Sealed In Lies (38 page)

“
Being married to you makes it a no-brainer, Warren. I’d rather die a runaway hostage then return to being a prisoner with you.” Blood was dripping from Caroline’s arm and the pain was excruciating, but she willed herself to remain upright. She was not going to die on her knees begging for her life.

“
Well, Caroline, it looks as if you will get your wish.”

Warren raised the pistol and pointed it straight at Caroline’s forehead.

“
Drop it Walters!” The shout came from the doorway of the barn and Caroline nearly wept with relief. Jack stood pointing his Glock at Warren. His face went pale when he saw Caroline was bleeding.

“
Caroline, back away from him, slowly. Don’t get close enough for him to grab you.”

Caroline did as she was told. She held her bleeding arm close to her side and backed away, one step at a time. Warren didn’t seem to notice her back away, as the shock of seeing Jack alive registered on his face. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped, but he recovered quickly.

“
Weaver, you are supposed to be dead.” Walters shouted, moving the pistol from Caroline to Jack.

“
I’m like a cat Warren. I’ve got nine lives.”

“
You just lived your last one, Weaver.”

Jack saw what Warren was about to do and shouted, “Caroline, Duck!”

Caroline dropped to her knees instinctively and then everything moved in slow motion. Jack and Warren fired simultaneously. The shots cracked so loud that they deafened Caroline. She could swear that in those few seconds she could see both bullets traveling through the thick Florida air. Warren’s shot struck Jack in the chest and spun him around. Caroline screamed and without thinking of the pain in her shoulder or the gun aimed at her back ran to him. All she saw was her Jack go down in the dirt.

She scrambled up to him and screamed at the sight of blood staining the front of his shirt. “No, no, no, no. Jack, talk to me. It’s going to be okay. Stay with me.”

She picked up his head and cradled it in her lap. His eyes were open and he was still breathing. Oh God, please don’t let him die, she prayed.

Apparently Warren was hit but he was still on his feet. He backed up against the trunk of the tree and blood was staining the upper arm of his white shirt. Caroline swore. Of all the shots Jack had ever fired why did his aim have to be off on this one.

Warren picked up the pistol that fell in the dirt when the bullet hit his arm. He raised it again and aimed at both Caroline and Jack. “Well, Caroline, I see you’ve made your choice. He should be dead but that’s easily rectified. It didn’t have to end this way you know. It really didn’t.” He pushed himself away from the tree and took one staggering step forward.

“
Go to hell, Warren.” Caroline shouted at him.

“
Hornets,” Jack whispered.

The sound of his voice startled her. “What?” She looked at Jack. His face was so pale. He was going to die if she didn’t get help.

“
Hornets, Caroline.” His voice was hoarse and he began coughing up blood.

“
Jack, I don’t understand, what do you mean? Hornets?”

“
That’s right, Caroline.” Warren shouted advancing one more step. “Please do hurry as I’m afraid I need medical attention and do not have time to wait.” He took one more step and raised the pistol.

Caroline heard Jack’s throaty whisper again. “Look, Caroline. The tree. Hornets.” He raised his arm with what strength he had left and pointed to the upper branches of the Grandfather Oak. He collapsed then, his arm falling to his side and his head lolling against her lap.

Caroline followed the direction of his arm and suddenly saw what he meant. There was a huge hornet’s nest hanging from the branch directly above Warren’s head. Of course, she thought. Jack knew from her previous conversation that Warren was deathly allergic to bees.

Without thinking Caroline grabbed the Glock and took careful aim. The shot rang out and severed the thin branch that held the nest to the tree. It fell to the ground at Warren’s feet. Bees immediately began swarming angrily, attacking the first enemy they met. Warren cursed angrily as the first bee stung him on the face. It took him a few seconds before he registered what was happening and then recognition dawned as he saw the broken nest at his feet. He ran from the tree swatting at the angry insects. They stung him repeatedly as he tried to escape, arms flailing around his head.

Caroline watched as Warren grabbed at this throat, the bee venom beginning to rapidly take effect. He was gasping for air, his face turning a bright cherry red, his swollen eyes locking on hers as he fell to his knees. He pleaded soundlessly for her to help him. His puffed-up lips were moving but the only sound was the desperate wheezing of a man trying to suck any amount of air he could through a restricted airway.

She turned away burying her face in Jacks neck. She couldn’t watch this. It was too horrible to see Warren begging for help, knowing she wasn’t going to make one move to save him. She heard him hit the ground, his legs kicking in the sandy dirt, fighting for what ounce of life was left to him. Then, all was quiet except for the angry hum of the displaced bees. One or two swarmed over her as she sat in the dirt cradling Jack but she batted them away. She didn’t care if she was stung. All her attention was focused on the man she loved, unconscious and bleeding in her lap. She pulled off her t-shirt and wadded it into a makeshift bandage pressing it firmly to the bleeding hole in Jack’s chest.

She was so focused on Jack she forgot about her own bleeding wound. She was suddenly weak and light headed. Spots began to swim before her eyes. Hearing a noise she raised her head and squinted into the bright Florida sun. She slipped into blackness to the sound of distant helicopter blades.

Epilogue

Jack was dreaming again. This time there were no morgues or screaming bodies. He was standing on the bow of a yacht, a flute of champagne in his hand, staring at a brilliant orange sun setting lazily behind the Gulf of Mexico. It was the most beautiful sight he can remember seeing. The late evening sky blazed with hues of pink, yellow and orange and their reflection danced like flames across the gently rolling water.

There was a party going on behind him, he could hear the music and smell the catered food wafting out to him from inside the cabin. He turned and looked through the windows at the people laughing and smiling as they milled about the banquet tables and bars. All the colors were brighter than usual. The brilliant hues of the guests’ tropical clothing, the mixture of tones from the food on the banquet table, everything was happy and bright.

He saw Ileana smiling and holding tightly to Hutch’s arm. He saw Lucy, along with several of his co-workers from the CIA laughing at some raucous joke. By the bar stood Kent Larson toasting the group with a rum and coke in one hand and a Cuban cigar in the other. His gentle faced wife stood next to him. They all waved at him from behind the glass and Jack waved back, greatly puzzled at how all those people who had tragically exited from his life were now here alive and happy.

“
Jack, can you hear me?”

The voice coming from behind him was familiar with its slight Georgian drawl. It was the sweetest sound and so soft that for a moment he thought he’d imagined it. He turned and saw the shadow of a woman drifting toward him. He couldn’t make out her face because of the glare of the sunset behind her, but he knew her. A feeling of love and longing so strong it took his breath welled up inside of him. He didn’t know why, but it felt like years since he’d seen her. He reached for her and she began to slip away. The smaller she became the brighter the light around her glowed until it was so bright it was painful. He tried to lift his hand to shield his eyes but he couldn’t move his arm.

“
Jack, can you hear me? If you can, open your eyes.”

“
He’s coming around.”

Jack heard two other voices coming to him through the brightness. Oh how it hurt. He just wanted to slip back into the blessed blackness when he heard her voice again.

“
Jack Weaver don’t you slip away from me again. I nearly lost you once and I refuse to let you go away again. Open your eyes, now.”

He responded to the gentle command and his eyelids fluttered open. He wanted to curse and tell whoever had that damn light on to turn it off, but when he tried to speak something foreign in his throat blocked his speech. He began to panic. It was difficult to breathe. He tried to lift his hands again but they wouldn’t move. His eyes flew wide. He was choking to death.

Jack felt two hands press down on his shoulders and heard her voice soft and soothing in his ear. “It’s okay, Jack. Calm down, you’re on a ventilator and you have a tube down your throat. It is not choking you. Breathe through your nose not your mouth. It’s okay. You’re okay.” Her voice broke. He felt a wet tear plop on his cheek and then he could see her. Caroline was smiling down into his face tears streaming from her eyes. Her hand stroked the side of his face and he did as she instructed. He tried breathing through his nose and found it much easier. His panic began to subside and he relaxed against the bed.

“
Jack?” Another face appeared in his line of vision. “I’m Doctor Morgan. I must say you gave us quite a scare, but you’re going to be just fine now. Would you like me to take out the tube so you can breathe a little easier?”

Jack managed a slight nod. The doctor gave him instructions to breathe out and cough and the tube was removed. When Jack spoke his voice was hoarse and raspy. “What’s going on?”

Caroline laughed through her tears and he felt her grasp his hand tightly. It confused him that he could feel her holding his hand, yet he couldn’t move his arms. He slowly moved his head and saw his hands were strapped to the bed rails.

“
Jack,” Caroline squeezed his hand again. “I’ve been so worried. We thought we’d lost you. Warren shot you and you’d lost so much blood. If it hadn’t been for Lucy and her quick thinking neither one of us would be here now.”

Jack’s foggy memory began to come more clearly into focus. He remembered driving like a maniac trying to beat Warren to the farm and the feeling of fear that slammed into him when he saw Warren’s gun and Caroline bleeding. He looked at her sharply now. Her arm was wrapped in a sling, but she was there, smiling at him, very much alive.

“
How long?” he croaked.

“
How long have you been out of it?” She asked and he nodded. “About ten days. I’ve been here by your side the entire time. I refused to leave even for a minute. I know I must look a sight but I wasn’t about to be gone when you woke up.”

“
You look beautiful to me.”

Caroline started to cry again and hastily began to un-strap his arms from the restraints. With his arms free he wrapped them around her and pulled her close. He was weak but he’d be damned if he was going to miss holding on to the one person he loved more than anything.

“
Warren?” He asked.

“
He’s dead, Jack. The bees killed him.”

Jack nodded. He released Caroline and she raised her head to look at him. He let himself get lost in those beautiful green eyes. When he could get out this bed he was going to marry the woman behind those eyes. “Nice shot.” He managed a small grin.

She gave him a small smile. “Thanks. I’m not sure I’m supposed to be happy about the fact that I fired the shot that caused my own husband to be killed but I couldn’t let him shoot you, Jack. I just couldn’t bare it.”

Jack’s eyes were drooping as the painkillers began to take effect. “I love you,” he whispered.

Caroline placed her hand lovingly against the side of his face and watched him fall asleep. “I love you too.”