Every Last Breath - Jessica Gaffney Page 0,50

her alone.

Adjusting her rear view mirror, she backed up.

It felt good to get out on the road and have her boy beside her.

“Whatch ya got there buddy?”

Eli played with a toy in the backseat. “It came in my lunch box yesterday. Isn’t he cool?”

The toy resembled the latest monster movie craze. She never understood what the point of cross marketing was. Everyone had a TV these days. Perhaps giving kids an educational toy or something they could use, would be more beneficial. Either way, Eli was fascinated with it and it kept him quiet.

On the way there, Maggie pulled through town. The windshield was fogging up, something Ben would need to fix. At the light she used a rag and wiped down the interior. She wiped off the condensation as the cross walk turned green. The shadow of a pedestrian caught her attention as he walked by. Eli zoomed his toy through the air as the tick of her blinker made time stand still.

She watched as the man lumbered across the street, head down as to not be noticed. He was a dark figure wearing a hooded jacket and black cargo pants. It was the same man she saw outside the coffee shop two weeks ago.

“Green” Eli yelled as the light turned.

Maggie stalled at the light, oblivious as to where she was going.

“Go momma,” Eli urged.

Maggie tore through the light heading toward the compound. Was that him? She couldn’t follow the man as he walked away from town, which was crazy. No one walked down the mountain, there was nothing for eight miles.

She did her breathing exercises and calmed down. This was not the first time she thought she spotted Jack. Just before Christmas last year a wave of fear and panic and swept over her as she rounded the aisle at the Franklin Country Store. She looked around but saw no one. Still she recognized the feeling; it was her long lost friend, who once guarded her. She brushed her hair back and pushed the cart along.

The row of ornaments had boxes of bulbs, red bows, candy canes, and garland everything a country store would have, as it masqueraded as a holiday super center.

“None of this is appealing,” she mumbled as she tossed a box back onto the shelf.

Then a pale man with rough skin walked up to the counter. He cupped his hands over his mouth, and blew. “Is there a restroom in here?”

Maggie whipped around. She knew that voice. She bent down, her eyes glued to the man as he sailed toward the back of the store. She headed for the door without impulse. With her keys in hand she bolted to her car and locked the door. Peeling out she headed into traffic, she doubted Jack saw her.

Maggie turned into the police station and left her car running. She used her limited data plan to pull up the prison where Jack was serving time. She was so nervous she couldn’t type in his inmate number. Ever since then, she let the attorney handle it.

She was not going to embarrass herself by barging into the police station. She needed to let them do their job. Besides, she had no proof it was Jack. Even if it was, she needed to remember who she as dealing with. He’d be one step ahead of them at all times.

Eli hopped out of the car and ran to the kennels. “Wait for me,” Maggie yelled as panic filled her. While this was the last place she suspected Jack to show up, Maggie was on high alert.

The place was desolate. Some dogs were barking, others standing still, watching Maggie approach. All of the dogs were trained to protect children, so she didn’t worry. It was important for her to approach the kennels slowly, incase there was a new boarder.

Maggie walked into the house, and surveyed the mess. If she didn’t get back to work soon, the whole living room would be piled to the ceiling with papers and junk.

When Maggie walked out back to the pens, she noticed Klaus’ van was missing. She scribbled a note and stuck it on the refrigerator, asking him to come assess Vala. She left her address.

Inside that small fridge was 55 pounds of elk meat, it’s what he used to feed the dogs; nothing but the best. That reminded her, she should cook for Vala when she got home. There was no excuse to not spoil her secret weapon. She wanted the dog in the best