“By the looks of her, he almost killed her this time.”
“Is she going to be okay?” The fear in Ben’s voice disturbed him, made the situation all the more real and terrifying. He might have patched her up, but she wasn’t out of the woods.
“If I can get her fever down and the infection in her leg cleared up, yeah.”
“If you need anything, call me. Oh, you’ll get an overnight package tomorrow for her. Just the usual stuff I send her when she runs.”
Something sparked in Jack. “What does ‘Rabbit’s on the run’ mean?”
“That’s her code when she needs help. She calls my office and the entire staff knows to get me anytime, anywhere. She’s being hunted like a scared rabbit. Her words, not mine. That’s how she refers to this whole mess.”
“Hunted. That’s a vivid description.”
Caleb winced and downed the last of his whiskey.
Jack ended the call. “I’ll expect the package and take care of Jenna.”
“Have her call me,” Ben said, his words desperate. “I need to hear her voice.”
“I’ll tell her. It’ll probably be a few days before she’s feeling better.”
Jack hung up and dropped the phone on the table beside him. He downed the last of his whiskey and sat in silence.
“You going to be all right?”
Jack ignored the question, knowing he’d never be the same. In some ways, he guessed, that was a good thing.
“How does someone go through life feeling like they’re being hunted? Even when we were in combat situations and running special ops, I don’t think I ever felt hunted. More like a strategy, you against them. For her, it’s run and be captured and tortured and run again, find a new hole to hide in before he finds her again. I can’t stand it.” He shot up and paced.
“Jack, come on, man. I’ve never seen you like this. She’s okay, safe in the room upstairs.”
“Safe, for how long? I don’t even know who the hell is after her, or if they know she’s here. How can I protect her when I don’t even know who I’m protecting her from?”
“You hardly know this woman, and yet you’re acting like she’s your wife or something. Take a step back. Get some perspective. She’ll be fine in a few days, and then you can decide how deep you want to jump in this thing with her.”
“I’m drowning, is how deep I am in this thing. I can’t turn my back on her. I just can’t.” He’d always been this way. If someone or something got hurt or fell sick he had to take care of them, and it always took a piece of himself. Maybe that’s why his military career took such a toll. Each horror took a piece, until each of those pieces added up to a huge gaping hole of hurt.
“I was afraid you’d say that. Okay. You know I have your six on this. I always do. Let me know if you need my help with anything.”
“Thanks, man. You always have my back. I know I can count on you. Now go home. Kiss Summer and Lily. Make Summer laugh, she had a hard time tonight.”
“I will. Summer said she’d be by tomorrow.”
“Night, Caleb.”
Caleb slapped Jack on the shoulder and gave him a look, telling him without words he was there for him. Jack appreciated the sentiment and the support.
BETH WALKED IN the front door as Caleb left, holding a glass bottle in her hand. Jack stood in the Great Room and turned to stare out the window toward the mountains. His hands buried in his front pockets, his shoulders sagged, weighed down by the gravity of Jenna’s situation. He gazed up to the stars, his mind a million miles away with them.
“Jack? Here’s the medicine. Sorry it took so long. I thought you’d still be up with her, and the guys asked a lot of questions.” When he glared, she added, “Don’t worry, I told them to mind their business. Besides, I don’t know anything.”
Yeah, well, he didn’t know shit either. “Thanks, Beth. I appreciate your help.”
“No problem. Anything for you, boss. How is she? Any better?”
“No. But maybe once I get these antibiotics into her, she will be.” Jack accepted the bottle and took the stairs up two at a time.
Beth called after him. “Do you need me to stay tonight?”
“No, go on home. She’ll probably sleep through the night.”
Jack climbed the rest of the stairs, knowing he faced a long night watching