Page 4 of So Deadly
“Yeah, including my husband.”
“Not if we do this right.Not if we attach his name to the exposure.They’re not vindictive.It’s just business.Killing someone in the press for exposing bad practices isbadbusiness.”
Faith could think of a dozen ways David could have a plausibly deniable “accident,” but this informant’s tone was beginning to crack through her fear.He sounded like he was telling the truth.He sounded earnest.Stupid but earnest.
But stupid.“Listen, I admire that both of you want to put an end to this, but whatever you’re planning, I guarantee you it’s going to fail.You are both in so far over your heads you’ve forgotten what the sun looks like.”
“I know exactly what the sun looks like,” David replied.Apparently, he had taken the phone back from his new friend.“And I know what it’s like to see its light die in an innocent creature’s eyes.”
“How wonderfully poetic.I can’t wait to hear all about it when you come home, which you’re going to do right now.”
“No.I’m seeing this through.Just like you’re seeing your investigative career through.Just like you can’t stop.You told me once that you’d understand if I had to leave because you couldn’t stop.Well… shit.I’ll… I’ll under—”
“I’m not leaving,” Faith said softly.“I just wish…”
She let her words trail off.There was nothing she could say that she hadn’t said a dozen times already, nothing that could happen to David that could frighten him more than being run off the road and nearly murdered by that CIA agent-slash-Marine acting on orders from the head of the 93rdTesting Brigade.If he was determined to see this through, then there was nothing Faith could do to stop him.
“I love you,” she finally said.“I love you so much.I don’t agree with what you’re doing, but if you’re committed to it, then I… will just have to put up with it.”
David laughed.His voice was thick with emotion when he replied, “I love you too, Faith.Don’t worry.The good guys always win in the end.”
Faith’s heart broke at his earnestness.Her sweet, wonderful, kind, lovely husband who so truly believed in good and right that he actually believed that last sentence.She sniffed and bit her lip to keep from sobbing.“Okay.Be safe.Please.”
“I will.Tell Turk I say hi.”
Turk barked in response, then whined into the phone.
“Hey, buddy,” David said.“Daddy’s gonna be fine.I’ll see you in a little bit, okay?”
Turk whined some more and laid his head on Faith’s shoulder.Faith reached up and stroked his fur, blinking back the tears streaming down his face.“I love you, David.”
But he had already hung up.
Faith called Michael immediately.When he answered, she said, “I found him.”
“You found him?Where?”
“I don’t know exactly.He said the man who kidnapped him is our informant, the one who emailed David the list of names.”
“What?”
“I know, just listen.I talked to the informant too.They both seem sincere.Stupid, but sincere.”
“Where are they?”Michael pressed.
“They said they’re at the records center for the 93rdTesting Brigade.I think David mentioned it was in Oklahoma somewhere.”
“Yeah, the CIA had a facility out there.I’ll call my buddy in the NSA and figure out exactly where.You want me to go get him?”
She paused a moment.“Um…”What if it was Turk?She sighed.“Don’t stop him unless you have to.Just keep an eye on him, and if he needs help, or if he’s just in too much danger, then you can pull him out.”
Michael was silent for a while.Part of Faith hoped he would talk her out of this, tell her she was being foolish, that he should rescue David immediately and bring him home where he belonged.
Instead, he said, “All right.I can do that.”
She slumped, but she didn’t change her mind.“Thank you.”
“So, he’s really gonna do it, huh?He’s going to go head-to-head with the CIA.”
