Corps Justice Boxed Set: Books 1-3: Back to War, Council of Patriots, Prime Asset (6 page)

He then clicked a small camera icon on the
home screen and entered a nine digit pass code.

Brian moved up next to Cal and looked down
at the phone. He couldn’t believe it. It looked like Cal was
scrolling through videos taken at his condo.

BRIAN
(surprised): Hey is that me?

CAL
: Yep.
I’m starting with the most recent and moving back. I’ve got these
things rigged so that they’re motion sensitive. Got ‘em hidden
pretty well in each room. Bet you didn’t see them did
you?

BRIAN
: I
didn’t. Why do you have all that surveillance gear up? Speaking of
which, what’s with the armor-plated door and access code
add-on?

CAL
: I
thought you might pick up on that. You’re not as dumb as you look,
swabby.

Brian rolled his eyes as Cal continued.

CAL
: The
video surveillance gear is actually through a local security
company. Nothing too fancy. I had it installed just as a
precaution. I’ve found you can never be too safe. I usually turn it
off while I’m there so I don’t waste space filming myself in
underwear.

Cal turned the phone so Brian could get a
better picture.

CAL
: See,
here’s you getting to my front door. The next camera picks you up
coming into the foyer, etcetera.

BRIAN
:
Pretty cool.

CAL
: Yeah,
my dad was in the security business. I guess I picked up on some of
his habits.

Brian added that tidbit about Cal’s dad to the back
of his brain for inquiry at a later date. A family security
business would definitely explain the vault and arsenal at Cal’s
place.

BRIAN
: So
what are you looking for? Just want to make sure I wasn’t rifling
through your panty drawer?

CAL
: Just
want to see if anyone else made a visit.

As Brian watched, Cal fast-forwarded through
the footage. He saw the front door’s exterior camera pickup
residents walking by Cal’s unit. After a couple minutes of
forwarding Cal stopped.

CAL
(curious): Hmmm. Looks like Irene stopped by.

BRIAN
(pointing): Hey, isn’t that the girl from the front
desk?

CAL
: Yeah,
her name’s Irene. Nice enough girl but kind of nosy.

BRIAN
: I
got that vibe. She said to say hello by the way.

Cal ignored the comment and kept watching
the small screen. At first Irene looked like she was knocking on
the door. Then she pulled out her cell phone and made a phone call
while standing right in front of Cal’s door. She looked nervous.
The video didn’t have sound but Brian got the impression that Irene
didn’t like what she was hearing from the other end.

Finally, she hung up the phone and put it
back in her pocket. She approached the door again and it looked
like she was entering a pass code to get in.

The next frame showed Irene stepping into
Cal’s foyer just as they’d seen a few minutes before with Brian’s
visit to the condo.

CAL
: What
the hell is she doing?

BRIAN
:
Maybe she was coming in to make sure you hadn’t left the stove on
or something.

CAL
: Doubt
it. The building staff isn’t supposed to enter the private
residences unless there’s an emergency. Plus, she doesn’t know I
have cameras installed.

As they both watched Irene made her way
through the living area and kitchen. She seemed to be looking for
something. She paused to open random drawers and peer inside.
Nothing she saw seemed to be of much interest.

CAL
: What
the hell is she looking for?

Irene moved from the living area to Cal’s
bedroom. She opened the drawers on the bedside table and picked up
Cal’s cell phone out of the charging cradle. It looked like she’d
pressed the unlock button on the phone but without the unlock code
she quickly grew frustrated and put the phone back down in its
charger.

She moved to the other side of the bed and
picked up a small package that appeared to have already been
opened.

CAL
(through gritted teeth): Tell me that package was there when
you went by, Doc.

BRIAN
: Yeah
it was there, I think. What is it?

CAL
: Just a
little engagement gift from Jess’s parents.

BRIAN
:
Oh.

Peering back down at the phone they watched
as Irene set the package down and advanced her search.

They continued to stare as Irene did a quick
scan of the bedroom closet then headed back towards the main living
area. She looked around one more time then left through the front
door.

CAL
:
Irene’s gonna have a little explaining to do.

BRIAN
: You
wanna tell me what’s going on?

CAL
: The
less you know the better, doc. I already exposed you by having you
go by my place. Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of
it.

BRIAN
(offended): Look, brother, I don’t know what the hell’s going
on but I do know that you’re in no condition to be doing much of
anything. So if you need help I’m here.

Cal stared at Brian for a moment and
nodded.

CAL
: If
this goes to shit in a couple days don’t say I didn’t warn
you.

BRIAN
:
Sounds like what my platoon sergeant said to me after I volunteered
for that ambushed patrol.

CAL
: Didn’t
you learn never to volunteer for anything in the military,
doc?

BRIAN
(smiling): Yeah. I guess I’m just a slow learner.

CAL
: Ok.
Here’s what I think. That guy that attacked me, Dante West, isn’t
done with me yet. I’ll bet he’s not happy about what I did to his
crew. He’s also pissed that I messed up his face.

BRIAN
: You
think he’s coming after you?

CAL
:
Yeah.

BRIAN
: Why
not your family?

CAL
: All my
family’s dead. I’m all that’s left.

BRIAN
: What
about all those phone calls you’ve been getting? The ones you don’t
want to take?

CAL
:
They’re guys with my dad’s company. I’ll deal with them
later.

BRIAN
: Hey,
man, I know this whole situation sucks but you’ve gotta talk to
someone. You can’t just hole up here and pretend the outside world
doesn’t exist. I’ll bet those guys are worried about
you.

Cal stared at Brian for a minute then
nodded.

CAL
: I’ll
call them in a minute. Can you do me another favor?

BRIAN
: What
now? You want me to go break someone out of jail?

CAL
: No,
smartass. Can you go get me some coffee? I think this is gonna be a
long night.

Brian agreed and left the room. As he made
his way to the cafeteria, he thought about what Cal had said about
his family. He was sure Jess’s family had tried to see Cal but the
stubborn Marine had refused any and all visitors.

He also had a stack of messages from various
callers all waiting to check on Cal’s condition. Brian kept
tight-lipped until now but he knew that would have to change. In
order for Cal to make a full physical and, more importantly, mental
recovery after losing Jess, he’d have to let his friends help. As a
nurse and corpsman, Brian had seen a lot of troops clam up and
refuse treatment. Some never made it back to reality. Others
drowned their demons in booze and drugs.

Brian didn’t think Cal was the type to go
off the deep end, but having a strong support system would still be
crucial in getting back to full form. If Cal didn’t make the calls
himself, Brian would make some for him.

+ + +

He got back to the room a couple minutes
later after stopping by the nurse’s station to get the phone
messages. Cal grabbed the coffee and the inch thick stack of
messages.

CAL
: This
many people called for me?

BRIAN
:
Yeah. You must be famous or something. I put what sounded like
friends and family on the top and left the reporters and weirdoes
on the bottom.

Brian left the room and Cal
looked down at the top message. It was from Jess’s dad, Frank,
earlier that morning. He thumbed through the rest and saw that
Frank had called at least three times a day. Under those messages,
was a bunch from his dad’s company: old friends checking to make
sure he was ok.
Sorry guys but you’ll have
to wait a little bit longer.

He took a deep breath, picked up his cell
phone and dialed Jess’s parents’ number by memory. Frank picked up
after the first ring.

FRANK
:
Cal?

CAL
: Hey,
Frank…I…I…

FRANK
: I
know, son…”

Cal could hear the muted crying on the other
end and that’s when he lost it.

CAL
(heaving sobs): Frank, I am so sorry…so
sorry…tried…sorry…

The tears and the sobs continued for a few
minutes. It was the first time Cal had allowed himself to really
grieve. In his mind he’d run this scene over and over before it
happened, but now all his preparation was out the window. The depth
of his grief and despair lay open.

He’d lost the love of his
life. The one woman who’d understood him. The woman who could help
him make sense of all the madness in the world. Now that beautiful
woman was gone. He hated that the only picture he could remember of
her was the final moment in the blood-soaked alley. No one should
die in a place like that. Especially his wonderful Jess.
I’m so sorry, Jess.

Once both men got their emotions somewhat
under control, Jess’s father started again.

FRANK
: Cal,
are you ok?

How can he ask me something like that right
now? Shouldn’t he be yelling and screaming at the man that got his
daughter killed?

CAL
: Yeah,
I’m ok. Frank, I just want to say I’m sorry…

FRANK
: It
wasn’t your fault, son. You did your best. Jess wouldn’t want you
to blame yourself.

CAL
(in a
whisper): I know.

FRANK
: When
can we come see you?

CAL
: I’d
really rather come to you guys. When’s Jess’s funeral?

FRANK
: We
were waiting to hear from you. When are they releasing
you?

CAL
: I’m
not sure. I’ve got a couple other phone calls to make. Can I call
you back when I know more?

FRANK
:
Sure. And, Cal?

CAL
:
Yeah.

FRANK
: I
love you, son.

Unable to respond, the tear-soaked Marine
hung up the call and stared at the picture of his beloved Jess. He
realized that not even a lifetime in battle could prepare you for
the death of a loved one. The pit of emptiness he felt in his
stomach threatened to overwhelm him. He tried to push it away and
instead turned to the stack of handwritten phone messages.

The next calls were from his cousin, Travis
Haden. Travis, a former Navy SEAL, ran Cal’s father’s company. He
led the company with an interesting combination of charm and
courage. His dirty blond hair and rugged good looks didn’t hurt
with the ladies either. Despite their age difference of ten years,
Cal and Travis were very close. The last time he’d seen Travis,
they were trying to decide which engagement ring to buy for
Jess.

He speed dialed Travis and waited for his
cousin to answer.

TRAVIS
:
Cal?

CAL
: Hey,
Trav.

TRAVIS
:
Shit, man. What the hell is going on?! Why didn’t you return my
calls? Me and some of the boys were about to raid the
hospital!

CAL
: I’ve
had a lot on my mind, Trav.

TRAVIS
(tenderly): Yeah, I know. I can’t tell you how sorry I am
about Jess, cuz.