Chapter 1
Ryan Caldwell sat in the rocking chair on the porch of his old, run-down, two-story house in the west Texas countryside, sipping an ice-cold glass of sweet tea. It was a hot, dusty day, but it seemed they were all in this part of the country. Still, he enjoyed the solitude, peace, and quiet that came with it.
Ryan took another sip of his tea and lit up his second cigarette of the morning. He looked around and took a mental note of things he needed to do. Then he said, “To hell with it,” and figured it would be there tomorrow, just like yesterday and the day before. And the many other days before that. So he pulled his beat-up Stetson down over his eyes and enjoyed his cigarette.
After all, it’s not like anyone ever came out to visit him. Besides, he didn’t buy this place to impress anyone – just the opposite. He didn’t want visitors. He just wanted to be left alone. That’s why he bought this place three years ago, along with the 20 acres of dirt and scrub brush it sat on.
Sure, he could afford better – much better. But the house had a good foundation and good bones. The plumbing and electrical were surprisingly in good shape; it even had cable with phone and internet. The roof was in reasonably good shape, and he saw no visible signs of rot. On top of that, it suited him just fine.
So he bought the place, paying the asking price in cash. The realtor was happy, the seller was glad to be rid of it, and he was pleased to have a place he could call “home,” even though it was basically a piece of crap that desperately needed a coat of paint.
A noise from his left caught his attention. He turned to look and focused his one good eye on the cloud of dust at the end of his long dirt driveway. Who the fuck is coming here? Concerned, he grabbed the loaded 12-gauge pump shotgun leaning against the wall next to him and laid it across his lap.
He watched as the black sedan stopped in front of his house. He saw the sticker on the front bumper and knew it was a rental. A cloud of dust rolled over the car, and Ryan waved his hand in front of his face to keep the flying dirt out of his good eye. The driver’s side door opened, and a young man wearing a white polo shirt got out.
Ryan stood with his shotgun and pumped a shell into the chamber. The young man flinched as he considered the tall, lanky man. A large patch covered his left eye and partially covered the scar that ran down the left side of his face. A full dark beard covered his lower face. Nevertheless, the man knew this was Ryan Caldwell, even though the picture he had of the man was over 10 years old.
“Are you Ryan Caldwell?” he asked nervously. Obviously, this wasn’t a cop, Ryan thought.
“Depends,” Ryan said. “Are you some kinda salesman? If ya are, I ain’t lookin’ to buy anything.”
“I’m not here to sell anything, sir,” the man said.
“Well then, you must be a fed, in which case, there’s no Ryan Caldwell here,” Ryan said.
“I work for the government, but I’m not here on official business,” the man said. “It’s a family matter.”
“I ain’t got no family,” Ryan said.
“It’s about your daughter, Sarah, sir,” the youngster said.
“I tol’ ya, I ain’t got no family,” Ryan said. “My daughter died over ten years ago.” That wasn’t exactly true, and Ryan knew it. He did have a daughter, but she had been dead to him for about 12 years now, ever since she turned 16.
“It’s a matter of life and death, sir,” the young man said.
“You got that shit right, boy,” Ryan said. Calling someone “boy” in these parts was considered an insult and often ended up starting a fistfight. “You can either get back in that rig and get the fuck outta here, or I can drop ya where ya stand.”
“Sir, please,” the man begged, holding a hand in front of him. “Can you just give me five minutes of your time?”
“Five minutes,” Ryan said. He was curious to know what this youngster wanted, and he certainly didn’t carry himself like a lawman or a fed. “Not one second more.” The young man nodded his head and grabbed a briefcase from his car.
“Please, can I come up there?” he asked Ryan. “It’s awfully hot out here.”
“Welcome to West Texas,” Ryan said. “C’mon, show me what ya got.” The young man scurried to the porch, and Ryan pointed to a wooden chair. “You got some ID?” Ryan asked. The man pulled out his wallet and showed Ryan his license. Ryan read the name out loud.
“Robert Greene,” Ryan read. “That really you?” The man nodded his head.
“Yes, sir, that’s me,” he said. “Everyone just calls me Bob.”
“So, Bob,” Ryan said. “Who do you work for? FBI? CIA?”
“I work for the Commerce Department, sir,” Bob said. “I do statistical analysis.”
“Commerce Department?” Ryan asked. “Statistical analysis? Sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry. What’s that got to do with me?”
“Nothing, sir,” Bob said. “Like I said, it’s your daughter. Sarah. She’s my wife.” He pulled out another photo and showed it to Ryan. Ryan looked at the picture and recognized his daughter in her wedding dress. Bob stood next to her, smiling. He handed the photo back.
“Congratulations,” Ryan said. “But like I said, I don’t have a family. Not anymore.”
“So, you don’t care if your daughter dies?” Bob asked, visibly hurt and unable to fathom how a man could turn his back on his only child. Ryan looked at him before answering.
“She’s been dead to me for over 10 years already,” he said. Bob nodded his head, wiped a tear from his eye, and started to stand.
“Alright,” he said, his voice filled with sadness. “I’ll let her and our son know. I’m sorry to have wasted your time, sir.”
“Wait,” Ryan said. Bob sat back down and looked at the older man. “What’s wrong with her?” Ryan asked.
“She’s in the hospital,” Bob said. “She’s been diagnosed with a very rare blood disorder. The doctor said if she doesn’t get a bone marrow transplant soon, she’ll be dead in six months.” Ryan thought for a moment. His father had died from a rare blood disorder years ago. As angry as he was with his daughter, he didn’t like the idea of making her son – his grandson – an orphan. He knew what it was like to lose a parent.
“And you say you have a son?” Ryan asked. Bob nodded his head and pulled out another photo, handing it to Ryan.
“Yes,” Bob said. “He’s three. Sarah named him Ryan after you.” Ryan’s head shot up in surprise. “It really pissed her mother off, but Sarah didn’t care.” Ryan chuckled at that. He could just see his ex-wife’s reaction to that.
“What about Sarah’s mother?” Ryan asked. “Couldn’t she donate bone marrow?”
“The doctor tested her, but she wasn’t compatible enough,” Bob said. “Said at best, it might give Sarah a few months, but that’s it.”
“I see,” Ryan said. “So, how did you find me?” he asked.
“It wasn’t easy,” Bob said. “It took me several months, even with the resources of the federal government at my disposal. You’re a hard man to find.”
“That was the idea,” Ryan said. “Did you tell anyone you found me?”
“Not yet,” Bob said. “I wanted to make sure I had really found you before saying anything.”
Ryan nodded his head. “That was a smart move,” he said. “Did Sarah tell you what happened between her mother and me?”
“She told me some of it,” Bob said. “Said her mother left you for another man. Said she sided with her mother against you and you didn’t take it too well. She also told me she’s regretted it ever since. She tried to reach out to you. Wrote several letters, but they all came back unopened.” He opened his briefcase, pulled out a stack of letters, and handed them to Ryan. Ryan looked at the letters tied together with a red ribbon. “No forwarding address” and “Return to sender” were stamped on each.
“Is her mother still married to Jake Knight?” Ryan asked.
“Yeah,” Bob said. “But things aren’t very good between them. He’s abusive, and we think he’s been cheating on her.” Ryan chuckled at the irony. The cheater getting cheated on. How delicious, he thought sarcastically.
“Why does she stay with him, then?” Ryan asked.
“Money, mostly,” Bob said.
Of course, Ryan thought. That’s the reason she left to be with him in the first place.
“You’re probably biting at the bit to ask what happened between Sarah’s mom and me, aren’t you?” Ryan asked.
“I am a bit curious,” Bob said. “Her mother seems to think you’re dead, and she won’t talk about it at all.”
Ryan handed the photo back and considered Bob for a few moments. “Would you like to hear about it?” he asked the younger man.
“Yes, sir, I would,” Bob said.
Ryan nodded his head. “This could take a bit,” he said. “Care for some iced tea?”
“I’d like that very much, sir,” Bob said.
Ryan went inside and came back with a clean glass. He poured some tea from the pitcher sitting on the outdoor table and handed it to Bob.
“Thank you, sir,” Bob said.
“First things first,” Ryan instructed. “Call me Ryan, not sir. I don’t own you. Not yet, anyway,” he added with a smile. “Mind if I smoke?” he asked, pulling a cigarette from the pack in his pocket.
“Not at all,” Bob said. “Mind if I join you?” he asked, pulling a pack from his briefcase. “Sarah doesn’t like me to smoke in the car.”
Ryan smiled. Maybe this young man was worth keeping around after all. He shook his head. “Not at all,” Ryan said, lighting up. He offered Bob a light and watched as the young man took a deep drag from his cigarette. “Let me tell you what happened.”
Ryan’s story:
Lisa and I were high school sweethearts. I played on the varsity football team, and she was a cheerleader. God, she looked so hot in that little skirt. We were inseparable in those days. I made love for the first time after our senior prom. We were both 18 and felt it was time. I only had two dreams back then – owning my garage and marrying Lisa.
She went to college for a business degree when we graduated from high school, and I joined the Army. We planned to get married at the end of those first four years.
I ended up in combat—spending a year in Iraq and another in Afghanistan. That’s when I learned I had another gift. I came back, and we got married just as we had planned.
Lisa got a job with Knight Petroleum, and I got a job fixing cars. I’d been doing that since I was a young man, and I was damn good at it. She started at the bottom of the totem pole at Knight Petroleum. We weren’t rich by any means, but we did alright.
Sarah was born 11 months after we got married. I fell in love with that little girl the moment I laid eyes on her. Lisa took three months of maternity leave and went back to work, taking little Sarah with her. The company had an in-house daycare, which saved us a lot of money.
We progressed in our jobs and finally had enough to put a down payment on a house. It wasn’t easy, but we managed. I still dreamed of owning my own garage, so I took some night courses to learn how to run a business and got ASE certified. Eventually, I became a master technician.
Lisa had also moved up at Knight Petroleum. Eventually, she became the personal assistant to Jake Knight, the wealthy CEO of the company. That’s when the out-of-town trips began. Some of them were overseas, and I spent many weekends playing “Mr. Mom” with Sarah. I didn’t mind, though. I loved that little girl.
Even with all that, I thought we had a good marriage and life, but I noticed a change in Lisa’s attitude. Suddenly, it was as if I wasn’t good enough for her.
By then, Sarah was in high school. We were still close, but I guess she was going through that rebellious phase that all teenagers go through.
Then, one day, Lisa lowered the boom. I came home from work and noticed that she still hadn’t gotten home yet. That, in itself, wasn’t unusual. I began making dinner since I had been doing that more and more lately. Finally, Lisa came home. She told Sarah to go to her room for a bit, then grabbed a glass of wine.
“Everything all right at work?” I asked. “Jake giving you a hard time?”
Lisa shook her head and sat down at the kitchen table. “We need to talk,” she said.
“What’s wrong?” I asked as I sat down.
She pulled something out of her briefcase and handed it to me.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“Divorce papers,” she said.
You could have knocked me over with a feather at that point. “What?” I asked. “Divorce? Why?”
“I don’t want to be married to a... mechanic,” she said, emphasizing the word “mechanic.”
“What?” I asked. “Are you saying that I’m not good enough for you after these years?” Then it hit me. “Oh my God,” I said. “You’ve fallen in love with someone else, haven’t you? You’ve been cheating on me. Who is he?”
“Jacob Knight,” she said calmly. “And yes, we’ve fallen in love. I didn’t mean for it to happen, but it did. And yes, we’ve been... together.”
“You mean, you’ve been fucking him behind my back,” I said.
“No need to be crude,” she said. “But yeah, we’ve had sex. A lot. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that he can give me things you never could. And you never will.”
“Nothing personal? What do you mean?” I asked.
“He’s filthy rich,” she said. “He’s a billionaire. He’s not only rich, but he’s powerful. One snap of his fingers and entire governments go down the drain. You? You’re just a grease monkey.”
“What about our future?” I asked, dumbfounded. “What about Sarah?”
“We have no future together,” Lisa said coldly. “And Sarah will be just fine. Jake’s already got her enrolled in a private boarding school in the northeast. She’ll be going there when we get back from the south of France in a few weeks.”
“Sarah knows about this?” I asked, shocked.
“Of course,” Lisa said. “She’s quite excited about it.”
“I’d like to hear that from her,” I said.
“Whatever,” Lisa said before calling Sarah back down.
“Is this true?” I asked Sarah. “Did you know what your mother planned?”
Sarah looked down before answering. “Yes,” she said quietly. “Papa Jake already has everything set up. He said you’d be okay with it, and he promised to buy me a new car when I turn 16.”
“Papa Jake?” I asked.
Sarah nodded her head. “Yeah,” she said. “That’s what Mom told me to call him.” I looked at Lisa, my blood boiling.
“Don’t worry,” Lisa said. “If you look, you’ll see I’m giving you unlimited visitation, but I doubt if you’ll get to see Sarah much, what with her schedule and all.”
I looked back at Sarah. “And you’re alright with all this?” I asked her.
“Mom said it would be best, Dad,” she said.
“Did you know about your mother and Jake before this came down?” I asked her.
She nodded her head again. “Yeah,” she said. “Mom made me promise not to say anything, though.”
I looked back at Lisa. “How long have you been plotting this behind my back?” I asked.
“About six months,” she said. “Look, Ryan, I’m not asking for anything from you – no alimony or support. All I want is our clothes and a few things, and then we’ll be gone. Sign the papers, and it’s a done deal.”
“What if I decide to fight this?” I asked.
“That wouldn’t be wise,” she said. “Like I said, Jake is very powerful. You have no idea. He can destroy you in a heartbeat.”
I looked between Sarah and Lisa. Neither one could look me in the eye. “Fine,” I said. I grabbed a pen and looked over the divorce papers. Lisa didn’t want anything, not even her half of the house. I signed the papers and handed them back to her.
“Thank you, Ryan,” Lisa said, dropping her rings on the table. “I’m sorry it had to end like this.”
“Just get out,” I said. “Now.”
Sarah approached me and tried to hug me, but I rebuffed her advance.
“Just go,” I said. “You’re both dead to me. I never want to see either of you again.”
Sarah jumped back, tears in her eyes.
Lisa looked at me, shocked. “Ryan,” she began.
“Just GET THE FUCK OUT! NOW!” I yelled. “Tell Jake if he fucks with me, so help me God, I’ll kill him where he stands.”
They both left the house, and I never saw or heard from them again. After they drove off, I went upstairs and found all their things were gone. Apparently, Lisa had their stuff taken out while I was at work.
I took a few days off work and removed all traces of them from the house. I put pictures, clothing, and everything they left behind into a barrel and burned it. I wanted nothing behind to remind me of either one of them.
Without Lisa’s income, the bills became a challenge, so I sold the house and a lot of the extra furniture. I rented a one-bedroom apartment and lived there for a few months. After I got the final divorce decree, I remembered seeing an article about Jake and Lisa getting married. The picture in the paper showed Lisa and Jake, with a smiling Sarah next to them. According to the article, Jake was planning to adopt her.
That night, I sat at a bar, crying in my beer, when Bill Johnson, an old Army buddy I hadn’t seen in years, sat beside me.
“Hey, Ryan,” he said. “You doing okay, man?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No,” I said quietly.
“Saw the report about your ex getting married,” he said. “That sucks. Wasn’t that your daughter with them?”
“I don’t have a daughter anymore,” I told him.
He commiserated with me for a while, and we engaged in small talk while drinking. That’s when he hit me with his idea.
“Look, Ryan,” he said. “You’ve got nothing holding you down here. Why don’t you join up with me? I’m putting together a team for a job, and I could really use your help.”
“Doing what?” I asked him.
“Mostly private security,” he said. “Kinda like what we did in Afghanistan, but with a much better compensation package.”
“I’m kinda old for that shit,” I told him. He laughed and shook his head.
“C’mon, you’re the same age I am,” he said. “You’re still in pretty good condition. It’ll do you some good to get away from this shithole for a while. A few weeks with me, and I’ll have you back in shape, no problem.”
I thought about it for a while. I had dreams, but that was back when I had Lisa and Sarah. Now that they were gone, I didn’t have much of anything, not even a dog.
“What the fuck,” I said. “Okay, count me in.” And that began my nine-year career as a “private security consultant,” or, to put it simply, a mercenary. I handed in my two-week notice, put all my stuff in storage since I would be gone most of the time, and started my new life as a gun for hire.
Overall, it wasn’t a bad life. I got paid good money to travel and do what I did best besides fixing cars. Most of the time, we actually “consulted” or trained the guys who would do the actual work, but sometimes, we had to pitch in. It was either that or end up dead.
My last job was working for a Middle East oil sheik who needed help dealing with what he called an “outside interest,” trying to take over his oil fields to put him out of business. It was a business his family had owned and operated for years. I didn’t know who this outside interest was and didn’t care.
I did my job as always, but one day, the balloon went up as the fields came under an intense attack by groups of black-clad men in pickups. We fought them off, but not before a nearby tank exploded after it was hit with a rocket-propelled grenade shot by someone in the back of a pickup.
I woke up sometime later, obviously, in a hospital room, with half of my head covered in bandages. I saw an IV in one arm, and I felt a tube in my mouth. Before long, a nurse came in and checked my vitals. A doctor came in and looked me over before ordering the tube removed from my mouth.
That’s when I learned that I had lost my left eye. I had been struck in the face by a piece of shrapnel, apparently from the tank that exploded. I was told the shrapnel would have severed my head in two had it not been for the Kevlar helmet I wore. Still, I had suffered a lot of damage, and the doctors put my face back together as best they could.
Except for the jagged scar that went down the left side of my face and the glass eye in my left eye socket, there were no other signs of major damage. A couple of days after I woke up, the sheik visited. He told me I had been in the hospital for several weeks undergoing reconstructive surgery. They kept me in a medically induced coma to help me heal during that time.
He also gave me a huge bonus. Apparently, the “outside interests” no longer found attacking him or his oil fields viable. After that attack, the sheik was able to negotiate terms in such a way as to remain in business and be even more profitable than before. It turned out the “outside interest” was none other than Knight Petroleum.
“So, Jake Knight knew I was working for you?” I asked.
“It would seem so,” the sheik said. “Your courageous defense taught him that acting like a civilized man would be better than a street thug. And for that, I am eternally grateful.”
“I take it you know I have some history with him?” I asked. He smiled before answering.
“Yes, I know about him and your wife,” he said, handing me a folder with a dossier. “I make it my business to know who I am dealing with. As far as he knows, you did not survive the attack. I have chosen not to inform him otherwise, nor will I ever tell him. I owe you my life and my family’s business, after all. Perhaps you can now go and live in peace.”
“I’ll do my best,” I said.
The sheik smiled, and we shook hands.
After a few more weeks, the doctors said I could travel safely, so with the aid of the local U.S. Embassy, I was able to arrange transport home. I pulled my stuff out of storage, came here, and bought this place, and here we are.
Ryan looked at Bob as he finished his story.
“Damn. That sounds like something out of a movie,” Bob said.
Ryan chuckled at that. “Look, it’s starting to get late,” Ryan said. “Why don’t you stay the night?”
“What about Sarah?” he asked.
“I’d like to sleep on it for a bit before I make any decisions. We’ll discuss it in the morning,” Ryan said.
They went inside, and Bob looked around at the empty walls and the sparsely furnished room.
“It’s like a cave in here,” Bob said, his voice echoing off the bare walls.
“It suits me,” Ryan said. “I don’t need much. Four walls and a roof to keep the elements out. You can sleep on the couch if you want. The bathroom’s just down the hall. Are you hungry?”
“I could eat something,” Bob said.
“Don’t have much,” Ryan said. “TV dinners, mostly. I don’t do much cooking anymore.”
“Okay,” Bob said. “What do you have?”
“Salisbury steak, macaroni and cheese, hot dogs,” Ryan said. “I prefer ’em raw. Your choice.”
“The mac and cheese sounds good, please,” Bob said.
“Okay,” Ryan said. “Just give me a minute to fire up the microwave. Feel free to turn on the TV. Might be something good on. Who knows.”
Bob turned the television on as Ryan tossed the meals in the microwave. He came back with two plates and handed one to Bob.
“Don’t you ever get lonely out here all by yourself?” Bob asked.
Ryan shook his head. “Nope,” he said.
“What about women?” Bob asked. “Have you dated anyone since your divorce?”
“Nope,” Ryan said. “Been there, done that. I gave Lisa 20 years of my life, and for what? Never again. If I get really hard up, I’ll go into town and rent a woman for an hour or two, if you know what I mean. Trust me, son, at some point, it’ll happen to you, too.”
“Sarah would never do to me what Lisa did to you,” Bob said.
“That’s what I thought once upon a time,” Ryan said. “And what did that get me? It’s in their genes, son. You’d best do what you can to protect yourself now.”
“You must really hate women,” Bob said.
“Nope,” Ryan said. “Just one or two of ’em. The rest I trust about as far as I can spit ’em.”
“What about your dream of owning your own garage?” Bob asked.
“Up in smoke, same as my marriage,” Ryan said.
“What are your dreams now?” Bob asked.
“Wake up, get through another day,” Ryan said. “Although, I do fantasize about getting Jake alone for about five minutes.”
“Would you kill him?” Bob asked.
“Don’t know,” Ryan said. “It’d be mighty tempting, but I kinda like the idea of seeing him in pain for the rest of his miserable life, constantly looking over his shoulder.”
They finished their meal in silence. Finally, Ryan got up, collected the dishes, and took them into the kitchen, where he rinsed them before placing them in the dishwasher.
“You have a place to stay tonight?” he asked after he came back out.
“Not yet,” Bob said.
“Might as well rack out here then,” Ryan said. He grabbed a blanket and pillow out of the hall closet and handed them to Bob. “Couch is fairly comfortable. Only one bed in the place, and that’s where I sleep. Make yourself to home. I’m usually up about 6:00. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” Bob said as he got ready for the night. He noticed Ryan had the letters he had given him earlier in the day and wondered if he planned to read them.
…
The next morning, Bob woke to the smell of coffee and something he didn’t recognize. Ryan came into the front room and handed him what looked like an egg burrito.
“Good morning,” Ryan said. “I trust you slept well last night. Have some breakfast. Not much flavor, but it’ll help kick-start ya.”
“Thanks,” Bob said, yawning. He took a bite of the burrito and set the rest back on the plate. Ryan was right. There wasn’t much flavor, and the microwaved tortilla was already getting as hard as a brick.
“So, what have you got planned for the day?” Ryan asked.
“I’ll be flying back this morning,” Bob said. “I’d like it if you came back with me.”
“I figured you would,” Ryan said. “I’m packed and ready to go any time you are.”
Bob looked and saw a duffel bag next to the door.
“When is your flight?” Ryan asked.
“There’s a flight heading out at 11:00,” Bob said. “We’d better head out pretty soon if you plan to go back with me. If you don’t mind my asking, what made you decide to do this?”
“Sarah’s letters,” Ryan said. “I read them last night. I think she realizes that what she did was wrong.”
“I could have told you that,” Bob said.
“Perhaps,” Ryan said. “But it means more coming from her. How well does she get along with her mother?”
“Not very well,” Bob said. “She’s polite and all, but she doesn’t approve of what her mother did and isn't shy about telling her that. And she can’t stand Jake.”
Ryan nodded his head. “Well, I guess there is hope for her after all,” Ryan said. “C’mon, we’d better get going.” Ryan closed the house, ensuring everything was locked up, and after Bob took a shower and dressed, they left.
When they got to the airport, Bob returned the rental car, paid for it, and then went to the ticket counter. As Ryan paid for his ticket – in cash – Bob made a phone call. They met back up and stood in line for security.
“Do you always carry a lot of cash on you?” Bob asked quietly so no one else could hear.
“I prefer to pay for everything in cash,” Ryan said. “Keeps me off the grid, if you know what I mean.”
“Ah,” Bob said in response. “Well, just be careful.”
“Don’t worry, son,” Ryan said. “I got yer back.” He smiled and winked at the younger man, who shook his head.
“By the way, Dr. Fritz – Sarah’s doctor – wants to see you as soon as we get to the hospital,” Bob said.
“Is that who you were talking to earlier?” Ryan asked.
“Yeah,” Bob said. “I also called Sarah and told her I was coming back. And no, I didn’t mention you at all. I figured you’d want to surprise her.”
“Good man,” Ryan said. They finally got settled into their seats, and the plane took off. Ryan was already asleep when the aircraft reached its cruising altitude; his beat-up Stetson pulled low over his face. A couple of hours later, the plane descended, waking Ryan up from his nap. Their flight ended shortly thereafter, and they left the plane.
Ryan followed Bob to the parking lot, his duffel bag slung over his shoulder. They got to Bob’s car, a fairly new RAV4, and put their luggage in the back. They climbed in, and Bob drove to the hospital as Ryan checked out the area.
When they got to the hospital, Bob led Ryan inside and took him to Dr. Fritz’s office, where he introduced the two men to each other. Ryan shook the doctor’s hand and sat down at his invitation.
“I understand you’re Sarah Greene’s father,” Dr. Fritz said.
“That’s right,” Ryan said.
“Her mother told me you were dead,” the doctor said.
“Well, her source was mistaken,” Ryan said.
“I see,” Dr. Fritz said. “I take it Mr. Greene has told you about your daughter’s condition.”
“Yes, he has,” Ryan said. “And if there’s anything I can do to help, I will.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Dr. Fritz said. “What Sarah needs more than anything right now is a bone marrow transplant.”
“Will that cure her?” Ryan asked.
“I believe it will,” the doctor said. “I don’t want to give false hope, but without it, she won’t make it.”
“What do I have to do?” Ryan asked.
“We’ll need to take some blood from you and run a series of tests to make sure it’s safe and compatible,” the doctor said.
“Do what you need to, doc,” Ryan said. “When will you know for certain?”
“We’ll take the samples now and run them over to the lab,” Dr. Fritz said. “We’ll know for certain by noon tomorrow.”
“Alright,” Ryan said. “Let’s git ’er done.”
Dr. Fritz smiled. He stepped to his office door and called for a nurse. He gave her some instructions and turned to Ryan.
“Just follow Nurse Black,” he said. “She’ll take you to the room over there and draw the blood. Check back with me about this time tomorrow.”
“Can I see my daughter when we’re done here?” Ryan asked.
“Absolutely,” Dr. Fritz said. “I’m sure her husband knows the way by now. Good to meet you, Mr. Caldwell. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” They shook hands again, and the doctor left to tend to another patient.
Ryan followed the nurse to a small room and watched as she prepared the vials. He hated needles and looked away as she got everything ready.
“Okay, Mr. Caldwell,” she said after wiping his arm with an alcohol swab. “Just a little poke, and we’re done.”
Ryan closed his eyes and was surprised it didn’t hurt nearly as badly as he thought.
“That’s it,” she said with a smile. “That wasn’t too bad, now, was it?” she asked as she put a colorful band-aid on Ryan’s arm.
“No, it wasn’t,” he said.
“Good,” she said. “We’ll get this to the lab, and we should have results tomorrow. See you then.” After she left, he buttoned his shirt sleeve and walked out to meet Bob.
“You ready to go see Sarah?” Bob asked. Ryan nodded his head.
“Yeah,” he said nervously. “Let’s go do this.” He followed Bob, wondering how anyone could work here without getting lost. The place was like a labyrinth, with corridors and hallways going every which way. They got to an elevator and rode it to the sixth floor. After they got off, they went down a few more corridors until they got to Sarah’s room. Bob knocked on the door and peeked inside. He motioned for Ryan to stay outside for just a moment. Ryan could hear his daughter’s voice from inside the room.
“Hi, sweetie,” she said weakly.
“I have a surprise for you,” Bob said.
“Oh goody,” she said. “You know I love surprises.” Bob motioned for Ryan to come inside. He stepped into the room and saw his daughter for the first time in over 10 years. She was still quite beautiful, even though her skin was pale and somewhat mottled. When she saw him, her eyes grew wide, and her mouth opened in surprise.
“Daddy?” she asked, reminding him of when she was little. Tears began to form in the corner of his good eye as he looked at her. “Is that really you?” she asked.
“It’s me, princess,” he said, calling her by the nickname he used when she was little. As he stepped to her side, she lifted her arms out to hug him, tears falling down her face.
“I thought you were dead,” she cried as she hugged him tight.
“Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” he said in a vain attempt at humor.
“What happened to you?” she asked.
“Oh, you mean this?” Ryan asked, pointing to the eye patch.
“Yeah,” she said.
“A workplace accident,” he said. “I, uh, did a lot of traveling overseas after you and your mom left.”
“What were you doing?” she asked.
“I was what you might call a private security consultant,” he said. “Sometimes things would get a bit, well, dicey.”
“Did you ever start up your garage?” she asked.
Ryan shook his head. “No, never,” he said. “After your mother left me the way she did, I lost the desire to start a garage.”
“Oh, Daddy, I’m so sorry,” she said. “I feel so bad about how that happened.”
“I know,” Ryan said. “I read your letters.”
“Is that why they all kept coming back?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he said. “I sold the house and got rid of everything after you left. Saw no reason to keep it.”
“Why didn’t you ever write me?” she asked.
“Well, the way you guys left, I got the impression you didn’t want to see or hear from me,” Ryan told her. “Besides, I didn’t have your address.”
“I’m sorry about that,” she said. “I fell for all of Jake’s bullshit, just like Mom did. Can you ever forgive me?”
“I already have, princess,” Ryan said, prompting her to sob uncontrollably as he held her. “It’s okay, sweetie,” he whispered as he held her and stroked her hair. “Daddy’s here. Everything’s going to be alright.”
After a few minutes, she laid back in her bed, exhausted. “Did Bob tell you what’s going on?” she asked.
“Yes, he did,” Ryan said. “I’ve already talked to Dr. Fritz. They took some blood, and they’re testing it to make sure it’s compatible. If it is, I’ll donate the bone marrow for you.”
“When will you know for sure?” she asked.
“Tomorrow,” Ryan said.
“Thank you,” she said. “I’ll never be able to repay you for this.”
“There’s no need,” Ryan said. “You just get well, okay? And take care of my grandson.”
She smiled weakly and nodded her head. “I will,” she said before turning to Bob. “Thank you for finding my daddy,” she told him.
He smiled and hugged her as she cried some more. “You’re welcome,” he said. “I told you I would, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did,” she said.
They heard the door open and turned to see who was coming inside. Even though it had been over ten years, Ryan recognized the woman standing there—Lisa. She was still in good shape and quite attractive, but he noticed her features were more rigid and defined than before.
“Ryan?” she asked. “Is that you? I thought you were...”
“Dead?” he asked, finishing her sentence.
“Yeah,” she said. “That’s what Jake told me.”
“Well, I’m very much alive, no thanks to you,” Ryan said, causing her to flinch. “Your husband did his best, but he missed the mark.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, shocked.
“Oh, come on, Lisa,” Ryan said. “Surely you know it was him who sent those men to take me out in the Middle East. Figured he’d kill two birds with one stone. But he screwed up and missed.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said.
“Bullshit,” Ryan said.
“Can we talk somewhere, in private?” she asked.
Ryan looked at Sarah and Bob before responding. “Sure,” he said, standing up. He went to the nurse’s station and asked if they could use a private room for a few minutes.
“Sure,” the nurse said, pointing to a small conference room. “Just put this on the door before you close it,” she added, handing him a sign that read, “In Use.”
“Thanks,” Ryan said, taking the sign. They entered the room, and Lisa sat down as Ryan hung the sign on the door. He closed and locked the door before sitting down.
“Alright, Ryan,” Lisa began. “What’s going on? Why are you here?”
“You’re a smart woman,” he said. “Surely you can figure that one out. Your son-in-law found me and informed me that Sarah needs a bone marrow transplant. She’s still my daughter, despite everything you and Jake did to split us up, and I’m here to help her in any way I can.”
“How much do you want?” Lisa asked.
“What?” Ryan asked, shocked.
“You heard me,” she said. “How much do you want for your bone marrow? That’s why you’re really here, isn’t it? Your garage is failing, and you obviously need money, so you came here to see what you could get out of me.”
“First of all, bitch,” Ryan said, emphasizing the word “bitch,” causing Lisa to recoil, “I have no need of your stinking blood money. Second, our daughter is in a room right over there, fighting for her life. So you can get off your God damned high horse.”
“So, you think that after 10 years, you can just waltz in here and suddenly be the father of the year?” she asked sarcastically.
“Okay, so I’m not perfect,” Ryan said. “But it wasn’t me who cheated on you. It was the other way around. It wasn’t me who dropped a divorce on the table without a moment’s warning. It wasn’t me who plotted and schemed to destroy our family. It was you. You’re the one who cheated on me, and for what? For money. What does that make you? Hmmm? The last time I looked that fit the definition of a prostitute. So don’t act all high and mighty with me.”
“So what do you want?” she asked. “Really?”
“I want my daughter to get well,” he said.
“But surely there’s something else,” she said in response.
“Since you mentioned it, there is something I’d like,” Ryan said.
“What’s that?” Lisa said.
“Five minutes alone with your husband,” he said.
“For what?” she asked. “So you can hit him? Is that it? You didn’t get to confront him when I left you for him, so now you want to meet him on the playground?”
“Actually, I was thinking about that nice dark alley between Third and Fourth Streets off Riverside,” Ryan said.
“You can’t be serious,” she said.
“I am serious,” he told her.
“You think my husband – a wealthy, powerful man worth billions, a man powerful enough to get people elected to office – has the time to meet you in an alleyway?” she asked. “You’re out of your mind.”
“Fine,” he said, standing up. “I guess you really don’t care about your daughter getting well. Maybe I should just go home.”
“Wait,” she said. “You’re really serious about this.”
“I am,” he said. “Five minutes. No weapons, no security, no bodyguards. Just him and me, mano a mano. He owes me a pound of flesh, and I intend to get it from him one way or another.”
“He knows karate,” Lisa said. “He can defend himself.”
“Good,” Ryan said. “He’ll need to be able to defend himself. Tell me, does he use you as his personal punching bag?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked.
“I can see the edge of a bruise there on your collar,” Ryan said. “I also noticed a bruise on your arm. How long has he been abusing you?”
Lisa pulled her sleeve down and looked away for a moment. “That was an accident,” she said nervously. “I was clumsy and tripped.”
Ryan chuckled. “Bullshit,” he said. “I know he’s been abusing you. Hell, from what I can tell, everybody knows. Bob knows, which means Sarah knows as well. Why do you stay with him? Is it the money? That’s it, isn’t it? It’s all you’ve ever cared about.”
“Look, Jake is under a lot of stress,” she said. “Sometimes, he does things, but he really doesn’t mean anything by them.”
Ryan shook his head. “I don’t believe a word you’re saying,” he told her. “Why don’t you grab your phone and call him right now.”
“Are you serious about this?” she asked. “You really want to meet him in a dark alley so you can hit him?”
“I plan to do more than just hit him, but yeah,” Ryan said.
“When do you want to do this?” she asked.
“Right fucking now,” Ryan said.
Lisa looked at him, shocked. Who was this man, she wondered. She pulled her phone from her purse.
“Put it on speaker,” Ryan ordered.
She nodded her head, hit the speed dial, and put it on speaker.
“What’s up?” Jake asked asked when he answered the phone.
“Hi, babe,” Lisa said. “Um, there’s someone in town visiting Sarah in the hospital, and he wants to see you right away.”
“Oh?” Jake asked. “Who is it?”
“It’s, um, Ryan,” she said.
“Ryan?” Jake asked. “Your ex? That Ryan?”
“Yeah,” Lisa said. “He’s pretty adamant about seeing you right away. Says he only needs five minutes.”
“Well, I’m not sure I can get away right now,” Jake said. “I’ve got a shareholder’s meeting this afternoon, and I have a lot to go over.”
“Listen to me, you little prick,” Ryan said. “I have a score to settle with you, and I want to meet you right fucking now.”
“Where?” Jake asked.
“In the alley between Third and Fourth off Riverside,” Ryan said. “You know the area?”
“Yes, I know it,” Jake said.
“Good,” Ryan said. “Be there. No security, no bodyguards, no weapons. Just you and me. Or are you too scared to face a real man on your own? Maybe you’d prefer to hide behind your wife’s skirts.”
“You bastard,” Jake snarled.
“You got that right,” Ryan said. “Tell me, Jake, do your shareholders know how you broke up my family? Do they know how you managed that deal in the Middle East three years ago? Do they know you sent a team there to assassinate your wife’s ex-husband? Do they know about your philandering and the bastard children you’ve brought into the world? Do they know about how you abuse your wife?”
“You fucking prick,” Jake growled. “You wouldn’t dare put that out into the public. I’ll sue you for defamation.”
“You’re wrong about that, Jake,” Ryan said. “I’ve got a dossier on you nearly three inches thick. I also know some reporters at the Wall Street Journal who would love to get their hands on it. I think the boys over at the SEC and the DOJ might also be interested. So, what’ll it be? Are you gonna meet me one-on-one, or do I make a phone call? What are you, Jake? A man? Or a mouse?”
“Alright, you asshole,” Jake said. “I’ll meet you, just as you said.”
“Good,” Ryan said. “And just so you know, if anything happens to me, my daughter, or Lisa, that dossier will get sent out to a hundred media outlets and more than a few federal agencies, not to mention your shareholders and board of directors. Along with pictures and video. Got it?”
“I got it,” Jake said, sighing.
The call ended, and Ryan looked at Lisa, who regarded him in shock.
“Were you serious about all that?” she asked.
“Absolutely,” Ryan said. “You don’t think I’ve been twiddling my thumbs all these years, do you?”
“I want to go with you,” she said.
“I don’t think that’s a very good idea,” he told her.
“I don’t care,” she said. “I have a right to face him as well.”
“I take it you didn’t know about all of this?” Ryan asked.
She shook her head. “No, I didn’t,” she said. “Not all of it, anyway. You really have evidence of all this?”
“Sure do,” Ryan said. “One call and it becomes public knowledge. Certainly won’t be very good for business.”
“That bastard,” she said quietly.
“You ready?” Ryan asked.
She nodded her head and stood up.
“Good. Let’s go. I’ll have Bob drive us over,” Ryan said. They walked out of the room together and went to Sarah’s room.
“Bob, I need you to drive Lisa and me over to an alley off Riverside,” Ryan said.
“What?” Bob asked.
“You do know the area?” Ryan asked.
“Of course I do, but are you sure?” Bob asked. “That’s a pretty rough neighborhood.”
“We won’t be there long,” Ryan said.
“What’s going on?” Sarah asked.
“Just going to clean up a loose end,” Ryan said. “Don’t worry, we’ll be back.”
“I love you, Daddy,” she cried out.
Ryan looked at her before he answered. It had been years since anyone had said that to him.
“I love you, too, princess,” he said. “Get some rest, we’ll be back.” They went to Bob’s car in silence and got in.
Bob started the engine and looked at Ryan. “What’s going on?” he asked. “Really?”
“Just a friendly little meeting,” Ryan said.
Bob didn’t believe him but decided it best not to press the issue. He put the car in gear and headed out. They saw Jake’s Jaguar parked beside the curb and pulled in behind it. After the vehicle stopped, Ryan looked around to see if Jake had posted any guards or snipers. Seeing none, he exited the car as Lisa and Bob did the same.
They walked into the alley and saw Jake leaning against a dumpster, his expensive jacket over his shoulder.
“Stay here,” Ryan told Bob. “Keep an eye out. And hold my hat.”
Bob took Ryan’s beat-up Stetson and stayed behind as Ryan and Lisa walked into the alley.
“Well, the cuckold returns from the grave,” Jake sneered. “I thought you were killed three years ago in the Middle East. Guess if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself.”
“Reckon so,” Ryan said.
Lisa stood off to the side and watched the two men interact.
“You know, I’m a third-degree black belt,” Jake said. “I’ve won a bunch of tournaments.”
“What do ya want, a medal or something to pin it on?” Ryan said.
Jake snickered. “A sense of humor, I see,” he said. “Good. If you think that was funny, check this out. You know the best part of seducing a married woman?”
“No, but I’m sure you’re gonna tell me,” Ryan said.
“Yeah,” Jake sneered. “The best part is knowing that she’ll be taking a sloppy old creampie back to her unsuspecting husband. That he’ll probably end up eating it out of her nasty cunt that very day or night.”
“So that’s all Lisa was to you, a cunt?” Ryan asked.
“She was the best piece of ass I’ve ever had,” Jake said. “I watched for six months as she slowly lost her love and respect for you. Then I talked to your daughter. Got her to go along with my little plan to fuck up your life.”
“So you just used them for your satisfaction,” Ryan said.
Jake shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah,” he said. “And you wanna know why? Because I could. And I’m still doing it. Sorry, Lisa, I didn’t mean to let it out of the bag like that. It was just sex, though. I still love you.”
“You fucking piece of shit,” she said.
“It’s not exactly a secret,” Ryan said.
“I guess not,” Jake said. “So, we gonna get this show of yours on the road, or are we just gonna stand around and jaw-jack all fucking day?”
“Let’s see what ya got,” Ryan said.
Jake sneered and assumed a fighting stance.
Ryan shook his head and snickered as Jake let loose with a kick that Ryan easily blocked.
“Boy, using that oriental martial arts bullshit on me is gonna get real fucking expensive,” Ryan said.
Jake snickered and came at Ryan, who was prepared since Jake telegraphed his move. Ryan was a blur, striking Jake in the throat, the solar plexus, and finally in the groin.
As Jake doubled over, Ryan picked him up and ran toward one of the brick walls that lined the alley. He heard the cracking of bones as Jake’s back came into contact with a large metal pipe that jutted out from the building.
Jake screamed out in pain as Ryan threw him on the ground.
He wasted no time, repeatedly kicking Jake as hard as he could in the crotch and the ribs. Jake doubled over in pain, and Ryan knelt on his throat, blocking Jake’s airway.
“I... can’t... breathe,” Jake gasped.
Ryan ignored him and began grinding his knee into the other man’s throat.
“Ryan, please stop,” Lisa cried. “You’re killing him.”
Ryan looked at her with his one good eye. “Yes. Exhilarating, isn’t it?” Ryan said with an evil glint in his eye. He looked back down and saw Jake’s face begin to turn blue. He took his knee off Jake’s throat and watched as he desperately gasped for air. Ryan knelt by Jake and whispered loud enough for Lisa to hear him.
Lisa gasped as she recoiled from her ex-husband. Who was this creature, and what did he do to the kind man she had once been married to?
“Our time is about up, Jake, old buddy,” Ryan growled. “But know this. If you ever raise a hand to Lisa, or if you ever do anything to hurt anyone in my family, I swear to God I will hunt you down like the dog you are, and I will cut your stupid fucking head off and feed it to the pigs. You understand me?”
“Yes,” Jake croaked.
“Yes, WHAT?” Ryan bellowed.
“Yes... sir,” Jake said. Ryan nodded his head.
“By the way,” Ryan added. “Parts of that dossier are being sent to the feds anonymously. The parts that involve your illegal transactions that is.”
“But you promised,” Jake croaked.
“So I told a little fib,” Ryan said. “You know all about that, don’t you? I couldn’t very well cover up illegal behavior. That would make me an accessory after the fact. You have a nice day now, you hear? Oh, and remember, I was never here.” Ryan stood and looked at Lisa.
“So, this is the piece of dog shit you and Sarah left me for,” he said, kicking Jake one more time in the groin. “I hope he was worth it. By the way, you may want to call an ambulance. I think he slipped on something.”
“A part of me wants to let him lay there and die,” she said. “But that would be wrong, wouldn’t it?”
Ryan shrugged his shoulders.
“I’ll call, but that’ll be the last thing I ever do for him. Maybe I’ll tell them he slipped on a banana peel,” Lisa said.
Ryan smiled. “You might as well take his Jag to the hospital,” Ryan said. “Somehow, I don’t think he’s gonna be in any shape to drive for a while.” He turned and walked away, taking his hat as he passed Bob.
“What now?” Bob asked as they walked to his car.
“There’s a Holiday Inn Express a couple blocks down the road,” Ryan said. “Take me there if you would, please.”
