Chapter 12 David
DAVID
The café sat on the edge of nowhere, the kind of place that existed solely for weary travelers who needed a bathroom break and a shot of caffeine before continuing their journey to somewhere more interesting.
David liked it precisely because of that.
No one looked twice at you here. The sleepy young clerk behind the cash register spent more time scrolling through his phone than paying attention to customers.
The place was self-service, grab what you wanted from the coolers and shelves, pay, and leave.
A few cleaners moved through the space like little robots, wiping and sterilizing tables the moment people vacated them, their faces blank with the kind of disinterest that came from doing the same task a thousand times.
It was perfect for discreet meetings.
Especially the tables scattered between the trees in the back, positioned so that weary tourists could park their cars beside them and catch a few hours of sleep in the shade before moving on.
David knew where every surveillance camera was positioned. He’d mapped them as soon as he’d arrived back in St. Augustine. And even if he did get caught on one, the image would be erased immediately thanks to his competent team. Small perks of having people who knew what they were doing.
He sat at one of those back tables now, a cup of terrible coffee cooling in front of him, and rubbed his eyes.
He was tired.
Not the kind of tired that came from a bad night’s sleep or too much work.
The bone-deep exhaustion that came from living a cat-and-mouse lifestyle for far too long.
Twenty-eight years of looking over his shoulder.
Twenty-eight years of coded messages and dead drops and never staying in one place long enough to call it home.
But hopefully, it would be over soon.
His contact had finally tracked down the source.
The person who’d destroyed David’s life, who’d forced him into hiding, who’d taken everything from him.
They had everything they needed now. All the evidence, all the proof, all the connections to the corrupt officials and politicians who’d protected the villain for nearly three decades.
They’d finally managed to root out every single contact the person had in various agencies. Cut off all their protections and isolated them.
Now it was just a matter of closing the trap. In case anything went wrong, he had a backup. One he hoped would never have to be used because that would mean having to expose his daughter. Something he vowed would never happen again.
David’s thoughts drifted to his daughter, Morgan.
She’d be in her late-thirties now. A fully grown woman with a life he knew nothing about.
Was she married? Did she have a career she loved? Was she really as happy as his contacts said she was? Did she have kids?
His heart jolted at the thought, and he couldn’t help but smile.
He could be a grandfather and not even know it. Could have grandchildren somewhere in the world who didn’t know he existed.
Then his heart grew heavy in his chest as another thought struck him.
Does she hate me?
The smile faded.
Of course she did. How could she not? He’d disappeared from her life without explanation, without warning, without even a goodbye. She’d been so young then. And he’d vanished like smoke. For her own safety, yes. To protect her and her mother. But that didn’t change the fact that he’d abandoned her.
David blamed himself. He would always blame himself.
It had been his job that put his family in the line of fire. His skills, his knowledge, his position. He’d lost everything because he’d done what he had to do for his country.
He snorted softly.
A lot of good that did him.
Especially when his country turned around and betrayed him just as badly. Well, not his country exactly. He couldn’t blame the entire nation for the actions of a few corrupt people and politicians who’d put their own interests above everything else.
But still.
Those corrupt few had forced him to disappear. Had sent hitmen after him and the agent who’d been sent to protect him. Had made it impossible for him to have any kind of normal life.
David shook his head.
One job. One single job had changed his entire life. A job that only he could do, because of his specific skill set, clearance level, and the particular combination of knowledge he possessed.
That one job had turned everything upside down.
“David.”
The voice pulled him from his thoughts.
David turned, his eyes narrowing slightly as the man approached.
The man looked exactly as he always did. Well-dressed, dignified, with that careful bearing that came from decades of moving in wealthy circles. But there was hesitation in his steps, uncertainty in the way he paused a few feet from the table.
“You looked like you were far away,” he said.
Years of communicating through coded messages left in newspapers or at various shipping yards, of never meeting face to face, of maintaining complete operational security, had made things awkward between them.
They’d been close once. But decades of forced distance had created a gulf neither of them quite knew how to bridge anymore.
“Hello, William,” David said, standing and holding out his hand. “Merry Christmas, by the way.”
William shook his hand, his grip firm but brief. “I did send you a gift and tried to call you on Christmas Day.”
“I didn’t think it was appropriate for me to answer,” David responded. “While I know we’re setting a trap here, I have to be careful not to have it presprung. Or it will be almost three decades of work down the drain.”
William’s eyes darkened with emotion, and his smile was tight.
David knew the man well enough to understand what that expression meant. William was fiercely loyal to family and friends. He tended to hold onto people, would lay down his life for those he held dear. So having messages go unanswered, having Christmas greetings unreturned, cut him deeply.
“I understand, David, you know I do,” William said, his voice firm but his eyes contradicting his tone. “Let’s hope this finally ends all this ugliness so you no longer have to hide in the woods and fix people’s toilets.”
“I like plumbing,” David told him, a little defensive. “And you have room to talk. You used to be a top attorney, and now you run a store.”
“And a multimillion-dollar shipping company,” William pointed out.
“Okay,” David held up his hands, knowing he crossed a line. William didn’t want to have to leave his career to run the store or the shipping company as much as David wanted to be a plumber or a carpenter. “Sorry.”
They sat down, and William pulled his chair closer to the table, his expression shifting from hurt to business-like.
“So, what do you need?” William asked. “Because I know you didn’t ask me here for belated Christmas wishes or for...” He barely suppressed a shudder. “Tea.”
“Don’t worry, I checked for spiders and other critters beneath the table,” David joked.
“Thank you, it’s appreciated,” William said, but he checked anyway, his eyes scanning the ground with obvious distrust. “I don’t like the woods.” His eyes narrowed as he looked back at David. “Now what do you need help with? Have you identified the person yet?”
David’s expression grew serious. “We know he’s in St. Augustine. And not to alarm you...” He watched William’s eyes narrow a little more. “We believe he’s staying at the Christmas Inn. He checked in about two days ago.”
William’s eyes widened. “Do you need me to get you the guest list? I can do that.”
“No,” David shook his head firmly. “You can’t be involved in this in any way, William. We spoke about this when I came back to St. Augustine.”
“I want to help, David,” William insisted, leaning forward. “I feel this is as much my fault...”
“I’m not going through that again,” David hissed, his voice low and sharp. “This is not your fault at all.”
“But I recommended you to the Admiral for that job.” William’s voice dropped, an edge creeping into it. “I wish my brother had never taken on those Navy contracts.”
The Moore family shipping company had been in the business of transporting classified materials for decades. Secure communications equipment, cryptographic devices, sensitive documents. They’d held government contracts that required the highest security clearances and absolute discretion.
That’s how William had known the Admiral. That’s how he’d been in a position to recommend David when the Navy needed someone with David’s particular expertise.
“William, again, this has nothing to do with you,” David assured him.
“They would’ve come to me even without your recommendation, and not just because of who my father was, either, but because of what I used to do.
I’m the only one who could have...” He cut off the words, shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter now.”
“I always thought you were far too astute for your own good.” William sighed. “So much like my mother...” He shook his head. “Do you know she was a cryptographer in World War II?”
“You’ve told me that story many times, William,” David said with a small smile.
He glanced at his wristwatch. They couldn’t stay here much longer.
“William, as much as I’d like to go down memory lane with you and hear stories of your mother.
..” He looked up at the man in front of him. “I don’t have much time.”
“Right,” William said, straightening. “You brought me here to talk about Eve and her family.”
“Yes,” David said with a nod. “Who are they, William? Why are they here? Why did you bring them here right now?” He watched William intently. “Why would you bring more people you obviously care for here right now?”
“Honestly,” William admitted, looking contrite, “I didn’t even think about it at the time.
Eve’s niece, Mia, had a rough time and was spiraling after losing a young child on the operating table.
Eve and Mia’s daughter, Lila, were beside themselves with what to do.
They wanted to get Mia away from California for a change of scenery.
” He looked down and shook his head. “I impulsively asked them to come to St. Augustine.”
“William, I know your heart is in the right place, but this could be a complication,” David pointed out.
“If this lead turns out to be true, and we finally get eyes on this person...” He rubbed his face and took a breath.
“If they find out your connection to me and then your connection to Eve, Mia, and Lila...”
“Wait,” William frowned, holding up his hand. “You’re the David that nearly knocked Eve flying the other day?”
He gaped at David, and something flashed in his eyes. Fear? But it was gone so quickly that David couldn’t decipher it properly.
David nodded in confirmation.
“Well, blow me down with a feather,” William said slowly. “That’s quite a coincidence.” Another look crossed his face, something David couldn’t read, topped with a little twinkle. What was the old man thinking now? “Yes, quite a coincidence indeed.”
“I’d say so,” David said. “Or just fate playing a bad joke on you or throwing you a big warning.”
But William didn’t look fazed. “No, David, I don’t think it was a warning but rather...” He stopped and shook his head. “Well, just a coincidence.”
David had the distinct feeling that wasn’t what William had been going to say at all.
“As I’ve always said to you, David, the universe has a funny way of sorting things out, and life likes to throw some curve balls at you. It’s up to you how you handle it.”
“Not sure what that means,” David told him.
“But William, it was reckless of you to bring people you know and obviously care about here right now. You know what happened to Nancy and...” He swallowed, the memory hitting him painfully once again.
“Morgan.” His voice grew rough. “I’d hate for Eve, Mia, and Lila to get caught up in the middle because of their association with you… Or now me.”
William’s eyes widened again. “I’ll keep an eye on them,” he assured David. “Just keep me informed of what’s happening.”
“No,” David hissed. “I don’t want you doing anything out of the ordinary. Act like they’re just your guests and you have no inkling of what’s going down. I already have someone at the Inn. I’ll ask them to keep your guests out of harm’s way.”
“Oh?” William said, surprised. “Who is it so I...”
“William, you know better than to ask,” David reminded him, glancing at his wristwatch again. “Now I have to go. Stay safe.”
“You too,” William told him.
David stood and disappeared through the woods, his footsteps quiet on the carpet of pine needles and fallen leaves.
His truck was parked a quarter mile away, hidden off a service road where no casual observer would spot it.
As he walked, his mind churned.
The villain was at the Inn. His man was in position. The trap was set. After twenty-eight years, this nightmare might finally be over.
He should be focused. Single-minded. This was the moment everything had been building toward.
But instead, his thoughts kept drifting to a woman with intelligent eyes and a smile that made him feel something he hadn’t felt in twenty-eight years.
A woman who had ties to William, which made her dangerous to know.
A woman who was staying at the one place that could become a hot bed of violence and chaos when everything went down.
David reached his truck, climbed in, started the engine, and pulled back onto the service road.
Fate was twisted.
Twenty-eight years of sacrifice, of staying focused, of keeping his eye on one single goal.
And now, at the worst possible moment, when he needed to be most careful, most alert, most mission-oriented, his concentration was broken by someone he’d literally bumped into on a street corner.
He shook his head as he merged onto the main road.
Focus. The mission. That’s all that mattered.
Everything else was just noise.
But even as he thought it, he knew it wasn’t entirely true anymore.
And that scared him more than any hitman ever could.