“Okay.” He told Jessi where he was going before following his brother out into the backyard, where they were guaranteed privacy. “What's up, Ham?”
“You tell me. What the devil are you doing with Jessica Lawson?” Hamish demanded.
Ric frowned and asked, “How do you know her?”
“How can you not know her? She was in all the files I bought home when you were staying here a few months ago.”
“Speak English, Ham.”
Hamish sighed and said, “Jessica Lawson, the former wife of federal agent Kevin Nolan and the star witness that put him on trial for assault and abuse. You don't remember her being the civilian case I took a few months ago?”
“No. And I already know what happened between her and that prick.”
“And you still brought her here?”
Ric frowned again. “Why wouldn't I? She didn't have anywhere to go for Christmas and I've been responsible for her for over two months now.”
Hamish frowned and asked, “How did that come about?”
“I stopped someone from raping her at the rodeo in October.”
“Christ, that woman's been through a lot.”
“That's an understatement, brother.”
“But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about. I know what Nolan is like. I know what he's capable of. It's dangerous for her to be here.”
“This is the only place that she's going to be safe at because Nolan is in Cairns.”
“What? Are you serious?”
“Of course. He tried to kidnap Jessi, then tried to kill me and a federal agent to get her back.”
“Shit!” Hamish cursed and ran a hand through his hair. “What's being done about it?”
“Agent Blake is handling the manhunt while I keep Jessi out of the way and safe.”
“Do you think you can do it?”
“Nolan hasn't gotten her yet, and he won't get a chance to while I'm around.”
Over the next week, Ric and Jessi spent their days with his family and their nights in each others arms, loving each other over and over until exhaustion claimed them in the early hours.
Both of them knew they were in love with the other, but neither of them were willing to reveal their feelings for fear the other would reject them.
For Jessi, it was a case of once-bitten …
Ric was a Navy man, a mechanic on one of the patrol boats that were out a sea more often then they weren't.
How could they hope to have a relationship if she told him she loved him and he accepted it?
How could they hope to have a family or even get married when he was away more then he was at home?
For Ric, he couldn't be sure if Jessi would want to get married after how her last one ended.
He didn't want to compete with the memory of Kevin Nolan and he didn't want to be married to a woman who might or might not be thinking he was going to do the same things as that gutless coward.
How could they make a relationship if she thought he might turn around and start abusing her?
He was willing to get a transfer off the Sydney and take a desk job at NAVCOM, but he wasn't going to make such a drastic change until he convinced Jessi they were meant to be together and their relationship ended in the way he wanted it to.
With Jessi as his wife.
In Cairns, Kevin Nolan's uncle – Doug – was using old contacts to track down where Ric Jordan had taken Jessica Lawson while his nephew loaded up his Holden ute with all the weapons he wanted to use to make that bitch pay.
Doug understood his nephews need to get revenge.
He'd been in a similar situation with his own wife when the slut had claimed he'd raped her, even though she'd been walking around without a stitch of clothing on, just begging for it.
He didn't understand how the law could say he had raped his own wife, but they had and had even tried to charge him with the crime. He'd dodged that bullet, however, when his wife had … disappeared.
Now, Kevin was in the same boat because his wife had done the same thing.
Kevin had told what had happened that night; how little Jessica had been putting out the signals as she prepared their anniversary dinner. Then, when Kevin had given her what she'd wanted, she'd called the police and cried rape.
His nephew had lost his standing in society and had been stripped of his federal agent status because of her lies.
When his contact came through and emailed the location of Ric Jordan's parents home in Bungalow, Doug grinned and went out to tell his nephew.
“You found them already?” Kevin said as he looked at the map of the neighbourhood where he'd be heading.
“Nothing takes long when you have the right people working on it.”
Kevin grinned and said, “This is great, Doug. Thanks.”
“Put a bullet in her for me when you get there.”
“Will do.”
Nine
The Christmas day celebrations were in full swing at the Jordan house in Bungalow. Kids ran around, playing with their new toys while the adults got the table ready for Christmas dinner.
Ric and his brother Hamish were carrying things from the kitchen to the table while Jessi helped Sofia and Heidi set each place.
He liked seeing her with his family and he couldn't wait to talk to her about where she wanted things to lead so they could get a start on making their own family if she wanted the same things he did.
But the happy celebrations and Ric's musings about the future were suddenly cut short when an old ute crashed through the front of the house, sending the Christmas tree careening onto its side and making everyone scatter as screams and wails of pain filled the house.
Before anyone could move, Kevin Nolan was out of the car, a double-barreled shotgun in his hands. He trained the weapon on everyone he laid eyes on as he searched the crowd for someone, and when he spotted her, he grabbed Jessi by the arm and hauled her against him.
Jessi tried to fight him, but his free hand clamped around her throat and held on tight, slowly cutting off her air-supply.
In her peripheral vision, she could see Ric and his brother Hamish – both brothers armed – and she prayed he didn't do anything that would get him killed.
Kevin dropped the shotgun and pulled a pistol from his jeans. He shoved the muzzle against her temple and told those gathered, “Jessica is coming with me. If I see any of you following us, she's dead.”
It was getting harder for her to breath, and she had no doubt in her mind that, if Kevin got her alone, she would be dead inside an hour.
“I don't think so, Nolan.” Ric said.
Jessi tried to focus on his voice, but it was no good.
She was on the brink of unconsciousness and about to go over …
Kevin felt the moment his wife passed out because her slender body slumped against him, putting him a little off balance. He dropped her to the floor and aimed his gun at Ric Jordan, the Navy man who wanted to be a hero.
“You don't want to do this.” Ric told him.
Kevin wasn't above murder and he would love to kill hot-shot Navy man, but there were too many witness's and he didn't plan on going back to jail.
So the question became, how did he get himself and his bitch of a wife out of here without Ric following them?
Ric stood perfectly still, his fathers shotgun aimed at Kevin's heart.
He'd seen Jessi collapse from the hold that bastard had had on her throat and he wanted to knock the son-of-a-bitch out, but he couldn't do anything in a house filled with his family.
He wouldn't risk their safety just to give Kevin Nolan the medicine he so richly deserved.
“You're the navy boy that's been sniffing around Jessica.” Kevin said to him, his gun trained on Ric's chest. “Tell me, sailor-boy. What did Jessica tell you about me?”
Ric glared at him and replied, “The truth.”
Kevin scoffed and said, “Women can't tell the truth. Their DNA hard-wires them to lie, cheat, steal and tease any ma
n they come across.”
“Did that grudge form before or after Jessi had the sense to divorce you?”
Raw anger came over Kevin's face and Ric saw his finger twitch on the gun's trigger. But the former agent never got a chance to get a shot off because Jessi suddenly woke and she used her training from self-defense class to knock her ex-husband off his feet. Kevin went down, his gun scattering across the floor. He cursed and turned to grab Jessi, but she managed to evade the blow that would have landed on her jaw and went after Kevin's gun.
Ric came to her aid.
He grabbed Kevin by the lapels and hauled him to his feet.
A fist fight began, both men getting in punches that slowed the other down, but Kevin got out on top when he brought his knee up into Ric's stomach, winding the Navy mechanic and putting him out of the fight.
Across the room, Jessi had located Kevin's gun, but before she could pick it up, she was dragged backwards by her feet and flipped over onto her back. Kevin stood above her, an evil gleam in his eyes as he hand closed around the hilt of blade sheathed at his waste.
This was it.
This was the moment that decided who would live and who would die.
Not wasting a second, Jessi twisted her head back, located the gun with her eyes and reached for it with her hands. Cold metal greeted her fingers and she brought the gun up just as Kevin pulled the knife, the blade winking at her.
Survival instinct and her vow to never again be the victim kicked in and she opened fire on Kevin, emptying the magazine into his chest.
Kevin went down, the knife dropping from his hand as he fell to the floor. Dead.
Breathing heavily, Jessi dropped the gun and got to her feet, crossing to where Ric was on the floor, trying to catch his breath. She dropped to her knees beside him and kissed him before asking, “Are you okay?”
“I'll be fine.” He wheezed. He lifted a hand to her face and cupped her cheek, holding her gaze as he asked, “How are you?”
She knew what he was talking about and she smiled. “I think I’ll be okay.”
If it wasn't for those classes, there was no doubt that she'd be dead right now.
Hamish came over then and told them, “I've called the police and an ambulance, and AFP agent Blake is on his way over with his team.”
Ric nodded and thanked his brother before resting his head on Jessi's thigh and closing his eyes. She held him, her fingers moving through his hair in light strokes as she thought about a few things.
With Kevin dead, everything could be normal now.
But what did that mean for her relationship with Ric?
In the two and bit months they'd known each other, she'd fallen in love with him.
Did he feel the same way about her?
Would he be willing to give their relationship a go and see where it led?
Or would he return to his life in the Navy and forget she even exists?
Ten
One year later …
2013 was just around the corner and Jessi was rushing about her new place, getting everything ready for the NYE's party she was hosting. She had the table set, the decorations in place and the food was in the fridge, cooked and ready to be served. Little Ashleigh was down for a nap so she could join in the celebrations when she woke around midnight, like she did every night, and all that remained was for Jessi to get ready.
HMAS Sydney was coming into port tonight, at eight, and some of her crew were heading to Jessi's place for the party; there was CO Jackson Tanner, RO Steven Leigh, the Nav,Daniel Coleman and his wife Kelley and XO Ethan Conrad. Not to forget a certain mechanic who had been spending the last year spoiling her and their new daughter.
Ric was very excited about this party for some reason, using all his minutes on the ships phone to call her constantly and make sure everything was planned.
She'd spent the last week assuring him everything was ready and now she couldn't wait to see him.
The patrol boat hadn't been able to make it back to Cairns for Christmas and she'd had to settle with video-chat to see him. She missed him. They'd been together for over a year now, and she honestly couldn't imagine her life without him by her side.
Ric had mentioned he'd like to get married and have more children, but it hadn't gone further then that.
Sometimes, Jessi found herself wondering if he'd meant it or not.
The clock in the living room chimed eight, pulling Jessi out of her thoughts and kicking her back into gear.
She jumped into the shower and washed, then dried and styled her hair before pulling on the dress Ric had bought her back from Samoa, the simple sleeveless design elegant yet casual at the same time while the blue coloring reminded her of the sky just as dusk hit. She fussed with her make-up, added perfume and was just stepping into her shoes when the doorbell rang.
Her heart jumped into her throat and she walked as quickly as she could down the hall to answer it.
As soon as the door opened, she found herself swung up into the arms of the man she loved as the people behind her laughed and entered the house.
Ric kissed her without consideration for their audience and Jessi felt her heart stutter in her chest.
“Hello.” She said with a smile when he let her up.
“Hi. You look fabulous.” Ric said. He kissed her again before setting her on her feet and asking, “Where's Ash?”
“Asleep.”
“That's fine. Gives me time to do this...”
Right there in front of everyone, Ric dropped to his knee and pulled out a black box, opening it with a slight crack to reveal a beautiful engagement ring.
Jessi stared at him in shock, her heart in her throat and tears in her eyes.
It would seem he'd been very serious about marriage.
Not one for grand speeches, Ric kept the proposal simple and to-the-point.
“Jessica Lawson, will you marry me?”
A big smile split her face and she dashed away a tear that dropped to her cheek as she nodded and whispered, “Yes. A thousand times yes!”
The people behind them burst into cheers and applause as Ric slipped the ring onto her finger and stood, sealing the deal with a kiss. He brushed away her tears with his thumbs and kissed the tip of her nose before whispering, “Merry Christmas, Jessi.”
She laughed through her tears and replied, “Merry Christmas, Ric.”
“Let's go get our beautiful daughter and finish the celebrations.”
As they brought in the new year, Jessi counted her blessings with every minute that passed.
Ric had saved her more then once this past year.
Now he was the love of her life and the man she was going to marry.
She couldn't have asked for a better Christmas.
Rebekah Westmore is a federal agent who takes time off from the
agency to be with her family. She heads home to Cairns, ready to indulge in some well-earned R&R.
But her plans are thrown out the window when she gets a call from
her boss and learns an escaped felon is hot on her trail,
looking to get some revenge.
In need of assistance to keep her family out of harms ways,
Rebekah enlists the help of Steven Leigh, an officer in the Navy. He's only too happy to help keep them safe, but will his assistance turn out to be a deadly distraction?
One
AFP Agent Rebekah Westmore arrived in Cairns nearly twenty hours after leaving the AFP's Queensland HQ in the Brisbane CBD. She was tired, in desperate need of a shower, but she was happy to be home. It'd been five years since she'd been back here, her job with the WPP unit keeping her extremely busy.
She'd been working alongside Agent Michael Blake, and lately, their cases had involved fellow agents going rogue and breaking every law to get to the women who put them away.
After that, Rebekah had decided it was time to take some time off.
As she drove through the city, she saw that the place hadn't changed much since
her last visit. Some new buildings had been erected or were currently being built, and the streets were still filled with the traffic of locals' and tourists while police moved amongst the crowds on foot, horseback or in their patrol cars.
A Hero In Uniform - The Complete Series Page 10