“Hey Karina,” she greets me as I come through the double doors.
Trinity has been a godsend for me, keeping me on track and allowing me to hang out with her as I’ve been fighting the effects of this pregnancy. This is her first year, but I’ve found her to be a breath of fresh air.
“How’s it going, girlie?” I put my stuff down on one of the tables, spreading out everything I need to look at.
“Busy freaking day, and I’ve got a lot of stuff to shelve and catalogue. I don’t want you to think I’m ignoring you, but I gotta do it back here.” She scrunches up her nose as she points to the back room.
“You’re good; I’ll be okay out here by myself. I just have to get my brain wrapped around the fact I actually have to get this shit done.” I motion to the stuff I have spread out.
“I know exactly what you mean. I should be about thirty minutes.”
“Take your time, and when you’re ready to lock up, let me know.”
Just as I’m about to get down to business, I get a text from my husband.
M: Hey, I’m headed to the school. Where are you?
Immediately I smile, happy that I’ll get to see my husband before we get home.
K: Are you coming to see me? I’m in the library getting some work done with Trinity.
M: Our proof came through on Cartwright, Rina. We have a warrant. Be safe. I love you.
K: Love you, too. I’ll stay where I am.
M: Be sure that you do. As soon as I can, I’ll get you.
The proof came through. I wonder what proof it is, but I also know that’s probably something he can’t tell me. I knew when I found the moonshine in the girl’s locker room during our summer cleaning that Mr. Cartwright was responsible for it. All I had to do was wait until the MTF could prove it. God, I wish Mason were here right now.
Getting up from the table I’m at, I walk over to the window, gazing out over the teacher’s parking lot. Mr. Cartwright’s car is still there. I’ve often wondered how he could afford a Cadillac SUV, when the rest of the lot is littered with Toyotas and Kias, or cars that are at least ten years old. I noticed it, but I never questioned it. I wonder how much money he’s made off these children; I also wonder how he sleeps at night knowing some of these kids have developed a habit so bad they’ve had to go to rehab. In the end, that’s not for me to judge. He’ll get his day in court, and he’ll have to face his maker when he’s ready. Still doesn’t mean I’m not disappointed.
Moving my hand down my body, I cradle my stomach where the child Mason and I made out of love lies. I’m nervous as I wait for him to arrive. Only when he gets here will I feel safe. Until that moment, I’m worried, worried about what might happen, and how Mr. Cartwright will react once he knows he’s been backed into a corner that he possibly won’t make it out of.
Someone enters the library, and I’m hoping like hell it’s my husband, but when I turn, I see Mr. Cartwright staring at me.
“It was you,” he accuses, looking crazier than any person I’ve ever seen in my life. No actually, crazy isn’t the way to describe how he looks. It’s more desperation, and even I know desperate people do stupid things. “You’re the one who found the moonshine in the girls’ locker room; you’re the one who found the moonshine in the false bottom of the cabinet in my classroom.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I didn’t know anything about the false bottom on your cabinet.” There’s no place for me to go as he advances on me. I’m already against a wall, having gone here to look out the window. He stands between me and the door that would allow me to escape. “I did find the moonshine in the girls’ locker room. It amazes me that you would let people think you were a creep, instead of just admitting that’s where you hid most of your stash.”
The smile he throws at me isn’t pleasant, and my stomach turns at the look on his face. “It was easy to get it there, no cameras in the room or outside. When I’d run low in my classroom, I’d just go out there with my bag, put some in, and transport it. For the longest time no one asked any questions. Not until you and your husband started sniffing around.”
I’m mentally trying to figure out what I can do to get out of this situation, and unfortunately, I’m fully aware there isn’t much. “If you hurt me, he will kill you.”
My heart pounds as I see him withdraw a gun from his waistband. “If he tries to hurt me, I’ll kill you and that baby you’re so proud of. You’re my ticket out of here, Karina. Smile nicely for the cameras.”
I make a run for it, but he grabs me around the neck, hooking me with his arm, pointing the gun too close to my head for comfort. Fear like I’ve never known envelopes me, and for the first time I’m scared for my life. I’m scared that I won’t get to see my husband at the end of the day, that I’ll never see Caleb play another football game, and I won’t meet this child inside of me that is so loved. I throw up a prayer that it all works out, but there’s a dread closing my throat and I lose something I’ve always had. Hope.
“Walk slowly,” he instructs as we hear the sirens of police. “And if you do as I say, you might make it out of here today, but I wouldn’t count on it.”
Menace
“You can’t be here,” Havoc tells me as we set up a perimeter around the school.
“The fuck I can’t, my wife is in there,” I argue with him as he grabs me by the shoulders, pulling me away from the scene. Havoc looks at me, something in his eyes I don’t normally see – a fear, a sadness. “Tell me, whatever it is, tell me,” I beg, I know it’s bad if he’s hesitating. There’s one thing Havoc Thompson does extremely well, and that’s take control of a scene, run it like a well-oiled machine, and do so without personal feelings getting caught up in the mix. To see him this torn? It’s killing me.
“A 911 call just came in. Trinity, the librarian, was in the back cataloguing. The indication bell that someone has entered the library came on. She knew Karina was out there, but she was afraid it was a student staying after school and Karina wouldn’t be able to help them. It wasn’t a student. It’s Isaac Cartwright and he’s holding a gun on Karina.”
My world fucking crashes to my feet. Legitimately, I fall to the ground on my ass, my back against one of the cruisers. My life, as I know it, is ending at this moment. My throat is working double-time, swallowing back the bile as it threatens to come spewing out. I lean my head back, panting out deep breathes.
Havoc squats down to my level, putting his hand on my shoulder. “I’m not going to pretend like I know how you feel, because I don’t. I’d be losing my goddamn mind if that was Leigh in there, but I’m going to tell you like I would tell anyone else. Let us do our job. If not, I’ll have to remove you.”
My eyes meet his. “Fuckin’ try it, Holden.”
“No, you try me, Mason. Let us get her out of there. Let us do what we’re trained to do.”
I know he’s being honest with me, know he’s speaking the truth, but none of this shit is easy. I want to be barging in there, guns blazing, beating the shit out of this motherfucker for even putting her in this situation. A shadow crosses my path, standing over me. I glance up when they don’t move, and my eyes meet Ace’s.
This is the first time I’ve ever seen Ace in sniper mode. I know he was one in the military, but I’ve never seen him ready to do battle. He’s wearing his MTF uniform, but he carries a specialized rifle in his hands and a hat turned backwards – I know it’s to keep his hair out of his face as he concentrates.
“I give you my word I’ll make sure she goes home with you after this,” he vows, his tone tight and deadly. “She’s gonna be fine, I’ll make sure of it.”
I’m feeling like a bastard, not wanting them to know how this is affecting me. “Make sure that you do.”
He nods and I think he knows I can’t say anything else. If I give in to the fear, I’ll be done for. They’ll have to carry me out of here on a stretcher and take me to the mental health ward. I will break down, and I worry that there’s no coming back. In my p
ocket, my phone vibrates.
Pulling it out, I read the text, forcing the palm of my hand into my eye, to rub the sting of tears away. It’s a text from Caleb with an article attached to it, about the police presence at Laurel Springs High School.
C: Is Kari okay?
I hate myself for lying to him, but I know he can’t do anything where he is except worry.
M: She’s fine, I’ll let you know when we’re done here.
C: K, I was worried! I’m headed to class. Love you!
M: Pay attention and do great things. Love you, too!
Those tears finally break through, sliding down my cheeks as I drop my phone to the pavement and send up every version of a prayer I know. As I watch my teammates make shit happen, I sit next to the squad car, refusing to leave until I have my wife in my arms.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Karina
“You don’t have to do this,” I plead with him, trying to think of ways to get him to leave me alone and walk out on his own. I’m sure there are countless possibilities, but right now I’m coming up with nothing. The only thing I’m worried about is making sure my baby is okay. The baby we just announced that I’m having to our friends and family.
“No, I do.” His hand shakes as he holds the gun on me. “You don’t understand, I’ve been planning this for a long time.”
“What?” I’m confused as I hear him speak.
His brows furrow as he looks at me, and it’s almost as if I can see him arguing with himself, trying to decide if he wants to tell me the truth. A part of me doesn’t want to know, because then it gives me hope. Hope that I’ll make it out of here alive, and that he doesn’t plan to kill me. If he’s going to tell me everything, it would make sense he’d want to get rid of any evidence, but if he’s not going to harm me, then why would he tell me anything? My stomach drops as he starts to talk.
“Five years ago, there was an article ran about the moonshine trade here in Alabama. I was living in Washington State at the time, trying to make ends meet, barely doing it, and eating whatever was on sale at the grocery store that week. For three years I figured out how to make my own moonshine. I worked hard, learned how to make the best, and right when I was ready to make my move, things started happening here in Laurel Springs. Remember? We got here about the same time, Karina.”
I do remember. That’s roughly about the time Leighton’s dad was arrested and that whole operation went under. For a while moonshine had come in from a neighboring county and then it’d started in the school.
“I was sick of living paycheck-to-paycheck. These stupid backwoods kids didn’t even realize what hit them when I started putting moonshine in the lockers, with instructions on how to get more. This little operation has funded my life, and I have enough now to go live on some beach in the tropics where there is zero extradition. You and your husband? You won’t stop me.”
“They were coming for you, I taunt him. They found proof and they were coming for you, that’s why they’re here now.”
He pulls the ends of my hair with his fingers. “I know, they executed a search warrant on a storage unit I was using to store a bunch of my equipment. I thought I was being smart by registering it under a dummy corporation, but that came back to bite me in the ass. So now you, my dear, are going to get me out of this predicament I find myself in.”
Every part of my body fights against what he wants me to do, but I also know that the MTF won’t let him take me. If I can just make it outside, to where we have a chance, I know things will be okay. I make that promise to myself and work hard to convince my vaulting stomach that it’s the truth.
“Look alive, Karina, it’s time to put on a show.”
And as we walk out into the waning sunlight, I close my eyes, praying to God that I get to walk away from this with every part of my body still attached.
Menace
“He’s bringing her out!” I hear the chatter and immediately I’m on alert.
I jump up from where I’ve been sitting next to the cruiser and train my eyes on the motherfucker who’s threatening the most precious thing in my life besides my son and the child she’s carrying. I make sure he sees me, cross my arms over my chest and mean mug like I’ve never mean mugged before. Fuck, I want to vault myself over this damn car and take him out with my bare hands.
“Cartwright.” Havoc’s voice is clear and concise, in control of his emotions. “Let her go and we’ll talk this out.”
God I wish I was in control as much as he is, wish I could calm the pounding of my heart and convince myself that this is some sort of dream-like state I’m in. That I’m going to wake up and this hasn’t happened at all, that I’m lying in bed with my wife, her stomach tucked protectively under my hand.
“No deal, she’s my ticket out of here. I want a car, and I want a plane ticket.”
“Just one?” Havoc questions.
The bastard runs a hand along her jaw, and that’s when I let myself look at her. Her eyes are closed against the police presence in front of her; she’s got her hands on her stomach. She looks almost serene as her right hand twists her wedding band around on her finger. She’s not looking at any of this, and I thank the heavens for it. She doesn’t have to see how many local and state police have converged to help; she won’t have to see the bullet whiz by her face as Ace takes this fucker out.
I know she’s not serene, though; I know she’s got to be going crazy inside, the same way I’m going crazy. If they would just give me five minutes alone with this guy, he would never think about hurting another person for as long as he lives. If he makes it through this ordeal. Hell, if I make it through this ordeal. My chest is killing me, and I’m not sure if it’s because I’m nervous or if it’s because I’m having a possible fucking heart attack.
“I’m not that calculated,” Cartwright answers. “Better make it two, and does a fetus need a ticket?”
Anger causes me to advance, but Renegade and Tank hold me back. I strain against their arms, pull at the hands physically keeping in my spot. Never did I think when we told people about the baby that it would be used against us. Fuck him for doing this to us, for being such a goddamn asshole. Right now I want to knock every single one of his teeth out of his mouth. I want to stomp a hole in his head and make him drink soup for the rest of his natural life.
“Trust me when I say I know exactly what you want to do right now, but you can’t,” Tank whispers in my ear. “Let Ace do what he does best. We’re gonna take care of her, brother, just let us.”
Knowing he’s telling the truth and actually letting it happen are two different things. I drown out whatever Havoc is telling him as I focus on Karina. Different parts of our life together so far run through my mind like a highlight reel.
The first time I saw her walking up to me on our first date. The way she looked as she came against me the first time. Watching her sleep on the couch after she took care of Caleb. The way she took care of me when Caleb left. Her walking down the aisle toward me at our wedding. The surprise in her face when we found out we were expecting, and just this morning, the kiss she gave me as she left for work.
It wrenches my heart, and just when I’m not sure I can take much more, I hear a shot from above us. I know immediately it’s coming from a building across the street. It’s the shot Ace is taking to either wound this man significantly or it will end his life. Without a doubt it will pass mere millimeters from my wife’s flesh, but I trust Ace with everything, and as Cartwright’s shoulder kicks back, I watch him fall to the ground.
Karina with her eyes still closed, starts to go with him, but I run, dig my feet into the ground, and make it before she falls. I catch her just like I promised myself I always would. I pull her away from the danger and hold her tightly in my arms.
“Open those eyes for me, let me know you’re okay, Rina.” My voice is shot, my nerves are shot, and the only thing I can do is run my hands over her body, feel for anything that’s hurt or broken. If there’s one thing o
n her that’s not like it was when she went to school this morning, I’ll murder him. No jury in the world would make me do jail time, and even if they did, for her, I’d be happy to do it.
She opens her eyes, trying to get her bearings. Those green orbs connect with mine, and then I see the fear. It eats at me, makes me feel so foul that she had to endure this because of my job. Never again will she be put in any danger, I vow it myself right then and there. “Is it over?”
“Completely and totally over.” I crush her to me as we’re approached by Blaze, and Violet breaks the perimeter around the area, running to us.
“Oh my God, I thought you were dead. I trust Ace with everything, but I thought…oh my God.” Violet crouches in front of us as Blaze immediately starts taking her vitals. Violet holds her hand, as it appears she wants to assure herself Karina really is alright. I know the feeling.
“I thought I was too,” she admits as tears come and she begins to shake. Her teeth are chattering, and I wrap her tighter in my arms, hoping to transfer the body heat.
“She’s in shock,” Blaze speaks calmly and quietly. “Things are gonna be fine, let’s just take you in and get you checked out.”
She grabs my hand, her fingers entwining in mine. Her voice as she lets the words slip out are damn near my undoing. “Don’t leave me, please don’t leave me.”
“Not a chance, babe, never a chance.” It’s a vow I’ll spend the rest of my life making come true. This woman will never be in this kind of danger again if I can help it.
Holding her in my arms, I carry her out to the ambulance, climb inside and refuse to let go until we get to the hospital. After a scare like that, I’m sure no one would blame me.
As we drive off for the hospital I get a message from Caleb.
C: Really fuckin’ pissed you lied to me but kind of okay with it, too. Had I known what was going on I would have been a wreck. I love you both, please call me tomorrow after you’ve both processed this and let me know you’re okay.
M: Will do, love you too. We’re headed to the hospital. And trust me, nobody was gonna hurt her on my watch.
Menace (Moonshine Task Force Book 5) Page 19