Page 70 of Absolution

He tugs on my hand as I stand. “How did you get here?”

“You called for me, so I followed the sound of your voice.” My chest tightens, making my voice quiver. He stands with me, stumbling over to the bed. I hand him some water, fearing to leave him, even to check on Emmie.

“You saved me.” He curls up on the bed, closing his eyes again. His body quakes, even heaving from time to time.

I sit, holding his head in my lap until the sun begins to rise. He’s in a pool of sweat and hasn’t been still the whole night. The tremors and ticks, rattling him in his unconsciousness and ripping my heart out as it does.

I fight the falling tears between quietening his dreams and giving him peace. His lashes flutter over his cheeks before they open wide. The look on his face is a telltale sign of reckoning for him.

“Please tell me I didn’t hurt either of you.” He raises from the bed, his head hung low.

I hold out my hand, waiting for him to take it. He doesn’t. “No, of course not.”

“What happened? Did I say anything?” He leaps from the bed, pacing as soon as his feet hit the floor. His eyes are black, as dark as the hell he just came from, and I’m terrified.

“Nothing really in detail, but you did ask if I could hear the Americans.” I watch him closely, praying he doesn’t fall apart more than he already has. I’m shaken to the core, Creed’s a strong man, but the one that was here last night is incredibly vulnerable, and I refuse to allow anyone to hurt him.

He stops dead in his tracks, blinking rapidly as he stares at the floor. The dream plays out in real-time, the flashes of light bouncing off the walls brings him back.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go. Let’s go, Doc.” Creed takes off through the house with me right by his side. He’s digging through his bag, yanking out whatever he can find to dress in. “I’ll call you.”

“Creed!” He stops at the door, recognition marring his features.

“I’ll be back.” He nods, and I mimic him, fearing I’ll never see him again.

Chapter Twenty-One

Creed

I climb into my truck with only a glance back at Scarlet. I’m leaving her in tears, but I can’t stop to explain things to her. I race to my parent’s house, coming to a screeching halt in front of the garage.

The door opens slowly, so I hit the ground to crawl under it with Doc right by my side. Crawford is on the steps when I find my feet, I knew he’d meet me in here once he saw me drive up.

“What’s going on?” He hurries over to me when I start tearing through the boxes.

I fist my hair as I try to form coherent words. “I had a dream last night, but this time, Scarlet was there to help.”

“Alright, so what are we searching for in these boxes?” He joins me, flipping a top on one.

“Americans.” I cut my eyes at him, waiting for him to question me.

He steps back. “Come again?”

“You heard me, American military personnel. Inactive, missing in action, feared dead Americans.” I glower as the thought rips me apart, and bile rises in my throat.

“Creed, you know what this could mean?” His hand trembles as he lays it on my arm. The fear isn’t for what we may find, but for me, it’s if we don’t see any.

I turn to him, tears threatening to breach their confines. “I may have run from my past, but I’m a good sailor. It wasn’t me, but I know the voice. I know who ambushed us if I can just find something to trigger the memory.”

“I’ve never had a doubt that you’re a good man and sailor, son. I’m afraid of who it might be and what it might mean to you.” Dad lays his hand on my shoulder.

“I just need the smallest of hint. It’s right here.” I tap my head more aggressively than I should’ve.

“We’ll find it.” Mom walks over to me, caressing my cheek. “Tell me where to start.”

My head bounces between them, I can’t believe how lucky I am. “That box, it’s from Jackson. I don’t think Dad’s will have anything in them, this guy is in deep.”

She picks up the lid, dropping it to the floor and digs in. Eventually, I have her move to the computer to run names as we come across them. Hours later, there’s no trace of anything or anyone. A dead-end again.