by Cyndi Raye
Jake slipped an arm around her waist and dropped a kiss on her cheek. “There’s nothing to forgive baby,” he told her.
She smiled up at him. “I like when you call me baby.” She reached up and touched his cheek.
“I like when you do that,” he admitted before he grabbed her hand and placed a kiss in the palm. “Let’s go explore.” He held on to her hand and carried the cooler with the other.
As they walked down a path, the pavement came to an abrupt stop. A barricade blocked their path to the beach area. A large ominous sign stood beside it. Maggie giggled and pointed. “Clothing optional beyond this point,” it read.
“I forgot about that part,” Jake mentioned. “Do you still want to venture across?”
“Of course. I watched a video on line about how someone made a natural structure out of the things he found along the beach.”
Rock and driftwood cluttered the natural beach as they walked along the rocky shore. Lean-to’s made out of the driftwood seemed natural and yet it was hard to tell if man had something to do with the shapes along the paths. “This used to be the highway,” Jake told her. “Notice those telephone poles that stick out of the ground near the water?”
“I do. It seems odd they are so close to shore.”
He nodded. “It’s because to the left of those poles was the highway at one time until Mother Nature decided it shouldn’t be there any longer. It’s all washed away now.”
They walked hand in hand until Maggie saw the leaning wire fence that looked as if it were about to fall over in some areas. “What are those flip flops doing hanging on the fence?”
Jake shrugged. “Not sure. Looks like someone collects lost shoes to hang on the fence. Everything on the other side of that crumbled fence belongs to the Navy. We won’t be able to explore over there.”
She ran a hand over a small plaque someone attached to the fence with faded letters printed on. “Wall of lost souls. Lost souls of paradise,” Maggie read out loud, then grabbed Jake’s hand to wander along another path that led to more rocks and sand.
Jake pointed to an abandoned metal boat that sat along the washed up shore. Maggie ran over to the beat up boat. “It looks like an old canoe.” A small child’s shoe sat in the bottom, faded and weathered.
“It’s called a chug. Refugees who tried to make their way over from Cuba were in this boat at one time.” They stood there at the rusty boat and noticed how prehistoric it looked.
“I can’t imagine bringing a small child in this,” Maggie whispered, a solemn look on her face.
Jake whispered in her ear. “You would make a wonderful Mother.”
Maggie turned away.
“Are you crying?” Jake asked, serious. When she turned to him, he saw the anguish on her face. She knew as well as he did the occupants more than likely never made it to shore.
Jake wanted to impress Maggie, make her love him more and have so much fun together. This sadness was not going to help his case. “I’m sorry baby. I didn’t realize this boat was here.”
“It’s not your fault. I’m not even sure why it bothers me so much. Hey, would you take a look at this!” Maggie began to run over the rocks and broken pieces of macadam left from the broken road. Jake followed and before them stood a makeshift fort someone built into the driftwood. As they followed the paths, it looked like different areas to sleep and even eat. Maggie began to explore and Jake found it hard to keep up with her.
He was so glad she was smiling again. They were taking one path around the back of the shelter when Maggie jumped back against him. “Oh!”
A naked man, sitting on a large rock, his arms draped over his knees looked up at them and nodded. “Don’t cha chust love the Keys?” he said.
“I’m so sorry to intrude,” Maggie told him. She was quick to apologize. “I’m Maggie and this is Jake.” She reached out to shake his hand and took a deep breath. Jake did the same and shook the skinny arm. The man looked like he hadn’t eaten in a week.
“I can offer you a sandwich,” Jake told him before realizing he would be giving away their lunch.
The man nodded. “I’m obliged son. I’d like it if you both sat down to eat with me.”
Jake looked at Maggie and shrugged. He didn’t have a problem with sharing their lunch. “Sure thing,” he told the naked man.
“Name’s Chaz,” he told them as he stood up in all his naked glory. Jake watched as Maggie tried hard to keep the smile from her face. They were going to have lunch at a naked man’s table. The sign did say clothing optional, Jake mused.
He motioned them towards a makeshift wooden slate where he sat back down again. Maggie followed and sat alongside Chaz and Jake did the same. He reached in his cooler and brought out two beers. He offered one to Chaz.
“I’m obliged,” he said and set it down in front of him, his eyes on the cooler. Jake pulled out two sandwiches. One he gave to Maggie and the other to Chaz. He pulled out a small plastic bowl of strawberries that looked fresh and luscious. Jake picked one up and moved the bowl to the center of the makeshift table.
“Help yourself,” he told the others. He wasn’t sure he wanted to show Chaz the last item in the cooler. Maggie split her sandwich and handed him half. When he took it, he moved his hand off of the cooler and she pulled it towards her.
“I knew you had more in there, now what do we have?” she asked and looked inside. Her eyes shot back to him in sudden surprise. “Oh Jake, how sweet.” Jake saw her look at the naked homeless man and back to him. “I think I’ll save it for later.”
He baked a cupcake for her with a heart on top. Inside the heart, he wrote I love you with one of those bakery pens. He would do anything to prove she was worth it, even bake a silly cupcake. A smile crept up his face as he chewed on the sandwich, knowing she didn’t want to share her special cupcake with the naked homeless guy. It made the whole process worth it. He didn’t even care that he would have to clean up the disaster of a kitchen he left behind after his cupcake baking ordeal when he got back home.
She smiled. “I bet the kitchen looks like a tornado went through.” He nodded and smiled as he remembered long ago when they first met and how he cooked her breakfast one morning. She got drunk at the full moon party and after a day of sleeping it off, he made her breakfast on the deck. Except afterwards, she helped him clean up, which took hours and much laughter.
After their road trip, he began to work longer and harder than ever before. He knew why, it was because he couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. Now he had to prove to her that no matter what happened, he would never back away again and get lost in his work. He watched her as she nibbled on her sandwich and his heart swelled.
What woman would sit in the middle of nowhere with a homeless, naked guy eating a sandwich?
“A penny for your thoughts?” she whispered.
“I’m thinking how much I mean those words on that sweet treat inside the cooler.”
Maggie’s smile made this all worthwhile. Although he wasn’t crazy about sitting around with a naked man, Chaz sure had them in stitches after he got done eating. He told them story after story about people’s reaction to his nudity when they walked along this path.
They became silent when a few people strolled by the makeshift hut. Jake could see out but it was difficult for them to see where they sat. That’s when he recognized two of the men as they stood outside of the tree line. One was the guy Jerry, the one Maggie called Jerk. “Remember Jerry from our road trip?”
Her head shot up. “Yes. What about him?”
“He’s right over there, talking to some other guy. I doubt they’re here as tourists.” Jake didn’t want them to see Maggie. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but Jerry wasn’t too happy the last time he saw the two of them. He looked at Chaz and doubted the naked man would be interested in helping. “Chaz, is there a way to get around them? I don’t want them to see us leave.” Jake wasn’t afraid of a confrontation, but there were two of them and one of him.
He doubted Chaz would be up to a fight. The skinny man had no muscle on him that he could see.
“I’m afraid not, but go over there.” He pointed to a small looking cave. “Drop down in the hole and cover up with some sticks and such. It will hide you from prying eyes. I do it all the time.”
Jake helped Maggie up. He held his finger to his mouth because he didn’t want to make noise. Jake led her over to the makeshift cave and took a step down. He was surprise to find himself waist high in a hole in the ground. “Maggie, let me help you,” he said. He took her by the waist and pulled her to him. She brushed her body up against his as shocked eyes stared in to his.
He crouched down a bit and pulled some of the driftwood over the hole. Newspaper and paper bags lined the sandy hole. Jake could see the forms standing by the tree line, but he couldn’t make out what they said.
He turned to Maggie who made herself comfortable on the ground. He sat down beside her. “We can wait here until they leave. I need to get a hold of Josh and let him know what’s going on.”
“We don’t know what’s going on,” Maggie said.
“I know it’s not innocent, Maggie. No one goes to a deserted beach to have small talk.”
She nodded and then clapped her hand over her face as Chaz ran over to the hole and pulled up the wood covering. He slid down and crouched in the corner. “I saw guns and there’s another guy heading this way. Be quiet, this doesn’t look good at all.”
Jake growled. “You sure we’re safe here, Chaz? I don’t want to be a sitting duck?”
“Don’t worry, we’re safe as long as you stay quiet.”
Jake pulled out his cell phone and put it on mute. He pointed to the phone, but she shook her head, indicating her phone was still on the boat. He began to text Josh when he saw the outline of a familiar face. Jesse Storm.
“What’s he doing here? I thought he’s a secret agent?” Maggie whispered. Jake felt the warmth of her as she scooted closer. He put an arm around her and rubbed her arm with the pad of his thumb. He drew little circles on her skin. She shivered in his arms.
The man who spoke with Jerry before Jesse Storm showed up began to walk away. Jake hoped they would all get moving so he could get out of here with Maggie. She didn’t need this. He saw Maggie put her hand over her mouth and her eyes widened. The moment he tore his eyes from her and looked out of the hole, Jesse raised an arm, a gun in his hand.
Jesse called out to the other guy. The man turned and began to lift his arms up in the air when Jesse let loose and fired three shots. The man went down. Maggie began to shake, he could feel her body quiver next to his. He pulled her close and pushed her face into his chest. Even Chaz sucked in a deep breath.
Jerry laughed out loud. “Well done,” he told Jesse. “Now let’s get to Baltimore and set you up with my Dad.” He placed an arm across Jesse’s shoulder and they began to walk away. Jake waited until he was certain they were far enough up the beach to get out of the hole.
He nodded to Maggie, her hand still over her mouth. “Stay,” he whispered.
She reached up and began to shake her head. “No, no. Don’t go out there. Oh Jake. Please!”
“He may still be alive. We have to help.”
When Jake said he may still be alive, Maggie pulled herself together right before his eyes. She nodded. “You’re right, I’m coming with you.”
He helped her out of the makeshift hole because he knew she wouldn’t stay there. They began to find their way to the beach, except there was no man anywhere. He looked up and down the coastline. “I didn’t imagine Jesse Storm shot a man. I saw him fall.”
Chaz grunted. “Maybe he washed out to sea.”
“There is no way for it to happen so fast.” Something sinister was going on, right before their eyes. Jake pulled his shades down from on top of his head and stared up the coastline. “Is there any more of these hiding places Chaz?”
“Not sure.”
“There’s our answer.” A small boat was moving down the coastline, far enough away Jake couldn’t make out who it was. The beach was so desolate, it had to be the man he saw earlier. He pointed to the boat. “It looks like he has some help. There’s another person on board. I bet the guy wore a bullet proof vest.”
“Jesse must be up to his special agent trickery. It’s good no one saw us. I want to go. This place gives me the creeps.”
“Let’s wait a few more minutes Maggie, and I’ll get you out of here. We don’t ever have to come back.” He pulled her close and let her head rest on his chest. She wrapped both her arms around his waist.
“I wonder why Jesse had to make it look like he was shooting that other man? This is like a bad movie happening right before our eyes.” Maggie shivered.
“I suppose he wants Jerry’s Dad, whose behind the drug dealing. He needs to prove his worth and I think he had this all set up. Not sure though. Look, let’s get out of here. We should be okay. I’m sorry you had to witness this.”
“Chaz, thank you for your hospitality,” Maggie told him. She went over to the naked man and gave him a hug.
Chaz hugged her back, perhaps a bit too long. Jake cleared his throat and pulled Maggie away. He shook the man’s hand, held on to it and stared at Chaz. Jake made it clear without saying a word, Maggie was off limits.
They were careful to walk along a path where they weren’t out in the open. “I’m not sure how far ahead they are or if they left the area, Maggie. I think we gave them enough time to leave but let’s be careful anyway.” He pulled her close to him and kept alert as they walked back towards the concrete barrier. He would do whatever he had to to keep Maggie safe.
She began to giggle.
“What’s so funny.”
“I didn’t think I’d see a real naked man here on this beach, let alone share out lunch with him. This is quite the adventure today. I’m not sure how you can top this one.”
Chapter 9
They headed back out to sea on Jake’s boat. Jake warned Maggie to keep watch, they weren’t sure if Jerry and Jesse drove here or had their own boat. It seemed as if they were alone on the water.
Jake let his guard down a bit. “I believe we’re safe.”
Maggie was glad to be away from there. “I don’t ever want to meet up with Jerry again. When he choked me at that rest area, I thought I was going to die until Jesse saved me.”
Jake reached over and placed his fingers on her neck, his gentle strokes touched her deep. “I won’t ever let it happen to you again. I promise.”
“It wasn’t your fault love, eh, friend. It was all Jerry. He’s a mean, nasty person and I don’t think he likes women. I want to see him rot in jail.”
Jake swore. “Not sure why they let him out in the first place unless they need him out on the streets so Jesse can bring down his Dad. His Dad has eluded the cops for ages and this is the first time they ever had someone on the inside.”
“If it’s such a secret, how do you know so much?” Maggie was glad he knew, but it seemed odd. “You are a civilian right? I’m not involved with a secret agent too, am I?” she asked, her stare suspicious.
Jake leaned back in his captain’s seat. “No Maggie. I’m not a secret agent. When they kidnapped you, I didn’t give him much choice. He knew with my connections, I could raise questions with some important people. Agents work under the radar, they don’t want publicity.”
“Nice to know.”
Jake’s phone rang. “I need to take this, it’s Josh.”
As the two spoke for some time, Maggie heard him tell Josh he was taking her to the Dolphin Rescue tomorrow. He was so intense right now as he tried to find things for the two of them to do, even in the midst of all the chaos. His work kept him busy, but he hadn’t mentioned work all day. In his own way, he tried so hard. She needed to put a stop to their game and move on from here. She wanted more than friends.
Maggie never wanted to lose him and she missed being in his arms at night. She didn’t like to sleep alone any more. S
he would tell him the moment he hung up the phone.
“I’m sure you heard me tell Josh I’m going to take you to the Dolphin Rescue tomorrow, right?” At her nod, he continued. “Would you mind if we meet up with Josh and Sarah? He has a situation at the Bed and Breakfast in Key West and needs to talk to me.”
“That would be fun. Why don’t we see if Jon and Abby want to come along? I know Abbs would love to see the dolphins.” At his nod, she got on her cell and agreed to meet Abby and Jon first thing in the morning. She sat next to Jake as he drove the boat towards their home.
“Do me a favor?” he asked.
“Hmmm?”
“Don’t wear that suit to swim with the dolphins. Please.” Maggie squeezed his arm and smiled before she nodded. She snuggled closer. He threw his arm around her shoulder and she looked up at him. “I didn’t realize friends got this intimate.”
