Lone Star Secret
She had so many questions, and not all of them pertained to the war.
She wanted to understand the kind of man who’d go out of his way to help an injured child. The kind of man who, was willing to lay down his life for his brother. The kind of man who could bring life coursing back through her system simply by looking at her.
But Anna’s questions would have to remain unanswered. Right now, she needed to focus on five-year-old Ali.
Anna did plan to thank David again for his help in getting Ali here. And she hoped David would open up to her about more than just the little boy. Anna had a feeling David could use a friend. Maybe she was just imagining the way his dark eyes gleamed with interest when he looked at her. But every time he glanced her way, he was smiling.
Homecoming Heroes: Saving children and finding love deep in the heart of Texas
Mission: Motherhood—Marta Perry (LI#452) July 2008
Lone Star Secret—Lenora Worth (LI#456) August 2008
At His Command—Brenda Coulter (LI#460) September 2008
A Matter of the Heart—Patricia Davids (LI#464) October 2008
A Texas Thanksgiving—Margaret Daley (LI#468) November 2008
Homefront Holiday—Jillian Hart (LI#472) December 2008
LENORA WORTH
has written more than thirty books, most of those for Steeple Hill. She also works freelance for a local magazine, where she had written monthly opinion columns, feature articles and social commentaries. She also wrote for the local paper for five years. Married to her high school sweetheart for thirty-two years, Lenora lives in Louisiana and has two grown children and a cat. She loves to read, take long walks and sit in her garden.
Lone Star Secret
Lenora Worth
Special thanks and acknowledgment to Lenora Worth for her contribution to the Homecoming Heroes miniseries.
Why did you flee away secretly, and steal away from me, and not tell me; for I might have sent you away with joy and songs, with timbrel and harp?
—Genesis 31:27–28
To all the soldiers—those who have sacrificed for
my freedom and those who are still fighting today.
God bless you all.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Epilogue
Questions for Discussion
Chapter One
Chief Warrant Officer David Ryland glanced around the sterile waiting room at Fort Bonnell Medical Center, taking in the crowd of well-wishers gathered around the little boy on the stretcher. The circuslike atmosphere made him feel a bit frazzled and edgy, but then he’d just landed on American soil—on good ol’ Texas soil—after flying medevac Black Hawks for eighteen months in the war-torn Middle East. He had a right to be edgy.
Moving his gaze from the excited group hovering near the doctor and little Ali Tabiz Willis, David found himself staring straight into the blue-green eyes of Anna Terenkov. Anna looked away, then quickly glanced back at David, a slight smile on her heart-shaped face.
David studied her closely, deciding he’d better dust off his social skills now that he was home. And his flirting skills. Because he definitely wanted to get to know the woman responsible for helping to make this day happen. David had heard about the legendary humanitarian who ran the Children of the Day charity, but seeing her in person was a whole different matter. She was not what he had expected.
She was even better.
Her blond hair was pulled back in a haphazard coil held up by an intricate silver clip. She was petite, but her calm, assured presence made her seem taller. She wore loose-fitting green cargo pants and a crisp white button-up blouse. And around her neck she wore a choker-style strand of dark leather, from which hung a chunky sterling-silver pendant with the cross and the lance of Golgotha set against an etched background. He couldn’t move his gaze from her.
Caitlyn Villard, the Care Coordinator for Children of the Day, and Army Chaplain Steve Windham introduced Caitlyn’s twin nieces to Ali. While the precocious five-year-olds wished him well in Arabic and English, David watched Anna’s face. She lit up around children, her smile turning to sunshine. He’d noticed that the minute he’d exited the plane with little Ali earlier that morning.
“CW3 David Ryland, ma’am,” David had said by way of a greeting back at the airfield. “Delivering one Ali Tabiz, as ordered.”
Anna grinned as she studied the three square bars on his insignia. “It wasn’t exactly an order, Chief. More of a hope sent out on a wing and a prayer.”
David nodded, liking the way the slight lilt of her foreign accent mixed nicely with a little bit of Texas twang. He’d learned in all the back and forth coordination for Ali’s trip that she was Russian and had lived there until her early teens, when her father had been killed in Afghanistan.
“Well, I got the wings secured and I guess you took care of the prayer, ma’am.”
She touched her fingers to the cross at her neck. “We all had a big part in that.” Reaching out to shake his hand, she said, “Thank you so much. And please don’t call me ma’am. I’m Anna.”
“You’re welcome, Anna,” David replied, the warmth of her energy shooting through his tired, travel-worn system.
She held his hand, cupping it between both of hers. “I’m not just thanking you for helping Ali, sir. Thanks for serving our country, too.”
David was both humbled and shaken by her sincere, misty-eyed gratitude. “Okay, if I can’t call you ma’am, then you sure don’t have to address me as sir.”
She nodded. “Then I’ll just call you Chief.”
David laughed. “From what I hear, you’re the real chief around here.”
She shook her head. “No, just someone who understands that war is devastating to children.”
All of the activity around them had blurred into the background. He could hear the sounds of other soldiers coming off the jet, the cries of family members who’d been waiting for their loved ones to come home. He could feel the way the hot August wind pushed through the humid Texas air. David heard all of this, saw images passing by all around him, but the light of Anna’s eyes seemed to outshine all of that. He was smitten, but he chalked it up to being home. Having such a reaction to the petite blonde would be normal for any man who’d been at war, he supposed. She was easy on the eyes.
David had dreaded this journey. Finally, things were looking up. While everyone around him celebrated Ali’s safe entry into the United States, David thought back over the last forty-eight hours and the intensity of his final mission as he’d airlifted Ali away from Camp Die-Hard to a staging area and on to Landstuhl, Germany, to a waiting C-17 air force plane.
Now that David had made it home to Texas, he stood back as he always had, watching. He’d grown up in Prairie Springs, but he had never been a part of this place. He’d been a struggling outsider back then, and now his worst fear was that he’d return to that yet again—no matter what he’d done to serve his country. And no matter how interested he was in the pretty blonde who’d started this whole chain of events.
But they weren’t the only two who’d worked to get this little boy to America and safety. Ali’s grandfather had called in a whole passel of favors, though still making sure he went by the letter of the law to get the little boy to Texas. The old warhorse had finally realized he’d failed his son, but Ali would give all of them a renewed chance to make things right. To honor the memory of Greg and Karima Willis. David prayed they’d be able to help the lost little boy both physically and spiritually.
His gaze held Anna’s, and he wondered if she was praying for the very same thing.
“We need to tell Dr. Blake about Ali’s cough. With all the cameras and press, I didn’t get a chance to brief her when we came in.”
Anna looked away from David to find army nurse Maddie Bright tugging at her arm. “I can’t get her attention,” Maddie said.
Anna turned back to David with a reluctant shrug. “Excuse us, please.”
He gave her that soldier nod she’d become so familiar with over the years of working closely with Fort Bonnell personnel. “Go on. I’ll be right here,” David said.
That drawling promise sent a foreign tingle down Anna’s spine. The pilot was certainly good-looking, but the man had been through the worst of the war. He’d be hungry for any sort of feminine attention. Even hers.
Putting her mind back on Ali’s needs, she escorted Maddie to where Dr. Nora Blake loomed over the boy, checking his vitals while she ignored the reporters trying to get her attention.
Anna pushed through the crowd. “Dr. Blake, this is Madeline Bright, the nurse who accompanied Ali home. She needs to speak to you.”
“Talk,” the blond, no-nonsense doctor ordered without even glancing up.
“I’m worried about fluid backing up into his lungs.” Maddie hurriedly explained that both she and the on-board flight nurse had monitored Ali during the long, grueling trip across three continents.
Dr. Blake stood silent, allowing Maddie to vent her worries then said, “Dr. Montgomery explained some of that in his last report. He said Ali’s ankles and feet have been swollen. That’s why we pushed so hard to get him here as quickly as possible.”
Maddie nodded. “Swelling’s not a good sign.”
Dr. Blake glanced over Ali’s charts. “No, it is not. We’ll check that and probably put him on digoxin to help his heart pump and lasix to get rid of the fluid. We need to get him in tip-top shape before we even attempt the surgery.” Snapping the chart shut, she stood straight again. “Does that ease your mind?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Maddie said, relief evident in her sigh. “Thank you.”
“She’s a good nurse,” David said as he moved closer to Ali’s stretcher.
“I’m glad you both got permission to accompany Ali,” Anna replied, liking his soft smile. “It’s so horrible to think he lost both parents in this war.”
David nodded, his eyes going dark. “That’s why we wanted to get him to his grandfather. They have only each other now.”
“Well, thanks again,” Anna said. “You’re a local hero now.”
He balked at that. “No, ma’am. I’m just a soldier, doing my job.”
Anna let it go at that, since she’d brushed off his earlier compliment to her. She was happy to see Ali surrounded by people who cared about him so much.
But she couldn’t help thinking about the man who had escorted Ali home and what little he’d told her about Karima’s death and Ali’s injuries. She longed to hear more about his war experiences, but she also knew the pilot would need some time. Readjustment to post life could be very stressful for any returning soldier. Anna hadn’t known David before he left right after high school to train to be a pilot, but she’d heard that he’d requested a Permanent Change of Station so he could come back to Fort Bonnell to finish out the two remaining years of his current enlistment. Sending him a covert glance, she decided she’d like to get to know him now, though, when and if he was ready for a friend.
She had so many questions, and not all of them pertained to the war. She wanted to understand the kind of man who’d go out of his way to help an injured child. The kind of man who, much like her own deceased father, was willing to lay down his life for his brother. The kind of man who could bring life coursing back through her numb system simply by looking at her.
But Anna’s questions would have to remain silent. Right now, everyone who had been so instrumental in getting Ali to Texas was here to welcome the tiny, obviously scared five-year-old to the United States. After this quick greeting, Ali would head on up the hall for testing and observation, so that Dr. Blake could get him ready for surgery in a few weeks.
Anna did plan to thank David again in a more formal setting for all his help in getting Ali here. And she hoped David would open up to her about more than just the little boy. Because from the way he stood to one side, silent and somewhat unsure, Anna had a feeling David could use a friend now that he was back on post. Maybe she was just imagining the way his dark eyes gleamed with interest every time he looked at her. But, every time he looked at her, he was smiling.
Chapter Two
David stood watching as the hospital staff prepared to wheel Ali away. Dr. Nora Blake marched behind Ali’s stretcher, her hands up to keep people from crowding in too close, her expression as chilly as a cold desert night.
Ignoring the loud questions from a group of local television and radio reporters who’d followed them from the airfield, she shouted, “Okay, people. Let’s finish so Ali can get settled in for some tests and some quiet time before he goes home in a couple of days.”
David got the distinct impression nobody messed with Dr. Nora. She looked as intense as a colonel about to lead his troops into battle. She seemed to soften when she looked down at Ali, but the coolness was still there in her stance, just the same.
David could understand that intensity. He’d felt that way for the last two days, his mood waffling between worry for Ali and relief that they were going home. Now that Ali was here, David had fulfilled his duty. His part of this important mission was over. All he could do now was pray for the scared little boy and hope Ali adjusted to his new life in America. And that the surgery to repair his heart would be successful.
But what now for me? he wondered. Life stateside was always jarringly surreal after being in the thick of things for months on end. He’d have to take a few days of his R & R to get acclimated to his home town and to Fort Bonnell again. He had over a couple of months leave, but he wasn’t sure what he’d do with that time. His mother wanted him to come visit her in Louisiana, but David wasn’t quite ready for that trip. Not yet.
Anna held Ali’s hand, then leaned close. “We’ll all be right here, Ali. You’re home now. You’re safe.”
Chaplain Steve added his own words to that, but in Arabic. Ali beamed a smile in return, then gave the chaplain a weak high-five. “Safe. A-mer-ica.”
A woman who’d been introduced as Julia Saunders stepped forward. “Dr. Blake, remember, if you need me—”
“Thank you, Julia. We’ll see how Ali handles being in America, but if we need a consult, you’ll be the first to hear.”
David strolled over to wave to Ali then gave Anna a questioning look. “What kind of consult?”
“Julia is a social worker. She often helps Children of the Day and was involved in helping us bring Ali over,” Anna explained. “She’s very interested in Ali’s case and his adjustment to life over here. He’ll be living with his grandfather and guardian, General Willis.”
David nodded. “Dr. Mike went beyond the call of duty to get him here.”
“Can you tell me more about what happened?” Anna asked. “It must have been awful for Ali, losing his mother and being all alone.” Then she shook her head. “I’m sorry. You might not be ready to talk about that.”
“It was a bad day,” David said, memories of dust and death and the roar of choppers always nearby. He hadn’t talked to anyone, not even his friend Maddie, about the day Ali came into the CASH, but he felt strongly that he could trust Anna, that she would understand. So he took her aside and started telling her in a quiet voice, reliving each second of that dark, dust-covered day. “Major Mike Montgomery—Dr. Mike—called me to the CASH with bad news. I figured we’d lost another soldier.”
Anna nodded sympathetically.
“I was tired and ready to hit the sack. We’d had a grueling day transporting the wounded, but when he told me it was Karima and Ali, well, I got over there as fast as I could.”
Anna touched a hand to his arm. “We heard it was a bomb.”
“She was bringing him in for a checkup. Their vehicle got hit by an IED—an improvised explosive device—about five miles from camp. Karima was killed instantly and Ali was in bad shape.”
David remembered rushing across the sprawling tent city and into the camp hospital, adrenaline and shock pushing away his fatigue. “I couldn’t believe it. Karima and Greg Willis fell in love in spite of the odds. Greg fell for her the first time she came into camp.”
“She was a vital part of our organization over there,” Anna said, tears welling in her eyes. “And I know she loved Greg and Ali so much.”
David nodded, wondering what that kind of love would feel like. He’d never had that, not even from his mother and certainly not from his father. “He married her even though General Willis disowned him for it. After Greg’s chopper went down, Dr. Mike and I vowed to watch over Karima and little Ali.”
“From what I’ve heard, you did exactly that,” Anna replied, her tone low but sure, her pretty eyes full of compassion.
David basked in her look and immediately started feeling better about things. “We failed him,” he said. His prayers for little Ali had been front and center in his mind as he’d headed into the chaos of the surgical field hospital. “He looked so fragile and pale. But Dr. Mike and Maddie worked hard to get him stable.”
Anna listened to his story, her gaze holding his as if he were the only person in the busy waiting room. “I’m so glad Ali had the two of you. Thank you again for helping us. I know his grandfather will appreciate it.”
David nodded, feeling humble all over again. “It was my last mission—to get Ali here. I’m glad I did.”
Dr. Mike had explained that the trauma of the boy’s injuries had created a hole between the lower chambers of his heart and it could only be repaired by someone who was highly skilled. According to Mike, Dr. Nora Blake was one of the best cardio surgeons in the country. She lived in Prairie Springs and worked in dual capacity at both the Fort Bonnell Medical Center and at a large urban hospital in nearby Austin. Dr. Mike trusted her with Ali’s life.
And apparently, so had Ali’s paternal grandfather.
David glanced over at the crowd watching and waving to the little boy. “I hear even old Warhorse Willis himself is softening. Guess it’s true if the boy’s going to live with the old man.”
Anna gave him a measured look, the slight disapproval of his choice of labels disappearing from her eyes in a twinkle. “General Willis has come a long way in letting go some of his preconceived notions, yes. He’s invested more than just money in Ali’s care and well-being, I think. This little boy has given General Willis a new lease on life.” She glanced out the double glass doors. “In fact, he’s supposed to be here today.”
David wondered if the ornery old general would show. When he used to complain about never knowing his father, Greg would tell him that might be a blessing in disguise. General Willis had been tough on his only son, demanding that Gregory follow in his footsteps by joining the army. Greg had been good at what he did, a real hero, but he’d angered his father by enlisting straight out of high school rather than going to officer’s training school as the general had planned. Things had gone downhill in the relationship from there on. Two different men, two different mindsets about war. At least Greg had had someone to fight against. Someone to fight with. It was one thing to fight strangers in a war, but another to have family with which to fight…and love and laugh. That kind of intimate relationship, no matter good or bad, was important.
As if thinking of the general had conjured him up, the doors swished open and in walked retired Brigadier General Marlon Willis. David noted how much the general had aged, but the man still carried himself like a soldier. Even with leathery lines slashing his face and a distinct slowness to his gait, the general demanded respect. David gave it to him with a salute.
“At ease, soldier,” the general said with a returning salute and a wry smile, his custom-made cowboy hat in his hand as he read David’s name tag. “Chief Ryland, it’s good to see you home safe and sound.” Then the tall, white-haired man turned to where Ali still sat on the stretcher. Glancing down at the boy, the general stood silent for a minute, then looked over at Anna. “Is this my…grandson?”
David watched as Anna touched a hand to General Willis’ shirtsleeve. “Yes, sir. This is Ali.”
The boy stared up at his grandfather with awe and fear, then looked toward his friend Chaplain Steve, a man he trusted since he and Steve had been e-mailing each other through Dr. Mike.
Steve leaned close. “Grandfather,” he said, pointing to Marlon.
Ali grinned, his limited English enough to understand one of the words Steve and Dr. Mike had tried to teach him. “Grand…father,” he said, the one word long and drawn out. Then he grinned. “Grandpa.”
Marlon grunted, but David didn’t miss the mist covering the old man’s steely eyes. “Hello, there, young fellow. I’ve hired a very nice nurse to help us. I figure we’ll both benefit from that.”
David and Anna laughed at the general’s wry humor.
Marlon nodded to everyone, then turned to Dr. Nora. “Tell me everything, doc. And I mean, everything.”
“Let’s get Ali into his room and get some tests going, then we’ll go into my office,” the doctor said.
Marlon nodded then took one of Ali’s tiny scarred hands. “It’s you and me now, kid. Two cowboys fighting off the bad guys.”
Ali nodded back. “Cowboy. Yippee!”
“I see someone has been teaching you how to become a Texan,” the general said with a smile.
David felt as if his world had shifted. Seeing Ali and his grandfather connect for the first time brought back the bitterness he’d felt for so long against his own absent father. And made him miss Gregory and Karima with an aching clarity.
Not wanting to be morose and bitter on this day of celebration, David glanced at Anna. As if sensing his eyes on her, she turned. “Chief, would you like to go get some breakfast with us?”
David looked around. Most of the others had left, even the eager reporters hoping for a heartwarming homecoming sound bite or a gut-wrenching picture for the front page. Maybe it was time for him to do the same. After all, he didn’t have anyone waiting to welcome him home. He’d told his mother to stay in Louisiana, that he’d call her the minute he landed. And he’d gotten that uncomfortable call out of the way earlier, thank goodness. The only thing on his agenda for the next week or so would be the mandatory post-deployment training that all the returning troops had to go through.
When he saw Chaplain Steve’s assessing gaze, he shook his head. “Another time maybe. As the chaplain knows, I have to go through a PDHRA before I can be considered human again.”
Steve grinned. “You look human enough, Chief, even if you are wearing ACUs. But yes, I expect I’ll be seeing you for part of your reintegration process this week. Still…you don’t have to get started on that right away. Sure you don’t want to come to breakfast with us?”
The challenging look in Anna’s eyes made him wish he hadn’t been so hasty in saying no.
David thought about his options.
“Let me see,” he said, scratching his head. “Post deployment health assessment, or breakfast—a real breakfast—with people who aren’t in a big hurry to get to the fight. Hmm.”