Page 76 of Fatal Intent
The operatives filled their plates and migrated to the living room to eat. Andre polished off one plate of food, then refilled it and his coffee mug. He eyed Grant. “Did something happen after I went to sleep?”
Grant set his empty plate on the coffee table and cradled his coffee mug in his hands. “Not exactly. Rayne and I researched the members of Red Dawn.”
Riley frowned. “What did you learn?”
“Except for the members of Echo unit and five other soldiers, the rest of the military personnel who had boots on the ground during that operation are dead.”
She gasped.
Andre set his mug on the table with a thud. “What do you mean, they’re dead? We lost five on the mission. More men have died since Red Dawn?”
“That’s right.”
He dragged a hand down his face. “Are we talking accidents, cancer, suicide, or something else?”
“Every one of them was murdered, Andre.”
The operative stared. “You’re sure?”
He nodded. “Beau Reed was the first one to go down. One shot to the back of the head. The second man to die was Isaac Hill. He was shot once through the heart not too long after his wife was also murdered.” He continued listing the deaths for his teammates.
By the time Grant finished his gruesome litany, Andre’s expression was grim. “I can’t believe this.”
“The facts don’t lie. When Rayne and I double-checked, we discovered the pattern of family or friend deaths that preceded the deaths of the soldiers.”
“Like Jed, Selena, and Dante,” Riley murmured.
He nodded. “Looks like the killer wants to continue the job by moving on to Echo unit. Logistically, we look like easy pickings because we live in proximity and still work together.”
“Why do this?” Andre stood and paced. “There has to be a reason for all these deaths.”
“Revenge,” Riley suggested.
“Again, why? What happened on that mission that set this guy off?”
“He might have a partner,” Rayne said.
Andre stared. “How did you come to that conclusion?”
She explained the timing of Beau’s death. “Grant said he was as tough as they come, that he wouldn’t just kneel and let someone shoot him without doing his best to fight his way out of the situation. But the medical examiner’s report said the only injury to his body was the gunshot wound to his head.”
“No defensive wounds, so he didn’t fight back,” Andre murmured. “That’s not like him.” He was silent for a moment,then asked, “What did the killer have on him that Beau would give up without a fight?”
“Think about it.” Grant wrapped his arm around Rayne’s shoulders. “What did Beau value more than anything else in this world?”
“His family,” his friend answered without hesitation. “Beau would have done anything to protect them.” His eyes widened. “That includes standing down and letting someone shoot him if it kept his wife and kids safe.”
Grant pointed at him. “Exactly what we concluded.”
“You said these murders were connected, and I believe you’re right. If it’s true, why did the pattern change?”
“What do you mean?”
“The killer took Eileen, Anthony, and Blaze hostage to use as leverage against Beau. Obviously, the plan worked. So why change an effective method for the rest of the murders?”
No one said anything for a moment. Finally, Rayne said, “Maybe Beau was the practice run.”
“Doesn’t look like the killer needed practice.” Riley scowled. “He didn’t have any trouble out of an experienced Special Forces soldier based on the medical examiner’s report and the police reports.”
