Where Tomorrow Leads (9 page)

“Not sure,” Jake told her. “Do me a favor and sit tight while I go see, okay?”

“Fine with me,” Maggie told him. “I don’t want anything to do with that mess. Looks like some troublemakers to me.” Maggie reached in the console to get her cell phone but realized Jake still had it in his pocket. She opened the glove compartment where he dumped his phone on the first day of the road trip and dished out his. She pressed the on button, surprised to find it still had some life left. Not much but she needed to do a quick search.

Busy trying to find a place called Alabama Jacks on google, she didn’t pay attention to the commotion at the front of the gas station at first. Maggie twisted around to see what was going on when she noticed Danny lying on the ground and the two boys heading her way. Jake had the motor running and the car in neutral and the first boy jumped in to the back seat of the Impala while the other one opened the driver’s side and took over Jake’s spot behind the wheel.

“Wait a minute, what are you-”

The blonde haired guy in the back seat reached up and grabbed Maggie by the back of her hair. She wasn’t about to let these guys hijack this car. Granny would be livid! She pulled away from him but he jerked her back and yanked the phone from her hand.

“Move it, Jesse!” he ordered the driver. Maggie caught a glimpse of the driver. He was also in his early twenties, long dark hair and when he looked over at her, she sensed he wasn’t quite as mean as the other one. His vibrant blue eyes, bordered by the darkest eyelashes pleaded with her to stay calm.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be all right,” he told her in a soft voice.

“Let me go!” she screamed.

Maggie heard Jake yell the moment he saw the thugs in the Impala. All of a sudden she felt a cold, hard piece of steel at her head. She knew it was a gun but squeezed her eyes tight.

“Back off cowboy!” the blonde in the back threatened. “I don’t care who gets hurt.”

“Don’t hurt her, take me instead. If you’re looking for money, I’ve got more than you’ll ever be able to spend. Let her go and I’ll take you to it right now,” he told them.

“We’ll keep it in mind.” The blonde grabbed the cell phone clutched in Maggie’s hand and threw it out the window where it landed a few feet from Jake. “We need the use of this car to pick something up and as long as you back off and stay away, the chick doesn’t get hurt.”

Maggie cringed. She feared for her life with the sudden realization Jake would be left here while these young punks stole her car. Her resolve began to fade as the car began to move. “Oh please,” she begged. “Let me go, you can have the car. I won’t call the cops.”

The dirty blonde laughed. He jerked her head back again.

“That’s enough, let her alone,” Jake shouted from a distance. “You lay another hand on her and I’ll kill you.”

The driver spoke up. “Jerry, enough. Our mission doesn’t include hurting women. Back off, now!” When he turned to the guy in the back seat, his eyes were cold. Maggie could feel the blonde let up a bit on her hair. She took a deep breath.

“It’s all right Jake, I’m okay,” she yelled to him.

“Get moving,” the guy in the back seat told the driver.

Maggie got one last glimpse at Jake, who was standing in the parking lot, his face furious, hands clenched at his sides.

Chapter 8

“Sonofabitch!” Jake reached down and grabbed his phone, now in pieces. There was no way to track their whereabouts. He heard the police siren and assumed the owner of the gas station called the cops. The two punks laid out Danny, knocked him out no doubt with the butt of the pistol.

Now he had to assure Maggie’s survival. Desperate to find a way to follow the car with no time to waste, Jake ran up to the first car that rolled in to the parking lot. Two young guys were in the front seat, their radio blaring. Their heads were doing a steady bob to the tune on the radio. Jake reached in his pocket and pulled out his wallet.

He shoved some bills under the driver’s nose. “I’ve got five hundred dollars for you if you help me.”

Both men paid attention. “Are you for real?” the driver said as he opened the car door, eyes on the money.

“I’m as real as it gets. You in?”

The driver looked at the other guy in the front seat. He nodded up and down. “Yep, go for it.”

He nodded for Jake to get in the back. “Name’s Paul,” he said.

Jake nodded. “Look man, I’m not here to be pals. Someone stole my girl and their headed down 95. I need you to move this thing as fast as you can and find a pink car.”

“Oh man, we’ll find the car for you, no problem!” He backed out of the parking lot and down the ramp to get on to the highway. The car sped up and began to boogie down the road.

“There’s another five hundred when you find the pink car with in the hour.” Jake reached over the front seat and dropped a few more bills as an incentive between the two. If they didn’t catch up with Maggie now, he may never see her again. He would not let it happen. It’s why he didn’t wait for the cops.

“Woohoo,” the driver hollered. He stomped on the gas. “Brian, you're the navigator. Check ahead as far as you can and we’ll find that pink car. I can use a cool grand.”

Brian spoke up now. “Hey, what about me? You want me to do the work and no bills for me? No way.”

“I’ll cut you in but beings it is my ride, it seems I get the most of it.”

The passenger nodded. “Yeah, that’ll work. I can use some money for smoke.”

Jake couldn’t care less what they spend the money on as long as they kept their eyes on the road. He stretched his neck to see if the Impala was in the distance but there was nothing ahead. He pulled Maggie’s phone out of his pocket and got Josh on the line.

“Where have you been, man. I’ve been trying to call,” Josh told him. “The guys who are after that kid can be dangerous. You need to back off and let things alone.”

“Too late. The car’s been hijacked by those two punks and she’s in the vehicle. The one guy held a gun to her head. I couldn’t get to her without putting her life in danger.” He choked on the words, his gut wrenched because he wasn’t able to save her.

“Not good,” Josh muttered. “Hold on Jake, stay on the line. I’ll be right back.” Jake punched the seat. He put her life in danger again. He closed his eyes to the time he left her on an island to write. She was so glad to have the time to herself. But when he went to go back for her, a boat capsized and he got hurt saving this young family with a little girl. Jake remembered how he felt trying to get to her that night. This was like that night, except a million times more intense because he realized how much more she meant to him.

Josh came back on the line. “Any cell phones in the vehicle that we can track?”

“Afraid not. They grabbed mine and threw it out the window. The one I’m speaking on I had in my pocket. The GPS in the car is not plugged in.”

“That doesn’t leave us with much. You said it is a pink car? I need more details.”

Jake’s head jerked. “I don’t think you need to worry. Just spotted the car ahead. I’ll keep you informed.” Jake turned off the phone and nudged the driver. “There it is. Stay behind and don’t make yourself look obvious.”

“Got it,” Paul said, a grin on his face. “It’s almost like that show my parent’s used to watch, those two cops chasing after the bad guys in Miami. Forget the name of the show.” He got over in the left lane and passed two other vehicles, then wedged in between the car behind the pink Impala.

Anger filled his head at the moment and if it weren’t for the gun, he’d hop in the driver’s seat and run the Impala off the road. But Maggie’s life was at stake. He couldn’t risk it, not again. Jake punched the seat one more time, the anger at what those two punks did get the best of him. He knew he had to stay calm or she could wind up, no, he couldn’t think of that. He would give up his own life to save her. The cell buzzed again.

It was Josh. “What’s going on?” he heard his friend ask.

It was all Jake could not to yell in the phone. He took a deep breath to steady his voice. “We’ve got the car in our sights, about two cars ahead. I’m not letting her get away.”

“Who are you with?”

“No clue. I paid these kids to find the car.”

A strangled sigh came out of the speaker. “Jake, man. Don’t get anyone else involved here. It could be dangerous. You don’t want civilians in on this.”

“What are you talking about Josh. I’m a civilian and so is Maggie. We’re already involved through no fault of our own. There’s no way I’ll back down now. We’ve got the car in our sights and it will stay that way until they get off the road.”

“Then what Jake? How are you going to get her away from them? They’re armed. You’re not.”

Josh crushed his fist into the seat again. “I didn’t think that far ahead.”

“That’s why you need to leave this to the pros. I’m working on things here on my end.”

Jake let out a rough, ragged sigh. “Thanks man. I know you promised your wife you wouldn’t do any more spy work. But you still have connections to help Maggie, right? I can’t think straight knowing she’s with a possible killer.”

“She’ll be okay Jake. Calm down and keep me informed of every step you take. Don’t approach the car. I’ll get people in place the minute they stop.”

Jake growled in to the phone. “You better make them appear out of nowhere, because if there is any clear chance for me to get her out of there, I won’t hesitate to do so. With or without the help of the law.” He stuffed the phone back in his pocket and payed attention to the Impala ahead.

Maggie slumped down in the seat, her dark brown hair flying in the wind. She let her hand linger over the door of the car as if she were working her fingers toward the handle. A cold fear seized him then as he realized she would try to break free the moment the car stopped. It could be an act that would get her killed. The guy had the gun somewhere in the vehicle.

No Maggie! Don’t be a heroine!

Fifteen minutes later he saw the turn signals blink as the Impala got on the exit ramp. Jake nudged the driver to follow behind. “Stay back far enough they don’t get suspicious.”

“Got it boss. Any chance we can get the other five hundred before things get crazy? In case we have to take off real quick like.”

Jake pulled out his wallet and grabbed all the money. He didn’t count the cash but knew it was more than five hundred. He brought along more than enough on the trip because he liked to pay cash when he travelled. Maybe not a good move on his part, but it paid off at the moment. He shoved it in to the driver’s hand. “I appreciate the help. When that car stops, she’s going to make a run for it and I need to get up close to get her out of there. The problem is the other guy has a gun. I understand if you want no part of this.” What was he thinking asking these guys to help him? They could get hurt.

“Why didn’t you say the guy had a weapon?” Brian spoke up. He reached under the seat and pulled out a 357 Magnum. “For another $100 bucks, you can borrow my gun,” he offered.

“I’m out of cash. Let me have it, I gave you enough money.”

“Give him the gun!” Paul snarled. “He’s trying to save his woman. He can’t do it without help.”

Brian sighed in defeat and handed over the weapon. Jake grabbed the 357 and checked. Good. Cocked and loaded. He knew he would use it if he had to, even though he didn’t want to ever have to shoot anyone. But this is different. They never should have pulled a gun anywhere near Maggie’s head. he stuffed it into his waistband and prepared to jump out of the car the moment she tried to run.

The phone rang. It was Josh again. He picked it up. “Josh, we’re almost on the car and she’s about to attempt to escape. I can’t talk right now.”

“Jake, I have to tell you something, don’t -”

Jake threw the phone down. He didn’t have time to chat.

At the stop sign, he saw Maggie’s fingers touch the handle. She turned her head to the driver then twisted towards the back seat. The guy in the back seemed not to notice but Jake could see her actions. They were now right behind the Impala. Jake reached over and placed his hand on the door handle. He opened the door a crack, enough where he could swing the door and get out in a hurry.

Sweat poured down his brow. He swiped at the dampness and took a deep breath. The driver said something to her. She stared at him again. Then as the driver began to move the car forward her hand gripped the handle and her wrist jerked as she flung the door open. Maggie pushed herself out of the car, stumbled and began to run.

Jake jumped out of the car and ran after her. The brakes on the Impala squealed as the driver stopped and rammed the car in park. The guy in the back seat jumped out without using the door and started after Maggie. She stumbled again and Jake lifted the gun out of his waistband. The punk was not going to hurt her, not if he could help it.

Jake ran towards the guy with the dirty blonde hair as Maggie got further away. She looked back and stumbled when she realized it was Jake.

“Keep going Maggie, run!” he yelled but doubted she heard the words.

She stood in the distance, her hand to her throat and screamed. He needed to pay attention to these guys, he tore his eyes from her and ran towards the dirty blonde who also stumbled. He cocked the hammer and was right behind him when the punk swung around. There was no gun and Jake let out a deep breath. Right now he had the upper hand. “Hands up, now.”