by Wilder, L.
“I understand.”
“Keep the doors locked.” I could see the worry in his eyes as he said, “I’ll be back in a few hours.”
I was still sitting at the kitchen table when he walked out of the house. Moments later, I heard his car start, and then he was gone. Like I’d done many times before, I got up and walked over to the kitchen sink. I’d just started washing the dishes when Nanook walked up and sat down next to my feet. It seemed crazy that I was washing my abductor’s dishes, but I needed something to occupy myself while I tried to figure out my next move. When I was done with them, I still had no idea what I should do. It was difficult to know if I should trust a complete stranger with my life, especially after seeing the picture of me on his phone. Torn, I looked down at Nanook and asked, “What do you think? Should I go or stay here and take my chances with Jasper?”
When he just sat there staring at me, I scoffed, “Thanks for the help, wolf.”
I gave his head a quick scratch, and then went into the living room. I was about to sit down on the sofa when my attention was drawn over to his desk. I just needed to find one thing, one small sign that he was telling me the truth, so I went over and started riffling through the desk drawers. Other than a few empty file folders, there was nothing to be found, so I tried turning on his laptop. I was hoping I might be able to search his files there, but there was a passcode, blocking me from getting any further than the first screen. I took a quick glance in his garbage, and when I didn’t find anything there, I opened the lid to his paper shredder. It was filled to the top with tiny slices of paper, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the pages had anything to do with me or one of his past assignments. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to piece them together before he got back.
When I didn’t have any luck with his desk, I decided to check the rest of the cabin. I started down the hall, and a blinking light on the ceiling caught my attention. I eased over to it and quickly realized it was a motion sensor to a security camera that was mounted at the end of the hall. They were placed randomly throughout the house, including the room where he’d put me. I found it odd, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was keeping an eye on me as I went from one room to the next. If he did happen to be watching me, he would’ve seen that I didn’t find anything in his dresser drawers, but I did find something interesting in his closet. There was a huge gun-safe and a large, black duffle-bag that was filled with military-grade camouflaged clothing and other gear. While it didn’t prove that his story was true, it did give it a little validity.
As I headed back into the living room, I thought back to what he’d said to me before he left. In my heart, I believed him when he said that my life was in danger and he’d brought me to his home to protect me, but that didn’t change the fact that he was a complete stranger. I knew nothing about him—other than that he was an admitted hitman. It would be crazy for me to stay there. I needed to find a way to get to my family. They were the only ones I could truly trust to keep me safe. So, I padded to the bedroom and went through my things, grabbing only the necessities, and put them in the smaller of the two duffle-bags. After I put on my boots and jacket, I grabbed my bag and headed into the living room. As I walked towards the front door, Nanook came rushing over, hoping to escape along with me. I put my hand up, stopping him as I said, “Sorry, wolf. You can’t go with me. You’ll have to stay here.”
I eased the door open and slipped out, closing it behind me. Nanook stood up on his hind legs and watched me as I started down the stairs. As I headed down the drive, I could hear him barking, pleading with me to come back. It wasn’t easy to ignore him, but I didn’t have a choice. The sun was still up so the mountain air was cold, but not unbearable. It would be dark soon, and the temperatures would be dropping. I just needed to find my way to one of Jasper’s neighbors, then I could borrow their phone to call someone to come get me. It seemed like an easy enough plan, but I quickly learned that nothing about my plan was going to be easy. First, I had no idea where the hell I was. To make matters worse, Jasper didn’t have any neighbors—at least none that were relatively close—and with all the rocks, tree limbs, and wild critters, walking down a mountain wasn’t exactly a breeze.
Damn. I was screwed.
5
Jasper
I pulled up to the café, and my stomach twisted into a knot when I saw Charlie’s car was already parked at the front door. For the past few years, Charlie had been the closest thing to an actual friend that I had. He talked to me, listened to me, and generally seemed to care about me and my well-being. He trusted me, as I did him. At first, I’d considered telling him the truth about everything, but deep down, I knew it wasn’t an option. Not only would I be putting Madison’s life in even more danger, I’d be putting Charlie’s in danger as well. Even though I wasn’t looking forward to lying to him, I simply didn’t have a choice.
As I walked into the café, I spotted Charlie sitting in one of the booths in the back. I walked over, and I’d barely had a chance to sit down, when he asked, “Well?”
“It’s done.” I took out my phone and showed him the picture I’d taken, then he jerked it from my hand. I watched as he studied the image, and if I hadn’t known better, I would’ve thought he actually liked looking at the image of Madison lying dead on the floor. “When?”
“Last night at 11:23.”
“Did anyone see or hear anything?”
“No. No one saw or heard a thing. They never do. You know that.”
“What about the neighbors? Do you think they will come check on her?”
Confused, I asked, “Why?”
“I’m just wondering when the body will be found.”
“I took care of it.”
Anger crossed his face as he asked, “What do you mean you took care of it?”
“Like you said … this hit was different.” I tried to play it cool as I told him, “A gang leader or a mob boss being found with a bullet in their head is one thing, but this girl … she’d bring all kinds of fucking questions. I wasn’t taking any chances.”
“But moving the body wasn’t part of the assignment!” he barked. “You could’ve been seen. You’ve put us both in jeopardy.”
“No one saw me, Charlie, and I did it to protect us both, besides … the job is done. That’s all that matters.” Charlie lowered his head as he muttered something under his breath. “What?”
“Nothing.” He ran his hand through his hair as he let out a low groan. “You’re right. The job’s done. The rest is just details.”
He took the envelope of money and slid it over to me. I couldn’t help but feel a little guilty as I took it and shoved it in my coat pocket. I knew it was a risk, but I looked over to him and said, “I’ve been thinking … the girl looked clean. You got any idea why she was on the list?”
“You had her file.”
“I did. That’s why I’m asking.”
“You’ve never questioned an assignment before.”
“I never had a reason to.” There was a line that I knew I couldn’t cross, so I had to choose my words carefully. “But … with her, I didn’t see anything that warranted her being taken out.”
“You didn’t look close enough.”
“I went through every line of every page, Charlie. There wasn’t anything there.”
There was no missing the irritation in his voice when he grumbled, “Then, you’re just going to have to trust me on this one.”
“But—”
“Jasper … you said it yourself. The job is done.” His eyes narrowed as he added, “Asking questions will only draw unwanted attention, and in this line of work, that’s the last thing you want. You did the job you were hired to do. Now, leave it at that.”
I nodded and said, “Understood. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
As he stood up, he looked down at me and said, “Maybe it’s time for you to take a break from all of this for a while. I think it might do you some good to find a new focus.”
“I hope you will actually use the time to your benefit. You need to get out. Seems you’ve forgotten how to enjoy life simply for what it is.”
“Can’t remember ever being able to do that, but I’ll try.”
I followed as he started towards the front door. Once we were outside, he looked over to me with a pained expression on his face and said, “You know, I can still remember the first time I saw you in action. I knew then you were the best … you still are. You’ve done a lot of good out there … saved a lot of lives, during the war and after. Hold on to that any time you start having doubts about things.”
“I will.”
“Good.” He gave my arm a slight pat. “Give it a couple of months. You know where to reach me when you’re ready to get back in the game.”
Before I could respond, he turned and walked towards his car. I did the same, and it wasn’t long until we were both headed home. As I pulled out onto the interstate, I thought back to that first day when Charlie had given me the information on Madison. Even though he’d warned me that this assignment would be different, I thought everything would work out if I just followed my plan. At first, it seemed I was right. Day one and two went off without a hitch. I did my research. I got to my designated location. Then, day three came along, and that meticulous plan that I’d always followed was done. I knew the risk I was taking when I decided to fabricate her murder, but I just didn’t care. I was willing to put everything on the line to protect her, and that’s exactly what I did. Now, I had to prepare myself for the days that lie ahead. First and foremost, I had to find out why Madison was on Charlie’s list. It was the only way I could end the threat on her life, and things could get back to normal—for both of us.
Unfortunately, I had no idea where to start searching for information. I hoped that she might be able to help give me some ideas, but when I got back to the cabin, I found Nanook inside alone. It wasn’t until then that I thought to check the notifications on my phone. When I pulled it out of my back pocket, there were several pings on my security system. I opened the app and wasn’t exactly surprised to find that Madison had been snooping around the house. Hell, I would’ve done the same damn thing if I was in her position, but I was surprised that she’d gone. A dull ache filled my chest as I walked through the cabin, making sure that she’d really left.
My mind was reeling as I went back into the living room and sat down on the sofa. The sun had set, blanketing the cabin in complete darkness, and the only sound to be heard was Nanook fidgeting at my feet. I used to find solace in the silence, but now it weighed on me, making me feel anxious. My mind drifted back to my last conversation with Madison, and I remembered the look on her face when I assured her that I would do whatever it took to help her. I thought we were on the same page. I thought she believed me, but it clearly seemed she couldn’t trust a hitman and had thought her chances were better elsewhere. Madison couldn’t have been more wrong, and to make matters worse, her decision to leave could be detrimental to us both.
If the wrong person discovered that she was alive, or if she decided to tell someone about the hitman who’d kidnapped her, then we’d both find ourselves on the chopping block. I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let her put our lives in even more danger. I wouldn’t let myself think that the reason I was going after her had anything to do with the way I felt when I was around her, how the numbness that had imprisoned me for years was suddenly fading away and I could feel the warmth returning to my soul. I completely blocked that from my mind as I got up and went to the back room where she slept. I did my best to keep my mind focused on finding her as I grabbed an item of her clothing from the bag she’d left behind, then returned to the kitchen for a flashlight. Once I’d put on my coat and gloves, I opened the front door and called out to Nanook, “Come on, boy. We gotta see if we can find her.”
As I stepped onto the front porch, I knew I was in for a rough night. Not only was it pitch black outside, but the temperatures had already dropped to below freezing and the wind was starting to pick up. I knelt down to Nanook and let him smell Madison’s t-shirt, then ordered, “All right, buddy. Go find her.”
Like one of those hound dogs in the movies, he lowered his nose to the ground and tried to pick up her scent. Like huskies, malamutes can be a bit aloof, but with firm training, they can do just about anything. Nanook was no different. During my down time, I’d spent a great deal of time working with him, and the last time I had him track a scent, he’d found his target in less than twenty minutes. I hoped that this time would be no different, but with the wind, I wasn’t so sure he’d be able to pull it off. When he started down the driveway, I turned on my flashlight and followed him to the main road. After about a mile, he darted into the thick of trees and started barreling down the mountain. My first inclination was to urge him to come back and stay on the main road, but then I remembered I hadn’t seen Madison on my way up to the cabin. She must’ve decided to take a short cut, so I picked up my pace and tried to catch up to Nanook. He was already several yards ahead of me, barking as he urged me onward, but after another mile or so, he came to an abrupt stop. At this point, my muscles were starting to ache from the cold, and my breath was strained. I could only imagine how Madison was handling the harsh conditions, so I let him smell her t-shirt once again. “Need you to find her, bud.”
He lowered his nose to the ground and roamed around aimlessly for several minutes. I thought all hope was lost until he became excited and started racing forward. In a blink, he was out of sight, but then I heard him barking in the distance. I rushed towards his direction, and when I caught up to him, a sense of relief washed over me when I saw that he’d found Madison. She was sitting under a tree, shivering, with tears streaming down her face. Her voice was strained as she mumbled, “I thought you weren’t going to come looking for me.”
“Lucky for you, I changed my mind.” I reached down and helped Madison to her feet, then took a minute to look her over, making sure she was okay. She seemed fine, but her lips were turning blue from the cold night air. I groaned when I noticed that she was only wearing a hoodie and a light windbreaker. I took off my coat and handed it to her. “Put this on.”
“I’m fine. You don’t have to—”
“Put it on, Madison,” I demanded.
As she slipped on my coat, she looked up at me with those beautiful eyes, searching for some sign of forgiveness and said, “I’m sorry. I know I’ve made a bad situation even worse.”
“Can’t disagree with you there.”
“I just didn’t know what to do.” I could hear the anguish in her voice.
“You could’ve trusted me when I said I was trying to help you.”
“I wanted to.” Her teeth were chattering as she continued, “I look at you … see those beautiful blue eyes staring back at me and I want to believe you. I want to believe this unbelievably handsome guy has come to my rescue at my darkest hour and he means it when he says he’ll do whatever it takes to save me, but how can I really believe anything you say? You’re a complete stranger to me.”
“You’re right. You have no reason to trust anything I say, but if you give me a chance … I’ll prove that everything I’ve told you is true.” I could tell that she was considering my offer—an offer I was desperate for her to take, so I pushed a little harder. “Come back to the cabin. Let me show you the proof. If you still want to leave afterwards, I’ll help you find a way to do that … the right way.”
“Okay, but there’s a slight problem with that plan.”
“What’s that?”
“I sprained my ankle when I tripped on a tree branch, and I’m not sure I can make it back up to the cabin.”
“Not a problem.” I turned my back towards her and said, “Hop on.”
“What?”
“Get on. I’ll carry you”
“You can’t carry
me all the way back to the cabin, Jasper. It’s too far.”
“I can and I will.” I glanced back over my shoulder as I demanded, “Now, get on.”
She hesitated, but eventually hobbled over to me. I crouched down and placed my hands on her thighs and lifted her up as she wrapped her arms around my neck. Having her body next to mine sent an unexpected rush of heat surging through my body, causing me to shift my stance. Concerned by my reaction, she asked, “Are you sure about this?”
“Yep.” When I started towards the cabin, I whistled for Nanook and shouted, “Let’s go, boy.”
He came bounding up beside me, sniffing at Madison’s feet as we headed towards the cabin. With my line of work, I had to keep in shape. I ran three to four miles a day and lifted weights, so the first half mile up the mountain was a breeze. The next mile was a bit more difficult, and by the time, I got up to the second, I was starting to feel the burn. Every muscle in my body was screaming, but thankfully, Madison didn’t seem to notice. Her head was on my shoulder, and she hadn’t said a word since we started our trek up the mountain. Hoping that we were getting close, I kept planting one foot in front of the other until I saw the familiar front light of the cabin shining in the distance. Relieved, I pushed forward, and we eventually made it. I shut the door behind us, and as I lowered her to the sofa, I told her, “I’m going to take off your boot and check your ankle.”
She simply nodded and watched as I eased off her boots and socks. There was only minor bruising and swelling, so I placed it down on the pillow and said, “I don’t think it’s broken. You just need to keep it elevated. I’ll go grab you some ice.”
I went into the kitchen and grabbed a bag of ice. When I returned and placed it on her ankle, Madison looked up at me and whispered, “Thank you, Jasper.”
“No problem.” I noticed that her nose and cheeks were bright red from the cold, so I pulled a blanket over her and said, “Why don’t you take off my coat while I start a fire, and then I’ll make you some hot tea.”
