No Mercy by Cheyenne McCray Read Free Book Online Page B

the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center?” she asked. He nodded, surprised she
    29

    ***
knew what FLETC was. “Christie said you work for the ICE division of the Department of Homeland
    Security now.”
    “I’ve worked for DHS ever since it was created in response to 9/11.” For a long time his own
    personal vendetta of avenging his father’s death had been pushed aside in his fury over the murders
    of over three thousand innocent Americans by the Islamic terrorist group, al-Qaeda. “I didn’t return
    to this area until 2011, after Osama bin Laden was final y taken out.”
    “And then what?” Belle looked and spoke in a way that told him she truly wanted to know. Yet at
    the same time the guilt she still felt in leaving was in her expression.
    “I transferred to Douglas’s ICE office when a position opened.” He’d been after his father’s
    murderers ever since, hitting one dead end after another. Al he knew was that Ben Curtis’s death
    was related to the Jimenez Cartel. Now that he was back and had the resources, it had been his
    mission to do everything he could do to take down the cartel.
    Belle seemed to realize he didn’t want to go into why he’d come back. No doubt she knew why.
    “How are Julie and Aspen?” The depth of caring she’d had for his mother and brother was clear in
    her voice. Belle had been close with his entire family.
    Thoughts of those days brought a lump to his throat as more memories poured through him. He
    could see in her expression that she was experiencing the same thing.
    Dylan held Belle’s gaze. “Mom remarried a couple of years ago to a rancher named Bill Petersen
    and they live in the valley. He’s a good guy.”
    “I’m so happy to hear that.” Belle’s smile was genuine. “And Aspen? Did he stay with Sally?”
    “They broke up not long after you left.” Just saying the words hurt. After you left. He cleared his
    throat. “Aspen is doing wel and works in Southern California for CBP.” When she looked like she
    wasn’t sure what CBP was, he added, “U.S. Customs and Border Protection.”
    Belle tilted her head to the side. “Does he get back to Bisbee often?”
    “Every month or two.” Dylan’s younger brother had graduated with the same degree and had
    trained at FLETC, too. “He’s been talking about transferring back here if something opens up.”
    Dylan didn’t give Belle a chance to ask him another question. Just as her lips parted, he shot
    her the question he’d wanted to ask for years. “What happened to you, Belle? Why did you leave?”

    ***
30
    ***

    Belle’s skin prickled as everyone at the table went completely silent and looked at her. She
    glanced down at the half-eaten slice of pizza on her plate before raising her eyes to meet everyone’s
    gaze.
    “I can’t tell you why I left.” Belle glanced from one friend to the next. “I wil tell you that it was
    bad, but I just can’t talk about it.”
    From Dylan’s harsh expression she could see he wanted to shout something like, “Bullshit.” She
    wanted to reach out to him, to hold his hands, to tell him how very sorry she was. She wanted to
    stroke the line of his jaw and somehow take away the tension.
    She pressed on. “I do want to say I’m so sorry for all the worry I caused you all. I never meant
    to do that. To be honest, it wasn’t well-planned, but once I realized I had to go, I had to get out of
    there.”
    “Your stepfather.” The words shot out of Christie’s mouth, startling Belle. “Harvey must have
    done something. He abused you.”
    Belle’s face heated as she looked away. She knew the moment she did it that it had been a
    mistake.
    “What did that sonofabitch do to you?” The growl in Dylan’s voice caused Belle to jump.
    She swallowed and looked at the stricken expressions on her friends’ faces. For a long time she
    couldn’t speak. Everyone remained quiet until she final y got the words out. “Harvey started
    physically and sexually abusing