Unlucky (38 page)

In the direction of the gun.

He rushed toward the gray figure, his only hope to tackle him before he reached the weapon, but Jake came up several feet short. His vision cleared just as Silas smiled and leveled the weapon at Jake's head. "I think my business here is done."

Jake looked over at Mallory, who was standing over a somewhat battered Janine. He hoped this final connection between them told her everything he wanted her to know. How much he respected her, how much he had come to love her, need her, and how very sorry he was that things were going to end this way. She stared back at him, her eyes full of the same emotion, and Jake regretted the things he'd never said to her, the future they'd never have.

He heard the shot as it fired and waited for his body to register the bullet's entry, but as he looked back at his nemesis, he saw the look of shock on the other man's face and the blood beginning to trickle out of his side. Silas clutched his side, dropped the gun and turned toward the storeroom door.

Jake ran over and grabbed the gun off the floor before turning to see who their savior was. He blinked in surprise at the sight of Father Thomas standing in the doorway, a pistol peeking from the sleeve of his robe. He heard shouting in the hallway and a second later, Brad and two other ATF agents burst into the storeroom.

Brad quickly assessed the situation and directed his men to handcuff the still-bleeding Silas and a very subdued-looking Janine. He looked around the warehouse, studying their faces. "You all right?"

Everyone nodded, and Father Thomas smiled. "Never better," the priest said.

Brad nodded and motioned to his men, who lifted Silas and Janine from the floor and followed Brad out of the storeroom. Jake watched them leave, then looked at Mallory, who stood staring at Father Thomas, shocked.

"Father Thomas?" Mallory said. "What in God's name?"

Before he could answer, Amy and Scooter burst through the door, followed closely by Reginald. Amy rushed across the room and flung her arms around Mallory. "Oh, my God, I was so worried. I was afraid you were dead." She released Mallory and sniffed. "Scooter and I saw you on the cameras, running down the hall. We went for help, but it took too long."

Scooter shuffled over next to Amy and gave Mallory a grin. "Gave me a scare, Mai."

"Got that right," Reginald seconded, and pushed Amy aside so he could give Mallory a hug. "I'm glad you're still with us." He released Mallory and looked over at Father Thomas. "You've still got it, you old bird," he said, and grinned.

Father Thomas smiled. "The Lord works in mysterious ways."

Mallory looked from Reginald to Father Thomas. "What the hell is going on here?"

Father Thomas stepped closer to Mallory and placed his hand on her arm. "Don't let it vex you so much, dear. Everything in life is not what it seems. Or maybe I should say everything in life is not always what it seems."

Mallory blinked and stared at the priest in amazement. "You had a gun. You shot Silas."

Father Thomas nodded. "It's only an entry wound. The son of a bitch should be fine to stand trial and hopefully spend a long, long time paying for what he's done to people."

"An entry wound?" She stared at the priest, wondering what manner of creature had assumed the body of the drunk she knew and loved.

Father Thomas smiled. "I spent some of my younger years serving this country in an, ah, sort of weapons-based role. When I returned to Royal Flush, I spent a great deal of time hunting with your uncle."

Mallory shook her head, trying to wrap her mind around Father Thomas in the military, with weapons, knowing what an entry wound was and exactly how to create one instead of blowing someone away. "But you've been drinking like a sieve. How in the world..."

The dismay on the priest's face was almost comical. "Alas, one of Reginald's requirements was no drinking. His bartender has been pouring me only regular Coke." He glanced at his watch. "It's been exactly five days, two hours and sixteen minutes since my last drink."

"Now, that's just not right," Scooter said, and shook his head.

"But you've been drunk," Mallory said, her head swimming with confusion.

Father Thomas shook his head. "Not drunk, just pretending. I was a pretty good actor in my high school days. When Reginald first told me of the ATF situation and asked for my help, I thought it would be better if I went as my usual self--or at least pretended to be." He shrugged. "People will say anything in front of drunks, you know. I gathered quite a bit of information that helped Reginald's dealers and provided a bit of distraction from time to time."

Jake laughed. "Distraction is certainly one way of putting it."

Father Thomas nodded. "Reginald is an old friend who was in a bad situation. I was happy to help. And when Mallory took the job cooling, Reginald and I were both relieved that I'd be there to monitor things--especially with Silas Hebert at the table." He gave them both a smile. "I'm glad I got here before it was too late. Who else could we get to shut down the Yankees at J.T.'s Bar?"

"Unbelievable," Mallory said, unable to stop smiling.

Father Thomas gave her arm a squeeze, then looked over at Reginald, Scooter and Amy. "I think we should give these two a moment, don't you?"

Scooter threw one arm around the priest's shoulder. "Now, you're talking. Let's head to the restaurant. I'm pouring you the biggest damned Jack and Coke ever."

"I'll drink to that," Reginald agreed.

Amy watched the three of them walk away and smiled. "I'll wait for you in the restaurant," she said to Mallory, then followed the others out of the storeroom.

As soon as the door shut behind Amy, Jake gently grasped Mallory's hand and pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her. "I thought I'd lost you," he whispered. "Thought I'd lost us, or I guess the us that could be."

Mallory tightened her arms around him and buried her face in his neck, allowing herself to escape, if only for the moment, in the fantasy that she and Jake had a future, a real future. But even as he took her face in his hands and kissed her gently, she knew there was no way she could subject this man that she loved so much to her cursed life.

"How's the business going?" Scooter asked as he slid his rod into the holder on his pier and grabbed another beer from the ice chest next to his lawn chair.

Mallory cast her line into the bayou and leaned back in her lawn chair. "Good. It's been a lot of information to throw at the employees, what with the tax situation, Royal trying to buy us out, then Royal getting arrested. But everyone is happy that things turned out all right."

"And Harry?"

"Harry is especially happy. He barely let the ink dry on the legal papers transferring the business to me before he and Thelma headed to the Bahamas. Apparently they've always wanted to go."

"I'm glad they got the chance."

"Me too," she said and jiggled her rod a bit. "The fish aren't biting so well today, are they?"

"Nah," Scooter agreed. "Too hot. Probably run late tonight."

Mallory looked over at her friend and smiled. "Then I guess only one of us is going to catch any fish today, as lately, you've spent your nights occupied with other things."

Scooter grinned at Mallory and lay back on the pier, holding one hand up to shield his eyes from the sun. "Who would have ever thought, right? Me and someone like Amy. She's, like, the smartest person in the world."

"I'd have to agree with you on that one. The smartest I've ever known, anyway."

"You ought to see the plans we've come up with for the casino. Your uncle is going to flip. Everything is state of the art--built-ins, fold-outs, stuff that rises from the floor and hides in the walls until you need to use it. He's going to make a fortune with this whole casino-of-the-future idea."

"How is Reginald these days? I haven't seen him since the arraignment, and that was a week ago."

"He's good. I met his girlfriend the other day--Glenda--she's kinda cool."

"You're right again. That's two today, Scooter."

Scooter sat up and looked over at Mallory, the smile dropping from his face. "Well, since I'm on a roll, I'm just gonna go ahead and say I think you ought to call Jake."

Mallory looked over the bayou and struggled against the rush of emotions that ran through her every time she thought of Jake. "You know I can't, Scooter. I can't ask him to be with me when I know how things are. Things that will never change."

Scooter shook his head. "That should still be his choice. And if you won't even take a phone call from him, how's the man supposed to plead his case?"

"He's not. That's the whole point."

Scooter sighed and lay back down on the pier. "Fine, but for the record, Amy and I both think you're making a mistake."

Mallory slumped back in her chair and drew in a deep breath. So Scooter and Amy thought she was making a mistake. Well, there was a novel idea. Like Harry, J.T. and Father Thomas hadn't already told her the same thing, some in more polite terms, some in less. Even Brad had weighed in his opinion after the arraignment. It seemed that everyone in the state of Louisiana knew what was best for her.

Except her.

She wanted to call, wanted to answer the calls when she saw Jake's number on the caller ID. But ultimately, she'd been too afraid. Jake may be riding the first throes of romance and love right now, but what about years from now? When disaster after disaster, courtesy of Mallory's curse, affected every day of their lives? Would he still want her then? Still love her?

She didn't see how he could, and was smart enough to know her heart wouldn't be able to take having him for a while, then losing him all over again. It still hadn't recovered from the five days they'd had together. How in the world would she pop back from a year, or two, or ten?

"I knocked on your door." She jumped at the sound of Jake's voice behind her. "I should have known I'd find you two where there was fish and beer." He stepped onto the pier and walked over to her chair, smiling down at her.

Scooter jumped up from the pier and nodded at Jake. "Guess I'll be heading in for a shower." He gave Mallory a thumbs-up and hustled off like someone had just said "last call."

Mallory stared at Jake, wondering what the hell he was doing there. But with the way Scooter had shot off the deck, not looking at her even once, Mallory was afraid the fix was in. She rose from her chair, not liking Jake standing above her. It made her feel she was at a disadvantage, and even though that was probably the case, she didn't need to feel worse about it than she already did.

She looked at him for a moment but couldn't hold his gaze. Shoving her hands in her jeans pockets, she stared down at the pier.

"You've been avoiding my calls," Jake said.

Mallory shrugged and shuffled her feet a bit, still not looking up at him. "Wasn't any use wasting time."

He placed one finger under her chin and tilted it up until she was forced to look at him. "You call what we have wasting time? Jesus, woman, what do you do when I'm not around that's so much more important?"

Mallory sighed. "Jake, you know how I feel, but there's no future for us. Not with the way things are. You'd never have a normal moment for the rest of your life."

"Who the hell said I was interested in normal?"

"You did. Over and over again, when you explained to me how weird Louisiana and voodoo and me thinking I could cool cards was. Remember?"

Jake waved a hand in dismissal. "Old news. The new Jake thinks normal is boring. How in the world could I go back to a regular life when I have a shot with a woman that makes cars explode after sex ? Now that's something special."

"Yeah, I bet Hertz was thrilled."

"So I'll drive an old clunker and carry liability only."

Mallory stared at Jake and shook her head. "It's not just the car. You know that."

Jake reached down and drew both her hands into his. "What if I told you there was a way around it?"

Mallory felt her heart leap into her throat at his words. "But, the voodoo woman said..."

"She said there was no way to take the curse off you,"