Magnum Force Man

by Amanda Stevens

  She spun back to Jack. His gaze was so intense, her stomach fluttered in apprehension. “What’s wrong?”

  He said nothing. Dropping the packages of clothing, he turned and raced out of the store. By the time Claudia overcame her shock and rushed after him, he was half a block away.

  “Hey!”

  At her call, he paused, his gaze still on the street. The blue car was up ahead of him and gaining speed.

  “Jack?” She hurried to his side. “What’s going on? Why’d you run out like that—”

  He turned and grabbed her arms. “We have to follow that car.”

  For a moment, the overly-dramatic command didn’t even compute. It was like a line out of every bad mystery movie Claudia had ever seen. “What are you talking about? What car? You mean the blue one that just passed by here? Why?”

  Jack’s grip tightened. “The boy’s inside. I saw him in the backseat.”

  His agitated tone, more than his words, finally penetrated Claudia’s fog. “What? You mean the boy in your vision?”

  “I saw him in the backseat of that car. We have to find him—”

  “Okay, okay, but we can’t catch a car on foot. We’ll have to go back and get mine.” When he seemed reluctant to follow her, she tugged on his arm. “Come on. If we let them get too far ahead, we could lose them.”

  He glanced back at the street, then nodded and they both took off running back to the SUV.

  Climbing inside, Claudia started the engine and executed a U-turn in the road before flooring the accelerator. She gave a silent prayer of thanks for the sparse traffic because she drove like a madwoman. Unfortunately, the blue car was already out of sight.

  “Hurry,” Jack muttered.

  “I’m doing my best.” She flashed him a look as she navigated along the street. The scenery flew by them. “Are you sure it was the same boy?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did you get a look at the driver?”

  “Barely. I think it was a woman.”

  “The kidnapper?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Then who…” Claudia broke off. “Oh, of course, he’s probably with his mother. He hasn’t been taken yet. If we catch up to them…” She paused again. “Jack, what the heck are we going to tell her?”

  He said nothing.

  Claudia spared another glance. “I mean, we can’t very well tell her the truth, can we? She’ll think we’re a couple of crackpots. Probably call the police on us. We could end up in jail or worse and that poor kid will be on his own. Jack?”

  He was so silent, Claudia wondered if he’d gone into some kind of trance, leaving her to figure out their immediate course of action. Which she didn’t like one bit because what on earth could she tell the kid’s mother that would convince her of the impending danger?

  This man is a pre-cog. He had a vision about your son. He’s become the target of a kidnapper. Whatever you do, don’t take him to Mount Rushmore.

  Oh, yeah. That little spiel would go over really well.

  But what else did they have on their side but the truth? Or at least, Jack’s version of the truth. How else to warn the boy’s mother except by coming clean with her? Of course, that was assuming she would even give them the chance—

  A traffic light up ahead turned yellow, and Claudia cursed under her breath as she pressed the gas pedal even harder. Don’t turn red, she silently pleaded as the vehicle approached the intersection. They were losing ground with every second that ticked by. The blue car was nowhere in sight, and for all Claudia knew, it had already turned off somewhere. In which case, they might never be able to find it.

  “You didn’t happen to get the license-plate number, did you?” she asked Jack.

  More silence.

  They entered the intersection just as the light changed and Claudia cringed as she glanced both ways down the street. Thankfully, no traffic was coming from either direction and they made it through without so much as a close call. At least for the moment, luck was on their side—

  The blast of a siren sounded behind her and when she looked in the rearview mirror, she saw the flashing rotation of police lights.

  “Great. Just great.” She glanced over at Jack. The siren had brought him out of his trance and he turned to look out the back window. “I have to pull over. I can’t outrun the police.” A high-speed chase through the streets of Rapid City would not only be stupid and potentially dangerous, but also a sure-fire way to expose her cover. She could see her picture now flashed across every news broadcast in the state. If Dr. Lasher’s killer wasn’t already on her trail, he soon would be.

  “Go ahead and pull over,” Jack said.

  She slowed the car and eased to the shoulder. “Okay, we have to think fast here. How should we handle this? Do we tell them about the boy?”

  “They’d never believe us.”

  “I know, but—” She glanced in the rearview mirror. The officer was already out of the patrol car and heading toward them. “Jack? Help me out here. I need to know what to tell them—”

  But it was too late. The officer was already rapping on the glass and Claudia had no choice but to roll down the window. Reaching in her bag, she pulled out her driver’s license and proof of insurance, then handed everything to the officer.

  He glanced at the photo I.D., looked at her then scrutinized the insurance paperwork. “Are you aware that you ran a red light back there, Miss?”

  “It was yellow when I entered the intersection.”

  “No, it wasn’t. It was clearly red.”

  Claudia cleared her throat. “If you’re sure, then I suppose I have to take your word for it.”

  “You were also going seventeen miles over the posted speed limit. Where’s the fire?”

  She glanced at Jack who stared back at her with a tiny shrug. Obviously, dealing with the police was a bit out of his wheelhouse, so Claudia had to think fast. How much did she dare tell the officer? Too much, and he’d think they were nutcases, maybe even take them into custody. Obviously, this had to be handled carefully.

  And all of a sudden Claudia had an idea. She remembered something Jack had told her the night before about changing her destiny.

  She glanced up at the officer and allowed a note of wary excitement to creep into her voice. “Officer, you know the boy who was kidnapped a few weeks ago on a camping trip with his parents?”

  He gave her a curious onceover. “You mean the Lafferty kid?”

  Claudia swallowed. “Yes. His picture has been all over the news. This is going to sound crazy, but…I thought I saw him in a car that was just ahead of us. A blue sedan. He was in the backseat. I was trying to catch up to the car so that we could get a better look.”

  Beside her Jack was very still, but she could sense his tension, his scrutiny.

  He must be wondering what the hell I’m doing.

  She tried to communicate via thought transference. Trust me. I know what I’m doing. There’s a method to my madness.

  The officer was still staring down at her. Was it her imagination, or was that a suspicious glint in his eyes. “Did you get a license-plate number?”

  “Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it out. By the time I figured out why the kid looked so familiar, they were already too far ahead of us. Look…” She gave him a pleading glance. “I don’t know if it was the same boy. All I know for certain is that if I didn’t check it out and it was him, I’d never forgive myself. So can you please…I don’t know…put out an APB or whatever it is that you do?”

  The officer’s gaze went to Jack. “What about you? You see the boy?”

  Jack shrugged. “Just barely a glance. But it could have been him.”

  “What about the make and model of the car?”

  “It looked fairly new,” Claudia said. “But that’s about all I can tell you. It went by pretty fast. A blue sedan.”

  He nodded to Jack. “Did you get a better look at the car?”

  “Like she said, it was a blue s
edan.”

  “You don’t know the make?”

  Jack lifted one shoulder. “No, sorry. If the car is still on this road, it shouldn’t be hard to find. But time could be of the essence.”

  The officer remained skeptical. “Just wait right here for a minute.”

  He went back to his car, and through the rearview mirror, Claudia saw him get on his radio. He was gone for only a couple of minutes before he sauntered back up to her window.

  “I’m going to let you off with a warning this time,” he said gruffly. “But speeding and running a traffic light, no matter the reason, are serious offenses.”

  “I understand. And thank you, officer. But what about the boy?” Claudia asked anxiously.

  “We’ll handle it from here.” He slapped a hand on the roof, dismissing them. “Take it easy.”

  “Yeah, we will,” Claudia said as she put away her driver’s license and proof of insurance.

  She waited until the patrol car pulled out around them and disappeared down the street before glancing at Jack. “I know, I know, what on earth was I thinking?”

  “Why did you lie about the boy?”

  “Because I couldn’t tell him the truth, could I? That the boy you saw in the backseat will be kidnapped at Mount Rushmore. Like you said, he’d never have believed us. But now if the police find the blue car, pull the driver over and check out our story, it could alter the course of events. Change the kid’s destiny or something.” She shrugged helplessly, realizing how crazy her rationalization sounded. “It seemed like a good idea at the time, and it was all I could think to do.”

  “You did fine.”

  His quiet words were hardly reassuring. “But you don’t think it’ll change anything, do you?”

  “No,” he said grimly. “The boy’s destiny is still in our hands.”

  “I was afraid you were going to say that.” Claudia glanced down at her palms. They were sweating and she was shaking all over. God help her, she was not cut out for this.

  God help that poor child, too.

  Chapter Nineteen

  When they got home that afternoon, Claudia decided she needed to spend some time working. She had several projects due to go live in a matter of days and there were always updates that needed to be done.

  Just because some weird pre-cog had a vision of my impending death is no reason to let myself fall behind. Ha-ha.

  Smiling wryly to herself, she sat down at her computer and sorted through her e-mail.

  Jack, all bundled up in his new parka, boots and gloves went outside to give her some space. At least, that was the excuse he gave her, but Claudia suspected there was more to it than that. She remembered what he’d said at the monument. Since they didn’t know the enemy, they could at least know the terrain.

  Claudia tried to immerse herself in her work, but after a few minutes, she got up, stretched and drifted over to the window to look out. Jack was nowhere in sight, and she resisted the urge to go and search for him. Instead, she made herself go back to the desk, plant her butt in front of the computer and prioritize the updates.

  It took some effort, but she finally managed to lose herself in the work, so much so that hours went by without her knowing. When she finally reached a stopping point, she was surprised to look up and find the cabin had grown quite gloomy. The light was fading rapidly and a chill had settled over the room.

  And Jack was still not back.

  After saving her work, Claudia got up and turned on some lights and lit a fire. Then after checking out the window, she went into the kitchen to start dinner.

  By this time, Jack had been gone for hours, but Claudia told herself she wouldn’t worry about him. Nor would she dwell on what he might be doing out there. He was a big boy, he could take care of himself.

  Besides, if the transformation she’d witnessed at the monument was any indication, he was in his element outside. He’d be okay. Claudia wasn’t concerned. Not in the least.

  Still, the window drew her time and again as she prepared a simple pasta dish and made a salad. She set the table, opened a bottle of wine, lit some candles and dimmed the lights. With a crackling fire in the hearth, the cabin was already warm and cozy. One might even say romantic.

  What do you think you’re doing? a little voice demanded as she stood back and examined her handiwork. Candles, wine, a toasty fire. How much more obvious can you be?

  Loneliness was one thing, but this was just…sad. And reeked of desperation.

  Come on, C.J. You’re better than this.

  “Okay, you win,” she muttered as she leaned over to blow out the candles.

  A knock sounded on the door and she spun. Then she let out a relieved breath. It was probably just Jack. She’d locked the door behind him and he didn’t have a key.

  Still, Claudia wasn’t taking any chances. Grabbing the revolver from her desk, she slipped it in her pocket and kept her hand on the grip as she moved to the door.

  “Who is it?”

  “Jack.”

  She slipped the gun in her pocket as she slid back the bolt. When she opened the door, a blast of frigid air followed Jack inside. The candle flames danced wildly, casting huge shadows on the walls and ceiling, and a log shifted in the fireplace, causing her to jump. Suddenly, the room didn’t look so cozy anymore. It was strange, but with Jack’s return, a host of insecurities and fears invaded Claudia’s house.

  “You’ve sure been gone a long time.” She winced at the note of accusation in her voice.

  He shrugged out of his coat and hung it on a hook by the door. “I went for walk.”

  “That was a mighty long walk,” Claudia said.

  “Yes.” He went over to the fireplace to warm his hands.

  She trailed along behind him. “You were out there reconnoitering, weren’t you? Familiarizing yourself with the terrain around my cabin.”

  He didn’t bother to deny it.

  “Why?” Claudia asked nervously. “Do you think we’re in danger here?”

  “I think we’re in danger everywhere,” he said, and the look he gave her sent a deep shiver down Claudia’s spine. “We have to be prepared.”

  “For what?”

  His silence spoke volumes.

  Claudia drew a breath and released it. “Okay, this is probably something we need to talk about, but right now dinner is ready and I just want to have a quiet meal. Are you hungry?”

  “Yes.”

  “All right, get washed up and we’ll eat.”

  While he disappeared into the bathroom, Claudia contemplated blowing out the candles and getting rid of the wine. A little romance no longer seemed like such a good idea. But Jack had already seen the table, so what would be the point?

  Besides, this was nothing out of the ordinary for her. She frequently lit candles and had wine with dinner. Okay, she frequently had wine with dinner. The candles not so much, but still…

  Stop being so defensive, she chided herself. A candlelit dinner was no big deal. It didn’t have to lead to anything. Besides, Jack’s preparations for whatever might be coming their way had put a damper on the whole evening. Claudia wanted to relax, but that didn’t seem too likely at the moment. Not without some deep breaths and a whole lot of that wine.

  “It’s nice in here.”

  She whirled. She hadn’t heard Jack come in. Even in boots, he moved quietly. He stood only a few feet from her, candlelight flickering over his face. And her mind went instantly to the previous night and the way the light had played over every inch of his body.

  Her breath quickened as their gazes clung. She’d been trying to put that image out of her head all day and mostly she’d succeeded because she’d had other things to worry about. But now with Jack so close, with the attraction she’d already admitted to sizzling between them, a whole lot of memories came pouring back. The breadth of his shoulders, the depth of his bare chest. All those sinewy muscles.

  She swallowed and looked away. “Have a seat.”

  “Can�
�t I help?”

  “It’s all ready. Here.” She handed him the bottle of wine. “You can pour.”

  He went to the table and filled the wineglasses. Claudia brought over the pasta and salad and they helped themselves. Once again she noticed the restrained way he ate, as if having to hold himself back from devouring the whole plate. And the way he tentatively sipped the wine, as if wary of the taste.

  “What’s the matter?” she asked. “Don’t you like wine?”

  He took another sip. “It’s good.”

  His hesitation over the wine was strange. It was like he’d never had it before and Claudia wondered again at his background. He’d seemed so lost, the night before. Almost childlike in his naiveté. But over the course of the day, everything about his persona, including his word choices, had grown increasingly more sophisticated and complex. But there was still something very sheltered about him, as if he didn’t quite fit in the real world.

  Preoccupied by her thoughts, Claudia only nibbled on her food, but she had no problem at all in polishing off her first glass of wine. She poured another glass and brought it to her mouth, watching him over the rim.

  His head was slightly bowed so that she couldn’t see his eyes. That was a very good thing because his deep blue gaze was killer.

  The circumstances of her exile had made her rightfully wary and sometimes overly cautious, but she was still so young and life was passing her by so fast she could barely stand to think about it. And yet for all the trouble he’d brought into her life, she felt herself coming back to life in Jack’s company.

  They were both so quiet tonight, and she was afraid the prolonged silence would soon become awkward so she tried to draw him out.

  “I’ve been thinking about what happened earlier,” she said. “I’m wondering if the cops were able to track down that blue car. Or if they even tried to. I suppose I could call the police department, but I doubt they’d tell me anything.

  His head came up and he looked at her with those dark and mysterious eyes. “I don’t think it matters if they found the car or not. Nothing has changed.”

  “How do you know?”