When Tomorrow Ends (11 page)

He nodded. They had a long way to go home. As they turned to leave, Maggie saw the sweetest thing. “Look at them,” she urged the others. Josh found an umbrella somewhere and held it over Sara’s head. He wrapped his arms around her as they made their way down the street. “I could write another best seller with that scene.”

Jake laughed. He nudged her ear and whispered in his low, sexy voice. “We need to go write our own, right now. I can’t wait any longer.”

“It’s gonna be a long ride home,” she whispered back.

“Perfect. That will give me time to fantasize about what I’ll do to your painted body,” he said before he opened the car door for her. His stormy eyes made her shiver. It would be a long ride back, plus Abby and Jon were in the back seat.

Maggie let out the biggest sigh ever.

Chapter 10

How great it would be for everything to fall in place. Except when they made it home after they dropped Jon and Abby off, there was a bright light in Jake’s kitchen. “Did you leave the light on again?” Maggie asked.

“Not that I can remember.” He drove the camaro in the garage when the automatic door opened. A loud bang and some scraping noises came from the bungalow. Jake jumped out of the car in one smooth movement and held up his hand. “Stay here Maggie! Call 911. I think someone is in the house.”

Fear clutched at Maggie’s heart. “Don’t go in, Jake. Wait with me while I call the police.” She pushed the numbers and looked up to find Jake gone.

“911.”

“Yes, there’s a break in at our house.” Maggie gave the address and hung up before the responder could ask any more questions. She was not about to let Jake go in there alone! Where was Jax? He should be barking, but she didn’t hear him at all.

The burglars had to see the headlights and hear them pull in to the garage, she thought. Unless they were in the bungalow. Then they wouldn’t be able to see any lights from inside. But why were Jake’s lights on too, unless there was more than one person. Maggie grabbed a shovel from the garden tool shed in the corner of the garage. She tip-toed through the back door and made her way around the back of the house, towards her bungalow.

A dark form almost ploughed in to her and she stuck the shovel out in front. The person bounced off the shovel and stopped, then pushed it aside along with Maggie. She lost her step and almost fell. “Hey, you! Stop! Jake!”

He came around the side of the house, grabbed the form and threw him up against the wall. It was a teenager who cried out not to hurt him. Jake shook him. “What are you doing in my house?” he demanded, his voice low.

The teen’s eyes were as wide as a saucer. “I made a delivery here. I’m not doing anything wrong.”

A noise in the back yard near the docks made Jake swing his head that way. “Who’s back there?”

“I, I don’t know. It’s some guy who paid me fifty bucks to drop off a package upstairs. He said the door would be open and to put it in the kitchen on the stove.”

“Hold it right there.” Two uniformed policemen made their way through the gate, guns drawn, eyes cautious.

Maggie snapped. “Put them away.” When they did at her command, she realized it was because they recognized Jake. They shook his hand and stared at the boy.

“What’s going on Jake?”

“I caught this kid running out the door. I came home and the upstairs light was on. He says someone paid him to drop off a package. Not sure if he’s lying. You may want to take him in to question him. Either way, he trespassed on my property.”

The officer nodded and placed the teen under arrest. They heard a whistle and began to walk towards the docks where they heard some noise a few minutes before. “Be careful Jake,” Maggie pleased. It was so dark they couldn’t see much since it was so overcast. Even the moon’s rays hid behind the clouds.

“Maggie, please. Go upstairs and get away from here. I don’t want you hurt!”

“I can’t leave you down here alone.”

Jake gave her a gentle push. “Please baby, I’ll feel better if you get out of the line of fire. I don’t know if they have a gun. Deputy, can you take her up?” The other officer, who had walked with Jake, nodded and began to steer Maggie through the yard.

“I’m sorry, yes. You’re right. I need to go upstairs for your gun. This is crazy, we’re running around out here unprotected. It’s in the closet, right?” She walked towards the steps as one of the officers followed, her nerves rattled. Maggie knew her own body and the tremors she felt rise up and down her skin had her gasping in deep breaths.

“I’ll go with you Ma’am,” he told her. “I’ll have to see the package he dropped off and make sure the kid isn’t lying.” The other officer, who secured the teenager in the back of the cruiser, hustled down to Jake, where the other boat bobbed in the water alongside of Jake’s.

He was so close to the boat when it’s engine started up and the occupants revved the motor as it began to tread water. “Hey! Stop!” She heard Jake roar out loud.

Someone laughed. A sinister, hateful laugh that made Maggie’s skin crawl. She turned around and ran back down the steps to warn Jake. She recognized the laugh and shouted. “Oh no, Jake! It’s Jerry! I know that voice anywhere!”

“Yeah, it’s Jerry. How about a present for sending me to jail!”

Maggie reached Jake and he pulled her in to his arms. “Maggie, I told you to stay back,” he groaned then his eyes widened. “Get down Maggie! Right! Now!”

He slid down beside her and covered her with his own body. Two officers also ducked down when they realized what Jerry had in his hand. The four of them lay face down on their bellies on the dock when an explosion went off in Jake’s house. All of a sudden the upstairs kitchen burst in to a ball of orange and blue flames that took out the whole side of the house.

Maggie curled underneath Jake, who tried to protect her with his own body. She felt the tremor of the earth as the explosion rumbled through the air and could smell the smoke. Her head shot up as she watched the flames destroy their home.

“Sonofabitch!” Jake’s heart raced against her back, Maggie could feel it. He stood up and held out his hand to pull her from the ground. “Are you okay?” he asked, his gentle voice now rough with anger.

She shook her head and fell back in his arms. “Oh Jake, it’s all gone. Our home is destroyed!” When she lifted her head, her eyes took in the flames as they flickered and roared to life, over the roof of the house. “My computer, my work.”

Jake set her aside and told the officer to keep her back. He ran towards the bungalow, his steps stretching across the sand and grass. She watched in horror as he went through the door. Smoke began to seep out from her office. She tried to go after him but the officer took her arm and held on to her.

“No Ma’am, he isn’t in danger yet. Give him a minute.”

Maggie shook her head back and forth. “No, there’s too much smoke. Jake!” she called out and then relief flooded through her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes when he came through the smoke filled doorway. She closed her eyes in relief. When she opened them, Jake stood in front of her. “Please don’t ever do that again.”

When she looked at his outstretched hands, he handed her laptop to her. “I couldn’t let those bastards destroy what you began to create. Everything else can be replaced. Thank God Jax is at Abby’s place.”

A bolt of terror went through Maggie. “Jax isn’t at Abby’s,” she whispered. “When we left tonight, I left him in his cage. He thinks he’s in a cave and I closed the door. Jake, oh Jake, he’s still in the bungalow in the bedroom. Why didn’t he bark!”

She broke free and began to run to the bungalow. The smoke poured out but Maggie didn’t care. She had to get Jax out, she was the one who put him in his cage. How could she forget! The upstairs flames were thicker and brighter than before but below there was smoke.

Maggie took her headband off and wrapped it around her nose and mouth as she entered the bungalow’s open door. It was dark and dangerous inside as smoke billowed all around, but Maggie knew her way without being able to see a thing. She worked her way to the bedroom door and pushed it open.

“Jax, where are you?” Her hands felt around until she found the large cage. Her fingers fumbled but she couldn’t open the cage until she noticed something jammed into the lock. “What?” she cried out then a pair of large hands picked up the cage.

“Maggie, grab me,” Jake ordered. Maggie held on to his belt loop as the rush of pure air rent through her nostrils. She gagged and coughed.

“We’ll take it from here,” a fire chief told them. “You both need to get away from the scene.” The sirens of incoming fire trucks and men rushing through their back yard filled the area. Water from a hose began to douse the inferno. Like a well oiled machine, the fire fighters laid out a plan to put out the fire.

Maggie felt Jake’s strong arms around her. She tried hard to push fresh air in her lungs. “Why hasn’t Jax moved?” she cried out and fell to her knees at the cage. She fumbled with the lock and realized someone jammed a piece of steel across so even the dog couldn’t get out. Maggie was not strong enough to free the dog but Jake knelt down and yanked it away. He opened the door and reached in to Jax, who was unconscious.

“Oh Jax, wake up!” Maggie pleaded. “We need to get him help.”

“Get on the boat Maggie, we’ll take him to Jon.” Jake gathered Jax close and stood up with the dog in his arms. His solemn look scared Maggie. Jake was furious. Jake stalked to the boat and when Maggie sat down, he placed Jax on her lap. He pulled a solar blanket from one of the cabinets and placed it over their pup, then knelt down. “Everything will be okay, Maggie. Keep it together baby.”

She shivered. Their night of fun on the town turned in to a night of horror. As the boat pulled away from the docks, Maggie looked back to see their home engulfed in flames as firemen worked around the property. She tried to hold it together. It was a house, that’s all. It was where Jake and her met so long ago.

She didn’t realize tears streamed down her cheeks as she sobbed out loud.

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Maggie’s heart wrenching sobs went right to his core. Jake didn’t look back like she did. He reached out and placed a hand on her cheek. “It’s a house, made of wood and materials that we can rebuild.” He brushed a tear away.

She sniffed. “It’s our home, where we met, made love, fought. I feel so violated, like our lives have been raped by a sinister force.”

He nodded. “At least we know who the sinister force is.”

“I drove all those miles in the Impala with his voice in my head and ear. He was up close and personal in my face, Jake. I have no doubts it was Jerry.”

“I agree. You recognize his voice better than I do but there’s no doubt in my mind. I doubt my security system will be able to capture his face. Of course, the cameras won’t do us any good, they’re simmering in soot and dust and water as we speak.”

“If you used a security company, perhaps they will have a video.”

Jake shook his head. “I had a home security system here. Didn’t think I’d need anything elaborate for my home. Guess I was wrong.”

Maggie shivered. “You have to realize Jake, you are a mogul in the business world. You’ll need to be more careful where you are concerned. Jake, you do live rather plain for a man of your wealth. I like that about you,” she said, as fresh tears began to shimmer across her lids.

“You’re right Maggie. Our next home will be different, I promise. There will be so much security, the crown jewels will be safe. You will be safe.”

Maggie smiled up at him and it wrenched his heart. She was in shock, her face covered in tears and soot from the fire. If he didn’t have to get them out of here, he’d have her in his arms. “I need to call Jon.”

The minute he got off the phone with Jon, his phone rang again. Josh wanted everyone to meet at Jon and Abby’s within the hour. “Feels like deja vu,” he told Maggie, who stared down at Jax, hair hanging down in her face. He reached out and pushed a strand behind her ear. What if she had been at the top of the stairs? A wretched sound came from deep in his throat.

“Oh Jake.” Maggie entwined her hand in his, her soft skin enveloped in his large fingers. She brought his hand to her mouth and pressed her lips to them. “We’re going to be all right, love. Let’s not think any more.”

Jax began to stir. His mouth opened big and wide as he gave one of the loudest and longest yawns Jake ever heard. A sob escaped Maggie. “I think he’ll be okay,” she whispered. The dog’s tail began to flop back and forth in super slow motion. He tried to sit up but fell back, weak.

“Hang on fellow. We’re almost there.” Jake steered the boat around to Abby’s property, a large home along a gorgeous strip of beach. As soon as their boat docked, Abby and Jon ran down to meet them, along with Penny, Abby’s German Shepherd. Penny sniffed at Jax and sat back as she waited for him to play. “I’m sorry Penny. Not right now,” Jake told her with a pat on the head.

“Let’s get him in the house,” Jon ordered. He reached down in to the boat and lifted Jax in to his arms. Doctor mode kicked in as he ran through the yard and in to the house. Abby’s arms went around Maggie and she tried to hold Maggie up. Jake couldn’t stand to watch her struggle.

He picked her up and carried Maggie inside. She curled her body against his. “I love you Jake,” she said, her tired voice a whisper. He dipped his head and kissed her, an agonizing kiss that stirred his soul. If Maggie hadn’t turned around, she’d be gone. Dead. He shuddered against her mouth. He breathed in her scent and closed his eyes.