Page 71 of True Valor
For the next hour, Julie lay on the backfloor of Raines’ Bronco.The man droned on and on.He’d done itfirst to make his mother proud.His older brother had died in‘Nam—a war hero.And he’d been invisible.
What was the big deal, anyway?Those bastardsgot all the glory.They weren’t that special.
Julie couldn’t help but wonder at his logic.Let’s face it, Vietnam veterans didn’t get all that much glory.
And on he prattled.The story had just grownin time.He hadn’t meant to embellish it.He wasn’t taking moneyfrom the government, so why the uproar?He’d been a good sheriff.And the town had fired him.
Well, he’d show them.Tomorrow was hisbirthday.He’d go out in style.
Julie’s breath came out in awhoosh,as if she’d been punched.She had ‘til morning.
Chapter Twenty Six
Cruz slammed the phone down.
“We can’t do anything until morning.TheArcher won’t carry us all and I can’t get a plane rented until0700.”He paced the length of the living room.
Nic checked his watch.Just past one a.m.Therest of the team would be back to the house shortly unless hecalled them off.It was a five hour drive, maybe more; an hour anda half to fly.If they left here by two, they’d get to Galloway’sby 0900.If they could take off shortly after seven, then, byplane, they’d get there the same time.But, if she were there,she’d answer the phone.
What if Raines did have her?Where would hetake her?Could they count on him going back to the cabin?That wasthe only idea Nic had.Even though it was a bit closer, the timeswould be likely about the same.
Stand the guys down for now.At least theycould get a bit of sleep then.They’d meet at the Merced Airport atoh-seven-hundred.Between now and then, they needed a plan ofattack.
Julie’d never been very good at waiting.Waiting to be killed should have been an exception.But the nightdragged by, tied in one of the kitchen chairs, listening to Rainessnore.
How could the guy be sleeping, anyway?
Before he crashed on the bed, he joked aboutthe little present he’d left for Julie and Nic weeks before.Thebest-laid plans.
“If I’d known your guy would come through thedoor first…well, I’da gone with the shotgun.Or maybe rigged thewhole place to explode, blown you both to smithereens.”
Then he’d crossed to the bed and noticed thebloodstains.Again he laughed.Then he threw the covers over theblood and lay back, asleep almost immediately.
That bed.“Her guy.”Nic’s pain.His warmth.Tears coursed down her cheeks.
You only go around once, Jenn used to say.Carpe diem and all that.And yet, when Julie found something worthgrabbing, she chickened out, let go.If she could tell him, whatwould she say?That from the moment he found her, she’d been home.She lost everyone she loved and found someone to love forever.Forever wasn’t long enough.
She was torn.Torn between hoping that Nicand Cruz would show up just in time and fearing they would.Withouta doubt Raines would kill anyone who got in his way.If she had afinal wish, it would be that she could at least tell Nic that sheloved him.
How much she loved him.
At oh-seven-thirty-two, the sun cleared thehorizon, and Nic watched his teammates, all dressed in winter camo,board the Piper Seneca.The lieutenant had shown up after allclaiming that they needed supervision.But Nic was pretty sureQuillen just didn’t want to miss out on the fun.If things wentsouth, the LT would hang anyway, so why not have a little fun?
Even though Cruz was as concerned as Nic, hestill couldn’t hold back the grin and whistle as they’d entered thehangar.That was a fine looking plane.Even Nic knew that.
After spending the night contemplating theiroptions, Nic had run the whole thing by Cruz.Between them, thedecision was made.They’d try the cabin first.If that failed,they’d drive to Susanville.At that point, they’d have to punt.Atoh-seven-forty, the Seneca lifted off for Quincy, California.Fromthere, it was a forty-six minute drive to the cabin.
Nic spent the next half hour filling in hiscrew on the mission.He’d drawn a map of the area surrounding thecabin.The road up to the cabin.The layout of the cabin itself.The fishing pond behind.Julie’s chapel.He’d poured over road mapsduring the night.They could drive up an adjacent road and hikethrough the thick woods to the cabin.If Raines had Julie there,they’d have the element of surprise.
Light trickled in past the edges of theblankets Raines had thrown over the windows.Julie’s eyes hurt.Herstomach grumbled.One would think her brain would have warned herstomach that they were in grave danger.But, she hadn’t eaten sincethe night before last, and she guessed she’d cut the traitor abreak.Even if the sound woke Raines.
If it didn’t, then something else did.
“Wish me happy birthday, Julie.”
At her go-to-hell reply, obscured by the ducttape, he just laughed and stretched.Then he bounced to his feet,as if great sleep had left him totally refreshed.
“What shall we have for breakfast, Julie?Weought to have something wonderful for our last meal, don’t youthink?”
