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Epilogue
Hailey joined Joe at the window, curled her arms around his waist and drank in the view of the San Francisco Bay. “It’s a beautiful day for January.”
“It might be sunny, but it’s still cold.” He twisted his head over his shoulder and kissed her mouth. “Let’s go back to bed.”
“Oh, no, you don’t, Red. We’ve been in bed for the past two days while it’s been cloudy and raining.” She patted his bandaged thigh. “Time to stretch out that leg.”
“You’re a stern taskmaster. I just took down a terrorist, shooting him in the head and hanging on to that detonator for dear life as he fell to the floor.” He wove his fingers through hers. “Don’t I deserve a break?”
“You’re lucky that was a detonator in Nabil’s hand and not a remote control for the projector.”
“I had it and him all figured out by the time I took him down. When I recognized that ring, I knew he was the one who recruited Ayala at that symposium in Florida. They were lovers, shared the same ring, shared the same passion—a passion for destruction.”
“Agent Porter showed me video footage from the hotel of a woman, who I ID’d for him as Ayala, using a ticket to the gala to get into the ballroom. That’s when she set up the explosives beneath the dais, but did she and the doctor know Marten was going to show up?”
“I think that was just icing on the cake for them. They planned to disrupt that fund-raiser one way or another, with or without de Becker there. Maybe Karam-Thomas’s hand was forced when de Becker showed up, and he sped up the timeline.”
“I’m just glad you were suspicious of the doctor and kept an eye on him. I never would’ve guessed he’d be involved in trying to block a peace process in Syria.”
“Why would you? The guy was smooth.”
“And Marten got to make his announcement in public, just like he wanted.”
“Clearing Major Denver of any involvement in that bombing, despite what Ayala claimed.”
Hailey smoothed a thumb over the crease between his eyebrows. “Doesn’t that make you happy?”
“It does, but Denver’s still out there. He has no way of knowing we’ve been slowly chipping away at the evidence against him. I just wish there were some way we could reach him. If he came in now, he might have a chance of completely clearing his name.”
“The CIA and the army still believe he’s in league with a terrorist group, and Ayala’s statements before her death didn’t help matters.”
“They do believe that, but now we’ll have a better idea of which group it is as the CIA and the FBI start to sort through Nabil’s connections. I did believe one part of Ayala’s admission before she ended her life.”
“That we’d never understand their cause?”
“No. That they have people in high places on their side.”
“Those people will be exposed eventually.” Hailey slipped between Joe and the window and rested her hands on his broad shoulders. “Now it’s back to work for you, isn’t it?”
“Once my leg heals.” He cupped her face with his hands. “Are you going to wait for me? Because I’m telling you right now, Hailey Duvall, I can’t live without you.”
“Of course I’ll wait. I love you.” Turning her head to the side, she kissed his palm. “But if you think I’m going to be cooling my heels on a tennis court or sipping mimosas at brunch during your next deployment, you’ve got the wrong socialite, Red.”
He rolled his eyes. “Where this time?”
“I thought I’d play it safe and volunteer to build some homes in Guatemala.”
“Just as long as there are no bombs involved.”
“I would hope not.” She broke away from his embrace. “Right now, though, I’m not averse to sipping a couple of mimosas.”
“In bed?”
His hopeful tone brought a smile to her lips.
“One-track mind.” She tapped her temple. “I was thinking of this little place in Big Sur, but I need a driver.”
“I’m your man.” He saluted.
“Good, because there’s a ’66 T-Bird in the garage, and it’s been cooped up a little too long—just like a redheaded D-Boy I know.”
