Operation Zulu Redemption: Collateral Damage - Part 1 (20 page)

“General, we have a real and deadly threat against Zulu,” Trace spoke using his Bluetooth as he hustled from the small plane at the municipal airport. He nodded to a man who handed over a set of keys, then Trace slid into the car.

“Tell me.”

“Two of them are dead.” Trace revved the engine and headed toward Manson. “I’m en route to One, and Ramage is dealing with Five. We have one unaccounted for.”

“Timeline?”

“Less than a week from start to now.”

“So it’s more than one assassin?”

Trace’s chest squeezed. “Looks that way.” He slammed the gear down and took the exit ramp. “I need assistance. SOP on both deaths has been sniper.”

“I’d be a little late to the party, wouldn’t I?”

Trace bit his tongue. Yes. Since he was within ten minutes of the cottage Annie had rented, if something was going down—

His Bluetooth beeped. He glanced at the caller ID on his cradled phone. “Sir, I’ll call you back.” He hit the E
nd
button and connected. “Tell me good—”

“She’s alive, but they aren’t sure she’ll survive the night.”

As the engine leveled out at 50 mph, Trace pounded the steering wheel. Who got the lead on the girls? Their addresses. Identities.

“Annie?”

“Not there yet.”

“Hurry.”

Trace ended the call, words inadequate and anger raging. He powered down through the gears as he hit the winding roads leading through Manson. She couldn’t choose a cottage on the main lake. No, had to be more hidden. Harder to get to.

Frustration built within him. Speed and winding roads working against him, slowing him. Delaying him.

He tried her hidden sat phone again. When it went to the manufacturer’s recorded voice mail message, he ended the call. He’d gotten the same message the last four times he’d called. Why he thought it’d be different this time, he didn’t know. He slammed a fist against the leather passenger seat, a stream of curses flying out of his mouth. Futility coated his limbs, weakening him.

“Hey, gorgeous,” Sam said, his voice taunting. “You’re blocking my view. Could you move, maybe have a seat?” He grinned, resting a hand on the red nylon and metal chair. “Imagine that—there’s one right here with your name on it.”

Annie folded her arms over her chest and peered down at the wood deck. She pulled herself away from the small shrine and lowered herself into the game chair. Her gaze settled on the row of candles, the wind teasing and taunting the flames.

She missed
them
. What were they doing? Did they think of her, too, on this night? Every year she wondered if they were sitting somewhere honoring this night the way she did.

Not honoring. That was the wrong word.
Considering.
Remembering.

The wind whipped one of the flames out.

Annie sucked in a breath.
Was that bad luck?

If she believed in luck. . .

Another snuffed out.

On her feet, Annie moved to the rail. Choked back the emotion, the assault the elements held on her frame of mind, snuffing out the wicks on this night of all nights. She relit them. Let out a breath.

A warm, light touch against her back made her flinch.

“Hey,” Sam whispered. “How are you doing?” He tucked a strand of hair the crisp lake breeze snapped into her face. “You okay?”

She appreciated his nearness. His tenderness. With a slight nod, she breathed her answer. “Yeah. Just. . .” Lights twinkled over the water as a strong wind swept through the valley-like setting. “Tough night.”

Sam cupped her shoulders as he stood behind her. Though she normally avoided his advances—it just
couldn’t
happen, no matter how much she wanted it to—tonight, his strength, his presence filled a void that had left her cold for the last five years. Tonight, she didn’t have the fortitude to be alone.

No, it was more than that.

Tonight. . .tonight, she
wanted
to be with Sam.

He drew her back against his chest. Muscles tensed, Annie closed her eyes, chiding herself. Telling her this was a colossally bad idea. Getting close—

His arms encircled her waist, her head cradled against his left pectoral.

She didn’t move. Refused to, torn between obeying the rules and the desperation that wanted to explore what could happen with Sam. If she’d been someone other than Annie Palermo, she’d have given herself to him long ago.

But she wasn’t that person. Not anymore.

And yet, she didn’t move.

There were times, she told herself, that everyone needed someone to lean on. God never meant for people to be alone. The flicker of the candles drew her attention once more, and though she’d thought it an intrusion for anyone else to be here during the memorial, it felt right for Sam to be here.

Two of the candles winked out.
The same two.

Weird.

Sam’s jaw and lower cheek rested along her cheek. Warm. Scruffy. Smelled uniquely of him—Old Spice. Seemed too good to be true, like something out of a romance novel or chick flick. That skin contact awakened in Annie an ache. For intimacy—not sexual
intimacy—just closeness.

I’m so tired of being alone. Of hiding.

When she realized she was leaning into his touch, she tried not to stiffen. Didn’t want to offend him. Didn’t want to scare him away.

She almost laughed. Was it even possible to scare off Sam Caliguari? He’d been so resolute in getting her to date him for the last year. So persistent.

Soft but firm lips teased the edge of her jaw, the spot right in front of her earlobe that shot darts of warmth and nervous excitement through her. Annie tensed, her mental warnings a distant shout in the thick fog of pleasure.

Sam traced a slow line of kisses to the corner of her lips.

If you do this—

He turned her and gently planted one on her mouth. He hovered just above her lips, his warm breath teasing her more. Again, he kissed her, this time a little longer. Still gentle, but waiting. . .

“Sam,” Annie whispered, eyes closed, feeling electrified. She sounded weak, even to herself. And for once, she didn’t care.

He captured her mouth with his as he slid a hand around to the small of her back and drew her closer. Deepening the kiss, he cradled her neck with his other hand. Annie lost herself in the passion, in his strength. Her fingers traced a slow path up his back.

She’d wanted this. For a very long time. To be cared about. To be with someone.

No. Not just someone.
Sam.

She wanted it to be Sam since he’d first stepped into the Green Dot with his hair still in a military high and tight. Muscles bulging out of his black T-shirt. And his machismo oozing as he caught up with Jeff, the two of them sitting in a corner well past closing. But every time Annie glanced over at the duo, Sam was watching her. Tracking her, like the Navy SEAL he was.

And that was why she’d kept the distance between them.

Because Sam never missed a thing.

And he could never,
ever
find out about her past. Who could forgive that?

Annie hauled in a breath. Drew back a fraction. Stepped back. Hot tears streamed down her heated cheeks. Forehead resting against hers, Sam’s breathing sounded labored. But she couldn’t look at him. Couldn’t face him—if he knew. . .

A sob snatched her breath.

“Ash?” Hand still around her neck, he used his thumb to nudge up her chin. “Hey. Babe. Look at me.”

She shook her head, then turned away. Out of his touch.

“Ashland, please.” Sam didn’t give her personal space back. He crowded in. “Talk to me. What—?”

Before she knew what happened, Annie went flying across the deck. Her head thudded against the wall. Sam was on top of her. “Stay down! Stay down!”

Annie hunch-ran along the edge of the house and ducked around the corner, Sam right behind her. He took point, a weapon appearing in his hand like a magic trick. Where he’d gotten it, she didn’t know. Right now, all that mattered is that he could help defend her.

If she could get inside the house, she could dig out her emergency stash. She peered over her shoulder and up at the window in the east-facing wall. Her bedroom window, conveniently blocked from road view thanks to the fruit trees. She reached up and tried it.

Glass exploded, peppering her face.

With a yelp, she dropped back. Onto the ground.

“You okay?” Sam knelt at her side.

Her face stung. She grimaced and reached for the spots—only to feel the prickle of glass embedded in her cheek. She cursed herself for not thinking through trying that window. It was a clear shot from it to the front windows that overlooked the lake. The shooter had anticipated her move.

“Yeah, fine,” she spit out. She’d need tweezers to pluck out the glass. But later.

Sirens howled in the distance.

“Finally,” Sam muttered. “Just stay down. We’ll wait for the authorities.”

Annie didn’t like that option. They’d want answers. And in a small town, tonight’s incident would spread like wildfire. That could reach news outlets.

Rocks crunched and popped to her left, drawing her attention to the road.

Headlights poked through the shadowy limbs of the trees, probing.

Annie froze, watching the car.

It swung around and parked. Not in her driveway, but across the way. In the ditch. A door opened. A man stepped out.

“Stay here,” Sam said, easing in front of her, still low.

Annie bristled at the command. But reminded herself that Sam didn’t know the truth about her. Didn’t know she had just as much, if not more, tactical experience.

Which is why she didn’t listen. She trailed him, keeping to the shadows. Watching. Expecting another attacker.
Hitting me from both sides.

Though she wanted to ask who’d hit her, she couldn’t even go there. Because that would beg the next question. Not, did they know who she was?—but rather, how did they find her? Because if they’d found her, clearly they knew who she was.

The more painful question, however, was—did they know what she’d done? How she’d served as lead on that mission?

“Stop right there!” Sam’s voice boomed through the night.

Rocks crunched.

Annie peeked around the tree. Eased to the side, trying to see over Sam’s broad shoulder and wide stance. There were too many shadows concealing the newcomer. If the wind would just shift. . .

Annie eased forward.

“Who are you?”

“You the one who called in a shooting?”

Something in Annie’s mind tripped and fell over those words. No, not the words.
The voice.
Her heart skipped a beat. Then two.

“Yeah. You got a badge?”

Annie slipped closer. It couldn’t be him. She hadn’t seen him since. . .

The breeze tugged back a branch, like pulling back a curtain. Light from Sam’s floodlight on his cottage speared the man’s face. Eyes.

Her breath caught.

Sam snapped his weapon up and tight again. “Hands or badge!”

“Easy,” came the voice again. “I left my badge—heard the call and was at my girlfriend’s. Raced out of there—”

“Then just keep those hands up.” Sirens almost drowned out Sam’s voice. “We’ll wait it out.”

Annie stood beside Sam, who instinctively reached for her. She gave him a reassuring nod, but the whooshing of her pulse in her ears made it hard to hear anything.

It was him. Trace.

A flood of fresh grief rushed through her. Followed quickly by myriad memories. But what held her fast, what told her this life, this possibility with Sam was over, was that
he’s here
.
That meant she’d been compromised.

As if the bullets didn’t tell you that?

An SUV pulled into the driveway, lights swirling. “C’mon,” Sam said, tugging her along. “The cops will settle this.”

But with one look, Trace conveyed his message.

It was time to leave.

She nodded as she stepped out of view. The cop quickly ushered her into the back of the cruiser. Sam wouldn’t have anything to do with a passive stance. He wanted to find the person trying to kill them. The next dozen minutes happened in a haze, her grief over having to walk away from Sam strong but her will to survive and not resurrect the past stronger.

Or was it? Would Sam understand?

She snorted. Blinked. Looked up and realized she was alone. More cops showed up, rushing to the lakeside part of the house. Annie opened the door. Stepped out. Glanced one more time at the house. Saw Sam on the balcony and the distant whirl of lights across the lake where cops pored over the terrain looking for the shooter.

Before turning, crossing the road, and climbing into the black sedan, she whispered, “Good-bye, Calamari.”

Can I really leave her behind. . .forever?

Opportunity banged on her front door, rattling the hinges, begging her to step from the storm that had been her existence into the quiet safety and shelter of the Amish.

She never thought this would be her life. Never thought she’d ever be a part of this community. It’d be like a thriller writer penning a Mennonite story of love and romance.

There wasn’t a day that went by without Katie remembering in vivid detail who she really was before she came to live with her maternal grandmother—
grossmammi
—almost five years ago, a woman dedicated to her country: Téya Reiker. Daughter of an
Englischer
father and once-Amish mother. Army grunt who readily joined a Cultural Support Team to put her linguistic tongue to use. Recruited into the first all-female special ops team. Soldier zealous in her determination to make sure the mission succeeded, no matter the cost.

She’d been driven but not bloodthirsty.

Yet, not far from it either.

Katie ladled some stew from the pot into ceramic bowls. “Ready to eat?”

Her grandmother shuffled into the kitchen, the hitch in her hip making her limp and move a little slower than normal. Katie turned, smiled at the image before her. At eighty-three, her grandmother still stood almost perfectly straight. No frail, bent woman here. No sir. Not in the Gerig line. She’d learned strength and courage from her grandmother and mom. Well, maybe not as much her mom.

“That smells wonderful.”
Grossmammi
eased into the wooden chair as Katie joined her with the bowls and basket of rolls.

Could she leave it all behind? Bury it? Did David need to know, if he made good on his intention to court her?

Nervous jellies flitted through her stomach.
He’s too good for me.

But she wanted it—him, this life.

Her innocence back. Her belief in people.

“You could weigh anchor with those thoughts,”
Grossmammi
said as she delicately lifted the spoon to her mouth.

Téya—
no! Katie!
—blinked.

“I think much more happened at Mr. Augsburger’s house than my visiting with Hannah.” A smile crinkled the soft lines around her grandmother’s eyes. “
Ya?
”

Katie felt the truth of that statement heat her cheeks. “
Ya.
” She tried to hide her smile. “I told David I was going to take instruction.”

Perpetually cold fingers wrapped around hers. “You have made this old woman’s heart so happy.” The soft squeeze was firm for a woman her age. “That you have embraced God, that you found shelter with His Son, I could not ask for anything more.”

Katie nodded, her gaze lifting to the window. Things—
she
—had changed a lot. Was it enough? But David. . . “David. . .” She swallowed hard before setting down her spoon and sitting back in the chair. “He suggested if I took instructions now, we could be married by winter.”

A gleam stole through her grandmother’s hazel-green eyes. “I lied.”

Caught off guard, Katie shook her head. “How? What?”

“I said I could not ask for anything more—but
this
is all I could ask for.” She slurped some stew then again shook her head. “No, then of course, I will be waiting for the great-grandchildren!”

Katie laughed. Then sobered. Before she and David could get that far, she had to get him past her former life. “Do you think he’ll understand. . .about. . .before?”

The smile faded from her grandmother’s eyes but clung defiantly—as a Gerig’s would—to her face. “If he loves you, he will.”

But her
grossmammi
didn’t know. . .not the whole truth. Not that Katie had been in the military, a career that violently contradicted the Amish stance of nonviolence.

Her grandmother squeezed her hand—hard. “That is your past, Katie.” Ferocity churned through her grandmother’s words. “Let it stay there.”

“Should I tell him?”

“I think you must, so there is no appearance of deception, of evil. A marriage is not merely two people living together. It is a commitment and must be grounded on truth—
God’s Truth
—and trust. A foundation of godliness makes for a solid structure.”

Katie nodded. Though she’d expected the answer and knew it in her heart—David deserved no less than every bit of her. She just wasn’t sure he deserved her or the past and the nightmares that came with it. Would David even love her if he knew what she’d done?

She glanced at her food and felt her stomach roil. Lifting the bowl, she stood.

Grossmammi
caught her hand. “You will speak to him,
ya
?”

And ruin everything?

I might’ve done that already, just by being who I am.

“
Ya.
” She dumped her stew back in the pot and set it aside. “I will clean up in a bit.” It took every ounce of strength to walk the distance to her room. Inside, she closed the door and slumped against it.
God, You have given me so much more than I thought possible. There is peace here. I’m safe. Please let David understand.

As she moved to the rocking chair, she stopped. Frozen in the spot as she looked out at the clothesline she’d already cleared. Only, now. . . “No,” Katie whispered hoarsely. “No!” She slammed her palms against the window, staring out. Heart thundering. She spun and jerked around. Sprinted out the door and down the hall to the back door.

“
Ach,
Katie!”
Grossmammi
’s concerned warning chased her into the dusky night. “The storm’s coming!”

Wind tugged at her prayer
kapp
strings as she bolted for the clothesline. She slowed until she stood right before it. The red baseball cap. Hot tears careened down her face. She reached for the hat and saw her trembling hand.

My whole word is trembling!

She snatched it from the clip, which popped and flicked away.

Katie didn’t care. She twisted and clenched the ball cap against her stomach. She shoved her gaze to the darkening sky. “Why?”
Her face heated from the tears. “
Why?
”

And just as swift, the grief swept away on the strong wind, and with it came the answer she’d heard too many times:
You don’t deserve it.

Katie returned to the house, closed off. Shut down. Though she noted her
grossmammi
in the sitting room with the kerosene lamp, she continued on to her room. Went in and locked the door. Closed her eyes.

Could she ignore it?

She glanced down at the hat twisted in her hands. Red. Highest threat.

She sucked back more tears as she bit out, “Do not let them get hurt.”
Her voice was a low growl that echoed the scream of her heart. Then she threw the hat down and knelt beside the bed. There she retrieved the small duffel she’d arrived with almost five years ago. She rested her head against the feather mattress, willing back the grief.

You knew it would happen, so just soldier up like you were taught to.

Katie sat on the edge of the bed, calling good night to her grandmother through the door, and waiting until the moon had risen high into its place of protection. She changed quickly. But putting on the tac pants felt like. . .sin. Putting back on the old life.

I DO. NOT. WANT. THIS.

She pulled up the tattered edges of her courage and clothes, slid on the ball cap, then walked out of the house. And out of the life she so desperately wanted.