A SEAL to Save Her (17 page)

Dex nodded. He took a step forward and his foot kicked a box, tumbling it to the side. He bent down to scoop the spilled contents inside and saw a manila envelope. He picked it up.

“What's that?” Austin asked, looking over his shoulder.

The corner was stamped with the name of Washington Hospital Center MedStar Unit. He broke the seal and dumped the contents out. There was a wallet, keys, tickets to a cancer fund-raiser, small pink booties, some change and a cell phone.

“Jones's personal effects,” Austin said, picking up the phone. “It's dead, but we can charge it overnight and see if there's anything useful on it.”

Dex nodded, his eyes riveted to the booties, wondering why Brad had them on him when he'd died. Had he been planning to give them to Piper? His heart twisted for her. He walked toward the master bedroom. He slipped inside and stripped down, sliding into the warm bed. Piper was sleeping as far away from the middle as she could get without falling off the edge of the bed, telling him that she was still mad at him.

He closed his eyes, drifting, aching to pull her into his arms. They felt empty without her snuggled up against him, but maybe this was for the better. He clenched his jaw. Better for whom? Certainly not him.

When this was finally over, what kind of future did the two of them have? She lived in DC. He was based out of Coronado. He was a SEAL. She was a politician.

He squeezed his eyes closed and his heart beat painfully.

Dex was in love with her.

She was still in love with her husband.

And he was jealous of a dead man.

* * *

“Oh, Brad, the baby is kicking.”

They were leaving the very long, very boring fund-raiser and Piper was ready to get into something more comfortable, although Brad had said she was a glowing stunner in her little black dress.

She'd snorted then because there was nothing little about her dress or her. Her stomach was full of their baby daughter—Sophie. Brad, looking good in his tux, slipped his hand over her stomach as they stopped walking to the car. For a moment, they waited.

“There it is,” he murmured, and sure enough the fluttery kick turned into several really strong ones. “I can feel her foot,” he said as Piper's stomach bulged.

“She is an active one,” Piper agreed, and Brad slipped his arm around her, pulling her to him.

“I have an appointment tomorrow.”

“What kind of an appointment?”

“It's nothing. Just some financial matters with our lawyers. I shouldn't be more than two hours.”

She nodded. “Sounds good. I can hold down the fort.”

“You really should start staying home and resting.”

“I can work and I love to support you. I'll be home after Sophie's born.”

He held the door for her and closed it after she was inside. Walking around, he got in and loosened his tie.

“You okay to drive?” she asked. Brad looked preoccupied. In fact, he'd been subdued for the last three weeks. Maybe he was getting nervous about the baby's birth.

She covered his hand and smiled. “Everything is going to be fine,” she said.

He started and his head whipped around to hers. He looked surprised and spooked. “What?”

“With the birth. You'll make a great dad.”

She squeezed his hand and he laced his fingers with hers for a moment. “I know. I love you, Piper.”

“I love you, too.”

He started the car and they pulled out of the parking spot as he navigated to the GW Parkway.

Piper leaned her head back as Brad accelerated and lights reflected in her rearview side mirror. She squinted as they got closer and closer until they moved to pass. It was a dark car with tinted windows. Suddenly, the driver swerved and Brad swore.

Piper sat up, gripping the side of the door. The vehicle threatened them again and, in response, Brad swerved. As they approached the exit for Route 123, the pursuing car crowded them to the shoulder. Brad wrestled with the wheel, but the shoulder was soft and he lost control. Their car broke through the stone retaining wall. Piper screamed as the car tilted, then went into a dizzy whirl as it rolled over and over, glass breaking, the sound of wood splintering and metal grinding until it came to an abrupt stop and Piper blacked out.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Brad, his body draped over the deflated air bag, his eyes open and staring, blood running from his nose and ears.

“Brad?” she screamed. But he didn't stir, didn't look at her. She closed her eyes tight. He wasn't breathing. “Brad! No!”

Then she felt it—the slide of blood and fluid—and her throat closed up. Sophie. Oh, God. Her baby.

“Brad!”

She sat up in bed and Dex was there, slipping his arm around her, and she turned to him, seeking his warmth. The nightmare had been so vivid, as if it wasn't something she'd conjured in her own mind, but actual events. She remembered the first part vividly, but the details of the accident had been fuzzy. She'd been told at the hospital that she might not even remember it at all. Was her mind trying to fill in the blanks? Had the danger and adrenaline skewed her thinking? But then it all felt right and in a flash, she knew that she had relived the accident.

Tears streaming down her face, she cried, “I remember. I remember everything. We were driven off the road. Oh, God.” She clutched at Dex. “Brad was murdered. They killed my baby.” She cried harder. All the pain came rushing back at her. “They took everything.”

He rocked her, murmuring to her, his jaw tightening. But she was lost in her grief.

She felt so cold and physically disconnected. Feeling raw and exposed, she looked up at Dex, every nerve in her body stretched to the limit.

He brushed her cheek with his thumb. “It's going to be okay, babe,” he murmured, looping a strand of hair over her ear.

His words warmed her, his encouragement and support wrapping around her like a cozy blanket. The throbbing thickness in her throat eased, the tears slowed. Murmuring her name, he tightened his embrace.

Rattled by the feelings swamping her, it was a long time before she stirred.

She became aware of him stroking her back and her face was buried in his neck. Inhaling unevenly, Dex pulled them back, braced himself against the headboard, drawing her deeper into his embrace; his touch was meant to comfort her as he massaged the base of her spine.

“If you're right, Dex, about Brad, his actions could have caused the death of our child.”

Dex raised his head and looked at her, his gaze solemn. “I know, but you're strong enough for that truth, Piper.”

Was she? She had gone through so much.

“I can get through this. I have to. And you're right. I do need to know the truth. I need desperately to know the truth now.”

“Then we'll get the truth for you, Piper. Somewhere, somehow, we'll find the answers.” He loosened his hold so he could look into her face.

“I have to go to the police and get the accident reopened now that I remember. A car drove us off the road. There had to have been evidence of that.”

“We can't go to the police yet.”

“Why not?”

“Piper, you're still in danger. We can't trust anyone at this point. We're going to dig some more tomorrow. Hopefully we find something.”

She nodded, understanding, but her heart ached that she couldn't go right away. Get them working on who had done this.

She couldn't help remembering Robert Mullins's change of heart about the bill. He had at first supported Brad, then changed his mind and gone in a different direction after Brad had been killed.

He was more interested, he said, in getting a proper bill written and put through the process. The way the bill was now, he worried that it might not pass. Then, when she'd refused to drop the legislation, he'd gotten more agitated, then he started to threaten her.

“Dex. We should check Brad's congressional email. Maybe Mullins sent messages to Brad through that channel.”

“That's a good idea, now that his computer was wiped and everything lost. Can you access the email?”

“Yes, I have his password. I have just avoided everything to do with Brad. I was the one who handled most of his correspondence and he trusted me with all his codes. But he really handled that email account himself. I usually didn't go in there.”

“All right. We'll check it out. Do you have his cell phone password?”

“Yes,” she said, and rattled it off.

“I think Robert Mullins murdered your husband to keep that bill from passing. I think he hired someone to do it. Maybe even the same someone who attacked us at Coffee Now in Pentagon City.”

“It makes sense,” she said, snuggling up against him as he pulled her down into the bed and his embrace.

He kissed her temple. “Now that you've remembered what happened, hopefully you won't have any more nightmares.”

Her voice was unsteady when she answered. “I hope so. I've relived that particular one more than enough.”

“You have. Try to relax now and go back to sleep. I'm here, Piper.”

“I'm sorry about how I acted. You were only trying to help.”

“I get it. It's your life and you're still trying to make sense out of it. But you do what you have to do. I admire that.”

She cuddled closer to him and kissed his chest and breathed him in, and after a moment she confessed, “I want answers. I want the truth. Really, whatever that is. Do what you have to do and I'll help as much as I can. Whoever did this stole my future and needs to answer for it. Brad and Sophie need justice.”

“Aww, Piper...Sophie?”

Tears gathered and slid down her cheeks and he just held her.

She smoothed her palm over the broad curve of his shoulder and continued upward, tunneling her fingers into his hair. And she kissed him, one long moment after another, luxuriating in the sensuality of having him naked and close, and in the comfort she felt—even the way he smelled made her feel safe.

Chapter 16

A
ustin was already up and on the phone, his hair more tousled than normal, when Dex came out of the bedroom. Was that just the way he wore it? He heard the shower going in the bathroom down the hall, evidence the dark assassin was up, too.

Piper was still sleeping, but she had given him the password for Brad's email account. He made coffee. Ripping a piece of paper off the tablet in the kitchen, Dex wrote the cell phone code down. He set it on the charging device and headed to the pool. This inactivity was grating on him. He was used to action and plenty of conflict to keep his mind sharp.

Diving in, he started to swim laps, slow and steady to warm up, letting his body take over, releasing his mind and his thoughts and feelings for Piper.

He'd done what he hadn't intended to do. Got so entangled with her, a woman who was emotionally unavailable to him.

She was his match, the kind of woman who would be able to stand by him every day in what he wanted to do with his life. The kind of woman who could handle two hundred and twenty days out of three hundred and sixty-five without him. To be a SEAL's wife—oh, yeah, right, he was going there. He wanted her...in his life. That was certain. She was the very definition of strength and grace. Piper had already proven that she could embrace her husband's goals and take that stand along with him.

But in her case, she never held any resentment about it toward him. She was a woman to stand alone when he was deployed and stand with him when he was home and needed her. What had destroyed his other relationships was that he'd chosen the wrong women to stand by him. In the end, they resented him. He'd just realized that this minute because of Piper.

She had been more interested in making a strong family for her man, supporting his political goals. His only regret was that she hadn't pursued her own dreams. He would be all for that.

She cared about him. That was evident, but maybe it was more because of the constant danger and the fact that he'd saved her life. She needed his protection.

This had started out as a rescue, then had changed and snowballed until his throat ached with how he felt about Piper. He loved Ty as a brother and that got all knotted up in him, too. Rock had been right—it was best to steer clear of your best friend's sister.

But regardless of how Piper felt about him, he was going to see this through to the end. No matter the cost.

On his thirtieth lap, Dex was just getting warmed up when someone called from the pool deck. “Hey, Flipper! I've got something you need to see.”

Dex leveraged himself right out of the pool by his arms. Austin threw him a towel. “The phone's charged and I found a video on it. Brad made it the day he died.”

Dex dried off his upper body as he followed Austin back into the house. “I copied it to my laptop,” he said.

“I'll go get Piper.”

He entered the bedroom and she stirred. He crouched down, kissed her soft lips. “Piper?”

She opened her eyes and smiled. “Good morning.”

“Morning, babe. We charged your husband's phone last night. There's a video on it that he made the day he died.”

She released a shaky sigh and sat up, sliding her feet around to the floor as he rose. She reached for her robe at the end of the bed and stood, slipping it on.

He cupped her face, then smoothed down her hair. “I'll be there every step of the way.”

“Let's see what he had to say.” Her voice was uneven.

She reached for his hand and he threaded their fingers together. Back in the living room, Derrick was seated on the sofa and Austin had set the laptop on the coffee table. He was perched on the arm of the sofa.

“Morning, gentlemen.”

“Senator.”

“Please, call me Piper,” she said with a small smile, and sat, Dex folding down right next to her, his hand still around hers.

“Are you ready, Sena—Piper?”

“Yes.” She went a bit white, her hand going to the locket around her throat as she cupped it.

Austin reached forward and clicked Play.

Brad's face was conciliatory. It looked like he was in his parked car. “Piper, I want to tell you how much I love you. How much your support, energy, enthusiasm and willingness to take our dream as far as it could go has meant to me.” He smiled and Piper's eyes welled.

“I also want to apologize for what I'm about to tell you and feel like crap that I haven't confided in you all along, but I was selfish. I didn't want you in harm's way. I've been investigating Robert Mullins.” His voice was subdued, but Dex could hear the underlining strain and fear.

“He's tried to bully me out of the corporate change bill. But I had no idea what heinous acts he would commit in his bid for the White House.” Anger tinged his words and his face hardened. “I've gathered a lot of evidence against him, thanks to a man who was killed last week in a hit-and-run car accident in New York City. My PI, Sam George. His death was no accident. It just adds to the long list of people Mullins got out of his way. He's got special interests in corporations that are paying into his campaign funds through blackmail and conspiracy. Mr. George has given me evidence that an assassin was involved in murdering the CEO of Markset Limited. Mr. George was a brave and loyal man and I'll miss him. I'm pretty sure that Mullins is aware of what I've uncovered, as Mr. George's office was ransacked and all his computer files taken.” He took a deep breath.

“I'm going to Edward with all this evidence I've gathered. I'm sorry I lied to you. If you're watching this video, I'm probably dead.” He brought the booties out of his jacket pocket and Piper made a soft sound. Dex slipped his arms around her shoulders as tears spilled over and tracked silently down her cheeks. “I carry these around with me to remind me that making a better world for our daughter is more important than being safe and sound. I pledged my service to the people of California. I care what happens to the US and embrace what our forefathers in their brilliant way set up to govern our great nation.” Brad choked up and he took several deep breaths to get control. “Men like Mullins don't deserve to even step foot into the Oval Office, let alone run this country.”

He leaned his head against the backrest, squeezing his eyes closed. “If I don't...make it, tell our daughter, our Sophie, how much I love her. I'm sure she's beautiful.” He rubbed at his eyes, his voice husky. “Don't let her forget about me. Tuck her in each night knowing that I tried to make a difference. Everything I gathered is on my laptop, but in case that's destroyed, you have what you need close to your heart to take to Edward.” He impatiently brushed tears away. “Stay safe, Piper, and please don't mourn me too long. Life is too short for you not to be happy. Find love again. Hold on to it hard and live. Don't let my sacrifice be in vain, sweetheart.”

The video ended and Piper covered her face and wept. It was the only sound in the room. Austin went to the window and looked out. Derrick's eyes were filled with compassion.

A low sound of agony broke the silence of the room as Dex, unable to stand her pain, gathered her close. Austin motioned to Derrick and they left through the front door. It closed softly behind them. He rocked Piper. Catching him by the back of the head, Piper hung on to him.

“It's okay, babe,” he choked out. “It's okay.”

Piper tightened her hold and Dex dragged his hand up and down her back, molding them together finally in a crushing hold comforting her through this terrible revelation, this horrible news, driven by a need that burned through to his very soul.

“I've got you, babe,” he said, trying to swallow the knot in his throat.

She raised her head and met his eyes, hers swimming in tears, visibly moved beyond words by his gruff admission showing in those moist depths.

Neither of them spoke for a long time. Finally, she raised her head. He wiped away the moisture with his thumb. She faced him, her gaze frank and steady. “What do you think he meant about me having the means to take down Mullins close to my heart?”

“I don't know. It was cryptic, but was probably meant to be. If someone got ahold of Brad's phone and saw the video, they would know you had the evidence. But where could he have put it?”

Dex rose and went to the front door. Opening it, he motioned for Austin and Derrick to come back inside. They had to figure this out.

Dex paced and Piper watched his powerful body move. “We thought your attack was about a bill,” Dex said, “but it had to be about this. About what dirt Brad dug up to nail Mullins to the wall.”

* * *

Piper fingered her locket, her heart still breaking over Brad's video and the fact that she had never got to see her baby. Sophie had never been born. She felt so empty, yet so filled with rage.

Dex stopped pacing and stood still, staring at her. Piper felt his gaze and she raised her head. His eyes were watching her fingers caress the locket.

“Piper. You said Brad gave you the locket. When?”

“Just out of the blue, about two weeks before he died. I never take it off except to shower.”

He came closer, his eyes alight. “Does it open?”

“No, it's old. Brad said it was...fused shut.” Her heart skipped a beat. “What? You think there's something inside?”

“‘You have what you need close to your heart to take to Edward,'” Dex said, and reached out his hand. “That locket is close to your heart, Piper. May I? I'll try to be careful with it.”

She reached back and unclasped the locket and set it into the palm of his hand. Austin and Derrick followed him over to the dining-room table. He set the locket down, pulled out a wicked-looking knife and slipped the point into the seam in the locket and pried. He worked at it for several seconds, then the two halves separated.

Piper held her breath until she saw it, a dime-size metal square with a black head.

“It's a flash drive,” Austin said. “Son of a bitch. She's been wearing it around her neck all this time. Well played, Brad Jones. Well played.”

“If I hadn't ignored everything after Brad's death, people wouldn't have died. Those marines, those SEALs, Mr. Utley.” She gripped the counter, guilt making her gut churn. She ran from the room and just made it to the bathroom before she lost everything in her stomach.

Her brother Ty...he could have died.

Dex was there, pulling her hair back as she was sick again. She closed her eyes, but this time there would be no tears. There would be action and justice.

After she rose and he handed her a washcloth, he said, “I know what you're thinking.”

“It's all my fault. I didn't want to face any of it. When I lost them...”

“Goddammit, Piper. Listen, and listen good! This isn't your
fault
.” His voice shook with his barely contained anger, his jaw so tight. “I told you that in Afghanistan and I'm telling you now. You didn't do any of this. Mullins did. He's the one who's got blood all over his hands.” His voice was husky and filled with steel. “Not you, babe,” he said viciously, dragging her against him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on to him as fiercely as he was holding on to her.

When they left the bathroom, Derrick and Austin looked concerned and fired up. “We can contact...”

“No.”

Derrick went toe-to-toe with Dex and Piper's stomach jumped, the queasiness not going away. “Look, Kaczewski, we have a job to do. Find out who masterminded an attack on a contingent of US Navy SEALs, lured them into an ambush. Attacked a wounded SEAL. You! That's what we were tasked with.”

Austin's eyes narrowed and the surfer boy suddenly looked much more menacing. “Your men, Lieutenant.”

“I'm well aware of who died in my unit—good men—but I'm not turning this over to NCIS or anyone. I don't give a damn what your chain of command is. This information stays locked down so no one else dies. This is Piper's show. Her husband was murdered for this information and she lost her child over this. We're giving it to someone she can trust. Her brother Edward.”

“But SECNAV...”

“SECNAV can bust me out of the navy, but I'm not budging. I don't trust anyone. We're taking this to Edward Keighley, Piper's brother, and we're keeping this under wraps until all the arrests are made.”

Piper curled her hand around Agent Gunn's forearm. “Please,” she said softly. “Trust Dex. He's kept me safe all this time.”

Derrick turned to look at her and quite plainly wasn't happy, but as she held his gaze, he huffed out a breath and looked away. “All right. You've gotten us this far,” Derrick said, covering her hand and squeezing. “Beck?”

Austin agreed. “Kai is going to chew our asses, but we'll take this to her brother.”

Piper called and set up a time to meet her brother at his house that night. She told him that what she was bringing to him was huge and that it was Brad who had died for the evidence to put away Robert Mullins.

“I've got to call Monty,” she said as Dex and the two NCIS agents were busy strategizing. She picked up her cell and went into the kitchen. She dialed his number and as soon as he answered, she said, “Monty.”

“I've got evidence for you, Piper. We should meet.”

“Yes, that's a good idea. We're planning on giving evidence we've uncovered to my brother Edward at his home tonight at seven.” Piper was so numb, moving on autopilot, trying to sort through everything she'd experienced since she got the call that Tyler had been wounded. She wanted to shut down, but she couldn't. She had to see this through. “Could you be there and bring what you have?”

“Gladly.”

* * *

As they drove over to Edward's house, Piper asked again, “Where are Austin and Derrick?”

“They decided to go back to San Diego. There wasn't anything else they could do here. This situation is solved and you're in good hands with me.”