Chapter 13

36 hours later

Elwood's Diner

Portland Oregon

The past day and a half has been hell for Mac. It wasn't that Jamie was treating her badly… aside from the fact that he had blackmailed her into leaving with him… no, it was hell because Mac knew that Harm was most likely going out of his mind worrying about Mattie and she felt that it was partly her fault, simply because Jamie had been her friend. Mac was pretty angry at herself at the moment. She knew logically that what happened wasn't her fault. She had no idea that Jamie was a nutcase. It's not like he was a guy she just met… he was her childhood friend who was very dear to her… or rather who had been very dear to her.

Now, she found herself in some random diner in the middle of Oregon, passing the time while her 'captor' decided what to do next. It was clear to Mac that Jamie didn't really plan beyond getting her to agree to go with him. Mac was nibbling on her waffle as she wracked her brain trying to think of a way to contact Harm and at least let him know what was going on. She couldn't come up with anything that didn't risk Mattie's life.

"Do you want some more?" Jamie asked, looking at her almost-finished waffle.

"No, thanks," Mac answered without looking up.

"Oh c'mon, I know you have a bigger appetite than that."

It annoyed Mac to no end how casually Jamie talked to her. He was acting as if they were two friends sharing a meal. Did he somehow forget that he practically kidnapped her?

"Well, forgive me, Jamie, but I don't exactly have my usual appetite."

"Don't be so difficult, Sarah. Besides, you might as well make the best out of the situation. It's not like you can do much else," Jamie said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Why haven't you called your guy and let him know that he can release Mattie?"

"Because I don't want you running away the moment I do."

"Well, considering it doesn't seem like you have any intention of ever letting me go, does that mean you're never going to let Mattie go either?" Mac said, raising her voice.

"Don't draw attention to us!" Jamie said, glaring at Mac. "As for Mattie, I'll let her go when I feel confident that you're not going to leave. And don't even think of putting on an act, remember, I know you, I've known you for over twenty years, I'll know whether or not you're acting."

"If you've hurt her in any way there'll be no place for you to hide… Harm will kill you. I can guarantee you that right now."

"You know, Sarah… it's interesting that during this whole time all you've been fretting about is Mattie and how worried Harm probably is. You've never once mentioned anything about him worrying about you… that says something you know."

"What are you babbling about?" Mac asked, irritably. She was clearly not in the mood for his games.

"It says that you know that he cares about Mattie a lot more than he does you. You talk about him as if you were nothing but an afterthought. See, Sarah, even if you won't admit it, your subconscious knows that Harm doesn't love you nearly as much as you love him."

"I'm not getting into this conversation with you," Mac said, wanting to put a halt to his whole line of thought, but a part of her needed to defend her relationship to Harm. "Besides, it's only logical that he would be more worried about Mattie than me. She's only a teenager, not to mention that with her injury, she's not as strong as she should be. I'm a Marine, I can take care of myself and Harm knows that."

"Whatever you say," Jamie said, nonchalantly, which infuriated Mac.

"Who do you think you are?! You have no right to question my relationship with anybody."

"I'm just passing the time," Jamie said, playing with his stir-stick. "Why did you marry him, Sarah? What is it about him that makes you love him so much?"

For a moment, Jamie seemed genuinely sad.

"Because he's a good man. He always does the right thing. He's noble, honourable and he never gives up. His tenacity is so admirable."

"You do realize that it's because of those same qualities that he's hurt you so much over the years. He couldn't give up on his obsession with his father… he was too noble to fight for you when that was what you wanted him to do… I could go on… believe me, I remember everything you told me about him throughout the years."

"Perhaps you're right, but nevertheless, I love him because of those qualities in him, not in spite of them."

"So it doesn't matter then to you that you were always the one to make the first move? That he only seemed to want you when he was losing you? For all those years, he didn't want you, but he didn't want anyone else to have you either. How fair was that?"

"That's not true! It was just never the right time. There was a lot of misunderstandings between us. We were both at fault."

"The truth is that you married a coward. He could never tell you that he loved you… hell, even that he wanted you!"

"Yeah, well no one's perfect… It's not like I was entirely forthcoming… And just for your information, he has told me that he loves me… he tells me everyday."

"You're so pathetic, Sarah. You're like an abandoned little puppy, grateful for any scrap of attention he gives you. You're so love-starved that you can no longer tell the difference between attention and love!"

Mac felt like she'd been slapped. Jamie's words echoed true in her heart. It was the reason she ended up with Mic in the first place. She had felt that Harm didn't love her and as a result, she convinced herself that Mic did because of all the attention he had showered on her. It wasn't that Mic didn't love her, because he did… but it was his attention that she revelled in.

"That was a mean thing to say, Jamie. I didn't deserve that," Mac said, staring out the window, not wanting him to see the tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"You deserve the truth. That's all it was. But I understand that the truth hurts."

After a few moments, after Mac gathered herself, she asked Jamie if she could use the ladies' room.

"Fine, but make it quick. And remember don't think about trying anything… remember, Mattie's life is in your hands."

"As if I could forget," Mac said, sardonically.

A few minutes after Mac disappeared to the washroom, Jamie noticed the news broadcast on the TV.

The news reporter was standing on Harm and Mac's lawn. "The police are treating Col. MacKenzie's disappearance very seriously because of the attack she suffered at work a month ago… Her assailant was never apprehended and her husband believes that it was this man who kidnapped her."

A picture of Mac and Jamie then appeared on screen. Jamie recognized it as the one that was taken when he had dinner with them.

"A neighbour of Col. MacKenzie who was the last to see her, said that she was with this man. His name is Jamie Scott, he's 6'3.5" in height, blonde hair, blue eyes with an athlete's build. If anyone has any information…"

Jamie noticed the waitress staring at him and he quickly got up and headed to the ladies' room to get Mac.

5 minutes ago

Ladies' room

Mac couldn't believe her luck when she spotted a cell phone next to the sink. Someone must have forgotten it. She could call home without Jamie ever finding out. Mac quickly dialled her home phone number, praying to God that someone would be home.

After just one ring, someone picked up, "Hello?"

"Hello?"

"Oh my God, Mac?!"

"Mattie?! Is that you?! Are you alright? How did you get home?! Who's with you right now? How did you escape?" Mac couldn't seem to stop the barrage of questions.

"What are you talking about? Mac, where are you? We've got the police here, and they're working around the clock to find you!"

"Mattie, is Harm there?"

"He just stepped out with the detective a moment ago… I'll call him on his cell…"

"There's no time for that. Listen, Mattie, I want you to let Harm know that I'm in Elwood's Diner at 11615 SE Lexington St. Portland Oregon. Let Harm know that it was Jamie who --"

A knock on the door startled Mac and she dropped the phone.

"Sarah, hurry up we gotta get outta here!" Jamie yelled behind the door.

"Uhh… just a second," Mac yelled back.

She was trying to buy some time as she stepped on the toilet trying to gain some leverage so she can open the window just above the stall.

"We don't have a second, we have to go now!"

"Hang on!" Mac said.

She tried twisting the knob on the window, but it wouldn't budge. Cursing to herself, she looked around the room to see if there was anything she could break it with. There was nothing in the room. She tried opening the window again, and this time, she got it open. She started climbing out, but only got halfway out as she felt someone grab her legs.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Jamie roared throwing Mac on the ground.

Mac tried kicking him in the knee-cap but she was in an awkward position and he easily dodged it.

"I swear, your kid is dead!" Jamie said, grabbing her hair.

"You lied! You don't have her!" Mac screamed back.

She quickly got up and spun around with her elbow up catching Jamie in the chest. He staggered back not expecting the blow. Mac tried running for the door, but he grabbed hold of her shirt. Mac screamed trying to get someone out in the diner to hear, but the restroom area was pretty secluded. He spun her around and hit her across the face.

"Shut up!" Jamie yelled.

The force of his blow threw Mac against the wall. He tried the same move again, but she ducked down making him miss. Mac then threw a punch of her own, but it did very little other than to annoy Jamie.

Mac realized that she wasn't going to win this battle. Jamie towered over her and he outweighed her probably by a good 80lbs. He may not be a Marine, but he knew how to fight.

Angry at her for fighting back, Jamie shoved her against the wall. Mac, unwilling to give up the battle, tried kneeing him in the groin, but Jamie anticipated the move and easily dodged it. He grabbed Mac by the throat with his right hand and used his other hand and pulled a pistol from behind him and pointed it right at Mac's face.

Mac stared frozen at the gun, and all of a sudden a wave of memories came flooding back at her. She saw images of Jamie grabbing her, hitting her, pinning her to the backseat of a car and pointing a gun at her. A look of horror crossed Mac's face.

"Oh my God, it was you," Mac said in a whisper. "You were the one who attacked me."

Jamie saw the look of horror and disbelief across Mac's face and knew that she remembered. "Well congratulations… you finally got something right."

"Harm suspected you, but I wouldn't believe him… I didn't think you were capable…"

"Well, score one for your hubby I guess," Jamie said. Then cocking the gun, he said, "Now, as I was saying… it's time to go."

Meanwhile

Harm and Mac's house

San Diego, CA

Mattie stared in horror at the phone in her hand. She had heard the fight between Mac and Jamie. She heard Mac's screams and she heard things breaking. She heard Jamie hitting Mac. She was so stunned she didn't realize that Harm and the detective just walked through the door.

"Mattie, what's wrong," Harm asked.

"That was Mac on the phone," Mattie said, trembling. "She was talking to me, but then I think Jamie caught her… Oh, Harm I could hear them fighting. I heard them, he was hitting her. I heard Mac scream!"

The detective seeing just how scared and panicked Harm looked, decided to take the lead.

"Alright, Mattie calm down. Was Sarah able to tell you where they were?" Detective Summers asked.

"Yeah, she said they were in a diner. I forgot the address, but she said it was on Lexington St. in Portland."

"Mattie, is there anything else you can tell me after Mac and Jamie fought?" Harm asked, trying his best to stay calm for Mattie's sake.

"They fought hard, but then all of a sudden it just stopped. And I thought I heard Mac say 'it was you' and then I thought I could make out Jamie say something like 'it's time to go'."

"That's good, it probably means she's still alive," the detective said.

"Do you know where he's going to take her?" Harm asked.

"No, Mac never told me, and I didn't hear anything else."

"Ok, Mattie listen, call Jen and tell her to stay with you here. I don't want you alone right now, got it?"

"Yeah, what are you going to do?" Mattie asked.

"I'm gonna bring Mac home."

8 hours later

Some seedy Motel

Portland Oregon

After seeing the news on him and Mac, Jamie panicked. He found the cheapest motel he could find and hid out with Mac there. His whole plan was thrown out the window the moment Mac found out that he didn't have Mattie. He didn't anticipate a forgotten cell phone in the ladies' room when he let her out of his sight.

He now had Mac sprawled across the bed on her back with each of her wrists and ankles tied on a bedpost. He knew he was screwed. Other than the ropes tying Mac to the bed, he really had no hold on her. He had nothing to blackmail her with, other than her own life. He knew the cops were out to get him and his face was on newspapers everywhere with all the evening news taking turns showing his and her pictures.

"I think it's time to cut your losses, Jamie," Mac said.

"Oh yeah, and what would you have me do? Turn myself in?!"

"That's not such a bad idea… you haven't killed anyone."

"Yeah well, my life's over! Not to mention you're going to tell the authorities that I was the one who attacked you last month."

"Boo hoo, poor you," Mac said, sarcastically.

"Shut up!" Jamie said, walking over to Mac and striking her across the face. Jamie then sat on the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands.

"I just wanted you to love me. That was all… I had no idea it would go this far. I just wanted to be with you. I love you, Sarah! I would do anything for you! Why did you choose him?"

"You're a very sick man, Jamie. You need psychiatric help."

"No! This is all your fault! It's because of you that I'm in this mess," Jamie yelled.

"No, Jamie. You have no one to blame but yourself," Mac said, as if talking to a two-year-old.

"Fine, but if I'm going down, I'm going to at least enjoy myself before I do!"

Jamie straddled Mac. He began fondling her breasts. Then he started kissing her down her neck.

"Jamie, don't do this! You don't want to add rape to your charges! Stop!" Mac screamed.

"Oh c'mon, Sarah, I just want a taste of that tigress in bed. The one I see give herself to Harm every night," Jamie said, unbuttoning her shirt.

Mac struggled against her restraints, but it just served to give her rope burns. "You can take my body, but you can't take my heart."

"Well, beggars can't be choosers, I suppose," Jamie started unbuckling Mac's belt.

All of a sudden, the door was kicked open. Harm froze for a second staring and Mac and Jamie, then he lunged at Jamie knocking him to the floor. Jamie swung hard hitting Harm square on the jaw, but Harm had the advantage of pure rage. The hit barely fazed Harm and he took his turn and punched Jamie across the temple. Jamie fell down knocking the lamp and gun over the table. Jamie tried reaching for the gun, but Harm kicked it aside. He then took a piece of the broken shard from the lamp and tried slashing Harm with it, but Harm saw it coming and knocked it out of his arm, then kicking Jamie to the ground. Harm then picked him up, grabbed him by the collar and tried punching him again, but Jamie blocked his punch. He kicked Harm in the sternum knocking the wind out of him. Jamie then picked up the chair and lifted it over his head.

"No!" Mac screamed.

This was enough of a warning for Harm who kicked Jamie's legs from under him making him lose his balance and sending him crashing to the floor. With Jamie on the ground, Harm seized his advantage and began pounding on Jamie. Though Jamie's face was already a bloody mess, Harm couldn't bring himself to show him any mercy and he kept beating the crap out of him.

"Harm, stop, you're going to kill him!" Mac cried, but Harm was too lost in his own rage to really hear her.

It wasn't until several police officers burst into the room that two huge officers dragged Harm off of Jamie.

After the police officers let go of Harm, he quickly went to Mac and made sure she was alright.

"Jesus, Harm I can't leave you out of my sight for even a second!" Detective Summers said.

"I wasn't going to wait a minute longer while you and the Portland Police discuss jurisdiction!"

"Well, as you can see, we were only a few minutes behind you."

"A few more minutes and that scum would have raped my wife!" Harm said, helping the other officers untie Mac.

After the chaos died down and Harm and Mac were able to give their statements, Jamie was taken away. Harm was with Mac sitting in the back of an ambulance having just had their cuts and bruises treated.

"How did you find me?" Mac asked, resting her head on Harm's shoulder.

"Well, you gave Mattie enough information. When Detective Summers and I reached Portland, he came across some red tape, something about jurisdiction… Anyway, I went off on my own to that diner. The waitress there said she recognized you and Jamie from the TV. She got the license plate of the car. I then gave the license plate to the detective who was able to track down the car to the motel. He gave me the location over the phone, and told me to wait for him. Of course, I didn't, and that's how I beat the cops to you."

"I was so afraid you were going to kill him, Harm… I'd hate for our time together to be restricted to conjugal visits," Mac said, half jokingly.

"I think that if the cops hadn't shown up when they did… I may not have stopped until I killed him. Seeing you tied to that bed, him on top of you, your face bruised and cut… I just saw red," Harm said, holding Mac tighter to him.

"You were right you know. He was the one who attacked me last month. When he and I were fighting in the washroom, he pulled a gun on me and it all came flooding back."

"I'm so sorry, Mac," Harm said, not knowing what else to say.

"Don't be, I'm just glad that Mattie's safe and that I get to go home now."

"I can't believe that bastard used Mattie to try and blackmail you… Mac… I appreciate what you did to try and ensure Mattie's safety. I would do anything to keep her safe… but I would never accept it as a trade-off for losing you."

Mac was silent for a few moments letting his words sink in. The enormity of his words shocked her.

"Well, Harm, her safety is no longer just your concern alone. She's my daughter too now. I get a say too."

"I know… I just wish I could always keep my family safe. Jamie proved to me that I can't."

"Harm, please, don't beat yourself up over this. You found me… and just in time I might add. You're my hero," Mac said, teasingly.

"Aww Mac, cut it out," Harm said, blushing slightly.

Mac lifted her head from Harm's shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "Harm, I want to put all this behind us."

"Me too," Harm said, kissing Mac gently on the lips.

"I love you, Harm."

"I love you too, Mac," Harm said, hugging her. "Let's go home."

Stay tune for the epilogue!

Whew! I hope you guys enjoyed that rollercoaster ride! Thanks very much for those who stuck with me from beginning to end. I know I made it frustrating at times, but our dynamic duo ended up together at the end. Oh yeah, I gave Jamie a butt-whipping as per request, I hope you all liked it. I'll have the epilogue up, sometime this week. Cheers!