Chapter Fourteen
Ten days. Grady had been gone ten days and she could barely think about anything other than him. Charli had never found herself in a position where a man made her sloppy in her job.
Yet that had happened. Juanita had played her like a big fiddle and Charli had never seen it coming. Was that because she was so wrapped up in her infatuation with Grady?
And what about that…that place she went to when he drowned her? Her thoughts kept returning to that. So much so that she’d asked Jaxon Riggs to meet her at the Honky Tonk during the day when no one would be there but Cody and Hannah.
She got out of her car and spotted Jax sitting on one of the picnic tables in the grassy area beside the building. Charli walked over to him. “Thanks for making time to talk to me, Jax.”
“What are friends for?”
Charli was struck, as she always was, by his good looks, sexy as sin voice, and his good nature. He and Cody were perfect for one another. And made beautiful babies.
Like the one he held.
“Can I hold him?”
“Sure.” Jax waited until she sat, then handed her the baby.
“Hey there, beautiful boy.” She nuzzled Billy and grinned when he laughed. “God, he’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.” That’s when she saw Bernice, sitting on a little patchwork quilt under the tree.
She had a big pair of red earphones clamped on her head and an electronic table clutched in both hands. “What’s Bernice up to?”
“Some kind of game she’s addicted to. She gets an hour in the morning and one in the evening, so don’t even speak to her while she’s playing or you’ll get a lecture about cutting into her time.”
Charli smiled. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“So, what did you want to talk about?”
“Actually, I was hoping you could introduce me to someone.”
“Sure, who?”
“Joe.”
It was obvious that the request surprised Jax. “Can I ask why?”
“Yes, of course.” Charli believed in honesty between friends, and Jax and Cody had been very good friends to her.
She told him what happened at Grady’s house, but didn’t mention Grady’s name. When she finished the tale, she added. “The way I see it, if anyone would know if what happened was real or just some weird oxygen deprivation hallucination, it would be Joe. He is an angel, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, that’s what we call him.”
“What does he call himself?”
“An angel, but not the kind I think you mean.”
“What other kind is there?”
“Heck if I know, but the point is, I’m not sure Joe would have the answer to that question. Still, I’ll introduce you if you want.”
Charli looked down at the baby in her arms. “Thanks. I…I don’t know if that’s what I want or if I’m just grasping at straws.”
“Well, the think that happened with your friend and the drowning. Did it do anything positive? Bring you peace or hope or comfort?”
Charli realized with a measure of surprise that it had. “Yes. I wonder why I didn’t think about that? All I’ve been able to think about was how weird and unbelievable it was.”
“And it sounds like it was. But you and I know there’s more than what we can see or hear or touch. Strange stuff happens and sometimes we can’t make sense of it. Maybe we’re not supposed to.”
“Then what are we supposed to do?”
“I don’t know. Trust. Believe.”
Charli blew out a breath. “That’s a tall order at times.”
“Don’t I know it.” Jax smiled. “There was a time I figured I could look into the future and see exactly how things would go for me. I’d work and play, run from involvement and commitment and die alone.
“Now, look at me. I have what I never dared to wish for.”
“Thanks to a pushy little hot package of vibrancy called Cody Sweet.”
Jax laughed and Bernice looked up and smiled. Even baby Billy laughed. Charli watched it all and grinned. “She’s all that and more,” Jax agreed. “The love of my life, no doubt about it.”
“I envy you.”
“One day you’ll be there yourself,” Jax replied. “Your friend took you or showed you the way.”
“What way?”
“Just forgive yourself, Charli. As much as we want to, we can’t always save everyone. And as much as we don’t like to accept it, some people’s fate is to be here for only a short time. At least during the go-around we know them in. Maybe in another, they’ll have a longer run.
“But the point is, you take what you’re given—the love and joy and pleasure and blessings—and you give thanks every day that you have them. And when they leave you, you give thanks that you had them at all and hope that’s not the end of it for you. But you don’t cut yourself off and deny yourself happiness because you couldn’t change fate. No one who ever loved you would want that from you.”
“How can you know that to be true?”
Jax shrugged. “Well, let me ask you this. Do you think your parents or your sister, begrudged that you weren’t in the car with them that day?”
“Oh God no. I know they were happy I wasn’t there. Happy I’d survived.”
“And that child would have been too. So, first, look at this through the eyes of your experience and expertise. You know she never felt it. It happened too fast. But even if she had known it was coming, she would have wanted you to live. Because she loved you.
“That’s the way love works. So maybe what this is really all about is that you’re a lot like I was. So locked into thinking that you don’t deserve it that you’ve forgotten how to accept love.
“Well, except from these guys.” He gestured toward his children. “We and they know you love them. And you must know they love you, so why not take that one step more and let that fella in who was willing to walk into the in-between place for you?”
Charli was dumbfounded. Not because she’d ever considered Jax superficial, unaware, or less than in the smarts department, but because he’d put things in a way that resonated, a way that sledgehammered away the walls that had kept her in the dark and not allowed her to see.
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re one hell of a man?”
Jax chuckled. “Not the normal thing folks say about me.”
“Then they are woefully unaware.” Charli handed the baby back to him. “And I’m really lucky to have you as a friend. Thanks, Jax. I owe you.”
“Nope, not a bit. But you can take trade houses with us for a weekend if you want. It’d be nice to take Cody for a night swim.”
“How about this weekend?”
“Really?”
“Sure.”
“Girl, you’re on. I’m gonna go get Hannah to make sure the bar is covered. What time?”
“After lunch? I’ll ride over, spend the afternoon and night with the kids. I’m off all weekend, so you have until Monday morning to get back home.
Jax planted a kiss on her cheek. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”
Charli laughed and stood. “I’ll see you on Saturday. And thanks again, Jax.”
“Anytime. Hey, you still want that introduction to Joe.”
“No, thanks. I think I already found my angel.”
Charli got back into her car and headed home. She still had Grady on her mind, along with a lot of other things, but now her thoughts were more of what might be possible for her future instead of things from her past that might poison her chances.
*****
Eighteen days. That’s how long Grady had been gone. Eighteen days didn’t sound like long unless you were waiting on and worrying about someone. Then it seemed like forever.
Charli finally understood how the families of soldiers, particularly Special Ops personnel, felt when they had loved ones deployed. It was hell.
She’d spent not one, but two weekends with Cody and Jax’s kids, had dinner with Kyle and Liz, gone riding with JD and Jo, worked out, helped Stella make cookies for some church event and had even gotten shit-faced drunk with the girls one night.
And still she couldn’t get Grady out of her mind and stop counting the hours and days since he’d been gone. If this was what it meant to fall in love, then it truly sucked.
She finished her sweep of the town, returned to the station, and had just poured herself a cup of coffee that looked old enough to stand without a cup when the Chief spotted her.
“Charli, come in here.”
She left the cup sitting on the counter beside the pot and hurried to the Chief’s office where two other men were seated in the chairs in front of the desk. They stood when she entered and Chief Greene introduced everyone.
“Gentlemen, this is Deputy Charli Sampson. Charli, these men are from the FBI. Agents Waterford and Dillard.”
That piqued her interest. “Agents.” She shook hands with them and waited for them to be seated. The chief remained standing.
“The FBI believes that several disappearances in our county are linked to missing person cases in three surrounding counties.”
Agent Waterford spoke up. “We have eleven missing people in all and the only links are the area in which the disappearances are happening and the sex of three victims who disappeared from Taylorsville.”
“I’m assuming that eleven in the geographic location and population is larger than normal?” Charli asked.
“Far larger.”
“Are there any similarities in the missing people?”
“No. Aside from the sex of the three missing from Taylorsville, we’ve not been able to discern a pattern in sex, age, profession, religion, or political affiliation.”
“And you’re here because?”
“Because we need feet on the ground. As many as possible.”
“There are no clues at all?”
Waterford and Dillard looked at one another before Waterford answered. “One. Two of the missing were runaways, reportedly living on the street in Taylorsville, over by the old cement plant.”
“I know that area. A lot of runaways take shelter with the homeless there. What did you find?”
Dillard took a photo from the breast pocket of his jacket and handed it to Charli. She looked at it and then at the Chief as she handed him the photo.
“A livestock tag?” Chief Greene handed the photo back to Agent Dillard.
“We’ve traced the tag back to a farm in South Carolina. The animal was sold six months ago at auction and is currently on a farm in Georgia.”
“In other words, a dead end,” Chief Greene said.
“Or a clue intended to mislead. Whatever the case, if there are any reports of missing people, we’d appreciate you contacting us immediately.”
“Of course,” Chief Greene agreed. “We’ll do anything we can to assist.”
“There is one thing, if you’re agreeable.” Waterford directed the comment to Charli. “I mentioned three missing from Taylorsville. All are women. Tall, big women. No discernable pattern in their age or race, but size was the one common element. Would you be open to going undercover?”
“I saw the info that came in on it, but we haven’t had anything similar in Cotton Creek. Where was it they went missing?”
“The old sock factory in Taylorsville, just south of here. Two of the women went missing from there. The third disappeared from an old building near the train depot where homeless have taken to gathering.”
“Undercover when?”
“Today, if possible.”
“I’m getting the feeling that you think these people are being taken.”
“Special Forces, correct, Operator Sampson?”
“Correct, sir.”
“Then you understand the need to ensure that classified information does not get released to the public.”
“I do, sir.”
Waterford looked around the room. “Then yes, we do believe these people are being taken. People interviewed at the locations where some of the people have gone missing say they saw the victims with a giant.”
“A giant?”
“A very big man, seven feet, they claim with hands big enough to cover a person’s entire face. They’re scared. Very scared. So much that they're clustering together, which isn’t typical for junkies and street prostitutes.”
“No, it’s not. Fine. I’ll get someone to drop me off later in the day a few miles from the site.”
“Your cover is a prostitute. I’d say an addict but you’re too fit. You’re on the run though. Dillard will show up around eleven. He’ll be your john and you can report anything you see to him.”
“You want me there 24-7?”
“We do.”
“Can I take my phone?”
“I don’t see why not. Even the street whores seem to have them.”
Charli didn’t much like his tone or the phrase, but she didn’t comment on it. She was so damn bored with Grady being gone, and so tied in a knot because she knew without a doubt that wherever he was, he was definitely in harm’s way, that she needed something to take her mind off him.
This should fill the bill.
“I’ll do my best, sir.”
“I’m sure you will, Deputy.” Waterford turned his attention to the Chief. “And now perhaps we could enlist you to coordinate with the Sheriff Departments and City Police in the surrounding counties?”
“Of course,” Chief Greene agreed and cut a look at Charli. “That’ll be all, Deputy. Take the rest of the afternoon to take care of any personal matters. I’ll pick you up at seven and give you a ride.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.”
Charli left the Chief’s office and headed for her desk to collect her phone and car keys. Sleeping on the streets with a bunch of junkies and prostitutes wasn’t her idea of a good time, but at least her mind would be occupied with something besides Grady Judd.
God, even thinking his name sent worry lancing through her. Was this what it was like to love someone? To not be able to stop thinking about or worrying over them? If that’s what it was, then she honestly didn’t know if she could ever have any kind of future with him. Not as long as he did what he did.
She was certain she couldn’t go on indefinitely worrying that she was going to hear that something had happened to him. And she was dead certain that if he didn’t come back, she’d never forgive herself for telling him how she really felt before he left.
That she loved him.
*****
Chief Tom Greene waited until he was sure Charli had left before bringing up what was on his mind. “Out of curiosity, why weren’t the Rangers brought in on this?” he asked the FBI Agents.
“The Governor himself requested the help of the bureau,” Waterford replied.
“Over the disappearance of some junkies and street hookers? I don’t think so.” Tom realized he was the chief of a small town, but he wasn’t an idiot. Before he became a policeman, he was military police. Marines.
The agents looked at one another and Dillard turned away, pulling out his phone. He left Tom’s office. Tom didn’t bother to ask why. It was clear that neither of the agents had clearance to make decisions in this matter.
When Dillard returned, he gave a nod to Waterford and then looked at Tom. “It’s not just junkies and hookers. Wilbur Brandley’s daughter is missing. She disappeared from a hotel in San Antonio a week ago.”
“Wilbur Brandley?” Tom asked.
“A good friend of the Governor. He owns one of the cable networks.”
“Thus, the Governor bypassed bringing in the Rangers?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I think that’s a mistake.”
“You’re entitled to your opinion, but the orders stand.”
“No, I don’t think so.” Tom picked up the phone and placed a call. “Hey, Stella Jean. It’s Tom. Is he in?”
He smiled at the agents. “Hey, John. It’s Tom. Listen, I’ve got two FBI agents here about those missing people and they said we can’t call in the Rangers. Seems to me we need all the boots on the ground we can get. Don’t you agree? Yes, sir. I will. Thank you. And yes sir, I sure will. Thank you.”
He hung up the phone and looked at the agents. “A good friend of mine and fishing buddy, the Governor, thinks it would be a good idea to call in the Rangers so I’m going to do that now.”
“Hold on,” Waterford protested. “How do we know that was the Governor you were talking with?”
“You think I’d lie?”
“No, but we don’t take orders from you and until we hear from our superiors—“ His phone rang.
Tom gestured toward Waterford’s coat pocket. “You might want to take that.”
Waterford answered and Tom could tell from the look on the man’s face that the caller was someone higher up the ladder, and probably someone who’d just spoken with the Governor. Tom watched the man leave the room, followed by his partner.
He picked up his phone to place a call to the regional Rangers’ office and was put in touch with the Ranger assigned to head the region Cotton Creek fell into.
“Zeb Childress.”
“Hey, Zeb, it’s Tom Greene over in Cotton Creek.”
“Hey there, Tom. How’s it going?”
“We’ve got a little situation here, Zeb and I just got off the phone with the Governor who said I should bring in the Rangers.”
“Tell me.”
Tom quickly gave Zeb the details. “I’ll be there in three hours,” Zeb said when Tom finished. “Don’t send in your deputy until I’ve had a chance to speak with her. I’m going to call the Bureau and Headquarters and get the ball rolling on this for you.”
“Thanks, Zeb. See you soon.”
Just then, the FBI agents returned. Tom could tell from the look on their faces that they weren’t thrilled with whatever they’d been told.
“Okay, so the Rangers will take point on this.” Waterford said. “But we’re to be kept in the loop all the way.”
“Of course.” Tom agreed. “I have your numbers. I’ll let you know as soon as the Rangers get things set up and I’m guessing they’ll have their own people as a point of contact for Charli.”
“Fine,” Waterford agreed. “We’ll be waiting to hear from you.”
“As soon as I know anything, you’ll know it.” Tom assured them and meant it. He wasn’t trying to cut out the Feds, he was just trying to make sure that the missing people got the very best chance at being found and he fully believed that would be accomplished by bringing in the Texas Rangers.
Now he needed to decide whether to call Charli back in to meet with Zeb or wait and have Zeb ride with him over to her place later.
He decided on the latter. Charli was a pro; she’d deal with the change in leadership and if Tom was any judge of character at all, she and Zeb would work well together. They were carved from the same block of wood when it came to this kind of thing. They meant business and God help anyone who got in their way.
That old saying about the Rangers always getting their man held true for Charli Sampson as well and Tom wasn’t sure which of them—Charli or Zeb—was the most lethal.
*****
Across the Atlantic, in the Mediterranean Sea, Grady stood on deck of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, watching the sun sink into the horizon. He’d left home eighteen days ago, and not a day had gone by that he didn’t keep count of how long he’d been away. Not a day had passed that he hadn’t found himself wishing he’d had the balls to tell Charli the truth before he left.
Honestly, he left feeling the same as always when he was called upon the serve. That he could well walk out of his home for the last time. Survival was never guaranteed, no matter how brave or skilled, how accurate your Intel or how capable your team.
Now, eighteen days later and at the end of what could only be classified a success, he and his team were returning home heroes, albeit faceless ones. There would be no press waiting for them upon their return, no reporters shouting questions.
Sure, there would be news reports on how an elite team of Navy SEALs had taken out not one, but three of the world’s most powerful and influential terrorists. Their praises would be sung for striking a blow that would severely cripple the terrorist organizations for some time.
But their names would not be mentioned, and that was okay. It’s what they signed on for, and what they expected. What he personally had never learned to come to terms with was a duty he had to fulfill upon his return to the states.
He had to inform the family of one of his teammates that their husband, father, son, brother would be returning in a casket. Grady knew there was not a member of his team who didn’t grieve Johnny’s loss. Grady couldn’t help but think how excited and happy Johnny had been over the birth of his daughter.
Now that child would never know her father. That tore at Grady, and surprisingly, had him questioning his own life and career.
“Sorry about your loss.” A voice behind him had him turning his head.
The XO of the ship, Grant Carmichael, was an old friend. “Thanks. Me, too.”
“I guess it falls to you to notify the family.”
“No, but they don’t deserve to hear it from a stranger, or someone who wasn’t there.”
“Still, it’s never easy.”
“God help us if it ever is.”
“Amen to that, brother.” Grant looked out at the sky and sea. “You ever think about giving it up?”
“Not until recently.”
“Because of Johnny? You’ve lost men before.”
“I have, yes. But no, it wasn’t just that.”
“No.” Grant’s tone of voice had Grady looking at him. “Well, I’ll be damned. I never thought I’d see it. You knocked down that wall and let someone in.”
“Like hell I did.” Grady didn’t see the need to lie. “This woman blasted that thing all to hell.”
Grant laughed. “That must be some woman.”
“She most certainly is.” Grady said and smiled. “Charli Sampson, ex-Delta and current Cotton Creek Deputy. Five foot ten and a half inches, one hundred and sixty-five pounds of kick ass, drop dead gorgeous woman that makes me weak in the damn knees just by looking at me.”
Grant laughed and clapped Grady on the back. “What say you and me have a drink and you can tell me more about this Amazon? I’ve got a bottle of bourbon I’ve been saving for a special occasion and brother, this seems as good a time as any.”
“Sounds good to me.” Grady agreed and turned to accompany Grant. Eighteen days and counting. In ten more, he’d be home and then he’d talk to Charli. He’d tell her he loved her and wanted a life with her and if she said yes, he’d say goodbye to the Navy.
What scared him more than the thought of leaving the Navy was wondering if she would say yes.