Untouchable: Kohl Family: Johannah & Jaxon

by C R Riley

  "Who the hell do you think you are?" Kendra starts to stand, but before she can do so, a dart is shot in her direction and strikes her in the arm. "What the hell?"

  "Don't fight it, Mrs. Holmes." The voice advises her. "Let the drugs take effect and this will all be over before you even know it."

  When Paige starts to move, he warns her. "Unless you want to go nighty night too, I'd sit very still, Mrs. Boyd. I have plans for you, that will take longer if I have to knock you out first."

  "Who are you?" Paige's voice gives away she is a little frightened right now.

  When the shadow sifts, Johannah gets her first real good look at the person and wonders why she never went with her initial gut. "He's Anton Paul," Johannah informs her friend. "One of our own."

  "Why?" Kendra allows her body to slouch towards Paige. "This will cost you your career, and so much more when they catch you."

  "Shhh." Anton finally steps out of the shadows and reveals what only he knows right now. "I'm already a dead man walking."

  Chapter Forty-Five

  "Casey?" Johannah's shocked expression reveals she did not see this plot coming.

  A man, who Johannah once thought was her world, forces Anton out into the light. Gun pressed against the base of his skull as he slowly shuffles his feet. Strapped to his chest is a vest that looks rather dangerous. Anton is sweating bullets and has a very gray complexion to his darker skin. That's when Paige and Johannah notice the blood dripping from the hem of his shirt.

  "Hello, Jo."

  While Casey's focus is now on Johannah, Kendra uses his distraction to yank the dart from her arm. Thankful she didn't take off the gold arrow arm cuff her husband bought her when they were in Bermuda. The person they purchased it from mentioned something about it bringing good fortune to her. She plans on never taking it off now for sure. The point of the dart never pierced her skin. It got wedged in the arrowhead where the sapphire jewel was placed.

  Paige only dares to slightly realign her eyes, so as not to draw attention when she notices Kendra move. Having been friends for ten years allows these women to talk without ever having to utter a word.

  "What's going on, Casey?" Johannah tries hard not to draw attention to her two friends, who seem to be silently plotting.

  "Jo, love. You've had your fun, now it's time to come back to me." Casey nudges Anton to keep him moving forward. "I was supposed to reconnect with you on that island. We were going to rediscover our love, but he ruined it."

  "Who ruined it?" Johannah asks. "Jaxon? I didn't even know you were there. How was I supposed to know that, Casey?"

  "It was to be a chance meeting. Fate." The man she once dated enlightens her.

  "You could have come up to me that first night. I would have talked to you." Johannah points out. "Why didn't you?"

  And had he done that, she would have probably never taken things further with Jaxon. Casey would have manipulated her time. Then everything about that night would have ended differently. Everything about her life would have in all likelihood gone a completely different direction.

  "I was planning on it. Anton's brother was meant to warm you up for me. I was going to sweep in after him and save the day."

  "Your brother?" Johannah raises an eyebrow and directs her attention to Anton.

  "Casey is friends with my stepbrother, Dean. They knew I worked with you. Asked me if I knew where you all were going on your girlfriends' annual trip. Casey said you two dated a long time ago, and that he has been trying to get things going again. Needed a little help. I heard Kendra mention it to Wes, so I told them. How was I to know the guy was a loon?"

  Anton groans when Casey digs into his side where blood is flowing. "Enough dude."

  "Who shot Kendra, Casey?" Johannah wants to keep him talking while she tries to figure a way out of this.

  "Someone who thinks Julian Torrez hired them to send a message to his competition. It's amazing the information you can find on the Internet when you want to. Kendra wasn't meant to be there, Anton was."

  "You knew about the hit?" Johannah's eyes move back to Anton's. She finds that hard to believe.

  "No. I swear." Anton stares at her, letting her see the truth in his eyes. "I'd never put Colton in that kind of danger. I'd never put any of us in that kind of danger." He does something with his hand that is opposite Casey.

  Johannah tries to determine what he is communicating without making it obvious. She can't see very well, because the only light is coming from a small floor lamp in the corner.

  "So, the hit-and-run, the creepy shadow in my bedroom?" Johannah takes a step forward, so she can get a better angle. "That was you."

  Casey smiles. "Figured if I took him out then..."

  "That I'd need to be comforted. You nearly killed me with your car, Casey."

  "Not my car." He shrugs. "Plus, I remember you bragging about how you learned to take a hit from a moving vehicle."

  Raising her hand, so she can conceal her eyes while making it look like she is disgusted, she rubs her forehead. That's when she notices the small device in Anton's hand, it’s a device they carry with them to alert the team of trouble. Which means what, exactly?

  "Why did you come to my home, all the way out in Gambrills? How did you even know about this place, Casey?" Taking a chance, that if Anton has one of those devices on him, he may be wired in as well. If he is wired in, then that means someone might be listening. They need to give that person as much information as possible. "What do you plan on accomplishing tonight?"

  Casey must feel real comfortable right now because he essentially lays it all out there for them. "Someone needed to take the blame for all those incidents. Anton was a pretty easy target. He seems to have come into a large sum of money within the last forty-eight hours. Money that will be traced back to Julian Torrez and look like a payment to get rid of a problem. Unfortunately, your friends got in his way, so he had to kill them, but not before Paige was able to put a bullet in his chest."

  "Alright." Johannah drags the word out. "How are you going to explain his wounds or the fact he is wearing some vest that looks like..."

  "This?" Casey tugs on the vest and Anton yelps out in pain. "It won't matter, because before we leave, I am going to burn this place to the ground. The only thing that will be left behind will be some charred bodies and a few bullets. This vest won't be a factor, but it sure was fun making him slip into it."

  "Why?" Johannah squints to see what is so odd about the vest.

  "Because after I had him slip it on, I shot about fifty nails through it. To make sure it stayed in place until I was ready to take it off." Casey tugs on it again, and this time Johannah heaves when Anton cries out in pain. "Don't worry Jo, I won't hurt you, as long as you do as you're told."

  "What happened to you, Casey?" Johannah takes another step forward, giving her a better look at the vest Anton is wearing. "You used to be such a laid-back guy."

  She lets the man babble on about how life thrown a ton of crap at him since they broke up all those years ago. Not really listening, like maybe she should be. She nods, at least acting as if she is.

  The vest looks like your standard police issued vest but has been stripped down. There isn't anything left inside of it to protect Anton if he got shot. And it doesn't appear to have explosives attached to it. There is only one way to find out.

  While Casey is blabbing about his pathetic life, and how he came to realize he never should have left Jo. She is giving her friends a signal, using her hand dangling to her side. She does a series of hand gestures that aren't obvious to the average person. Hand signals are a standard way of communicating when words can't be used. The USSS uses them often, and they try to be as subtle as they can about them. Kendra and her use them daily, so Johannah knows she will pick them up, even if Paige doesn't. She also knows Anton will, if he is paying attention, which she is pretty sure he is.

  "Sounds like we both have completely different ideas about all that. I never got the chance to th
ank you." Johannah shifts to her left. "You breaking up with me was actually for the best."

  "What? No. No, you weren't listening." Casey gets a little riled up, the reaction Johannah was looking for. "It doesn't matter what you think, anyway. It's all been taken care of and what should have happened can happen now."

  "Excuse me?" Johannah takes one step forward.

  "You didn't actually think I could let him live, did you? No. He'll get word about all of this and jump on a plane to head back, hoping to save the day. Unfortunately, that plane will never make it to Colorado before all hell breaks loose and it falls out of the sky. Technology is truly a wonderful contraption." Casey smiles. "Don't look so sad, Jo. I'll take care of you."

  Like hell, he will.

  Johannah gives the signal and all three women react.

  Her job is to take Anton to the ground. She sincerely hopes she was right about that vest. As soon as she has him wrapped in her arms, she drives him to the left and down, rolling so he doesn't land on his back. Her best effort to not cause the man any more pain than necessary.

  Since Casey will most likely not know what to do—except maybe try to stop her, or set off the vest—the plan is to use Kendra to distract him. Her moving will be unexpected and hopefully draw his attention off Paige.

  That is exactly what it does, giving the other woman the time she needs to retrieve the gun tucked under the pillow that was between her and Jo. Just because Paige doesn't rely on her weapon like Jo and Kendra do, doesn't mean she isn't familiar with how to use one. Every agent has to learn how to shoot a gun well and with accuracy.

  Paige aims the gun at the same time Casey takes a shot at Kendra. The second gunshot strikes him before he can take another shot, knocking him back several feet.

  "Damn Paige." Kendra flops back and takes a few deep breaths. "Bullseye."

  Paige stumbles to her feet and then heads for the man she just put a bullet in his brain. Or should she say his eye? The blank stare in the other eye alerts her he won't be bothering them ever again.

  "I hate guns," Paige whispers as she carefully places the one in her hand on the counter. "Sorry about your floors Jo."

  Kendra chuckles. "Seriously, Paige. Sorry about your floors."

  Spinning around quickly, Paige is about to lay into her friend for making fun of her. But as soon as she spins, she notices Johannah and Anton staring at each other like they are afraid of moving. "What now?"

  "Ladies, we have a problem," Anton mutters through clenched teeth.

  Kendra jumps to her feet. "That freaking vest was real. I swear if that ass wipe weren't already dead, I'd kill him with my bare hands. How much time?"

  "No idea," Anton admits. "I realize the guy was crazy and all, but I never thought he was quite that crazy. He jumped me outside the hotel when I stepped out to take a cigarette break."

  "Those things will kill you." Paige blurts out and then covers her mouth. "Sorry."

  "Wow, you are on a roll tonight, girl." Kendra takes a step closer and puts her hands on Anton's chest.

  "You all should probably go," Johannah tells them. "We'll figure something out, hopefully."

  "And let you have all the fun." Kendra rolls her eyes. "All for one."

  "And one for all," Paige says as she squats down next to them. "What tells you, you triggered it?"

  "The vibrating that started as soon as I tackled him." Johannah closes her eyes. "I swear if I make it out of this alive, my husband will never let me out of his sight. I should probably get used to those dang security agents he has assigned me. That is if he doesn't kill me himself for sending them away tonight, after assuring poor Raphael we would be fine. Looks like we may have a few openings at the USSS. Maybe one of us should email the director and give him our recommendation."

  "You seriously think a recommendation like that will hold water." Anton tries to laugh, but his entire body hurts.

  "You may have a point there." Johannah attempts to make a joke. "I'm sorry, you got caught up in this whole messy mess."

  "How bout we save the apologies for another day. Put our heads together before they go missing," Kendra suggests.

  "Vibrating?" Paige presses her finger into her temple as if she is thinking. "Pulsating or a constant?"

  "Does it really matter?" Kendra sounds impatient.

  "Actually, it does!" Paige shouts. "It could be a count down. A timer."

  "Pulsating." Anton quickly responds. "Definitely pulsating."

  "Move Jo." Paige pushes on her friend's shoulder so she can slide in and have a look. "I want to have a good look at this thing."

  "I don't want to set it off." Jo counters.

  "I don't think you will. Not if it is still pulsating. All you did was activate the device. Like pressing the on button." Paige strains to sound like she knows what she is talking about. "What's the worst that could happen?"

  "Seriously?!?" Kendra screeches. "Although, she has a point. We can sit here and wait to see if it blows, or we can try what Paige suggested. She's the techy one here, and this falls in that category, right?"

  "What she said," Paige winks at Kendra and prays she is right. "Move that tushy."

  "You ladies sure do know how to have fun." Anton takes a deep breath. "Let the tech geek have a looky look."

  "You are starting to grow on me Anton," Kendra squeezes his hand. "If we can't have fun at a time like this, then really what's the point."

  He nods, and then the room goes really quiet while Paige does her thing. She is studying the vest for what seems like hours but is only a few seconds. When she settles back on her heels, rubs her forehead, and then shakes her head a few times, she has them all on edge.

  "Well, don't leave us hanging." Johannah encourages her friend.

  "I think we need to take this outside." Paige stares Anton in the eyes. "You trust me?"

  "Do I have a choice?" Anton grins. "Outside it is."

  Slowly they help him to his feet and as a group, they slowly make it to the French doors and down the steps. Once they are a respectful distance from the house, Paige has them stop.

  "So, what's the plan?" Kendra rubs her neck.

  "We are going to remove this piece of shit off of him as quickly as we can. I mean, I am going to remove it. You two are heading back to the house in case I'm wrong and this thing blows us to smithereens." Paige takes a deep breath. "Now. No need to get us all killed."

  "We aren't..." Both women start to protest.

  Paige growls the best she can and points towards the house. "I swear, if you two don't hightail it back to the house, I'll tell your husbands about that time..."

  "We are going." They turn and start walking.

  "Good play, Paige." Kendra hollers over her shoulder at her. "And if you get yourself killed, I'm telling Austin about that time in Mexico..."

  "Go!!!" Paige screams. I hate them sometimes. You ready for this?" She stares at Anton.

  "You want to tell me in case this goes bad. I promise to take your secret to my grave." He smiles. "Sorry, was that inappropriate?"

  Paige snorts. "Nah, that was perfect. Let's just do it, and if we make it out of here in one piece, I'll disclose all of Kendra's secrets."

  "Deal." Anton grips her arm with his good hand and squeezes. "Three, two, one."

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Jaxon is going to kill his wife for dismissing her detail without his approval. How she talked Raphael into that is beyond him. He already gave the other man a piece of his mind as soon as he found out a little over an hour ago.

  The problem he left town for turned out not to be as big of a deal as originally thought. Austin and he landed in San Diego around five and two hours later they were back in the air.

  They had to make a stop in Phoenix when the plane started acting funny. Good thing they did, because as soon as they touched down all hell broke loose and they lost all power. If that had happened at thirty thousand feet, it could have ended tragically.

  It took them a while to locate a new p
lane so they could get back in the air. They finally landed just outside of Gambrills around ten.

  Raphael was at the airport waiting on them, knowing he was about to get an earful. After dropping him back at the hotel, Austin and Jaxon headed for his new place only a few miles away.

  "Don't go all caveman on her." Austin tries to calm his friend down. "After all, they are three very well-trained USSS agents, who will be looking out for each other. They've made it this long without us."

  "What would you do if all that shit happened to Paige?" Jaxon glares over at his friend as he turns onto his street. "Until we catch the person responsible, I want a team watching their backs."

  "Point well-made." Austin studies his surroundings. "Nice neighborhood. Think there are any homes for sale around here?"

  "Matter a fact, I believe there is a home in our cul-de-sac for sale. If I'm correct, there is even a trail that cuts through the woods, or there was, or could be again. The downside for me was the land-only had a few acres."

  Austin finishes his thought for him. "And the other had fifteen."

  "Yes, fifteen acres that are mostly wooded, so it truly feels like we are secluded. If I could have found a place like that in the San Diego area, I'd have snagged it. Five was the best I could do, but as you know, trees this thick are a rarity." Jaxon starts to hit the button in his car to open the gate but stops when he notices it is already open.

  "That's odd," Austin says what Jaxon is thinking. "Thought they fixed that."

  "They did." He is already on the phone. "Why's the gate open?"

  "My sensor says it's closed," Raphael informs him.

  "Well, I'm telling you, it's wide open." Jaxon drives past the gate slowly.

  Austin points at something as they do, "Looks like someone messed with the box."

  "Shit. Sorry, sir. We are on our way." A door slams. "Everything on our end reads like it has all night since the guys left. I have a guy watching the screen like it was the best damn peep show out there."

  "Just get here ASAP. We are driving on up to check things out." Jaxon informs his head of security. "This is why I would have at least liked a guy posted at the gate."