Return of a Hero (21 page)

Morgan saw a white-haired man in a pin-striped suit stand up from behind the huge cherry-wood desk. Tyler was short, reminding Morgan of a bull. His eyes were a piercing dark brown, his jaw set, with sharp creases on either side of his thin mouth. If he didn’t know better, Morgan would have mistaken him for a military commander.

Tyler came around the desk and walked energetically over to them. He halted in front of the group, his eyes snapping to Morgan. “You’re Captain Trayhern.”

Morgan nodded, slowly taking the man’s parchmentlike hand. Tyler had to be close to seventy. “Ex-captain, sir.”

“Quite right. Thanks for coming.” Brusquely Tyler motioned to leather wing chairs that had been placed in front of his desk. “All of you, sit down.”

The room crackled with energy. Morgan sat on the edge of his chair, his hands clasped between his legs; he was expecting the worst. Tyler’s shrewd gaze never left him, and he had the feeling that the senator was sizing him up.

“I’ve got to tell you, Bill, you sure as hell threw a bomb into my office with this information.” Tyler jabbed a short, square finger at the depositions.

Wendell smiled slightly. “Bomb or not, Senator, I think Morgan Trayhern deserves a hearing based upon the evidence.”

Tyler’s straight white eyebrows drew together. He addressed Morgan. “Who else was in that room with you when General Armstrong was dying?”

“Armstrong’s doctor and the maid.”

“So there were witnesses.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Young isn’t going to willingly testify that Armstrong or he told you anything. You know that?”

“If I were in Young’s shoes, I’d roll over and play dead, too,” Morgan began slowly. “He’s got everything to lose.”

Tyler exploded with a bark of laughter. “Son, you’ve got a string of generals and CIA people who will fall like dominoes if we go into hearings on this. You can bet your last bottom dollar they’re going to protect one another’s backsides right up the line.”

“Just like they did after Hill 164,” Morgan ground out.

“I’m afraid so.” Tyler leaned back in his chair, surveying him for long, tension-filled moments. “I know your father, Chase, very well. And I’m well aware of your family’s prestigious history in defending our country. Every son and daughter of your family has served with distinction. I’ll tell you, if Bill had said it was anyone but a Trayhern, I wouldn’t have touched this case with a ten-foot pole.”

Morgan’s heart thumped hard. He swallowed, his eyes widening on the senator. “Then you’ll help us?”

Tyler got up and moved around his office. “Earlier today, Captain Jim Woodward came here. He brought me irrefutable proof there has been a cover-up. I’m not at liberty to share those documents with you because they’re top secret. Only Committee members for the hearing can read them.”

Morgan turned in the chair, watching the senator closely. “Can you give us an idea of what they say?”

Returning to his chair and sitting down, Tyler grinned. “Basically, they tie together all the threads of your documents. Hadden, who is now a CIA assistant chief, was at the bottom of all this. It was his idea to pin the rap for Hill 164 on you. My guess is that Armstrong wanted his general’s star more than he wanted to take the heat for the tactical error he and the CIA had made. You know Armstrong was up for promotion at the time of Hill 164?”

“No, sir, I didn’t,” Morgan rasped.

“And Young, who was already a general, had his tail in a sling because he’d approved your company’s move to Hill 164. The documentation ties the three of them together, that’s all I can say.”

Laura leaned back. Jim Woodward had turned out to be Morgan’s friend, not foe. She could hardly wait to throw her arms around the marine captain and thank him for his thorough work on Morgan’s behalf.

“So,” Tyler went on, “I’m calling a secret investigative committee hearing tomorrow morning.”

“Wait a minute,” Morgan said, rising. “Why secret? If I’m going to be exonerated of these charges, I want it public, Senator.”

“Morgan—” Wendell protested.

“No!” Eyes blazing, Morgan looked at both men. “You don’t understand. My family has gone through hell. My father was forced to retire. My brother Noah’s career with the Coast Guard has been jeopardized. People treat him like a leper, and he’s had to bust his butt to get assignments that should have come a hell of a lot easier.” His breathing became hard with feeling. “And my sister, Alyssa, has been castigated at the Naval Academy
and
Pensacola. She was given the silent treatment all those years.” Morgan braced his hands on the senator’s desk and stared at him. “Do you have any idea what that’s like? Frankly, I don’t see how Aly stood it. How would you like to be ignored for four years, Senator? No friends. No one to talk to. No one to study with.” He straightened, anguish in his tone. “This hearing goes public or not at all, Senator. If you won’t agree to that, then I’ll have Mr. Wendell pursue my case through civil court proceedings. It might take longer, but I intend to vindicate myself and my family publicly. Anything less than that isn’t acceptable.”

Tyler slumped back in his leather chair and eyed Morgan. “You’ve got your father’s fighting spirit, you know that?”

“I don’t have a choice in this matter,” Morgan grated. “My family’s honor is at stake. My
life
is at stake. And to be honest, Senator, I’m fed up with running and hiding.”

Laura bowed her head, fighting back the tears that flooded her eyes at Morgan’s pain.

“There are senators and congressmen who will shred you if you go public, Trayhern.”

With a sharp laugh, Morgan straightened. “What the hell can they possibly do to me that hasn’t already been done?”

“Your family will be put through more public scrutiny,” he warned. “Do you want Noah and Alyssa to take more pressure from their peers?”

Morgan snarled, “If they’ve made it this far, they’ll hang tough the rest of the way. Our family was bred to win, Senator, not lose. We don’t give up.”

Rubbing his pronounced chin, Tyler muttered, “That’s obvious.” He stared down at his desk for well over a minute, then said finally, “You realize that if the inquiry were in secret, General Young and Hadden would be more apt to come clean. In a public hearing, they’re going to hire the best criminal defense lawyers they can to appear before the television cameras.”

“America believes I’m a traitor,” Morgan said fervently, “and they believe my family is little better than that. If I can’t clear my name in front of the public, no one in my family, including me, will ever have a decent life. It’s bad enough my life has been screwed up. But to see my brother and sister, not to mention
their
children continue to carry this burden, is asking too much.”

Tyler shot Wendell a grizzled look. “He’s right, you know.”

Wendell nodded. “Will you contact someone over at the Justice Department? Warrants will have to be served on Young and Hadden.”

“I’ll make that call as soon as you leave.” Tyler looked over at Lenny. “Mr. Miles, you will be given protective custody by my committee. They’ll make sure you have a place to stay during this hearing. Does that meet your requirements?”

Lenny nodded, unable to meet the senator’s piercing gaze. His brow was beaded with sweat, and he squirmed uncomfortably in the wing chair. “Uh…yes, sir.”

Laura stood. “Wait a minute,” she pleaded. Everyone quieted and looked at her. “I’m sorry for barging in, but I have a question, Bill.”

“Well…sure. What is it?”

Nervously Laura said, “If Morgan were to have a wire placed on him and he went back to Young and Hadden to force them to admit their part in the cover-up, could that possibly cut short a long hearing? I mean—” she licked her lower lip, glancing at the senator “—if Morgan got their admission, how could they refute it in a public hearing?”

“Young lady, you’re right,” Tyler agreed with a grin. “That’s something neither of us thought of, Bill.”

Wendell nodded.

Hope shone in Laura’s eyes as Morgan went to her side. He gave her a tender smile. “You’re something else,” he told her.

“I’ll call the Justice Department and talk to them about that possibility. Morgan, would you be prepared to try it?”

He turned, slipping his arm around Laura’s waist. “Yes, sir.”

“It might be dangerous,” Tyler warned. “If Young and Hadden can throw your life away to protect theirs, to say nothing of the threats made to Mr. Miles, they might resort to more physical means of getting rid of you this time.”

Gravely Morgan nodded. “It’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

“Fine. I’ll have someone from the Justice Department contact you shortly. Planning will have to be done on how we can lure Young and Hadden into meeting you.” He waved his hand at them, already picking up the phone. “Nothing we’ve talked about leaves this room, understood?”

Everyone nodded.

Outside, after Lenny had left with Bill, Morgan drew Laura to a halt.

“That was a good idea,” he congratulated her.

“I’m not so sure now,” Laura said, frowning. “What if Young or Hadden think that killing you is the best way to solve the problem?”

“That,” he whispered, leaning over to kiss her wrinkled brow, “isn’t going to happen. Come on, let’s go home. I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry.“

Laura poked at the food on her plate, unable to eat. Things were moving too quickly to suit her. She had barely gotten the meal on the table when Ken Phillips from the Justice Department had called. He would be coming over shortly to discuss Morgan’s meeting with Young and Hadden.

“You okay?” Morgan asked, looking across the table at Laura.

“Yes and no.”

“I never realized what a worrywart you are, Laura Bennett,” he teased gently.

Rallying beneath his cajoling, Laura forced a slight smile. She put her fork aside, her stomach tied in knots. “I guess I’m not cut out for all this cloak-and-dagger stuff.”

He reached out, catching her hand and giving it a squeeze. “But here’s the lady who gave us the idea.”

She met his deep gray gaze, needing to be held by him but knowing that was impossible right now. “If this will force Young and Hadden’s hand, then it’s worth it, Morgan.”

The doorbell rang. “That must be Phillips,” Morgan said. Releasing Laura’s cool, damp fingers, he rose and went to answer the door.

Laura cleared the dishes away so that Ken Phillips and Morgan could sit and plan. She liked Phillips immediately. He was in his mid-thirties, with military-short black hair and intelligent hazel eyes. And it was apparent that Morgan liked him, too. Both men were basically military types who appreciated cutting through red tape and getting to the heart of a matter.

“We’ve placed a tap on Young’s and Hadden’s residential and office phones,” Phillips told him. “Tomorrow morning you’re going to call Young and demand a meeting. Tell him you’re getting tired of your Legion job and want another assignment. When you meet Hadden and him in person, try to get them both to admit to their parts in the affair.”

Morgan nodded, studying the wire he’d wear tomorrow morning. “And you’ll have your men in a truck, taping the conversation?”

“Yes. We’ll also be providing you protection. If things start going bad, use the code word ‘Brazil’. We’ll come on the run.”

Laura shivered as she placed the plates in the sink. Why wasn’t either man particularly upset over the possibility that Young or Hadden could pull a gun?

Phillips grinned. “I don’t think they’ll wait long to have a meeting with you once that call is placed.”

Morgan shook Phillips’s thin but strong hand. “Thanks.”

“I’ll be here at eight in the morning. You’ll make the call to Young’s office at nine. By then I’ll have the wire on you, so you can go directly to the meeting, if necessary.”

“Sounds good,” Morgan said. He rose and walked Phillips to the door. Ambling back into the kitchen, he saw how upset Laura had become.

“How you doing, little swan?” he asked, bringing her into his arms.

Closing her eyes, Laura slipped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his shoulder. “Okay.”

“It will be over soon, sweetheart. I promise.”

She stirred at the endearment. “I don’t want to lose you, Morgan. Not after all this,” she whispered, fighting back tears.

“Shh, you aren’t going to lose me.” He chuckled and held her tightly, rocking her gently back and forth. “I’m too mean to die. And look at me. I’ve got everything to live for.”

Battling to gather her strewn emotions, Laura choked out, “Just be careful, Morgan.”

He released her enough to place a finger beneath her chin. Her blue eyes, once sparkling with hope, were dark with despair. The urge to kiss that trembling lower lip tore him apart. “I’ll be very careful,” he promised her huskily. If he didn’t let Laura go, he was going to carry her into her bedroom and love her. How many times, just before a battle, had he wished to be in a woman’s arms, safe and loved?

“Come on, it’s almost midnight. Let’s turn in. We’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”

It hurt to move away from Morgan. Swallowing her pain, Laura mutely agreed and left the kitchen to go take her bath. Tonight she wanted to be with Morgan, no matter what he thought or wanted. She shut the door to the bathroom and leaned tiredly against it. Her world as she knew it had suddenly grown bleak. The possibility of losing Morgan to a bullet tore a sob from her. Covering her mouth with her hand, she sat down at the vanity, trying to cry quietly so that Morgan would never hear her.

Chapter Twelve

M
organ had just turned out the light in his bedroom and was getting ready to remove his terry-cloth robe, when there was a knock on the door. He opened it. Laura stood uncertainly before him, dressed in her floor-length cotton gown.

Laura’s throat constricted as she raised her gaze to meet his turbulent gray one. Placing a hand against her breast where her heart beat wildly, she whispered, “Don’t send me away, Morgan….”

The hesitation, the longing, were all Morgan heard in her low, unsteady voice. Her fragility broke his iron-clad grip on himself, and he offered his hand to her. “Come here,” he said thickly.