by Mary Alford
Jamie got to her feet and killed the lights, then went over to the window. Nothing could be seen through the darkness. Feeling helpless, she let the curtain drop and went back to check on Gavin. He was sleeping peacefully. She took one of Ava’s quilts from the closet and placed it over him for warmth.
Laying the shotgun on the coffee table, she took the Glock that Gavin had tucked close to him and shoved it into her jacket pocket.
It had been years since she’d been to Ava’s home. Probably the last time had been when she was a teenager. While most things still looked the same, there were some significant differences.
She’d noticed the first when she’d locked the door. The locking system was like nothing she’d ever seen before. Even though Ava had told her she was putting in the security measures, Jamie still couldn’t reconcile it with the strong but sweet woman she’d known for so many years. What was Ava expecting to happen to her that she needed such sophisticated protection?
In several of their conversations after Jamie first left the area, Ava had told her about how heroin had the county of Darlan in a stranglehold. Had Ava been afraid of someone breaking into her home and stealing from her to support their habit?
Jamie couldn’t help but wonder if what was happening to her and Gavin was in some way related to the drug problem in Darlan. Was that what Uncle Paxton was trying to warn her about? If so, then how did the heroin connect to the sheriff’s office or to a ten-year-old murder? There had to be a connection.
An uneasy thought made her shiver. Ava Dalton had made it clear to anyone who would listen throughout the years that she didn’t believe Noah had killed her son. Was her death really due to a heart attack, like the coroner claimed, or because someone wanted to silence her, as well?
While she tried to make sense of the impossible, the monitor on Ava’s desk suddenly flashed on, giving views of every part of the property. Someone was here. Jamie hurried over to the screen and studied it. What had triggered the sensors? Then she saw it. Several of the same armed men from earlier were making their way through the woods behind the house.
Horrified, she watched as the men methodically marched across the yard. Once they reached the house, they stopped and then unexpectedly left the property.
They were looking for something in particular. Why hadn’t they returned to the house? Were they standing back, waiting for her and Gavin to emerge so that they could arrest them...or worse?
Jamie went back over to where Gavin still rested peacefully. As much as she wanted to wake him up and tell him what had just happened, she knew rest was the best medicine for him now.
With nothing else to do but wait, Jamie went into the kitchen. She needed something to do. Without turning on any lights, she made coffee. When she’d woken that morning, the only thing on her mind had been defending her client, who was down to his last appeal. And then Uncle Paxton had called, and her life in Louisville had taken second place to her only living relative. She’d managed to get Adam Sullivan’s upcoming trial extended for another week. She prayed it would be long enough to save her uncle.
Now, exhausted beyond belief, Jamie was afraid to let her guard down for a second. She’d watch over Gavin until he was stronger. No matter what, she wouldn’t let him down.
With coffee in hand, she went over to the monitor. Nothing stirred outside. Had the men truly moved on in their search, or were they still out there somewhere, waiting for them to come out into the open before they’d attack?
* * *
Gavin’s eyes felt glued shut. It was a struggle to force them open. Where was he? It took a moment before he remembered what had happened. Jamie being run off the road. The race through the woods that resulted in his being shot. The desperate trek to his grandmother’s house. He was home. The room was dark. Where was Jamie? The only light was coming from somewhere behind him.
It took all his strength to make it to a sitting position. Breathing was a struggle.
Someone hurried his way. Jamie! She was safe. He could see the concern on her face. Had something happened?
“Don’t try to move. You’re still very weak.” The gentleness in her tone matched her eyes.
“How long have I been out?” he managed in a barely audible voice. His side hurt like crazy, and he felt as weak as a kitten.
“Several hours. You lost a lot of blood, Gavin.”
He knew she was worried about him, but there was an edge to her voice that had him concerned. “Something else happened while I was out.” It wasn’t a question.
She sat next to him. “Yes. Not too long after you passed out, your grandmother’s security system went crazy. Several of the same armed men from earlier made their way through the woods behind the house. They searched the yard as if they were looking for something, yet once they reached the house, they stopped and then unexpectedly left the property. It was...strange.”
Gavin shook his head. “I have no idea what they could be looking for.”
“Me either, but I don’t think we can afford to stay here much longer.”
She was right. Miller would want to take both him and Jamie in for questioning. He’d try to find a way to silence them. Gavin couldn’t let that happen. Paxton had stumbled onto something big that definitely involved the sheriff’s office, and he and Jamie were outnumbered. Miller and his men would keep coming after them. Using their badges, they’d be unstoppable.
“How often do you and your uncle talk?” he asked, the question taking her by surprise.
“Maybe once a week, sometimes more, depending on our schedules. Why do you ask?”
Because I’m desperate. Because I’m afraid I can’t keep us safe, was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t voice his fears aloud. Jamie was counting on him.
“I’m just thinking Paxton might have said something in passing that didn’t make sense at the time, but in the light of what’s happened tonight, might be helpful in finding him.”
Gavin could see her replaying their previous conversation over in her head. “Paxton told me he was closing down the coal mine for a while to do some repairs. At the time, I didn’t think anything of it, but the last time I spoke to him, he told me that the mine was still closed.” She stopped to look at him. “He was barely making a living as it was. There was no way he could afford to have the mine closed for so long. I’m wondering if maybe he was doing more than mining down there.”
Since Gavin’s father’s murder and Noah’s incarceration, prior to passing away, the mine that the two friends had worked together for years had been sitting mostly untouched. With Charles’s death, controlling interest had gone to Ava. She’d let Paxton mine it as he saw fit. Ava had told Gavin occasionally that while Paxton and his friend Terry Williams worked the mine, they’d never found the mother lode that Noah and Charles believed existed beneath the mountain.
“Ava mentioned on several occasions how the use of the drug heroin had gotten really bad in Darlan. I remember her talking about it when I first left Darlan ten years ago. Do you think this has something to do with drug trafficking?”
He managed a nod. “Possibly. You think Paxton could be hiding whatever Miller and his men are looking for at the mine?” Gavin asked, then considered the possibility. It made sense in a way. That would explain why he wasn’t mining. “Does anyone besides you know about the repairs?”
She shook her head. “Not as far as I know.”
Even if Paxton hadn’t discussed the repairs with anyone, the mine would be the first place Miller would look after he checked Paxton’s house. There were no guarantees they’d find him there alive. Still, they had to try, because right now, they had no idea why the sheriff’s office was willing to kill the older man.
“We need to get to the Darlan Mountain Mine as soon as possible.” He grabbed the sofa arm and tried to stand. His knees threatened to buckle, and the world swam before his eyes. Gavin sank back do
wn. He’d never felt so weak before. How on earth was he going to protect them, should something happen?
“You need to rest,” Jamie insisted. “You were shot. You’ve suffered a tremendous blow to your system.”
He closed his eyes until the world settled down. “There’s no time. We need to get out of here while we still can. Miller and his men could return at any moment.”
“At least let me change your bandage, and then I’ll make you something to eat. It’ll give you energy.”
As much as he wanted to get to the mine as fast as possible, Jamie was right. He needed something to boost his strength.
He watched as she skillfully removed the bandage and treated the wound before wrapping it again. While the spot was still red and swollen, at least the bleeding had stopped.
Jamie gathered the used bandages and got to her feet. Before she could walk away, he clasped her hand, holding her there. She looked down at him with uncertainty written on her face.
“Thank you,” he murmured with an attempt at a smile, while wanting to say so much more. He still cared for her, and he couldn’t think of anyone he’d rather have on his side.
She returned his smile. “I didn’t do anything you wouldn’t have done for me.”
“Maybe, but still, thank you.”
She squeezed his hand and then stepped back. “You’re welcome.” He watched as she hurried away, and he tried to get his chaotic heartbeat under control. Feelings still existed between them, but he’d made so many mistakes with Jamie. Now they were facing a life-and-death situation, and he was injured. Could he keep them safe?
Gavin slowly struggled to his feet and followed her to the kitchen. She caught him coming her way and hurried to his side.
“You need to lie back down.”
He shook his head. “I need to get back on my feet as soon as possible. Moving around will help.”
Resigned, she shrugged and handed him some coffee. He accepted it gratefully and took a sip. He’d forgotten how refreshing a simple cup of coffee could be.
“There doesn’t appear to be much in your grandmother’s fridge besides eggs and bacon.”
To Gavin it sounded like a feast. “Sounds good to me.” Slowly, he lowered himself down to one of the stools in front of the bar. Trying to hide his exhaustion from her was impossible, yet there was nothing that could be done about it. Although being shot had taken its toll, the fast-paced life he led as a spy was catching up with him, as well. He’d been burning the candle at both ends for years. He’d been in Kandahar when he’d learned about his grandmother’s passing. He’d caught the first flight home to Darlan.
Even though he’d been home for almost a week, Gavin had barely spent any time at Ava’s house. Too many bittersweet memories were stored up here. All the Christmases he and his father would go out to the woods and cut down a tree for his grandmother. Ava always wanted the biggest tree they could find. The Easter egg hunts as a child. He could picture Ava in just about every square inch of the homestead. Even after witnessing his grandmother’s body being lowered into the ground, Gavin still couldn’t imagine death conquering her.
Jamie set a plate of bacon and eggs in front of him, then touched his hand. “I miss her, too. I still can’t believe she’s gone.”
Gavin swallowed emotions that he wasn’t ready to deal with just yet. “Yeah, I can still see her standing where you are, making all those amazing meals she used to put together as if it were nothing at all. Especially during the holidays.”
Jamie smiled, reminiscing. “I remember that one Christmas when we all got together over here. That was a great day.”
He remembered the time she mentioned, too. He and Jamie hadn’t yet started dating, but he’d known he was crazy about her, even back then. Every time he’d looked at her, his young heart had gone crazy.
“Your grandmother told me you went to work for the CIA. She was proud of you.”
There was much more that she wasn’t saying, but he wasn’t surprised that she and Ava had talked. His grandmother was always dropping hints about their conversations whenever she spoke to Gavin. Ava had always adored Jamie.
He nodded. “After my father’s death, I stopped believing in anything good. I joined the CIA and then later...got married.” He slid her a look. She was clearly surprised. “I became driven by my career for a long time, and because of it, my marriage collapsed around me. Emily deserved better than what I could give her.”
Gavin watched as Jamie processed what he’d said. Was it just wishful thinking on his part, or did she actually seem unhappy about what he’d told her?
“I had no idea you were married. Ava never mentioned it.” She swallowed visibly. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out, but I understand about failed relationships. I haven’t been able to keep anything together long enough to even be called a relationship.”
He smiled at her admission. “I knew I had to do something to redeem myself. When I was offered a job with the Scorpion team, I finally found my purpose. I love the men and women on the team, and it was through my comrades that I came to know God. He changed my life. Gave me a purpose. Now, I can’t imagine my life without God in it.”
Jamie returned his smile. “I’m happy for you. I know the importance of faith in my own life. It’s proven itself so many times in the past.”
She took her plate over to the bar and sat next to him. “Why do you think they took his phone?” she asked, her forehead knitted together into a frown.
Gavin put down his fork. “They were probably trying to find out who he spoke to recently. Maybe track his movements.” He stopped and shrugged.
Without Paxton, all their questions would remain unanswered.
“I just hope he’s okay,” she said, and he could hear the concern in her voice.
He swiveled to face her. “Paxton’s a tough old guy. He’ll be okay.” He tried to reassure her while hoping he hadn’t lied, because he had a bad feeling. Something was terribly wrong in Darlan.
Gavin finished his meal and struggled to his feet, intent on washing off his plate.
“Here, let me do that.” Jamie took both plates over to the sink and rinsed them off while Gavin eased around the great room, hoping to regain some of his strength.
“I have some pain medicine in my bag, along with some antibiotics. I’ll just go get it.”
She watched him leave with a worried look on her face. She was probably wondering how they were going to make it out of this thing alive in the condition he was in.
Once he found the medicine, he took the correct dosage and went back to where Jamie had finished clearing away their breakfast. Outside, it was just getting light.
Jamie glanced out at the breaking dawn. “Why would they kill Terry? He’s the sweetest guy. He’d never hurt anyone.”
Growing up, Terry Williams had been part of Gavin’s life every bit as much as Paxton had. Terry and Paxton had been friends for as long as Gavin could remember. Terry grew up a miner and proud of it, but he was also one of the nicest men Gavin had ever known. He remembered how, after his father’s death, Terry had stopped by pretty much every day to check on him and Ava.
He shook her head. He didn’t want to tell her, but the only explanation was that Terry had been killed because of his relationship to Paxton. Someone thought Terry knew something important.
Gavin slowly went over to the monitor and checked the cameras outside. “I don’t see anyone. We should probably take this opportunity and get out of here while we still can. I’m going to gather some things we might need along the way.”
He went back to the room he’d used as a child and grabbed his backpack, filling it with supplies—extra bandages and medicine, a flashlight and a lighter. His backup weapon and ammo for the Glock and the shotgun, along with a knife and rope. Useful things to have when entering a mine.
Doing the simplest of things
was difficult. He had to stop periodically to regain his strength. If they had to fight their way out of a situation, he wasn’t so sure he would survive it.
“We’ll have to take my rental car,” Gavin told her when he came back to the living room.
With his grandmother’s old truck still in the woods near Jamie’s home, they’d have no choice. But the path to the mine was a rough one, especially coming up the back way like they’d be doing. They wouldn’t be able to make it the full way up by car.
Jamie didn’t seem nearly as confident about what they would be forced to do. “Gavin, you’ve lost a lot of blood. I don’t think you’re up to the challenge of walking the rest of the way to the mine.”
He could see she was worried about him. She came over to where he stood and gently touched his arm. “Let me check out the mine on my own.”
Gavin understood her fears, but there was no way he was going to let her go down there alone.
He shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. We don’t know what we’ll find once we’re in the mine.” And he couldn’t stand the thought of anything happening to her.
“Gavin...” She bit back whatever else she’d been about to say before giving in. “Fine.”
“As soon as it gets light, we’ll head out. Hopefully, those guys will have moved on.”
As the world outside grew light, he prayed for the strength to keep them safe. Because right now, he wasn’t nearly as convinced they’d walk out of this thing alive.
FIVE
Just making it out to the car drained Gavin’s energy at an alarming rate. Jamie took the backpack from him and put it in the back seat, then hit the garage door opener and the door slowly slid open.
“You’ll have to drive. I don’t trust myself behind the wheel.” His voice was little more than a whisper. Jamie was frightened for him. If they were attacked, could she protect him?
Once she’d helped him get his six-foot-plus frame inside the compact’s passenger seat, Jamie rounded the back of the car and glanced around the filmy light of a new day. So far, there didn’t appear to be anyone around. Where had Miller and his men gone?
