Nimble Be Jack: A Jack Nolan Novel (The Cap's Place Series Book 2)

by Robert Tarrant

  No one answered, so she rapped again, harder. Then she heard footsteps and Jack asked, “Who’s there?”

  Liz replied, “It’s Liz. I wanted to say good-bye.”

  The door jerked open and Jack smiled broadly saying, “I’m so glad you did. I felt bad when Marge told me you left and I’d missed seeing you. Come in, please.”

  Liz stood frozen, looking at the 9 mm semi-automatic Jack was holding at his side. It was pointed at the floor, but still. She found her voice, “Were you expecting someone else?”

  Jack looked quizzical and then said, “Oh, sorry. I had no idea who it might be and I’ve had a streak of rather unpleasant encounters recently. Come on in, I’ll put this away.” With that he turned and walked quickly toward the bedroom.

  Liz closed the door behind her and dropped her backpack on the floor with a thud. Jack was back as quickly as he’d departed. “Can I offer you a drink? I have beer and scotch, but of course I can run downstairs and get you about anything you’d like.”

  With a chuckle she replied, “Jack, a beer would be just fine. I’d like to have a beer with you. Can we sit here on the couch?”

  Jack smiled warmly, “Of course. Have a seat. I’ll get the beers. Would you like a glass?”

  “Not necessary. Not at all. Something about a long neck makes it seem more like a beer.”

  Jack winked, “A woman after my own heart.”

  Liz took a seat on the couch as Jack retrieved two bottles of Landshark from the refrigerator in the kitchen. He settled on the couch and they clinked bottles. Simultaneously, “Cheers.” Their knees nearly touched as they faced each other on the small couch.

  Liz said, “I hope it’s not too late. I thought you’d still be up since you probably only closed a little while ago. I just couldn’t leave town without saying good-bye.”

  “Perfect timing. I was the last one downstairs after Moe left. Just got up here fifteen minutes ago. Five more minutes and I’d have been in the shower.”

  Her brown eyes sparkled, “I could go out and wait five minutes. Catching you in the shower would definitely be worth the wait.”

  “Play your cards right and that could still happen.”

  Setting her beer down on the table Liz said, “Oh, I see . . . you think you’re in control.” With that she leaned forward taking Jack’s face in both hands, pulling him toward her until their lips met.

  The kiss was long and progressive. Tender at first, then urgent, and finally passionate. Somewhere during the embrace Jack had set his beer on the table and wrapped his hands behind her neck pulling her even tighter into him. When they finally parted, they both took a deep breath and settled back into the couch.

  Liz sighed, “You don’t know how many times downstairs I wanted to do that.”

  Jack looked surprised, “Really? I had no idea. I hope it lived up to your expectations.”

  “Oh, it exceeded my wildest dreams. But one is a pretty small sample.”

  Jack replied, “I agree . . . totally.” With that he reached out and wrapped his arms around her pulling her toward him. She looked up into his face and closed her eyes. His lips met hers and she felt the room start to tilt. This kiss was even more protracted than the first and it lingered much longer at the tender stage.

  When the kiss ended, Jack leaned back and pulled Liz to him, her head resting against his chest. He murmured, “Are you sure you have to go?”

  A lengthy sigh preceded, “Yes, I must go, but I don’t have to leave just yet. Let’s enjoy the moments we have.”

  Now it was Jack’s turn to sigh. He simply said, “Okay,” and held her in his embrace.

  Sensing the passing of the moment, Liz sat back up and reached for her beer. She took a long drink before turning to face Jack again. “You know Cap’s Place is special. I can’t remember being anywhere more welcoming. Just a great bunch of people. A little oddball at times, but great nonetheless.”

  “Oddball. What do you mean oddball?”

  Liz chuckled, “You can’t see it because you’re the biggest oddball of all.” With that she pushed Jack over on his back and crawled on top of him. This kiss started at urgent, but nearly immediately went to something much more aggressive. It was as if they were assaulting each other with their lips.

  Sparks shot through her body as Jack ran his hands up and down her back. When his hands found their way under her blouse and onto her skin, the sparks burst into flames. Pushing her body tighter against his she could feel that his arousal equaled her own. She knew this could go nowhere, but she was content to enjoy the moment. Really enjoy the moment.

  Had someone walked into the apartment five minutes later they would have found a trail of clothes leading from the couch to the bed. Actually, the trail ended just outside the bedroom door. It was here he had stood her against the wall and slid her panties slowly down as his kisses trailed the length of her body. He carried her eager naked body in his arms the last few steps to the bed.

  The kisses of her body had only intensified on the bed. Never before in her life had Liz experienced the sexual tenderness he bestowed on her. He ignited every nerve ending. Never before had her body so willingly and openly desired to receive a man. When he finally entered her, she gasped from pleasure and drew him to her, as if their bodies could somehow be melded together. Her release was like nothing she had ever experienced. Like nothing any woman had ever experienced, of that she was certain.

  Over the next hour, hours, for all she knew it could have been days, or weeks, she really had no idea how long, they explored and enjoyed each other. At times tenderly, and at times fervently. After countless waves crashing against the rocky shore, they collapsed in each other’s arms in the slumber of the totally expended.

  Liz fought to regain consciousness. Jack was sleeping soundly, but she knew she needed to leave. She slid out from his embrace and stood at the side of the bed. She gazed down at the man who had given so much of himself in taking her places she didn’t know existed. A tear formed in the corner of her eye. She knew she had to go. That was not open to debate, so there was no sense in letting herself think otherwise.

  Liz picked up her clothes on her way back to the couch. She walked into the kitchen and dropped her clothes and her backpack in one chair and slumped, still naked, into another. She thought about a shower, but didn’t want to wash him off of her. Not now, maybe never. Resting her elbows on the table she held her head in her hands. The weight of it all was crushing her. How can a person go from such a high to such a low in so short a time? She allowed herself to sob quietly.

  Finally, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She wasn’t worried about her makeup as she was confident the combination of Jack’s kisses and the mauling of their bodies together had removed it long ago. She reached into her backpack and pulled out her jogging outfit. A strong run afterwards always helped deal with the stress. She dressed, sitting back down in the chair to put on her running shoes.

  Liz folded the clothes she had been wearing when she arrived and put them into the backpack. She took a deep breath and reached into the backpack removing the .22 caliber Beretta Bobcat with its silencer affixed. She hadn’t used the Bobcat since killing the cab driver. This would be the last time she’d use it. It would rest in the salt water before she left town.

  Everything had gone so smoothly with the cab driver that she’d stayed in the area to enjoy life on the beach for a while. She hadn’t wanted to take the contract on Jack, but the old man had really pressured her. He’d brought in outside help to deal with a reporter who was sticking his nose somewhere he shouldn’t and things had really gotten out of control. In the end, two reporters and some waitress had been killed. The old man had been given orders that the one loose end was Jack, but he wanted someone who would contain the situation without any additional collateral damage. She had grudgingly taken the assignment.

  Her regret had only increased with every day she was around Jack and Cap’s Place. This tryst had been one last opportunity
for Jack to prove himself a pig, like other men. If he simply used her for his own pleasure, as had been her experience, maybe it would make the inescapable outcome to their relationship a little less difficult for her. Unfortunately, he had only enhanced her reluctance with his compassionate lovemaking.

  For the first time in her life she found herself wishing there was a God. If there was a God, she could pray that this burden would be lifted. But of course, there is no God. There couldn’t be a God in a world this evil, so nothing was going to lift her burden.

  Slowly Liz pushed her chair back and started toward the bedroom. She would do what she came here to do, and she would do it now.

  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

  The old man held up his cell phone so that the text message on the screen was visible across the room. He deleted the message and laid the phone on the nightstand next to the bed he was sitting in. He glared at the solitary figure sitting in the chair on the other side of the room, “Are you satisfied?”

  Justin growled, “Yes, but I don’t want to think what would have happened if I hadn’t recognized her in that bar this afternoon.”

  Now the old man scoffed, “They won’t let you get away with this. No way in hell this stands. First, they deal with you and then they have the original mission completed. You have done nothing except postpone the inevitable . . . getting yourself killed in the process.”

  Justin nodded, “I understand you think that’s the only possible outcome.”

  The old man roared, “Think? No, I know! You’re a dead man. I don’t care who you are. I don’t care what you’ve done for this country. You’re a dead man.”

  “Maybe so. Maybe so, but I can’t just stand by and let this continue to spiral out of control.”

  The old man rubbed his brow and said in a tired voice, “You know how this . . . how we . . . end don’t you? I can’t just sit here and let you walk out.”

  Justin’s voice was equally tired, “I know you can’t.”

  The old man thought about how glad he was that he and his wife slept in separate bedrooms now as he reached over and pulled open the nightstand drawer. His gun had barely cleared the drawer, when the .40 caliber in Justin’s lap roared. The old man slumped forward in the bed.

  Justin rose and whispered, “Goodbye old friend,” before leaving the house as he had entered . . . silently.

  Liz paused on her way to the bedroom and listened. She heard a faint buzzing sound. It was the cell phone tucked into the side pocket of her backpack. She reached down and slid it out. The text message on the screen read, ABORT — ABORT — ACKNOWLEDGE.

  Liz looked at the screen as if the words were in a foreign language. Maybe her earlier tears were clouding her vision. She momentarily squeezed her eyes closed tightly. When she opened them the words remained the same. Her fingers were trembling as she typed ABORT ORDER UNDERSTOOD.

  Five minutes later the jogger exited Jack’s apartment with the backpack on her back. The horizon was just giving the first signs of a new day as her smooth gait carried her across the parking lot and up the street.

  Jack rolled over in bed and felt for Liz. She wasn’t there. He knew she wouldn’t be there when he awoke, so he allowed himself to drift back to sleep. As long as he slept she was still there. She would be there in his dreams. Loving women like her didn’t come along everyday.

  CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

  Senator William Hudson climbed the front steps to his brownstone townhouse. He unlocked the door and disengaged the alarm system. He waved to his driver, who always waited until the Senator was safely inside before pulling away. If all goes as planned, two years from now Hudson wouldn’t be arriving anywhere alone, he’d have the most robust personal protection in the world as President of the United States.

  With his wife in their home state for the pending birth of their fifth grandchild, tonight he was alone, and that was just fine. It had been a ball-buster of a week at the Capitol and tonight’s fundraiser had dragged on an eternity. Tomorrow he was doing a Sunday morning news talk show to defend his record on the damn environment. One more drink and off to bed.

  Hudson walked into his dark study, dropped his briefcase on the desk and turned to the credenza along the wall. Switching on the light above the credenza he poured himself a strong bourbon. He slumped down in the swivel chair behind his desk. Turning to face the room, he dropped his drink on the floor, shattering the glass.

  Sitting in the shadowy corner of the room Justin said, “Relax Senator. If I intended to harm you, you’d be dead already.”

  “Who the hell are you?” Hudson demanded.

  “Who I am is not important. Why I’m here, now that is important.”

  Hudson edged his chair to the right and asked, “Okay, why are you here?”

  Justin replied, “If you’re thinking of reaching for the revolver you keep in that top desk drawer, forget it, unless you’re planning on throwing it at me. I unloaded it. Also, the Glock in the bedside table upstairs.”

  Hudson demanded, “How the hell did you get in here? This place has the best security system money can buy.”

  Justin shook his head, “Senator, you’re focusing on the wrong issues. What does it matter how I got in here? What matters is why I’m here.”

  “Okay, I’ll bite. Why are you here?”

  “I’m here to keep you from loosing your bid to be President.”

  Scoffing, Hudson said, “Talk to my Chief of Staff, or better yet, my campaign manager.”

  Again shaking his head, Justin hissed, “You don’t have a campaign manager, you’re still in the exploratory stages.”

  “Ah, that’s correct. Guess you’ll just need to come back when, and if, I do have a campaign manager.”

  “Senator, I’m disappointed in you. I always thought you were a no nonsense guy willing to address tough issues. At least that’s the way you talked when I saw you in Iraq and again in Afghanistan.”

  Hudson leaned forward, “We’ve met?”

  “I said I saw you, I didn’t say you saw me.”

  Rubbing his chin in thought Hudson asked, “Okay, what’s this all about?”

  Justin got up, walked over and sat down in the chair across the desk from Hudson. “You are running for the Presidency and CIA Director James Hartack is going to be your running mate.”

  Hudson started to speak, but Justin held up his hand in a stop sign and continued, “Don’t give me any of your political rhetoric, those are the plans, and you’ve gone too far in laying the ground work to change them now without raising serious questions. Serious questions would likely throw cold water on your lifelong ambition to be President.

  “The problem you’re not aware of is that the CIA has a rogue operation going inside the homeland. I don’t believe Hartack is even aware of this operation, but it doesn’t matter, it’s occurring on his watch. If it becomes public he’ll no doubt be ruined and by association you’ll be severely tainted.”

  Hudson leaned back in his chair and stared intently at Justin. Continuing, Justin added, “I know you have your suspicions that something is going on because you have the FBI poking around.”

  “You know these things, how?” asked Hudson.

  Staring directly at Hudson, Justin replied, “I know because I have been an instrument of the CIA operation and I am a target of the FBI investigation.”

  Hudson steepled his hands in front of him, “And you want me to get the heat off of you?”

  Justin nodded, “In part, that is correct. What I want is for you to bring an end to this abhorrent operation and quash the FBI investigation.”

  “Not an insignificant request, young man. Why would I halt an FBI investigation I requested? That is, if there is any such investigation, and if I did request it.”

  “Like I said, this investigation will ultimately take down Hartack. The FBI is going to uncover some very nasty stuff. The political fallout will be toxic for a great many people. Hartack for certain, and very possibly you.”

  Hudson shoo
k his head, “Why me? If I called for the investigation I’m the good guy just trying to root out evil.”

  “At the cost of your lifelong friend James Hartack? No, you called for the investigation because you suspected that something was amiss and you wanted to make certain that whatever it was you could keep your distance. You were thinking something on the order of unauthorized electronic surveillance. You were not expecting assassination of American citizens on American soil.”

  Hudson stared, stone faced. Finally, he spoke, his voice almost a whisper, “You have proof of this?”

  Justin ran his tongue around the inside of his mouth as if trying to purge a bad taste. He replied, “I told you, I’ve been a part of it.”

  “So you say. Do you have proof?”

  “I do have proof, but it isn’t me you should be concerned with. This whole thing has gone so far rogue that it’s even utilized organized crime hit men. The first time one of these guys has a solid case lodged against him, he’s going to want to make a trade. In the name of homeland security, the American government is hiring organized crime hit men to murder American citizens on American soil. What a headline that will make. Going to be hard to believe that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Intelligence didn’t know what was going on.”

  Hudson squinted, “But, what proof do you have for me that this whole thing isn’t some figment of your imagination?”

  Justin responded with an edge to his voice, “You don’t want to see proof Senator. When this sees the light of day, and it will see the light of day sometime, you want to always be able to say you knew nothing. What you knew, and when, will be critical to your political survival. That’s why you need to call off the FBI, they will find something, and likely before you’re in the White House with an entire administration to insulate you.”

  Hudson scoffed, “So you want me to call off an FBI investigation on your word alone. Someone I don’t even know.”