Search and Destroy by JT Sawyer (top non fiction books of all time .TXT) 📗

was one of the things he liked about her both as a friend and an operator.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said as they entered the cottage turned war room.

Other than a few chow breaks, they spent the better part of six hours examining the entrance and egress routes to the ranch, potential location of sentries and snipers, local response time of the small sheriff’s department, weather factors, comms issues and most importantly how to gain surreptitious access to the immense property.

“We go with a Trojan horse then,” said Viper. “There’s no other way to get in there.”

“Agreed,” said Shepard. “Only what’s the effigy going to be?”

“Remember Istanbul?” she said.

His eyes traced a crack along the floor then he grinned, giving a slow nod. “I like your thinking.”

After they had finished planning, Viper baked a homemade pizza with fresh veggies and ham from the freezer. It was the first time in weeks that Cal hadn’t eaten something from a wrapper or pouch, and he was grateful for the meal.

They shared stories from past missions and training events, chuckling about old times, team members, politics, and near misses abroad when Murphy intervened in their plans.

Nearing eight o’clock, Cal got up, finishing off his beer. He grabbed his hoodie and plucked her van keys off the fireplace mantel. “Mind if I borrow your wheels for a few hours?”

“Sure, but there’s more beer in the fridge. No need to make a special trip.”

Cal gave a pensive nod. “Thanks, but there’s something I have to take care of before we leave.”

48

North Atlanta

The streetlights at the back of the parking garage weren’t working for some reason, and Sara McAllister fumbled through her purse looking for a flashlight as she headed to her Chrysler minivan.

She had stayed at her Pilates studio an hour longer than expected, taking care of payroll and employee scheduling, and she was more than ready to collapse into bed after a shower.

She found the flashlight, pulling it out along with her keys just as a shadow moved from the darkened stairwell to the right.

Her heart raced as she struggled to locate the on button of the light and blind the man moving towards her. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was.

“Cal!”

She wasn’t sure if she should scream for help or run, but something told her what she’d known all along—that the stories in the news weren’t true, if for no other reason than she trusted her sister Cassie’s judgement in marrying a good man.

And right now, she was relying on her gut instincts that her sister was right about him.

“God, is it really you?”

He stepped towards her, staying in the shadows and pulling his hood back. “I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to reach out to you.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she rushed forward, hugging him. He hesitated then embraced her, squeezing her tight as she continued to weep. “I thought I lost you too.”

He brushed his hand along her face. “It’s OK. I just had to see you…to tell you that I would never have done anything to hurt Cassie. She was the love of my life, Sara.”

“I know. It was obvious by the way you two looked at each other.” She pulled back, holding his hand. “But all the stories in the news about you being with the CIA…was any of that true? You always told us you worked for the State Department in embassy security. Was anything you told us—told my sister—real?”

He licked his lower lip, letting out a long exhale. “Look, I was recruited by the agency after college, working as a field agent. Cassie didn’t even know until we were engaged and she had been further vetted. It was excruciating for her to keep it all from you, but it just comes with the territory for any of us in this line of work. Even then she didn’t know the full extent of what I did when I was gone.”

Sara looked to either side. “You’re taking an awful risk coming here. There’ve been people outside our house for the past few weeks, parked in a car, watching me as I came and went.”

“And monitoring your calls and emails, no doubt. That’s why I couldn’t make contact until now. I’m sorry I left you to suffer alone through all of this.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“I have some things to finish, then I’ll be moving on.”

She put her hand on his arm. “Cal, are you the one behind all those killings up in Maryland? I read an article online about the caterers at Burke’s house who were blown all to hell.”

Shepard pursed his lips, averting his eyes. “The less you know, the better.”

“God, Cal, I’m all for justice, but this isn’t the way. Cassie wouldn’t want this for you or the other victims who died.”

“These people are above the law. This will never be a case that makes it to court or even onto the front pages. And if they were this brazen, then others could suffer the same fate, and I’m not about to let that happen again.”

They both turned their heads at the faint sound of squealing tires on the parking level below.

He hugged her again, kissing her on the cheek. “Always remember, you’re family and I love you, Sara.”

She wanted to reach out and hold him, the last living link to her sister, and the brother she never had.

“Be careful…I love you too,” she breathed out as Cal trotted down the stairs back into the shadows.

49

Six Days Later

Carter felt like she hadn’t moved in an hour, her shoes Velcroed to the carpet in her office as she stared at the large whiteboard on the wall, which was peppered with photographs of the crime scenes and victims associated with the Burke case during the past week, along with a destroyed cartel safehouse where the driver of the catering truck had resided.

Her eyes meandered along the images. The only thing connecting the deaths to the three crime scenes was