Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
As soon as Buck disconnected with Mandy, he dialed Tex’s number. He’d planned on leaving a message, but to his surprise, the man himself answered the phone.
“Tex here.”
“It’s Buck. Nash Chaney. I’m calling about Guyana.”
“Right. Actually, I was going to get in touch with you soon about that. I’m still looking into the school, but I’ve found out some unusual things.
At least, I think they are. First, according to emails I’ve hacked into that have gone back and forth between volunteers who are still working at the school, it sounds like Blair has moved one of the children into her room at the school.
I haven’t been able to find any paperwork saying that she intends to adopt the child, but maybe the little girl was having a hard time adjusting to everything after being kidnapped? ”
“Bibi?” Buck asked.
Tex sounded surprised when he answered, “Yes. How did you know?”
“She’s obsessed with that girl. At least from what I saw.
I’m calling about something else though.
” Buck quickly explained what happened to Mandy this morning.
About the search warrant thanks to an alleged “tip” about drugs in her apartment.
He also told Tex about her phone call with Desmond.
“She’s worried the rebels are back and holding people hostage there at the school or something.
I’m hoping to find out if that’s the case or not. If everyone is all right.”
“I’ll find out where the tip came from and get back to you on that.
It’ll be easy enough to hack into the DEA database to find the notes on the call.
On the other issue, as of this morning, things seemed to be fine at the school.
Staff emails were being sent and received, and phone traffic seemed to be normal, as well.
I don’t have eyes down there, as they have no video monitoring devices, but electronically, there’s been no unusual activity.
But I can do a deeper dive, see about getting my military connections to check on the orphanage. ”
“I’d appreciate that. As would Mandy.”
“I did find out some interesting details about the director though.”
“Such as?”
“She’s been in and out of mental hospitals for years. Since before her husband passed away.”
“For what?”
“There haven’t really been any firm diagnoses that I can see. Lots of words bandied about…borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar…you name it, doctors have considered it.”
“But there’s been nothing concrete?”
“Nope. She’s been prescribed lots of different drugs over the years, but after she left the country for Guyana, as far as I can tell, she hasn’t been taking anything.”
“That could be bad,” Buck said, more to himself than to Tex.
“I’ll keep working on it and get back to you as soon as I can. I don’t blame Amanda for being worried about the kids and her friends who work down there.”
“Appreciate it.”
Tex hung up without another word. And while Buck felt better that the man was doing what he could to find out what was happening in Guyana, the need to see for himself that Mandy was all right was overwhelming.
He couldn’t believe the DEA had searched her apartment.
After what she’d already been through with the rebels, that had to have been traumatic for her.
He went back into the conference room he and his fellow pilots were using to go over intel for an upcoming mission. They’d taken a break, so he’d been able to check his messages, and he’d stepped out to call Mandy back.
“Everything okay?” Obi-Wan asked when he entered the room.
“No. I need to head out.”
“Mandy?” Pyro asked, sounding concerned.
“Yeah.” He once again went over what happened to Mandy, from her scare with the DEA to her concerns for the school in Guyana, and he wasn’t surprised when his fellow pilots and friends were outraged on her behalf.
“Mandy would no sooner have drugs in her apartment than Mother Theresa.”
“Give me a fucking break!”
“I bet they trashed the place while looking.”
“You need us to come with you?”
His friends were the best. This was why he’d lay down his life for any one of them, because he knew they had his back without question. “She says she’s good. Locked inside her apartment now. So I don’t think I need any backup, but if I do, I’ll call. Okay if I head out early?” Buck asked Casper.
“Of course. We’re almost done here anyway. We can fill you in on what you missed tomorrow.”
“Thanks.”
“And keep us in the loop,” Casper said sternly. “If something’s up, we want to know.”
“I will. I’ve got Tex looking into what the hell is going on.”
“All right, but seriously, you know we’re here for you. And if Tex finds anything hinky going on in Guyana, I’ll talk to the colonel about seeing if we can head down there and offer our assistance,” Casper said.
“Thanks, guys,” Buck said, feeling emotional all of a sudden.
“Is Mandy your girl?” Casper asked.
“Yes.” That was an easy question to answer.
“Then she’s one of us. Fuck with one of us, fuck with all of us,” Casper said firmly.
“And if I need to call my brother and get the SEALs involved, I will. I went through hell when Laryn was taken from me, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
Not that Mandy will be taken again, but if someone’s messing with her or threatening her, we won’t let what happened to Laryn happen to her. Now get. I’ll touch base later.”
Buck nodded, then turned to leave. He was anxious to get to Mandy’s apartment. To see with his own eyes that she was all right.
It didn’t take much time to get to her complex, and the entire time, Buck was thinking hard about what his next steps would be if Tex found out the rebels had returned to the school to exact revenge or to re-kidnap the children.
He took the stairs to her apartment two at a time and knocked on the door, calling out as he did. “Mandy? It’s me. Let me in.”
The door opened almost immediately, and then Mandy was in his arms. Buck felt like he could breathe normally for the first time since they’d spoken on the phone not too long ago.
He hugged her tightly, then pulled back, running his gaze down her body to see for himself that she was truly all right.
“I’m good,” she said softly, obviously knowing what he was doing.
“It was kind of scary at the time, as I didn’t know what was happening.
I had to stay outside, and I was still in my freaking pajamas.
But the more time that passes, the less confused and the more angry I get.
I mean, I’m a teacher! Not a drug dealer.
How anyone could think I’d have anything to do with drugs is beyond me.
Did you find out anything about the school? Are they okay?”
“Tex is looking into it, and he said he’d get with me as soon as he learns anything.
” Looking over her shoulder, Buck’s lips pressed together.
He could see down the hall to her bedroom, and while she might’ve had time to clean up the kitchen and living area, her room still looked like a disaster.
He got angry all over again at the breach of privacy.
“It’s okay,” she soothed, seeing where his gaze had landed. “It’s not that bad.”
“I’m going to make sure whoever called in that tip regrets it with every fiber of their being,” he said from behind clenched teeth.
To his surprise, Mandy chuckled. He looked away from the messy bedroom to her face. “What’s funny?”
“Just that I had the same thought myself. But I’m guessing you have the means and ability to do much more than I’d be able to.
Nash, you should’ve seen Rain. He actually barked!
I wasn’t sure he could. But he knew those men were here before I did, before they knocked.
He growled in his throat, then stood between me and the door and barked. I was shocked.”
Buck had mixed feelings once again. He was proud of the dog for protecting Mandy, but pissed that he’d had to do it at all. She should have been safe in her apartment. Shouldn’t have to worry about people coming into her personal space and invading her privacy.
“Good boy,” Buck said, praising Rain, who had gone back to his bed after greeting Buck at the door.
“How did the rest of your morning go?” he asked.
“I mean, before the DEA fuckup. You have any luck finding a job or figuring out the certification thing?” Buck was doing his best to control his emotions.
His anger. He wanted to do something, but all he could do at the moment was wait for more intel to come in from Tex.
So in the meantime, he needed to do whatever he could to make Mandy feel comfortable.
As if things were under control. And to do that, he needed to stay in control himself.
“Not great. I mean, I’ve narrowed down the list of schools that have online programs, but I haven’t found any open positions.”
“What about subbing?” Buck asked, remembering she’d mentioned that at some point in the last week.
“I heard from a teacher who I used to work with about someone she knows who teaches first grade, who’s about to go on maternity leave. The admin is looking for a long-term sub, which would be ideal…but I’m not sure it’s a great idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s on the naval base.”
“Why is that not a good idea?” Buck asked, genuinely confused.
“Because you work there.”
“And?”
“And I don’t want to crowd you. Home in on your turf.”
Buck shook his head in exasperation. “How is working at the same naval base as me homing in on my turf?”
“I don’t know. It just feels…weird, somehow?”