Hero Mine (3B Hero Series) Book 3

Chapter 34

**** Charity sat in the livingroom as she held the letter to her heart. 'Eli, I miss you so much."

Slowly she opened the crisp white envelope and removed the yellow lined paper. As she unfolded the letter she could almost smell his clean, outdoors scent envelope her. Written in his neat cursive was Eli's letter to the woman he loved.

 Charity, Hey babe.

I gave this to Drina for safe keeping. If she gave it to you, it's because I'm gone and she feels you're ready.

First of all I want you to know that I loved you and Michael so much. You have meant more to me than anyone and I value every moment we have had together. You are an incredibly smart, capable and strong woman, more so than you think. I want you to know, to really understand that I will always love you with every thing that I am. The thought of you kept me warm on those long cold nights on deployment. Thank you for always being there for me. I'm sorry I never took the chance to tell you that.

I also want you to understand that my investigation in this case is something that I had to do. As you know in war, there are those soldiers that while valuable, are expendible so that others can continue on to find the true enemy and bring the war to an end. I am the expendible soldier in this case. I don't know why I was the one to discover the mafia here and their plans. The more information I came across the closer I had to go inside for the evidence that the Sheriff and State's Attorney will need to prosecute.
Unfortunately, I'm afraid that my subterfuse has been discovered and that a contract has been put out on me. This is why I put space between us, to keep you and Michael safe.

Charity, baby I want you to go on with your life. I don't want you to be alone, to raise Michael alone. You have so much love to give and you deserve so much more than I could ever give you. I want you to live the life I never will. I know that you will tell Michael about me and how very much I love him. Please tell him also that I will always be with him. If he ever wants to feel close to me just look to Apple Tree Hill. I'll be proudly standing guard with Brett Sr. and Brody, I'll be in good company and I'll be watching over you and our son.

Charity, know that I am never far away. All you have to do is think of me, and I'm right there with you. Look after Kyle for me, he will feel that he failed me and by doing so failed you. Don't let him dwell on this, I agreed to infiltrate the mafia for the State's Attorney, to gain evidence, I did this of my own free will because of my training and to protect all the people I love. KB needs you more than he will want to admit. Take care of each other baby, give Mikey a hug for me everyday.

Please, don't close yourself off to another relationship. I don't want you to be alone. I know that you love me but I also know that if I had not been here you and KB would have gotten together. He always loved you, but stepped aside because we were in love. I don't know a better man and I have never had a better friend. Don't be afraid to let yourself love him, babe. If you examine your feelings, you'll find that there is a part of you that loves him too. That's ok, I would feel better knowing you were with him and that you were being taken care of. Let yourself be happy sweetheart, no one deserves it more. I love you, please don't think harshly of me.

I love you all.

                    Forever Yours,
                   
                           Eli

***

Kyle threw himself to the side and roled for cover just before the bullet slammed into the snow covered ground where he been. 'Those eyes. What is it about her eyes? I know I've seen them somewhere before.'

Kyle lay a soothing hand on Pan's head. Her large teeth were bared, and her hackles were raised. She wanted - needed to protect him at the risk of her own life, only her supreme training kept her at his side. He felt the vibration of her near slient snarls run up his arm. He looked down at his longtime partner, who lay next to him, tense, ready.

Kyle was about to shush her when he heard the sound of a twig breaking less than twenty feet from their position.

"Is the big bad Sheriff too scared to come out and play?" A mocking female voice called out.

Kyle checked his pistal out of habit. The magazene was full, with one in the chamber, yet something felt wrong. Who was this woman? He knew he had seen her somewhere before, but where.

"Come out, come out, Where ever you are. Oh well," Her voice changed and became sly and menacing.  "Or.... I can always go play with Michael."

Kyle felt a chill run down his spine, almost as if someone had taken an ice cube and slid it down his back. The sound of her evil giggle caused a knot in his gut.

"Oh come, come, Sheriff Kyle. It's too far to just leave me out here....all alone....in the cold. My brother would do that. Gabriel wouldn't leave his girlfriend unprotected."

Shock slapped Kyle in the gut. 'Brother, Gabriel. She's Bricks sister. Sadie.' Then it all made sense. Sadie, the babysitter. 'Why didn't I see it before? It was right there in plain veiw for all to see.'

Sadie smiled as she mounted her snowmobile, keeping her weapon steadily pointed at him. "Well, I would love to stay and play, but I have an appointment with my people."

Kyle stood at the sound of the motor, and stepped out from behind the large oak. He had looked her dead in the eyes as she smiled coldly at him. Those eyes. They were dead. There was no humanity left in her. Sadie aimed her rifle and fired, but to his surprise she missed. He was about to return fire when the sound of a horse in pain caught his ears,

'No! She didn't!' He tuned to watch his horse Zeus stumble and lower himself to the ground. His breathing was hard and heavy. Kyle glared at the women who grinned, enjoying his pain and incredulity before taking off on the snowmobile.

Kyle ran to the stallion to survey the damage. He dropped to his knees to study the wound, he already knew what he had to do. Kyle closed his eyes as the guilt racked him. He pushed the pain of loss away and looked his old friend in the eyes,

"Oh Zeus, I am so sorry."

The stallion made no sound, but Kyle saw the love and understanding in his large brown eyes. How he wished he didn't have to do this, but she had deliberately shot him in the lung, he was drowning in his own blood and they were too far from a vet. He couldn't - wouldn't allow this magnificent animal to suffer any further. Kyle felt tears running down his face as he stood and took aim with his rifle. He Pan whined and leaned against his leg, giving support in her own way.

Kyle closed his eyes for a moment before squeezing the trigger. "Good bye my old friend."

***

Sadie laughed maniacally as the sound of rifle fire echoed off the mountains. She knew the Sheriff had no means to get back to the ranch now except by foot. So by the time he got there it would all be over.

She pulled a cellphone from a front pocket of her parka and dialed. The phone was answered on the third ring.

"Da?'

"It's time. It's time for all of you to move on the ranch....now. The Sheriff will call my brother for help." She said with a smile.

"A hah maschet detey?'
(What about the kids?)

Sadie grinned, "Keep them all alive, we need them for bait. Gabriel will be willing to pay anything for their safe return."

She snapped the phone shut and returned it to her pocket, smiling.