Page 26 of Cade

“Well, that’s a lovely way to start the conversation,” smirked Doc.

“AC Gardner took an overdose of painkillers and was found in a ditch outside of Tacoma. He’s not married and doesn’t have any children. The body was released to the Marine Corps, and so far, our good doctor hasn’t interfered.”

“Maybe he doesn’t know,” frowned Doc. “What about Miretti?”

“I have an address for him,” said Hiro. “He lives outside Fort Lewis. His unit returned about five weeks ago, and he’s been on leave since that time. I’d say you should probably hurry if you want to save him.”

Doc nodded to the others, dropping a few hundred-dollar bills on the table. Loading into the SUV, they headed out of Seattle and south toward Fort Lewis. Although primarily an Army base, the Marine unit had been working with them on special projects for the last three years. It was nearly midnight when they pulled into the parking lot of Miretti’s apartment complex.

The second-floor apartment was lit up like a Christmas tree. Literally. There were white lights around his door, windows, and even his railings. The blinds were closed, but it appeared as if every light in the house was on.

“I’ll go up first,” said Cade. He turned to look at Bree, Ashley, and Cassidy. “I know you’re here to help but stay in the car until Trev or Doc say it’s okay.” They nodded, understanding better than anyone that Miretti could be violent.

Cade’s huge body couldn’t help but make noise as he walked up the steps. He saw a flutter of movement at the blinds and cursed under his breath. He didn’t want to hurt the guy, but he also didn’t want him to start shooting at them. He tapped on the door and waited. When there was no answer, he knocked harder.

“Franco Miretti? We’re friends of Tim. We just want to ask you some questions.” Cade could hear someone standing behind the door, probably trying to decide if he was friend or foe. “I don’t want to hurt you, brother. I’m retired Army. My friends were military as well.”

Cade heard the sliding of a chain lock, and the door opened, revealing a short, square man. Everything on him seemed square. His chest. His head. His body. He couldn’t have been more than five-feet-eight. But he was solidly built, square and strong.

“Who are you?” asked Miretti.

“My name is Cade Norgenson, and I didn’t lie to you. My friends and I are trying to figure out what happened to Tim. May we come in?” Miretti looked around the mountain of a man, and Cade noticed the nine-millimeter in his hand.

“You can come in,” he said.

“Feel a lot better if you holster that weapon, Marine,” said Trevor, walking up the steps. “Trevor Banks, retired SEAL.”

“Then you should know a Marine never holsters his weapon if danger is perceived.” Trevor nodded as Doc and the others came in behind him.

“Franco, this is Doc Harris. You met Trevor Banks. That’s his wife, Ashley, and Doc’s wife, Bree. This is my fiancée, Cassidy.”

“Ma’ams,” he said with a nod. He took a seat in a leather recliner that had definitely seen better days and lay the pistol on the top of his thigh.

“Franco, we want to help. Something was wrong with Tim, and it had nothing to do with PTSD. We found some very strange things in his system before Dr. Greco took his body away.” Doc stared at the man, trying to get him to look at him, but he just looked down at the gun.

“Fucking Greco,” scoffed Franco. “He’s the one with mental issues, not us. Pumped all of us with some shit that he said would help us.”

“When was the last time you took something?” asked Doc.

“Four days,” he said, staring at the other man. “I couldn’t take that shit any longer. My mind is fucked up, brother.”

“I know,” said Doc. “We want to help. What was he giving you? Do you have prescriptions for it?”

“Prescriptions?” he laughed. “You don’t get it, do you? This is like a fucking sci-fi movie. We all went to the VA for help after our last mission. We were in Moldavia and were supposed to rescue this group of kids. Shit was wrong from the beginning, but we did our fucking job. More than a hundred orphans, all being trafficked by some guy named Havel. Boys. Girls. Not one over the age of ten.”

“I’m sorry, brother,” said Doc. He had a flash of the little girls hanging from the cliff, and he closed his eyes.

“We got back, and the colonel ordered all of us into treatment. But nothing was working for AC, me, and Tim, so we went outside.”

“Wait, Greco isn’t military?” asked Trevor.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “We were waiting outside the VA for our appointments, and this woman walked up and said there was another option. She gave us his card and said he took military insurance, and there wouldn’t be any lines.”

“Then what?” asked Bree. He stared at the big redhead and swallowed. “Sorry, I’m Doc’s wife. Bree.”

“Yes, ma’am. Sorry for staring. You’re just really pretty. All of you are.”

“Thank you,” they said in unison.

---