Chapter 22
CHAPTER 22
H unter
“Christ. The place is out of control.”
I lifted my beer, taking a swig while barely offering any acknowledgement Jagger had spoken.
“The bartender told me there were two other fights in here this week. The tourists are edgy.”
Shephard was amused seeing the display of testosterone.
“Those two assholes are locals,” I told them in passing. Hell, a bottle had been tossed, the two men doing their best to beat the shit out of each other while Mark, the usual bartender, continued to serve drinks. Just another day in snowy paradise.
We’d stopped by for a drink or five after taking Dad home from the hospital. Our mother had slept there and wasn’t in any shape to drive their truck through the snow. He was medically fine, the minor heart attack doing no damage, but the doctor warned us it was a sign his body was wearing out from the cancer.
I thought about what I’d shared with Esme about my childhood antics and how he’d handled them. I hadn’t remembered the incidents until being next to her in the snow. I’d missed that closeness with him, resenting him when those moments had stopped. Hell, we’d resented each other. To this day, he had no full comprehension that his three sons hadn’t simply left their military positions to take menial jobs to keep from thinking.
And we couldn’t tell him the truth.
I’d mused over that far too many times. What the fuck did it matter if anyone knew I’d become a hired killer for the government? I rubbed my jaw. Pops had barely been able to speak, yet he’d insisted we go through with dinner. I had no fucking clue how the man was going to eat a damn thing since he’d had a tube stuck down his throat on the first day of his hospitalization.
Jagger had suggested it was more about Mom, keeping her hopes alive. What the man wouldn’t do to keep his wife happy. That much I applauded him for. I threw the tequila shot, wishing I’d ordered the cheap shit so I could feel the burn. The mescal was far too smooth.
Wham!
The noise brought cheers from the crowd and sneers from all three of us.
“Shackles is beginning to be a dive,” Jagger muttered.
Shackles was perhaps the most popular bar in town. With its hearty take on burgers, huge selection of beers and wines, a live band at least four days a week, and a huge dance floor, the rugged location was hugely popular with tourists and locals alike.
“I thought you liked dives,” Shephard chortled.
As the sheriff and one of his deputies walked in, I stiffened, and Jagger was the first to notice.
“The sheriff never got back to you about the truck that almost ran you over. Did he?” he asked, amused at his own question.
“Nope. I doubt he will because there’s nothing to find.” After seeing the person cloaked in dark clothing standing in the snow and watching us, I was positive of that. I hadn’t been able to move past the distinct possibility Esme had also been marked. If so, our every move had been captured.
I’d gotten off three shots in the woods, yet not a single bullet had hit the target. That was only after the fucker had fired on me. He’d almost nailed my ass to a tree and would have had my instinct not told me duck. What disturbed the fuck out of me was how quickly the person had been able to disappear. The asshole had gone deeper into the woods and by the time I’d jumped past debris he’d tossed in my way, he’d vanished. The blowing wind had erased his passage within seconds.
In a fucking snowstorm I’d realized how easy it was, but I hadn’t heard the roar of an engine indicating he’d had a vehicle waiting somewhere. The where was another problem. Maybe a snowmobile had been used. There were rental places all over the area, many of the locals owning one. However, I hadn’t heard anything but dead silence after I’d taken my last shot.
“Don’t be so sure. I heard he’s pretty good. Before accepting the job here, he worked down in Atlanta. He knows his shit.”
I turned my head toward Shephard after he made the statement. “All three of us know how to abandon and destroy unwanted merchandise including a big black truck.”
“You really believe this is about a gig in your past?” Jagger leaned forward.
After taking another swig, I nodded in affirmation. I’d never been so certain of anything in my life.
“Did you try contacting someone?” Jagger’s question alluded to my past operations.
“Yeah, I made a call.” Yet I hadn’t left a message since there’d been no voice on the other end of the line. That had been our way, but I’d felt prickly about leaving a scrap of information in case the number was still in use but by a different operator. Or worse, a civilian. It wasn’t supposed to happen, but I planned on being very careful how I handled this.
It was funny to think that in all my time in black ops, I’d never been forced to be on the receiving end of the hunt. The perpetrator had far too many options of how he or she wanted to move forward. That continued to heighten the danger level.
“I’m curious about something,” Shephard said as the three of us watched an arrest taking place. The gents being handcuffed were none too happy, shouting at the top of their lungs. At least this was my entertainment for the night since Esme was tasked with making yet another fabulous dinner for a Virginia senator and his wife.
Snow still covered half the back roads, yet the tourists were coming out in droves.
“Shoot,” I told him.
“A dude from a group I play poker with every so often mentioned he was out hunting a couple days ago. He said he heard gunshots. The guy is probably your closest neighbor. Any chance you had another issue with your mystery guest?”
I picked at the label on the bottle before answering. “Tell your buddy to mind his own business.”
“Hunt. You can’t handle whatever this shit is by yourself. Not only are you in danger, but you’re placing Esme directly in harm’s way.”
Shephard was right, but that didn’t mean I was going to allow some jerk to interfere with my life. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
The good sheriff was looking in our direction, but he walked out. I lifted my bottle in a toast. Yeah, the dude was so good at his job. Sure, I was cranky, but I had every right to be.
“Bullshit, bro,” Jagger said, jumping in. “You’re not doing this alone. You didn’t allow anything to happen to either Shep or me when the shit hit the fan a few months ago. Why would we refuse to back you now?”
We’d been sitting at a table nearby weeks before Christmas when I’d suggested Jagger let go of his past and to seek help. How ironic we were sucking down booze and I had a feeling he was about to lay the same conversation onto me. “You can’t help me out of this shit.”
The two of them glanced at each other before Jagger jabbed his elbow into my side.
Well, lo and behold, the sheriff had returned, currently making his way toward us.
Maybe I should say swaggering at this point. Why was it that sheriffs wore hats in small towns? Did they think it was cool?
“Sheriff,” Jagger said as his way of saying hello. After what had occurred with Jagger and the previous sheriff, his hatred for almost all law enforcement was something I could understand.
“Jagger. Shephard,” Sheriff Carter greeted both, but continued to look directly at me. “I wanted to give you an update on the report you phoned in the other night.” He eyed the two of them finally as I sat back in my chair.
“There’s nothing you can’t say in front of them. They know my business.”
He nodded a few times and I was surprised he didn’t try to take a seat. “We found what could be the truck in question.”
“Could be?” Jagger pushed.
“Yeah, it was wrecked and torched just outside of town on a turnoff from the parkway. From the looks of the wreckage, it appears an accelerant was used. There’s no chance of getting fingerprints or DNA. Not even the VIN.”
“Well, fuck.” Shephard took a deep breath. “The fucker knew what he was doing.”
“Yeah, she did. Anything more from what you can remember? Maybe a tighter description of the woman behind the wheel?” Both brothers were shocked. That part I’d left out. “I’m not convinced what Ms. Dreyfuss saw was accurate. It was closing in on dusk and she was under serious duress.”
Why did I have the distinct feeling he didn’t buy it?
The sheriff lifted his head, studying me intently. “I understand. I’ve got out feelers, but I don’t anticipate many bites at this point. If you can think of anything, let me know.”
“Yeah, I know the drill. Thanks, Sheriff.” The sarcasm was dripping. There was little he could do. I had a feeling he knew all about my background. It seemed everyone involved with any aspect of law enforcement had a bad taste in their mouths when they learned the three of us had gone off the grid. It didn’t take much to put two and two together given our skills. A whole lot of tactical officers didn’t like the thought of covert operations.
Even if it helped erase dangerous vermin from the earth.
He was barely three steps away when both men turned their heads in my direction. “A woman? Is there something you need to tell us?”
Shephard’s question was laced with hardness. “Are you trying to insinuate the shit that’s gone down is because of some goddamn relationship gone bad?” I realized I’d raised my voice when a couple of jerks in cowboy boots glanced in our direction.
“Yeah, that’s what I’m suggesting and if it’s true, then I’m backing off. You don’t deserve to have the kind of help I can provide.”
I’d never known Shephard to be particularly one-sided, but he’d taken to Esme. That much I could see.
“If it’s about a goddamn woman from one of the operations I worked on, don’t ask me who because I never allowed a female to be a target. Call me chauvinistic, but I still had morals. I didn’t catch sight of the driver Esme insists was female.”
“Okay,” Jagger started. “Haven’t you ever heard of revenge? Depending on who your victims were, it’s entirely possible a relative or soldier is determined to get even.”
“Jagger’s right,” Shephard agreed. “You need to drill deep on which mark had anyone capable of securing your information and location.”
“We weren’t privy to information on family or girlfriends.” I’d spouted off more than I had since moving here. It was more than I should have said as well. I polished off my beer and was ready to leave. “I don’t know what to tell you.”
“Well, you better damn well get your shit together and put two and two together.”
I wasn’t shocked at Shephard’s level of anger. He was just playing the big brother card.
“Don’t do this shit, gentlemen. We’ve all had revenge players trailing behind us at one point or another. I would guess not one of us is truly invisible.” Jagger had a point as he sat back, pulling the beer bottle to his lips. “We were set up by taking our secret jobs, my brothers. Expendable. I don’t need to hear details of your lives to know I’m right. We were team players left out to hang ourselves when the shit hit the fan.”
Jagger had a point, but it wasn’t a surprise that was what he believed. Returning after being essentially undercover for years with no name, no identity other than a dangerous moniker, and a string of dead bodies left behind didn’t provide lasting security. Not in today’s climate.
I’d handled the most sensitive jobs unwanted by the typical chain of command. The operation details were on a need-to-know basis. Even the POTUS had been excluded. While most targets I’d been assigned to had been in foreign countries, I’d also dipped my toes on American soil more than once.
For the typical in the dark politician, the ops would likely be called illegal. The men and women involved had believed they were necessary and vital to keep the peace.
“He’s not wrong, Hunter. The deeper in we were, the less anyone was prepared to back us. Black ops shit?” Shephard asked, which was the first direct question he’d asked me months before that I hadn’t answered.
I suddenly wasn’t feeling loyal to the men I’d served under. Learning they’d been paid millions for their limited assistance had shrunk my shorts. Not that I wasn’t swimming in wealth, but I’d worked for every penny made. I’d sweated for it. I’d been shot for it.
My mistake was believing for one second the work had been about the greater good of humanity. Greed and power always came out to play. “Yeah, if you could call it that.”
Both were shocked I’d opened my mouth. Maybe I was too, but secrets were no longer worth keeping.
“Military or private?”
I looked at Jagger and laughed out of exhaustion more than anything. “I thought military, but I could be wrong. I honestly just don’t know any longer. They did a damn good job of keeping me in the dark.”
“Yep,” Shephard agreed. “Typical. They didn’t want a single trail leading back to them. From what little you’ve told us, the actions and reactions had more to do with winning. Besides, you know the military’s motto. Underfunded and overworked. Something tells me you already have a suspect in mind. Yeah?”
“Maybe, but that’s the problem. I was assigned dozens of missions. Sure, some of the assholes had wives and kids, but they were never my targets. And I always succeeded.”
“Then a family member,” Jagger suggested. “It happens more than you think.”
“Like I said before, I wasn’t supplied with information that I thought I’d never need. Besides, the operators were supposed to be ghosts.”
“Yeah, well, we know how that goes,” Shephard said quietly.
“You know what I always wondered?” Jagger asked. “Why the fuck were the three of us recommended for these extracurricular activities after our tours ended?”
It took a minute for his question to sink in. I leaned forward, suddenly needing another drink really badly. “Pops.”
Shephard was slow on the uptake, his brow furrowed for the longest time. “Whoa. You think our own father convinced several high-ranking officials and private operators with serious clout to hire us?”
“That’s what I think. Thought that for a while. I’m going to grab us a couple more beers,” Jagger said as he jerked up from the table.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Shephard demanded.
Jagger laughed. “What was the point? The two of you would deny it and call me nuts. Besides, it wasn’t like Dad was going to eagerly admit he was some big honcho of some powerful group determining who lived or died.”
Shephard exhaled. “Maybe not.”
“Definitely not. Grab me a shot,” I told him.
Jagger was having a good time with this. I wasn’t going to say I didn’t have my suspicions. Our father’s time in the military was widely known and respected. His job wasn’t. He’d barely told us anything, and we hadn’t seen a single picture that I could remember of his status, anywhere he’d served or even sight of an old uniform. Nothing. He’d told us he’d left his past in the past not long after moving to Montana and eventually, we’d stopped asking.
“I don’t buy it. That would take a man capable of influencing some heavy hitters in Congress as well as the military. Hell, some of the shit was private work.”
“Was it really, Shep?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Do you honestly think that a bunch of rich dudes would have the knowledge to create and run an operation or operations designed to eliminate what we’d been told were the worst of humanity?”
I could tell by my brother’s face he’d thought the same thing too.
“I don’t know for certain any longer, but it wasn’t our place to ask,” he answered me. “If there’s any truth to what you’re saying, I have two questions that put a stake through Jagger’s intuition. One is why he acted like we were vagrants.”
“Because he was testing our loyalty.”
Shephard snorted since I had an immediate answer. “Then why the fuck did he decide to become a criminal?”
We’d questioned the money that he’d used to purchase and renovate the resort and winery when he’d essentially acted as if he’d been bankrupt at one point in Montana. He’d been forced to sell the ranch under duress of foreclosure. I didn’t buy the story either. I’d never fully accepted my father had suddenly gotten involved with a company that had crossed into the dark side, their activities placing them in the line of fire with the FBI. And the story that he’d been bought out by other members of the company’s executive committee had seemed farfetched.
But we’d learned a long time ago not to ask questions.
“Think about it, Shep. Think about our father and how righteous he was. If we broke a rule, he was right there on our asses. God forbid we got into trouble at school. We were grounded for weeks. And if we’d broken a law? He would have disowned us. He wasn’t a criminal. Not really, Shephard. What if the company Pops worked for was a front? What if the money was payment for his work within the organization?” Maybe my viewpoint on the scenario had holes, but somehow, it fit nicely and made sense when little else did.
“Fascinating thought. Also farfetched. Assuming I’m buying this bullshit, and I’m not saying I am, what exactly do you believe this make-believe company did?” Shephard continued laughing.
I thought about what a plausible answer could be. “Harvested various special pitch-black ops members.”
Seconds later, I could see a light in Shephard’s eyes. “Well, fuck.”
Jagger returned, loaded up with three beer bottles and three shots. I took some from his hands, finding myself smiling as Shephard mulled over my suggestion.
“What did I miss?” Jagger asked.
“A damn good answer for the reason our father hasn’t acted as if he gave a damn about us.” Shephard was the one answering this time. He grabbed his beer, smiling as if all the shit we’d been through with our father, all the nasty conversations made sense.
“So you think it’s possible?” Jagger asked.
“Yeah, I do. Not that he’s allowed to admit it any more than we’re supposed to be sitting here talking about our missions or our targets.” What I said was true. But then again, what did it matter any longer? I continued to come back to that.
“Are we going to try to get Dad to admit it?” Jagger glanced from one to the other of us.
I blew out a deep breath before grabbing the shot. “He’s too proud to admit it now.”
“If he doesn’t and people don’t know, he won’t be as honored as he should be at his funeral.”
Shephard’s words were also unexpected. I thought he’d hated our dad more than the two of us. I lifted my shot glass. At this point I wasn’t certain what to say. “To Pops. One true hero.”
“To Pops.”
“To dear ole Dad,” Shephard finished.
As we shot the mescal, a feeling of peace regarding my father was right there for the taking. He’d wanted us here to strengthen his family. He knew if he didn’t ask for help, his three sons would remain scattered throughout the country, if not the world.
“That doesn’t help figure out who’s after you though,” Jagger reminded me as he wiped his mouth.
“No. It doesn’t.” Everything we’d just talked about reinforced what I’d felt with Esme and reminded me of her conviction and emotions about Danger Falls. “You know what? Maybe I could use your help after all.”
Jagger lifted his eyebrows. “Wow. A breakthrough. See, Shep. I told you Esme is good for him.”
“Yeah, yeah. Shut the fuck up. No additional marriage proposals this year.”
As the three of us laughed, I also realized how damn good it felt to have them in my corner. And in my life. “To Danger Falls,” I added. Why not celebrate the reason the three of us had a chance to be whole again?
“To Danger Falls,” Shephard stated. “Our home.”
Twenty minutes later I walked outside. The frigid air hit me first, the inky black of a moonless midnight second. With the low-hanging clouds, another threat of snow on the horizon, the darkness matched my mood to perfection. Yet as I headed to my truck, the repairs made, the neon-infused light of the bar’s sign reflected the disgusting markings on the door. The paint job would wait, the word a needed torture.
I deserved to be reminded of who I was and what I’d become.
After unlocking the door and climbing inside, I debated making the second call. Right now, I needed a serious come to Jesus moment. Maybe a little soul searching was the best thing in the world I could do for myself.
Or maybe if the person intent on gunning me down or running me over succeeded in their task I could finally rest easy. Even that I doubted. Maybe I’d believed in God once a long time before, but now, I wasn’t certain what I believed in any longer.
Was it my country? My SEAL team, two of whom had lost their lives on dangerous missions? Or was it my family finally after all these years? I couldn’t answer accurately.
I sat inside my truck, watching a couple leaving the bar. They were arm in arm, stopping to kiss every few steps. They were obviously in love. I was envious of their carefree attitudes and abilities to enjoy what was right in front of them. It was something I’d denied myself for as long as I could remember.
Now I was acting like some selfish, self-serving sap. The last thing I needed was to feel sorry for myself. I yanked out my phone, sliding my finger across the screen. I stared at the number I’d called before for a long time.
There was no sense in waiting. This was either going to work or blow up in my face. Besides, why not push the envelope regarding our father’s involvement? Would it cause him issues? Somehow, I didn’t think so. Either way there was nothing I could do to change whatever facts were eventually discovered.
I pressed the number and heard it dialing. As before, the click on the other end of the line was the only way I knew the recording might be going.
“This is operator Alpha Bravo five six nine. I’m in need of assistance. It’s possible I’ve been discovered because of a previous mission. My life is currently in danger. If this call is being monitored, I expect a return call. If I do not receive a return communication, I’ll be forced to go to the press with what I know, including the fact Brigadier General Dexter Fox of the United States Marine Corp has been working with the government for years on secret operations including the unofficial elimination of targeted opponents both throughout the United States and worldwide. You have my number.”
In all my years, I’d played with fire, but in this case, I’d just played the first round of Russian roulette.
My personality hadn’t changed. When I played, I played to win.