CHAPTER 29
Blooming Grounds was Meg’s flower shop, which resided on Main Street in town. It also happened to have a small coffee shop and bistro inside and served as a place to offer occasional wine and spirits tastings. Next door, Lydia owned the somewhat adjoining, indoor playground called Outside In
– despite now living in Portland.
The group gathered in the coffee shop while the kids were next door, so as not to startle them with what was happening around them. There was no way they were leaving the children home after this, even with a babysitter, so the babysitters came with them.
After the open house, they each arrived home to find a small fire on their patios, much like Jessie had come home to, weeks earlier. The difference was, each found a circle with a star in the center…painted on their houses.
Jessie had panicked. She knew exactly what it meant, and the guilt that coursed through her was nearly unbearable. She brought this to McKenzie; she made her friends targets. That’s exactly what his message was to her – he knew who she cared about – he knew who to hurt in order to hurt her. It was almost like a warning – they were next.
Oddly, Blake’s house was spared. Even Carly and Logan had found the fire and symbol at their place. Jason Bolton hadn’t been to Blake’s cabin. If he had, there would have been tripped alarms, but there were none. There wasn’t a fire. There wasn’t a symbol on his home. And, if Bolton had been watching, which he clearly had been, he knew Jessie was now staying at Blake’s. Finding his home spared struck him as odd.
Bolton had to have known that walking onto his property meant never walking off, or he really did plan to start with her special people first. Either way, Blake and Jessie could no longer keep everyone in the dark. It wasn’t fair – it wasn’t safe. They needed to be able to protect themselves as well as be protected.
Carigan O’Reilly Baker broke the ice after the kids were settled, “Let’s get down to it, shall we? I called my brothers first because, well, they’re my brothers. They wouldn’t tell me anything but sent me straight to Blake. They know something – I know that sound of panic in their voices, and those boys don’t panic.”
“They were right not to frighten you with the details. If I know them as well as I think I do, they’re all on their way here as we speak,” Blake said.
“I’d be surprised if they weren’t halfway here, too. So, what is it?” Carigan asked. “You and Jessie have been inseparable since the fire in her yard – her house caught fire, there have been fires all over town, and now you are livin’ together.”
“Don’t get me wrong; I’m glad you two are…together
,” Colton said, still finding it odd to see them together as a couple. “But, there’s more, isn’t there? Jessie had never stood in a burning building, paralyzed by fear, and as mouthy as she is…”
“Screw you, Sparks,” She said, snapping at him as her nerves got the best of her.
“I’ve never seen her react the way she did. You were running, Jess. Sure, it looked like you were giving the Chief a bunch of shit, but I know you. We’ve been partners on that engine since the beginning, and you’ve always run toward danger, not away from it.”
Staring at her hands, Jessie tried to find the courage to say what she needed to. Hearing her friend’s words, their assessments, meant she hadn’t been doing a very good job of hiding her pain and told her just how well they knew her. Guilt took hold of her. She was trying to hide something from the very people who deserved to know most, and it could have cost them dearly.
She wanted to outrun the fear fueled adrenaline she was feeling, but she couldn’t run. He marked them, and she’d be damned if she let him hurt them, too. Unless running would coax him to follow and free McKenzie Ridge from his cold, calculated grip.
A tiny high-pitched squeal caught her attention across the table from where she sat. Baby Erika interrupted the numbing silence by pitching a toddler worthy fit. There was no zero to ten – that kid went straight to ten. She held her little fist up by her face as usual, with a demanding expression that was getting her anything she wanted like the little badass she was.
Jessie couldn’t run. She couldn’t leave baby Erika any more than she could leave the rest of them behind. She needed them and liked to believe they needed her. It was time to tell them…everything. So, she did.
It took more time than she would have liked. A topic, such as that, garnered undivided attention as each person in the room was fixated on every detail, in total disbelief. Emotions ran high as she delivered her story – not a single dry eye around the table. One thing she felt and welcomed was their support. There was no pity or judgment in their tears, just genuine love, support and understanding. So much of who she was had been made clear to them now.
“So, how do we fix this? How can we help? Let’s…fix
this,” Meg said through her sniffles and tears.
“We start with security,” Declan O’Reilly said as he walked through the door, a sleeping Jax over his shoulder and tearful Lydia at his side.
“Wh-what are you guys doing here?” Jessie asked as Lydia went straight to her and wrapped her in a strong embrace.
“We were only halfway back to Portland when Carigan called. We left for home from the open house,” Lydia said.
“And, you came back?” Jessie asked in a near whisper. Lydia and Declan had been in town visiting their new nephew, Meg and Colton’s son, Noah.
“Of course, we did, and the rest of the boys are en route,” Declan said with a sympathetic smile and nod for Jessie. “We’ll help anywhere we can. This guy is done. Okay?”
“First things first. With all of the fires in the area and it being high season, resources are stretched thin,” Blake added. “This guy is seeing to that. We need to remember that the rodeo is in town now, too.”
“A big target and even bigger distraction,” Stone Williams said.
Blake nodded. “Exactly. We’ve already brought in outside help from Arrow Springs for that. He’s playing the game, guys.”
“This guy – he’s a psychopath. We don’t want to mess around and take this lightly,” Logan added. “He’ll wait, watch for a weak spot, and hit it. If he’s been in town all these weeks and still hasn’t acted on his grand finale, that shows just how far he’s willing to go. And…how long he’s willing to wait.”
“Exactly. He’s been in prison a decade with nothing but time and resources to study,” Blake said.
“I don’t want to scare anyone more than you already are, but the boys and I found stuff on everyone at his place in Portland,” Carter Landry added, having walked in while Logan was speaking. “He knows who you all are, where you live, and even where you sleep. He also knows you mean something to Jessie.”
“Oh, my God.” I’m so sorry,” Jessie cried. “I brought this here. This is my fault. I should have moved further away, hid better.”
“No. This isn’t your fault. You’re a victim, Jessie. I know I’m the newest one here, to this…group. But, I’ve come to think of you all as family,” Logan said, clearing his throat when emotion threatened. “We protect family – let your family protect you
Jessie.”
“He’s right, hon,” Carly chimed in. “You don’t have to do this alone anymore. I don’t know how I can contribute, but believe me I will. Just tell me what to do. Give me a gun – I’ll shoot him myself, honey.”
Jessie smiled at Carly’s feisty demeanor – she was typically so gentle and sweet. Looking around the table at all of the matched support and willingness to fight for her – she found it both endearing and humbling.
“Thank you…but you’re not getting a gun any more than Fancy Pants over there is,” Jessie teased, nodding to Meg. “Now stop with all the sappy shit, and let’s get on with this.”
“And she’s back, folks,” Colton said, to which she replied lovingly by flipping him off.
Phones began to ping, grabbing the attention of Blake, Carter, and Logan. A quick read from each of them and their matching expressions told a similar story – he hit again.
Blake looked up. “Well, this is where it gets tricky. I need you all to stay together, just for now, while we sort things out tonight. It doesn’t matter where; I’ll assign a couple units to you guys.”
“The ranch,” Morgan said without hesitation, “Plenty of room in the main house to keep everyone together, and now that we’re watching, we’re more likely to see him coming there. We didn’t book any tourists because of the babies, so it’ll just be us, no extra liability.”
“And you’re a cop,” Blake added with a grin, happy to see she still had it in her.
“You know I’m packin’ some heat, boy,” Lou chimed in, patting her purse.
“Me and Stone will look over this bunch,” she said with confidence while flashing the barrel end of the shiny revolver in her purse.
“We have a…way about us in Texas,” Stone drawled. “Shoot first, ask questions later, son. We’re happy to help out.”
If Blake didn’t already trust the two old codgers, that last statement would have him concerned, but he actually appreciated how they all came together. They would look out for one another when he couldn’t, and Jessie wouldn’t be alone.
“I’ll still assign a couple of units,” Blake said, looking at his phone as he pecked at the screen. “Morgie, why don’t you keep your ranch hands informed, extra eyes mean no victims – spare the details – only what they need to know. I’m sending you a mugshot now so they know who to watch for.”
Jessie’s shoulders relaxed, and she let out the breath she had been holding – he was keeping them informed, but her secret remained safe as well.
Phones pinged throughout the room, leading all of them to check the message Blake just sent them, “Now you know who we’re looking for – meet Jason Bolton.”
Like a well-oiled machine, Blake, Logan, Carter, and Declan stood, ready to go, already completely in sync. Sure, they each obviously got the same text that prompted Blake to keep the group together. Something that was pulling all four of them away. But, not a single word had been exchanged, and they were mission ready.
“Are, uh, you going to tell us?” Jessie nervously questioned, wanting to know what was pulling the four of them away but equally anxious to find out just the same. “What has he done? What has…Jason
done?”
Blake stalled, locking eyes with her. He knew no matter what he said or how he said it, she would feel responsible. “We aren’t sure yet. May not be him, but…the McCain Cardiac and Neurology center…is on fire.”