A Hero In Uniform - The Complete Series (16 page)

“
That'd be my guess.” Michael managed to get himself upright and he pulled a gun out of the glove compartment, handing it to Ric as he said, “Take this. I'll see if that bastard is still around.”

Ric nodded. His head was throbbing and there was a mild pain in his leg, but he ignored both of that. He needed to get Jessi out of the car so he could assess her injuries. Boosting himself out of the side of the 4x4, he jumped over the side and onto the ground just as Kevin took a shot him.

Michael provided cover fire that allowed Ric to pull Jessi up and out of the wreck. He lifted her up over his shoulder and made for the bush that lined the highway. Michael continued to exchange shots with Kevin as he got Jessi to safety. When he had her propped against a tree, Ric returned to the wreck, assisting Michael by distracting Kevin long enough for the federal agent to get to safety.

Ric noticed Kevin was using the F150 as cover, so he decided on a course of action that would either kill the son of a bitch, or at least slow him down. Aiming at the truck, Ric emptied his magazine into the engine until it began to smoke, and on his final shot, the truck blew up, exploding in an impressive cloud of black-and-orange smoke before the fuel tank blew in a second explosion that lifted the truck off the ground and made it flip over onto it's roof.

With that done, he dropped the empty gun into the grass and returned to where Jessi and Michael were.

“
Nice shooting.” Michael said, his hand pressed against a wound on his side.

“
How badly are you hurt?”

“
It's nothing. I'll be fine.”

Ric nodded and looked down at Jessi. He cupped her face and said, “Come on, Jessi. Wake up.”

“
She could have a concussion.”

“
All the more reason I need to wake her up. She can't die on me.” Ric said, passionate conviction in his voice.

He wouldn't loose the only woman he'd ever cared about to some prick who couldn't accept that it was over.

Even as he thought this, Jessi stirred and her eyes opened. She looked from Michael to him and said, “Ric? What happened?”

“
We were in an accident,” He told her. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

“
Nothing major.” She replied, her voice hoarse.

But that didn't mean she was in the clear. She could have internal injuries that could prove deadly in a few hours.

Michael looked over to the burning truck and destroyed 4x4 and said, “We need to get out of here. Nolan could have escaped that explosion and still be armed.”

Ric knew they had to move, but he didn't want to move Jessi in case they made her possible injuries worse. In the end, however, moving was the logical choice and he lifted Jessi into his arms as he followed Michael through the woods and to a road that lead to houses that were just off the highway.

* * * *

In the opposite direction, former AFP agent Kevin Nolan had managed to steal a car and get on the highway that would take him back to Cairns. He was breaking all the speed limits in a effort to make it back to the city, because he had a new plan that would end with both Jessica and her man-whore boyfriend dead.

He couldn't believe that bitch was dating again!

They'd only been divorced for a few months.

But Kevin took some comfort in knowing that the relationship couldn't be that serious because they weren't living together. Over-taking an oil tanker, Kevin raced on along the A1 highway, determined to get to Cairns. He had an uncle that lived in the area and he knew the former Army captain would be too happy to assist him in getting rid of a navy man. He also knew his uncle would have a cache of weapons he could use that couldn't be traced to anyone.

Weapons he could use to make that slutty bitch pay for what she'd done to him.

He'd lost his federal agent status and spent time in prison because she'd cried rape on the night of their anniversary.

The bitch was responsible for all the hardship he'd been going through lately and he wouldn't be happy until she and her new boyfriend were buried six feet under.

Ric, Jessi and Michael came across an old farm house with two Ford ute's and an old Ford sedan parked out front and counted their blessings. Ric stayed behind with Jessi still in his arms as Michael went to the front door and spoke with an elderly man, flashing his badge to put him at ease.

“
How are you holding up?” Ric asked while they waited.

“
I'm okay. A little tired, but otherwise fine.”

“
You can sleep. I won't drop you.”

She smiled and said, “You know, I can walk.”

“
I know.” Was all he said.

Michael gestured them over as he opened the passenger door of the old '85 Falcon and Ric carried her over to the car, putting her in the back seat before climbing in under the wheel, Michael's injury making it impossible for him to drive.

“
Get us back to Cairns ASAP, Jordan.” He told Ric. “I need to let HQ know Nolan is on the loose and what he's done.”

Ric didn't need to be told twice.

Both Michael and Jessi needed a hospital, and he had to check in with the ship to make sure they hadn't been crashed-sailed or their departure date later in the month hadn't been moved up.

He looked over at Michael briefly before returning his attention to the road and said, “Just so you know, I plan on taking Jessi home with me for the holidays. I can keep her safe if she's with me and my family in Bungalow.”

“
Following in the footsteps of Coleman, eh?”

Ric smiled slightly and said, “It worked for him. I can only hope it works for me.”

“
You do know that she isn't going to be safe until Nolan is back in jail or dead?”

Ric looked in the rear-view mirror at Jessi, who was asleep on the backseat, and replied, “I know.”

Killing Nolan was a tempting notion, but he wasn't going to risk his freedom or his career just to kill that son of a bitch.

His best option was to keep Jessi by his side at all times until Nolan was where he belonged. Then, once she was completely safe and free to do what she wanted, he'd work on convincing her that their relationship had only one ending.

Eight

A week before Christmas, Ric packed a bag for him and Jessi and took her south to Bungalow, where his parents home was filled to capacity with family from all over the state.

His mother was friendly but a little posh, his dad the complete opposite. When Ric introduced her to Colin Jordan, the older man picked her up and swung her around in a circle before holding her against him in a tight hug. Jessi didn't know what to do but brace her hands on his shoulders and hang on.

“
Dad, that's enough.” Ric said, rescuing her before Colin could do anymore damage. He took her hand and led her into the living room, where he introduced her to his brother, Hamish, Hamish's wife, Sofia, his sister Heidi and Heidi's husband, Wallace, and all the kids currently running around and having a good time. “And this lovely old goat,” Ric said with affection as he introduced her to the final person in the house, “Is Mother Fran, our grandmother and Dad's mother.”

Fran shook Jessi's hand, a huge smile on her wrinkled face as she said, “It's so lovely to meet you, dear. Ricky never brings women home.”

Jessi just smiled, not sure what to say to that.

Fran grilled Ric about his year and what he'd been doing with the Navy before she excused herself to help her daughter-in-law in the kitchen.

As Ric set Jessi up with something to drink, Hamish appeared at his side and said in a tight voice, “Let's talk outside.”

“
Okay.” He told Jessi where he was going before following his brother out into the backyard, where they were guaranteed privacy. “What's up, Ham?”

“
You tell me. What the devil are you doing with Jessica Lawson?” Hamish demanded.

Ric frowned and asked, “How do you know her?”

“
How can you not know her? She was in all the files I bought home when you were staying here a few months ago.” 

“
Speak English, Ham.”

Hamish sighed and said, “Jessica Lawson, the former wife of federal agent Kevin Nolan and the star witness that put him on trial for assault and abuse. You don't remember her being the civilian case I took a few months ago?”

“
No. And I already know what happened between her and that prick.”

“
And you still brought her here?”

Ric frowned again. “Why wouldn't I? She didn't have anywhere to go for Christmas and I've been responsible for her for over two months now.”

Hamish frowned and asked, “How did that come about?”

“
I stopped someone from raping her at the rodeo in October.”

“
Christ, that woman's been through a lot.”

“
That's an understatement, brother.”

“
But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about. I know what Nolan is like. I know what he's capable of. It's dangerous for her to be here.”

“
This is the only place that she's going to be safe at because Nolan is in Cairns.”

“
What? Are you serious?”

“
Of course. He tried to kidnap Jessi, then tried to kill me and a federal agent to get her back.”

“
Shit!” Hamish cursed and ran a hand through his hair. “What's being done about it?”

“
Agent Blake is handling the manhunt while I keep Jessi out of the way and safe.”

“
Do you think you can do it?”