Deception Road

by Peggy Staggs

  “Ah, is the big tough doctor going to cry for us? Now, isn’t this precious? Poor little rich girl. Are we supposed to feel sorry for you?” She snatched my hair and wrenched my head back as she jammed the barrel of the gun into my throat.

  “No.” It was Mr. Tall-skinny-and-disgusting. “I want her.”

  The prospect sent a lightning bolt of terror through me. I’d seen what he’d done to Jack. I cringed as the image of the car battery sitting on the floor inches from Jack slipped through my consciousness.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “You want what?” Alice screamed, her face red with rage.

  Mr. Disgusting took a step toward me. “Her. I’ve never had a pretty woman before.” He licked his greedy lips.

  I pulled free from Alice’s grasp. It didn’t take much since her attention was focused on her stupid spouse.

  “What do you mean? You’ve never had a pretty woman?” Alice stared at her miserable excuse for a husband.

  He’d taken one crazy step too far. He’d just told his wife she wasn’t pretty. No woman wants to hear those words from her husband. Ever.

  He grabbed me by the arm and jerked me to him. His foul breath washed over my face as his grip tightened on my arm. He had the kind of strength insanity provides. He tried to kiss me as he groped my breasts.

  I searched around with my free hand for something, anything, to hit him with. As it turned out, I didn’t need to.

  “No.” Alice pulled me back. Between her pulling and me pulling, he let go.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a movement behind Mr. Crazy. Jack had managed to get to his feet. Mr. Crazy was off balance from our tug-of-war. In the same split second, Jack snapped the man’s neck, and Alice fired. She hit her skinny husband in the chest as Jack let him fall to the floor.

  Alice stood open-mouthed as she held up the gun and realized what she’d done. I took the revolver from her before she came to her senses.

  The blow I delivered came with all the pent-up anger, hurt, and torment I’d experienced in the past twenty-four hours. Alice went down like a bag of doorknobs. I was pretty sure the gun in my hand helped in the process.

  “Leave before—” Jack struggled to stay on his feet.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” Jane announced as she removed the gun Mr. Scary had tucked under his belt.

  Jack leaned hard on the wingback chair. “Doc, I want you and Jane to get the hell out of here. Now,” the word came out in a gasp as he held his ribs.

  We both stared at him.

  “No.” I didn’t wait for his protest. “Jane, shoot her if she gets up.” I left the library and walked down the hall. “Nice move,” I said out loud. “Now what?”

  I decided to take my anger out on the first person I came across. I had no idea where the other two were. Or, what I’d do when I found them. Then I heard a truck start outside.

  Through the dining room windows, I saw Jack’s truck fishtail down the driveway. Great, truck number two gone. That was going to make him mad. A mad I wouldn’t be here to see.

  I glanced out the front door. The truck Jimmy and TJ had followed us in still sat out front. With Jimmy trying to start it. “Out.” I leveled my gun at him. “Now.”

  He ground on the starter.

  “Don’t push me. I will shoot your ass.”

  He turned terrified eyes my way. I guess he finally figured out who was more dangerous, the big CIA guy or the desperate woman. He made another effort to start the truck.

  It wouldn’t catch.

  I was completely out of patience.

  I walked over, jerked open the door and grabbed him out of the truck. Adrenalin is a great asset when you’re not big. He landed in the snow.

  “Get up.” I pulled Jack’s cell phone out of my pocket. It felt so heavy, I didn’t know if I could hold it one second more. I’d gripped it tight all night, hoping Don was wrong. With Jack’s confession, the crushing pain in my heart became unbearable. I gasped. My hand shook as I dialed the Sheriff’s Office. “Phyllis, get an ambulance out to Jack’s as fast as you can. Tell Don to get out here, too.”

  “Did you find Jack? Is he alive?”

  “I did and, yes, he’s still alive. But he’s in bad shape.”

  I marched Jimmy back in the house.

  Jack, Jane, and Alice were still in the library.

  Jane held Alice at gunpoint. “Here’s one more for you.” I shoved Jimmy at Alice. He landed hard against the bookshelf.

  Jack now lied on the floor. He’d used his last ounce of strength to kill Mr. Creepy. I knew how much power it took to break a man’s neck. Jack’s technique had been smooth and powerful. The effort had left him in physical distress. Now his eyes were glassy, and his breathing labored. “Lay still. An ambulance is on the way.” I wanted to touch him. I couldn’t. The feeling of betrayal overwhelmed me.

  Defeat dulled his eyes. “Thanks,” was all he said as he looked away.

  Good. I wasn’t in the mood for conversation either. What would I say? He’d done exactly what Don had said he’d do. Sort of. He’d let me go. Why? I mean...it didn’t make sense. Something niggled at my exhausted brain. But he’d said Don’s version was right, and he was letting me go.

  The faux fur throw I’d teased him about just yesterday still lay on the back of the wing backed chair. I laid it over him. “You’ll be fine.”

  “Ens—”

  “Don’t. Don’t you ever call me that again. Do you hear me? Ever. You’ve said enough. Done enough. I get it. Your wish is granted, I’m leaving.” I put his phone on the floor beside him.

  He lay there. On his beautiful hardwood floor in his beautiful home. Where he lived all alone.

  I walked away, down the hall, through the area between the living and dining rooms, and out the front door. I stopped at the sight of the wreath hanging on the door. I hated it. I hated what had happened tonight. I hated myself for being so naive. And I hated Jack for not being who I thought he was. I grabbed the wreath from the door and threw it with all the anguish slashing at my broken heart.

  Don drove up in one of the Sheriff’s SUV’s. He left the door open as he jumped out and ran to me. He reached out for me. “Ensley, are—”

  I hurried past him. I blamed him for everything. I knew he had a hand in all this misery.

  I mentioned before how I hate to cry. Well, I hate to cry uncontrollably even more.

  »§«

  Through my tears, I missed the keyhole in my front door twice before I got it unlocked. In my bedroom, the cats were asleep on my bed. “Mason.” I sat next to him. He stretched and rubbed his face against my arm. “I’m leaving.”

  I pushed Soph’s icon on my phone. I told her everything.

  “E’s come home. Mama and I are here for you.”

  I packed and unpacked and packed again. All I could hear was Jack telling me he didn’t want me anymore. His words played over and over in my head. I kept telling myself I’d be okay in time. I even said the words out loud.

  The problem was the hurt. It wasn’t only heartbreak, this was deeper. Much deeper. I felt as if the essence of my soul had been ripped from me.

  Jane walked in as I hung up. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around me.

  I hugged her back and asked. “Has loved lied to me again?”

  Epilogue

  This Christmas had turned out all wrong. Real wrong. The boss was gone, and Jack was hurt, and Stan...well, he wasn’t here. I stared at the turkey no one was going to be here to eat. I snapped my towel at the counter.

  At least Mrs. Shaw, Jimmy, and TJ were in jail. The problem was the other man. The one who stayed in the shadows. He’d disappeared. How could he when the whole area had been snowed in until this morning?

  “No point in wasting the bird,” I told the cats. I turned on the oven as I heard the back-door open. I glanced up to see who it was. “Jack Trace.” I put my hands on my hips. “You’re supposed to be in the hospital. I heard the doctor tell you two days. That was l
ast night. And by the way, you look terrible. Did you even sleep?” My kitchen seems to be the place everyone ends up. Good thing it’s a big one.

  “Thanks, Aunt Jane. I don’t like hospitals. I hurt, but it was mostly the hypothermia. That basement was cold. I needed to warm up for a while. I have a few cracked ribs, and my shins are killing me, but I’ve been in worse shape.” He leaned against the old worn counter. “I could use some of your orange tea.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

  I took two mugs and my special plate down from the shelf. “You going to tell me what yesterday was all about?” I poured a cup of tea for each of us and brought out a few cookies. Not the ones the Boss and I had made for today. Neither of us needed to be reminded it was Christmas Day. Besides, half of them had been crushed by those people when they came for me. What was left still sat in the containers under the tall windows. I’d covered them with a towel. “We can’t have tea without cookies.” I set a plate of molasses treats on the counter between us.

  “Thanks.” There was no life in his voice, and the light had gone out in his eyes. I knew it wasn’t from the physical pain. This hurt came from deep down inside.

  There’d be no Christmas for any of us this year. The Boss had come home last night and cried till dawn. This morning, when we were supposed to be at Jack’s enjoying each other’s company, she was headed for Boise right behind the snow plow. I glanced over at the window. I’d take the cookies down to the old folk’s home. I didn’t want them sitting around here reminding me of the worst Christmas ever.

  “I don’t want you standing there.” I moved a stool over by the window for him. “I saw your legs. Sit.” When two scared people are in love someone has to give them a shove. I figured the pushing was up to me since Stan wasn’t here. “Now. What are you going to do about it?”

  “About what?”

  “Jack Trace, you know as well as I do about what.”

  He didn’t look up from his tea. “Where is she?” He sounded like a man who’d had his heart and soul torn from him.

  “Gone. She packed a bag and drove to Boise. She’s flying back to D. C., this afternoon.” I snapped my towel at a crumb on the counter. “I’m supposed to take care of things. She’ll send money if I need it. I’m to get paid extra for running the place.” I took a breath. “I don’t mind telling you I’m not happy about any of this.”

  “It’s better this way.”

  “Oh? Is that so? For who exactly?”

  “For once, he’s right.” The voice came from behind us.

  We both turned. Don March stood at the doorway of my kitchen. I don’t like him. I told him so. He said he didn’t care.

  Jack struggled to his feet. “What did you tell her, March?”

  Mr. CIA gave a real nasty smile. “My version of what happened. Africa came back on you this time.” He folded his arms like he owned the world. “You were right. She didn’t believe me.” His self-satisfied expression held an extra air of pleasure. “What convinced her I was right?”

  “I did,” Jack said.

  I’d never seen Jack like this. When he’d first gotten here, he was a troubled man, but he’d fought hard and overcame those demons. This was far worse. He’d given up. I could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice, it was even in the way he stood.

  “Trace, I thought you were smarter than that. Guess all—” he stopped and glanced over at me.

  “I want to know why the Phantom was here.”

  “It must be payback time.” Mr. CIA gave a snarl of a smile.

  “He’s had years to get back at me. Why now?”

  “I think we both know the answer to that,” Mr. CIA said. I wouldn’t even say his name in my head. “I got her job back for her at JPL Corp. She’ll be safe back there with me.”

  “I know,” Jack said.

  I didn't like this surprise at all. “She didn’t say anything to me about it.” Her leaving had put a big hole in my world. I knew it had torn the very life out of her. I’d never seen a woman in so much pain. Now, I could see what it had cost Jack, too. It was evident to anyone looking, he loved her.

  “I know it’s what’s best for her. I know her better than you do, Trace. I know her a lot better.”

  I knew exactly what he meant by know. The Boss shouldn’t be with this ass.

  “She was going to marry me.” He looked Jack right in the eye. “She will now. I’ll tell her hello for you when I see her.”

  Jack shook his head. “You think she’ll be waiting for you. She won’t. You have no idea who she really is.”

  “You’re wrong again, I’ll win her back. My lifestyle is what she’s used to. Not this dust trap you live in.”

  This man was mean—cruel to his core. How could the Boss ever think he was worth caring for?

  “Go ahead, March. Gloat.” Jack leveled a glare right back at him. “You finally beat me. Too bad you couldn’t do it honorably, but then you’ve never let integrity stand in your way. She left me, but make no mistake, she isn’t running to you. We both lost. Zero to zero.”

  “We’ll see. I’m leaving as soon as I settle my bill.” Mr. CIA pulled out his wallet. “You can have this worthless town all to yourself.”

  Jack stood a little taller. “March.” A smile bent his lips. “You get your new condo for her? The one you closed on the day before you got here?” He took a step forward. “I hope you like it at 4327 West Elm Avenue. Too bad it was a waste of money. She’ll never live there.”

  A flash of fear passed over Mr. CIA’s face. It was instantly replaced with anger. Then, he gave a smug smile. “I know the truth. Too bad she never will.”

  This guy was no match for Jack. He may have a fancy CIA job in Washington, but I knew if it came down to it, Jack would always win. He had to win this time, too. He couldn’t let the Boss go this easy. I hoped they’d realize they loved each other before it was too late. I didn’t want them to lose what I had once.

  I had enough of this pompous ass, so I pushed Mr. CIA out into the dining room. I handed him his bill. “If she chooses you—which she won’t—and you hurt her, and if Jack doesn’t come for you, I will. I was Idaho Women’s Sharpshooting Champ five years in a row. I don’t miss unless I want to, and I can miss really good.”

  “You people are all crazy.” He shoved a wad of cash at me and left without another word.

  The front door slammed behind him. “Good. One problem down.” Now I had to get the important matter straightened out.

  In the kitchen, I found Jack staring out the window at Mr. CIA getting into his car.

  I’m a curious sort, so I asked. “What was that about a new condo?”

  “Just my way of letting him know I have connections. He got the point.”

  These guys had their own way of getting things across. Wait...still have connections? He wasn’t in the Army anymore was he? I looked up at him. He is a man with secrets.

  “I want her to be happy,” Jack said as he watched the car drive away.

  I noticed he hadn’t said her name once. From the sadness on his face, I figured he couldn’t. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man so miserable.”

  “Aunt Jane.” He gazed down at me. “What have I done?”

  “As far as I can tell, you’ve been a damned fool, Jack Trace. You need to go put this straight. It’s real inconvenient for me when she’s gone.” I missed her already. “And what about the cats? They aren’t happy with her gone.”

  “You don’t understand. I told her Don’s story was the truth, and I didn’t want her.”

  “You did what?” My voice was too loud. I shook my head. How could two such smart people be so damn dumb? All he had to do was go after her and tell her the truth. “Why in God’s good name would you do such a stupid thing?”

  He sat down. “It’s complicated.”

  I shook my head, and I said, “Everything is with you two.”

  “This is my past coming back on me. I may deserve it, but she doesn’t.”

  I
needed him to flesh that out a bit. “You know Stan tells me everything.” Okay, that wasn’t strictly true, but I supposed he would if I asked. So, it wasn’t really a lie.

  “I need her to be safe,” was all he said.

  “Even if it breaks her heart...and yours?”

  “All I’ve done, since she’s been here, is put her life in danger.” He wrapped his hands around his cup. “When she stepped between that crazy woman with a shotgun and me...” He picked up a cookie then laid it back down. “It’s all I can think about. When I close my eyes, it’s all I can see. She put her life on the line for me.” He picked up the cookie again and laid it on the counter by his mug. “What if the woman had flinched and pulled the trigger? She’d be dead, and I’d have no hope. Aunt Jane, I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I can’t—I’d rather live the rest of my life alone than put her in danger again. I want...no, I need her to be safe and happy.”

  I could tell he had more to say. “What’s the rest of it?”

  “You are an amazing woman.” Jack shook his head. “There was another man there. He was calling the shots. He knew how to inflict the most pain with the least amount of damage. “I hope I’m wrong, or it was the pain, but I recognized him, even with a hood over my head most of the time.”

  “How can you know that if you couldn’t see him?” I asked.

  “It was his technique and the fact that he didn’t ask me any questions. It could only be one man, and he’s dangerous. If I’m right and it’s him, he knows about her now.” He covered my hand with his. “If she’d stayed he’d go after her. If she isn’t with me, she’ll have no value to him. No matter what it cost me, I couldn’t let him get to her. That’s why I had to make her to leave me.”

  I was going to call him on this. He had to realize two things; neither of them would ever be happy without the other, and together they were strong enough to handle anything thrown their way. “You’ll find another woman.” I studied his face.

  “No.” His voice was so soft I had to strain to hear him. “I’ve never told anyone this. It doesn’t matter, now. After the incident in Africa, I went to Ralph’s office. He was packing to return to the States. When I walked in, he was holding a picture of the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Despite being forced to give up his command and retire, he was smiling. He said, ‘Want to see a picture of my daughter the doctor? I can’t believe how she’s changed. I guess D. C., agrees with her.’ Then he said, ‘I never would have guessed she’d like the political life.’”