Page 20 of Fear for Her Life

Rocking back and forth on the bed, the phone clutched in her hand, Jenna allowed the tears to fall. Kane was going to take down Souza. He was under orders from POTUS, as his own secret weapon to rid the world of a threat to America. An asset they called him, but to Jenna, Dave Kane was flesh and blood, a wonderful husband and a great father. She wanted to scream, wail, and punch the walls. There was no guarantee she’d ever see him again.

Getting slowly to her feet, she placed her phone on the nightstand and went into the bathroom. No one could know about Kane’s mission and she had a house filled with FBI agents. As she showered, she ran excuses for why Kane and Wolfe had gone missing. She finished, dried her hair, and dressed. Head high, she walked into Tauri’s room to find his bed empty. Panic gripped her and she turned and ran along the passageway. Relief flooded over her as she found him at the kitchen table making hotcakes with Beth. “Oh, there you are. Daddy called and he sent you a hug.” She bent to hug him. “He’s helping the firefighters along with Uncle Shane.”

“Duke doesn’t like fires.” Tauri frowned.

“Uncle Ty just called. He’ll be along soon with him and Warrior.” Jo walked into the kitchen. “He’ll be driving the Beast.” Her gaze narrowed and she raised one eyebrow at Jenna. “You sure Kane is okay?”

Nodding, Jenna forced a smile. “Yeah, he’s with Wolfe. He didn’t want to risk leaving his truck in the forest to get burned up and Carter needed to get here somehow. I gather he’ll be bringing Styles as well?”

“Nope.” Beth looked at her. “Styles is coming with Raven. Apparently, they and the dogs needed treatment for smoke inhalation. They were all on oxygen for a time. Someone locked the cabin and set fire to it. They needed to blast their way out.” She shrugged. “Styles is bringing a mess of rib eye, enough to feed an army. He said Kane made a call and they need to go and collect it on the way here.” She looked at Jo. “Kane told him to use the steaks in the freezer first and the new ones can be stored in the freezer in the garage.” She looked at Jenna. “I didn’t know Kane and Wolfe had joined the volunteer fire department. Styles said they might be out there for a week trying to contain the fire.” She raised both eyebrows. “Maybe the prisoners will run out of the forest or, better still, be burned up.”

“I guess that would solve a few problems.” Jo served breakfast and passed the plates around.

“Who is getting burned up, Mommy?” Tauri’s eyes were as big as saucers.

“Beth was joking.” Jo chuckled. “No one is getting burned up.”

“Tauri, why don’t you come with me?” Nanny Raya smiled at him. “We’ll take our breakfast into my place and watch cartoons. What do you say?”

“Can I go, Mommy?” Tauri tugged at her arm.

Dizzy with stress, Jenna sat down. “Yes, of course you can, sweetheart.” She waited for him to leave and the connecting door to the nanny’s quarters to close behind them before she looked at Jo. “We still need to catch those prisoners. I’ll contact the DOC command center and try and figure out what’s happening.”

“Do it after breakfast.” Jo gave her a long look. “If you want my opinion, you need to take it easy for a couple of days. You don’t look so good.”

Running both hands down her face, Jenna wanted to scream about the injustice in her life. Loneliness surrounded her. An empty void had opened where Kane should be. She needed him, even with the wonderful caring people around her. How long before she discovered if he’d completed his mission or died trying?No one must know.Gathering her inner strength, she looked at Beth and smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m not planning on going anywhere until the team arrives and I’ve eaten breakfast. Plus the guys will need a few hours’ shut-eye. They’ve been awake all night.” She leaned back in her chair and shuddered. “And I couldn’t miss my delicious cup of decaffeinated coffee.” She pulled a disgusted face. “I miss Dave’s special blend.”

“You can have a cup of regular coffee, Jenna.” Beth’s gaze moved over her. “Sure, drinking a ton of strong coffee isn’t advised, but one cup in the morning wouldn’t hurt. You can drink it in moderation when you’re breastfeeding as well.” She sucked in her lips. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have presumed you’d be nursing your baby. It’s not for me to comment on something so personal.”

Seeing Beth in a different light, Jenna squeezed Beth’s arm, feeling the instant tightening of her muscles. The woman was like a curled snake. She removed her hand. “I appreciate your interest. Not having a mom to talk to about pregnancy, I need to rely on friends’ advice.” She looked at Jo. “Did you drink coffee when you were expecting Jaime?”

“A little. Like you, I stuck to milk most times.” Jo chuckled. “Jaime was a small baby, so my OB was constantly telling me to eat more meat and cheese as well.”

Relaxing, Jenna glanced at Beth. As far as she knew, Beth had no kids. “Thanks for the advice. Styles mentioned you have a very wide knowledge base.”

“It comes with the territory.” Beth smiled. “Working on computers constantly and delving into all areas of existence, I tend to absorb knowledge along the way. I don’t have any personal advice to give you, but I’m sure Jo will be able to assist you with more in-depth information.” She leaned forward conspiratorially, but Jenna could see vulnerability in her eyes. “What else did Styles say about me? I’m still trying to work him out.”

“I can probably answer that question.” Jo pushed a cup of real coffee across the table to Jenna and then sat down to eat. “We worked together recently, and he spoke about you all the time. He was very concerned about you being with Carter. He regards Carter as a loose cannon and was concerned about putting the pair of you together. I believe Styles is a little overprotective with you, when it’s blatantly obvious it’s not required. We all know you can take care of yourself.”

“Really?” Beth laughed and lifted her fork. “I found Carter to be very professional, kind, and considerate. He has a great mind for crime solving. Who wouldn’t enjoy working with him? He’s the ultimate sexy cowboy. I’m not surprised he’s still single. It would take a very special woman to tame him.” She burst out laughing.

Looking from one to the other, Jenna moved her attention back to Beth. “I know that Styles respects and admires you. Why are you worried about his opinion of you? Has he said or done something to upset you?” She lifted a forkful of eggs to her mouth and chewed.

“No. I do find him hard to read sometimes, but we get along just fine.” Holding a slice of toast between finger and thumb and waving it around as she spoke, Beth sighed. “I figure I’m like a puzzle to him, and right now he can’t find all the pieces.”

TWENTY-THREE

Scanning the horizon, Johnny Raven assessed the threat. He figured his cabins alongside the river were far enough away from the blaze to cause concern. He’d left no dogs at home. The personal protection dogs he’d trained had already been delivered to their new owners. The next batch would come from a litter of pups especially bred by Blackhawk. Both having an interest in dog training, they’d decided Blackhawk would stay in a cabin close by to assist him. It had become a good and lucrative partnership. In between times, Raven would train suitable rescue dogs. If they didn’t make the grade, he’d still ensure they found loving homes with new owners. He formed a great relationship with the local dog rescue.

He’d driven Styles back to his cabin to shower and change. As Ben and Bear lounged in front of the cold fire, both exhausted from their horrific night, he put on a pot of coffee and made toast and eggs. They couldn’t just descend on Jenna’s ranch this early in the morning and expect her to feed them. He had no idea why Kane had insisted he stay with her when she was surrounded by FBI agents. Maybe Kane had felt the same familiarity he had with him and trusted him to guard his wife. It was very strange how they had clicked immediately, as if they’d been longtime friends. When the cabin exploded into flames, it had seemed natural for him to stay and watch Kane’s back. Maybe it was because he reminded him of a sniper he’d met during a deployment in the desert.

Disobeying orders, he’d flown into enemy territory after the sniper’s ride had been shot down. His chopper didn’t make it either, but the sniper had dragged him from the wreck, and the pair of them spent some time together before they made it out of the country to safety. He had discovered later the man who called himself Junior was the son of a three-star general. He’d been saddened to discover Junior had died along with his wife in a car bombing in DC some years later. Although their paths had never crossed again before his death, he’d never forgotten the skill and courage of the man who’d gotten them through enemy lines to safety. Dave Kane, apart from being younger, and without the broken nose, scars, and tattoos, could be his double. The build was the same and the way he moved, in that fluid confident way, reminded him so much of Junior. It had impressed him how Kane had laid down cover so they could all escape. There was no doubt that Dave Kane was a natural leader. Dragging his mind back to the present as Styles came into the kitchen, he waved him to a chair. “Breakfast?”

“Man, it’s five-star here.” Styles grinned. “You have hot water and solar power. This is a great setup.”

Raven filled a plate and handed it to him. “Thanks. It took some time but it’s home now. If it doesn’t burn to the ground while I’m away.”

“Nah.” Styles picked up his fork. “I spoke to the local volunteer fire chief and he said it’s already under control. They have it surrounded already. Everyone came from all over to fight it.”

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