Page 8 of THE EX-Con

JACKSON

The door closes behind me, and on instinct, I pat the thick white envelope inside my jacket just to make sure it’s still there. It’s not much, but Jenny and I can leave town and start a life together.

After all the paperwork, I can start picking up where I left off. Jenny doesn’t know what I used to do for a living, and I can’t wait to tell her all about it. She’s throwing her lot to a man who seems to have a bleak future ahead. She doesn’t mind that I don’t have money or anything to my name.

Jenny wants me for me, and that’s more than enough.

She’ll be surprised to know we’re set for life even if I ultimately decide to spend my days in bed with her—not too bad of a plan, to be honest.

See, I am not an impulsive guy. Not the type who will drop everything for a woman. Then again, it’s Jenny. She’s NOT just any other woman.

She’s mine.

Thinking of her makes me smile, but I stop dead in my tracks when I see that the car isn’t where I left it. I swing my gaze to the left and right. Nothing.

Did she leave? Did she get bored and get coffee? But the cafe is just across the street. Maybe she had an emergency?

It takes me a while before I notice a kid tugging on my shirt. I look down to see a boy with wide eyes and a tooth gap. He has his skateboard clutched to his chest while handing me a small piece of paper.

I furrow my forehead. “What’s this?”

“Someone told me to give it to you.”

I read the note, and my stomach twists.

“Welcome back, son. You know where to find me. Be fast. I’m not a patient man.”

Goddammit. That sick fuck. That piece of shit, motherfucker. When I get my hands on him, I’ll pulverize his face to his ground.

I look for the kid to pepper him with questions, but he’s gone. Shit. I know where that bastard is, and now he’s taken Jenny.

Has he been following me this whole time? Waiting for his chance to pounce? It’s my fault Jenny’s gotten wrapped up in this mess. Now she’s in danger, and fuck.

I should have taken care of him first. I should’ve known he would always be on to me.

Jesus. I’ve been too lax, too obsessed with Jenny to notice someone on my trail.

I crumple the note in my hand, blood roaring in my ears. I let the familiar wave of anger flow through my veins, warming me, filling me with enough strength to beat him to a pulp.

I was almost too late with Mom, but that’s not going to happen to Jenny.

The town is quiet, and I’m already considering running all the way across the square when I see a patrol car slowing to a stop in front of me, its window lowered.

“Jackson? Is that you, man?”

I blink. “Adam?”

Adam used to be one of my best buddies, and he often found reasons to hang out in my home whenever Mom baked her chocolate chip cookies. He stayed at his folks’ place until he graduated college. We lost touch when I was imprisoned, mostly because I cut everyone off.

Instead of the long-haired, mustached guy, this one is clean-shaven and looks like he has his shit together. His uniform looks crisp, the badge glinting in the sunlight.

He rests an arm on the door. “You okay?”

If I want to get there in time, this is the only way, so I jog to the passenger side and slide in, handing the crumpled piece of paper to Adam.

A patrol car isn’t my favorite mode of transportation, but I can’t be choosy right now.

Adam doesn’t say anything as he revs the engine. “Where do you think he is?”

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