Navy SEAL Surrender (15 page)

Chapter Twenty-One

John hid the car Dev had “borrowed” at the back of the property in the far grove of trees he’d wanted to drag Alicia to just a short time ago. When he entered the barn, said woman was silent in the only chair, her forehead crinkled in thought while his best friend and brother held a discussion loud enough to be heard over the air conditioner.

He’d been gone only a few minutes, but it seemed they were all deep in contemplation. The men had parked themselves on either side of the rattling AC unit.

They all stared at the wrecked car that had belonged to Dwayne. The same car he’d crashed over four years ago, dried bloodstains on the tan seat. Nothing more of importance was inside the barn, other than hay for horses waiting in another paddock, to be sold at auction tomorrow.

His brother’s thumbs were hooked in his belt loops as casually as his ankles were crossed while leaning against the barn wall. A big change from the way he’d paced like a caged animal an hour earlier. Dev’s hand rested against his chin, one finger tapping across his lips.

John knew that look. The team knew to prepare for an onslaught of random brainstorming ideas until a workable solution was obtained. If they could reach that point and come up with a plan, he’d endure any number of questions from Dev.

“We’re assuming Roy Adams came to this barn, probably turned on that clattering air conditioner, sat in that chair and what? Stared at the vehicle where his son died? Why?” Dev asked.

“And is answering that question worth our time before we figure out a plan to rescue Lauren?” Brian asked.

He didn’t know.

“That’s one mangled piece of junk.” Dev half pointed with his tapping finger to the car they’d found. Hardly missing a beat, the tapping to his face resumed. “No drugs? No alcohol?”

“Toxicology screen was clean. Absolutely no alcohol in his system, man,” Brian stated. “I’m telling you, he wasn’t drunk. A friend of mine looked at the autopsy for me.”

“You never mentioned you requested that, Brian,” Alicia said softly. She looked straight ahead, through the missing driver’s door of the car.

Brian shot John a plea for help, but there was no need. Dev’s processing wouldn’t be sidetracked.

“So they assumed he fell asleep,” Dev mumbled, “but it wasn’t late at night. Sort of a strange assumption, even for the cops.”

“Shauna told everyone within earshot that he fell asleep at the wheel because he’d been up all night with Lauren.”

“Had he?” Dev asked.

“Not more than usual. I worked all night and he was with her. He would have called if she hadn’t been sleeping. She slept pretty soundly for a six-month-old. Still does.”

There was a visible lack of emotion coming from Alicia. For a woman who had been so passionate less than twenty minutes before, her stare was disturbing.

“Did you think that he’d fallen asleep at the wheel?”

Alicia shrugged. John signaled to his best friend to cut the talk by making a slicing motion against his throat. He didn’t want her to travel down the path of being responsible for the car accident.

“I don’t get it. Why would Roy keep Dwayne’s wrecked car? Do you think he was going to fix it up?” Brian asked. “That’s the only reason I can think of. Or was he just sick with grief before—”

Both ideas turned his stomach. He could see how upset she was. A blank stare where he couldn’t tell if she was aware he’d returned. He couldn’t see inside the car, but it looked mangled.

“Did your father-in-law think he was responsible somehow? Is that why he killed himself?” Dev’s question hung in the air.

John could only guess that Dev’s research had turned up that information. He didn’t know the answer. The man they’d known their entire lives would never have taken his own life. But none of the past mattered. People change after losing someone close to them. Only one person in the room could begin to understand what was in Roy’s mind, but she remained silent. Not even a quick gasp of breath.

“We’re missing something,” Dev continued in his analytic mode. “Why wouldn’t he get rid of the constant reminder of his son’s accident?”

“Could he have thought there was a clue in the wreckage?” She looked hopeful and jumped to her feet, searching inside the car. “Could it still be here? Maybe you were right. Maybe that’s why they killed him.”

He quickly pulled her away to stop her. “If there had been, Roy would have turned it over to the cops.”

“But—”

“I’m not following.” Brian cut her off.

She turned to his brother, appearing ever hopeful for answers. “John thinks it’s possible that Roy believed Dwayne was murdered. And then
he
was murdered to keep him from finding anything.”

“Murdered? By who? Why?” Brian shouted.

No longer relaxed, his shoulders-back “fight me” stance called to John to respond in kind, but he held himself where he was. “I’ve got nothing but a gut feeling, that’s all. Definitely not enough to base a plan on.”

Brian hit the wall with his fist and the pacing began. “Son of a bitch, that’s a giant place to leap for someone who hasn’t been around for twelve years. Why are you doing this to her?”

“You weren’t there tonight,” Alicia said. “You didn’t see Patrick and what he did. He killed Tory. Just shot her in cold blood right before the police pulled up. Yes, John’s been gone. But maybe that’s why he can consider what no one else has.”

“You honestly think Roy Adams could commit suicide and leave Alicia here to fend for herself?” John asked his brother.

Brian drew a deep breath and turned into that mature son who helped their dad. “No one thinks it could happen to their family. I’m a paramedic. I see disbelief on people’s faces all the time. Suicide, drugs, drunk driving. They all ask for proof. I’m sorry, Alicia. Guess I’m in the habit of not thinking much about it. I should have been there for you.”

“You were,” she answered softly, and returned to the chair.

“Did you say Weber shot someone named Tory?” Dev asked. “Could her real name be Victoria, um, Strayhorn?”

“I think so.” Alicia shrugged, leaned back and slipped out of her shoes. “She worked at Lauren’s day care, and I can’t remember her last name.”

“Let me look at something.” Dev walked to his gear just inside the double doors.

“Did you find the money?” John asked.

“What money?” Brian asked, following Dev and lifting electronic cases.

“No. But Patrick and Shauna are converting all their assets into cash,” Dev said casually.

“We knew about the sale of property and horses.” He didn’t find anything strange in Shauna’s getting rid of things that didn’t interest her.

“I mean,
everything.
Stocks at a loss. Dissolving business partnerships for any amount of cash that can be forked over.
That
kind of cashing out.”

“What money?” Brian asked again.

“Mind catching him up to speed, Dev, while I...?” He nodded to Alicia, who stared zombielike into the car again.

Followed by Brian, Dev went to the rental. He opened his laptop on the hood and began assembling whatever portable equipment he’d managed to bring from the cabin. If John knew the SEAL who prepared for everything—which he did—he knew the guy had the capability to hack the White House from his cell phone.

Brian asked questions. Dev answered. Alicia stared. Their conversation faded into the background. Should John get her out of here? Or make her face the demon rusting in the jumbled metal? He laid a hand on her shoulder and she jumped.

“Sorry. I... You see, no one really told me much when the accident happened. All the details were shared with Roy. It didn’t matter to me since... I mean, he was dead, so it just didn’t matter.”

“I get it. Closure is different for everyone.” He did understand. He’d written letters when he’d lost a man and then received answers from a couple of parents. One man wanted every detail he could divulge about the fight, while his wife had sent a letter to John’s commander, asking why he’d commended her son’s performance in battle. He got it, all right.

“I remember that he crashed and they couldn’t get him out of the car. That’s probably why there’s no door. They probably had to pull it off, right? He died at the scene.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “Roy handled everything.”

“It’s all right.” He lowered his voice and knelt beside her. “This isn’t a good place for you to be. If I’d known the car was here, I wouldn’t have brought you.”

“You can’t protect me from the fact that my husband died, John. Accidents happen. Life happens.” She squeezed his hand and he realized he’d been patting her knee. “In your line of work, you’ve probably seen your own share of tragedy.”

He couldn’t talk about what he’d seen. It wasn’t fair to burden her with his nightmares. She had enough of her own. Dev’s low voice wafted through the background as he explained to his brother what he’d been searching for in cyberspace.

“Something happened to you, John. I can see it. Every once in a while, you drift, and your sadness makes me want to snatch you back. You can tell me about it. I’m still here for you.”

“Maybe someday.”
Or never.
He stood, but she didn’t release his hand. “We should get started, and you should get some more sleep.”

“You need it more than me. How are you going to think of a great rescue plan while you’re running on empty?” She crossed her legs and tugged off her socks.

“I’ll catch twenty after Brian leaves.”

“Then we should get started on the plan to get Lauren back before he has to head home,” she said, stronger.

“You’re right. We need a plan.”

“How do you figure to accomplish a rescue?” Brian asked. “She’ll be watched 24/7. No matter where they go.”

“And if you do accomplish your goal, I haven’t proved Alicia didn’t plan everything,” Dev added.

Their options were limited. They couldn’t just waltz up to the door and demand Alicia’s daughter. Or could they?

“Exactly. That’s why we’re going to kidnap her during the auction today.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Once they’d worked most of the details out and the fine-tuning had come into play, Alicia had fallen into an emotional, exhausted sleep. She vaguely remembered John saying goodbye and maybe kissing her cheek.

With Brian’s alibi established, the police couldn’t connect him to Tory’s shooting. So John planned to attend the auction using his brother’s ID and be in position to orchestrate Lauren’s kidnapping. Alicia had slept from dawn to about nine o’clock in the morning. Right until Dev had started his rental and driven off to purchase the rest of the gear they’d need.

A glance at her watch as she stretched awake for a second time told her it was nearly eleven. “I’m seriously hungry. Anything still in those saddlebags?”

“That’s because you didn’t eat before you fell asleep. Dev’s almost back. Hope you like burgers for breakfast.” Brian sat in the chair, looking so much like John it reminded her of when they’d all first met.

They were less gangly, had grown into handsome men and were good, helpful friends. As much as they tried to be different, they still had identical expressions and mannerisms.

“Anything will be much appreciated. Did he find the electronics he needed?”

“Yeah. That’s a fairly big smile on your face, Miss Adams. Been a while since I’ve seen it where it belongs.”

“You flirt. Am I smiling?” She laughed. “I’m happy this is almost over.”

She was glad at the thought that Lauren would soon be back in her arms, protected, safe. The future after her rescue was still uncertain, but the most important thing was to get her daughter away from the murderers who had kidnapped her.

“Not all over. We still have to pull off a kidnapping and keep you guys out of sight until one of Dev’s navy buds can track this money connection to Patrick. He passed it off to someone with a bigger computer.”

“You don’t sound too positive.”

“Come on, Alicia. You think this chaotic plan of John’s will work? Think he can act like a humble ranch hand again?” Brian pushed up from the chair, stretching and twisting as though he’d been stationary too long.

“To be honest, I can’t
not
believe John and Dev know what they’re doing. They rescue people in much more dangerous situations. Dev’s not just some navy buddy, Brian. He’s amazing with a computer.”

Brian smiled once again. He might talk about her smiling, but he’d done more than his share since his fight with his brother. “And it hurt the guy to give in and call for help. Dev was in true pain. I guess you’ve had a bit more time to believe in John than I have. For twelve years I thought he was irresponsible—”

“And blamed him like the town blamed you.”

“Uh,” he began, and stopped himself. “Yeah, pretty much.”

“Is that why you’re so doom and gloom this morning?”

“I keep thinking of all the time I wasted.” He rubbed his jaw. “The beatings I endured, the shunning of everyone except you and Mabel.”

“Surely there’s been a couple of others?”

“No one close. Hell, girl, I’ve never been on a serious date.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I can’t expose anyone to the treatment I live with just running to the grocery for a gallon of milk for Dad. And you know I can’t move. I can’t work more than three or four days in a row. Dad will work himself to death.”

Alicia finger combed her hair and watched Brian shift uncomfortably on his feet. His confession must have been very difficult to make.

Instead of pacing around the barn like a caged lion, an action she’d seen often enough since his arrival, Brian stayed put. His eyes pleaded with her to understand. He was probably sharing thoughts he’d never told anyone. He was right. Who would he have explained to?

J.W. ate, worked, ate and went to bed. He had been a great friend to her father and Roy, but he wasn’t from a generation of talkers. And unfortunately, Brian took after him more with every year that aged them all. John had been the one who always talked to her as they’d grown up. He, too, it seemed, had closed himself off. In two days, he hadn’t said a word about his life over the past twelve years.

“I’m so sorry, Brian.” She tried to imagine how lonely he’d been all these years. “But I think if you let someone fall in love with you, then they’d never doubt you were innocent.”

“Is that why you’ve always believed in John?”

“What do you mean?”

“You believed that he didn’t start the fire and wasn’t there. You stood by him because you’ve always loved him.” He stated it as matter-of-fact instead of really wanting to know the answer to a question. Just a little rise and fall of a firm shoulder. Acceptance that it was the way things had always been.

“I never believed you set the fire, either. Even after you confessed.” She looked at him, wondering how the conversation had taken a turn to this place. “You know I love your whole family.”

“Sweetheart, you do
not
love me and Dad like you do him.” Brian laughed, completely at ease and relaxed. “And from the astonished look on your face, I think you’re realizing that it’s time to stop kidding yourself that you do.”

“You’re wrong. I don’t. I can’t. I loved Dwayne. I wouldn’t have married him if I were still in love with Johnny. I’m just— Really, I can’t possibly do that to Dwayne.”

“Do what? Fall in love again?”

“Make people doubt our marriage. Or that I settled for him. Or that I was after his money. I couldn’t.” She dropped her head in her palms.

How could the world turn upside down in an instant yet again? She’d been so relieved that this ordeal would soon be over. So happy at the thought of seeing Lauren again and knowing she was safe. She’d actually been smiling, laughing. And now it was impossible.

No matter how much she cared about Johnny, she couldn’t possibly be in love with him. It wasn’t fair to Dwayne’s memory. She felt a pat on her shoulder, then Brian’s hand squeezed tight.

“No one will think you
settled
for either man. And there’s not a single person in town who ever thought you married for money. I knew Dwayne. I was his best friend from the first peewee football team we were on. He’d be very happy for you both. I’m certain of that. You and Johnny are going to be good together.”

One last squeeze and Brian walked outside, leaving her on her own.

Did she really love her high school sweetheart? Had she stopped only for the time she’d been with Dwayne? It might be true. Brian might be right about that, but he was certainly wrong about being good together.

John was a navy SEAL, for crying out loud. All he’d ever talked about in high school was joining the navy. He was a career man. He’d be leaving Aubrey and returning to his exciting world instead of living her day-to-day drama. After the dust settled from Shauna and Patrick’s kidnapping, her world would be how to get a grape-jelly stain out of her favorite blouse. She’d patiently explained to him in the field that she’d never be with anyone again. So after all that straight talk, how could she change her story?

How could she possibly make him believe she loved him? And on top of all that...she hadn’t known it until his brother had hit her over the head?

* * *

W
EARING
W
ESTERN
BOOTS
was a change that John welcomed. He would enjoy breaking in a new pair. If he had a reason to buy a pair again. Since Alicia had told him she’d never marry again—and he’d heard that underlying message of
especially him—
there wasn’t much of a reason to think about moving back. He didn’t have a reason to find a place to store boots in the barracks.

Brian hadn’t been exaggerating about the number of people who avoided talking to him in town. There had been several women who were approaching and then had a sudden desire to stare into the hardware store window. The town truly had decided his brother’s punishment.

And yet he was still here. Taking care of what was left of the ranch. Most definitely taking care of their dad. Always the responsible brother.

Brian had been right about the police officers, too. They weren’t very good at tailing him. He gave them the slip long enough to meet Dev and receive the earbud and microphone. How and where his friend obtained his
toys
was beyond him. He was just grateful that he knew someone with that much talent.

He had to sit at the café lunch counter for a good ten minutes sipping coffee he didn’t want or need before the cops showed up again. He needed them at the auction. Since Dev still hadn’t located the money, if Patrick said or did anything, it was important to have reliable witnesses.

He was beginning to rethink the
reliable
about the time they pulled behind his granddad’s truck to find him at the auction. Walking in a crowd of people who had shunned his brother brought back memories of the streets in Afghanistan. A foreigner in disguise on a rescue mission, praying no one knew his real identity.

Keep your cool, man. You’ll get to tell these people off one day. Just not today.

“Everyone in place?” he asked just before he wouldn’t be able to answer again without someone thinking it odd that he was talking to himself.

“Yes,” Alicia answered hesitantly.

“Out of sight at the corral.” Brian was in place for the distraction.

“Good to go, LT.”

The line to register moved quickly and it was soon his turn. He filled out the information and returned the paper to the young woman. She smiled, clearly unaware of the treatment his brother normally received.

“What are you doing here, Sloane?” A man walked up to the registration desk. Dressed in a suit, obviously in charge. He knew Brian and each word showed his distaste at wasting his time on him.

“I thought it was an open auction.” He couldn’t wait to see this pompous ass eat his words.

“You’re required to have a line of credit or cash to get inside. I already denied you that line of credit and I know no one else gave it to you. Unless you brought—”

John pulled the stack of bills from a bank envelope. “There’s ten thousand. That enough to see if I want any of the Adamses’ stock?”

“Where did you get that kind of money? You’re broke.”

“You don’t really expect an answer, do you? Now, where’s my bid number?” He put the cash away, looking around to see astonished faces everywhere. He could see the condemnation.

“I want this man thoroughly searched and if he has a weapon, hold him for the police.”

John stepped to the side of the table and lifted his arms, forcing a smile to stretch from ear to ear, faking his ease at being frisked. He’d left his weapons behind for just this reason.

“They all believe I sell drugs,” Brian said disgustedly, then laughed in his ear. “Now you just confirmed their suspicions and there will be worse rumors about why I haven’t saved the ranch with the money before now.”

“Don’t distract him, man,” Dev broke in. “Stay silent until you need to let us
all
know something.”

Luckily Dev had intervened. John had been about to answer Brian himself. Go off on a rant right as he walked into the arena. His brother was the only person who could get a rise out him at this stage of an operation. He hadn’t really been functioning at full SEAL capacity since he’d arrived in Texas.

Maybe he was losing his edge. Time to suck it up and focus. He knew he’d lost his heart for his chosen career months ago. He’d address his doubts after he secured Lauren. Walking from stall to stall of the animals for sale, he felt sick in his gut that Roy’s life’s work was about to disperse to parts unknown. These horses were Lauren’s future. It was Alicia’s decision to sell or keep them.

Avoiding a conversation with those around him wasn’t hard. The locals kept their distance, and for the faces that tried to make eye contact, his angry expression should have put off a vibe that he wasn’t too open for small talk. He didn’t have to act interested in the stock—he genuinely was.

These were fine animals, good quarter-horse breeders his dad’s ranch would be excited to own. He could hear the astonishment of the potential buyers as they chatted to each other. Some of the mares should never have gone to a public auction. They would go cheap because many of the bigger farms weren’t represented. His fingers curled into fists. He had to grab the top rail of the corral to force his body to relax.

“Well, well, well. You never know what vermin will dare crawl out when there’s food available.”

“Hello, Shauna. It’s been a while. Sorry to hear about everything your family’s been going through.”

“Right. Like I believe that.” She parked herself in front of him, trapping him between a support beam and the stall of Roy’s prize mare.

At least John had a view of the arena and could see Patrick chatting up the buyers.

“Making nice-nice with the enemy while I crawl through muck,” Brian’s voice was loud in John’s ear.

“Come on, Brian. John’s playing a part,” Alicia said.

Just hearing her voice threw him out of step. “I’m, um, sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

“I said, we know your secret. We both know it’s John who’s helping Alicia.” Shauna pretended to straighten his collar, lowering her voice so only he—and the rest of those on comm—could hear her. “I could have told the police, but Patrick convinced me to hold off. We don’t know what you’re trying to prove by attending the auction, but it’s best if you turn around and leave.”

John grabbed her wrists and pushed her away from him. Her little pout of hurt did nothing to him. He dealt with women acting like her in just about every bar he’d ever entered.

“If you believe that, Shauna, then call the cops over right now. I was eating pie at the diner last night when you claim I was in McKinney. The police have confirmed John is on a mission. He couldn’t get home when Dad had his stroke and sure as hell doesn’t care about any of our problems.”

He made eye contact with Weber—still no sign of Lauren.

“Any possibility of me saying hello to Lauren today? You hiding her somewhere?”

“You’re a horrible liar. Do you know that, John?” She tried to touch his head and he quickly pulled back. “Patrick and I think you’re John.”