Page 96 of Her Faithful Protector

The following photo in the queue takes me back. It’s a blurry, black-and-white image of a boy squatting on a sidewalk in front of a butcher shop. He’s thin, his eyes barely open. I hesitate, “Was this… you?”

“For years, he was known as ‘the sidewalk boy.’ Sam discovered it, and it led him to St. Leo. Here’s another picture.”

“Oh, my…” I sigh, perusing the photo of a nun hugging Jack. She had a tender smile, and Jack looked a lot brighter here. I recall Morgan mentioning her name. “Sister Laura?”

“Yes. I’m glad Sam had a chance to meet the woman who raised me,” he replies with fondness in his eyes. “You know, she told Sam my birthmark looked like a rabbit.”

I chuckle, remembering the brown spot on his shoulder that we all agreed looks like Elmo with his ears up.

Chuckling too, Jack adds, “After all the questions that my brother asked her, the bunny was the final proof that I’m Jack Kelleher.”

“We should stick with rabbit, then?”

He shakes his head lightly, taking a glimpse at our dog, who seems content watching Quinton. “Elmo is better.”

“Where were you when Sam met with Sister Laura?”

“I was in Kabul, frantically arranging outbound flights for my men. While everyone was fleeing that doomed place, Sam was running in. Just to find me.”

Awe fills me. That wasn’t ordinary courage, not the kind you casually throw around, like a risky business move or stepping out of your comfort zone. I have never witnessed a stronger bond between two men than the one between the Kelleher brothers, and I consider myself fortunate to be a part of their family.

The end of the album comprises photos from their reunion. The two forces of nature—Sam and Jack—pose with their dad, along with Sam’s family: Cass, Grace, and their three-legged German Shepherd, Maximus.

“I presume Sam’s son hadn’t been born yet in this photo.”

“No, only Grace,” he replies, smiling. “Last one.” He swipes.

“Holy smokes!” I exclaim. It’s a picture of us in Bozeman, sitting on the front porch, laughing at each other. Morgan must have taken it while we were unaware. Even then, I could see our gazes were filled with affection.

“So that was my story in a nutshell, Ava Belle,” Jack concludes.

I lean in, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. “I’ll make sure we keep adding to it with ones like this.” I point at our photo.

Jack nods, inhaling deeply, the sound of his breath filling the space between us as he steers the conversation to the topic we’ve been postponing. “About the information from Willem’s computer. What do you think?” His words hang in the air.

The USB drive has been locked inside a drawer since Sam handed it to us, its presence a constant reminder of the secrets it holds.

“What if we destroyed it?” I pose a question instead of answering.

“I guess I’d always be wondering about it, I can’t lie.” His words betray his inner conflict. “But I trust in what we decide. I’m okay with letting it go.”

“And if we opened it?”

He bites his lip, then says, “I’d meet that man face-to-face. You know, I had plans to kill him.” He pauses, his hand rubbing the top of mine, an ambivalent gesture amid the darkness of our conversation. “Maybe it was to stop him from hurting other children. But the truth is, Ava, I wanted to do it for revenge. For myself.”

This revelation, though unsettling, is not entirely unexpected.

“But,” he adds. “I’ve grown since then. I’ve been blessed with so many things that I never saw coming.” This time, his words resonate with a sense of gratitude and determination. “In my nightmares, I could only speculate what he looked like, how his voice sounded. He scared me to death, but perhaps by seeing him in the flesh, I can erase my fear of him. Because I hope, in reality, he’s merely a monster without teeth.”

I nod with an approving smile. “In that case, open it, Jack. I’m right here with you.”

“What if I end up wanting more than that?”

“I’ll stop you,” I reassure him. “Love has the power to keep things alive, but it can also kill.”

Jack’s eyes flare in confusion.

I explain, “We’ll use our love to kill your demons. Let’s open the files, Jack.”

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