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Chapter 1
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Greco sat in his vehicle, staring down at the envelope in his hand. Captain Kurt Martin had given it to him eight months ago. It was a letter to Kurt’s wife, Grace. Life in a combat zone was unpredictable, which Kurt knew all too well. They’d both watched too many soldiers shipped home in a body bag. Because of this, it wasn’t uncommon for a soldier to make a video or write a final letter to their loved ones back home. Just in case.
Most of the time, the letter was in the soldier’s personal effects. Their next of kin would discover it upon going through their loved one’s things. Kurt didn’t want that. He’d made Alexander promise that if anything should happen to him, Alexander would deliver the letter to Grace in person.
A chill raced down Alexander’s spine as he recalled the morning that had taken Kurt’s life and left Alexander with an injury that would end his military career. There had been an incident in a nearby village. They’d needed a doctor, so Alexander had loaded up his gear and joined the convoy heading out.
Everything was going as planned until they were packing up to leave. Someone yelled and then all hell broke loose. An IED exploded, sending him and several others flying. He hadn’t been hurt bad from that first explosion, but it had knocked the wind out of him. Before he could get up and move, however, another explosion hit. Debris began falling from all directions. He couldn’t move fast enough to get out of the way.
When the dust settled and the area secured, Alexander was pulled out of the rubble, his left leg crushed. A doctor who couldn’t stand for more than an hour at a time was of no use to the Army.
Kurt hadn’t been so lucky. One of the IEDs exploded right in front of him. He hadn’t stood a chance.
For ten years Alexander had been an army doctor. Over that time he’d lost soldiers—men and women he considered friends. It was par for the course in a war zone. But nothing had prepared him for losing Kurt, a man he considered his brother.
Alexander closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose to keep the tears at bay. Kurt was gone, along with six others in their squad.
An SUV drove past, the driver sending him a curious look. He’d been sitting in the same spot for twenty minutes with the windows rolled down letting in the breeze. Even so, the sun was beating down on his car.
Releasing a loud breath, he folded the envelope and tucked it into his shirt pocket before rolling up the windows and climbing out of the vehicle. His leg throbbed a little as he stood. He waited for it to subside as his body adjusted to the new position.
A car door slammed down the street followed by the sound of a kid laughing. Alexander shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. After locking up the car, he crossed the street to the address he’d been given. He needed to keep his wits about him and not get distracted. He had a promise to keep.
Alexander ascended the steps of the beige two-story house. It had taken him over a month to locate Grace. By the time Alexander was released from the hospital and gotten his discharge papers, she was no longer living at the address Kurt had given him. She’d happened to mention to one of her neighbors that she was going home to be close to family. From his conversations with Kurt, he knew Grace was from St. Louis. That narrowed it down, but St. Louis was a big city. It had taken time and the help of a private investigator to finally locate her.
A wide porch ran the width of the house, but aside from an empty clay pot, it was bare. And although the yard was neat and well kept, it didn’t look as if she spent much time outside. There were no flowers planted, no chairs or lawn ornaments.
He took in every detail, memorizing it. Alexander knew he was stalling. He also knew it wasn’t going to get any easier the longer he put it off, and he owed it to Kurt. He’d given his word.
The sound of his knuckles against the old wood door bounced off the semi-enclosed space. He shifted his weight even though he knew it would do nothing to ebb the discomfort he was feeling. Or prepare him for facing his brother’s widow.
Several minutes went by and no one came to the door. He was about to give up when he heard the sound of the deadbolt being unlocked. The door creaked open a few inches, and the small chain made a clinking sound as it moved and stretched. It was dark inside the house compared to the brightness outside, so the only thing he could see was a stray lock of blond hair.
“Can I help you?” a timid voice asked.
“Hello. I’m looking for Grace Martin. I was told she lived here.” He used his most soothing doctor voice—the one he employed when he had to deliver bad news to a patient.
The woman on the other side of the door didn’t respond. Maybe the private investigator had been wrong. Maybe Kurt’s widow didn’t live there.
“My name is Alexander Greco. I served with her husband and I was hoping to speak with her. I can come back if she’s not home.” His words trailed off as he heard the chain being released and the door opened wider.
“What did you say your name was again?” The woman’s voice was a little stronger this time.
“Alexander Greco, ma’am. I was a doctor at the forward operating base where Grace’s husband, Kurt, was stationed.” He paused, his memories pulling him in a direction he didn’t want to go. “We used to go on our morning runs together.”
The woman opened the door wide, letting him get his first real glimpse of her. She was dressed in jeans and a faded Army T-shirt. He’d seen a picture of Kurt’s wife. She was beautiful. The woman in front of him wore no makeup and had her hair pulled up in a messy ponytail. It didn’t matter. Grace Martin was still stunning.
She tugged at the bottom of her shirt. “You served with Kurt.” This time it wasn’t a question.
“Yes, ma’am.” Alexander wondered if Kurt had mentioned him to her. From the change in her features, he was assuming he had.
Grace glanced over his shoulder and furrowed her brow as though she were deep in thought. “Would you like to come in?”
“If it wouldn’t be any trouble.”
She stepped back, allowing him to enter.
The inside of the house was much as he imagined. She was probably renting, which explained the stark white walls and lack of pictures.
