“I’ll tell you what I know, which I’m sorry to say is more than you’ll hear from the Navy. They are not acknowledging his death as honorable, and you will receive no compensation or sympathy from the U.S. Government.”
“What? Why?” That was horrible.
“His mission was so deep that it couldn’t be sanctioned. If I’m correct, they will even list him as AWOL from his company.”
Every word was a hit to the gut. Even if she’d lost the closeness to her brother more recently, he’d been her constant, her protector, and her buddy growing up. He was the only family she had.
Dead. Disgraced. Not acknowledged.
“Where’s his body?” she asked. “A funeral?”
“You’ll be contacted soon about his death and they’ll ask you what you want to do for his funeral. They’ll get his body to you, but that’s about all they’ll do for you.” His voice wasn’t as compassionate now, more bitter.
“Who are you?”
“Someone who knew and respected your brother. Who saw how good and loyal he was, willing to risk his life and give everything for the country he loved.”
Emery teared up then. It was true. Travis was a patriot through and through.
“Sadly, those he was willing to bleed and die for turned their backs on your brother. They have hidden or more likely destroyed all evidence of the mission that Ensign Reeder sacrificed himself for. He isn’t the first soldier to be treated so poorly by the country he loved. His memory, and everything he stood for, will be regarded as a disgrace. Is that what you want for your brother?”
“No,” she croaked out. Ah, Travis. He had given his life for his country, but nobody would ever know.
“I didn’t think so.”
“But who are you?” she asked again. She’d assumed he was with the military, but maybe not with the way he was talking about the Navy.
“I can’t reveal that, Miss Reeder, without placing myself, but more importantly you, in danger. We both know Ensign Reeder would want me to help you and watch out for you.”
That warmed her heart. Travis was trying to watch out for her, even from the other side.
“I can tell you I am someone who worked closely with Ensign Reeder. I am someone who can help you find answers and hopefully peace.”
She sucked in a breath. She was confused, weak, and nauseated. All she wanted was to be alone and just sob, but she had to ask, not knowing if this man could even tell her the truth, “Who killed him?”
“A man named Greer Delta.” The man’s voice was so crisp and detached, like he was a robot. “A civilian with top level battle training. He masquerades as a quiet rancher, but is actually a lethal weapon.”
Greer Delta. It was an odd name. A mean name. Greer Delta. A gangster maybe? Greer. Growl, snarl, howl, roar, bark, or yap. She and her students loved to tease and list synonyms. She’d stick with growl. His name growled at her. Why had that awful man killed her brother?
“Why did he kill Travis? What kind of mission was Travis on?”
“He was tasked with obtaining a secret weapon that nobody but Greer Delta and his family know the location or existence of.”
“You know it,” she pointed out. “Travis knew it.”
“I know … about it. Travis was close to finding answers that would have blessed his military brothers and sisters with a weapon that would save countless American lives.” His voice was suddenly bitter. There had to be a story there, but Emery couldn’t find it in her to dig it out. This guy’s issues weren’t something she could solve. She couldn’t even solve her own. “I assumed your highly competent brother and his teammates could find it for me. They were foiled by the ones protecting and hiding the weapon.”
That hurt. Not as bad as his death, but that Travis had sacrificed his life for a failed mission was so empty and tragic. She hated it.
“You alone can redeem your brother and finish his mission. Only you Emery can make his sacrifice worth it.”
“Pardon me?” Redeeming her brother sounded good, but if Travis couldn’t accomplish some mission, she’d have no chance at it. Travis was strong, trained, competent, and a leader. Emery was a chatterbox softie who didn’t even know how to hold a pistol. “I’m no soldier. I’m a schoolteacher.”
“I know exactly who and what you are. This is a case where a civilian will uncover more information and leads than professional soldiers. You can do an incredible service for your country, all while honoring your brother’s memory.”
Sheesh. No pressure. She didn’t even know who this guy was. What if he was some psycho who’d sent Travis on this impossible mission? What if hewasresponsible for her brother’s death? Actually, he was if he had put her brother in proximity to the evil Greer Delta. The growling murderer. Evil, malevolent, criminal, malicious, wicked.
She tried to focus. Was this man asking her to redeem her brother’s death for the military and the United States, or did he have his own agenda?