Chapter 4

Jake locked up after Doc and Bridget had left. Then he went into the office and went through the file that Rat had sent him. Geo was the number two man for the Caspenetti family. His older brother Al took over after their father died. Rat had sent his file as well. The picture of the guy Al had beaten, was gruesome. The video showed a guy who really enjoyed beating someone. Jake sifted through everything from both Rat and Cathy. Then he distilled them down to a single file and saved it up on the web in a couple different places. When he was finished, he stretched his back and went to check on Emily. Bridget had helped her to the bathroom and taken her diner before they left. She was still asleep and looked at piece for the first time since he had met her.

Jake grabbed a pillow and blanket and laid on the floor between his bed and the door. Five hours later he was up with the first rays of sunshine. He slipped out and started coffee. Jake worked out in his garage and was stretching, when heard Emily call his name. He walked out and said, “Good morning. Sleep well?”

“I slept better than I have in a few days. Want to tell me why you slept on the floor?” She asked

He smiled. “It’s good for my back.” She snorted than clutched at her chest. He hurried to try to help, but she waved him off. “If you let me shower I’ll get you some breakfast.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Maybe you don’t remember meeting Bridget. If that woman found out you were out of bed. She’d skin me alive. Making breakfast isn’t a big deal. I just need a shower first.”

“Thanks.” She said as she settled in a chair at the table.

The next five days went by with no excitement. Tiffany came by on the fifth day and told them there had been a string of people who came in looking for Emily. First was a pair of Seattle Detectives investigating a missing persons case. Then a private investigator who worked for the family. He just never said which family he worked for. Yesterday it had been the state police, two state detectives or investigators as they called it. The man had been the bad cop and the woman the good cop. They had wanted the recording from the bars surveillance cameras. They were very displeased to learn Beth had given them to the sheriff, and he had given them to the FBI.

Tiffany didn’t stick around long. This had been her second visit. Her first was to drop off Emily’s bags. She said they had checked them over and made sure there wasn’t any trackers. Beth had the car towed as abandoned by one of the vets. Tiffany had gone to the lot and gotten Emily’s things. They had checked carefully to make sure there wasn’t anything untoward. Then hit the luggage with a car magnet, just to be sure. Beth had one of the regulars call and tell Jake to stay away and off the phone. Their only real contact was through Tiffany.

Emily spent a lot of time in the hot tub and resting. By the third afternoon she had stopped taking the Vicodin. Her busing was at that really ugly stage, where it’s more green than any other color. Her wrist was still wrapped, but she had removed the tape from her ribs. She had started to tease Jake about him having several different bikinis. He hadn’t bought any of them. Bridget had been the first to leave her suite behind in his mud room. Then Cathy had added hers. After that it became sort of a joke. You weren’t a part of the family unless you had a suite on the rack at Jake’s place. Emily thought it was hilarious.

That fifth afternoon after Tiffany left the had a visitor. Jake’s early warning system went off. he had the only house at this end of the dirt road and had placed video and motion sensors down the road just past his nearest neighbor. The two were sitting in the living room watching an animal show, when the double beep sounded. Jake flipped the TV to the security feed and saw two more Denali’s drive up the road. The first turned into his drive and stopped at the gate. The second drove on and stopped further up. Emily was in near panic at seeing them.

Jake said, “Go to the closet. I showed you how to open the room in the back go there and stay. If I don’t come for you stay there. Doc or someone else will come for you. Just stay in there no matter what. If they threaten to kill me you stay in there. Now go.” He gave her a little shove and she hurried down the hall.

Jake grabbed a hoody and slipped it on then slipped a pistol in the front pocket. He clipped the four mags to his belt and headed out the door. He was pissed. This was his house. His land. His territory. Like most predators, you didn’t want to cross him, not in his teritory. He opened the front door and went out on the porch. They had opened the gate and were now driving down his driveway. He waited on the porch with the door open and a pissed look on his face. The large SUV stopped behind his truck and the two men looked at him and had a brief discussion.

When they opened their doors, Jake moved down off the steps. He had both hands in his hoody. One held the pistol the other was there just help sell that everything was as it should be. As they stepped out he said, “The sign says no trespassing no soliciting. I don’t care want your selling I’m not buying. If you’re those Fucking Mormons again I swear I’ll sue your ass.”

The driver smiled and shook his head. “Nope not Mormons, and not selling anything. We’re looking for a friend of ours.”

Jake cut him off. “I’m not a friend of yours. Since I’m the only one here, your friend isn’t here. Now get the Fuck off my property.”

“Look friend” said the second guy as he came around the front of the SUV.

“Are you fucking deaf asshole. I said I’m not your friend. I don’t have many friends, and you are definitely not one of them. Get back in your SVU and leave.” Jake was standing near the of the walk. They hadn’t realized how he had positioned himself. If he needed to, he could take cover behind the knee-high flower beds. They were made of rail ties and would stop anything short of an RPG.

“We just want to ask you a few questions.” The first gorilla said.

“You’ll leave now or you won’t. Either way I won’t be answering any questions.” Jake said. The second guy stepped forward in a menacing manner. Jake smiled and asked, “Hospital or morgue?”

“What?” asked the driver as his passenger paused.

“I asked hospital or morgue? Which would you rather I send the two of you to. If your idiot friend takes another step he is going to one of them.” The big guy smiled and started to take the step. Before his foot hit the ground, Jake had his gun out and pointed between the man’s eyes. He froze. Jake smiled his I don’t give a shit smile, and asked again, “Hospital or morgue. I don’t really care. I’m a disabled Vet with PTSD. I live out here so I don’t bother anyone and no one bothers me. The sheriff will just write it up as a firearm accident. Though he did say dead men couldn’t contradict me the last time he was out here. Hmm.”

Both men had their hands up and were slowly backing up. Jake continued on conversationally, “you ever seen the elephant? The first time I saw it was in South America. Nasty business that. Twenty-three dead narcos plus two kids. They were using teens to carry cocaine across the border to the canal. That’s the Panama Canal. Had to kill all of them. Then of of the kids picked up a dropped AK. My partner shot him. I can still see the surprise on the kid’s face.” Jake may have been talking like he was lost in a memory, but his pistol never wavered.

The driver said, “We’re leaving sir. No reason to shot anyone. Tom get the truck. Keep your hands where he can see them.” The bigger guy did as his partner said. He got in the truck slowly and kept his hands on the dash. “I’m getting in now. I’ll start the truck and back out nice and slow. No reason for any trouble mister.”

“I’m not worried. Are you?” Jake commented.

The driver shook his head and got in. He kept one hand where it could be seen as he started the vehicle. Soon he had backed to the gate. Jake stood in the same spot pistol following the SUV. The driver got out and opened the gate then backed out on the road. His partner got out and closed it. Then the two pulled out on the road and headed towards town.

Jake returned the pistol to his hoody and then walked back to the house. He saw the guy in the trees on the edge of his property. He decided they might need a bit more incentive. He pulled a twenty-two rifle from the closet and stepped on the porch. He glanced around then scanned the trees. The rifle barked once and squirrel fell at not two steps for the tree where the man hid. Jake watched as he ran through the tree towards the road.

Jake Stepped back inside and closed and locked the door. Then he went to the TV. The two SUV’s had stopped and the group was having a very animated conversation. There was a lot of head shaking and yelling going on. The driver he had met pointed up the road and then left. The second vehicle followed. Jake sighed. Their nice hidey hole was blown. He figured they had followed Tiffany. It didn’t matter. They had to leave. The question was leave now or wait for dark. He figured they would be back. These guys would think the night was their friend.

He returned the rifle to the hall closet and then went to get his guest. Emily was upset when he opened the closet door. She was visibly shaking. As soon as she saw Jake she rushed him. she groaned as she hugged him tightly. Her ribs were still tender. Her groan made the decision for him. “Every thing’s fine. Their gone nothing to worry about.”

She raised an eyebrow at him “Bull. They came here. that is enough to worry about. They’ll be back. I know it and you know it. So, don’t try to lie and say they won’t be back.” She said looking up at him.

Jake sighed, “Your right they will probably wait until it’s dark then try to sneak back here. To try to get a peek at you or to try to intimidate me. Doesn’t really matter. We need to leave. It would be better if we waited until night though.”

She nodded. “How will we get out without them seeing us?”

“Follow me. I’m afraid this might be a bit unpleasant for you.” He grabbed one of his extra packs from his spare room and handed it her. “Put whatever you need to take with us in there. If it doesn’t fit it doesn’t go. Ok?” she nodded. “I hate to say this, but we need to wrap your ribs again. we’ll take the bike or quad over the mountain. The Bike would make the trip faster, but the quad would be easier on your ribs, I’m thinking. Besides, the quad will mean we can take a few extra things with us.”

“I can handle the bike if I need to. you’ll have to help with wrapping my ribs. I can’t do it myself very well. God, I hate that tape. It took me forever to get it off last time.” Emily said.

“I have several ace bandages. We can use those instead of tape.” He offered.

“I’ll still need your help.” She said as she started putting clothes in the pack. Jake grabbed a few things to add to his go bag. Some extra power bars and water mostly. His bag was packed to support him not him and a second person. This meant he needed a few extra supplies. When he finished, he turned to find Emily standing there. She had changed into jeans and a T-shit. Well almost. She had on jeans and a fancy bra. The shirt she held in hand. “I need the bandages and your help. I didn’t think there was any point in getting dressed yet. I’d have to take of my shirt to wrap my chest anyway.” She offered with a slight blush.

Jake nodded and went for the drawer in his bathroom that held his bandages. He had quite a collection. Over the years, he seemed to gather them like some women collected shoes. His normally came from a sprained knee or wrist. He had to have his own ribs wrapped on two separate occasions. He pulled out four of the largest of the bandages and turned back to her.

She placed the shirt on the counter and looked at the gathered bandages he had collected. She sighed. Then grabbed the front of her bra and popped the catch. Jake stood there in shock as he magnificent breast spilled out. He said, “Um not that I’m complaining but um.”

She shook her head and said, “Look, as much as I would love for you stand there and admire me, this isn’t how I wanted this to happen. I decided that the most important thing is that we get out of here quickly. That means wrapping my ribs tight. Cant do that with my bra in the way.” she turned and sat the bra next to her shirt. She looked over her shoulder and said, “Come on. Let’s get this over with.” He stepped forward and began wrapping the ace around her. as his arms circled her body she grabbed him and pulled his hands around her. “Thank you.”

Jake could feel she was close to a break down and gave her a gentle squeeze. “No problem.” He winked at her in the mirror and said, “By the way nice tits Em.” She snorted and shook her head as continued to wrap the ace tightly around her chest.

“Just what every woman longs to hear from the guy who saved her life. Nice Tits. Men.” She said shaking head.

Jake continued until he had used all four of the large ace bandages and she wrapped from her armpits to bottom of her ribs tightly. He stepped back and said, “There. That should do. Besides, my comment made you smile. The shock of my words got you think about something besides what had you shaking.”

“Are you saying I don’t have nice tits?” she asked with a wicked half smile staring at him in the mirror.

Jake gave her a wink and turned to leave. He said over his shoulder, “I never said that.”

The next few hours were tough on Emily. She followed him around as he made sure everything was ready. As it started getting dark he made her dinner and the two ate. As they cleaned up and put the dishes in the washer, she asked, “How can you be so calm? I’m a nervous wreck and you act like it’s all just as normal as can be. You do realize that they are going to be coming to kill us, right?”

Jake placed the last dish in the washer and started it. He turned and dried his hands on the dish towel then looked her in the eyes and said, “I’ve been here before. The Army spent a hell of lot of time and money training me to handle situations like this. There are two ways to deal with it. One work yourself into a frenzy. That normally causes you to second guess everything, and that leads to mistakes. The second, is to rely on your plan and training. We have everything ready. The packs are on the quad. Once it’s dark enough, we’re out of here. If they come before that, I’ll deal with it. If they come after, we won’t be here and it won’t matter.” he smiled trying to reassure her everything would be alright.

He must have done something right because she relaxed by several degrees. Then the double ding of the sensor went off and ruined all his efforts to calm her down. Jake looked to the TV. A large old suburban was on the road traveling towards his house. He didn’t recognize the vehicle and frowned. When it went past the next cameras he recognized the men inside the old vehicle. They had been here earlier. A few seconds later a second late model crew cab truck passed the cameras. It held another four guys in it.

Jake grabbed the two bulletproof vests. He handed her one and dawned the second. His was like an old friend or lover and was on in a heartbeat. Once he had it on and settled he helped her with the bulky apparel. She didn’t complain, and even tried to give him a small smile. Jake gave her a real smile and herded her to the door. He watched the TV. The two vehicles stopped at the turn around and parked. The eight men got out and started unloading things. The item that got his attention was the two boxes they pulled out of the truck’s bed. He couldn’t see what was in them. The camera was setup to give a good view of the road and lacked the angle to see inside the boxes. When they stopped near the tree line, Jake leaned what they planned. One of the men took out a wine bottle with a rag attached to the top. They meant to burn his house down. He growled at seeing the Molotov cocktails. The he smiled.