Rescuing Christmas (5 page)

Jamie nodded and stood there while Chris pulled on a pair of latex gloves and stripped Jamie down before shoving him into the shower. When Jamie was done, he stepped out of the shower and into a towel being held by Chris who wrapped him up in it and helped him dry off.

Chris said, “This really isn’t the time or place, but I wanted to let you know, I found out what happened to the letters I have been writing to you over the years.”

Jamie turned around and faced Chris and said, “I really don’t care Chris. I just really don’t care anymore. You…” Here he halted seeing the look on Chris’s face and hurried to reassure him and said, “You have always loved me and I have always loved you. Those letters don’t matter anymore. Maybe it is the adrenaline or the fear speaking, but I want you. I want you in my life, the way you talked about two weeks ago. I want you as my partner, my lover, my husband, whatever. I don’t care what you call it, I want you there. Can you do that for me?”

Chris reached out and grabbed a naked, still partially wet Jamie and pulled him to his body all but crushing the other man against him. “Whatever you want Jamie, it’s yours. I am yours. Do you understand that? I have always been yours, and will forevermore be yours.” He then brought their lips together in a punishing kiss and it was only when someone knocked on the door that he pulled back, and stared into his eyes. “What is it?” he called out.

The nurse who had shown them to the room said, “Jamie’s mother is out of surgery now and the doctor said she can receive visitors.”

Jamie said, “Thank you!”

They waited until she had walked away from the door before Jamie turned back into Chris and his heated crushing embrace and said, “I love you Chris Anderson. Always have and always will. Now, get me to my mother.”

Chris groaned and said, “Man this is not fair. You are going to have to give me a minute you know. You standing here in my arms completely naked and pressed against me has caused me some difficulties. Get dressed while I go splash some cold water on my face.”

As he walked away Jamie reached out and grabbed his ass and squeezed it forcing Chris to stop and growl. Then Chris resumed his forward momentum to the sink so he could splash some cold water on his face while Jamie got dressed.

When he was fully dressed and Chris had dried his face off, the two left the room. Chris deposited the evidence bags with Deputy Smith who was waiting for them and instructed him to get them back to the precinct. With that done they followed the nurse down the hall and through a set of doors. Jamie was given a visitor badge from the security guard behind the desk and they proceeded on to the room where his mother was recovering.

She was sitting upright alert and smiling at the doctor who appeared to be flirting with her.

Jamie cleared his throat and his mother and the doctor both jumped. When the doctor turned around they recognized him instantly, it was Doctor Hughes.

“Ahhh, Mr. McCormick, it is nice to see you again, though I am sorry it has to be under these circumstances. I was told that you were not hurt at all?”

Jamie shook his head, “Well that is good. Your mother did not even have to be put under for the surgery, so we just gave her a local anesthetic and removed the bullet. It was barely lodged into her upper arm.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic sleeve which he handed to Chris.

Chris held it up to the light and said, “We can't be certain at this point but it appears to be the same caliber we recovered from other victims. I'd bet this year's salary that it also matches the same type of rifle used at your bar Jamie.”

Jamie shuddered as he moved to his mother’s bedside to grab her good hand. Squeezing it she said, “Now don’t you worry about me Jamie. I am doing just fine and will be out of here in a couple of hours. My bodyguard got me to the floor and the bullet went through his hand and into my arm. He is in the next room over being treated right now. We already talked and he is moving me to a safe-house and he recommends that you go there too.”

Chris smiled and said, “Your son is coming home with me Mrs. McCormick. I am not letting him out of my sight again until these maniacs are caught.”

Jamie looked up at Chris and opened his mouth to protest but his mother squeezed his hand again and said, “Well that is very good. Thank you for looking after him Chris. And you might as well start calling me Mom if I am reading this situation correctly.”

Chris leaned over and kissed her forehead and said, “Okay Mom. Your boy is safe with me and nothing will happen to him on my watch.” His phone rang then and he excused himself and stepped into the hallway. Doctor Hughes had already stepped out of the room when none of them were paying attention.

Jamie looked down at his mother and said, “What was that all about?”

His mom said, “You know that man loves you, don’t you? He always has loved you and I know you love him.”

Jamie said, “Oh I know he does and he knows that I love him as well. I already told him as much. In fact, we have decided to make it official, whatever that means for the moment.”

She grinned at him and before she could open her mouth to speak again Chris came back inside the room with a grim smile on his face.

“We got Kelly. She didn’t come peacefully and was shot in the process. Before she died in the ambulance on the way here, she admitted to being the one to shoot up the diner. Marge and Tyson on the other hand are still in the wind. The State Police just arrived at my precinct so I need to get down there.” He looked at Jamie and said, “Say goodbye to your mother. She will have two State Police officers escorting her and her bodyguard to a safe-house to recover and you are coming with me. The State Police are trying to take over this investigation and they want to take you into protective custody as well but I just told their boss off on the phone. He isn’t happy and is demanding to see us both right now.”

Jamie stood up, kissed his mother on the forehead and said, “I love you, Mom. Be careful and do what they tell you to do. I have some asshole cops to take care of it looks like.” With that he stormed out the door and Chris followed behind after saying a quick goodbye to Mrs. McCormick.

Chris caught up with Jamie quickly and said, “Now you just let me do the talking Jamie. Don’t go making this any more difficult than it has to be.”

Jamie said nothing as he climbed into the Sheriff’s Jeep that was parked outside in the ambulance bay. Chris said nothing more as he started the engine and headed to the precinct. When they got there, there was a flurry of activity around the station and uniformed officers from the state were rushing around inside and outside.

Chris and Jamie walked in and saw the officers trying to take over Chris stuck his fingers into the corners of his mouth and let out a shrill whistle that caught everyone’s attention. A pompous looking man in a suit marched up to them and asked, “Are you Jamie McCormick?” while looking right at Jamie.

Jamie nodded and the man grabbed him by the arm and said, “You are going into protective custody whether you like it or not.”

Jamie yanked his arm out of the man’s grip and said, “If you ever touch me again, I will personally put a bullet in your skull, fucking cop or not you don't have the right to manhandle me. Have I made myself clear? I am going into protective custody, but not with your people and definitely not with you, you arrogant asshole.”

Jamie turned around and raised his voice and said, “And the rest of you motherfuckers can get your sorry asses up and move back the fuck away from the desks and tables. You need to wait until Sheriff Anderson here tells you what to do. I have had a VERY bad few weeks and at this point, I am out of patience. You are here to help catch two fucking killers. You are not here to move in and take over like you’re a bunch of douchebag federal officers out of a TV show. Chris is in charge here and I only answer to him, not to any of you. This is HIS precinct, and it is his town, so you can all fuck right the fuck off.” He turned back to the asshole who had grabbed him, pushed him out of the way and said, “Now, if any of you would like to speak to me, you can clear it through Chris first, then come ask me. In the meantime, I will be sitting at his desk and I am not saying another goddamned word to a single one of you arrogant piece of shit assholes.”

Jamie stormed over to Chris’s desk, sat in the chair in front of it and glared at all the stunned State Police officers in the building who were all just staring at him in open mouthed shock. When they all continued standing there he yelled, “ARE YOU ALL FUCKING DEAF?”

That startled all of the officers into action. They grabbed their stuff and moved to the front of the precinct where they stood there staring at Chris waiting for him. The officer who had grabbed Jamie said, “I don’t give a shit who you are you little fairy queen, but you threatened to kill a State Police Officer and now you are trying to give orders to my people?” He turned and faced his officers and pointed at one of them and said, “Harrison, arrest this little faggot and throw this so called Sheriff out. Take his gun and badge too. I am relieving him of his duty.”

Before anyone could move Chris had grabbed the man, spun him around and handcuffed him. “You little prick, if you ever touch my husband again, I will personally give him my gun and let him shoot you in the fucking head. Now I am placing you under arrest for assault and battery.” The officer started screaming obscenities at Chris who finally had had enough of him, turned him around and belted him in the mouth. As he stood there holding his jaw Chris shoved him into the arms of Deputy Smith who dragged him off to the cells and a minute later they could hear the cell door slamming shut.

Chris turned and faced the rest of the State Police Officers and said, “Does anyone else want to join him?”

They all shook their heads and Harrison stepped forward and said, “I would never have done any of what he asked just then. He’s a fucking prick and none of us like him. In fact, thank you for what you did because now we have what we need to get him fired. It has been a long time coming, but back home no one would ever stand up to him that was of a high enough rank to do something. That really tied our hands when it came to taking him down.” He looked around as the rest of the men and women all nodded and said, “Now, how can we help you? We are here after all to help you with manpower so you can catch these people. But I thought it was three people. Did you guys already get one?”

Chris nodded and moved straight into Sheriff mode. “Yes, we got Kelly Haskell, the sister to Tyson Haskell and daughter to Marge Turner. She didn’t go quietly and is now in the morgue.”

Chris took a deep breath and said, “Okay, let's start at the beginning. I'm Sheriff Chris Anderson, just call me Chris please. Now, I want two and three man teams out patrolling, searching and questioning people. I want no stone in this town left unturned. The pictures of our targets are in boxes over there on the counter at the front. Be careful out there though, they are armed and dangerous.

Jamie tuned him and everything out as he decided to just doze off and wait.

Finally, Chris shook him awake and said, “Okay hon, let’s get out of here. I am going to take you home and get you settled in. I need to get out there and help find these two before anything else happens. I will leave you with an officer and another bodyguard. I want to be there with you, but as I just arrested their CO, I have several things I need to handle.”

Jamie nodded and stood up stretching. When he looked around he saw that the station was mostly empty as the officers had all left to go start their manhunt. Only a few remained behind and one of them approached him and held out his hand.

Jamie shook his hand and the man said, “Hey Jamie. I am Officer Gerald Carmichael, just call me Gerry though. I am going to be with you and your new bodyguard at the Sheriff’s house for now. We will be taking it in turns guarding you until we catch Tyson and Marge.”

Jamie smiled and said, “Thank you Gerry. I really appreciate all of this, and please forgive me for my earlier words and actions. I am about at the end of my rope here.”

Gerry shrugged and said, “No need. He had it coming and I already called the Chief. He has been fired and is being held in custody and will be remanded back home to stand trial for assault and battery. He won’t serve time most likely, but he will be in a lot of trouble.”

Chris slipped his hand into Jamie’s and together the two walked out of the precinct followed closely by Gerry. They climbed into two separate vehicles and drove to a small one-bedroom house on the outskirts of town. When they pulled up Jamie laughed. In fact, he was so tired and stressed it took him several minutes to get his near hysterical laughter under control.

Finally, he calmed down enough to answer the questioning looks on Chris and Gerry’s faces as they stood in the small front yard. “This is my house. I own it. I didn’t know it was you I had rented it to.” He turned to face Chris and said, “Good grief. We really need to get your stuff moved into my place.”

Chris shrugged and said, “Not today and not until we catch Marge and Tyson.”

Gerry said, “Wait a minute, I thought you said he was your husband?”

Chris laughed and said, “Well he isn’t. The whole story is very long and sordid. I am sure Jamie can fill you in on all the details once you are inside and safe.”

Chris stopped fiddling with the keys in his hand when Jamie used a Master Key to open the lock and smirked at him. Chris grumbled under his breath, “Ass.”