Kidnapped Hearts (35 page)

“I
think someone’s pissed,” Steve stated.

Jake
had forgotten about Larry’s phobia. “He can’t stand mountain roads. He knows I
know this, so he’s bitch pouting. He’ll get over it.”

Wilson
knocked on Jake’s window. “The cabins are half mile up the road. How do you
want to proceed?”

Jake
opened his door, and
Wilson
stepped aside. “On foot.”

Steve
crossed to Larry’s window and knocked. “Come on, pansy ass.”

Larry
grunted and joined them.

They
jogged on the gravel road until the cabins came into view. Hiding behind trees,
Jake gave the orders.

He
tapped Larry’s shoulder and motioned for him to go check out the far cabin.
Larry left, and
Wilson
followed.

He
then gestured Steve to the first cabin. Steve headed for the barred up window.

****

Pamela’s
eyes widened. Steve was eyeballing her through the small window. She wanted to
run to him, but she held still. Charlene sat beside her with her head buried in
her hands. Jameson and Guido stood near the door, bickering. They were talking
so fast, she couldn’t make out their words. She did hear mention of the bearer
bonds and
The Warrior
.

Jake
was here. They were going to be rescued. Without moving, her eyes shifted
toward the window again. Steve was gone.

“What
the hell are you looking at?”

Pamela’s
lips smashed together. She prayed she didn’t give them away.

Jameson
walked to the window and peered out.

Charlene
gasped, and Pamela looked away from Jameson and saw Guido storming toward them.

He
grabbed Pamela by her hair and jerked her to her feet. Tears slid down her
face. How much more could she take before this ended?

****

Jake
waited behind a tree off to the side of the cabin for the other agents to
explore and report in.
Wilson
peeked in the window of the far cabin while Larry stood near the door with his
back pressed against the outer wall.

Wilson
lifted his hand waist high and gave him a thumbs up.
He had found Charlene’s son.
Then, he lifted one finger, followed
by laying his head against his palm.
Only
one man watched the child, and he was asleep
.

Now,
Jake needed to know what Steve saw. At the window, in the cabin in front of
him, Steve lifted two fingers then jabbed his fingers horizontally in the air.
The women were on the far wall.
Then, he
tapped his gun with the same two fingers and made a walking motion.
Two men were guarding them as they paced the
room.

Jake
nodded to the agents, first pointing at his eyes, then at theirs and holding up
three fingers, informing them to move on the count of three.

Jake
scooted to the door of the cabin with Pamela while Larry took position at the
door on the other cabin. Steve was armed and ready at the window, while
Wilson
was pointing his
gun through the other cabin’s window. Looking inside,
Wilson
slid his finger to his lips,
cautioning someone inside, then grabbed the gun with both hands.

Charlene’s
son must have seen him.

Jake
raised the first finger. His eyes darted at Larry and Wilson. Steve was now out
of sight. Steve would have to rely on Larry’s movements before acting.

The
second finger lifted, then the third. Larry busted the door on the far cabin,
and a gunshot pierced the air.

Simultaneously,
Jake threw his body against the door. The door fell in, and Jake stumbled. The
blow to his shoulder hurt like hell. He righted himself.

Guido
hauled Pamela to her feet and linked his arm around her neck, using her as a
human shield. “
The Warrior
.”

Glass
shattered then Steve yelled, “Don’t move!”

From
behind Guido, Jameson raised his hands, surrendering, but not the dark-eyed man
ready to kill. His eyes bored into Jake’s, despite the gun Jake aimed at his
forehead.

“Put the gun down,
Warrior
.” Guido pushed the gun into Pamela’s temple.

Larry
ran behind the cabin as Jake watched the first tear slide down her pretty face.

“Let
her go. Your beef is with me.”

“An
eye for an eye,” Guido sneered.

“The
hell it is.”

A
loud crash at the back of the cabin and Guido flinched. His gun moved off
Pamela. Wood bounced across the floor.

The
butt of Jake’s gun connected with Guido’s forehead. Guido stumbled, dropping
his gun and losing his grip. Pamela ran in the opposite direction.

Jake
rushed him, forcing the big man to the floor, then flipped him over hard. Jake
reached for his handcuffs as he twisted one of Guido’s hands behind his back,
using more force than necessary.
 

“Get
the fuck off me!” Guido yelled.

Steve
escorted Jameson through the opening Larry created. Larry nodded at Jake then
followed Steve.

Guido
bucked, catching Jake off guard. He dropped the cuffs and saw the blade appear
in Guido’s hand from his shirtsleeve.

Jake
flinched, but the blade nicked his arm as he moved out of reach.

Guido
jumped to his feet, the knife at his side. He lunged.

A
gun fired.

Guido
crumbled to the ground.

Jake
expected another agent, anyone other than the person he saw standing at the
door, holding a gun with one hand.

Steve
barreled around the corner, his expression mirroring Jake’s, one of utter
surprise. “You did it again?” Steve shot Jake a look. “When are you going to
stop having your woman fight your battles?”

Jake
ignored him and moved closer to Pamela. “Sweetie.” He slid the gun out of her
grasp. “Are you okay?”

Something
moving behind Pamela caught his eye. Charlene carried her boy as she walked
away with Agent Wilson. Jake sighed. The boy was okay. He focused back on
Pamela who seemed to have frozen in the spot. She blinked, and her eyes shifted
off the dead man to Jake. Slowly her face relaxed. “Call me Rambo.”

Jake
tugged her away from the cabin, away from the chaos, and pulled her to him.
“Nah, I’ll call you Mrs. Gibson,” he whispered in her ear.

****

His
words drifted over her like a warm blanket, and she snuggled against his chest,
as his arms reached around her, holding her close. She felt his strength to her
bones and knew if it hadn’t been for him being her rock these last several
days, she would not have been able to do what had to be done. The
encouragement, the love, no man compared to Jake.

She
eased her head back, looked into his baby blues, and her heart ached. The pull
of his gaze was so strong she wanted to touch him, but in front of people, she
could only place the palms of her hands on his face. A yearning strong enough
to knock the mightiest over, washed over her and tears stung. “Okay.”

A
tear trickled down his face a second before he claimed her lips.

****

From
her place on her favorite rock, Pamela pitched a stick into the
Rappahannock
River
for Willis then placed her hand on
her side. Her rib still hurt from fracturing it that awful day.

She
watched the black
Labrador
playing in the
water, as she had done every day for the last two months.

Willis
climbed out of the water and shook, spraying her. She smiled, bent, and wrapped
her arms around the dog, not caring she’d be wet with river muck and dog hair.

Her
cell rang, interrupting her moment.

“Hello.”

"Pamela,
it’s Mom.” Ever since the kidnapping, Vivian Wine called Pamela every couple of
days, different from previous years. Their relationship was on its way to
mending, but Pamela wanted to take it slow.

“Hi,
Mom.”

“Are you ready for the party?”

“Yes,
I’m leaving in a few minutes.” She sighed. “I hope Jake makes it. The last I
heard, his plane would be arriving late.”

Pamela
rested her palm on the rock and leaned backward. Willis joined her and
stretched across her stomach, his tongue drooping while he panted. “Phew, dog
breath.”

“Pardon?”

“No,
not you, Mom.” Pamela giggled. “Willis has bad breath.”

“Why
do you sound so down?”

Pamela
shrugged. “I’m afraid Jake won’t make it to his own engagement party. I haven’t
seen him, since a few days after the kidnapping.”

“Why
did he leave, dear? I know you’ve mentioned it, but you never gave me details.”

“He
had to resolve a couple of FBI cases. I hope this isn’t a habit. I like him
home with me.”

“Doesn’t
sound like he’s retired.”

Pamela’s
thoughts exactly.
Could she marry a man
who was being shot at all the time?
She cleared her throat, pushing away
the lump. “Ah, Mom, how are you doing?”

“I’m
okay. I’ve joined another club, keeping busy. I’m a widow at a young age. A widow
of a thief no less. Pamela, I wish I could be there today for you, but … will
your father’s new bride attend?”

“You
can say her name, Mom, and of course she will.”

“Marge
didn’t care for me.”

“That’s
not true. She didn’t appreciate it when you left Dad and me. Nobody did.”
Pamela’s voice raised a decibel.

“Let’s
change the subject.”

Pamela
blew out a breath. “Yes, that’s best. Bye, Mom.”

“Bye,
honey. I love you.”

Pamela
disconnected the call and scooted to the ground toward Willis who had jumped
back in the water. “Come on, boy. Get in your dog pen.”

Willis’
sad eyes looked at her. “See you shortly.” She patted his head and locked the
gate.

****

An
hour later, a freshly clean Pamela stood in front of The Memory Café’s bar
staring at a figurine, a Lladro, a man and woman standing next to a tree. She
looked around the café. It was eerily quiet.

“That’s
beautiful.”

Pamela
turned toward the voice. “Sue? Where is everyone?”

Sue
shrugged. The cat that ate the canary expression crossed her waitress’ face.

Pamela’s
stomach tightened. She prayed this wasn’t bad news and slid onto a barstool.
“Okay, what’s up?”

“How
are you doing, boss? Are you processing the kidnapping ordeal okay?”

Her
eyebrows scrunched. “Haven’t we talked about this?”

“Yes,
but you’ve seemed preoccupied lately. I wondered if you were having
flashbacks.”

Pamela’s
fingers gripped the edge of the bar. She had some, but her concern was if Jake
was okay. “I’m good. Thank you, Sue.”

Sue
tapped her fingers on the bar. “How’s Charlene?”

“She
and Henry are doing much better. Henry, Charlene, and her mother went on a much
needed vacation.”

“I’m
so glad.” Sue searched the interior of the café. “Did you know a group gathered
the day of your kidnapping?”

“Dad
told me. He didn’t give me any details.”

“While
we waited for word, I pulled the tables together in a circle. So everyone could
see one another.” Sue pointed to the center of the dining room. “Marge and your
Dad ran about like chickens with their heads cut off.” Sue’s face turned
thoughtful. “You know, I never seen such a large man shake before that awful
day.”

“Shake?”

“Oh
… I … uh … shouldn’t have mentioned it, but your Dad kept reassuring everyone
by telling them Jake and Steve would bring you home safe. He tried to persuade
himself more than anyone else.”

Not
able to speak past the lump in her throat, Pamela nodded.

Sue
stood and placed her hand on her shoulder. “I better head to the kitchen.”

“Sue—”

The
kitchen doors swung closed behind her.
What
is going on?

“The
man’s name is Jake, and the woman’s name is Pamela,” a deep familiar voice said
behind her.

Pamela’s
heart raced, and she twisted. The man she longed to see for the last two months
stood in front of her. Baby blues flashing, a wide grin, and a rose in his
hand.

Her
hand touched her chest, words escaping her along with tears.

“Pamela.”

He
handed her the rose, lifted her off the barstool by her waist, and held her to
him. “I’ve missed you.”

His
scent drifted under her nose, and she shut her eyes. “Jake,” she whimpered.

Lips
touched hers, and she never felt so hungry, so alive. He was back, but would he
stay? She eased away. “Jake, will you leave me again?”