Page 2 of Justice for the SEAL
The street noise got louder and Logan turned to see Jax walk into the bar. He sat down next to Logan and ordered a whiskey. “You okay?” heasked.
“Now that I know you killedaman?”
“I told you how ithappened.”
“Yes, you did. Total accident. Could have happened toanybody.”
“This isn’t about me or Cowboy. This is about Royce. Someone related to the case wants him dead. That’s where your attention needs to be focused, not on something that happened years before your time that doesn’t affect youatall.”
“Right. Royce. The man who behaves like a close personal friend of yours, but is actually the judge who dismissed murder charges against you andCowboy.”
“He wasn’t a friend atthetime.”
“Because that would reek of impropriety on his part if he let his friendsgofree.”
Jax set his drink on the bar with a thud. “I’m still the commander of this team. You’d do well torememberthat.”
Logan knew he was pushing back too hard. Knew what it might cost him. But he couldn’t seem to stop talking, stop picking at the scab that covered Jax’sculpability.
He needed to see what was underneath, now that he knew his hero was made of flesh and blood. He had to know the depth of the darkness Jax had kept hidden from view. “I don’t want to work for a man I don’trespect.”
Jax stared at him for a beat. “It was an accidentalshooting.”
Logan leaned in close. “Tell me what the fuck really happened, orI’mgone.”
Jax seemed to focus far away, the silence stretching out to an uncomfortable void. When he finally spoke, his voice was low. “We had no choice.” He met Logan’s eyes. “We did it because we had nochoice.”
“Goon.”
Jax shook his head. “All you need to know is none of this was Royce’s fault. Now someone wants him dead, and it’s our responsibility, Cowboy’s and mine. If we could solve this without involving you, we’d do it. But you’re the one with the skills we need, Logan. And you’re just going to have to decide if youtrustme.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Jax. You have to decide if you trust me enough to tell me thetruth.”
An intense light flashed brightly through the window over Jax’s shoulder, white light so bright it seemed to burn a hole in Logan’sretinas.
“Get down!” yelled Logan, lowering his own head as he pulled down Jax. The sound erupted and the shock wave hit, shattering the window into the bar, spraying glass like water from asprinkler.
Someone wasscreaming.
“Go, go, go!” barked Jax, but Logan was already on his feet, passing Jax as he pulled out his weapon. They ran into the sunny street, black smoke billowing from a sedan full of fire, fifteen-foot flames lickingthesky.
Acarbomb.
A figure could be seen in the car, barely human, covered in flames, and Logan rushed to the vehicle in an instinctual move to help the victim. The heat was unlike anything he’d experienced before but still he reached for the door, jerking back his hand when it was instantlyburned.
He was ambushed from behind, Jax screaming in his ear as he pulled Logan away from the car, “Get back! You can’t save them now.” But Logan could still see the person on fire—dying right beforehiseyes.
Maybealreadydead.
He feltnauseous.
“Jesus,” yelled Jax. “The license plate! Look at the fucking licenseplate!”
Logan’s eyes popped open, zeroing in on the piece of metal, a single word showingclear.
Justice.
It’s Royce,” said Jax, his voice like a sob. “The motherfucker gotRoyce.”
