by Jill Sanders
Even her father had taught her how to hold back her feelings. She’d never really known if he was going to stick around for long. Isn’t that what Caleb was making her feel now? She knew that if he could, he’d stay, but that kind of life just wasn’t possible.
Not without her help. Looking at her sister and Cole, a new plan popped into her head. She thought about running after Caleb, but knew he’d try and talk her out of it. If her new plan was going to be successful, and if she hoped to save the man she had grown to love, she needed to do it all behind his back.
But first, she needed more details about his plan and where he was heading. And she knew exactly who to ask.
“Get your things. We’re going to stay over at the Grayton’s until this is all over.” Her sister took her arm and started to walk her farther into the cabin.
Willow took a step away, still upset that her sister had such a closed mind about everything. “No. Don’t you get it? This will never be over for him and it’s all our father’s fault. We owe it to Caleb to help him set his life right. He’s spent his entire life running and for the first time, he has a chance to make it all stop.”
“You don’t get to bring Dad into this,” her sister warned. “He died thirteen years ago after choosing this kind of dangerous life over his own daughters. He wasn’t there for us when we needed him. He was never there for us!” her sister screamed as tears rolled down her face.
Willow took Wendy’s shoulders, pulling her close. She hated to see her sister so upset, especially after all she’d done for her. She knew her next words would sting, but they needed to be said.
“But he was there for Caleb. He saved him. Gave him something he’d never experienced before. And then, because of it, he ruined the rest of his life. You’re right, Dad wasn’t there for us, but that doesn’t mean we can turn our backs on someone who needs our help. The person who raised me”—she used her finger to wipe away a tear from her sister’s face— “she taught me to be kind and generous. We need to do this now for Caleb, not only because he needs our help, but because of something that happened over thirteen years ago, which made him part of our family of sorts. And one thing my big sister taught me was you never turn your back on family.”
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Cole opened it to her mother and Ralph. They both looked worried and Willow could see how uncomfortable her mother was to see Wendy standing in the entryway.
“Caleb just left. The meeting is set for early tomorrow morning at the pier,” Ralph said as he put his arm around Charity’s shoulders. Willow could tell he was trying to ease some of the tension everyone could see building in her.
Wendy stood back, her arms crossed over her chest. All the disdain her sister felt for their father had been nothing compared to what she felt for Willow’s mother. Even though she’d tried a few years back to get her to reconcile with the woman, Wendy still disliked Charity.
“I need your help,” Willow said to the room. “All of you. If we’re going to help make sure Caleb is safe, really safe...” She looked around to the faces and knew asking for their help was the only way.
“First, we need to understand what this is all about. I don’t understand why there are people after us. Who is Caleb?” Wendy still had her arms crossed over her chest.
“Maybe we should sit?” Willow said, nodding towards the sofas in the living room.
As soon as they sat down on the oversized sofas, her sister leaned forward and said, “Spill.”
“How much did you know about Dad?” When her sister rolled her eyes, she cut in. “Summarize and humor me.”
Wendy tilted her head. “Okay, I’ll play this game.” She leaned back as Cole wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Dad, William Harvey Blake, born of Martha and John Blake in Jacksonville, Florida on May second. I can’t remember the year.”
Willow’s mother broke in with the year, causing Wendy to frown in her direction.
“Dad never told me the same date twice. His parents died shortly after I was born, so I never got to know them. Nor my mother’s, which was his first wife, Barbara. You know she died...”
“Yes,” Willow broke in. “Continue about Dad.”
Wendy’s eyes closed for a moment, and then she continued. “Shortly after, he married your mother...” Her eyes moved to Charity once more.
“Yes, pass all that,” Willow broke in, causing Wendy’s eyebrows to shoot up. “His job,” she supplied.
Wendy frowned. “As far as I know, he did odd jobs here and there when he was on the road. I’d always assumed he was a handyman of sorts.”
Willow turned to her mother, who just nodded. “I had always assumed the same. He never really talked about that part of his life, especially the gang. I only knew the name, Lone Outlaws, never anything more.”
“When did he first start riding bikes?” Willow asked.
“He was already riding when I met him,” her mother answered, and a smile fell across her lips. “Actually, it was one of the main reasons I was attracted to him. My parents didn’t like the bad-boy persona he had. Which, naturally, made me even more attracted to him.”
Willow looked over to her sister who just shrugged. “I’m not sure. I have a picture of him sitting on a bike with me in his lap. I was in diapers.”
“What about friends. Did he ever bring anyone around?” Willow looked between her sister and her mother.
Charity shook her head and Wendy shook hers more slowly. “Not that I can remember. What’s this all about?” She leaned forward.
“Okay...” Willow proceeded to tell them all about what had happened weeks ago when Caleb showed up on her doorstep. Well, most of it anyway. She kept out the part about letting Caleb into her bed and into her heart.
When she was finally done with telling the story, her sister’s face had turned a bright red and Willow knew that Wendy was about to explode.
“Why has it taken you this long to finally tell us all this?” Wendy crossed her arms over her chest as she asked in a low voice. Willow knew that any minute, her sister would start yelling.
“Because I was afraid you’d react like you’re about to.” She crossed her arms over her chest, much like the move her sister had made, and prepared herself.
Wendy, however, closed her eyes and took a few cleansing breaths.
“Do you have the journal with you?” Ralph asked.
She pulled it from the bottom of her purse, where she’d practically forgotten about it, and handed it over. She finished asking her sister questions as he flipped through the pages. When she was done, everyone sat in silence for a while.
Then Ralph turned to the back page of the journal and gasped.
“What?” everyone asked at the same time.
“Do you know what you have here?” He slowly stood up, his eyes still on the last page of the journal.
“No,” Willow said, standing up as well. “What?”
“This is a key,” he said.
“What?” She shook her head, not understanding, her eyes moving over to the journal. “How could a journal be a key?”
“Not a key, key.” He twisted his wrist like he was unlocking a door. “But a key.” He drew the word out. “These are file names.” He flipped through the journal pages, pointing to all the letters and numbers. “And, this...”—he turned the journal around and pointed at her father’s favorite saying— “is the key.”
“I don’t understand.” She reached out and took the book from him.
“Think computer files. Encrypted files. Ones that need a key or a phrase, such as this, to unlock.”
Realization hit Willow quickly. “Who has the encrypted files?”
Ralph reached out and touched her lightly on the shoulder. “That, Willow, is exactly what we need to find out if we plan on saving Caleb.”
The drive wasn’t that long, but it was too quiet in the car as he traveled down the dark roads. He thought about everything that had happened to him over the last few weeks.
About how he’d met Willow, the first time he’d seen her standing on the beach, the wind taking her hair, the sun on her face. Then his mind flashed to the night in her apartment. When she’d leaned over him and patched him up. The first time he’d kissed her. He could still feel her lips on his. Her skin next to his. How wonderful she’d felt.
If, in the next few hours, he died, he would know that at least for one brief moment in his miserable life, he’d gotten to see what it felt like to hold onto heaven.
He knew his plan wasn’t foolproof. Hell, when Ralph had offered him a gun, he’d thought hard about taking him up on it. But he knew the moment he stepped out of the car, it would be stripped from him. So, no matter what he did, he was walking into the fires of hell, pretty much naked.
He stopped the truck a block from the meeting place and waited and thought some more about Willow. When he could finally see the orange and red rays from the sun rising in the east, he glanced down at his watch. There was less than fifteen minutes before his life may be over. But, if all went well, Willow and Wendy would be safe for the rest of their lives.
Getting out of the truck, he grabbed his leather jacket and pulled it on. He tucked the truck keys in the pocket and started walking in the direction of the boardwalk.
For the first time in his life, he had something worth fighting for.
When he turned the corner, he could see a man in a dark suit standing near the end of the large abandoned pier. The chains to the wharf had been cut. Taking a deep breath, he started walking towards him slowly. The man watched as he approached.
“Minster.” He stopped behind him.
“Caleb.” The man’s smiled spread as he looked at him.
“Thanks for meeting me on such short notice.” Caleb felt a shiver run down his spine, but held perfectly still as he looked at the other man.
“I was curious about our little phone call. You said you had something new for me?”
“Yes, some more names and details,” he lied as he leaned against the pier’s railing, trying to look relaxed. “Why meet here?” Caleb asked. Looking around, he could just make out the almost empty beach. The parking lot had been completely vacant except for a dark black sedan, which he assumed was the agent’s. There were a few people running along the shoreline, but even the little shop at the beginning of the pier hadn’t opened its doors yet.
“I figured it would be easier on you. Now, what’s this information you have?” Minster asked.
“Well...” Caleb went into his planned speech about the gang and all the information he’d known about from all those years ago. He could tell Minster was getting inpatient, but the man stood back and listened to the small details Caleb added into his story.
Finally, Caleb could see the man’s patience leave.
“All this is old information. What’s the new intel you hinted about?”
Just then, however, he was shocked to hear a voice behind him. He was sure his heart stopped beating for an entire minute.
“There you are,” Willow said, rushing up the dock and right over to him. She leaned up on her toes to place a kiss on his lips. “I was beginning to think I wouldn’t make it.” She glanced over to the man standing beside him. “You must be Caleb’s handler.” She held out a hand and waited for him to shake hers, which he didn’t.
“I’m sorry.” The agent frowned at her. “I... I didn’t know...”
“Oh, that’s right. Caleb has been pretty tight lipped about me. I’m Willow Blake. William Blake was my father.”
“What?” Caleb noticed the complete shock in the man’s face before he quickly recovered. “I wasn’t aware that Mr. Blake had a daughter.”
Willow smiled and tucked her arm into Caleb’s, squeezing it tightly. He thought he felt her shiver with fear, but he was still in so much shock, he wasn’t sure of anything at this point.
“Two of us, actually. I was just going over some of my father’s old things and stumbled on this old journal.” She shocked Caleb further by pulling out the one thing that could have protected her and Wendy and handing it directly over to the man he suspected might be working for the bad guys.
“Willa—” She cut him off quickly, keeping her eyes locked with the agent.
“I was hoping maybe you could help me make heads or tails out of the darn thing.” She tugged on his arm again and he was desperately trying to figure out what she was doing there.
“Yes, well.” The agent’s eyes scanned every page of the journal. “I’ll be happy to take a look at—”
“Oh, how wonderful,” Willow interrupted. “Now, I understand you are going to help Caleb and I move to a more secure location?”
The agent’s eyes moved up to lock with Caleb’s as he tucked her father’s journal into his jacket pocket.
“Yes, well... You see, there’s been a slight change of plans.” When the man’s hand pulled slowly out of the pocket, Caleb pushed Willow behind him as a sleek silver gun barrel pointed directly at his chest. “You see; I’ve made a few deals myself. I have someone else who’s interested in handling you from this point on.”
He felt Willow tense and shoved her farther behind him.
“Whoa.” He held up his free hand. “I don’t...” He tried to play dumb but tensed as he heard two other men walked up the abandoned pier behind them. They had been hiding behind a fishing shed area a few feet down the dock.
One of them grabbed Willow’s arm and yanked her a few feet from him. When he reached to grab for her, the agent’s arm swung out and hit him on the side of his head with the butt of his gun.
Caleb fell to his knees as stars exploded behind his eyes. He reached up and felt blood drip down his forehead. He stayed on his hands and knees, since he doubted the man was going to allow him to stand again anytime soon.
“Why are you doing this?” Willow cried out as she tried to fight the man who was holding her. “We trusted you.” She glared over at Agent Minster.
The man chuckled and tucked his gun back into his jacket pocket, making a point to position it so it was still pointed in Caleb’s direction. Caleb knew he’d use it if he had to. His eyes moved around, but the pier was still completely abandoned.
“I guess if you’d had your old man’s information, you would have seen my name on his damn list and would have known I have been on the Lone Outlaws payroll for a long time.”
“Why?” Willow cried out when Tony twisted her arm after her question.
“Enough. Time to go,” Tony barked out.
“My father’s journal.” She tried to fight him. “You’re in it?” Tony stopped when the agent signaled him to wait.
“Me and a few others were afraid that the contents of your father’s journal would be found or that he’d come forward with our names. We’d heard about the journal when he’d first approached the agency with information against the gang. But after it was clear that your father hadn’t come forward with all of the information, we stayed low, in hopes that it had been lost. Then, word got out that the journal was still floating around somewhere. I naturally alerted the guys. I mean, he and your father are the reason they spent so much time locked up. We were watching Caleb, in hopes that he’d lead us back to Billy, but he never did.”
“My father is dead. He died thirteen years ago,” Willow blurted out.
“That explains why he never came back to the agency with the other information he’d promised after his initial reports.” He laughed and leaned back against the railing. “Funny thing is, after he’d turned against and helped lock up most of the gang, it became stronger, more profitable. Sure, Ralphie was no longer in charge, and a few of the main guys were behind bars, but it turns out that wasn’t such a bad thing after all. Was it Tony?”
Tony chuckled as he kept his eyes locked with Caleb’s. “You could say being behind bars opened other doorways for us.”
“You’ve been working with them the entire time? I trusted you,” he growled.
“You should be careful who you trust,
” Minster said. “Yes, there’s a lot of money to be made in and outside of the prison system, if you have the right connections. That’s one of the main reasons we’ve employed a few more agents since your father’s time. You’d be surprised how many guys want to make a few extra dollars on the side.” The agent laughed and Caleb felt his anger grow.
Chapter Fifteen
Willow was trying to remain calm. She was afraid that the man holding her arms behind her back would discover the hidden wires and the recording device shoved into the back of her pants.
She tried to keep her eyes on Agent Minster. He was a tall, thin man in a very expensive looking suit. His jet-black hair was long and the high winds out on the end of the pier were blowing his hair directly into his eyes. He kept reaching up and swiping it aside, as if he was annoyed.
She knew she needed to get more information from the man before the team of heavily armed men would burst out of nowhere and save them both, but she was running out of ideas on how to get Agent Minster to talk without tipping him off.
She’d seen the anger in Caleb’s eyes when he’d watched her walk towards him. She’d held him back from turning and walking away from the situation when she’d grabbed his arm.
“What’s in the journal?” Caleb asked from his position on his knees.
She could see a trail of blood running down his left eyebrow where the agent had hit him with his gun.
Agent Minster chuckled as he started to walk back down the dock, without answering.
“If we’re going to die because of it, we deserve to know.” He fought off the other man, the one with the black eyepatch over one of his eyes, who had yanked him to his feet.
“Very well.” The man glanced around and leaned back against the railing, looking quite comfortable, but highly out of place in a suit along the beach. “It’s a trail.”