Have Mercy

by N. E. Henderson

  Thinking back, I was the biggest idiot to not have been able to see more than a few inches past my goddamned face. I allowed her to scare me into silence, and by doing so, I was the worst of all. I could have told her parents, the authorities, her friends. I could have told anyone, and then maybe Jenna wouldn’t have gone without the love of her life for close to two decades.

  Not that I believe he deserves her, but she does deserve all the happiness in life. She’s owed her happily ever after—even if it’s with Jamie Hart. Danny needs a father and Brandon needs a mother that actually loves him.

  I shouldn’t be surprised that bitch was planning on shipping her son off to only God knows where. Stopping her and finding Danny is something I have to do.

  Looking at my smartwatch again, I decide I can’t wait for Kelly or PD to show up. The sooner I get inside, the sooner I can end that bitch once and for all. One way or another Julia is going to be brought to her knees. If I have anything to do with it, it’ll be by way of a bullet to her skull.

  Just one headshot is all I need.

  Releasing my weapon from its holster, I wrap my hand securely around the metal as I ease the front door open. I parked a block away so that I wouldn’t be easily seen. After doing a three-sixty scope around the building, I only saw two vehicles parked nearby.

  Going inside without backup is dumb. Rookies even know not to make this stupid of a mistake, but tell that to another person who has someone they love in danger. Being a federal agent goes out the window. Being a logical man goes out that window too.

  Time may not be on my side and that’s not a chance I’m willing to take. Knowing Jenna, she’s already gotten the location out of Brandon, so she’ll be en route. Backup will eventually get here, I just want to be waiting for them.

  Slipping inside, I’m careful to close the door without making a sound, then I listen for any noise as I look around, taking in my surroundings. All the buildings in this area are virtually abandoned and dilapidated. The one next door is about to tumbledown and this one isn’t much better. The paint on the interior walls is peeling and there are water stains all over the ceiling. The fixtures have all been removed or stolen. The only light is from the bare windows allowing natural sunlight inside.

  Hearing the sound of footsteps coming toward me, I quietly but quickly step inside the office across from me, fusing my back to the wall next to the opened door. Less than ten seconds later, a shadow crosses the threshold as someone passes by.

  I’m not able to holster my weapon without the lock clicking in place; doing so would possibly give up my presence. It’s better to catch him off guard, so as I step out from the empty office, gun in hand, I raise the butt of my weapon and then bring it down on the back of the guy’s head. Julia’s henchman or guard goes down with minimal effort on my part. With my left hand, I reach out, catching him around his chest before he makes a noise by hitting the ground like a sack of potatoes.

  After dragging his dead weight into the empty office that I vacated moments ago, I lower his body to one of the corners, hoping he stays knocked out for as long as it takes backup to get here. Kelly should be here any minute. Jenna too.

  I head out, walking cautiously in the direction her guy was heading before I clocked him in the head.

  I have no idea if he’s the only person here, or if Julia is even here. In all honesty, as long as I’m able to get to Danny and get him out of here, she can wait another day or two. As much as I would enjoy every second of filling that bitch with lead, Danny’s safety is my top priority.

  To my right is a closed office door. I wrap my hand around the knob, turning it slowly, and then glance inside. It’s vacant, same as the other, so I ease it back closed and continue on. Seconds later, I stop, hearing a grunt from somewhere in the building. As I listen, I peek behind me to make sure my back is covered, and no one is going to jump me like I was able to do to one of her men—or one man as I’m hoping he was.

  What sounds like a slap has my head whipping back around in the direction I started.

  “How long has she been seeing my husband?” Julia’s witchy voice sends chills down my arms. I don’t know how I once thought it was sweet and innocent. Perhaps to someone that doesn’t know firsthand what she’s done they would hear a different tone.

  “According to public record, you aren’t married to my dad anymore.” Danny’s deep baritone voice has a rush of air swooshing out of my mouth as relief washes over me. At least he’s alive. And he’s here.

  Glancing up to the ceiling, I say a silent thank you.

  There is a room, twenty feet ahead of me, most likely similar to the other two offices that line this corridor.

  “Jamie isn’t your father!” Another grunt and I’m guessing by the pain that hits my gut, it’s coming from Danny. “You were supposed to die.”

  “Guess life’s a bitch, huh?” Danny says. I’d smile at the way he’s talking back if the situation wasn’t so bleak and he weren’t in danger. The kid has always had a mouth on him. Being brought up where you aren’t sheltered from anything will do that. Only time will tell if Jenna made the right call with him. He’s a good kid. A smart kid, and I can see him with a future in law enforcement one day.

  “Jamie is mine. Not hers. He was never hers.”

  I stop inches before the entryway. Neither of them can see me and I can’t see inside.

  Every moment from my past tries to flicker through my head at this very moment. All the times Julia filled me with lies, threats, hopes, all try to fight to the forefront of my mind.

  Breathing in and then back out, I shake all of them from me. This isn’t about me, the things Julia did, not even to Jenna. Danny is inside that room and my gut tells me she’s not planning on letting him walk out of here. There are two options for her: ship him off and sell him or kill him. That sick bitch is going to do the latter. I know it. I feel it.

  In her mind, Danny shouldn’t exist. She ordered his execution over eighteen years ago and Josh failed. Whether he failed on purpose or by accident, he didn’t accomplish what Julia requested. She’ll have to finish the job, and I can’t let that happen. Danny is my godson. I love that kid like he’s my own, and I’ll love him until the day I die just the same.

  Slowly inching forward, I peek inside, halting when I see a person sitting upright in a dirty office chair. At the sight of Danny’s wrists bound by zip ties, secured to the arms of the chair, my jaw locks and I see red. That fucking bitch. I draw in a slow, steady breath of air, trying to calm my nerves. Getting worked up like this isn’t going to do Danny any good.

  Blowing my breath out, I ready my weapon in my hand and then step into the entryway, gun raised and pointed in front of me. My eyes scan, quickly finding Julia inches from where Danny sits.

  “Step away from him. Now!” I order.

  Her head swings around as her blue eyes widen with surprise, then her bottom lip drops, opening her mouth.

  “I said step away,” I repeat, my stare not leaving hers.

  “Malachi,” she says, crossing her arms as a slow smile ghosts her lips.

  I could take the shot now. I should take the shot now. She can’t leave this place alive, and if I don’t take her out now, I won’t get the chance once backup arrives. She deserves death, but a part of me wants to see her handcuffed and carted off. Knowing she’s locked up behind bars, imagining the things other inmates will do to her has my trigger finger hesitant.

  Locking her up would be a lot worse for her than death . . .

  “Mal! Behind—” Danny starts to say, but Julia backhands him.

  I understand his warning and whip around, only I’m not quick enough before my body seizes up and I’m momentarily paralyzed. It’s like experiencing a leg cramp, only it covers every inch of your body and I go down, hitting my knees. My weapon falls from my hand, dropping to the ground, and there isn’t one thing I can do about it.

  “Malachi!” Danny yells, but I’m unable to look away from the guy in front of me. He�
��s not the same man I took down minutes ago; that much I’m able to recognize.

  “Do something other than taze him, you stupid ass!” Julia’s voice comes out harsh, an order to this guy. Dread washes over me. I should have shot her when I had the chance. Now, I’m done for. It’s over, and I didn’t save Danny.

  47

  — Jenna —

  I arrive at the location Brandon found, seeing Malachi’s SUV parked as well as two others. Multiple buildings, all looking abandoned, are scattered around this area. I have no idea which to go in first. Mal should have sent a text or called to let me know. I can probably rule out the one Malachi’s vehicle is next to. He wouldn’t have wanted to give away his presence so he would have parked farther away.

  I decide to park next to him. Glancing in my rearview mirror, I see Kelly’s car heading toward me. I don’t shut off the engine, leaving it running just in case.

  “Stay here, but keep your phone near,” I tell Jamie as I open the driver’s side door and step out of the SUV, careful not to make any sounds as I ease the door closed.

  He doesn’t listen, getting out too. I don’t have time to argue with him, and I certainly don’t need him preoccupying my mind when I know Danny and Malachi need me.

  “Like hell I am. I’m coming in with you.”

  “Jamie!” I seethe out of frustration as I watch Kelly park. “Just stay here, out of my way, and don’t argue,” I plead with him to understand.

  “Our son is in there—” he starts.

  “Exactly! And my focus needs to be on him, not you.” I turn away, scanning everything, trying to see if there is anything that would insinuate occupants inside. I don’t have an infrared thermal scanner, which would help in this instance.

  “PD is three minutes out,” Kelly informs me as she’s getting out of her car. Her blonde hair is pulled into a ponytail and she’s already equipped with a bulletproof vest around her chest. Something I should have put on but opted not to take the time to do.

  “I’m not waiting, you with me or—” A gunshot somewhere near us goes off, stopping the words coming out of my mouth. In the next second, I whip around, spotting the building the sound came from. Without any other words, I take off, jogging in that direction.

  Kelly can wait for backup, or she can follow. It’s up to her.

  Racing into a building after shots are fired, even with a weapon drawn, is one of the stupidest things an agent can do. I know that. Every cop and law enforcement personnel knows that, but like any human when someone you love is in danger, logic and protocol go out the window and adrenaline and emotions take over.

  A third shot goes off as I yank the door open, entering. It’s an office of sorts, at least the front area I’m in is. I can go right, or I can go straight. Not over analyzing, I go right, down a hallway of offices.

  Coming to an almost stop when I see the glow of unnatural lighting and then a body. I raise my weapon, pointing it in front of me. My eyes connect with Malachi’s and I instantly know something bad has happened. He’s on the ground, the front of his body face down, but his head is lifted, and his eyes are wide. I know my partner, my friend, well enough that I recognize the look. Get your ass in this room, now!

  There’s another body, a man I don’t recognize, who is also lying on the ground near Malachi, but he’s unmoving and flat on his back. Blood pools from that area around his head. Chances are he’s dead, and if not, Malachi is at least conscious enough that he can handle this guy.

  When I take a cautious peek around into the office entryway, I gasp, seeing my son on his knees with his bloody hands wrapped around Julia’s neck, squeezing the life out of her.

  I’d like to say there was at least a moment of thought behind my actions, and maybe subconsciously there was. Aiming precisely, I pull the trigger, nailing my target in the side of her head. There couldn’t have been a more perfect angle on that shot. Had my son been a little more to the left, I wouldn’t have had a shot.

  Danny freezes in place, his eyes wide but never leaving Julia’s lifeless body.

  I vaguely hear my name shouted from someone, but that isn’t my concern at the moment. I jump over Malachi, bolting to where my son remains frozen in place.

  “Danny,” I call out, dropping to the ground next to him. His hands are still around her neck; all his strength, his power, has left his body.

  Gently, I wrap my hand around his wrist closest to me, tugging. He releases his hold and her body crumbles to the ground. Blood splatter mars his beautiful face, shooting a pain throughout my chest.

  I couldn’t allow him to kill her, make him be responsible for taking another person’s life. It doesn’t matter if she deserved that fate or not. Danny is still a kid, my kid, and I couldn’t do that to him. I have no doubt in my mind that he would have killed her, and he would have been in the right. None of that matters, but the aftermath would have. Danny feels deeper and harder than most. He doesn’t come off that way, but he’s my boy and I know him better than anyone. Julia was still his brother’s mother, and even though she didn’t deserve that right, that honor, she still was.

  God, I hope Brandon forgives me for this. If he doesn’t . . . I close my eyes, shutting that thought out as I wrap my arms around my son, fusing his head to my chest, offering what comfort I can.

  “Jenna!” Jamie shouts, then an audible gasp pounds through my ears. “Oh, my God.”

  I make myself keep my eyes closed. I can’t look at Jamie, not right now. If I see him upset over her, I’ll lose it, and I’ll never get over that. In reality, it is something I’ll have to face. She was the mother of his son. He had to care about her on some level. As much as that shouldn’t bother me, it does, and I’m not sure if that’s a reality I can get past or overlook. I know Jamie, and over the last couple days, I’ve seen the hope in his eyes. He wants us back to what we once had. A part of me does too, but after all the time, years wasted and living in fear, is not something I can shut off at the snap of my fingers—if I ever can.

  Sometimes a damaged heart isn’t so easily mended.

  48

  — Jamie —

  Seconds after Jenna bolts inside the building that’s fifty or so yards across from where I’m standing, I shake myself out of the trance I’m in to run after her.

  A total of three gunshots went off. The first two together and the last at least ten seconds later, happening at the same time Jenna made it to the entrance.

  Danny is inside that building. I can’t lose him when I just found out about him.

  “Sir,” the blonde, who I can only assume is another federal agent by the letters stamped on her bulletproof vest, calls from behind me. “You need to get back into Jenna’s vehicle now,” she orders.

  That’s not going to happen, but I don’t bother to tell her that. She can follow, or like Jenna said, she can stay and wait for the backup that’s en route.

  I’m not staying out here while Jenna goes in there alone, walking into only God knows what. If anything happens to Danny, I don’t know what I’ll do.

  Yanking the door open, I practically jump inside, scanning all around. “Jenna!” I yell, pausing to listen. Sounds are vague, but I can’t make anything out except for the direction they are coming from. That’s the way I head.

  Another gunshot fires, only this time it’s much louder now that I’m closer.

  Malachi is the first thing I see, his body face down. I stop, taking in the sight in front of me. His back rises and then falls, so that tells me he’s breathing. Hurt, obviously, but alive. My eyes dart over, seeing another body, then I glance back over to the entryway, taking a step forward.

  “Jenna!” I call, taking her and Danny in, then my eyes drop to the ground. When reality hits and I realize I’m staring at a body, at Julia unmoving and blood everywhere, I gasp, sucking air into my mouth. “Oh, my God.” My hand goes to my face, my eyes unblinking. She’s dead.

  A sense of relief floods my system, but I don’t know if it’s because Danny seems to
be okay or if it’s because my ex-wife is no longer part of this world. She’s gone. She has to be. I can see her open eyes from where I stand, yet there is no life residing in them.

  Stepping over Malachi, I make my way to the other side of my son and drop down next to him like Jenna is on the other side. Now that I can see him, take stock of every inch, worry inches in. Danny doesn’t look as okay as I thought. His dark blue eyes are unblinking, watching Julia’s lifeless form on the ground. Blood covers his face, and I pray it’s Julia’s and not his.

  Jenna has her arms wrapped around him, and when I peer down, I see cuts, blood, and marks on his wrists. My eyes widen and my breath comes in sharp. What did she do to him? Looking over, I eye her with disgust, disdain. If she wasn’t already dead, I’d kill her myself. Danny’s wrists are in worse shape than Brandon’s, like he pulled himself from his restraints.

  Reaching down to the hem of my T-shirt, I yank it up and over my head. Using the material, I wipe at the blood on his face, trying to get as much off him as I can.

  “I’m sorry, Danny. I’m so sorry,” I repeat, not knowing what else to say to my son. “Is he okay?” I look to Jenna, waiting for a response.

  “I’m the one that killed her,” she admits, tugging Danny closer.

  “I don’t care.” I shake my head, dropping my shirt, discarding it now that it’s ruined. “Is he okay?” I nod toward Danny. He is my only concern. That bitch can rot where she lays for all I care.

  “He’ll be fine. Eventually.” She eases up on her hold on Danny, then releases him as she drops down on the back of her calves. That’s when I grab him, pulling him in for a hug. When he doesn’t balk, my body relaxes.

  “Stay with Danny,” Jenna says. “Malachi is hurt. I need to check on him.” I nod, tightening my arms around my son as she gets up.