Kidnapped Hearts (31 page)

She shifted her eyes to Jake sitting on
the floor, fresh blood dripping from his shoulder.
He was shot
. Tears filled her eyes. She swallowed and looked back
at the man glaring at her.

“Get the fuck in here,” Sanjar snapped.

She shook her head, her hand shaking as
she kept the gun pointed at Sanjar’s chest.

Jake shifted uneasily on the floor. “Get
out of here, Pamela.”

Tears leaked down her face.
No.
“I’m done running.” She squeezed the
trigger. The bullet hit its target, and Sanjar stumbled, immediately regrouped,
and pointed his gun at her.

Jake lunged, throwing his body against
Sanjar. They flew out the window.

Pamela ran down the steps and out the
door. “Jake!” Sanjar’s body sprawled out on the deck. Bile rose to her throat.
As much as she hated to see someone dead, he deserved it. The son of a bitch!
She dodged the body and leaned over the railing. “Jake!” The light from the
tower lit the deck, but not too far into the water. Quickly, she skimmed the
other body on the deck, not trying to look too hard, but looking long enough to
make sure it wasn’t Jake.

No, she couldn’t lose him. Not after
everything. “No!” Her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest.

“Pamela.” She whipped around. Steve was
climbing up the ladder.

“It’s Jake. He’s in the water!” Pamela’s
voice shook as she pointed the gun in the direction he had fallen. “That guy
and Jake fell out the window.”

“Larry’s got him. They’re in the boat.”

“Boat?” Her eyebrows shot up, and she
pinched her lips.

“We had to paddle our way back. Got this
Zodiac off a guy who was night fishing. Someone sank our boat.”

“Ja-akkke’s on it?” Pamela looked over
the side to see the inflatable boat. It was too dark.

He smiled. “Yeah, he’s there.” Steve slid
the gun from her grip.

She rushed to the ladder and stopped. “I
don’t think I can climb down it. I barely had the strength to pull the
trigger.”

It was Steve’s turn to lift his eyebrows.
“Who did you shoot?”

She pointed at Sanjar.

Steve started laughing, then it turned
into a full-fledged deep stomach roar. More laughing came from below.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

Steve touched her arm. “Of all the trained
people who wanted to shoot that son of bitch, you’re the one to do it. My
sister. I’m so proud of you.” He squeezed her to him. “Come on; let’s get you
to the boat.”

Like Jake, Steve easily helped Pamela
down the ladder and to the boat, but it wasn’t as fun as having Jake behind her
helping her on every rung. They reached the boat and with Larry’s help, she sat
beside a pale-faced Jake without tipping the boat.

Jake held a cloth to his wound. His eyes
flashed on hers. “My hero.” He grinned.

Larry put a sling around Jake’s arm and
tied it around his neck.

Pamela leaned into him. “Thank goodness,
you’re okay.”

“I am now that you’re beside me.”

The same emotion that bounced around
inside her was expressed in his words. They were alive and together. She eased
against his side. “I can’t believe I killed someone.”

“It’s not your first time.”

She shifted away from him and met his
eyes. “What?”

“The guy in the mansion, near the ship,
that was yours too.”

“You said you had shot him.”

“I know, but you were so upset, I didn’t
want to burden you with the truth.”

“And you don’t think I’m upset now?”

“No, you’re pretty much numb.”

That made sense. She knew she’d killed
someone and didn’t like it, but he wasn’t a good person. He would have hurt a
lot more people if he had lived. At that moment, she understood Jake, Steve,
and even Larry’s job and the rush they must have felt in helping others. “I
understand.” She curled back into his chest.

“I figured you would.” He cuddled her
close. “I love you, Pamela.”

She smiled, ignoring Steve’s frown and
Larry’s grin. “I love you, too. I have a flying squirrel position to show you.”

Jake chuckled. “After my poison ivy
disappears.”

****

Pamela walked into her townhouse and
slumped onto the couch. A day later, after returning to
Fredericksburg
, she finally walked inside her
house. Jake, on the other hand, would be in the hospital for a few more days.
She couldn’t wait to get him home. A smile crossed her face. That sounded good.

“You’re chipper for all the crap you just
went through,” Celine said, placing a glass of iced tea on the coffee table in
front of Pamela. The ice sparkled from the sun seeping in through the window.

“I am.” She sipped the tea. “This whole
fiasco is behind me, and I’m excited to see if this thing—”

“Thing?” Celine’s eyebrows narrowed.

“Zing, then.”

Celine’s expression didn’t change.

“Whatever’s going on between Jake and
me,” Pamela added.

The backdoor opened and closed, and the
smell of grilled hamburgers drifted in, making her stomach growl. Steve cooked
good hamburgers.

Celine sat down on the couch beside her
and patted Pamela’s thigh. “There’s a good chance he’ll leave. He’s not the
type of guy to hang around.”

Her pained look unnerved Pamela. She was
wrong. Jake wouldn’t leave, not after he’d told her he loved her. She relaxed
on the couch and shook her head. “No, you’re wrong.”

Celine cleared her throat. “Pamela—”

“Let it go, Celine.” Steve’s curt tone
cut off Celine’s words. He set a plate of food on the coffee table in front of
each of them, then sat on the loveseat across from the couch.

The room remained quiet as Pamela ate for
the first time in over twenty-four hours.

The doorbell rang, and Paul walked in,
followed by Marge and her father.

Pamela set her hamburger back on her
plate and straightened. She received a kiss on the cheek from Paul, then stood
and closed the distance between Marge and her. She held her friend close, as
tears fell down her face when a tremor ran through Marge’s body, Pamela cried
harder.

The same had happened last night when her
dad arrived at the hospital.

Donald rubbed her and Marge’s backs, and
they separated. Pamela slipped into her father’s arms and rested her cheek on
his chest. “I’m so tired, Daddy.”

A sob escaped her burly farther. “I know,
baby girl.”

She eased back, wiping her eyes. “Have
you heard if Mom’s going to be released this evening? Before I left there was
talk of it.”

“They let people leave so quickly
nowadays.” Marge sighed and sat down beside Steve.

“No, she’ll be there a few more days.
Something about some blood work they want to keep an eye on.”

“It’s so sad about her husband,
Nicholas,” Marge said.

“I’d never thought he was a thief,”
Pamela said.

“Pamela, that’s because he lied to Vivian
the first time she met him. I swear, I think I’ll run anyone’s social security
number who comes within five feet of this family,” Steve grumbled.

Pamela smiled. She knew the family Steve
was referring to, their makeshift one. She wondered if he would still let her
boy toy join.

As if Steve read her mind, he said, “Too
soon,” then turned to Marge. “Do Donald and you want something to eat?”

“No dear, Donald and I just came back
from a terrific dinner.” Marge faced Pamela. “Dear, we have some wonderful
news.”

Pamela and Donald sat on the couch beside
Celine, Pamela leaning against him. “Yeah?” She looked up at her father,
waiting for him to explain.

Donald cleared his throat. “I should have
talked to you first, but I couldn’t wait, and it just came out.” He hesitated.

Celine gasped, and Pamela followed her
line of vision.

The sparkle of the rock was much larger
than the gleam that came from the ice. “
Ohmygod
.”
Pamela’s hand covered her mouth. “Finally!”

Donald and Marge laughed. Pamela embraced
her father, then moved to Marge and with one arm gently hugged her. “No more
pretending for me. It’s official now. You’re my mom.”

“Well, one of them. Always have been.”
Marge’s face glowed. Still, something was missing. Jake needed to be here. She
wanted him to share this with her.

“Got any more hamburgers?” Paul asked,
heading into the kitchen, not waiting for an invitation.

“On the table. Iced tea and soda are in
the fridge,” Steve said, around a mouthful of food.

Back on the couch, Pamela smiled at her
dad. “I’m happy for you.”

“Me too, baby girl. I think I can put up
with her.” They laughed and looked at Marge who had closed her eyes.

“I’d better get her home. I’ve worn her
out.” He kissed Pamela’s cheek and crossed to Marge where Steve was already
helping her off the couch. Steve kissed Marge’s cheek and shook Donald’s hand.
“Congratulations.”

“Thank you, son, and thank you for taking
care of my daughter.”

“I only did a small part. Jake’s the
one.”

Donald sent Pamela a sideways glance.
“Yes, I believe he is.”

“I’m happy,” she smiled.

Marge sighed. “I’m sorry, I’m so worn
out.”

“That’s okay.” Pamela patted her arm
affectionately. She was wiped out too.

Donald shook Paul’s hand and kissed
Celine on the cheek. “Take care of my baby girl.”

“I will and congratulations.” Celine
smiled.

The four of them watched Pamela’s dad and
future stepmother walk down the sidewalk toward the car. “Everything is the way
it’s supposed to be. Almost.” The three of them looked at Pamela.

“Got something you need to tell us?” Paul
asked as his eyebrow lifted. At least his gaze wasn’t narrowed like Steve’s.

Briing.
Briing
.

“I’ll get it,” Celine said before Pamela
had a chance to react.

Pamela turned her attention back to Paul.
“Nope.”

“Keep it that way,” Steve grumbled and
walked back to the loveseat.

“He’s taking this big brother act too
far, Paul.”

Paul tucked his chin. “You’re telling me
that’s an act.”

She rubbed her cast-covered shoulder.
“Maybe not.”

“Charlene’s on the phone for you,
Pamela.” Celine handed her the portable. “I’ll get your pain medicine.”

A few minutes later, Pamela ended the
call and sank onto the couch, feeling like she was in a daze. “Charlene said
everything was going well, but she really needs me to come in tonight.”

Steve leaned forward, his arms on his
knees. “Why?”

“Something about the money? I really
didn’t catch what she was saying. I’m too exhausted to think.”

Celine handed Pamela her meds and tea.
“Want me to take care of it?”

Pamela swallowed and shook her head. “No,
I’ll go in the morning.”

“I have a flight out in two hours. I’d
better get going.” Steve shook Paul’s hand. “Tell Jake I hope he’s better
soon.”

Paul nodded. “I will.” He held Steve’s
hand tighter. “You know, he’s one of the good guys.”

Steve cut his eyes to Pamela, then back
to Paul. “Maybe. Gotta go.” After a peck on Pamela’s cheek, then Celine’s, he
left.

“I’m beat. I’m going to bed,” Pamela said
around a yawn.

“I’ll clean up, then sleep in the guest
room. Do you need any help getting into your pajamas?” Celine asked.

Pamela hadn’t broken her shoulder as
Steve had thought, but her humerus just above her elbow. Now, her arm was bent
at the elbow and covered in plaster. She had to wear it several weeks, so she
might as well get used to changing her clothes on her own. She’d have to cut
the armholes out of a couple shirts and pajama tops. “I’m good.”

“I’m sacking out on the couch. We’ll go
see Jake in the morning.” Paul grabbed a pillow and blanket from the closet.

“Thanks, guys.” Pamela climbed the
stairs, wishing Jake were there.

Chapter
Twenty-Six

Paul rounded the curb, drove up, braking
with a slide of the tires in front of The Memory Café.

This morning, Pamela and Paul had visited
Jake, and then, her mother. The coloring in Jake’s face was much better than
yesterday, and the doctors said he should be released within a day or two.

Vivian was another matter. Her white
blood cell count was elevated. And until they figured out why, her stay would
be extended.

Paul opened the Jeep door for her, and
she slid out. “I’ll be back at one o’clock to take you home.”