Fight to the Finish (20 page)

“Well, her computer degree and her marriage to an IPNC agent explains how she knows about Zandra.” David motioned for Chapling to turn off the projector. “How in the world did she end up marrying an IPNC agent?”

TL pressed his fingers into his temples. “It happened shortly after the accident. One of the agents got emotionally caught up in the situation, visited her at the hospital, ended up marrying her.”

Out of pity? I wondered. Or out of love?

“That IPNC agent isn’t involved in this,” Mystic spoke up from beside me. I turned to see him staring at Kimberly’s picture on my laptop.

“How do you want to handle this?” David asked.

Finally, TL looked up. “I’m going in alone.”

* * *

It took us four hours to cross the state and weave our way up Mount Mission to where Kimberly Tanner was holding Zandra. A half mile away we stopped the van on a dirt lane that led to the cabin. I imagined in the winter these switch-back roads would be impassible.

Me, Chapling, Mystic, and Bruiser stayed in the van. Jonathan, Red, David, and Nalani got out and quietly made their way through the trees to surround the small house.

We still wore our mole earpieces for communication. No one carried a weapon. TL had insisted. He was going in alone.

In the van we brought up satellite imagining and zoomed in on the house. Kimberly Tanner was up now and sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee. Up in the loft, I didn’t see Zandra on the bed. The rope that had been tied around her ankle dangled free. The bathroom door was closed, so I assumed she was in there.

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Chapling detailed everything we were seeing for the benefit of our team.

On our laptop screen, we watched as TL stepped from the woods, approached the front door, and knocked.

Kimberly jumped up, grabbed the shotgun from the couch, and ran over to the door.

“She’s got her shotgun,” Chapling reported.

Kimberly peeked through the side window to see who it was, caught sight of TL, and ducked down. Cradling the shotgun, she crouched below the window, wide eyed, trying to be very quiet.

TL knocked again. “Kimberly,” he spoke softly, “I know you’re in there. I’ve come unarmed. Put the shotgun down. Let’s talk.”

Kimberly blinked a few times, swallowed. Then in one quick movement, she stood up, cocked the gun, swung the door open, and pointed it right at TL’s head.

He didn’t move. I knew TL. He could have easily disarmed her and gotten this whole thing over with. But he cared for Kimberly. It mattered to him what he had done to her. It still haunted both of them. That one horrible event had changed their lives forever.

“Where’s Zandra?” he asked in that same calm tone.

“In the bathroom.”

“Is she okay?”

“Yes.”

TL moved forward, and Kimberly backed up, still holding the gun to his forehead. Once inside, he closed the door.

“Where’re all your people?” She nodded toward the bank of windows that looked out over the mountain. “I thought for sure you’d railroad in here with your entourage.”

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“They’re out there,” he spoke truthfully. “They can hear everything we’re saying. But no one is armed. I assure you.”

Kimberly snorted. “So you’re here to talk me off the ledge, so to speak?”

TL didn’t answer that question. “Kimberly, I want my daughter back. I know why you took her. You wanted me to feel the pain that you felt when I killed your daughter.”

Kimberly squeezed her eyes closed. “Shut up.”

“I did kill your daughter, Kimberly, and I’m so sorry. You and I both have lived with that tragedy for seventeen years. If I could rewind the time, that is the absolute one thing I would change. But I can’t rewind the time. And taking my daughter won’t make you feel better.”

“YES IT WILL!” she screamed, startling everybody in the van.

TL didn’t even blink at the outburst.

Kimberly’s eyes shot open, and she pressed the gun firmer to TL’s forehead.

He got down on his knees and looked up at her. “You want to kill someone. Kill me. Let my daughter go. My wife is here. She wants our daughter back, too. Take me. Let Zandra go.”

Shaking, Kimberly stared down at TL. Her finger twitched on the trigger as she gazed into his eyes.

“No,” she whispered. “No. No. No.” Tears began streaming down her face. “N-n-no.”

Shaking violently now, Kimberly continued pressing the gun to his head, holding his stare. “NO! NO! NO! NO!” She let out a gut wrenching scream and swung the gun away.

A shot boomed and glass shattered. Everyone in the van flinched. I immediately brought my attention back to the satellite image on the laptop screen.

The cabin’s wall of glass had a huge gaping hole in it. Kimberly stood with her back to TL, gripping the shot gun.

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Still on his knees, TL reached a hand out. “Kimberly, give me the gun.”

She

didn’t

respond.

“Kimberly.”

With a calmness she hadn’t had seconds ago, she turned around, pointed the shot gun at TL, and pulled the trigger.

I gasped. Then immediately I realized nothing had happened.

TL remained on his knees, silently gazing up at her.

She reached in her pocket and pulled out a shot gun shell. Keeping her eyes leveled on TL’s, she reloaded the gun.

“Kimberly,” TL softly requested, “don’t do this.”

I got the impression TL had seen something in her eyes that we couldn’t see.

Kimberly turned her back to him, swung the barrel up and into her mouth, and squeezed the trigger.

Bruiser sucked in a breath.

“No,” TL whispered.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

“Daddy?” Zandra cried.

189

A month had gone by since that tragic day on Mount Mission. Kimberly Tanner had died.

I’d thought a lot about it over the weeks. Thought a lot about that final tragic scene. Could things have been done differently? Yes. Would it have made a difference in the outcome? Who knew?

But I had come to the conclusion if Kimberly Tanner hadn’t taken her life on that mountain, she probably would have committed suicide someplace else.

I think she went to that cabin knowing how it would all end.

I’d watched TL closely over the past month. He’d seemed distant, for sure. I hadn’t talked to him about what had happened. No one had. I could only imagine what demons he was battling over the whole thing. He’d probably relived and questioned those last few moments constantly since it had happened.

And now as I sat here outside with everyone, I watched TL and Nalani with Zandra. I wondered what all had factored into his decision to leave The Specialists. That’s right, I did say leave.

TL resigned. Effective tomorrow he would no longer be living here at the ranch, which was the purpose of today’s picnic—a goodbye party for TL. Was it solely Kimberly Tanner that had made him resign? No, probably not. I was sure it was many things. Kimberly, Nalani, Zandra, past experiences. He’d had enough. He was ready to move on. Understandably.

So who would be in charge? Red. It seemed fitting as he had helped raise lost kids just like us. I suspected he needed it, this lifestyle, the change, the activity, the focus. He’d been out of things for too long.

And Red’s right hand person? David, of course.

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From my spot on the ranch’s front steps, I glanced up. “Hey, Randy.”

He smiled. “I’m leaving. Just wanted to say bye.”

I stood up and gave him a hug and felt . . . friendship. Nothing more. It made me smile.

“You take care, you. I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”

“I’m

sure.”

“Randy.” David approached. “Heard you’re leaving. Wanted to tell you good luck.”

The two guys exchanged a hand shake.

“Take care of this girl,” Randy said, nodding to me. “She’s a bit of a klutz.”

‘Hey!” I defended myself.

Laughing, Randy saluted us and headed off to his awaiting cab.

With a wave, I watched the taxi pull away before sitting back down on the steps. David took the spot beside me and together we lapsed back into quietly taking in the picnic fun.

Off to the left, Beaker sat under a tree visiting with Parrot and his mother. His mother had moved into a small house in town and they saw each other a couple times a week. She’d gained weight since her return from slavery. Her hair had grown out. She looked happy and healthy. So did Parrot.

To the right sat a long table piled with sandwiches, salads, fruit, chips, drinks. As usual, Wirenut stood nearby grazing on the food. Beside him, Cat said something and he poked her in the ribs. They both laughed and then Cat took off running and Wirenut chased her. He threw a carrot stick at her back, and she sped up. Their goofiness made me smile.

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All the members of Team One, Adam, Piper, Curtis, and Tina were playing a two on two badminton game beside the barn. Although Adam hid it well, he kept cutting sideways glances toward Bruiser. Hmmm . . . I was curious to see how that little romance would evolve.

Jonathan came out of the barn with Dr. Gretchen on his heels. Although I couldn’t hear them, their body language spoke volumes. Dr. Gretchen planted her hands on her hips and barked something to his back. He waved his hand through the air in a bug-off answer. She barked something else, and he spun around and got right in her face. Neither one of them said a word as they snarled at each other. And then Dr. Gretchen grabbed his T-shirt and yanked him back inside the shadows of the barn.

I laughed to myself. Wonder what
they’re
doing?

A splash had me glancing right to the pool where Mystic had been giving Chapling swimming lessons for the past hour. In that patient way of his Mystic explained to Chapling
again
how to tread water, and Chapling flailed his arms. It was hard to believe Chapling had made it all the way to his mid thirties and never learned to swim.

Beyond the pool TL and Nalani bounced a volleyball with Zandra, Bruiser, and Red.

Nalani looked the happiest I think I’d ever seen her. And although there was clearly a lot on TL’s mind, he came across happy, too.

“You’re going to miss TL.” I stated the obvious to David.

“Very much. He’s made the right decision. It’s time to focus on his family.”

“Will you stay in touch with him?” I asked.

David shrugged. “Doubt it. They’ll have new identities. Live in a new country.”

“I’m sure TL will find some way to keep up communication. Encrypted emails. Secret messages.”

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David smiled. “I hope so.” He looked over at me. “Guess who I saw meditating yesterday?”

David turned to me. “I’ve been trying to figure out how to say what I want to say and . .

.” he sighed. “I’m just going to be blunt.” He took a deep breath. “I want you back. I don’t want to be just friends. I miss you.”

My heart paused a beat, and my insides went to liquid mush. “Oh, David.”

He reached out and took my hand. “You’ve got me all twisted up inside. I don’t quite know what to think of you, Miss GiGi.”

I smiled. “I never wanted to be just friends to begin with.”

Closing his eyes, David brought my hand to his lips. Slowly, he pressed a kiss to each knuckle and then rubbed his cheek across the back of my hand.

I stared at the side of his face, drinking in his slight stubble, his handsome dark features, his delicious scent. My stomach whirled as he opened his eyes and stared deeply into mine. They did that sexy crinkly thing and I fell a little more.

“Whadaya say,” he whispered, “when I get home tonight from the movies, you and I go on a late night picnic in the moonlight.”

I swallowed. “Sounds great.” Sounded heavenly, actually.

The sound of an engine had us glancing away from each other and down the driveway to the gate. It swung open and a banged up beetle bug drove through. It putt-putted up the driveway and came to a stop in front of the ranch house.

I tried to see who was inside, but the windows were unusually dark tinted. The door opened, and a tall blonde woman climbed out.

She propped her sunglasses on top her head and gazed at me across the top of the beetle bug. “Hello, Kelly. I’m your sister.”

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I didn’t move from my spot on the front step. I couldn’t move. Numb with shock, disbelief, and joy, I stared across the driveway at my older sister.
My older sister.

David nugded me out of my staring trance, and slowly, I got to my feet.

I didn’t remember crossing the gravel. I didn’t remember rounding the front of her Beetle Bug. I didn’t remember anything as I stood in front of her staring up into her familiar eyes.

She shut the door of her car and turned to me. One corner of her mouth tilted up in a half smile as she returned my stare. She stood taller than me with a slender, athletic build. Her blonde hair was darker and her skin tan. Her face was similiar, yet different. She wore no make up, only a slight sun burn.

Swallowing I held out my hand. “Hi.”

She took my hand. “I’m Sandy.”

“Sandy,” I repeated, and then we both moved at once, pulling each other into a warm, snug embrace.

A good solid minute later, we pulled apart, and I gazed back up into her face. “You look like dad.”

She smiled. “So do you.” Shaking her head, she huffed out a laugh. “Unbelievable. I have a baby sister.”

“You didn’t know?” For some reason I thought she had and because of top secret reasons chose not to have a relationship with me all these years.

“I didn’t even know I had a dad until a few years ago.”

I furrowed my brow. “What are you talking about?”

195