CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Joel started down the back stairs toward the kitchen as Vivi got dressed. It was time to feed his woman and their child. Laughing to himself, he realized how much his life had changed in three weeks. He’d come down here as a man who had no interest in a relationship, to protect a woman who made him crazy. Now, he was more than a little in love and had a baby on the way. The more he admitted it to himself, the better he felt. The strain of ignoring his feelings wasn’t something that he needed to carry around anymore. Something his partner Max had told him a year ago stuck in his head. He explained that falling in love with his wife was the easiest thing he’d ever done because he accepted his feelings immediately. It might be time to take a page from that book and do the same thing. Every time he quit resisting what was happening, the pain in his heart eased. Rubbing his chest, he realized how relaxed he felt. Loving Vivi wasn’t going to be difficult. Resisting the forces that were pulling them together would be, and he had no interest in that.
Stepping into the kitchen, he heard a screech of tires on the street. That didn’t make sense, because this was a quiet residential street and it was seven in the morning. Just as he was about to investigate, the alarm went off and the front windows exploded.
Skidding to the ground, he pulled his weapon out and tried to see through the smoke and haze. He saw a bottle fly through the smoke and knew instantly they were being assaulted by Molotov cocktails. Amateurs. Years and years of combat experience kicked in as he moved back around the wall. He slid his phone out and speed-dialed Ben.
Waiting for him to answer, he saw the front curtains go up in flames. Shit. Ben answered, and Joel spoke into the phone. “Hostiles at Vivi’s, two Molotovs through front window, fire, unknown number and location.”
“Clear to Buck’s, calling backup, fifteen minutes out,” Ben replied.
Shoving his phone into his pocket, he was about to step around the wall, when bullets started flying through the open window. Dropping to the ground again, he moved back toward the stairs. This was serous shit, and he needed to evacuate Vivi immediately. The sound of automatic rifles releasing their bullets echoed against the walls. The sharp sound and roar that followed told him that someone had gotten hold of a converted TEC-9. He knew those were capable of shooting a thousand rounds per minute if someone converted them properly. It sounded like there were two tangos firing into the house. “What the fuck is going on?”
He spun and ran toward the back stairs and saw Vivi standing there in shock. Her eyes were enormous, and she stood motionless. “Honey, we’re going over to Buck’s. Backup is on the way.” Nothing about her expression changed. “Shit.”
The sound of rounds exploding against the interior of the house filled the air. It reminded him of being in the sandbox, and it was as familiar to him as the sound of a car engine. But it wasn’t something that a normal human being could process. Especially in their home on a Saturday morning. Vivi’s reaction was extremely typical.
Grabbing her hand, he tugged her toward him. Stiffly, she remained in place. “Viv, I need you to move your feet. Nod if you can hear me.”
Nothing. “Viv, I’m going to pick you up.” Leaning into her, he lifted her over his left shoulder. “Here we go.” Turning, he moved down the stairs. The sound of bullets continued to assault their senses.
Before he made it to the back door, the bullets stopped flying. The sudden absence of sound was deafening. Joel heard the screech of car tires and figured the men had finally attracted enough attention. There had to be neighbors out by now. The smell of burning fabric and paint became overwhelming as Joel stepped out the back door. They were on the patio, near the pool, when he felt Vivi move against his back. He stopped.
“Let me down, Joel,” she croaked.
He let her slide down his front and held her. “We’re going to Buck’s.”
“Grab my purse and shoes by the back door.”
Taking a step toward the door, he grabbed both and slipped her shoes on her feet. “Let’s go.”
Nodding, she followed him. “Stay close, we’re going down the alley. I say drop, you drop.”
“Okay,” she quietly replied.
They moved along the back alley as Joel kept her against his left side. All his senses were sharp as he listened closely for the sound of footsteps. When they had come to town three weeks ago, they had set up an escape route for just this contingency. He knew it took four minutes to get to Buck’s, and it could be accomplished by two routes. He could see Buck’s back gate and knew they would arrive in another minute.
The only priority he had was keeping Vivi safe. And until she was inside, that couldn’t be accomplished. The gate creaked open, and he saw Buck’s butler, Fred, standing there. Ben must’ve called and warned them. As they got closer, Fred opened the gate and let them in. “Thanks, Fred.”
“We are all ready for you, Vivi. You come on into the house, and we’ll take care of you.”
Joel wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and she felt as cold as ice. “I think she needs a big blanket and a cup of tea. She’s fighting off the shock and could use a little help.”
“We can slip a bit of bourbon into the tea, and that will work right away.”
“No,” they said simultaneously.
Fred spun around and stared at them as they stood on the back porch.
Placing her hand gently on his arm, she patted him. “I’m pregnant, Fred.”
“Saints be praised, Vivi. I knew those babies were coming your way.”
Several tears slipped down her face, and Fred took her into his big arms and gently hugged her. “You’re safe, baby girl. Nothin’ is going to happen to you or those precious children.” He led her inside and turned to Joel. “I’ve got it from here. I will set all those fancy alarms that you installed, and we’ll stay here just as snug as a bug until we hear from you.”
The sound of sirens broke the peace of the morning quiet. “All right, Fred. I’m counting on you.” Kissing Vivi’s head, he smiled into her eyes. “You are safe and so is the baby. We are flying to Florida tonight, and nothing bad will happen to you.” When she nodded slightly, he kissed her again.
“I’ll be at the house. Call me if you need me.”
Fred saluted him and turned Vivi toward the house. “What a way to start a weekend,” Vivi muttered.
***
Joel jogged back to the house and remained alert. What just happened, was never going to again. If he had to take Vivi out of the country to keep her safe, then he would.
His phone buzzed, and he answered it. “Out front,” Ben barked.
“One minute out,” he replied. He jogged down the alley and came toward the house from the corner. The street was filled with emergency vehicles. Two firetrucks were parked directly in front of the house with an ambulance not far away. Several patrol cars blocked either end of the street, and Ben stood to the side, talking to Gideon.
“Is she okay?” Gideon asked as a greeting.
“She is fighting off shock. Fred is taking care of her, and she’s secured inside Buck’s house.” Seeing the front of Vivi’s house in flames pissed him off. How had they not seen this coming? Shoving his hands into his pockets, he started to analyze the information that had been coming in. There had to have been a clue in there somewhere. And he’d missed it.
“No way to predict this,” Ben stated. “I know you’re going over the information in your mind, and the possibility of this was never evident.”
“Kyle and Harris have pulled the images from the cameras that we mounted on the door and front gate. They are running it now through the programs. We are probably going to have answers before we land tonight.”
“Are you taking her to Florida?” Gideon asked.
“Absolutely. My house is completely secure, as is the office and her sister’s home. I can keep her safe there until we eliminate this threat. Once and for all.”
“This does not appear to be something the local guys are capable of,” Ben replied, as the last of the flames were doused.
“I agree,” Gideon commented. One of the patrolmen came up, and they stepped away.
Rocking back on his heels, Joel studied the front of the house. “It sounded like two tangos with TEC-9s that had been converted.”
“That’s serious firepower. Local guys don’t have the kind of cash to get ahold of those,” Ben replied. “Feels like the Latin Kings.”
“Agreed.” Flipping his phone over in his hand, he wondered if there was going to be smoke damage upstairs. “Once the scene is secure, can you bring Ruby over to pack some clothes for Viv? I don’t think she’s going to be able to go back into the house again. Also, I have to find someone to secure the house after the evidence is collected.”
“Why don’t you take Viv out as soon as you can, and I’ll stay here. I can secure the house and work with her mom on getting the repairs made. Then Ruby and I can drive down next week. She has some things to do before she moves, and I’m not going to leave her alone.”
“Sounds great. Thanks, man, for doing this.”
Shrugging, he waved a hand. “This is what we do. I’m as ready as you are to neutralize this thing.”
“My family is under fire, and this shit ends here.” Crossing his arms, he watched the firefighters enter the house. “Nobody puts them in harm’s way.”
“Congratulations, man. Ruby told me. I guess we’re not supposed to talk about it until the twelve-week mark, but it seems that the news isn’t going to stay quiet.”
“Viv isn’t going to be happy about it. But what can I do?” A smile started to form on his lips. “I’m going to be a dad. If that doesn’t beat all.” He felt his friend pound him on the back in congratulations.
“The kid is lucky. You and Viv are going to be great.”
“I hope so. Not going to lie to you…I’m a little nervous. But excited as hell.” His phone buzzed, and he checked it. “It’s Val, Vivi’s mom. I guess the news is out.” Stepping away, he took the call. “Yes, Val…”
***
Joel stepped back into the house after he’d checked on Viv. She was bundled up in a quilt, with Buck keeping a close eye on her. He was worried because Viv hadn’t said more than a dozen words since this morning. She was drinking tea and working on a square for a quilt that she had in progress. When he told her that they were flying to Florida, she barely reacted. Hearing the explosion and endless rounds of gunfire this morning must have thrown her into shock. Rubbing his head, he wondered if this had brought back the trauma of being in Somalia. Or if it was simply the cumulative effect of so many things happening in a short amount of time.
Her clinic had been in the middle of a faceoff of two warring gangs, then it was blown up, and then she found herself pregnant, and then this. Holy shit, what a crappy couple of weeks. Except for the baby. The baby was the best blessing in the world. And, by the looks of it, the thing that was going to save Vivi from sinking too far under the stress and anxiety of being under siege.
Making his way up the stairs, he remembered that was how Ronnie had first explained the situation to him. He’d written it off as Ronnie being dramatic. But, in fact, it was an accurate description of the situation. Entering the bedroom, he saw Ruby filling two large suitcases. “Thanks for coming over and doing this. I would have no idea what to pack.”
“It’s the least I can do. I’m just packing the basics and anything she has that has a stretchy waist. None of this is going to last long, and she’s going to need all new clothes anyway. We were lucky that the smoke damage was confined to downstairs.”
“There was no structural damage, according to the fire department. I think Val can put it back together fairly quickly.”
“There is no better person for the job than Val. How is Vivi doing?”
“Quiet. She’s eerily quiet and nonresponsive.”
“It’s too much,” Ruby responded. “When you get home, call Ana. I think she will know someone that can help Vivi work through this.”
“That’s a good idea, Ruby.” He lifted his own duffle and started shoving clothes into it. “I wouldn’t have thought of that.”
“I think Ana has a friend that helped Ronnie out last year after her accident. Viv had said something about it really helping her sister recover and deal with what was happening.”
“As soon as I get her settled and secure, I’ll call Ana and have her come over and talk to Viv.”
They were interrupted by Ben coming in. “You guys almost done here?”
“Yes, sweetie. After I’m done here, I’m going to pack some quilting supplies for her. Is there anything else that I should pack?”
“Can you look in her office and tell me what you think she’ll need?”
“Absolutely.”
Resting his hand on her shoulder, he gave her a small smile. “Thanks. I don’t know what she would do without you and Trinity.”
“We keep each other together. Always have…always will.”
Ben’s phone buzzed, and he answered it. “Got it. Thanks.” Shoving the phone into his pocket, he glanced up. “Plane is ready. The service fueled it and ran an initial check.”
“Thanks.” He zipped his bag closed and glanced around the room. “I’m going to load this into the truck. Leave the rest of it, and I’ll come up and get it as soon as you’re done.”
“You got it,” Ben replied.
Joel made his way down the back staircase and ran into one of the CSI techs. “Are you guys almost done?”
“We have everything we need. I don’t know how you all survived the assault. I haven’t seen anything like this in a long time.”
“This is what the hand of God looks like. There is no other explanation for how we both came out of this unharmed.”
The tech nodded solemnly and walked out of the kitchen. As Joel stepped into the dining room, he saw the floor littered with bullets. Shaking his head, he drew in a long breath. He and Vivi were extraordinarily lucky, and there wasn’t going to be a day that passed that he wasn’t going to remember that.
***
Vivi sat in the truck as Joel loaded the plane. He kept sliding his gaze over to her to make sure that she was okay. Okay being a relative term. When she started to process what happened, it was going to be a storm of epic proportions. The look in her eyes reminded him of some of the way his team mates appeared after a particularly difficult mission. The way a person handled things varied as much as individual personalities. There was no way to predict what was going through Vivi’s mind and heart. The best that he could do was keep her safe, eliminate the threat, and hold her through the storm. And…love her. That was going to be the easiest part, because it turned out that he didn’t even have to think about it. His love for her was a part of him like his beating heart, and he would hold on to her as much as she would let him. Correction, it didn’t matter if she let him or not. He was going to do it and make sure that she came out of this whole and happy.
The only hint of emotion she displayed the whole day was when she hugged her parents and Buck as they were leaving. Her mama whispered something in her ear, and a single tear rolled down Vivi’s beautiful face.
The last bag was loaded and secured, and he opened the passenger door. Vivi had the classical music station playing as she was working on the same square that she had been all day. Running his finger over the fine-looking stitching, he smiled. “Any patient who has you as a doctor is lucky. That is beautiful work.”
Glancing up, she studied the plane. “What kind of plane is that?”
Okay, not going to talk about being a doctor. Moving on. “That is a Cessna Citation CJ4. She’s light and fast and has decent range for a plane her size. Also it’s certified for a single pilot, so it allows us to be flexible when we take her out.”
Tucking her work into a bag, she patted his hand. “Let’s go, Joel. I’m ready…”
“Waiting for more, he realized that was all she was capable of getting out. “Let’s go home, honey.” And he meant that in every sense of the word. He was taking her to Florida and had no real plans to bring her back anytime soon. As far as he was concerned, their life was going to be there. Unless she had a reason to come back here. Sure, they would visit family as often as she wanted, but he was hoping that she would consider his idea a good one.
“Did you get the box of food that Mama packed for us?”
“I did. I set it next to the couch. You can take a nap, and we’ll be in Miami in about two hours. Weather looks good, so we should make good time.”
Holding his hand out, he helped her out and led her up the stairs to the plane. “You need anything, honey?”
“What about the truck? Are you going to leave it there?”
“No. One of the guys from the service is going to run it over to the car rental place later on.” Glancing around, he noticed that they’d had the plane cleaned. “There are drinks in the fridge and maybe snacks.” She chose to sit on the couch and dropped her bags next to it. “You can come sit up front if you want. Keep me company.”
“Maybe in a little bit. You go on, and don’t worry about me.”
Leaning over, he kissed her head. “Not possible, Viv.”
“I’m fine. Go do your pilot things and fly us home.”
“You got it.” Stepping away, he closed the hatch and secured it. He gave her one last glance and then went into the cockpit and started prepping for the flight.
They had been in the air for an hour and the sun was starting its slow descent. Mother Nature never failed to amaze him “Hey, Viv, come on up and watch the sunset with me.” He waited a moment or two and didn’t hear a response. Shrugging, he figured she was sleeping. According to the reading he’d done, it was important for pregnant women.
“Am I going to distract you if I’m up here?” Viv stepped cautiously into the cockpit and looked around. “I want you to concentrate on what you’re doing.”
“You won’t distract me. Unless you take all your clothes off and shake your groove thing. Barring that, I should be fine.” He watched a small smile play on her lips. “So control yourself and don’t start peeling off your clothes.”
Sitting in the chair next to him, she answered. “I’ll do my best. But I don’t want to make a promise that I might not be able to keep.”
Covering her hand with his, he grinned. “It’s all I can ask.”
“It’s an amazing show up here. I’ve never seen a sunset from this vantage point.”
“Seeing this reminds me that everything is still possible. I know it intellectually most days, but experiencing something like this never hurts.”
“I agree.” Leaning back, she stared out the window at the colors melting together. “Don’t be scared, Joel.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m a doctor; I know what is happening to me. I’ve experienced a series of traumatic events, and what happened today was too much for me to process. So, I’ve shut down. It’s the way the body and mind protect themselves. It’s true of a physical trauma as well as a psychological trauma. There is only so much a human can deal with at any given time. Hearing the guns this morning brought me back to Somalia. For several minutes, I thought I was there again.”
“I’m sorry, honey. I should have eliminated the threat before they came after you like that.”
“That’s rubbish, Joel. It was coming regardless of what we did. The only thing that would’ve prevented it was going to the moon.”
“I would’ve done that gladly.”
“I know. I’m hoping that this provides the missing information, and the mystery of who is after me can finally be solved.”
“It will be solved. And in the meantime, you’re going to be fully protected at home. No one will get near you again.”
“Is your house secure?”
“You have no idea, honey.” Patting her hand, he nodded. “The only thing I’m missing is a security dog. And that will be taken care of next week.”
“I like dogs. As long as they don’t chew my shoes.”
“No shoes will be harmed in the protecting of Vivi DuMond. Don’t you worry.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For everything. Protecting me and the clinic, putting up with my fussing, cooking me meals, and giving me what I want most in the world. A baby. You’re not such a growly bear after all.”
“I still growl, but it’s only when we’re in bed and naked. But you seem to like it, so I have no plans to stop.” He took a moment to check the computers and adjusted the speed slightly as they were about to pass through some turbulence. “What can I do to help you through this, Viv?”
“It’s all on me, Joel. One step at a time.”
“I’m here, Viv.”
“I know, and I might not always be able to tell you…but, thank you.”
Leaning over, he stole a quick kiss. The last of the sun disappeared over the horizon. “Welcome home, honey.” He pointed to a distant group of lights. “That’s where we’re headed.”
“Looks good to me.”