Authors: Lynette Eason
April 9
C
assidy put the finishing touches on her makeup and threw Alexis’s diaper bag together. She’d chosen a flower-print short-sleeved dress that swirled about her calves as she walked. The white low-heeled sandals were comfortable and cool.
Church started in twenty minutes and she really didn’t want to be late. Gabe had decided not to go and Cassidy still felt the sting of disappointment. But she wouldn’t let it ruin her day.
Finally, she had Alexis in her car seat with a cup of juice, her sweater on the seat beside her, in case she was cold in the sanctuary, and the diaper bag on the front floorboard.
Fifteen minutes later, she pulled into the church parking lot and hurried to gather Alexis and her accessories. She made it to the entrance to the Sunday-school classroom with a minute to spare. She walked in and immediately relaxed as she saw people mingling and talking around the food table. She laughed to herself for worrying about being late. Several people approached her and welcomed her back. All exclaimed over the child who sat happily on Cassidy’s hip.
Marcie, a physical therapist from the local hospital and Sunday-school coordinator, came up and gave her a side hug and said, “Cassidy, it’s so good to have you back and with Alexis.” Sadness flickered over her features. “I didn’t know the Fosters personally, but I’d been keeping up with their mission updates they sent to the church and posted online. It’s hard to understand why God lets good people like the Fosters die while doing His work, but it’s good to know they planned ahead. You’ll be a great mom for Alexis. Thanks for bringing her to introduce her.”
Cassidy blinked back tears and said, “Thanks, Marcie. I appreciate that and it’s my pleasure.” She set the squirming child down for a minute and looked around the room. “We’ve got quite a few visitors here, don’t we?”
Marcie laughed. “Actually, a lot of them are new members. You’ve been gone awhile. When I called your parents to see why you weren’t answering your phone, they said you were on an extended vacation in Paris.”
Guilt stung Cassidy, but she pushed it aside. She’d done what she’d had to do. “It’s a really long story, Marcie. One day I’ll share it with you.”
Marcie smiled and wandered over to welcome a latecomer.
Alexis was exploring the room and soaking up the attention being lavished on her. Cassidy gave her an indulgent smile and walked over to pick her up. She tapped the child’s nose and said, “You’re an attention junkie.” Alexis giggled.
Cassidy took a seat in one of the chairs that had been placed in a semicircle around the perimeter of the room. She shifted Alexis in her lap and turned when a woman beside her tapped her on the shoulder. “Hi, I don’t remember meeting you. I’m Cindy Patterson.” The woman had curly reddish-blond hair and green eyes. Dressed conservatively in a black pantsuit, she smiled sweetly as she spoke. “I just started coming a couple of weeks ago.”
Cassidy shook her hand and introduced herself and Alexis. “I’ve been gone for a few weeks and I come back and we’ve got all these new faces. That’s great. I’m so glad you decided to join us.”
Cindy asked, “A few weeks? Do you travel on business?”
Cassidy decided not to go into detail. She just said, “I became guardian of a child from Brazil and went to pick her up. So, we’ve been adjusting to life since we got back.”
“Oh,” the woman crooned, “that’s so sweet. She’s adorable. What does your family think about it?”
Cassidy laughed. “They’re adjusting, too.”
Marcie stood to make the announcements, so Cassidy shifted her attention to the topic at hand. Alexis squirmed and Cassidy wondered if she’d make it through the entire class. It didn’t really matter. She didn’t want to put the child in the nursery yet, so if she had to get up and leave, she would. But it was good to be back into something resembling her normal Sunday routine. Cassidy handed Alexis a cracker and the little girl said, “Thanks.”
Everyone laughed and Marcie said, “Cassidy, why don’t you officially introduce her.”
Cassidy laughed along with the others and said, “This is Alexis. Most of you knew Jacob and Kara Foster. Kara grew up in this church and was one of my best friends. She named me guardian of Alexis in her will, and when she and Jacob were killed—” she still had a hard time saying those words, but took a deep breath and finished “—I went to pick her up, and here we are.”
Everyone wished Cassidy well, several offered new-mom advice and babysitting should she need it. When it came time for the lesson, Cassidy realized she’d forgotten her Bible. Cindy, recognizing Cassidy’s predicament, scooted over to place hers so Cassidy could see.
Cassidy whispered, “Thanks.”
Cindy leaned over and said softly, “True sign of a new mother. You remember everything pertaining to your child, but forget something obvious—like your Bible for church.”
Cassidy giggled under her breath and followed the lesson as best she could while entertaining and keeping Alexis quiet.
April 10
Monday morning dawned sunny but rainy. Gabe shoved a hand into the pocket of his khaki pants and waited under the shelter of the porch that led into the lawyer’s office. Craig Monahan had agreed to meet him here. Cassidy would arrive any minute. Stubborn woman insisted on being there. Said she had some papers to drop off anyway, so would join the men. Gabe told her she’d just be in the way, but she’d been unmovable.
While he waited, Gabe thought about Cassidy’s invitation to join her yesterday at church. He almost went, but then called at the last minute and wimped out on her. She was sweet about it, but he’d heard the disappointment in her voice. Something just continued to hold him back.
Regrets. Guilt. The gun in his ear. He flashed.
Three, two, one. Bye-bye.
Gabe sat frozen. Fear, rage, sorrow and guilt—and uncertainty over his eternal resting place—boiled within him.
God, I want to come to heaven!
Click.
An empty chamber.
Gabe brought his elbow around with whiplash ferocity and crashed it into the man’s chin. The gun fell and Gabe snatched it up. Still shaken, he held the weapon on the man who choked, sputtered…then lunged. Gabe felt the searing agony crash through him. A knife in his gut.
He’d been careless.
A gunshot blasted. Surprise flickered in the evil eyes before the man fell at Gabe’s feet. Dead.
But who killed him?
Weakness hit him hard. He dropped to his knees. Clumsy fingers gripped the handle of the knife and yanked. “Ahhhhh!”
Nausea churned, blackness swirled; he fought it. He had to know.
“Who…” he gasped.
His radio crackled. “Chopper’s on the way. ETA ten minutes.”
“Gabe, you okay, man?” a voice said to his left.
Disbelief hit him. “Micah?”
“Did…I…get him?”
“Yeah, you did. Are you okay? I thought you died.”
Gabe crawled to the jungle undergrowth where Micah had collapsed. Red and black burns covered his friend’s face, agonizing and painful looking. Blood flowed from a deep gash on his head. But he still held his Ruger. Micah gasped, “Getting…ready…to. Can’t…breathe…good.”
Fierce anger at the injustice of it all hit Gabe hard. Good men dying, a child’s life cut short. All for what? Drugs? Money?
Where are You, God?
His breathing labored; he desperately tried to ignore the fire in his belly as he inched toward Micah, dragging the medic bag behind him. Breaking open some thick, sterile gauze, he stuffed it into his knife wound, struggling against the darkness threatening to close in. He popped an antibiotic pill and pulled out supplies for Micah.
“Anyone else make it out? The men? The boy?” Gabe worked the oxygen mask over Micah’s face.
Micah sucked in the life-giving air. “I had him, Gabe…right behind me…” He closed his eyes and Gabe saw a tear leak out. Even SEALs had emotions, regardless of what most people thought.
Gabe pulled out a shot of morphine and aimed it where it would do the most good, but Micah opened his eyes and managed to shove the syringe away. “No drugs.”
“I don’t even know how you’re alive, but we’ve gotta get you out of here. Backup’s coming.”
“I’m not going to make it, Gabe.” Micah coughed, spit out the blood and sucked in another gulp of oxygen. “We’ve got a traitor in the loop somewhere.”
Hard news. “Who?”
Micah coughed again. Gabe would worry about who the traitor was when he had Micah stabilized. He grunted and reached for the morphine shot again. “Don’t worry, buddy. I got you into this, I’ll get you out.”
Micah pushed the shot away again. “Take…care…of Cassidy.”
“Micah…” Gabe gritted his teeth and thought about jabbing the syringe wherever he could reach.
Gabe felt like passing out. He was losing blood fast.
He moved as fast as he could and still felt like he was
trying to race his way through quicksand. Helicopter blades thumped the air somewhere to his right.
Hopefully that was the help he’d been told was on the way. He’d go out into the open to wait for them.
Micah had passed out…or died. But there was no way he was leaving him here.
Gabe used the last of his strength to move away from the bushes. He’d just wait…here…for…rescue. Then he’d tell…them about…Micah.
Darkness closed over him.
“Gabe?”
Motionless, Gabe fought the memories and struggled to focus on the man who had called his name.
Craig.
“Hey, man, you all right?” Craig asked, concern etched on his rugged face.
Gabe shuddered and forced a tight smile. “Just waiting on Cassidy to get here. Said she had some papers to drop off. I think she just wants to be in on every aspect of the investigation.”
“Can’t say I blame her,” Craig said, but scrutinized Gabe’s features. The man’s gray eyes saw too much. His hair had turned silver by the time he was thirty, making him look a lot older than his actual thirty-six years. He had the build of a weight lifter and Gabe knew he ran seven miles a day.
Craig held out a hand and Gabe shook it, saying, “Thanks for making the time to be here.”
“No problem. I’ve been looking over the stuff you gave me, and I think you’re onto something.”
“If this guy is the one threatening Cassidy, I want him put away for good.”
“If he’s the one, we’ll arrange it,” Craig promised.
“She’s here.”
Cassidy’s Armada pulled into an empty spot. She hopped out of the vehicle and dashed through the drizzle. Just watching her sent his world into a tailspin again. It wasn’t just the physical attraction, although there was definitely that, but the emotional pull she had on him that threatened to overpower him. Was this love? Maybe. He wanted to protect her, laugh with her, cry with her, raise children with her.
Lock her away and keep her safe until this madman was found. But Micah stood between them.
If he ever had clearance to tell her the truth, would she be able to forgive him? If she knew that it was at Gabe’s insistence that Micah was even on the mission?
He sent up a silent prayer as Cassidy skipped up the steps to greet him.
God, I know I’ve been out of touch for a while and there are still a lot of things unresolved between us, but I’d appreciate it if You’d show me where to go with all this.
“Hello, Gabe.”
“Hey, Cass. This is Craig Monahan, a friend and detective with the police force.”
Cassidy smiled at Craig and held out her hand, “Pleased to meet you, Craig.”
“Likewise. Sorry to hear about all the trouble you’re having.”
“Thank you. Maybe today we’ll get to the bottom of it.” She shifted her small purse to her other shoulder.
Gabe asked, “Where’s the munchkin?”
Cassidy’s features softened into maternal love. “She’s with my mother today. Mom’s really getting into this grandparenting stuff.”
Joseph followed discreetly behind Cassidy. He’d been doing security for her father for the last two years. Gabe knew Cassidy liked him and that she felt safer knowing he was around.
“I see your shadow is doing his job,” Gabe observed.
Cassidy rolled her eyes. “Yes. He’ll wait close by while we’re inside. I have to say that I’m grateful for his presence, even though I resent the need for it.”