Pieces of the Past (Witness Security Book 1) (24 page)

“This has
not
been my weekend!” Jordan Burke breezed into her partner’s house and looked around. “I can’t believe you had the baby without me. Where is she?”

Doug Jackson leaned against the door and pointed over his shoulder. “Right in here. Really sorry we didn’t wait for you. I suggested holding out to Christine but she was in the middle of that ‘hee hee hoo hoo’ breathing and she didn’t seem too interested.”

She paused long enough to shoot him a sarcastic look. Doug had been her partner in the US Marshal’s Service for six years and they got along like siblings. Sometimes
didn’t
get along, making them even more like brother and sister. But she loved him to pieces and was thrilled when he met his soul mate the previous year and married her. Their first child together had just arrived. Both parents were tall and striking with thick brown hair and deep, dark eyes. She knew the baby would be beautiful.

Reaching up to pinch his cheek she muttered, “
Sabelotodo.
Where is my goddaughter?”

He laughed. “Every time you call me a smarty pants I’m going to remind you that I’d rather be a smartass than a dumbass. Follow me.”
He led her into the front room where his wife sat, holding the baby.

“Christi! You look amazing!” She kissed her friend on the cheek and peered into the flannel bundle. “Who do we have here?”

Christine pulled back the edge of the blanket. “Auntie Jordan, meet Avery Elizabeth Jernigan.”

All she could see were two pink cheeks and rosebud lips on the small round face. The rest was hidden by a pink cap and a blanket cocoon.

“Ay Dios mio!
Oh my God! She’s a beauty. Can I hold her?”

Doug sat on the arm of his wife’s chair. “I don’t know,
can
you?”

Jordan rolled her eyes and looked at Christine. “Does he do this
to you? Are you wishing now you would have had a longer courtship and gotten to know him better?” She didn’t give the woman a chance to answer. “Okay,
may
I hold her?”

Christine smiled. “Yes, you may. I would have let you without the grammar lesson. I pretty much ignore him half the time, anyway.”

She reached for the baby and eyed Doug. “Smart woman.” Lifting the light load, she wondered if the blankets weighed more than the kid. “So tiny! How big was she?” Jordan sat on the next chair over.

“Six pounds, five ounces. Twenty inches long,” the daddy said proudly.

Examining the tiny fingers, she sighed. “Perfect. She’s so beautiful, you two. I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”

“Duty calls. We certainly understand that around here.” Christine reached for Doug’s hand and held it.

Jordan raised the baby to her shoulder and rocked as she spoke. “I don’t mind duty. I don’t mind flying an annoying tax evader all the way to Atlanta. Well, I really do, but you know what I mean.”

Doug leaned over to his wife. “Jordan hates the guilty witnesses. She’d much rather protect an innocent person than someone who’s committed a crime.”

She shrugged. “Can you blame me? As my dear late mother used to say, ‘you lie with dogs, you get up with fleas’.”

They chuckled and she went on, “But I do mind when we get to the courthouse and discover the trial has been continued. Seriously? They couldn’t have figured this out earlier?”

He shook his head. “They don’t always know beforehand. Sometimes it happens at the last minute.”

“Shush, you.” She turned back to Christine. “So there we are, me and Willy E., the tax evader, right back on a flight to Kansas. All I accomplished was missing the birth of my goddaughter. Sigh. They didn’t keep you in the hospital very long.”

“One night. She’s healthy. We’ll take her back in a couple days to be checked, and then again at ten days.”

Jordan rubbed her tiny back. “Avery Elizabeth. What a nice name. I’ll bet grandma is pleased.”

Doug’s mother went by Liz, but her given name was Elizabeth. “Yep.” He grinned. “Mom’s in hog heaven. She was over here a while ago, and she’ll be back later. She’s picking Ethan up from school for us.”

“Sweet. How’s E taking the new arrival?”

“He’s only seen her in the hospital, but so far so good. He was very excited. Peyton can’t wait to meet her.” Christine’s children from her first marriage were eleven and eighteen. Their father, Larry, got into big trouble which landed him in prison and the family in witness security, where they met Jordan and Doug. Larry was killed before his trial in Chicago. Doug and Christine got together after that.

“How’s her first year of college so far?”

“She loves it. My parents are bringing her here on Friday for the weekend. They’re all anxious to meet Avery.”

Jordan inhaled the fresh baby fragrance. “Aw, little Avery. I’m sorry you’re coming into a world where you’ll never be quite sure what your last name is. Some people will call you Jernigan, others will think you’re Jackson. Living within the boundaries of Witsec will keep you on your toes.”

Doug cleared his throat. “She’ll be just fine. We’ve all managed this far, haven’t we?”

“Not without some confusion!” Jordan understood the necessity for stealth. As US Marshals, they dealt with criminals every day. Those people didn’t need to know their real names. She was born Jordan Branan, but her family was gone
now. For all intents and purposes, besides paying taxes, she was Jordan Burke.

“So…” Doug smiled at her. “What else is new?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t give me that, you turkey. You know damn good and well what’s new. Charlie Archer got a trial date at the end of this month. With you on paternity leave, imagine that? How long are you taking?”

He grinned. “A month.”

“To do what?” she teased. “It’s not like
you
gave birth.”

Shrugging, he defended himself. “I’ve got the vacation time. I’m going to use it to bond with my daughter and take care of my wife. You’re just spoiled because I never took vacations before. I finally have a reason.”

“I know it,
haragan
. Slacker. I just can’t believe you’re making me deal with Charlie Archer.”

“Who’s Charlie Archer?” Christine glanced from one to the other of them. “Or should I not ask? I know you aren’t supposed to discuss witnesses.”

“We’re really not,” he agreed.

Jordan made a face. “Oh please, since when are you Mr. and Mrs. Witsec-by-the-book? You wouldn’t be here today if you knew what it meant to follow the rules.”

Doug chuckled. “Okay, maybe we can bend one more. Charlie Archer used to live in Los Angeles. He’s the stereotypical gamer-Star Trekish kind of nerd. One night he witnessed a mob hit on someone in his neighborhood. He vacated the premises pronto and was relocated by Witsec.”

Jordan picked up the tale. “Problem being, Charlie was writing a book. The next great American novel, to hear him tell it. In his rush to vamoose, he left his flash drive with the manuscript behind. Try as he might, he’s not been able to recreate the novel.”

Doug jumped back in. “He’s just itching to go back and look for it. All his stuff was packed and loaded into a storage unit, which we’re sure is being watched by the mob. It’s pure and simple fear of death that’s kept him here, and not running back to LA to get that flash drive.”

Christine shook her head. “If it was so important, why didn’t he take it with him?”

Jordan shrugged. “I think he was too busy pissing his pants after what he witnessed. It was pretty gruesome. Only after he was safe and he had time to think about it did he remember the manuscript and the flash drive.”

“Must be some great book.”

Doug shrugged. “He thinks it is. It’s a conspiracy theory thriller that has something to do with DNA—he described it as Assassin’s Creed meets Jurassic Park.”

“Oh lord!” Christine exchanged glanced with Jordan.

“You’re telling me. And it’s all he wants to talk about. Yawn. Bores me to tears.”

“But he’s so enthusiastic about it,” Doug chuckled. “How can you rain on his parade?”

“How can
you
leave me to deal with him alone? All the way to Los Angeles, no less. Traitor.”

“Hey, I seem to recall someone breaking her ankle and leaving me to take on a crazy family who was being stalked by not one but two mobsters.”

“Um, that worked out pretty well for you, I’d say.” She looked at Christine. “You’re welcome for me breaking my ankle, by the way. Set the wheels of this great love story into motion.”

She blinked. “Did he just call my family ‘crazy’?”

Doug leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “Yes I did. That’s why I fit in so well. And who knows, maybe Jordan’s trip with Charlie will result in a love match, too. Never say never.”

Jordan made a face and turned her focus back to the baby. “Your daddy is so silly. Get used to hearing that, Av. I’ll be telling it to you constantly.”

Christine looked at Doug. “She nicknamed our daughter.”

Closing his eyes, he nodded. “We knew she would.”

Jordan pulled one tiny hand from the blanket. “Are these nails too small to paint?”

* * * *

Jordan sipped a latte as she entered her office building the next morning. After a quick word with Martina, the receptionist, she punched her code and entered the secure area.

Her desk faced Doug’s, and she glanced at his space before tossing her purse in her bottom drawer. A framed photo of him and a very pregnant Christine sat on the corner of his desktop. The most recent school photo of Ethan was grouped with Peyton’s senior picture. When Doug returned, a shot or two of Avery would be added to the mix. His first day back, without a doubt. Doug was anal in some ways, but she found his long-awaited happiness endearing.

“You see the baby yet?” Her boss approached from behind.

Jordan
turned to face Chief Evan Rhodes. Ten years older than her, he’d gone prematurely silver at an early age. She’d always thought the shock of thick, shiny hair made him look distinguished. For certain, his unwavering character made him the best boss either she or Doug ever had. “Yes I did. She’s a beauty. He mama and daddy are over the moon, of course.”

“Naturally. The wife wants to see her, but I suggested we give them a week or so to get adjusted.”

“Grandparents are coming from Chicago this weekend, but they won’t stay. Peyton has school.”

“How’s she doing? All situated in college?”

“So I gather. They’re just one big happy family over there.” She settled into her chair and poked at the lid of her drink to widen the opening. “I know why Doug’s happy. He doesn’t have to deal with Charlie Archer.”

Rhodes
chuckled. “Yeah, I’m sure that’s his main focus right now.”

“It’s mine, anyway. You realize I’m happy to have someone to think about besides slimy Willy E. from
Atlanta.  But Archer? Please. Couldn’t Ben take this case?”

He shook his head. “Sorry. Ben’s tied up with two different witnesses right now.”

She winced hopefully. “Olivia?”

“I am not pawning Arthur off on our newest marshal. You have a rapport with the man.”

“She’s been here a year,” Jordan muttered. “Besides,
Doug
has the rapport with the man. They talk video games and dinosaurs and stuff. Me, not so much.”

“Believe me, I understand. You’ll need a male marshal when you head out to LA anyway, so I’m working on bringing in some temporary help while Doug’s away. I’ll keep you posted.”

Jordan frowned. “Do
not
request Sneed from Kansas City. I’m serious, boss. He’s five foot nothin’ and when he stands in front of me, I swear he talking to my tits.”

With a hint of a smile,
Rhodes turned away. “Since I know how much you enjoy that, he was my first choice. Sorry to tell you he’s tied up at the moment. I’m working on someone else. Never fear.”

“The only time I ‘fear’ is when you say ‘never fear’,” she grumbled.

The door opened as the other two marshals in her office reported to work. Ben Markham and Olivia Newman chatted and laughed as they entered.

“Good morning,” she commented, and they all made small talk as her coworkers took their seats at the two desks behind her.

Rhodes had the only private office, next to the conference room which they all used, and the break room. From his area he stuck his head out and said, “I’ve requested a number of case files from storage. The clerk is going to dig them out, but we need to run upstairs and get them. May I ask for a volunteer from the audience, please?”

Jordan
crossed her legs and rubbed one foot. “Ouch. Broken ankle last year, it’s really acting up today.”

Ben worked an arm up and down. “Gunshot wound to the shoulder. Intermittent pain will probably be with me for the rest of my life.”

Olivia tucked her long blonde hair behind one ear and sighed. Standing, she pointed at Jordan as she walked by.
“You
were climbing on rocks, for fun, no less.”  She shook a finger at Ben. “And
you
were protecting Doug.”