Take a Breath (Take #1) - Jaimie Roberts Page 0,127

Tony had done to her.”

Tony! I suddenly wonder where he is and what’s happened to him.

“I took the watch into work, and I had a tracking device installed. I’m sorry I did that because it was dishonest, and I don’t want you to think I care any less about you. But to be honest, I’m also not sorry at all. That tracking device is what enabled us to find you when we did. Otherwise, I don’t dare to think about how long it would have taken us. Anyway, when I realized that the call to the FBI was a false alarm, I went fucking crazy. I tried to call you a bunch of times, but, of course, you didn’t answer, and then I called the house, but Matthew told me he saw you leave with Tony. That’s when I knew something wasn’t right. I gathered a team together, and we tracked you to Chesterfield. We got to the house, and we knew you were very close. We had a quick sweep and then made our way into the forest. We saw the little house up ahead and decided to check in there. When we got to that bedroom, and I saw him and what he was doing—” He suddenly stops himself as anger obviously starts to consume him. I see his body become rigid, and I stroke his hair, trying to soothe him. He smiles and relaxes a little.

“We shouted at him to move, but he was fixated on you. He was like a wild animal. I’ve never seen that side of Tony before. I was so frightened I was going to lose you. I took a shot at him, and it got him in the neck. He ran towards me—ready to attack—but I managed to get another shot off, and that one landed in his chest. He’s gone now, Ana. You will never have to worry about him again. It’s all over now. You’re safe.”

You’re safe.

Those two little words mean so much.

I lift my hand to stroke his cheek, and he presses his face into it. I feel like I should be angry about the watch, but how can I be when it saved my life? I could read too much into it and believe he didn’t buy it for me out of love. I could assume he only bought it to keep tabs on me. But he has declared his love through his actions, and that is all I really need from him. I don’t need a watch to know he loves me. I just need him.

My Jake.

My everything.

I grab the pen again, remembering poor Joe.

What happened to Joe?

He smiles at the paper. “He’s fine. When Tony arrived at the house, he told him there had been an intruder and that he wanted to look around outside. Joe said he thought that was strange since he hadn’t heard anything on the radio. Tony told him that you’d managed to phone him to let him know. Joe believed him and followed the asshole to the side of the house. Once there, Tony distracted him and then hit him on the back of his head. Joe was found by the side of the house. He was still unconscious, but fine.

It’s funny really. Tony murdered all those women, but he couldn’t bring himself to kill one of his own. I wonder if he drew a line there, or if he just did it that way to get to you more quickly. No one will ever know now. He’s gone for good, and I’m glad. I killed him, and I’d do it again if it meant keeping you safe.”

I smile weakly, feeling uncharacteristically tired already, but a more urgent need starts to take over. I take the pen and begin writing on the paper.

I want to use the bathroom.

Jake smiles with a nod and gets up. “Let me get the nurse because I think you have a catheter fitted. You’ve been here for three days.”

Three fucking days? Jeez! What have I missed since then?

The doctor soon walks through the door with Betty. The doctor—who is in his sixties, is very tall, and has glasses hanging down towards his nose—spies me trying to get up. He seems to have guessed my intentions as he stops me from moving by saying, “You can’t do that on your own just yet. We need to take the catheter out first, okay?” I nod and relax back down on the bed. “My name is Dr. Robinson. You’ve