Where Tomorrow Leads (12 page)

As Jesse turned his back on the man on the ground, Maggie watched in horror as Jerk shot straight up and attacked Jesse. The two began to struggle and fists flew. They weren’t paying attention, she could escape, but all she did was plant her feet on the ground and watch the two fight it out. Jesse took a few blows to his face and then he got mad.

It was all over for Jerk. Jesse slammed him around like a rag doll. Blood spurted out of his nose and he rolled on the ground like a baby. “You broke my nose,” he cried, furious. “I’m sorry!”

Jesse helped him up and shoved him towards the men’s room. He looked back at Maggie, his brow raised. She knew she could run if she wanted to. The opportunity was there. It was so obvious Jesse was giving her the chance to be free.

But she couldn’t do it, not with a ship load of drugs that would be given to kids. She had to do what was right. Maggie turned and walked towards the car.

Minutes later the two came out of the men’s room, Jerk looking a bit better than when he went in. Dried blood stained the front of his shirt where he made futile attempts to clean it from the material.

Maggie shielded her eyes when Jerk began to walk towards her side of the car. She slid down in the seat, worried he would start all over again. Instead, he hung his head. “I’d like to apologize to you,” he offered. “I’m sorry I tried to choke you.”

Maggie raised her brow. Jerk seemed genuine but when he began to raise his head she could see in his eyes the daggers there. He was saying it because of Jesse. He had a long way to go before she forgave him for that act. She turned her head and nodded. There was no way she’d speak to him ever again, not in this lifetime and not if he wasn’t genuine.

Which he wasn’t.

The Impala left the rest area in a hurry since the fight caused them to waste so much time. Jesse kept looking at his watch, pressed a button here and there and kept silent. Jerk sat in the back, tapping his fingers on the back of Maggie’s seat. She scooted front a bit, not wanting him to know the tap tap tap annoyed her to no end.

She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he could make her angry, upset or anything. He didn’t deserve the attention. She rubbed the skin around her neck. Her flesh felt as if it were on fire. She didn’t get a chance to look at the damage he caused. Maggie gritted her teeth. All she wanted was to be rid of this nightmare and find her love. She prayed he waited for her at their final destination, the drug dealer’s yacht.

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Jake paced back and forth along the edge of the room. The large vessel next door was a sleek and expensive yacht but it held the drug dealer and the drugs the agency wanted. He couldn’t believe once again he was in the middle of dirty dealings. But his Maggie, his love, she was all he cared about. None of this mattered to him. What mattered was he would be here when she rolled up in her Nan’s bright pink Impala.

As he thought about their road trip, up until they got mixed up with the teen, a smile crossed his face. Maggie was all he ever needed. He knew that now. She brought life into him. Before Maggie, he thought all he needed was work, his business and to grow it so big, not even Foster, Inc. could touch him. But none of it mattered if Maggie wasn’t in his life.

His blood boiled at the thought of Maggie in the middle of this mess. He had a special place for the guy who knocked him out with the butt of a pistol. When this was over, he didn’t care if the guy was an agent or not, that blow rendered him useless and kept Jake from going after Maggie.

“It’s time to sit back and let us do the work, Jake. Promise me you won’t go off?”

Jake stared at Josh. “I’m not making any promises I can’t keep.”

Josh shook his head. “If you can’t stay in the background during this, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

“Leave! No!” Jake stared at his friend. He knew Josh was doing his job, but there was no way he’d leave Maggie again. When she showed up, he would get her out of this mess.

“I can’t imagine how you must be feeling, but I’m pretty sure I know how you are thinking right now,” Josh told him. “Don’t even think of jeopardizing the bust. Let us take care of Maggie. She’ll be in good hands.”

Jake laughed, a rugged, hoarse laugh with no humor attached. “Good hands! That agent almost killed me! I can’t imagine what he’d do to her.”

“Jesse had no choice but to take you out of the picture. Once everything began to unfold, he did his job. You need to keep an open mind.”

“Not when it comes to Maggie, I won’t. I want her safe!”

“We won’t let a civilian get hurt. You have my word,” Josh said in a soft voice.

Jake heard the soft click of a door open up. Jon came down the few steps inside the boat and closed the door. “Jake, you need to lower your voice. I can hear you on deck.”

“What are you doing, Jon? Don’t you have patients to take care of?”

Jon laughed. “You’re the only one.”

Jake grinned and gave his brother a bear hug. “Thanks for being here, bro.”

“I wouldn’t let you do this on your own. Besides, it gets a bit boring working from an urgent care center day and night.”

Josh slipped out to make sure everyone was in place. There were two boats filled with agents and more on the dock. The place swarmed with undercover bodies everywhere Jake looked. Dressed as ship owners, dock workers and tourists, Josh pointed out everyone involved in a sting like this. He tried to reassure Jake there was no need to worry about Maggie.

Jake worried anyway, because if something happened to her, he would never forgive himself. He looked at his bro. “Jon, if anything happens to the woman I love, I’m not sure-”

Jon placed an arm across his shoulder. “Don’t beat yourself up, Jake. She is in good hands.”

Jake slammed his fist into the wall and pulled back when he realized it was made of some kind of steel. This was no ordinary boat. He shook out his fist. “What’s this thing made of?”

“Some kind of bullet proof material,” Jon joked.

“Everyone in place,” Jake heard as Josh came through the door and turned on the large monitor. They stood behind Josh as he watched the screen and talked into a microphone at the same time. “Give them time to pull up to the dock. No one makes a move until I call it out.”

The room became still. Jake stared at the screen as a pink Impala made its way to the empty parking spot in front of the entrance to the docks. Josh turned on another screen and the yacht came in to full view. Two large men came out and stood on the deck, overlooking the docks. They dressed like bouncers in a nightclub and looked dangerous.

Jake eyed them both from head to toe. He may be able to take them both out. Or at least one while Jon nabbed the other if needed. Even though there were agents hiding everywhere, Jake’s thought was to take those out who presented danger to his love. He wouldn’t let anyone near her if he could help it.

His head began to pound but he willed his mind to stop the pain. She needed him. Josh typed on the computer keys and a close up of the driver came in to view. Jesse Storm, his hands on the wheel, stared right at them through the computer camera. It looked as if he tried to keep composed. A tiny dribble of sweat formed at his brow. Just as Jake was about to turn away, he noticed how Jesse blinked three times in a row.

“Three minutes until show time,” Josh spoke into the mic. He moved the camera to the back seat and closed in on the blonde haired man. Jake became furious when he noticed how the dude’s arm was pushing against Maggie’s seat. His hand tapped on the back of her seat and he glared at the head rest with such animosity, Jake pointed to the monitor.

He knew he had to keep his eye on this man no matter what went down. “What’s going on with him?”

“That’s Jerry. Jesse and Maggie have been calling him Jerk. He’s the one we want. His Dad is one of the most protected drug dealers in Baltimore. He sent Jerry on this deal to prove himself because he knows the kids nothing but an addict and a trouble maker, wants him to get off the drugs and prove himself. But he’ll protect him with everything he’s got. We want Jerry as leverage to find out who protects the old man from inside. We think the kid can lead us to the inside person.”

“I couldn’t care less what goes on with them, keep Maggie out of any chaos.” Jake glared at the monitor screen as Josh closed in on Maggie.

“See, she’s fine, Jake. Calm down.”

Jake’s heart thumped. His pulse pounded and his throat went dry. Maggie. “Baby.” He felt Jon’s arm around his shoulder. “She’s beautiful.” He watched as her eyes darted back and forth, looking for the help waiting there for them. He wondered if she plotted a scene in her next romance and smiled at the thought.

Maybe he’d take her on another road trip. This time whisk her off to a remote island where it would be the two of them for days on end without a soul in sight. He watched as the close up brought her in even closer yet and his gut wrenched at the thought of not being able to kiss those lips. He grinned at the game they played before all of this happened. No kisses until she said yes. Now he didn’t care, all he wanted was to hold her warm body in his arms.

Jake bent down towards the screen. He reached out and placed his finger on the screen and noticed a tiny bruise at the corner of her mouth. He looked lower to see large red streaks across her neck. Maggie’s eyes, dark and scared looked right into the camera. She didn’t know the lens focused on her. To anyone else, she looked strong, brave and capable of the job ahead, but all he saw was the woman he loved, the one who was in the midst of danger and who’s scared eyes darted back and forth, desperate to find a way out of the mess.

“Sonofabitch! I thought you said she was safe with Jesse Storm!”

“Whoa, Jake! This is the first I noticed. I know Jesse got in a scuttle with Jerry and had to break his nose. I’m guessing this is why.” Josh pointed to Maggie’s neck. The anger in his voice was apparent. “I’m sorry Jake.”

“Don’t stop me from helping her, that’s all I have to say.”

“Jake, stay here. Watch this screen and let it go down the way it’s supposed to. I swear if anyone gets close to her, I’ll have my men on them. I will appoint a few men for the task.” He didn’t wait for Jake to answer, but picked up another gadget that he spoke into.

Jake raked his hand through dark hair. “I’ve about had enough of this secret agent crap!” He began to pace back and forth. “How long?”

“One minute. Stay calm Jake, please.”

It seemed like forever. Then he heard the countdown and went back to the screen where Josh had the screen back to normal, monitoring the area right outside. All Jake wanted to do was to step out through the door and pull Maggie out of the line of danger. He was so close and yet he had to let it play through.

“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two and there they go.” Jerry swung his leg over the top of the car door and jumped to the ground. He turned and spoke a few words to Jesse and made his way to the fancy yacht. Jake didn’t realize sweat trickled down the side of his own face.

Jesse spoke into his watch. So that’s how they communicated. He remembered Josh did the same thing once. Typical agent gadgets at work. “It’s on. As soon as Jerry turns to wave me on, the two goons may come down to get Maggie. I need you to move before their feet leave the last step.”

Josh spoke into his own watch. Jake rolled his eyes. It was a three ring circus with Sherlock Homes and their gadgets everywhere. “Ten-four. Make sure she’s clear.”

Jake heard her voice in the background. Soft, scared and his heart filled with love. “Let’s get this over with. There’s someone I want to kiss.” The corner of his mouth tilted upwards. Then he let out a loud, hardy laugh.

“Jake?” Jon asked, amused.

“She said yes. She’ll marry me!”

“What?”

“It’s a long story. I’ll explain later. Let’s get her out of there.”

Chapter 11

Maggie’s nerves were tipping the scale. She was about to throw up. The two goons on deck looked more like gangsters in a scene from a movie. She swiped at a drop of sweat that poured down the side of her face.

“What do we do now, Jesse?” she asked.

“Wait. Don’t get impatient. I promise I’ll move you out of the line of fire.”

Maggie hoped so. If he didn’t, she would run like the devil chased her because she planned to find the love of her life and kiss him so thorough he would never want to be without her. It was the only thing she had on her mind. Not the thugs up ahead or the drug bust, but the man of her dreams, who waiting for her somewhere close by. She could feel him here and began to search the area to perhaps get an idea of where he may be. She wanted Jake so bad.

“Okay Maggie. Here’s what I want you to do. We’re going to get out of the car and stand side by side. When I give you the signal, I want you to slide to the ground and roll under the car. I’ll make sure you are out of view.”

Maggie looked at Jesse. “Roll under the car? That’s how I’ll be saved? You are kidding me? What if these guys start to shoot? How is this car going to save me from flying bullets?” Now her adrenaline began to kick in. Fear began to take over, seeping up from the bottom of her toes and closing in on her. She couldn’t breathe.

Jesse Storm swore. “Don’t argue, do what I tell you. When I give the signal all hell will break loose and I want you under the car. Let’s go.” He nodded towards the four men on the deck of the yacht. The drug dealer, a small, dark haired man, stood beside Jerry and pointed towards the Impala.