The Last Target Read online

  Rachel placed a hand on Aidan’s leg. “This is my son, Aidan.”

  “It’s always good to have children around here. Doesn’t happen often enough.” Mrs. Sergeant waved her hand in a circle and stepped toward the house. “Come on inside. I’ll get you something to eat, and, Jack, I’ll get you sewed up. Then you can explain what this visit is about. I have a feeling it isn’t because you’re homesick for your old Mom and Pops.”

  Rachel tried to take a step forward but stopped as pain coursed through her. She reached for something to hold on to.

  Aidan’s big, saucer-like brown eyes locked on her. “Mommy? What’s wrong?”

  “My ankle’s just a little sore. Mommy twisted it last night.”

  Jack slipped an arm around her waist. “Let me help.”

  His proximity sent shivers through her. She wished getting rid of her feelings for him was as easy as turning a switch on and off. Instead, her feelings felt more like the Apaka operatives who were chasing them—like something she’d never be able to lose.

  Inside the cozy home, Mrs. Sergeant propped Rachel up in a recliner and placed an ice pack on her ankle. Then she turned to Jack and stared at his blood-soaked shirt. Rachel could only imagine how seeing that much blood on her son made her feel. Rachel knew how she’d feel if it had been Aidan hurt—no matter his age.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to go to the doctor, son?” Mrs. Sergeant removed the cloth around Jack’s biceps.

  “I’m fine,” Jack said. “I’m sure you’ll do a better job than they would anyway.”

  “He was always getting hurt as a youngster,” Mrs. Sergeant said, pulling out some antibiotic. “He always had this adventurous spirit that ended up getting him in trouble. Not serious trouble. Just some broken bones, cuts and scrapes. In other words, he was all boy.”

  Rachel smiled. That seemed to describe Aidan pretty accurately also. Rachel always said that God gave her a boy to toughen her up, because Aidan was so often fearless and daredevilish.

  Aidan climbed into her lap at that moment, his demeanor showing that he soaked everything in. “Do the bad guys know we’re here, Mr. Jack?”

  Jack and Rachel exchanged a look, while Mrs. Sergeant raised her eyebrows in obvious curiosity. Jack winced as his mother poured some hydrogen peroxide on his wound. “No, Aidan. We’re safe for now. You don’t have to pretend to be invisible for a while yet. Have I told you yet what a great job you did with that yesterday?”

  Aidan nodded, his eyes beaming with pride.

  “Do I even want to hear this story?” Mrs. Sergeant shook her head.

  “Probably not.”

  She placed some bandages over the wound and patted her son’s arm. “That’s just fine with me. How about if I fix everyone some breakfast instead?”

  Breakfast sounded perfect to Rachel. Just the mention of it caused her stomach to rumble. Aidan scurried into the kitchen after Mrs. Sergeant, asking if he could help her cook. Rachel took the opportunity to close her eyes for a moment.

  She liked the feeling of Jack’s childhood home. That’s exactly what it felt like—a home. It exuded warmth and love and memories. For a moment, her heart longed for her own childhood home. Being there meant nothing without her mom and dad, though. It just brought back sad memories of their early passing.

  Breakfast consisted of biscuits and gravy, eggs and bacon. Better yet, it was full of lighthearted conversation. Jack’s parents obviously knew Denton and practically treated him like a son. Rachel mostly stayed quiet and let everyone else do the talking. She tried to forget the events of the past week and pretend everything was normal, but she couldn’t.

  She knew it was only a matter of time before Apaka found them here. Then they’d be on the run again. Where would they go next? When would they ever stop? Would she ever have a home like this one where she felt safe and loved again?

  Rachel looked away from the food she pushed around the plate and saw Jack studying her. She tried to smile and reassure him she was fine, but she couldn’t. Instead, she cleared her throat and pushed her plate back, her appetite gone. “Would it be okay if I got cleaned up? I think a shower would do wonders for me right now.”

  “I’ll keep an eye on Aidan,” Jack said, his gaze still on her. “The bathroom’s right down the hallway.”

  Mrs. Sergeant rose. “Let me pull out a few things for you.”

  Rachel hobbled to the shower and gratefully accepted the sweatpants and T-shirt that Mrs. Sergeant offered. She wished she could wash away her problems like she washed away the dirt covering her. The grit reminded her again of their narrow escape.

  After her shower, she pulled on the clothes Mrs. Sergeant had left for her and opened the bathroom door, watching as steam invaded the hallway. Her ankle was feeling a little better now, and she could put a little weight on it. She began her hobble through the hallway back to the family room. She paused around the corner when she heard Aidan’s voice drifting across the house.

  “Mr. Jack?”

  “Yes, Aidan?”

  “I don’t want you to leave. Ever. I like you.”

  Rachel leaned against the wall, her heart nearly pounding through her chest. She held her breath, waiting for Jack’s response.

  “I’ve really liked getting to know you better, too, Aidan.” Jack’s voice sounded full of warmth. “We’ve had a lot of fun together, haven’t we? Going fishing, playing superheroes?”

  Tears popped to Rachel’s eyes. She’d thought about how she would feel when Jack was no longer a part of her life. She’d be devastated. But Aidan had become more attached than she’d realized. He’d begun looking at Jack like the father figure he longed for.

  Rachel should have been more careful. She should have seen this coming, should have protected her son more and tried to prevent him from becoming attached.

  “Will you teach me to play baseball one day? When I get back to my house? I even have a bat. Mommy isn’t very good at sports.”

  “Oh, she’s not? I thought your mom was good at anything she wanted to be good at.”

  Rachel could hear the tease in Jack’s voice.

  “I’d love to teach you to play baseball one day, little man. Baseball used to be one of my favorite sports when I was growing up.”

  “Mr. Jack?”

  “Yes, Aidan?”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Aidan.”

  Rachel closed her eyes and let her chin drop to her chest in dismay. Her heart felt warmed by the possibility that Jack could possibly be there for Aidan, and wary that perhaps he was making empty promises.

  Jack had made it clear that he was just doing his job. The feelings that she thought Jack had for her—that she’d thought she’d seen in his eyes—were all wrong. That meant that when this was all over, Jack would be out of their lives. It was for the best, she reminded herself. Rachel didn’t want to ever get involved with someone with Jack’s job description again. She wanted someone whom she didn’t have to worry about getting killed on the job.

  She stepped around the corner and spotted Jack and Aidan playing a game on his smartphone on the floor. She cleared her throat. “Aidan.”

  Her son looked up just as Jack saw her and stood. The way he stepped forward made her think he wanted to talk. Not now. She needed space right now.

  “I just beat Mr. Jack at another game of Tic Tac Toe on his phone,” Aidan announced proudly.

  Rachel smiled. “Come on. We need to get you changed. Let’s give Mr. Jack some time alone.”

  “But I’m not finished with the game yet!”

  “We’ll finish it later. Come on. You need to hop in the bath.” She glanced up at Jack and hoped her look made it loud and clear that she didn’t appreciate empty promises.

  Jack could tell from the glare Rachel gave him that she’d overheard the conversation Aidan had brought up. His heart plunged.

  He’d meant the things he told Aidan. Aidan was such a good kid, and Jack could so easily picture himself helpi
ng the boy learn how to play baseball or to catch a football. More than picturing it, Jack knew that he wanted to do those things. He wanted to be there for Aidan…and for Rachel.

  As Aidan scurried away, Jack started to stop him, to ask Rachel if they could talk. But it was obvious she wasn’t in the mood right now. Besides, he had to touch base with Luke and to formulate his next move. His parents had cleared out of the house to give them some space. His mom had left for town to buy some supplies, and his dad had escaped outside to do some work. Meanwhile, Denton had set up base in the dining room and was busy playing catchup after their escape yesterday.

  He joined Denton at an old laptop that Jack’s dad let them use.

  “I just talked to the FBI. They’re searching the vice admiral’s house right now for clues. All the bodies were gone when they got there, however.”

  “Gone?”

  “Someone took time to clean up.”

  Jack rubbed his chin. If the FBI could have ID’d those men, it might have led the authorities to their cell. Whoever was behind this plot knew what they were doing. They were smart. They’d figure out Rachel and Aidan were here in a matter of days, if not less.

  He had to come up with his next plan of action. He had a feeling that the days of Apaka toying with them were over. When they found Rachel again, there would be a straight-out attack, no holds barred. Jack had to figure out a way to keep them safe, whatever the cost.

  Just then, Jack’s cell phone buzzed. He looked down at the number and saw that it was the vice admiral. He braced himself for the upcoming conversation.

  “Jack, where are you?”

  “Apaka found us at your residence, sir. We had to escape. We’re at a safe location—for now. I don’t plan on staying in any one place too long, however.”

  “How are Rachel and Aidan?”

  “Shaken and scared, but okay.”

  “Any idea how they found you?”

  “We’re looking into it now, sir. One of the guards at Eyes is missing. We believe he may have been working for Apaka. Luke is searching for him now. We believe he may have been the inside leak and that he planted a tracking device in the cell phone I gave to Rachel.”

  “We got another letter addressed to Rachel.”

  Jack tensed. “What did it say?”

  “It said, ‘You can run, but you can’t hide.’ It had the same powdery substance inside, so of course we had to have it tested for anthrax. It was clear. Just a hoax. But I have a feeling the threat behind it isn’t.”

  “I plan on keeping Rachel and Aidan safe, sir. I’m willing to give my life if I have to. We’re hoping that once Simon is found we’ll get some answers.”

  “You realize that Apaka is probably on the trail to you now.”

  “I’m just going to let Rachel and Aidan rest for a bit. Then we’re gone again, sir.”

  “Keep me updated.”

  Jack hung up just in time to spot Rachel standing in the doorway, her eyes as big as saucers. “What’s going on?” she asked.

  Before he could answer, his cell phone buzzed again. Luke. He held up a finger to Rachel, asking her to wait. He’d been trying to get in touch with Luke all morning.

  “You’re not going to like this,” Luke started.

  “What is it?”

  “We found Simon.”

  “And?”

  “He’s dead.”

  TWENTY-TWO

  Rachel stared at Jack, trying to read his expression. It was pointless. Rachel wondered if part of his training was on how to be absolutely unreadable. As soon as he hung up, she raised her eyebrows. “Is everything okay?”

  “They found Simon.”

  “That’s good news. Maybe Luke can get some information out of him that will point to the people behind these threats.”

  Jack shook his head. “He’s dead.”

  Rachel gasped. “Dead? What happened?”

  “He was found shot in the head not far from the Eyes headquarters.”

  “Poor Simon.” Rachel’s hand flew over her mouth. “I guess I shouldn’t say poor Simon. He tried to kill me…didn’t he?” She shook her head, nothing making sense at the moment.

  “We’re still trying to put the pieces together.”

  She shook her head again, the puzzle pieces were on the precipice of fitting. She sighed and leaned against the door-post. She’d temporarily forgotten about how upset she was with Jack. There were more important matters at hand, at the moment.

  Was there even a connection between the people on the list? Why was it taking so long to discover it? Maybe this was all just one big game that Apaka was playing with them.

  “Rachel…”

  She looked up and saw that earnest look in Jack’s eyes. It started to melt her heart, as it always did. But she had to think about Aidan.

  “Please don’t make promises to my son that you can’t keep, Jack.”

  “I intend to keep them, Rachel.”

  “So what you’re telling me is that once this is all over you’re going to take little breaks from your high-stress job with Eyes so that you can come over to our place and throw around a baseball?”

  “I would like to do that, Rachel. I’d like to be there for Aidan.”

  “I don’t think you understand, Jack.” She leaned toward him. “Aidan wants a dad. It’s great that you think you’re going to be a part of his life when this is all done, but we both know the truth, don’t we?”

  “What truth is that, Rachel?”

  “The truth that you’re just doing your job. The truth that crazy circumstances have pulled us all together and maybe made us all feel an attachment to each other. The truth is that that attachment is just an illusion. If we survive this, life will return as normal. You’ll move on to your next assignment. And Aidan and I will go back to being a fatherless child and a widow.”

  “Rachel, it’s not—”

  Just then, the back door swung open and Aidan came running in. “Mommy! Mr. Jack! Look! Mr. Sergeant made me a sword out of wood!” He swashed it around in the air. “Isn’t it cool?”

  Rachel forced a smile, but her heart plunged. Jack hadn’t been able to respond, but that was okay, she told herself. She simply needed to distance herself from him now more than ever. If not for her heart’s sake, then for her son’s.

  Rachel sat on the porch with some coffee and watched Aidan sword-fighting with imaginary bad guys. She couldn’t get the conversation with Jack out of her mind, so instead she turned her thoughts over to the list. She repeated the names and the career titles like she had so many times before.

  A farmer, an engineer, a scientist.

  An entomologist, a professor, a nonprofit director.

  She shook her head. Nothing made sense still. She needed to accept the fact that it might never make sense. That she might never feel safe again.

  The front door squeaked open beside her. She braced herself, half hoping to see Jack, half hoping not to see Jack.

  Instead, she spotted Mrs. Sergeant. “You mind if I join you?”

  Rachel smiled. “Not at all. I’d love it, actually.”

  Mrs. Sergeant lowered herself into the rocking chair beside Rachel. They rocked silently for a moment, each seeming to enjoy the peace that surrounded the farm. Rachel only hoped that that peace wasn’t just a facade.

  “Jack tells me your husband died over in Afghanistan.”

  Rachel nodded and took another sip of coffee. “He did. Right before Aidan was born. It wasn’t exactly the way I envisioned my future, but you work with what you’ve got.”

  “It seems like you’ve done a good job with what you’ve got. Aidan is precious.”

  Rachel smiled and watched Aidan tumble on the grass in an imaginary battle. “He is. He’s been a real gift. It hasn’t always been easy being a single mom, but I couldn’t ask for a better kid.”

  “I was a single mother for a while. I understand how hard it can be.”

  Her head swung toward Mrs. Sergeant in surprise. “You were?
Jack didn’t tell me…”

  “It was before Jack was born. My first husband was killed in an auto accident when Jack’s older brother was only two months old. It was devastating. I never thought I’d fall in love again.”

  “But you did.”

  “I did. I was determined to stay single rather than marry the wrong man. I only wanted the best for my son. That’s a mom’s job, after all, to watch out for her kids.”

  “I agree.”

  “But then I found Ike.”

  Rachel thought about Jack’s dad. He shared a lot of Jack’s qualities. “You guys seem like a good match.”

  “We are.” Mrs. Sergeant turned to Rachel. “I’m usually not one to mince words too much, Rachel, yet here I am beating around the bush. I can tell my son cares about you.”

  Rachel sucked in a breath. How did she even approach this conversation? The only way she knew how: with honesty. “I’m not so sure about that, Mrs. Sergeant.”

  “I’m quite certain. I’m also quite certain that he feels a lot of guilt over his failed marriage to Jennifer. The military can be so hard on families.”

  “It can be. I know that I can’t ever become involved with a military man. I want a stable life for Aidan. I want a husband who will come home every night. I don’t want to lose someone else that I love.” Did she just say the L word? Did she love Jack?

  Mrs. Sergeant turned toward her. “Love always requires risk, my dear. There are no guarantees in life. I never thought I would lose a husband to a drunk driver. But sometimes things are out of our hands—whatever career you choose.”

  Rachel couldn’t argue with that. After all, she was a nonprofit director who was being hunted by terrorists.

  Mrs. Sergeant patted her hand. “I know I sound biased. I am biased. But I’ve seen the way both of you look at each other. And I know my son. He’s stubborn. So even though he would be very unhappy with me if he knew I was having this conversation, I felt like I should anyway.”