Shout-out to my reviewers:
probably a reader: Any chance I can lure you back?
Ghostwriter: You are awesome to think I'm really good at the steamy scenes, so thank you!
Mistra Rose: I hope you'll come back soon to review!
Puck and Rachel fan: Thank you!
Previously, in "Persuasive Tactics", Maggie and Jubal make love after the ordeal of their kids being held hostage.
Chapter Eight
Jubal had learned long ago, after his first ex-wife Ramona gave birth to Juliet and let him have full custody of her, to sleep with one eye open during the night.
But now, in the months since Maggie and her precocious as ever twin girls have moved in with Jubal and his bunch, he finds himself unable to sleep. Grabbing the true crime mystery from the nightstand on his side of the bed he now shares with a currently sleeping Maggie, his ears pick up on a sound that didn't fit with barking dogs or chirping crickets.
The quiet ticking continues as Jubal reaches out to shake Maggie's shoulder in a firm and gentle manner. "Go wake the kids up and tell them to grab their favorite books," he says in a soft murmur. Maggie nods in a quick but confused and silent manner, doing as he asked her to, getting dressed in a timely fashion before rushing upstairs.
Minutes later Maggie returns with all six of their kids in tow, each of them clutching a single book in their hands with the exception of Juliet. Jubal hides a smirk but still shakes his head at his nearly college-age daughter. "What? You know I can't choose just one, Dad!"
Jubal smiles in response, leaning over to press an affectionate kiss to her forehead. "I know, sweetie. You know I like to tease and give you a hard time about it."
His oldest daughter nods and smiles before Jubal focuses his attention on Maggie, locking eyes with her. Leaning in closer to her, he says in a quiet tone against the skin of her temple, "There's a bomb outside the patio door. I'm going to type in a code that will protect the entire house and I need you to pay attention to the code."
Maggie nods then hands the sleeping form of Mattie off to Juliet before leaning in closer with her boyfriend in order to watch his typing. Jubal brings her hand up to help with the typing, ripping muffled laughter from Maggie and making Jubal smile in response.
6-0-8-7-1-3-1-5-1-7-1-8
Once the code is typed in, Jubal takes a step back then listens for the familiar whirring sounds of things protecting his house.
And then Maggie's cell phone ringing interrupts the silence between the Bell-Valentine families. Glancing at the caller I.D., Maggie then looks at Jubal with wide and frightened eyes. Maggie frowns as the ringing stops abruptly. Jubal quickly escorts their kids and Maggie into the safe room before entering the previous code in backwards, waiting until the door shuts behind him and making his way over to one of the monitors that Maggie finally takes notice of. "Track Maggie's last phone call," Jubal says into the monitor's screen.
"On it, boss," Maggie hears the voice of Ian Lim say in response. "Also, hi everyone."
"Hey," every one of the Valentine children say from their respective corners.
Maggie is lost in her confused, curious world of thoughts when something tugs on the bottom of her cardigan sweater. Glancing down Maggie sees both of her daughters standing in front of her. "Mommy, Abigail says we can go play in the playroom," Jillian, the older of her precocious twins, tells her mother.
"Yes, okay, but everything you two get out has to be put back where you got it from," Maggie tells both of her daughters in a firm but fair tone. They nod and hug Maggie's legs before rushing off to play.
Ian, in the meantime, has traced the last call on Maggie's phone and relays the information to Jubal. Nearby, without knowing what's going on with their father or Maggie, Juliet has Abigail in her lap and is reading the first chapter of Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo while their brothers are working on their homework.
Maggie frowns at this, which Jubal notices. Approaching her with such wonderfully practiced stealth, Jubal places a gentle hand on her shoulder; giving her a soft smile from beneath the full-on facial hair. "I make sure they have duplicate copies in case of emergency like now."
"Dad?" Juliet speaks nearby. "Jack just sent me a text. He said his family would be glad to help find out who's targeting members of your unit and Uncle Clinton's unit. He also says that a couple of other units are willing to help too, including two cops from Chicago."
"Thanks, sweetheart," Jubal replies, pulling a still confused Maggie to his side. "The more help we can get, the better our chances are of finding this guy."
"What's going on?" the still very confused Maggie asks.
Jubal leads her toward a door with a placard reading "Office". Stepping inside with his hand holding Maggie's, their fingers lightly intertwined, Jubal shuts the door until there's only the slightest crack left separating himself and Maggie from their children. "I didn't want to be the one to tell you this but your sister has run away from home, Maggie. She's also M.I.A. We think someone we apprehended a few years ago has taken her as an act of revengeful vendetta against us. We also wanted to keep you in the dark until she was found safely."
Maggie chokes back a sob building up in her chest. "She…she tried to contact me. Right after you brought us in here."
"Which is a good thing, Maggie. It means that she's still alive and that she's a fighter. Just like her big sister." Jubal grips the upper part of his girlfriend of nearly two years' arms with firm, gentle hands. Maggie also clutches at his forearms in return, torn between the emotional balance of bursting into an angry rant or crying her eyes out among the cotton fiber material confines of Jubal's shirt.
Both options seem like a good idea to Maggie if Jubal's phone hadn't rang at that very moment. He answers before reaching out to shut the door, gesturing for Maggie to take the phone for him. She does so then watches as he goes around switching on monitors. All six of their kids appear on the screens but that it isn't the only thing to catch their attention. On a monitor that lets Jubal see outside his house, a couple sit in a van across the street and Jubal lets out a sight of relief. "Jubal?" Maggie asks, confusion seeping back in."
"That's our back-up. Say hello to Danny Reagan and Jackie Curatola," Jubal says, taking back his phone and putting it on speaker. "Thanks for getting her so quickly, you two. I know I'm out of your jurisdiction but…"
Jackie interrupts him, the tone of her voice soft and gentle. "Anything to help someone else in law enforcement, as well as…"
Danny remains silent but gave his new bride a firm look. His son's love life wasn't up for discussion, even if Jack was dating the eldest daughter of an FBI agent. "We'll keep an eye out for this guy, Jubal."
"It's appreciated, Danny." The two men hang up.
Maggie watches Jubal while he rolls his shoulders as if he's trying to let go of some absorbed tension. "What's wrong?" she asked, her voice soft.
"I don't think Danny approves of his son and Juliet's relationship. He makes up some kind of excuse to get out of meeting me in person even though I'm doing my best to make an effort." Jubal lets out a heavy sigh. "I just feel like I'm failing her, Maggie. She's had to watch me go through two rocky and failed marriages, and I don't want to put anyone through that again, including you."
"I'll land on my own two feet, Jubal, and I'm not fragile," Maggie says.
"I hate to break up the therapy session but we've got movement on the east side of your house," Danny's gruff voice says through their communication connection.
Jubal turns to look at a set of cameras that face the east side of his house. A flash of deep auburn and cocoa brown get closer, and Jubal blinks. "Jubal?" Maggie asks.
"Jubal, we're here to make sure the kids are taken somewhere safe," his sister; sweet, gentle, kind-hearted Abiola says into the colored grain of the camera.
Down the street in a dark, unmarked van, narcotics crime lord Richard Wheatley smirks to himself as he watches the scene unfold. "They won't be safe for very long," Richard says to himself before looking at the group of men with him. "You know what to do."
They all nod and disperse once they've climbed out of their boss' van, the last guy closing the door behind themselves.
This is going to be fun, Richard thinks to himself as the smirk returns to his face.
Books mentioned:
Just as Long as We're Together – Judy Blume (1987) [Juliet]
To Catch a Killer – Sheryl Scarborough (2017) [Juliet]
Out at Home – Cal Ripken Jr. with Kevin Cowherd (2015) [Jordan]
Survival Tails – Katrina Charman (2018) [Tyler]
Flora & Ulysses – Kate DiCamillo (2013) [Abigail]
One Fish, Two Fish – Dr. Seuss (1960) [Jillian]
Green Eggs & Ham – Dr. Seuss (1960) [Mattie]