“It’s big. And blue.”
He laughed.
“Yeah, I like blue.”
“I can see that,” she laughed.
“So...couldn’t get a hold of Mr. Alex, huh?” he said and shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Nope. He’s probably in a meeting or something. Thanks for letting me stay here, Mack. I really appreciate it.”
“Hey, no problem. I told you. We have to keep you safe.”
“Yeah, well, I’m sorry you got sucked in to all this,” she said, placing a hand on her barely there baby bump.
“No, don’t say that. It’s been exciting.”
“That’s not really the word I’d use,” she muttered.
“I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant.” He came to stand in front of her. “You don’t deserve this, Mrs. Elena. You’re really pretty,” he said out of nowhere.
She laughed caught off guard by his remark.
“I don’t deserve this because I’m pretty?”
“No, no. That’s not what I meant either.” He scratched his head and pursed his lips. “Wow, I am not good at this.”
“Mack-”
“No listen. I just meant that you don’t deserve to have this done to you, at all. And you’re pretty. I’m sorry, it just slipped out.”
“It’s fine.” She wanted to laugh again but he was very serious. “Really.”
“So, how are things with you and Mr. Alex?”
“Things are awesome with him. He’s a really great guy.”
“How did you meet? He seems a little old for you,” he grumbled.
“Well...” How the heck did she explain that one? “He just picked me up one day. It didn’t take me long to see that he was the one for me. And he’s only a couple years older.”
“Like you are with me,” he said and smiled.
“Yeah,” Elena sighed and realized she needed a subject change. “So, how about you? Any girlfriends?”
“Nope. High school girls are immature and vain and clingy...really, the list could go on.” Elena laughed loudly and he seemed pleased she liked his joke so he continued softly. “Not like you. I know I’m just a stupid high school kid to you but...I’ve never met anyone like you before.”
“Mack, I don’t think that you’re a stupid high school kid. I’m just married.”
How in the world was this conversation actually taking place, she thought.
“I know, and pregnant.”
“And pregnant,” she agreed.
“I never get anything I want,” he muttered under his breath so low she wasn’t quite sure she heard him right.
“Mack, someday, you’re going to meet a really great girl,” Elena said soothingly.
“Yeah, I already did,” he conceded softly and looked at her sadly.
“I’m sorry. Look, maybe I should go-”
“No! No, don’t go because of me. It’s still not safe out there,” he said ferociously. “Just don’t listen to me. I’m sorry. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable around me. Just forget I said anything, ok?”
“Ok,” she agreed cautiously.
“Wanna watch a movie? I have all the Lord of The Rings.”
“Hmm-” she started but interrupted by someone bellowing her name upstairs.
“Mack! Elena! Answer me right now!”
“Alex,” she breathed and made a fast pace for the stairs, “I’m here!”
She saw his form fill the door frame before bounding down the steps to meet her. He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair.
“Oh thank God. Thank you, thank you,” he said breathlessly.
“What happened?”
“You tell me.” He lifted his head to look at her and framed her face. “I came home and you weren’t there. Why don’t you have your cell?”
“I do but it must not work down here. I- I called Agent Wright. I thought you’d know. I didn’t want to call you, get you in trouble. A man called. He- he was- I didn’t know what to do-”
“Whoa, whoa. Just slow down. You called Agent Wright?”
“Yes. A man called the house. He said he was my worst nightmare and hung up. You’d just went back to work today and I didn’t want to get you in trouble because I knew you’d run home so I called Agent Wright instead. He told me to get out of the house right then, so I came here.”
“Did I hear you right? Did you say that you somehow thought in that pretty brain of yours that I’d put my work over you?” he said as his thumbs caressed her cheeks but his face was annoyed and relieved.
“No, but I knew you’d put me first and lose your job because of it,” she said and was puzzled as to why she felt the need to cry.
“Elena, Elena.” He shook his head and nuzzled her nose with his. “There are tons of jobs out there but only one you. Of course I’d have come home. The most important thing I have is you. There is no job worth more than that.”
She blew out a breath.
“I thought you’d be angry with me.”
“I am, you stubborn, emotional, crazy, gorgeous woman.”
He kissed her for just a second until they heard a cleared throat. Elena looked over and bit her lip. She’d forgotten all about Mack.
“Oh, sorry,” she said to him.
He shrugged and looked away as he rubbed his neck uncomfortably.
“So, that explains why you’re here with Mack.” Alex looked at Elena with a raised brow. “In his bedroom, alone.”
“Yes-”
“It was innocent, honest, Mr. Alex,” Mack cut Elena off. “I mean, I just wanted her safe. I didn’t try anything. Well...I may have said some things since I’m being honest but I’d never have actually done anything about them.”
Alex eyebrow somehow raised higher.
“Mack, it was nothing, you’re fine, ok? Thanks for letting me stay here until Alex got home. I appreciate it.”
“Anytime. Thanks for being so cool about it. I’m sorry, sometimes my mouth filter gets clogged or something and I don’t know what I’m saying.”
Elena smiled and felt Alex shaking beside her. She looked up to see him fighting a laugh. He even bent his head to cover it when he was losing the battle.
“It’s fine, Mack, really. Thank you. We’ll head home.”
“Ok, see ya. Maybe we can hang out one day this weekend?”
“Sure. We’ll see.”
“Alright. Bye guys.”
“Bye.”
“Bye, Mack,” Alex chimed. “You’re a real nice guy, looking out for my El this way,” he said as he took her hand to help her up the stairs.
“No problem. Really, I enjoy it.” Mack’s cheeks pinked and he grimaced. “Uh, anyway. See ya.”
“See ya,” Alex echoed cheerfully.
Once outside, they walked slowly, hand in hand to their back door.
“I’ll call Agent Wright when we get inside,” Alex stated.
“Why didn’t you answer your cell?”
“Well,” he rolled his eyes, “I was so worried about you having yours that I forgot about mine. It was dead in my briefcase.”
“Aha.”
“Yeah, sorry. I’ll make sure to have all the T’s crossed next time.”
“It’s fine. It all worked out.”
“Yeah...about that.” He smiled crookedly. “Do I need to go have a little chat with our friendly neighbor? What on earth did he say to you that he felt he needed to apologize for?”
“It was nothing,” she muttered as she swept her hair behind her ear and tried not to blush. “He has a little crush on me.
“Oh, that is abundantly clear, El,” he laughed.
“Oh, stop it,” she said and swatted his arm playfully. “He’s sweet, just a little confused.”
“Well, as long as he didn’t try anything-”
“Of course not!”
“Ok then. Me and him are good,” he said with a wide grin.
“I think you are enjoying this way too much,” she muttered and he just gri
nned wider. “So we call Wright and then what?”
“Well, I may have to quit my job after all. Too many close calls in this town. First the guy comes to the house and gets to Mack, then the flower shop, then this? I think we need to go, El.”
She sighed and nodded her head.
“I think so too, though I’ll miss this place. I’ve kind of fallen in love with this house.”
They reached the back door and Alex paused, his hand on the handle.
“I know, babe, and I’m sorry. I’ll call Roger as soon as we get in and make sure they keep on the lookout. We’ll decide tonight where we’re going next.”
She nodded and he opened the door.
Chapter 17
Alex kicked the door shut and he reached for the phone to place the phones calls before they realized they weren’t alone. There was a man in the corner kitchen table chair, his hand resting on the tabletop, with a gun. Elena first thought was that they were dead, he wouldn’t wait, he’d just shoot them and then head over to finish off Roger and Amy, or maybe someone else was already doing that.
Alex, I love you.
* * *
For a moment they all just stared, the man not moving a tan muscle. Elena waited for the shot, the loud deafening bang but it never came. Then the man got up and pointed the gun toward the table, motioning for them to move there. Alex dropped the phone back in the receiver, positioning himself in front of Elena as they backed up towards the kitchen table. Alex instantly remembered the gun in the drawer in the kitchen and wondered why they weren’t dead already.
“I sure you can imagine why I’m here,” the man said with a thick Spanish accent, still pointing the gun. He seemed almost amused. “You two have caused a pretty big mess for us. Do you realize how much money you have cost me?” Elena nor Alex said anything as they sat. Alex was still wondering how he could reach the gun inside the drawer. “They haven’t found us but they will...which means we have to move, again. Which means it’s gonna cost us customers and money and time, not to mention all my clients running scared because of the little blip on the news. Now, I’ve got to kill you, and you know what? I’m gonna do it slowly and I’m gonna enjoy it. But first, how about a little fun,” the man said moving towards Elena, “and how about you watch.” He grabbed Elena by her hair but pointed his gun at Alex. The man pulled Elena behind the counter, bending her over the edge of it.
“Oh, God, please no,” Elena squealed just as the man pushed himself closer to her, reaching for his belt buckle.
Alex was trying to focus, not look into Elena’s eyes, he knew he would lose it and not be able to think clearly or rationally if he did. He was afraid Elena would get hurt if he just went for the gun and shot the man.
“Go ahead, fight. That’s exactly how I like it,” the man said laughing as he began to pull up Elena’s skirt.
Alex fought it but his eyes jerked over and saw the man gliding his hand up his wife’s leg and he wanted to pummel him but needed to keep his cool. And fast. He wouldn’t be able to just sit and watch for very much longer.
As soon as the man turned his head, Alex grabbed the gun from the drawer next to him quietly and shoved it under his leg right as the man turned around. He had to get Elena safe before he tried anything. If she got hurt in the cross fire... no. He pushed that image out of his head. No he wouldn’t think that.
He could just try to shoot him but the man still had his gun pointed at Elena.
“Please, I’m pregnant,” she begged.
“Stupid putas. You always think we care,” the man growled happily as Elena whimpered.
Alex had to take his shot, had to. The man’s pants hit the floor around his ankles and Alex could wait no longer. He pulled the gun, flipping the safety as his hand swung out and went to pull the trigger but the man moved and the shot missed, instead going through the kitchen window.
He turned his gun quickly on Alex but Alex had already started to rush him. He grabbed the man around his chest with his arm as Elena was ducked and bent over the counter. He pulled the man to the floor and he went with him but before he could recover, the man swung back, slamming the butt of the gun into Alex’s jaw. Elena screamed in the background. Alex fell back but pointed his gun right at the man as he did.
Alex’s trigger finger pulsed not even a second before the back door bust opened instead.
Mack stood there in all his teenage glory, baseball bat in hand. And it was too late. The man shot Mack in the chest. Alex watched him flail back, heard Elena’s scream but he needed to react before the man could get to Elena again as he was reaching for her. He aimed and shot the man directly in the back of the head.
The man slumped and felt immediately to the white tile and Elena slumped with him as he fell on top of her. She was trying to pull herself frantically out from under him and pulling at her skirt at the same time. Alex threw the man off but before he could help her up, she launched herself across the floor. She sobbed as she crawled to Mack’s body.
“Oh, no! Please, no!” she yelled as she touched his arm.
* * *
She felt Alex behind her, bracing her.
“Baby-”
“Don’t say he’s dead, Alex, just don’t.”
She touched Mack’s arm again and heard his harsh breath.
“Mack!”
Mack’s eyes blinked and he squinted and cleared his throat.
“Mrs. Elena?” He tried to sit up but Alex pushed his shoulder back down. “Are you ok?”
“Yeah, I am. Thank you. I’m so sorry about all this, Mack,” she said through her sniffles.
“I told you it was exciting,” Mack joked and coughed.
Elena tried not to notice the blood on his lips and the all too growing bloom of red on his t-shirt.
“Shh. We’ll get help, ok? You’re going to be fine, just stay awake, Mack.”
“I already called the paramedics,” Agent Wright said from behind them. “It seems I didn’t quite drive fast enough. I’m sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“It wasn’t yours either,” he told her and bent down to inspect Mack. “You know, getting shot makes you a shoe-in for that intern program.”
Mack tried to laugh but coughed again.
“Ah man, awesome,” Mack whispered his response.
Elena felt Alex’s arms go around her from behind just as they heard sirens down the street. She turned to look inside and saw the dead man on the floor. All the pieces came together. She’s been so wrapped up she forgot about him. There he was, naked from the waist down, his pants to his feet and a pool of blood under his head staining the tile.
Alex had shot him. She turned to look at Alex and saw him looking at the body, too. He was shaking. Was it fury or because he was shaken up, she couldn’t tell.
“Alex.” She turned his face since he made no move to look at her. “You had to. You know that right? He was going to kill us and you had to. You saved me.”
“Yes, I know. I had to take a life.”
“Alex-”
“I’m fine, El,” he said tersely.
“No, you’re not,” she said firmly grabbing his face in between her small hands, “and it wouldn’t be right if you were. Don’t shut me out, Alex. We’ll get through this like we have everything else; together.”
He finally looked at her. Actually looked at her instead of glazing over. He looked sick but nodded.
“I love you. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry for protecting me.”
“It was so easy to pull that trigger when I knew he was gonna hurt you. So easy,” he whispered.
“I’d do the same for you...if I could even get that stupid thing to work,” she said and smiled at him sadly.
“I’ll show you how. This isn’t going to stop, you know.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “I thought I was helping you by marrying you but I just made things so much worse, for both of us. They are never gonna let us be, never stop looking for us.”
&nb
sp; “You’re right,” Agent Wright said, interrupting their private moment, “they never will. Sadly, this is your life now; always on the lookout, always cautious. I’m sorry, but this is the way it has to be.” He pushed the tails of his tan trench coat, the coat he wore every time they’d seen him, and crouched down in front of them. “No offense but your way isn’t working. Now we’ll try my way.”
“And what’s that?”
“Witness protection.”
Alex pondered that and didn’t see any other way at this point. In fact, he was surprised they hadn’t been put in it already.
“Roger and Amy too?”
“Of course. I already have someone posted at their house. Your friend was alone. He was probably headed there next.”
“When do we have to leave?”
“Now.”
* * *
Elena worked it out with Agent Wright where they could leave the following day instead. She felt, and so did Alex, a deep appreciation and guilt over Mack. She needed to stick around and make sure he was ok.
They went to the hospital the next morning and found him spooning mounds of red Jell-O and whipped cream into his mouth. He was sitting up and smiled when he saw them.
He told them he’d seen the silhouette of a guy with a gun through the kitchen window and then heard the shot, so he’d run over with the baseball bat. Alex told him how incredibly stupid that was and how utterly thankful he was to him for it.
Mack explained what the doctors had said. The bullet went straight through his right shoulder, extremely close to his heart but missed, and went clean through so it would heal quickly. His mother wasn’t there but he said she had been, making a huge scene but as soon as the doctors left, so had she.
Elena thanked him profusely. She told him they were leaving, going into witness protection so she’d never get to see him again. He was devastated and kept saying how stupid that was but eventually realized that this was serious and that is was about Elena’s safety and relented. This wasn’t just some guy after them. This was a fleet of men, men who kill.
Elena had hugged him long and hard and even kissed his cheek, more for him than her, to thank him. He blushed furiously but shook Alex’s hand firmly.
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