Reckless Abandon (Phantom Protector Book 1) (21 page)

Jamie grinned. “Absolutely.”

Sarah jumped up and down in her seat. “Yay. I
get to play some more with Lily.”

Max glanced in the review mirror and winked.
“You sure do.”

Jamie’s grin dropped. “Who’s going to tell the general?”

Max chuckled. “I’m sure Lydia will let
them all know.”

Jamie closed her eyes again and released a sigh.
For once in Max’s life, everything was right again in his world.

****

Jamie wasn’t ready to return. She could have
spent an eternity at the beach and been content. With no worries of threats and
safety, she’d relaxed for what was probably the first time in her life. She’d
bonded not only with Sarah but also on a whole new level with Max. A serious
level that she wouldn’t change for the world. The drive through town was quiet
for a Saturday afternoon. The air was brisk and chilly even in the confines of
their heated SUV.

Max glanced at her. “I guess we’re going to the
underground facility.”

Jamie shrugged. “I would guess so. I’m not sure
if they’ve started the move back into the compound now that Floyd is out of the
picture.”

Max reached for her hand. She’d never get enough
of the feel of his skin on hers. It was a little pleasure that made her heart
speed up.

Sarah leaned forward in the back of the SUV.
“Are we there yet?”

Max chuckled and glanced once more at Jamie. “I
guess we should get used to that.” He glanced in the rearview mirror. “Five
more minutes.”

She leaned back with a huff. “You said that an
hour ago.”

Jamie chuckled.

Max pulled up to the entrance to the tunnels.
There was no parking, no landing strip, nothing that screamed of comfort. It
was evident that the caves were not going to be a long-term solution to their
arrangements. Max killed the ignition, walked around, and pulled open both her
and Sarah’s door. He lifted the little girl up in his arms as if she weighed a
feather and started walking to what she knew was the entrance to the cave.

The armed guards nodded as they passed and
pushed the door open, allowing them entrance. She could just imagine the
frustration that Jonah was going through not having all of his electronic
security measures in place. Sarah kicked out of Max’s arms and hit the ground
running. She almost tackled Jonah with her forceful hug.

“We’re back.” She beamed. “Did you miss us?”

Jonah smiled down at her sister. “Sure did,
squirt.” He gestured to the massive tunnel now serving as the Intel room for
the command. “Although, I’m afraid you’re going to have to wait for your next
lesson until we get moved out of this primitive place.”

Sarah glanced around. “It does kind of remind me
of where the cavemen used to live.” She grinned. “I learned about them while I
was in school.”

Jamie clutched Max’s hand and knew a look of
horror had rolled over her face. She hadn’t thought about where Sarah would
attend school or anything concerning her future. Until Floyd died, Jamie wasn’t
sure they would have one, but now as the real world beaconed, there were
decisions to make. Decisions that affected more than just her life, but her
sister’s too.

Max threw an arm around Jamie’s shoulder. “It
will all work out. You’ll see. She’s going to grow up to be a happy, normal kid
now that she has us.”

Jamie’s stomach did flip-flops as a feeling of nausea
rose to her throat. She swallowed against the lump in her throat and took a
deep breath.

The general strolled up to her and pulled her
from Max’s grip and into a hug. “I’m glad you’re back. We need to debrief you
and give you an update.”

The general led her through the tunnel to
another room farther in the mountain. He walked inside and gestured to a seat
around the table. Unpacked boxes were stacked against the walls. The room was bare
at best. Jamie, Sarah, and Max slid into the familiar seats. “I’ve read the
report that Ridge gave me. Whenever you’re settled, I’ll need you to write your
own.”

Jamie nodded. This was the life she knew, not
one that needed school transcripts and school supplies and involved her being
the decision maker of a family. She steeled her nerves and leaned forward
against the table. “Where are our quarters? I’d like to get Sarah settled
before it’s back to business as usual.”

The general nodded. “We’re already started our
move back into the compound. I hope you don’t mind, but Lydia has
packed your things and moved you into a different room.” He glanced at Sarah.
“A two bedroom with the added space you’re going to need. You’re now in section
C room 214.”

Sarah took hold of Jamie’s hand and squeezed.
She whispered, “I get to stay?”

Jamie plucked Sarah from her seat and placed her
on her lap. “Of course you do. I’ve already told you I’m not leaving you
again.”

Sarah leaned her head down on Jamie’s shoulder.
Jamie felt the tension leave Sarah’s body.

The General nodded toward the door. “Why don’t
you go get settled at the compound? There are a few other people that have
already moved back.”

Sarah hopped down from Jamie’s lap and tried to
pull her out of her seat. Excitement filled her eyes. “Come on.”

Jamie stood. She nodded to the general.
“Thanks.” And with that, they all left through the same door that had brought
them into the tunnels.

Chapter
20

Jamie opened her eyes and glanced around her new
room. Lydia
had outdone herself by having everything set up just the way it had been in her
other apartment. She’d added furniture and other things for Sarah’s room. It
was starting to shape up to something the little girl could be proud of. A
place to finally call her own where she’d be able to dream about the future
instead of dreading it.

Jamie turned toward Max. He was sleeping on his
stomach, all curled around his pillow. She didn’t have the heart to wake him
after they’d made love for most of the night. At the end of the day, even
silent giants needed their beauty sleep.

She slid from the bed and tiptoed into the
bathroom, closing the door ever so lightly as to not wake Max. She showered,
brushed her teeth, and dressed for a day that would involve describing in detail
how she, of all people, had shot and killed the man who was partly responsible
for bringing her into the world.

She opened Sarah’s door and strolled over to her
bed. She brushed a strand of hair from her face. “Sarah,” she whispered.

“Hmm?” Sarah answered without opening her eyes.

“I have to go to the Intel room. After you get
up and dressed, come get me and we’ll go get some breakfast.”

Sarah nodded. “Okay,” she said in a sleepy voice
before she rolled over and snuggled into her covers.

Jamie leaned down and placed a kiss on Sarah’s
temple before she left.

She pulled the locked door closed behind her and
strolled into the Intel room. Jonah was grinning as though it was his birthday.
He was leaning back in his chair in front of his beloved computer. His hands
were behind his back, and his feet were propped up on his desk as he stared up
at the big security screen.

He turned his head, the smile never leaving his
face. “They’re all in there.”

Jamie placed a hand on Jonah’s shoulder and gave
a squeeze. “Thank you for being so nice to my sister. This transition would be
a lot harder if she wasn’t comfortable here.”

“She’s a good kid. Takes after her Uncle Jonah
if you ask me.”

Jamie patted his back. “Yeah, keep telling
yourself that.”

She pushed open the doors into the conference
room. All eyes glanced her way, and the talking stopped when she entered. The usual
tension didn’t fill the air. It was as if a group of close friends sat around
discussing the night before.

The general stood and gestured to her seat. “Now
we can get started.”

Jamie sat down. This was what she was familiar
with. These people and this atmosphere were her comfort zone. She glanced at
the empty seat to her left. A little piece of emptiness entered her heart.
She’d grown used to the silent giant that had somehow wormed his way under her
skin. It just didn’t feel right without him by her side.

The general cleared his throat and pulled her
from her thoughts. He glanced at her. “As most of you know, there was only one
survivor from our fight in the woods. His name is Nicholas. He was all too
happy to give up Floyd’s compound, and we’ve since raided that and his house.”

He took a sip of his coffee. “When we got there,
the place was in shambles. Someone had beaten us to the punch and destroyed the
surveillance, so we don’t have a clue who it was.”

Jonah pushed the door open, walked to the general,
and handed him what looked to be a rolled-up map. The general nodded, and Jonah
left without a word.

The general rolled open what turned out to be a
satellite image of heat signatures in the woods. “This is a different map from
the ones we originally went after in the woods. This satellite map was pulled
when we were in the tunnel and hadn’t made it to the woods yet. He pulled out a
black Magic Marker and placed X’s over the wooded area where his team had taken
out Floyd’s men.

He glanced at Jamie. “Here is Floyd and the
other three men that Ridge, Jamie, and Briggs took out.” He crossed off five of
the heat signatures and placed a big circle around a sixth signature that was
deeper in the woods and not included on their first map. “This is the one we’re
worried about. Someone witnessed the fight and got away.” He capped his marker.

Brody leaned forward. “Do you think it was
someone from town? Maybe a camper lost in the woods?”

The general shrugged. “We can only hope.”
 

Jamie clenched her eyes shut. “Crap.”

She opened them. The entire table was looking at
her. “The only way I could think of to throw Floyd off his game was to stun him
with the truth. That he had not one but two daughters and that we knew he
killed our mother.”

Jamie pointed to the heat signature. “That means
that someone other than the people in the compound knows the truth.”

The general leaned back in his chair, his gaze
darting from the map to Jamie’s face and back. “Nicholas confessed that there
was more than one ‘Floyd.’” He air quoted Floyd’s name. “There is a group of
master bosses just like him who control different territories.” The general
glanced around the room. “Our fight against these guys has just begun.”

****

Max woke up alone in Jamie’s bed. He knew she would
be in meetings most of the day and had planned to be by her side. He strolled
into the bathroom, hoping a shower would wake him up. He had plans of his own
today. Plans that he’d meant to keep hidden from Jamie until he figured the
time was right. He made quick working getting ready and left Jamie’s room.

Sarah was sitting on the couch, drinking juice
and watching cartoons in her pajamas. Max grinned. This was exactly what he’d
been missing for all of these years, and all of that would change soon, once
his plans came together.

Max pulled a juice from Jamie’s fridge and
plopped down on the couch next to Sarah. He lifted his legs to the table and
crossed them. He nudged her shoulder. “I have to go into town today, and I need
you to help me with a
biiiiiig
favor.” He grinned. “Huge is more like it,” he amended.

Sarah grinned. “Really? The big bad giant needs
the help of a little girl?”

Max chuckled. “More than you know.” He nodded
toward her room. “Go get dressed.”

She hopped up from the couch and skipped to her room.
She stopped at her door and glanced over her shoulder. “You need to tell my
sister so she won’t worry about either of us.”

His grin grew. It was apparent that Sarah
worried just as much about Jamie as he did. “I will, squirt. Now go get dressed.
We’re wasting valuable sunlight, and I’m starved.”

Sarah shut the door to her room, and Max pulled
out his cell phone and dialed the one person he knew could help him.

Butch’s wife, Claire answered on the first ring.
“Hey, Briggs. Is everything all right? Are Sarah and Jamie okay?”

He chuckled, pushed from the couch, and went
into Jamie’s room, out of Sarah’s hearing, and shut her door. “Claire, I need a
favor.”

“Sure, just name it.”

“I want to buy some property in Henderson,
roughly twenty acres, and I’m going to need the name of a good architect.”

“Give me twenty minutes, and I’ll get you his
information.”

“Good, I’m also going to need Jake and Butch to
come in and consult on the security before and during the construction of the
house.” He plopped down on the bed. “I’m going to be staying in Henderson.”