Walker: Lighthouse Security Investigations

by Maryann Jordan

  She relaxed slightly, and asked, “We can be in Cancún in two hours?”

  “Yeah, probably less. It’s only about 60 miles, but I’ll need to stop and get gas. Other than that, it’s a straight shot. The whole way will be in daylight, so we should be fine.”

  “And then we fly out of Mexico?”

  With that question, he heard a different tone in her voice…almost wistful, but he was unable to truly define it or even explain it, and definitely too scared to ask. Perhaps it was his own dread at saying goodbye to her that he was projecting into her voice. “Ye…” Clearing his throat, he repeated, “Yes. Then we can leave Mexico.”

  An hour and a half later, Julie shifted her eyes over to Walker and wiggled slightly in her seat. Hating to ask, her motions must have let him know what was happening because he chuckled.

  “I’m assuming from your tightly crossed legs you need to find a bathroom,” he asked.

  Huffing, she said, “Yes, I’m sorry.”

  “No worries, babe. We’re almost there. We’re not going to the main airport in Cancún since Drew…uh…didn’t exactly have the correct flight plans. He’s just landed at a small airstrip this side of Cancún, and we should be there in just a few minutes."

  “I’m fine. I can wait. I probably should have had you stop in Playa del Carmen since it was the largest town we’ve traveled through. In fact, it’s the largest town I’ve been in since Mérida.”

  Nodding, he agreed. “There are loads of beaches and resorts there making it a destination stop for lots of tourists. I think even some cruise ships let off near here.”

  "I saw a sign for a ferry that takes people over to Cozumel. I guess that’s another reason why it was so big.”

  “Planning your next trip to Mexico?” he asked.

  Sighing, she shook her head and replied, “Right now, I’m not sure when I’ll ever plan another vacation.”

  Shifting again, she breathed a sigh of relief as he flipped on the blinker and pulled down a narrow road leading to a small airstrip with only a few hangers nearby, the jungle encroaching the back of the buildings.

  “How did Drew find this little dinky airstrip?” she asked, looking around.

  “It was found on our satellite search of the area.”

  She noticed his sharp gaze darting all around. “Do you think there’s a problem around here?”

  He looked over at her and smiled as he shrugged. “Occupational hazard, I guess. Plus, to be honest, it seems like drug cartels have a heavy presence around all the airstrips.” Turning his gaze back forward, an audible sigh of relief left his lips and she followed his line of vision, seeing an airplane parked just outside the hanger.

  “Thank fuck,” he said, relief filling his voice. “There’s our ride home.”

  As soon as he put the Jeep in park, she threw open her door and hopped down to the pavement, glad to see Drew, but halted as soon as she heard Walker call out with enthusiasm, “Babs!”

  Her desire to go to the bathroom fled as she watched the dark-haired, athletic beauty walk with a confident swagger straight into Walker’s arms.

  “Well aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” Babs called out, giving Walker a hug.

  “God Almighty, Babs. What on earth has got you down here with this reprobate?” Walker asked, jerking his head toward Drew.

  “Trying to keep his ass out of trouble,” Babs said. “Leave it to him to find a sketchy airfield to land in.”

  Julie watched as Drew walked over and clapped Walker on the shoulder, saying, “Aww, you know this girl couldn’t stay away from me. She had to tag along to make sure I didn’t get tangled up with some Mexican beauty.”

  Feeling like the odd one out now that Walker was amongst friends, Julie looked toward the hangar, wondering if she would find a bathroom there.

  Before she had a chance to ask, Babs walked over, a wide smile on her face. Sticking out her hand, Babs said, “You must be Julie. I’m Babs.” Jerking her head toward the men, she added, “I work with these knuckleheads. Usually, I work in the office, but our boss thought they might need a babysitter. It’s so nice to meet you."

  Unable to keep from responding to Babs’ friendly reception, she smiled in return, shaking her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Thank you for coming to get me.”

  Drew and Walker had walked over and must have heard her last statement, because Drew replied, “Don’t thank us. Walker’s been filling us in on everything the past couple of days, and I have to say that he’s done nothing but sing your praises for how well you’ve handled everything. It’s nice to finally meet the woman who has impressed Mr. Unimpressable.”

  “Jesus, shut the fuck up,” Walker grumbled.

  Babs threw her head back and laughed, saying, “I think Drew’s got you on that one, Walker. If the shoe fits…"

  The sound of vehicles in the distance cut through their conversation. Drew’s face took on an immediate seriousness and he said, “We need to get in the air. We got here just in time to meet you, but I’ve already refueled."

  “I’m sorry,” Julie rushed, “but is there any chance I can run to the bathroom before we get in the plane?”

  Nodding, Babs said, “Yeah, follow me.”

  Babs took off toward the hangar, walking at a fast clip with Julie rushing to keep up with her. Slipping through an outer door, Babs nodded toward another door toward the back. “There’s a toilet in there."

  Thanking her, she hurried inside, seeing a tiny room with a toilet and sink, but much to her disdain, there was also a window. Having no other choice, she quickly took care of her business and washed her hands. As she turned off the water, she heard raised voices from just outside the window.

  She peeked out in curiosity just as a man cried, “No! No!” Her eyes widened and a gasp flew from her lips as she stared at a man with a gun in his hand, holding it against the head of another man on his knees. Before she could react, he fired.

  Jumping, her back slammed against the door, the doorknob painfully digging into her spine. The man turned and looked toward her as she whirled, threw open the door with a bang, and ran out.

  Babs looked up in surprise as Julie snatched her hand and jerked her toward the outer door, still running to the front of the hangar. Seeing Drew already in the cockpit and Walker standing next to the plane, she cried out, “Go! Go! We’ve got to get out of here! I just saw a man get shot!”

  27

  Used to reacting under extreme circumstances, Walker wasted no time in grabbing Julie’s hand and racing to the plane. Picking her up by the waist, he tossed her in, careful to not hurt her.

  The engine came to life as Babs followed Julie inside and Walker hopped in afterward, slamming the door and securing it.

  “Buckle up,” Walker ordered to the women in the back as he buckled himself into the copilot seat. While Drew taxied to the end of the small runway, Walker explained, “Julie saw someone get shot behind the hangar.”

  Saying nothing, Drew maneuvered the plane around once he reached the end of the runway. “Goddamnit!” he shouted.

  Walker jerked his head around following Drew’s line of vision and saw two military-type, open-top Jeeps careening around the back of the hangar, men hanging on with automatic rifles in their hands. “Heads down,” Walker ordered. “Head to your knees.” He spared a glance behind him, seeing Julie’s wide-eyed fear etched on her face, but following Babs’ example, she bent over, clutching her knees.

  The sound of rapid gunfire coming their way elicited another round of cursing from Drew. From the back seat, Babs said, “You want to get us out of here, Flyboy?”

  “Not helping,” Drew growled, sending the plane hurtling down the runway amidst the gunfire. Another round of cursing met more gunfire, and while Walker trusted Drew’s abilities completely, as he saw the gunmen’s Jeep park at the end of the runway, weapons facing them, he hoped like hell they could get airborne.

  Just when it looked as though they were not gonna make it, Drew went wheels
up, and the plane flew over the gunmen and disappeared over the tree line, keeping them out of range. Drew cackled out, “Fuck that, you Fuckers!”

  Walker leaned back in his seat, gaining control over his erratic heartbeat, not understanding why the adrenaline was coursing through his body after all the missions he had been on as a SEAL and with Lighthouse.

  Hearing Julie’s small voice in the back seat asked, “Are we okay?”, he knew he had the answer. He had never cared for one of his missions before. Jesus, how can I care so much for her after only a couple of days? He had no answer to that question but scrubbed his hand over his face before he turned to Drew.

  “We get hit?”

  “I’m sure we did,” Drew reported, “but from what I can tell, nothing major was hit. We’ll be over Key West in less than an hour, so if we have to set down there, we can. If not, we can make it all the way to Lake City.”

  Turning in his seat, he watched as Julie and Babs sat up straight in their seats, their hands clasped together. Babs’ lips were tight, but she gave him a curt nod indicating she was fine. Looking toward Julie, he saw that she was anything but fine.

  “Babs? Change seats with me.”

  Without complaint, Babs unbuckled, and she gave Julie a hug before scooting past Walker. As she buckled into the copilot seat, she shot Drew a grin, saying, “You got me as copilot again. Aren’t you lucky?”

  “Hell, Babs,” Drew drawled. “Anytime I can get you near me, I feel lucky.”

  Walker ignored the banter from the front seat and reached over to put his arm around Julie’s shaking body. "Baby. Baby, look at me.”

  Her chest heaved as the air left her lungs in a rush. Twisting her head, she met his gaze. Blinking, she said nothing but clung to his arm.

  “Baby, we’re fine. It’s okay, we’re fine," he soothed. Lifting his hand, he pushed her hair back away from her face and cupped her cheek, pulling her close. Placing a light kiss on the corner of her mouth, he felt her cold lips quivering. Reaching behind the seat, he grabbed a blanket and spread it over her, recognizing the effects of shock.

  He wanted to ask her what she saw but was uncertain how much he should pressure her. Tucking the blanket around her, he enveloped her in his embrace as best he could, hoping his body would provide some comfort.

  After a moment, her shaking slowed, and she whispered, “Walker?"

  “Right here, babe.”

  “I don’t understand what I saw,” she said, her voice barely audible. Her eyes searched his, and she continued, “I mean, I know what I saw. But I don’t…it didn’t…”

  Giving her a squeeze, he said, “Julie, babe, it’s okay. You don’t have to talk about it now.”

  Shaking her head, she said, “No. I need to."

  He knew that Babs and Drew were quietly listening from the front, and he said, “Okay, babe. You just tell us whatever you want to.”

  “There was a window in the bathroom. I thought it was dumb, but since there didn’t seem to be anyone around, I used the toilet and then was washing my hands when I heard voices outside. Men’s voices. But I knew it wasn’t you and Drew. So, I looked." Her shaking began again, and a tear fell from her wide eyes as she said, “Oh, God, Walker. I looked.”

  “Fuckin’ hell,” Drew cursed softly from the front.

  Walker ignored Drew, continuing to soothe, “Shhh, baby, it’s okay.” But now that Julie was talking, it was as though she had to get it all out.

  “There was a man…on his knees…with his hands behind his back…another man held a gun to his head…and fired…"

  Her body bucked with a sob, and he unbuckled her, pulling her over into his lap, blanket and all. Continuing to comfort her until she stopped shaking once more, he let her rest with her head tucked underneath his chin.

  Neither he, Drew, or Babs spoke about the incident, all in silent agreement to fill in Mace when Julie was no longer in earshot. Closing his eyes, Walker leaned his head back, settling her deeper into his embrace, and sighed heavily.

  With the key in her hand, Julie opened the front door to her apartment. Stepping over the threshold, she felt as though everything should be normal when, in actuality, nothing was. The living room looked the same, the blue loveseat facing the flatscreen TV with the yellow, comfy chair angled in the corner. The matching end tables with matching lamps stood at either end of the loveseat. The sliding glass door that led to her small, enclosed patio. To the right, her U-shaped kitchen that opened to a breakfast nook with her glass top table. And just down the hall was the large bedroom and bathroom that made up her space.

  If she closed her eyes, she could almost imagine that she had just walked in from work and was ready to decide what she wanted to fix for dinner. But the heat at her back let her know that Walker was standing just behind her, and nothing was the same as before.

  Drew had determined that his plane was fine and they were not losing fuel, so they made it all the way to the small airport near Lake City, Florida, where she lived. She assumed she would be saying goodbye to them all there, but Walker had insisted on taking her home.

  Drew wanted to inspect his plane before flying it back to Maine and had said that he and Babs would be spending the night near the airport. Babs had rolled her eyes and quipped that they would be spending the night near the airport in separate rooms.

  Julie knew they were trying to lighten the mood, but all she could do was force a smile onto her face as she hugged them goodbye and thanked them for all they had done for her and the girls. Walker had insisted on driving her to her apartment and spending the night to make sure she was all right.

  And now, here she was. Turning, she stared as Walker walked into her living room, his large body dwarfing the space.

  “You’ve got a nice place here, Julie,” he said, a soft smile on his face.

  Shrugging, she said, “It’s small, but it works for now. I honestly haven’t decided if I’m going to stay in Florida, but then I also haven’t been looking for another school, so I guess I’ll be here at least one more year.”

  Cocking his head to the side, he said, “I never asked you where you are from. I just assumed you were from Florida.”

  Shaking her head, she replied, “I grew up in Pennsylvania, but it’s so hard to get a teaching job there. I wanted to get away, and the job at the school here was available. I’ve been here for four years and really need to decide if I’m going to stay. If so, I’d like to get a bigger place…maybe even a house.”

  They stood for a moment, and then she said, “This is weird.”

  Confusion crossed his face, and he asked, “Weird?”

  She swallowed deeply, then said, “I’ve spent the past couple of days racing across Mexico, and a few hours ago I watched a man get killed. Now I’m standing in my living room having what seems like a normal conversation with you. How bizarre is that?”

  He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her again, and she encircled his waist with hers. “I know it’s bizarre, sweetheart. I know everything the last several days has been completely bizarre, but you’re home. You’re safe. The girls are safe. I’m not downplaying what you saw at all, because it was horrible, and since you’re a counselor, I’m going to assume I don’t have to beg you to get some crisis counseling. But you can go to sleep tonight knowing that you and the girls are safe.”

  She leaned back and stared up into his face. His words made sense, and she nodded. “You want something to eat?”

  Grinning, he said, “Absolutely, but I’m not about to make you cook.”

  She pushed away from him and walked into her kitchen, opening the freezer door. Calling over her shoulder, she said, “I’ll have to go to the grocery store soon, but I do have some homemade lasagna that I put in the freezer, knowing that when I got back, I would want something home-cooked. I’ve even got some frozen garlic bread.”

  Groaning in appreciation, he said, “As long as you only have to nuke it, babe, that sounds great.”

  She grabbed the food from th
e freezer, unwrapped it and placed it in the microwave. Setting the timer, she watched as he slowly made his way around her living room, looking at the various pictures she had displayed. He looked so strange amongst her things, and yet, so right at the same time. Giving herself a mental shake, she thought This isn’t real. He’ll leave tomorrow and go back to his life in Maine, and I’ll be here in Florida. What we had will fade to nothing more than a memory. She knew she was lying to herself as soon as that thought crossed her mind. Maybe a memory for him, but for me? This is as real as it gets.

  Pushing that thought aside, she grabbed some plates and set the table. Determined that if this was going to be their last night together, she wanted it to be memorable.

  28

  Slow and easy, Walker rocked into Julie’s warm body, his strokes long and slow as he dragged his cock along her channel, allowing the friction to build. He wanted every second to last. Every second to count. He had seen it in her eyes from the moment they stepped into her apartment…the doubt, the worry, the questions.

  He did not want her to doubt what they felt for each other. He did not want her to worry about what they had experienced. And he sure as fuck had no answers to the questions that swirled between them. He had no idea how to make a long-distance relationship work or if she would even want to.

  After dinner, he led her into her well-appointed bathroom, where they filled her garden tub, and he climbed in, settling her between his legs with her back resting against his front. As the warm water soothed their tired bodies, he took great pleasure in washing every inch of her, following the sponge with his lips. Finally, as the water cooled, he climbed out and wrapped her in a thick towel, taking equal pleasure in drying her off.

  In a surprise move, she dropped to her knees on the plush bathroom mat and took his swollen cock in her mouth. She worked the length of him, licking and sucking as her fingers dug into his ass until he thought he knew he would explode in her mouth. He tried to warn her and pull out, but she clung tighter, sucking as he came with a roar as she swallowed every drop.