Chapter 19
What the hell could Boomer need to talk to me about in private? Clint glanced at Ashlin who dropped her head a fraction of an inch. He loved the fact that she was a professional. She could quickly separate their personal relationship from work. She understood his responsibility as a team leader.
“Hi, Boomer,” she greeted their team member with a smile. “If you’ll excuse me, please, I have to check flight weather.”
“Thanks, Ashlin.” He grinned. “I’d appreciate a smooth ride, especially since I intend to sleep.”
As soon as she closed the bedroom door, Clint gestured toward the living room area. “Am I going to need a drink for this?” He pointed to the bar.
“We’re both going to need one.” His senior NCO followed him over to the wet bar, where he splashed an inch of dark amber whiskey into cut crystal glasses.
Drinks in hand, Clint took the seat in the wingback chair adjacent to the couch. “What’s up?”
“Sir, you told me earlier today that if I heard of any kind of unrest among the men, I should report it to you. That’s why I’m here. Certainly not to whine. But in my opinion, this was serious enough that you should know.”
Clint nodded and braced. This was not good news. Turmoil among the team was never good, but just before they went out on a mission was probably the worst time possible. Especially since this operation involved women.
Boomer stared at his drink for several seconds before he raised his head and spoke.
“At lunchtime, when you were holding your phone away from your head, speaking to the loud woman, Shadow was standing near the back of the room with all of us men. He made some rude comments about noisy, obnoxious women.”
Clint kept his face passive but had to agree with Lukas. Kimmy certainly was both shrill and unpleasant during the conversation, but he was quite sure Boomer had more to say.
“When you made the second phone call, Shadow said, and I’m quoting here because I couldn’t believe his words, ‘this ought to be good. He’s calling his Ethiopian mistress right in front of his American squeeze.’”
Clint shot out of his chair and started pacing. Could Lukas have really said that? Maybe Boomer had misunderstood. Lukas had served as Javier’s second-in-command. Surely, he’d met Theodora at least a time or two. He should know who she is. “Are you sure that’s what he said?”
“Yes, sir. Absolutely positive. I wasn’t the only one who was shocked. Dog and Coyote stared at him with their mouths hanging open.” Boomer gazed into his amber liquid. Without raising his head, he continued, “But that wasn’t the worst.”
Clint halted his steps, turned, and stared at Boomer. What the hell could be worse?
The senior NCO took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“He went on to ask if they didn’t think it was unusual that you and Javier needed to go on that mission alone.
Why was nobody else needed? And why did it have to be the two senior-most men in the unit?
How many times had just two members gone on a mission alone?
” He held Clint’s eyes. “All the other men answered that had never happened before. Clint, I don’t know how you do things in your unit, but the other men couldn’t remember a time when only two were required for a mission. ”
True, it was unusual that more men weren’t required to go out, but after discussing it with Javier, they’d agreed that they were the only two with high enough clearance. It was supposed to be a quick sneak-and-peek, looking for specific high-value target.
“Brace yourself, sir. Shadow went on to ask if they didn’t think it was unusual that the two of you went out and Javier came back dead.”
Before Clint could process what he’d just heard, Boomer continued, “Then, within days, you took his pregnant wife off to the city to a jewelry store.”
Clint couldn’t hold it in then. “What the fuck?” Did Lukas really believe that Clint had killed Javier to get him out of the way so he could have Javier’s wife? Fucking ridiculous.
“That’s not all,” Boomer warned. “Shadow said that you were very interested in the widow’s baby and even took her to the obstetrician.”
Jesus Christ! Could Lukas really believe that Theodora was carrying Clint’s baby? And he’d killed Javier for it?
Clint couldn’t wrap his mind around all this bullshit.
He’d been devastated at losing one of his oldest friends in the world.
They’d let their guard down and had been talking.
A fucking newbie mistake. It was Clint’s fault that Javier had been killed.
Neither of them had seen the man coming.
Neither had heard him. And for some reason, the assassin had chosen Javier rather than Clint.
The killer would never be able to tell anyone why he chose Javier because Clint had killed him without asking a single question.
Clint was furious that Lukas had been saying this shit.
But it was his fault. He and the men hadn’t talked about Javier.
He’d been too wrapped up in his own grief and survivor’s guilt that he’d neglected to do his duty as commanding officer.
Except for brief eulogies at the funeral, they hadn’t talked about what happened on that mountaintop or why.
There was no way any of his men could have known the promise he’d made as his friend died in his arms.
Clint emptied his glass of bourbon, took a deep breath, and turned to face Boomer.
“I’m going to tell you the truth of the situation, and as senior NCO, if you hear otherwise, it’s your responsibility to straighten them out. Immediately. Even though you weren’t here when all this happened, and you didn’t know Javier.”
Clint added two fingers of bourbon to his glass and held the bottle out, noticing Boomer’s glass was empty. With a nod of confirmation, Clint poured the dark amber liquid into his glass as well. He leaned his hips against the wet bar and took a slug.
“Number one: Javier and I were the only ones who went on that mission because we were the only ones with high enough security clearance. Besides, more people observing the camp increased the chances of getting caught. It was just supposed to be a sneak-and-peek. Identify the presence of the high-value target or confirm that he was not there.”
Clint took a sip before continuing, “Number two: No one feels worse than I do about Javier getting murdered on that mission. As the commanding officer, it’s terrible when someone under your command gets killed. I don’t know if it ever happened to you—”
“It has. And it still hurts like hell,” Boomer interrupted before he took a hard pull of his drink.
“Javier was murdered in front of me, less than a hundred feet away.” Clint heard his voice crack and wondered whether it would ever stop hurting.
“He was one of my closest friends. We’d been together on the Delta team for years.
Hell! He was the best man at my wedding, which brings me to the next point. ”
Another drink gave Clint the few minutes he needed to gather his emotions and go on.
“Number three: I have been true and monogamous to my wife, Ashlin. Yes, Ashlin and I are married and have been for almost seven months now. Unfortunately, during that time, we haven’t seen a lot of each other, but we have stayed in touch every week that we could. ”
“Fourth, and last: That baby in Theodora’s belly is not mine.
It’s Javier’s. While he was dying in my arms, he made me promise to take care of his wife and baby.
Earlier this week I brought them, and his body, to Texas.
I helped her select a house close to where we buried him.
I assisted her in picking out a safe vehicle for her and the baby.
I made sure all the health insurance for her and the baby were lined up and that she had the money from the life insurance.
I did all of that before I flew here to DC.
I’ve taken care of her the best way I know how.
And yes, that included taking her to the obstetrician who was making her feel uncomfortable. ”
Clint glanced toward the closed bedroom door and lowered his voice. “While we were in the city, I stopped by a jewelry store and picked up a custom-made necklace I had designed for Ashlin’s birthday.”
Clint showed off the counter edge and started pacing again.
“It pisses me off that Lukas would run his mouth like that. Even think such a vile thing. No one from my current team, other than Javier, was there the night we got married. Even my family didn’t know that I was married.
” He grinned. “Every woman on the team was there, though.”
“Do you think he was trying to stir up hate and discontent among the men?” Boomer suggested.
“Maybe, but why?” Clint shrugged. “I’ll remind him that he’s still on probation with this new promotion, and that I don’t appreciate him throwing that shit out there.” Clint drained his glass of bourbon. “Before we take off tonight, I’ll have a talk with the men.”
Boomer set his glass in the small wet-bar sink and turned to walk out. “Clint, if there’s anything else I can do besides correct the rumors, let me know.”
“Enjoy yourself this weekend and rest up.” At the door, Clint held out his hand.
“Thank you for coming and letting me know what you heard. I understand you’re in a difficult position, being the new guy on the team, but I appreciate you coming directly to me as quickly as you did.
” Clint looked at his watch. “I’ll see you at the car in thirty minutes. ”
Clint was at the bedroom door in three strides and swept Ashlin into his arms. He held her tight for a long moment. “You aren’t going to fucking believe the rumors.” He told her everything as they double checked the hotel suite for any forgotten items and zipped their bags closed.
At the hotel’s side entrance they ran into Dog and Coyote. “Hey, Ashlin, I need to talk to these two men a minute.”