Free Sworn to Secrecy (Special Ops) by Capri Montgomery Page A

give out that information. We were always worried somebody would grab Carissa because of the money they could get.” He sat back and rested his head against the headrest of his seat. “I told her I had to stay. I wanted to contact the Feds and let them know what happened. She warned me not to,” he chuckled. “She was always the smart one,” he looked at Preston and Preston could see the truth written on his face. This man was in over his head and he couldn’t get out.
     
    “Anyway, we agreed that she would go. We argued about it because I wouldn’t go with them. That night she said she should leave Carissa with me because then I could bring her out after I met with the Feds. She said it would look less suspicious that way. And then the plane crashed and they all died…I received a letter after that, in typical computer print it had the words how would you like to lose another; and that was it. I knew it was them. I knew what they had done and I knew the only other person in my life they could go after was Carissa.”
     
    “Why didn’t you go to the Feds?”
     
    “Because a Fed is the one who delivered that letter.”
     
    “What? Which one?” Jet was ready to go on the hunt, Preston could tell that. But they needed to focus. They had somebody they had to keep safe right now, thus taking their search and rescue job in an entirely different direction once again.
     
    “He died in the line of duty five years ago, but if there’s one I knew there had to be others. Plus, by the time he died I was already in too deep. They wanted money at first and I made sure they had it, but the more I gave the more they wanted. I knew they’d go after Carissa and that’s why I came to your agency. There’s no secret in the right circles of how good you guys are. Air Force men and a Marine with decorated honors and I figured retired or not you all had to be above board honest. At least I hoped so because I didn’t know where else to turn.”
     
    Preston watched the tears start to stream down the man’s cheeks. “My baby girl is dead,” he cried.
     
    “She’s safe, for now,” Preston added and he saw the look Jet gave him. He believed this man. He wouldn’t give away location, but he would at least let him know she was alive.
     
    “She is?”
     
    “I won’t be telling you more than that.”
     
    “I wouldn’t ask you to. Just knowing they haven’t gotten to her makes a world of difference for me. They won’t stop though. I know they won’t stop.”
     
    Preston kept his distance from the man because he had no intention of making him completely comfortable. He was still a traitor, no matter his reasons for doing what he did. “It’s time you do the right thing Mr. Jones. It’s time you step up to the plate and be a dedicated American.”
     
    “Will you keep her safe if I do?”
     
    “We’ll do our best.”
     
    “Tell her I love her. Tell her I didn’t do this to her. She needs to know that. Everything I’ve done I’ve done it to keep her safe.”
     
    Preston saw the man’s dilemma but there had to have been another way. He didn’t have kids so he didn’t know what kind of love a parent felt, what kind of obsession with protection they felt in order to do something this drastic to ensure the survival of their child. Preston brushed his hand through his hair, black with little slivers of silver strands told of his aging, but not of his own heartache. He couldn’t relate to what a man would do for his child, but he could relate to the pain a man in love went through when he lost the woman he loved no matter the type of loss. Not to mention the fact that Ronald was no doubt blaming himself for his wife’s death.
     
    “I have connections—connections that I trust. They’re going to put you some place safe while you help them.”
     
    “What about Carissa?”
     
    “The two of you won’t be seeing each other for a while. But it’s time for you to step up to the plate and do the right