Until Her

Chapter 8-2

He had to trust someone.

He trusted Gaines. They were as close as brothers could get without actually sharing blood. Like Treat, Jackson trusted Gaines with his life. Then you can trust him with the contents of the envelope. He slid the packet in Gaines’s direction.

“What’s this?”

“Like I said, information I was given. Supposedly, this will help bring Peretti down.”

Gaines pulled out the intel and began reading it. Jackson sipped his drink. How was Tracey connected? Could she be the one stealing the information? She had the clearance, but not that high of clearance. Even Decker didn’t have that. The only one who’d have access to that kind of information was their boss’s boss’s boss. Could it have gone that high up in the command chain?

“f**k, Jackson. Where did you get this again?”

“An informant.”

That was all he was going to tell Gaines for now; not that he could give him any more information. But Gaines didn’t know that.

“Can we get him to testify?”

No.

Jackson doubted he could even find the guy, but then again, maybe he would reach out to him.

“Number was blocked. Probably a burner cell. But I’m hoping he’ll reach out again.”

“Both people he pointed to are now either dead or MIA.” Jackson said.

“f****d up is what it is, but maybe Tracey can lead us to Peretti? We let her hang herself out there, ass open and all.”

“You think that will work?” Jackson asked.

“Will it work? Hell, I don’t know, but what else do we have?”

Gaines had a point. There was no other choice, save for confronting her. Jackson wasn’t going to lay his cards on the table. She would deny it anyway. This meant she had something to do with Anna’s stabbing or was helping to cover it up. All this did was make him angry. It explained her reaction to Anna, though. Finding out a person you thought you could trust was actually on the wrong side of the law made him question his judgment. He’d always been a good judge of character. Tracey was a traitor to her country. One did not claim to be an American and then try to sell, aid, or even consort with known terrorists and enemies of the state. It wasn’t something that was done.

“What are you going to do with the two Marshalls?” Jackson asked.

“We told Tracey we released them, but we have them in lockup.”

At least, Gaines had the right idea.

“They give up any information?”

“Nope, they were told they were being relieved of duty. Inara’s killer got in during the shift change. But I can’t be one hundred percent sure. One of them kept asking when Tracey was coming. I think he’s in her pocket, as well. The other one was too green to even realize how bad he’d f****d up. It was his first assignment, too. He practically pissed himself during the interrogation.”

“What a shitty web. I’m tired of getting close only to have something f**k it all up.”

“Not this time, man. This time, I’m on the case.”

“You saying I can’t clean up my own house?”

“No,” Oliver laughed. “I’m saying sometimes we all need backup. It just so happens, your backup is me. I can’t help that I’m custom-made, that I look good, smell good, and solve cases on a dime.”

Now the guy was full of s**t.

“You might want to give Rick Flair back his weak ass lines.”

“You might want to get you some of that. Shut the f**k up.”

Both men laughed and swallowed down the last of their drinks.

“You can hold onto the file.”

“I was going to ask if I could,” Oliver said, standing from the booth.

Jackson did the same. As they made their way out onto the street, they stopped in front and stood on the sidewalk for a moment, neither of them ready to go. Jackson felt like someone was watching them. Gaines must have caught on because he started patting Jackson on the back while saying.

“So, you’re really tying the knot?”

“Can’t wait, and before you harp on me, this time, I know what I’m doing. Anna is nothing like Vivian. She’s honest, loving, and kind. And she’s good with Ava.”

Gaines looked surprised.

“Ava? You in one of those poly love triangles?”

“No, shithead. Ava is my five-year-old daughter.”

Oliver had been at his first attempted wedding when Vivian left him at the altar, but with all the crazy, Jackson had been unable to catch him up.

“When did you go and spawn a kid? And with who?”

“Vivian was pregnant and didn’t tell me until recently. It’s a new development, and an adjustment for me, as well. But Ava, my little ladybug, is amazing.” She was that, and so much more.

“Okay, sounds like you’re adjusting, but that s**t sucks. You had to go and knock up Vivian for f**k’s sake? I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.”

Jackson glared at Oliver.

“What? I’m just saying.”

“I have a beautiful little girl who loves to be tickled and says the cutest things. Man, she calls my Anna her Honey Mom.” Jackson laughed then, and so did Gaines.

“She calls your woman ‘Honey Mom?’”

“Yeah, she thinks Anna’s the color of honey because of her skin.”

“She must tan a lot.”

Jackson would have laughed but didn’t. He knew Gaines wasn’t an ass, so he pulled out his phone and showed him a picture of Anna. He’d taken the picture at Joey’s baby shower. She was standing under a huge oak tree. Her white dress bright against her warm skin, her hair in a riot of curls she couldn’t control as she smiled at the children playing. Her pink hat in one hand and her camera in the other. Gaines looked at the picture and whistled.

“She’s definitely a honey. Congratulations, man.” Oliver patted him on the back. “Let me at least get you a ride back to the hotel.”

“Thanks, I’m staying at my uncle’s hotel.”

“Of course you are, rich boy.”

Gaines pulled his key fob out of his pocket and pressed the button. The sound of the car beeping off in the distance sounded in front of them. Lights flashed on a dark sedan as both men neared the vehicle. There was no real sound, or least he didn’t think there was a sound before the ground rumbled. Or maybe it was the concussion of the explosion mixed with the rumble of the ground and the roar of the fire that confused him. Jackson and Gaines weren’t far enough away, and as Gaines’s car exploded, they were both hit by the severe compression from the force of the blast. Jackson thought his head was going to burst. His entire body felt like mush. Air immediately rushed the void left behind from the explosion, pulling both Jackson and Gaines with enough force that they were lifted and thrown into the cars that were overturned and blocking Gaines’s destroyed sedan. Which was now on fire.

Jackson was barely conscious, his body ached everywhere. His nose was bleeding what felt like gallons of blood, and his ears were ringing as blood seeped out of them, as well. Someone was yelling, or at least he thought someone yelled for help. He couldn’t care at the moment who helped and who didn’t. He was being pulled under a deep wave of darkness. He could feel the heavy weight on his chest. Debris maybe? He wasn’t sure. Jackson wasn’t sure of anything anymore. His last lucid thought was of Anna and Ava.

Three Days later.

Three days, and nothing. I'm worried. Joey's worried, even Treat’s worried. Jackson always calls. He has never not called. My brother’s flying out to New York tonight. Even Tracey is incommunicado. Not that I care, but right now, she's our only lifeline to Jackson. Joey and Treat are speaking in hushed tones over in the kitchen. I want to believe it’s more for Ava than me. I'm tired of people treating me like a baby. I've been home almost a week. Everything from baked goods to entire meals has shown up, compliments of the citizens of Beauville. Not to mention what’s back at Jackson's place. Beau is the only one not afraid to push my buttons and make me work. I'm a sweaty mess of bones when we finish, but with that being said, he's working to get me better. Watching my brother and sister-in-law talk secretly pisses me off. I walk over to their private, hushed conversation and interrupt.

"What's happening?"

Treat can’t look me in the eye. He always does, and I can tell Joey's been crying. Her eyes are puffy and red.

"Somebody better talk to me," I say calmly. I'm anything but calm on the inside as my mind goes through a million different scenarios. All starring Jackson. My mind is not the best place to be stuck inside right now. What if he's hurt really badly? My gut is saying it’s bad. Shot. Loss of limb. The last thought that slinks inside…I refuse to let it cripple me. I won’t. Can't.

But it does anyway, and my insides explode in a series of aches and pains. I don’t know he’s dead. He can’t be. Calm down, Anna.

Deep breath in, deep breath out.

If—and that’s a big f*****g if—my man is taken from me, I will never ever see my way clear again, I think to myself.

Don’t. You’re overreacting.

"Anna, Oliver's older brother called. Oliver and Jackson—“

"What, Oliver and Jackson what?” I yell.

I'm panicking now. But Joey grabs me and tells me what I need to hear.

"He's alive, but injured. Treat’s going up to check on him. He's off the case. Being sent home in a few days."

I'm relieved and a little pissed off. He's coming home, finally, but the case isn’t closed. That can’t be good. Jackson won’t settle. He's too stubborn.

"Treat, how long ago did this happen, and who is Oliver?" Treat pulls me into a hug. Maybe he means for it to be comforting, but it's not. I feel patronized. I pull back, take a deep breath, and wait for an answer.

"Oliver Twist Gaines. He’s someone Jackson went to school with. Oliver is also FBI. Turns out, they may have been working the same case. Gaines’s car exploded in the parking lot of The Spot. Luckily, they both only sustained minor injuries."

“Three days, Treat. We haven’t heard from him in three days!"

My brother winces. I know the sound of my voice is sharp, but I can’t help it. Why did they even think this was okay to keep from me?

Joey takes my hand and squeezes.

"All that matters is that he's coming home, Anna. He's okay, and he's coming home."

Joey’s right, but a part of me is still hurt. I'm supposed to be there for him, just like he was there for me. I look at my brother and offer an apologetic smile.

"Can you tell him I love him and I miss him?”

“I will, baby sis. You focus on healing."

“You need to heal, too," I remind him.

"I’m good. Doc's given me the all clear. I'm a fast healer."

Treat turns to his wife to hug her when the doorbell alerts us that there's someone at the door.

"You expecting anyone?" Treat asks Joey and me. Joey shrugs. I try and remember if I have any appointments. India has been driving me around. Lyriq, her girlfriend, will sometimes come with us.

"I'll see who it is. Joey, go help Treat pack, spend time. I got this."

''Anna, you're a guest here. I'll grab it."

I lift the corners of my mouth in a slight grin at Joey with a raised brow. “Joey, little Cavanaugh wants out, and it shows. A lot.” I wink. “I may have had an organ transplant, but I'll get to the door faster than you.”

Treat kisses her on the nose when she pouts, and I shake my head, laughing as I go to open the door. When I get there, I'm stunned to see JoJo. She's only come to visit the one time. But out of the Grimm triplets, she's my favorite.

"Hey, your mom told me you were staying here. Wanted to stop by. Check on you. Maybe catch up if you’re up to it?”

I need the distraction.

“Sure, come in."