CHAPTER THREE

“You’re in Phoenix?” Brig Collier, Caleb’s former team leader, paused a moment before asking, “Why?”

“I grew up here,” Caleb said. “That is, whenever my uncle wasn’t traveling on the professional golf circuit and dragging me with him.”

On the other end of the line, Brig sighed. “Thought you were coming to see us. Molly’s already planned the holiday menu with all your favorites.”

“I was headed for Virginia, but I decided to drop in on Jacoby then Morris.” The two men had left their black-ops unit some time before Brig.

“I hear Jacoby’s got two kids with another on the way,” Brig said.

“He’s still looking for a job. Unemployed. And Morris is drinking,” Caleb replied.

“Sorry to hear that. It’s a big problem.” Caleb heard the worry in Brig’s tone. “Henderson, get your behind down here for Thanksgiving—”

“I’m already kind of obligated here,” he said, “to an old friend. Friends.

I really want to see you guys and I will, soon, but…”

“I know it’s not easy,” Brig said.

Caleb tensed. He’d told Brig about the decision he was trying to make. Stay with the team. Or quit, like the others. Deliberately, he misunderstood.

“Yeah, I’ve known these people for a long time and they’re not military so it’s different. But Daisy—one of the friends—wants me to stick around.”

“I meant it’s not easy making the choice. Coming back.”

True, but Caleb didn’t want to get into a gritty discussion—another reason he’d postponed the trip to Virginia. If Brig didn’t see through him, Molly certainly would. And then there was Laila.

Caleb had saved every email Brig had sent about his daughter—she was nearly two now. He’d had some crazy idea that as long as he got news from the States of his little lady’s first tooth, her first solid food, he wouldn’t end up like Sean Denton. Laila had been his link to the real, and better, world. His good luck charm.

“I’m doing fine,” he said at last.

Brig gave up. “You want to talk to Laila?”

“She talks?” The last time he’d actually seen her, she was a newborn in a crib.

“Oops, lost your chance,” Brig said, a grin in his voice. “She just whizzed past chasing the dog.”

Caleb knew Brig had meant to disarm him, so to speak. Daisy had tried to do the same thing earlier with the turkey farm.

“Text me some new pictures,” he said.

“Will do.” Brig took a deep breath. “You know, Molly’s pregnant. This’ll be our first baby together.”

“Yeah? That’s great,” he said, but a pang of envy stopped him from saying anything else.

“I could use a hand here. How’d you like to help me train new warriors?”

“I’ll think about it.” No, he wouldn’t. If he did decide to leave the team, he wouldn’t want any reminders.

“You don’t come, I’ll come after you,” Brig said. “I’ve never left a man behind.” After a brief pause, he added, “Daisy? Now I get it. She single?”

“In a way,” he said, remembering how she’d cried in his arms about Bryan. “But it’s not like that.”

Brig laughed. “Henderson, it’s always like that.”

* * *

On Wednesday morning Daisy kicked into high gear. After cleaning house while Caleb slept—at least, he hadn’t shown up for coffee yet—she made her grocery list. And, oh, they had to pick up the now-dressed turkey at the farm. As Daisy double checked her list, Caleb came into the kitchen.

And her heart skipped a beat.

She tried to focus on her list, but his image was imprinted on her mind. Sleepy eyes and tousled hair. He looked good enough to…love? Even after yesterday, when she’d cried in the car and he’d kissed her, she wasn’t going there.

“Good morning. How does a trip to the store sound?”

“Like torture.” He poured his coffee. “I’ll hold down the fort,” he said. “Got a few calls to make. Other stuff, too.”

“Really.”

“Well, no. But I’m not a fan of supermarkets—or turkeys.”

“Too bad,” Daisy murmured. There was no way she’d leave him at home. Caleb needed to be around people. Several ex-soldiers at the center were the same. Whether he liked it or not, she would keep trying to get him to open up, hopefully without his knowing it. “I need your help carrying that monster bird. And the rest won’t take long. You can let me know what you’d like for dinner tomorrow. Everyone gets a choice.”

“Not in the military,” he said.

She studied him, frowning. “Hmm. And you’re good with that?”

“For now. I’m trying to decide if it’s time to leave. You have to be in good shape, but after thirty the reflexes start to go, and a lot of guys retire then. Problem is, that only creates another problem. What kind of job could I get, when the military’s all I know?” He hesitated. “Would I be able to fit in somewhere…”

“On the outside,” she said for him.

“Yeah.”

“That would certainly be safer,” she said, as if anything was.

“You have a point. Except I’d also be leaving my team—my friends—behind. Letting them down. How can I do that? They need all the protection they can get.” He paused, then told her about the team and Brig, about Laila and Sean. “He was younger than me, but I guess even he waited too long. He didn’t make it home.”

“That’s a shame.” Daisy’s tone ended the conversation. Bryan hadn’t stayed safe and if Caleb quit his team, she wouldn’t be either. There’d be no uniform in her way, but Caleb would still be a military man. She saw that everyday. She might follow him anywhere when what she should be doing was her job.

But he hadn’t made his decision yet, so Daisy forgot about the future for now and finally got Caleb moving. At the supermarket, he seemed to get into the holiday spirit at last.

Caleb studied a row of cans. “Whole berry or jellied?”

“I make my own sauce. We’ll get two bags of cranberries in Produce.”

He held up a can of pumpkin next. Daisy sighed.

“I know, I should have made my own pie filling, but I’ve been too busy at work. Now I don’t have time. Unless you’d like to prepare a real pumpkin—”

He raised his eyebrows. “Not me. I’m a mincemeat kind of guy.”

She grinned. “Teasing? This will take us twice as long if you don’t cooperate.”

But to her surprise, he grabbed a jar of mincemeat then glanced into their cart. “Looks like you’re going to feed a whole army.”

“Wouldn’t that be lovely?” Daisy re-checked her list then marched toward the produce department. “Caleb, the cranberries are all gone.” There wasn’t a bag in sight.

He jogged around a corner. “Over here. There’s a big display.”

Daisy sighed then picked out the best-looking packages, even though Caleb claimed they all looked the same. When Daisy pointed at one too high for her to reach, he stepped behind her and leaned in to cage her between his arms. Warmth shot through her and she was tempted to lean against him.

“Better get one more,” he said.

Standing even closer, he snagged three packages in one hand. He grinned.

“You really smiled,” she said.

“You make me smile.”

There he went again. If she wasn’t careful, Caleb would charm his way straight into her heart—whether he meant to or not. But, like Bryan, he still risked his life every day. She wouldn’t go through that again.

Daisy strode toward the checkout counters, leaving him to wheel the cart.

Back at the house, she’d no sooner put the food in the fridge than her cell phone rang. Daisy took the call then grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

“Trouble?”

“That was the center.” Her mouth tightened. “Sophie’s wandered off.”

* * *

Caleb went with her. The rehab center wasn’t his favorite place, but he did like Sophie.

“Does this happen often?”

“More often than is good for her,” Daisy said, sighing.

“But she’s in a wheelchair.”

“Apparently she left it behind.”

The outer doors were always locked, but someone had disarmed the security system. No one at the facility seemed to know who’d done it. Or why.

That didn’t matter now. Caleb had a mission. He didn’t even have to think. And there were no bullets flying overhead. No one lying in wait. No casualties…unless something happened to Sophie.

A half-hour later a thorough search of the center had found nothing.

“Everybody outside,” he said. “We’ll use a grid pattern. I’ll take the woods.”

For Caleb, this was no challenge. As he crept deeper into the thickly wooded area behind the rehab center, listening for the slightest sound, he heard Sophie’s voice. She was talking to a bird in a tree.

“Who’s your friend,” he said, laying a light hand on her frail arm.

“A fledgling. He fell. I put him back on this branch.”

Caleb gently turned her around. “He’s okay, then. Let me take you…back. You can talk with Sunshine.”

Her gaze snapped up to meet his. She frowned.

“Who are you? You’re not my son.”

“I’m Caleb, remember?”

“I don’t know you.” Her voice grew agitated. “Go away!”

“I was here yesterday,” he began then stopped. Why hadn’t Daisy warned him? Caleb had seen more than one guy who’d suffered brain damage after getting hurt. In Sophie’s case, aging must be the cause.

Fortunately, her protest didn’t last. With an aggrieved sigh, she let him walk her back to the center. “Mission accomplished,” he told Daisy, who met them at the door.

“Thanks,” she said, a hand to her chest. “Sophie, I’ll see you to your room.”

“This isn’t my house.”

In a low, soothing voice Daisy talked to her, pointing out familiar people and Sophie’s favorite reading nook as they passed. Caleb followed them to her room but didn’t go in. Sophie wouldn’t want him there today.

He took a deep breath then turned back toward the reception area—and almost ran right into another wheelchair. He hadn’t heard its approach. The man sitting there gave him a bright, blank smile. Caleb started to sweat.

The guy had a blanket across his lap, which was pretty much where his body ended. He’d lost both legs. Caleb could almost hear the explosion.

“Hey, buddy.” He laid one hand on the guy’s shoulder as much to steady himself as to acknowledge his presence. Behind him, Caleb could see into the room across the hall, the sheets stretched tight on a bed, like in a barracks. A number of family pictures sat on the dresser. One was of the same man in uniform, a few years younger, his smile just as bright but a whole lot more focused.

In a flash, Caleb was back in the war.

He ran.