A little over two hours, Jake pulled his car in front of the house. It was a two-story home. Getting out of the car, he looked around and made mental notes of the area. To the right were two mobile homes surrounded by trees and shrubbery. To the left of the house was a smaller house with a garage. From what he could tell, there was a lake behind the house. Jake walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. No answer and the door was locked. He looked in the kitchen window and saw no lights on in the house.
Jake drew his gun out his holster and walked around the back of the house. He could smell something burning. Carefully, he turned the corner and saw there was a fire going in a portable fireplace. He saw Andi curled up on a lounger, staring at the lake.
"You can put your gun away," Andi said. "There's no one here."
Putting his gun back in its holster, Jake walked up to her. "I could've been Marsters," he stated.
"Moochie would've let me known," she replied, "and I'm always prepared." Andi moved the blanket that was around her to show the ASP lying in her lap.
"Moochie?" he asked.
"Moochie," she replied, pointing under the table. Jake followed her finger and saw a 150-pound Rottweiler eyeing him. "He's a good judge of a person's character. If you meant any harm, he would have made his presence known."
"Well?" he asked.
"Well what?" she asked, "I take it since you drove the two hours out here, Paul told you everything and you're taking upon yourself to get involved, but I don't want you to. Follow me and I'll show you to your room. You can leave in the morning."
"He did and I'm not leaving," he stated.
Andi got up and opened the sliding glass door. Hearing the door open, Moochie looked up at his mistress and then looked at Jake. Satisfied that his mistress was safe, Moochie put his head down and went back to sleep. Jake followed her in the house. He made sure the sliding door was locked. He stopped in the living room and watched Andi place the ASP on the fireplace mantel.
"Well?" Jake asked again.
Ignoring his question yet again, Andi started to give a quick tour of the house. "Downstairs has a sliding glass door, always locked. Three bedrooms upstairs, two have balconies with sliding glass doors. One bathroom. Living room, kitchen and Master bedroom and another bathroom is down here. You can have your pick of any room," she explained.
"Andi, stop." he growled, "Why?"
Fed up with his asking, Andi slammed down the silverware and turned and faced Jake. "Why? You want to know why?" she asked.
"Yes." he stated.
"Why I didn't tell you who my stepfather was?" she laughed. "I'm sure Paul already told you why."
"He did," Jake confirmed, "but why didn't you tell me?"
"Not the simplest thing to bring up in conversation, is it?" she snapped, "And when should I have brought it up? At the gun range? When we were working out? As I'm hitting the punching bag I say 'By the way, I'm being stalked by some crazed jerk hired by someone who would love to get even with you and the man that you can't stand is my stepfather?' I didn't ask for your help and I don't want it."
"We're on the same team."
"I'm not a member of your team," she yelled. "I don't belong to any team. The team I belonged to was in Los Angeles. I had a life there, not much of a life, but a life." Andi ranted, "I was transferred to Chicago, to be a glorified clerk, which was not my choice, to be kept safe. I didn't want this."
"Why?"
"It was safer that way in case Marsters or Sonny found me, he couldn't use any of you against me," she explained. She wanted to scream at Jake, asking him if that was the only phrase he knew. "Damn Cody for being so nice to me. He made me feel welcomed. He wouldn't take no for an answer to get to know me. And I liked it a lot better when Donovan disliked me."
"Feel better?" he asked.
"What?" she asked him.
"Feel better now after getting that off your chest?" he asked again, grinning.
It dawned on Andi that Jake got her to admit her feelings. "You're unbelievable." she yelled throwing her hands up. Jake always knew how to get her talk and express herself when she didn't want to. Andi turned and walked out the door. Jake followed her out the door.
"Where are you going?" he asked walking behind her.
"Away from you." she hissed.
"Andi, it's not safe," he said grabbing her arm.
Andi grabbed his wrist and flipped Jake onto his back. "Don't touch me," she hissed.
Jake looked up and saw Moochie staring at him. He sat up and watched Andi stalk off to the boat launch. "What the hell are you looking at me for?" he growled at the dog. "Keep her safe." Jake watched as Moochie chased after his mistress.
Jake heard his cell go off. He fumbled around looking for it. "Shaw," he gasped into the phone.
"Is everything okay Jake?" Donovan asked.
"Oh great," Jake replied standing up, "Andi welcomed me with open arms. I hope she welcomes you the same way."
"We're about forty-five minutes away. Think you'll be okay until we get there?" Donovan asked.
"Oh sure, I think I can find some rope to tie her up with if needed." Jake said watching Andi walk towards him.
"I'm going to the amusement park." she huffed walking past Jake.
"What did she say?" Donovan asked.
"She said she's going to the amusement park. Hold on." Jake said running after Andi. "Where are you going?"
"Across the street. Is that Donovan?" Andi asked taking the phone from Jake, "How far are you? Fine, there's a fake rock in the garden next to the front door. The spare key is in it. Make yourself at home while I go have some fun. No, you listen, Ghost Man, I'm going to have fun. Here Jake, he wants to talk to you."
"Thanks." he said taking the phone, "Okay, I will. I know. You don't have to remind me. I said I'd watch her. Just hurry up and get here before I do something I might regret."
"Oh, did the nasty boss man yell at you?" Andi smiled, "Come on, let's go."
Jake walked around the house, making sure everything was secure before they headed to the Boardwalk. "Are you sure you want to go?" he asked.
"What's the matter?" Andi asked, "Afraid to have some fun?" She laughed and took off running across the road. It was only a five-minute walk from her house to the Boardwalk.
They walked around watching the kids on the rides. They stopped to get something to drink. "This doesn't seem like you." Jake observed.
"What makes you say that?" she asked, "I admit, I'm a city girl, but this place relaxes me. This is where I used to go those two weeks every summer. I know this place better than anyone else."
"Not many people." he noted.
"The weekends are when it's busy. I like it when there's hardly anyone here." she smiled, spotting the haunted house. "Come on." She grabbed his hand and led him there.
"We don't have time for this." Jake protested.
"There's always time for fun." she laughed running into the haunted house.
"Andi," he called, watching her run. He proceeded to go look for her.
Jake walked through the house. The effects were cheesy, but meant to amuse smaller children than scare them. After a few twists and turns he ended up in a room full of doors. He tried the first door and it led to a wall. Same with the second and third try. "When I get out of here, I'm going to strangle her." Jake muttered. Taking a deep breath before trying another door, Jake heard the door next to him start to open. He grabbed the door and yanked it open.
"Hey, easy, it's me." Andi laughed, holding her hands up signaling her surrender.
"Time to go." Jake stated, "The others should be at the house by now. Which door leads out?"
'They know where to get the key to make themselves at home. I'm not ready to go back," she pouted.
"Stop acting like a child." he said trying to find the way out.
"I just want to have a little fun before I die," she stated.
Jake turned and faced Andi. "You're not doing to die," he swore.
"Oh come, Jake," she said with tears in her eyes, "I've come to accept the fact Marsters is going to kill me. He's been after me for awhile now."
Jake grabbed her by her shoulders. He wanted to shake some sense into her. "You're not going to die," he repeated.
"Don't make promises you can't keep." Andi whispered, as the tears started to fall.
Jake cupped Andi's face and wiped the tears away with his thumb. Jake leaned closer and pressed his lips against hers. "Sonny's men won't get to you," he promised against her lips. Jake deepened the kiss and explored Andi's mouth.
Andi sighed and slid her hands inside Jake's shirt. She felt his hand cup her breast and felt his other hand brush along her ribcage. Andi couldn't help laughing and lost her balance. She tried to regain her balance but ended up stumbling back into the closet.
Jake pulled Andi close and started to trail kisses from her ear down her neck.
"Jake, you're vibrating," Andi sighed. She laughed as Jake grunted in acknowledgment. "Seriously Jake, your phone is vibrating."
"Who cares," Jake smiled, kissing her neck, "it's probably Donovan telling us they're at the house."
"Moochie, where did you put her?" Andi asked trying to regain her senses.
"She was sleeping on the back patio why?" Jake asked slowly realizing the answer to the question, "We better go before he kills the dog."
Jake and Andi ran out of the Haunted House and made their way back towards the house. In the driveway they could see the van, but no one was around.
"Moochie," Andi yelled, "come here you mood killer."
Jake jumped a little as his leg started to vibrate again, "Shaw," he answered.
"Cujo has us trapped on the boat." Donovan growled, "You have five seconds before I shoot it."
Andi ran towards the edge of the water and grabbed the dog. "She won't hurt you. Honest." she yelled.
"Sure," Cody snapped stepping out of the boat, "tell it to my shoe. It ate it."
"I'm sorry," Andi laughed walking them back to the house.
"Lock the dog up." Donovan ordered, "We need to talk."
"What's wrong?" Jake asked, watching Andi put the dog in the bathroom.
"Marsters has been caught." Donovan replied.
"When?" Andi asked walking back into the room, "What about Sonny Walker?"
"Four hours ago in New York. He was never sent to kill you." Donovan answered.
"Then who?" Andi asked sinking into the nearest chair.
"Why don't you tell us?" Donovan asked. "And it better be the truth."
"I told you everything I know." Andi argued, "Everything that Bloom told me I told you."
"Sonny Walker never put a hit out on you to get to Jake or to Bloom." Alex added.
"Who did?" Jake asked.
"We don't know yet," Donovan replied, "but anything Bloom has told us has been a lie."
"If you'll excuse me," Andi said walking towards her room, "I need to lie down."
"You don't trust her." Jake stated.
"I don't," Donovan replied, "do you?"
"With my life." Jake growled.
"Good, then you can entrust ours with her too." Donovan said letting the dog out of the bathroom.
Jake drew his gun out his holster and walked around the back of the house. He could smell something burning. Carefully, he turned the corner and saw there was a fire going in a portable fireplace. He saw Andi curled up on a lounger, staring at the lake.
"You can put your gun away," Andi said. "There's no one here."
Putting his gun back in its holster, Jake walked up to her. "I could've been Marsters," he stated.
"Moochie would've let me known," she replied, "and I'm always prepared." Andi moved the blanket that was around her to show the ASP lying in her lap.
"Moochie?" he asked.
"Moochie," she replied, pointing under the table. Jake followed her finger and saw a 150-pound Rottweiler eyeing him. "He's a good judge of a person's character. If you meant any harm, he would have made his presence known."
"Well?" he asked.
"Well what?" she asked, "I take it since you drove the two hours out here, Paul told you everything and you're taking upon yourself to get involved, but I don't want you to. Follow me and I'll show you to your room. You can leave in the morning."
"He did and I'm not leaving," he stated.
Andi got up and opened the sliding glass door. Hearing the door open, Moochie looked up at his mistress and then looked at Jake. Satisfied that his mistress was safe, Moochie put his head down and went back to sleep. Jake followed her in the house. He made sure the sliding door was locked. He stopped in the living room and watched Andi place the ASP on the fireplace mantel.
"Well?" Jake asked again.
Ignoring his question yet again, Andi started to give a quick tour of the house. "Downstairs has a sliding glass door, always locked. Three bedrooms upstairs, two have balconies with sliding glass doors. One bathroom. Living room, kitchen and Master bedroom and another bathroom is down here. You can have your pick of any room," she explained.
"Andi, stop." he growled, "Why?"
Fed up with his asking, Andi slammed down the silverware and turned and faced Jake. "Why? You want to know why?" she asked.
"Yes." he stated.
"Why I didn't tell you who my stepfather was?" she laughed. "I'm sure Paul already told you why."
"He did," Jake confirmed, "but why didn't you tell me?"
"Not the simplest thing to bring up in conversation, is it?" she snapped, "And when should I have brought it up? At the gun range? When we were working out? As I'm hitting the punching bag I say 'By the way, I'm being stalked by some crazed jerk hired by someone who would love to get even with you and the man that you can't stand is my stepfather?' I didn't ask for your help and I don't want it."
"We're on the same team."
"I'm not a member of your team," she yelled. "I don't belong to any team. The team I belonged to was in Los Angeles. I had a life there, not much of a life, but a life." Andi ranted, "I was transferred to Chicago, to be a glorified clerk, which was not my choice, to be kept safe. I didn't want this."
"Why?"
"It was safer that way in case Marsters or Sonny found me, he couldn't use any of you against me," she explained. She wanted to scream at Jake, asking him if that was the only phrase he knew. "Damn Cody for being so nice to me. He made me feel welcomed. He wouldn't take no for an answer to get to know me. And I liked it a lot better when Donovan disliked me."
"Feel better?" he asked.
"What?" she asked him.
"Feel better now after getting that off your chest?" he asked again, grinning.
It dawned on Andi that Jake got her to admit her feelings. "You're unbelievable." she yelled throwing her hands up. Jake always knew how to get her talk and express herself when she didn't want to. Andi turned and walked out the door. Jake followed her out the door.
"Where are you going?" he asked walking behind her.
"Away from you." she hissed.
"Andi, it's not safe," he said grabbing her arm.
Andi grabbed his wrist and flipped Jake onto his back. "Don't touch me," she hissed.
Jake looked up and saw Moochie staring at him. He sat up and watched Andi stalk off to the boat launch. "What the hell are you looking at me for?" he growled at the dog. "Keep her safe." Jake watched as Moochie chased after his mistress.
Jake heard his cell go off. He fumbled around looking for it. "Shaw," he gasped into the phone.
"Is everything okay Jake?" Donovan asked.
"Oh great," Jake replied standing up, "Andi welcomed me with open arms. I hope she welcomes you the same way."
"We're about forty-five minutes away. Think you'll be okay until we get there?" Donovan asked.
"Oh sure, I think I can find some rope to tie her up with if needed." Jake said watching Andi walk towards him.
"I'm going to the amusement park." she huffed walking past Jake.
"What did she say?" Donovan asked.
"She said she's going to the amusement park. Hold on." Jake said running after Andi. "Where are you going?"
"Across the street. Is that Donovan?" Andi asked taking the phone from Jake, "How far are you? Fine, there's a fake rock in the garden next to the front door. The spare key is in it. Make yourself at home while I go have some fun. No, you listen, Ghost Man, I'm going to have fun. Here Jake, he wants to talk to you."
"Thanks." he said taking the phone, "Okay, I will. I know. You don't have to remind me. I said I'd watch her. Just hurry up and get here before I do something I might regret."
"Oh, did the nasty boss man yell at you?" Andi smiled, "Come on, let's go."
Jake walked around the house, making sure everything was secure before they headed to the Boardwalk. "Are you sure you want to go?" he asked.
"What's the matter?" Andi asked, "Afraid to have some fun?" She laughed and took off running across the road. It was only a five-minute walk from her house to the Boardwalk.
They walked around watching the kids on the rides. They stopped to get something to drink. "This doesn't seem like you." Jake observed.
"What makes you say that?" she asked, "I admit, I'm a city girl, but this place relaxes me. This is where I used to go those two weeks every summer. I know this place better than anyone else."
"Not many people." he noted.
"The weekends are when it's busy. I like it when there's hardly anyone here." she smiled, spotting the haunted house. "Come on." She grabbed his hand and led him there.
"We don't have time for this." Jake protested.
"There's always time for fun." she laughed running into the haunted house.
"Andi," he called, watching her run. He proceeded to go look for her.
Jake walked through the house. The effects were cheesy, but meant to amuse smaller children than scare them. After a few twists and turns he ended up in a room full of doors. He tried the first door and it led to a wall. Same with the second and third try. "When I get out of here, I'm going to strangle her." Jake muttered. Taking a deep breath before trying another door, Jake heard the door next to him start to open. He grabbed the door and yanked it open.
"Hey, easy, it's me." Andi laughed, holding her hands up signaling her surrender.
"Time to go." Jake stated, "The others should be at the house by now. Which door leads out?"
'They know where to get the key to make themselves at home. I'm not ready to go back," she pouted.
"Stop acting like a child." he said trying to find the way out.
"I just want to have a little fun before I die," she stated.
Jake turned and faced Andi. "You're not doing to die," he swore.
"Oh come, Jake," she said with tears in her eyes, "I've come to accept the fact Marsters is going to kill me. He's been after me for awhile now."
Jake grabbed her by her shoulders. He wanted to shake some sense into her. "You're not going to die," he repeated.
"Don't make promises you can't keep." Andi whispered, as the tears started to fall.
Jake cupped Andi's face and wiped the tears away with his thumb. Jake leaned closer and pressed his lips against hers. "Sonny's men won't get to you," he promised against her lips. Jake deepened the kiss and explored Andi's mouth.
Andi sighed and slid her hands inside Jake's shirt. She felt his hand cup her breast and felt his other hand brush along her ribcage. Andi couldn't help laughing and lost her balance. She tried to regain her balance but ended up stumbling back into the closet.
Jake pulled Andi close and started to trail kisses from her ear down her neck.
"Jake, you're vibrating," Andi sighed. She laughed as Jake grunted in acknowledgment. "Seriously Jake, your phone is vibrating."
"Who cares," Jake smiled, kissing her neck, "it's probably Donovan telling us they're at the house."
"Moochie, where did you put her?" Andi asked trying to regain her senses.
"She was sleeping on the back patio why?" Jake asked slowly realizing the answer to the question, "We better go before he kills the dog."
Jake and Andi ran out of the Haunted House and made their way back towards the house. In the driveway they could see the van, but no one was around.
"Moochie," Andi yelled, "come here you mood killer."
Jake jumped a little as his leg started to vibrate again, "Shaw," he answered.
"Cujo has us trapped on the boat." Donovan growled, "You have five seconds before I shoot it."
Andi ran towards the edge of the water and grabbed the dog. "She won't hurt you. Honest." she yelled.
"Sure," Cody snapped stepping out of the boat, "tell it to my shoe. It ate it."
"I'm sorry," Andi laughed walking them back to the house.
"Lock the dog up." Donovan ordered, "We need to talk."
"What's wrong?" Jake asked, watching Andi put the dog in the bathroom.
"Marsters has been caught." Donovan replied.
"When?" Andi asked walking back into the room, "What about Sonny Walker?"
"Four hours ago in New York. He was never sent to kill you." Donovan answered.
"Then who?" Andi asked sinking into the nearest chair.
"Why don't you tell us?" Donovan asked. "And it better be the truth."
"I told you everything I know." Andi argued, "Everything that Bloom told me I told you."
"Sonny Walker never put a hit out on you to get to Jake or to Bloom." Alex added.
"Who did?" Jake asked.
"We don't know yet," Donovan replied, "but anything Bloom has told us has been a lie."
"If you'll excuse me," Andi said walking towards her room, "I need to lie down."
"You don't trust her." Jake stated.
"I don't," Donovan replied, "do you?"
"With my life." Jake growled.
"Good, then you can entrust ours with her too." Donovan said letting the dog out of the bathroom.
