Jackson (The Love Family Series Book 8) (5 page)

Scarlett slid her arms into the terry cloth and tied the belt.

Ramona handed her a towel and told Scarlett to twist her hair up on top of her head.

“I’m going to be fired.”

“I’ll get you a job on the island.”

Ramona held out her hand, and a look of determination glittered in her eyes. “Give me the lighter.”

Scarlett handed it to her. “What are you going to do?”

“First, we’re going to get Faircloth away from the door and then slip you out.” Ramona yanked paper towels from the dispenser and shoved them into her smock pocket. “I’m going to set off the fire alarm so you can slip out the back. You came in that SUV, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“Salvatore has eyes on the place. If you’re not out in ten minutes, he’s sending his guys in to get you out.”

“What’s the diversion?”

Ramona grinned as she grabbed her phone and pressed a few buttons. She held it up to her ear. “I’ve got her, and we’re ready.”

The sound of yelling and screaming could be heard through the door. Ms. Faircloth’s voice grew agitated. “Break it up ladies.”

Ramona grinned. “Staged cat fight. Chrissy is about to miss the other girl and knock Ms. Faircloth out.”

A thump sounded against the door; Ramona eased it open and peered outside. Grabbing Scarlett’s hand, she hurried her out, stepping over Ms. Faircloth’s body spread out on the floor. They moved quickly down the corridor to the locker room. “Hurry, we’re running out of time.”

Scarlett quickly read the numbers before spotting the correct locker. It was impossible to steady her hands. She missed the slot several times before she slipped the key inside and turned it. She held her breath and eased open the door. Her life depended on what secrets she found.

A single sealed envelope sat inside the small space. Scarlett grabbed it and opened it. It was a letter and another key. She didn’t take the time to read it. She shoved the letter and the key down her shirt and had the envelope in her hand just as Ramona was standing beneath the fire alarm detector with the burning paper towels. She blew into the smoke, directing it toward the detector. Within seconds, the alarm was ringing through the building.

People ran. Some clients dressed only in robes ran by as Ramona grabbed Scarlett’s hand and ushered her toward the back exit. They were so close to getting out alive. She could practically taste her freedom. They rounded the corner and slid to a stop. Ms. Fairchild was blocking the back exit.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you go.” She raised her brow.

Scarlett grabbed the lighter and lifted the empty envelope. She flicked the lighter and held the envelope in the flame. “And I’m afraid you’ll never read what’s inside.” She tossed the burning envelope into a nearby trashcan.  “Back away from the door, Ms. Fairchild, or I’ll press charges against you for holding me against my will.”

Ramona reached beneath her smock and pulled out a Taser. “Move it, Francesca.”

Francesca held up her hands with a smirk on her face. “They already know she’s here. They’re coming for her.”

“More reason to move this conversation along.” Ramona squeezed the trigger. A flourish of wires with probes on the end landed in Francesca’s chest. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

Francesca fell over, her body shaking from the voltage slamming into her system.

Ramona grabbed Scarlett’s hand and yanked the back door open. Jackson and one of Salvatore’s thugs had guns pointed at the door.

Jackson lowered his weapon. “You get the stuff?”

“Yeah.” Scarlett smiled. “Thanks to Ramona.”

Ramona jogged over to the tattooed biker-looking guy and he lowered his gun. “Francesca already called them. They’re on their way, and I’m out of a job. Get me out of here.”

He gestured to the motorcycle parked at the end of the alley.

Scarlett spun toward Ramona, her red hair swinging as she jogged away. “Called who? Who’s doing all of this?”

Ramona stopped running and spun around to face Scarlett. “Good luck, Scarlett. If I ever get out to the Island, I’ll look you up.”

Salvatore’s guy revved the bike’s engine as Ramona hopped on the back. He peeled his tires as they sped away.

“Scarlett, get in the SUV,” Jackson growled and was in the driver’s seat with the engine running when Scarlett climbed into the passenger seat. He gunned it down the alleyway as she struggled to buckle her belt.        

Chapter 6

Jackson kept a lookout in the rearview mirror, analyzing everyone as a threat. He gripped the wheel tightly and took a deep, calming breath. Yelling at her wouldn’t help their problem. His heart had stopped when Salvatore’s men came up on him. Jackson was sure that Scarlett had been compromised and was in trouble.
She’s safe,
he repeated over and over in his mind. He glanced at her.
Unharmed and safe
.
Thank freakin’ God
.

His gut had clenched the minute she’d climbed out of the SUV. Every second that ticked by made it worse. Unable to sit still, he had gotten out of the SUV. He spotted five cameras on nearby buildings, all directed toward the spa. Instantly, he realized they were in trouble.

Anger stirred in his stomach. Anger at Rosie and Salvatore for putting Scarlett in this situation. And anger at Scarlett for not caring if she got hurt on this wild-ass goose chase. What the hell had he been thinking by letting her go in alone?

“Are you going to sulk the entire drive back to the house, or are you curious about what I found?” she asked in an innocent tone.

“I don’t sulk,” he grumbled, keeping his gaze peeled on their surroundings. “We aren’t out of the woods yet. I think we’re being followed.”

“Really?” She glanced over her shoulder out the rear window. “Which car?”

“It’s not a car,” he said while leaning forward and glancing toward the sky. “It’s a helicopter. I’m still trying to determine if it’s friend or foe. We’re nowhere near an airport.”

“Maybe it’s the news station doing the afternoon traffic report.”

“It’s not marked.” Jackson had spotted a dirt trail in the woods about a mile south of his buddy’s house. He’d searched these woods when Frank’s son was taken.  “Hang on we’re going off-road.”

Scarlett grabbed the handle above the door as Jackson swerved onto the trail. “Where are we going?”

“To hide. The trees are providing us cover.” He gunned the SUV over the bumpy terrain. He slowed near a cave he remembered checking out years before when searching for Frank’s son. Jackson pulled right into nature’s hiding spot.

“How do you know there aren’t any bears in here?”

“I don’t.” He killed the ignition. “But lucky for us, bears don’t carry guns.”

She gave a slow nod. “You’re right, although I don’t know what’s worse. Dying by gunshot or being mauled to death.”

“Let’s give the helicopter a few minutes to move on, if they aren’t waiting for us. If the sound gets closer, then it’s only a two-mile hike back to the house.”

A two-mile hike wasn’t a bad idea. He could use the time to calm down and regain his composure. He got out of the SUV and away from Scarlett. The need to shake sense into her and kiss her silly rode him hard. He’d feared the worst.

She walked out of the cave and glanced toward the sky. “What’s the verdict?”

The sound of whipping helicopter blades was getting farther away, but the green canopy of the trees restricted his sight. “Wait here.”

Jackson jogged toward the only sunrays that pierced through the greenery in hopes of a better look. The blue sky and white clouds were clear. He walked back over to where Scarlett was leaning against the SUV, reading an unfolded letter.

“Sounds like they left,” he said as he approached. She didn’t respond.

“Is that what you found in the locker?”

She nodded without meeting his gaze.

“What does it say?”

She flipped the sheet over and then back again before folding it and stuffing it in her bra. “It says we’ve got one more place to go. I’m beginning to think Special Agent Rosie McIntire is sending us on a wild goose chase.”

In the academy, Rosie had been the serious one. She was top of their class and had razor-sharp focus. Rosie wouldn’t joke about something like this. No way. “Where does it say to go?”

“The place where she and you kissed. She must have known that I’d call you to find out where that was, in the event something happened to her. That must be why it was such a big deal that I can keep secrets and knew the Loves. She wanted to make sure I had a connection to you.” Scarlett crossed her arms over her chest. Her lips pulled down in a frown.

“Well, if anyone else had gotten to the letter, the accompanying key would be useless without that information since I’m the only other one who knows. She’s pretty smart.”

“You kissed her?” Scarlett asked. “She’s not your type.”

Jackson’s lips twitched as he tried to hide his smile. “You don’t think so? Why are you acting jealous?”

Scarlett dropped her hands to her side. “I’m not jealous. You can swap spit with whomever you want, not that you need my permission. She’s just not your type.”

“What makes you think that?”

“She’s all prim and proper, and for God’s sake, she’s got blonde hair. You like brunettes.”

Jackson walked around to the driver’s door and pulled it open. “Would it help if I told you she was a brunette when we kissed?”

Scarlett rolled her eyes as she slid into the passenger seat. “So are we heading to this historic site?”

“Yeah, you’re going to love it.” He chuckled as he started the engine.

****

Jackson and Rosie. The woman
was
beautiful, and well, Jackson was sexy. Any woman in her right mind would have kissed him. Hell, she had. The thought of him kissing Rosie sat like a five-pound lump in her gut. Did Jackson go around kissing all women? Maybe she’d thought she was special. She’d been special, even if Jackson’s intentions had been in question. Men kissed her. When she’d bothered to date. She just hated to waste her time on the wrong one. Her life was spent writing, and when she wasn’t writing, she was interviewing the misfits of the world.

Jackson put his phone on speaker and dialed a number. Reed’s voice came over the line. “What’s up?”

“I need eyes on 2710 Industrial Drive. There should be several street cams and surveillance in that area. Can you check if anyone is around so we’re not walking in blind?”

“Sure. Give me a few minutes. I’ll call you back.”

Jackson disconnected the call and glanced over at Scarlett. “Once we find whatever she’s hidden, we’re leaving town.”

“Whatever it is must be pretty damn important for people to be chasing us. What if they follow us until they get what they’re after?”

“First let’s figure out what is so important, and then we’ll deal with the rest. We know the FBI showed up at Salvatore’s looking for Rosie, but we don’t know how far involved they are and what exactly they know.”

The FBI was in this neck deep. She could feel it down to her bones; they wouldn’t have raided Salvatore’s, unless they knew exactly what they were looking for, and she hadn’t heard any mention of search warrants when they’d been yelling before the shooting began. She shook her head and folded her arms. Jackson might not want to admit it, but the FBI was indeed out to get them.

A conspiracy theorist would love to get their hands on whatever the FBI deemed so important. It had all the makings of the best story of her career, if she lived to tell it. Goosebumps rose on her arms, even as impending doom nipped at their heels.

Jackson drove along back roads around the outskirts of town toward the industrial side of town. The phone rang, breaking her unease. Jackson answered. “Give me some good news.”

“A few delivery trucks on the street, but they all look legit, and none were parked in front of the building. There is one man inside the inner office, but he’s parked in front of the television and probably won’t even notice you’re there. A few people have shown up, taken some things, and left. Other than light foot traffic, the coast is clear. It’s an all-night facility, so I doubt you’ll have any trouble at all.”

An all-night facility? Sounded kinky. The perfect place for a late-night kiss. Scarlett’s brows dipped as she met Jackson’s gaze. His lips pulled up in a grin.

“Thanks, Reed. If you don’t mind, keep monitoring for us. We’ll be there in five minutes and would appreciate some eyes watching our back.”

Extra eyes weren’t all they needed. Scarlett twisted her fingers together and turned her gaze out the window.

“You’ve got it,” Reed answered and disconnected the call.

She masked her inner turmoil with deceptive calm. “Where did you kiss her? In some seedy motel?” Scarlett asked.

Jackson chuckled and rested his hand over Scarlett’s, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. “Not quite and I didn’t kiss her. She kissed me.” The grin plastered on his face grew in size. “It was more like a heat-of-the-moment thing.”

His touch calmed her. When she was with him, she felt as though they could conquer the world. She’d missed him and the way he’d made her smile when they were younger. No matter her mood, he had an ease and way of making everything better. There was a part of her that longed for him and always had. Her childhood crush had grown with her into adulthood and now she was the one thinking about the what if’s.  

Five minutes later, Jackson backed into a parking space at an indoor storage facility. He killed the ignition and glanced at Scarlett. “Rosie and I were on the trail of a known arms dealer who was always one step ahead of us. She got a tip that shipments were being stored at this facility before being smuggled out of the country.”

“She was right, and I was the only one who believed in her, so when we found the guns, she kissed me in her excitement. It was such a big bust it made her career.”

Scarlett followed him into the facility, unsure what to expect but glad they’d finally get some answers. Scratched linoleum covered the wide hallways. The fluorescent lights above made the walls look yellow. A row of steel storage doors were closed and locked. The secrets hidden inside were kept marginally safe by flimsy locks that looked as though they belonged in a high school hallway.

“I’m sure the bust did wonders for yours, too.”

Jackson placed his palm on her elbow, leading her down another corridor, bypassing the manager’s office. “It did…well, it would have. I left the Bureau shorty after that.”

“Why?”

“My mom was sick, and I went home. Before she died, I made her a promise, and well….I’d never go back on a promise to her.”

“What promise?”

Jackson shook his head but didn’t answer her question. He stopped in front of one of the storage doors. “It was this one.”

Scarlett handed him the key and placed her hand on her stomach to still the butterflies while watching Jackson undo the lock and lift the door.

The unit was dark. Smells of mildew and must lingered in the stale air and assaulted her nose.

Jackson flicked on the light and ushered Scarlett inside. He lowered the door behind them, closing them in. Dust floated in the empty space. A single desk waspushed up against the wall. Sitting on top was a computer and files.

Jackson slipped his fingers through hers and pulled her up against his body. He lowered his head and pressed a tentative kiss to her lips.

Scarlett melted in his arms. She leaned in, wanting and needing more. Her body tingled from his touch, from his taste. It was crazy that they were on the verge of finding answers and Jackson was kissing her.

He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.

“What was that for?”

A smile formed on his lips. His eyes sparkled with mischief. “I’m making new memories.” 

“I like new memories.” She smiled up at him. “But can we get what we came here for and go make memories somewhere more comfortable?”

Scarlett winked and walked over to the desk. A computer sat on top next to a stack of files. She picked up one of the files as Jackson powered on the computer. The emblem on the folder was from Shady Oaks, a mental facility a few towns away. She flipped it open and scanned the medical records inside. The patient’s diagnosis was schizophrenia. What was she supposed to do with that information? She had no idea who this patient was to know if there was anything abnormal. There was no smoking gun in big bold letters that read, this is a lie. She closed it with an odd twinge of disappointment.

A log-in screen popped up, and Jackson typed a few short strokes on the keyboard.

“You know her password?”

He grinned. “Yeah, she told me after the bust. She changed it to the arms dealer’s name because she never wanted to forget the case.”

He hit Enter, and they both stood back as Rosie’s face filled the screen in a video recording. Rosie was sitting in front of the storage door. She’d recorded it in the small space.

“Well, Scarlett, if you’re seeing this, then you did it. It’s not a coincidence that Love is with you. He needed to be. It’s the one favor I’ll be able to return to him for believing in me all those years ago.” Rosie smiled.

“I’m sure you’re wondering what you stumbled into and about the files on the desk. They may look normal, but they aren’t. The people listed in those files have abilities similar to Jackson’s family. They were all being treated at Shady Oaks Sanatorium, only not for the diagnosis in those files. They were Marsh Corp. test subjects.”