Jen looked inside the backpack. “For real? I’ve never, I mean-”
“Plenty of ammo. Extra magazines. Point and shoot. You won’t care about training if you need to use them. Understand?”
“Caroline-”
“Jenny, don’t fuck around with this. The government isn’t.”
“Katie is going to hate this.”
Among other things. Caroline hugged Jen one final time. “I know. Just…keep her safe, okay? Keep yourselves safe.”
They heard a car horn. Eric was getting impatient. Pretty dumb, since they were trying to keep their departure hush-hush.
“Go,” Caroline said. “Be smart. Smarter than your husband, who thinks that honking at someone near the Governor’s Mansion at three in the morning won’t attract attention.”
Jen smiled wryly. “I will. I love you.”
All these words of affection were liable to cause her to have a nervous breakdown. Caroline hugged Jen a final time and shoved her out the door, waving as they pulled away.
Maybe she could pretend they were going on vacation. A nice short jaunt. They’d be back soon. She’d see them all again. She was sure of it. She would ignore that nagging voice in her mind, the one that told her that people traveling to safe destinations wouldn’t need handguns in order to get there. She’d focus on the positive. Caroline stared at the door before locking it.
“See you later,” she whispered.
Chapter Thirty-Five
The Fed
“Sweetheart, wake up.” A gentle voice was at her ear. “Come on, baby.”
Caroline’s eyes fluttered open. A dark figure knelt in front of her bed. “Who are you?” she asked.
The figure chuckled softly. “You know who it is.”
That voice. How could she have forgotten that voice? “Jack?”
He stroked her cheek. “I’ve come for you. It’s okay.”
Caroline blinked and tried to sit up, but she was strapped of energy. Jack held her steady, bringing her to a sitting position.
“Take a minute,” he said. “Orient yourself.”
Had he any idea of where they were? Of who they were surrounded by? She tried not to sound too panicky. “We don’t have a minute. What are you doing here?”
“I told you.” She could tell he was smiling, even in the dark. He seemed so happy to see her. “I’ve come for you.”
“But-”
He pulled her into his arms, breathing heavily, his hands tangled up in her hair. “I promised you,” he said. “And I would never break a promise to you.”
Caroline buried her face in his shoulder, trying not to cry. “I knew you’d come,” she whispered. “I knew it.”
Jack kissed her cheek. Funny, she didn’t feel any pain when he did it. She wanted him to do it again. And he did, kissing his way to her ear. “I’ve missed you so much, my love.”
Caroline grasped his shirt, trying to get closer to him. “My darling,” she murmured. “My hero.”
Jack laughed softly. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I still have to get you out of here.” He gave her a critical look. “Are you all right? Can you walk?”
She felt a spring in her step that had been missing for weeks. She wanted to get the hell away from this place. She’d crawl if she had to. “I’ll manage. Let’s get out of here. We have to hurry.”
“I know.”
Caroline shuddered again, hoping he knew an easy way out. If he’d gotten in, he had to know how to get out, right? And he would keep her safe. Just like he promised.
“They do bad things in here,” she whispered.
“I know.” Jack pulled her into his arms again. “That’s why I’m going to take you someplace where no one can ever hurt you.”
“I never told them anything,” she said. “I swear I didn’t.”
He kissed her forehead. “I know, baby. I’m so incredibly proud of you.”
It wasn’t the time or the place, but she was desperate to tell him anyway. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” He released her suddenly and got a strange look on his face. “There’s just one more thing we need to do.”
“What?”
“Wake up.”
She tried to straighten up. Was he blind? “I’m already awake.”
“Wake up,” he said, louder this time.
Caroline looked around the cell. “Jack, keep your voice down. Someone might hear you.”
Jack moved closer to her ear and the lights flickered on, flooding the room. “Wake up!” he yelled.
* * * * *
Caroline sat up with a start and found herself looking at a scornful Jeffrey Murdock.
“Good morning, darling,” he mocked.
She rubbed her eyes and stared at him angrily.
“That was quite amusing.” He let out a cruel laugh. “The