … the stairs. “Hey, I—”

Thunk!

The echo of a slamming door snatched Colton’s words and attention. He spun—froze.

His gaze rammed into Piper. She stood at an office door with Dr.

Avery and two guards. A smile that moments ago had lightened Piper’s face vanished like a phantom, leaving a pale hue to her normally tawny face. Her lips hung apart as they stared at each other, until finally her gaze fell.

Aches tore through Colton. Anger over his father’s death. Anger over her lies and deception.

“Whoa!” The Kid whistled. “Who’s the babe?”

Colton whipped toward the runt and glowered.

Max shifted toward Marshall. “You really gotta learn when to stow it.”

“What?” Ignorant as always, the Kid raised his hand toward Piper. “Look at her. She’s got supermodel written all over her. She’s hot!”

With a fist, Max backhanded the Kid’s chest.

The look of pain exploded over Marshall’s face. “Hey! I was shot there.”

“Yeah,” Max said as he grabbed the Kid’s leather jacket and shoved him toward a huddle of tables and chairs that served as the conference table. “Well, I’m gonna shoot you somewhere else if you don’t clamp that mouth.”