Counter Terror (A Jake Adams International Espionage Thriller Series Book 13)
Page 21
Jess got down on the floor next to the car seat, inspecting the new member of the family.
“This is great, Jake,” Vic said. “We still haven’t met your son, Karl. At least we got an early look at this one.”
Jake closed the outer door behind him. Hearing Karl’s name, Jake knew he needed to get in touch with him soon as well. Rumors would spread and Karl would also need to know that Jake was still with the living. He would also need to see his little sister.
“Jess, Vic, I’ve got a problem,” Jake said.
“Just one?” Vic smiled broadly.
His brother had been married, but was now divorced. No children. His sister had never been married. And Jake had a feeling she might be a lesbian. Being in her early forties, Jake guessed Jess wouldn’t be having a child anytime soon.
“I have to disappear for a while,” Jake said. “And I can’t do that with a young child.”
Jess looked up at Jake, bewildered. Vic looked down at Emma.
Standing up quickly, Jess gave Jake a big hug again. “I’ll watch her for you.”
“Are you sure you can do this?” Jake asked. “You’re always out in the wilderness.”
“That’s mostly the old me, Jake,” Jess said. “I’ve been mostly here in Missoula giving riding lessons for the past year. I blew my knee out on an elk hunt in The Bob last fall.”
Jake turned to his brother. “Could you help, Vic?”
“Of course, Jake. Not a problem.”
“She’s a sweet baby,” Jake said. “But she needs a lot of care. You two don’t exactly have experience in this area.”
Jess smacked her brother in the chest. “Neither did you until six months ago.”
She had a good point.
“I’ll pay for everything,” Jake said.
“What about Alexandra’s family?” Jess asked.
“Her father is dead and her mother has dementia,” Jake said. “No siblings.”
“I can draw up guardianship paperwork,” Vic said. “In case she needs medical care.”
“Thanks,” Jake said. “I will set up a wire transfer to your account. I’ll make sure Alexandra’s pension flows into that account.”
“I’ll track everything for you on a spread sheet,” Vic said.
“I don’t need that. I just need assurance from the both of you that Emma will be cared for properly. Like I said, this is only temporary. I just need to disappear for a while until I can find out what’s going on.”
They both nodded agreement.
“She can stay here,” Vic said.
Jess put her hands on her hips. “I’ll quit my job and take care of Emma fulltime.”
Jake gave his sister another hug. Then he kissed her on the forehead. “Thanks, sis.”
“Jess can move in here with me,” Vic said. “God knows I have plenty of room.”
Letting out a heavy sigh, Jake kneeled down and rubbed Emma’s face with the back of his fingers. She was so soft. Now he guessed that Jess would have Emma on a horse as soon as she could walk. Nothing wrong with that.
Jake stood again. “I’ll make sure to send my son Karl out here soon to meet his sister. Other than Karl, though, nobody is to know that I’m still alive. Do you understand?”
“Of course,” Vic said.
“Sure thing,” Jess added.
“All right. It’s settled. I think someone offered me a beer.”
Jess hurried off, saying, “Coming right up.”
“How’s she doing?” Jake asked Vic.
“Great. She almost got married to a younger fellow last year. But he turned out to be a cheater in dire need of a dentist.”
“I heard that,” Jess said, coming back with three beers and handing them to her brothers. “I only knocked out one tooth.”
“And broke a couple of ribs,” Vic reminded her.
Jake raised his beer and ticked it with those of his siblings. “To the Adams clan. Don’t mess with us.”
“You got that shit right,” Jess agreed.
They all took heavy draws on their beers.
•
The next morning, Jake said goodbye to his brother and sister, and especially his little girl, Emma.
As Jake waited for the driver to pick him up, they all stood at the door.
“Where will you go?” Vic asked.
“I can’t say.”
“You’re still packing a Glock,” Jess said. “Can’t go commercial with that.” She held Emma like a pro on her left hip.
“I know,” Jake said. “I’ve got a private ride.”
“Nice,” Jess said. “By the way, I might just keep Emma. She’s a doll.”
That’s what he needed to hear at this very moment. Jake wasn’t sure what he was doing or where he was going, but he had a feeling, like always, that his work would be dangerous. He now knew that he could never get too close to someone again. Although his relationships had produced two wonderful children, the pain that followed was nearly unbearable.
The car pulled into the driveway and Jake left his brother’s house, not knowing if he would ever see any of them again. He never looked back. He just got in the back of the car and closed the door, his visage hidden behind tinted windows.
Jake sat quietly as the driver took him to the airport, where he would get on the billionaire’s jet and decide where to go.
If you like science fiction, please consider reading the first book in this new series:
The Azure Key (the first book in the Corsair Uprising Space Opera Series)