Protect and Serve: Soldiers, SEALs and Cops: Contemporary Heroes from NY Times and USA Today and other bestselling authors

by J. M. Madden

“I know,” Cage said. “He’s alive and on the way to the vet.”

  She started to cry. “Thank you. What about you?”

  “I’m fine. Listen, Jay. You know how to deal with this. Stay calm, don’t challenge him. We’ll get through.”

  She breathed hard, obviously trying to stop crying. “I was going to clean the cellar today. You know, the part Dani and I talked about? I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t, or I’d be stuck down there in the dark.”

  What the hell? Why was she talking about the cleaning the cellar? She never went down there. Not after what happened a few years ago.

  “Time’s up.” Ward’s voice again. “Get the police out of here.”

  Dead air.

  Cage hung up and then looked at Gina. “I don’t know what the hell Jay was talking about.”

  Gina’s eyebrows were nearly fused together. She nodded, as if caught up in a private conversation. “Jaymee’s been through hell and has learned from it. I think she was trying to tell you something. What do you know about Magnolia House’s cellar?”

  “That it’s ancient and creepy.” Cage shuddered at the thought of the dank, centuries old cellar. Even his own home’s macabre history seemed less intimidating than the tomb beneath the much older Magnolia House. “But maybe I’m forgetting something. I’ll call Dani again. If anyone can figure out what Jaymee meant, it’ll be her.”

  Headlights cut through the dimming daylight. Gina shaded her eyes against the glare and sighed. “Don’t think that’ll be necessary.”

  Cage’s nerves ignited as Dani’s car came to a hard stop behind Gina’s Jeep. He wanted to grab Dani and push her back into the car, tell her to go somewhere safe. But he also wanted to escape with her, hold her close, and get his head straight.

  She jumped out and raced toward Cage, stopping when she saw the blood on his arm. “What happened?

  He ignored her question, his fear overriding the need to hold her. What was she thinking, coming here? Didn’t she realize how dangerous it was? “What are you doing here? Is Emma all right?”

  Dani’s fair skin paled, contrasting her strawberry blond hair. She reached for his wrapped arm. “She’s fine. What happened?”

  “It’s a flesh wound,” Cage said. “It’s nothing. Where’s the baby?” He glanced toward the car. Surely Dani hadn’t brought her.

  “Grace is with her. Emma’s sleeping.”

  Their kind neighbor would take good care of the baby, but that didn’t make Cage any happier. He felt coiled, a compressed spring ready to burst. “Why are you here?”

  “Are Jaymee and Nick all right?” Still pale, Dani met his angry glare with the same steely resolve she’d shown the first day they met and she’d demanded to help excavate the bones in Ironwood’s basement. He tried to answer, but his throat suddenly felt swollen. He just wanted to take her in his arms and never let go.

  “As of ten minutes ago, yes,” Gina said. “Cage made an unsuccessful attempt at getting inside the house. Our bad guy called to warn him, and Cage talked to Jaymee briefly.”

  Dani’s jaw tightened, her stare making him feel like a shrunken head. “Why would you try to get inside instead of negotiating?”

  “This guy has no interest in negotiating,” Cage said. “I can’t just sit around and wait.”

  “The negotiators from Jackson are on their way,” Gina said. “Until then, we need to keep the situation calm. Make Ward feel like he’s in control.”

  “We can’t wait,” Cage said. Urgency made him feel hot all over. He needed to do something instead of stand around debating. “His wife is seriously injured, and he’s already hit Jaymee once. She’s not going to back down.”

  “He’s right.” Dani leaned against the hood of the vehicle, shoulders low. Her voice sounded resigned. “Jaymee’s too hotheaded. If she’s threatened, it’s only a matter of time before she fights back.”

  “She doesn’t have time for the hostage negotiators.” Cage nodded a silent thanks toward Dani. He felt stronger knowing she was on his side.

  Gina rolled her shoulders back, her small frame straining under the bulletproof vest. “Tell Dani what Jaymee said.”

  He tugged the collar of the Kevlar, wishing he could take off the vest. “She started talking about the cellar. Very weird.” Cage told Dani about the strange conversation with Jaymee. “You have any idea what she was talking about?”

  “Yes!” Dani’s rapid, high voice made him jump. “I can’t believe we both forgot! Magnolia House has a tunnel leading out from the old cellar. It opens up into the original kitchen. Don’t you remember?”

  Cage felt a surge of hope. He’d completely forgotten the story. “You’re right. Doesn’t it come out near the old jail?”

  “Yes.” Dani rocked on the heels of her feet the way she always did when she talked about history. “The old jail used to be the town’s major slave trading company. Dupont used the tunnel to move slaves back and forth. History claims he cut a deal with the traders and got a discount, which pissed everyone else off, so he moved them in secret.”

  Cage looked down the street, past the expanse of Magnolia house and the estate. Dusk had fallen now, but he knew the old jail was farther up the hill, nearer the southwest edge of town–easy access for the planters to buy their slaves. Still, it couldn’t be more than a couple of football fields away.

  “I wonder if it’s caved in,” Cage said. Most of the land between the house and the jail was on the Magnolia estate. Because slave cabins and other original buildings were still standing, the estate was a protected area. No development meant a chance the tunnel was still open.

  “Penn Gereau told Jaymee that parts of it had caved in by the time he was kid,” Dani said. “But he could still move through the tunnel.”

  Magnolia’s previous owner had to be near sixty. That was a lot of years for nature to take over. But the tunnel was their best hope. Cage needed to be inside the house, look John Ward in the eye. If he could do that, he’d have a chance at being able to negotiate. But standing outside with a megaphone and no visual of what was going inside didn’t work for Cage.

  “You aren’t seriously thinking of trying to get into the house via the tunnel?” Gina’s dark eyebrows raised as she stared up at him. “We have no idea what condition it’s in. And if you happen to actually get into the cellar, you’re on your own.”

  Cage tried to smile. “Nah, Jaymee’s expecting me. You said yourself she gave me a clue.”

  “Jaymee’s a hostage,” Gina said. “So’s Nick. They won’t be able to help.”

  “I can handle it.” Cage looked between his boss and nervous fiancé. “And it’s their best chance. I’ve talked to this guy. He’s extremely volatile. I can hear it in his voice. If we wait on the hostage team from Jackson, someone will die.”

  Cage took Dani’s hands. They were cold and trembling, but her eyes were steady. “I can’t wait for someone else to do the job.”

  “Maybe you’re wrong about Jaymee. If he hit her,” Dani swallowed hard, “and he shot at you, then maybe she’ll be quiet.”

  Cage tried to smile. “You remember who we’re talking about, right? And she gave me the clue. She’s counting on me to come for them. Which means she’ll be watching for me.”

  “I hate to admit it, but he’s right,” Gina said. She stared up at the darkening sky as if it might confirm she’d made the right call. “The Jackson guys are still mobilizing. Even if they drive like hell, it’ll be more than two hours before they arrive. And I trust Cage’s instincts.”

  He nodded at the captain. Her confidence meant more than he’d ever tell her.

  “It’s so risky.” Dani reached for his hand and squeezed. “If it’s open, the tunnel could collapse on you. And if you do get inside…”

  “If the tunnel doesn’t look safe, I won’t go in.”

  “Yes, you will.”

  He put her hand to his lips, kissing each of her knuckles. “I’ll be fine.”

  She took his face in her hands and b
rought it to hers. Her salty tears accompanied the kiss, but the warmth of her body sent a familiar rush through him.

  Dani broke the kiss first, gasping for breath. “You have to come home. I had something special planned for tonight.”

  Cage knew the husky tone, caught the look in her eyes. “Isn’t it too soon?”

  “Six weeks.” Her smile wavered. “So don’t be too late.”

  His body shouldn’t be reacting right now, but the prospect of being inside her made his knees weak. Months of bed rest had deprived them of intimacy for far too long. He found his voice. “I won’t.”

  She choked back a sob and then drew a shaky breath. “Why do you have to be so damned noble?”

  “Good ole Southern boy, remember?”

  SIX

  Gina refused to allow Dani to stay at the scene. After a lingering kiss, Cage watched her brake lights disappear, his emotions twisting into a knot at the base of his stomach. The evening had brought humidity, or maybe the combination of the vest and the chaos raging inside him caused the feeling of overheating. He took a long drink of water and walked back to Gina.

  “Thanks, Marla.” Gina ended the call and grimaced at Cage. “Jackson PD says John Ward III was arrested for domestic assault twice in the last year. First time, the neighbors called because the argument was so loud and made its way outside. The wife refused to press charges. Second time, Kendra–that’s the wife’s name–made the call. Said her husband was beating her, and she’d locked herself in the bathroom. In the end, Kendra dropped the charges.”

  Cage had witnessed the effects of the abuse Jaymee and her mother had endured at the hands of her father, but he still struggled to understand the victim mentality. He couldn’t imagine the emotional toll it took, and for years he longed to see Jaymee or her mother finally stand up to the man. Still, it took a family tragedy before they were able to do it.

  Cage knew wife-beaters like John Ward excelled at verbal and emotional abuse, mentally drumming the victim into the ground until she felt like she had no other choice. Many victims stayed with their abusers because they feared the repercussions of leaving or filing charges. But Ward had screwed up this time. Nick and Jaymee could press charges. So could the city. The bastard would be in a jail cell before midnight.

  Cage just had to get everyone out of Magnolia House alive.

  Gina stood at his driver’s door, her arms resting on the open window. They’d moved all the vehicles to the street, out of Ward’s line of sight. “I can do this if you’re too close.”

  He shook his head. “I know the house as well as I know my own. I’ve been in that cellar, and I remember all the junk I’ve got to get around.”

  “How are you going to come out of the cellar without being seen?”

  Cage tried to smile. “Easy. That cellar opens into the old kitchen, which is always shut.”

  “The old kitchen isn’t part of the new one?”

  “No,” Cage said. “Gereau’s aunt never wanted the kitchen changed. She wanted the house to keep its history. So he closed it off and added a more modern kitchen.” Jaymee had been thinking about including the old one on the house’s historical home tour. But bad things had happened to her in the old kitchen and cellar. She hadn’t been ready this year. That delay might end up saving her life.

  “You have to stay detached,” Gina said. “This is personal, and I get it. But you can’t let it affect your decision making. Don’t shoot unless it’s to save someone’s life, and even then, you’d better be damned sure. Patience, Foster.”

  She searched his eyes, her own surprisingly soft. The captain could be a hardass, but she also supported her staff without question. “Bad decisions have really bad consequences, especially in these situations.”

  “I can handle it.” He hoped he looked as confident as he wanted to feel.

  Gina surprised him with a warm smile–a rarity for her. “I know you can. Do you have everything?”

  He checked his supplies in the passenger seat. “Two mini-Maglites, my Glock with a full clip and an extra, a set of handcuffs, a radio, gloves, mini pry bar, and a spade.” They’d already decided a shovel would probably be too big for the tunnel. If he had to dig his way through, the spade would have to be enough. “I made a call while you were on the phone with Marla. Lee Walker’s meeting me at the old jail. He’s pretty sure I’ll be able to get through.” The historical foundation’s president would be able to show Cage the exterior entrance to the tunnel. Cage didn’t relish the idea of seeing the man, but he had to keep things in perspective.

  “Keep your cell in your pocket and make sure it’s on vibrate,” Gina said. “Text as soon as you’re inside the house. Hopefully you’ve got a signal. I’ll stay here and run our tiny command center.” She paused, looking like she wanted to say more. Finally she squeezed his forearm. “Be careful, Cage.”

  Located just down the long hill from Magnolia House, near the southwest side of Roselea, Old City Jail had been closed in the eighties for the more modern facility. The Adams County Historical Foundation owned the building, and renovations were in progress. Fortunately the holiday weekend meant the workers were off grilling hot dogs and enjoying their ice-cold beers. At the sight of Lee Walker’s car, Cage wished he could join them.

  His mother preached forgiveness. Even after his older sister’s murder, his mother held steady to her faith and to her belief that everyone deserved a second chance. Cage tried to remember his mother’s words, but Lee Walker sucked just about every ounce of tolerance out of him. The fact that Dani still worked for the man was bad enough.

  Gathering his things into a worn knapsack, Cage stepped out of his vehicle. Lee did the same. Wearing pressed shorts and a Polo shirt, along with white socks and brown loafers, Lee shifted from foot to foot, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses. Cage felt a pang of regret. He used to enjoy talking with the historian. They’d even worked together in an effort to save a key piece of Roselea’s history. But then Lee had nearly gotten both Cage and Dani killed. Dani forgave him. Cage still had a ways to go.

  Lee finally met Cage’s gaze and held it for a quiet moment. He nodded and then extended his hand. At least he understood right now wasn’t the time for more apologies.

  Cage shoved his grudge aside and shook Lee’s hand. “Thanks for meeting me on short notice. You didn’t tell anyone, did you? We’re trying to keep this quiet.”

  Since the town’s best reporter was one of the hostages, the police hadn’t had any trouble keeping a lid on the news. But Cage didn’t know how much longer that would hold.

  “Not a soul,” Lee said. “How’s Dani holding up?”

  “She’s safe at Ironwood, thankfully.” Cage didn’t mention that she and Emma had been at Magnolia earlier in the day and could have been trapped. He didn’t need to think about it right now.

  “Good for her to remember the tunnel. Damned smart woman.” Lee started walking, and Cage followed, relaxing. This part would be easy. They’d had a hundred conversations about Roselea’s storied history. He’d just have to think of this as one more.

  Lee pointed to Cage’s shoulder. Gina had put a second layer of bandages on it. Hopefully most of the dirt would stay out of the wound. “What about you?”

  “I’m fine.” He didn’t feel the need to share any more.

  The old jail sat on the corner of Duke and Warren streets, with the grounds stretching right up to the property line of Magnolia Estate. Weeds had overtaken the old yard where inmates used to be given an hour a day for exercise. A single basketball hoop leaned precariously forward, as if the concrete supporting the pole had broken up. A grungy thread of a long gone net fluttered from the rusted hoop.

  Cage followed Lee through the field, remembering how the jail had scared him as a child. He and Jaymee used to walk by and see the inmates during their exercise time. Jaymee always felt sorry they didn’t have a proper court, just hardened Mississippi mud. Cage thought the entire place was creepy, probably from the ghost stories his sister h
ad filled his head with.

  The wooden platform from the old gallows where many men had been hung still stood behind the jail, as if to warn the inmates what could happen. Cage’s sister used to insist she could see the ghosts of executed inmates swinging from it. He liked to think he’d never believed her, but the entire area gave him a smothering feeling of being watched.

  “Is it true slaves are buried in the jail yard?”

  Lee smiled grimly, stepping around a tangled thatch of weeds. “I think so. We’re trying to get permission to dig, but it’s a delicate situation. We need to have your friend the medical examiner involved, for one. She’s all for it, but the state has to give her the go-ahead. And that’s just the start.”

  “You have any idea how many?”

  Lee stopped, looking up at the crumbling, three-story brick building. Chunks of the concrete bordering the windows had fallen and busted around the perimeter. Most of the windows were missing glass. The lower level had an extended wing, giving it a strange ‘L’ shape. The slaves had been quarantined in that area before they were sold.

  “This was the major slave trading hub in this area. Thousands of them came through here over a span of nearly two hundred years. Given the way they were treated, I think it’s safe to say there were plenty of casualties.” Lee pointed to a small hill just past the edge of the jail yard. “The tunnel comes out over there, just outside of the Magnolia estate. Penn Gereau showed me the entrance several years ago, and it stayed our secret. We figured it would be too much of a temptation for teenagers and thrill seekers.”

  “Good call.”

  They’d reached the top of the small hill, which amounted to more of a mound. Still, it was high enough Cage could see Magnolia House’s black roof in the distance, and he’d never been more grateful for Roselea’s rolling hills and valleys. Nothing marked the end of the jail grounds, but he knew the band of oak trees no more than five feet away belonged to the Magnolia Estate. He prayed the lack of development meant the tunnel was intact enough for him to slip through.

  Lee knelt down and started pulling the thick, sweet-smelling wild clover away from the center of the mound. Cage followed suit, and soon a rotting wooden door emerged.