THE MARINE'S LAST DEFENSE (16 page)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Sometime during one of his encounters today, Jake’s side had been sliced by a knife. Not a bad wound, but enough blood to show through his sweater. Bree had accused him of keeping the cut a secret, but he honestly didn’t remember it happening.

No helicopters had been available and it had taken a lot longer for a charter pilot to get there than he’d hoped. He’d been anticipating the police finding them before they could get the runway cleared and their plane in the air. Five thousand dollars later, they still had a good hour before reaching Amarillo.

All he wanted to do was nap. His sore jaw reminded him he needed to be alert and at his best. But the look in Bree’s eyes wasn’t restful. His clean T-shirt was off, his side had been washed and he waited while she searched through the pilot’s first-aid kit for antiseptic.

The atmosphere inside the cabin was still freezing. Bree had stopped talking, using gestures instead of words. At least with him. He didn’t like it, wanting to wrap his arms around her and haul her to his lap. He wanted to forget the faces, his actions. Wanted her to believe everything he did was to keep her safe.

“Finding this plane is better than a noisy helicopter.” He settled for random conversation instead. “Easier to stretch my legs.”

He extended his long limbs into the aisle as Bree rested between their seats on one knee, cleaning his wound. The plane pitched in the air and she wobbled. When he reached out to steady her, she jerked away.

“I don’t feel right using any of that money for this plane.”

“We didn’t have much of a choice. It was the only charter available and Ernie wanted three thousand cash up front before he’d fly.” Her delicate fingers were warm and soothing against his skin. Her gentle touch was worth the alcohol sting on the laceration.

She balanced in the aisle and worked in her seat as the plane sped forward. A picture of her bare thigh and the thong he’d torn came to him. He’d love to get his hands on that black lace bra again.

“I think you need stitches.” She had the gauze and tape in hand and ready to go when the plane dipped quickly and she lost her balance heading nose first to the floor.

Jake steadied her around her ribs, forgetting that she’d been kicked by the kid. Their pilot recovered with a few curses and a message of “Sorry, folks.” Bree twisted from his grasp.

“Are you in a lot of pain?” he asked. He didn’t think it was just her injury keeping his hands off her. He’d seen that disgusted look before.

“Only when I lean hard on something.”

“Or if someone grabs you.” He looked at his injury. “I’ll be fine with no stitches. Tear some of that tape into half-inch strips.”

She began and he gritted his teeth before pulling his wound closed tight. “If you...um...put the tape on and...yeah, draw it together. Just like that. Now the gauze. Great. See, no stitches needed.”

“You still need a doctor.”

“I’m all caught up on my shots.” It wasn’t his imagination—she got away from him as fast as possible. “I’ve had many a scratch taped like this. No trips to Emergency for me when I was growing up.”

“You can’t be serious.” She sat and pulled Dallas onto her lap. “Why would your parents do that?”

“My grandmother, actually. She took care of me summers. Stitches were equivalent to being stuck in the house. So she’d tape me back together, I’d go play outside and she had peace.”

“My grandmother’s the reason I started my business. I’d walk her dog and bathe it. My uncle moved back after his discharge and her dogs did wonders for him. Charlie was amazing helping him work through his PTSD. When I got older, I house-sat. My granny connected me to friends in Amarillo for summers. Seemed natural to expand my business instead of attending college or working in a coffee shop.”

He caught a silent tear on her cheekbone. He could see the withdrawal in her violet eyes as she pulled back from his touch. “Look, I’m sort of getting the impression you’d rather I keep my hands to myself. I thought we were past that but—”

“We moved past it way too fast. No offense, Jake, but I don’t know you at all. So maybe we should back up a little.”

“You want to pretend this morning didn’t happen?”

“I wish I could pretend none of it happened.”

“None of it?”

“Why would I want to remember those two men being killed?”

Or him killing them.
“I get it.”

“I know you did what you thought was best.”

He needed out of here and he didn’t see a parachute handy, so he was stuck a foot away from the first person he’d let close since returning from overseas. He’d let a dang puppy break through his defenses and she’d tugged her owner right along with her.

The plane dipped and Bree almost lost the pup out of her hands. “Whoa there, girl.”

Dallas squirmed and jumped to his lap, barking a couple of times and ending on a short howl. She climbed Jake’s chest and started licking his chin. “That dog going to jump around the whole way?” Ernie asked.

“I should have left her with my uncle. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

He knew exactly why she’d brought the pup. Comfort. “It’s okay. Maybe we can pay Ernie to dog sit.”

“Or find another hitchhiker. That was so bizarre. Jerry asked what he was watching, gave him the once-over and then said, ‘Boy, I’ll give you a ride clear to California if you just hold these dogs for me.’”

“You left your uncle’s truck. Before I was almost shot. Why? You promised you wouldn’t. I knew I should’ve used the handcuffs to keep you there.”

“I really couldn’t sit there letting you fight for me and take all the risks. Besides, I wanted to help you keep your promise that you wouldn’t get grazed.” She drew a line through his hair above his ear, mirroring the bullet burn from the day before.

He jerked his head away from the pleasant stroke. “No touching works both ways.”

Her face changed from relaxed to what-am-I-doing in a heartbeat. “The chubby...guy was following my uncle. I thought he was in trouble. I couldn’t stay safe while you were both fighting.”

“That’s exactly what you should have done.”

“Our impromptu plan got you safely off the trailer roof,” she defended.

Did your plan include shooting Larry?
Even unspoken, the question hung between them. Her eyes darted worriedly back and forth. She knew what he’d almost asked. She bit her lip and drew in a long sigh. She also knew his answer.
If she hadn’t been in danger, he wouldn’t have shot him.

Whatever had taken place in their dark corner of the whiteout this morning had vanished. Just like his ex-wife had needed him for her own purposes, Sabrina Watkins did, too. His place was either as a long-distance husband or the hired help.

He wasn’t looking for a permanent relationship. Hell, he wasn’t looking for
any
relationship. So what was the big deal about losing this one before it had really begun.
You’ve only known her for two days.

“I can hold Dallas while you rest.”

He stroked the pup’s soft fur and rubbed her tummy when she stretched her paws into the air. “She’s fine where she is. You’ve already discovered I don’t share well. Now it’s the pup’s turn to learn who’s boss.”

He closed his eyes and was met with another death stare chiseled into his memory. He’d seen too many deaths to count. But he knew. He’d always know the number of people who had lost their lives on his watch. Larry and the kid may have been murderers and trying to kill them, but Jake hated having their deaths on his conscience.

You killed them both. It’s all your fault.

He jerked awake, unable to get her words out of his head. He and Jerry had tried to help the kid after he’d deflected the knife into his abdomen, but nothing could be done. He’d washed and washed again before they’d gone wheels up. He would never get all the blood off.

His hands were clean, only figuratively stained. Bree knew it and should keep her distance. She rested her head against the window. He missed her head on his shoulder.

“I should have sent you to jail. You would’ve been safer.”

She rotated to face him within the confines of her seat belt. The plane still pitched in the wind. “Maybe those men would be alive if you had. Should I wish that you’d never gotten involved?”

Did she think he’d enjoyed taking their lives? “You can say whatever you want. But maybe you should also know that if there were other choices, I would still make the same decisions I made today.”

She looked shocked. Surprised that he would stand by his actions. The actions that had killed two men and probably began a statewide manhunt for them both. But he’d also meant making love to her, picking up the evidence cell and speaking to her at the diner.

He stared into her rich amethyst eyes and knew he’d be a happy man waking up next to them every day. Could he make that happen? Make her understand? Maybe see that he was more than a way to rescue her family?

“I get it, Bree. I’m a means to an end. Been there a lot over the years. No hard feelings.” He reached into his bag of gear, tossing Larry’s cell onto the seat. “We have the money. We have a phone to contact them. All we need is a car when we land and a place for the exchange.”

“And a giant miracle.”

“Miracles are for amateurs.” The machine was back.

* * *

“A
H
,
FOLKS
, I
THINK
we may have a little problem.” The pilot pointed to just off the runway as they landed.

Bree leaned around Jake, who had been checking his gear and keeping Dallas silent with a stern look and snap of his fingers. The snowplow had cleared a small area for planes and next to it were two police cars.

“You just had to do things your way.” Waffling between fury and desperation, she could only stare through the plane windows.

“Wasn’t me. Think about it. If I’d called the police, I wouldn’t have fled the scene of a double homicide.” He removed the gun at his waist and zipped it into the bag. “The police are normally smart, Bree. Add two and two together and they ended up with Amarillo. It’s not a big leap from my truck to a plane headed here.”

He was right. The desire to admit he was correct brought the words to the tip of her tongue, but she bit her lip instead. It was over. There wasn’t a possibility they’d be together. Ever.

She’d failed her family.

Ernie slowed to a stop. “The tower’s telling us to open the door and throw out any weapons we might have. Then exit one at a time. I’m supposed to go first, then open the rear door for you guys.” He showed his empty hands in the window, opened the door next to him and got out.

Bree unhooked her seat belt, took Dallas into her arms and kissed her between the ears. “I’m going to miss you so much, you sweet little puppy.”

“You’ll see her again.”

“I don’t know how I’m going to survive in jail without pets. I’ve always preferred four paws to the two-legged variety.” If they couldn’t arrange a ransom exchange... She couldn’t think of her family. She’d be a hysterical mess by the time her feet touched the ground.

“We’ll convince them to help with the rescue of your family. You have enough evidence here to prosecute. We convince the police to back us up while we get names and an exchange site. It’ll happen. Trust me.”

“If they don’t go for your idea, well, thanks anyway. For everything, Jake. My gratitude isn’t nearly enough for what you’ve lost helping me.”

The outside door opened. She shifted to the nearest seat, ready to climb down. He darted behind her, holding her elbow in spite of the no-touching rule. “It’s not over. There’s still a chance to free your family.”

She climbed through the opening and made kissing sounds for Dallas to come to her. She looked at Jake one last time, wishing she hadn’t pulled away and hoping he knew she didn’t blame him.

“Thanks for trying, but it’s time to give up.”

She expected to be thrown to the ground, searched and hauled off to a horrible little interrogation room. She hoped not to cry or be hysterical during the entire interview, since she knew there was no hope of a rescue for her family.

Ernie was placed in a police car and driven away. Dallas was on her leash, walking in circles, looking for a place to go in the snow. Two officers held guns on her, and after a minute, Jake tossed his black bag to the ground and stood next to her, his arms folded behind his head.

Dallas whined. She didn’t like the snow at all and wanted to be held. After this trip, she would be completely spoiled. “May I pick her up?”

One of the officers shrugged.

“I don’t get it,” Jake said. “What’s going on?” Jake didn’t favor his side. If she hadn’t known about the laceration along his ribs, she wouldn’t have been able to tell.

“We were given orders to wait.”

A police car arrived and a familiar face flicked a finger at the officers to follow him. “Bring them inside.”

The officers escorted them into the hangar. Officer Wilder took the leash from her and gave it to the man who’d dropped Jake’s bag at his feet. “Walk the dog, get it some water and then wait in the car, Powell.”

Jake positioned himself between her and one of her former clients. He was probably as confused as she was at the strange treatment.

“When I heard the news that Sabrina Watkins’s fingerprints had been found at a crime scene I spit out my coffee.”

“Do you know this cop, Bree?”

“I know his wife better, but yes, this is Kyle Wilder. I used to board his dogs when his wife forced him to take a vacation.”

“Detective Craig?” Kyle extended his hand. Jake let it hang in the air. “Thanks for getting Sabrina back safely. I have an officer who’s going to escort you to Wichita Falls as soon as the roads are clear.”

“I don’t understand,” Jake said along with her.

“You left two bodies and the WFPD wants a statement. Numerous witnesses stated it was self-defense. Then I think the Dallas P.D. wants to clear up the confusion regarding a suspension.”

“That I get, but you’re taking Bree’s rising from the grave all in stride. Are you arresting her?”

Kyle raised an inquisitive eyebrow while nodding toward Jake. “Other than being wanted for questioning in the Richardson homicide, why would I detain her?”