A Christmas Surprise (7 page)

He sat on the second level nursing his beer, watching his quarry. He knew that letting the two weeks go by had been a good idea. He had just arrived at the restaurant when he saw the girls sneaking into an SUV and decided to follow them. When they arrived at the nightclub, he couldn't have been happier. He knew that tonight would be the night. He waited for them to get settled at a table and then went to the second floor to choose a spot where he could watch them. Now all he had to do was wait for them to leave. He wanted to extract revenge on her in the same manner her family had killed his father. Although his father had technically lived after the accident, his spirit was dead. He felt tremendous grief for killing that couple, and then he had lost his job on top of that. Then when the aunt had sued the company, his father had already been found guilty of negligent homicide and gone to jail where he killed himself out of shame and grief. His mother hadn't done any better. She had begun to drink and became a raging alcoholic who one night drank herself to death literally, she never once thought about the twelve-year-old boy she would leave behind to fend for himself. All because of this bitch, she needed the fucking money. What about him? He was going to kill her and make sure she never got the money and knew who had done it before she took her last breath.

Yes, he was going to get his revenge, and it would be tonight.

"Come on, just one more," Jade whined as Frank shook his head.

"Sugar, you know that we have to go, shift change will be soon, and you made me promise to have you girls back by then. You so do not want to get caught," Frank told her as he signaled Evan to help get the girls together.

Traci was leaning against Sandi as they sang along with the Garth Brook's song that was playing. They were belting out as loud as they could, "I've got friends in low places..." and then pointing at Jade and giggling. Evan got them both up while Frank practically carried Jade to the car. Evan drove as he had been elected their designated driver while the girls sat in the back singing along to the radio. Sandi changed back into her other set of clothes, although she’d had trouble getting her jeans on, the girls helped her while teasing her about Danny.

"Sandi, what are you gonna do if Danny doesn't come to the bonfire? Is he the one that you want?" Traci laughed with Jade at their reference to the eighties movie,
Grease
.

Sandi rolled her eyes, "Yeah, like I haven't heard that before." Everyone had poked at them when they had dated last time, asking them if they were going to break out in song or why Danny wasn't wearing his T-birds jacket when they were out. "Can't anyone find a new joke?" She still cracked a smile when she said it thinking she was actually hopelessly devoted to Danny for the rest of her life. Maybe she was more like her movie counterpart than she wanted to admit.

They were going through Longmont, which was a town about fifteen miles outside of Johnstown when another car came up behind them. Frank turned around in the front seat and said, "Evan, just slow down a little, and he can pass."

Evan eased up on the gas, and they slowed down a little. A second later, they were thrown forward when they were hit from behind. They all looked at each other with wide, frightened eyes. Not one of them could say if they were frightened of the car behind them or the fact that they all realized at the same time this meant they had to call Jared. The proverbial shit just hit the fan.

Traci picked up her cell phone and hit speed dial. Jared picked up on the second ring, "Hey there, what are you doing still up? Waiting for me to come home or can you not wait?" he said in that deep, smoky voice she loved.

"Jared, we are about ten miles outside of Longmont and there is a car behind us that has already rammed us once. Evan is driving evasively, but he seems to be gaining on us," Traci said, trying to remain calm knowing her man would save the day.

Jared's voice immediately changed. "We are on our way, and tell Evan to keep it steady and not to overcorrect too much if he rams you again. Stay on the line with me, baby. Don't worry, we are coming," as he was speaking to Traci, he was signaling Miles to grab Danny. They had been at the station getting coffee when she called and by Jared's tone, Miles knew this was bad. He ran into the back to grab Danny while Jared talked to Traci, trying to figure out what was going on. The girls should be at the ranch asleep at this time of night, why were they on the road? Just then, Miles heard Jared growl and start firing questions.

"Danny, we've got a problem," Miles told him what he knew.

Immediately, his 'cop face' was in place. Danny slammed his coffee mug down, sloshing coffee on his hand and all over the counter. He stormed into the main room and started grabbing his gear.

"What do you mean Sandi is with you? Where is Scott?" Jared flashed his eyes at Miles, and Miles whipped out his cell phone to contact Scott. Jared placed a calming hand on Danny's shoulder when he heard his woman was in the car as well.

Danny glanced at Miles and saw he was already speaking to Scott.

Scott answered, "Yeah,” sounding as if he just woke up.

"Scott, what in holy hell is going on? Jared is on the phone right now with Traci, who informs us that she, Sandi, Jade, Frank, and Evan are in an SUV on their way back INTO town where they are being attacked," Miles fired into the phone as he grabbed his gear.

"I am so sorry. Jade came up and said they needed Sandi downstairs. She said Jared was down there. Dang, I was duped! I stayed up here and then I, uh, kinda fell asleep. I am so sorry, sir. What do I do?" Scott was stammering and begging for forgiveness.

"You go home. You are on suspension until Jared decides to deal with you," Miles growled into the phone and hung up.

The men rushed out to Jared's cruiser piling in, then Danny, who was driving because Jared was on the phone, put the pedal to the metal, and they were on their way.

Chapter Eight

Sandi was shaking. She held on tightly to Traci's hand while Jade cussed up a storm. The other SUV had bumped them twice more, but Evan had managed to keep them on the road. She knew without a doubt that this was her prankster, although she had gotten his message now. This was not a prank, he wanted her life, and he was going to get it. Worse, she had drug her friends into this, and they could die as well. Sandi prayed that the Calvary would arrive soon, they were now on the outskirts of Johnstown.

Frank looked back again and cursed. The girls turned as one and saw that the SUV was now coming up on the driver's side. "Everyone, brace yourselves. He's coming, and I am going as fast as I can. We are most likely going to be hit and hard," Evan said as he gripped the steering wheel and glanced at Frank.

Traci was still relaying everything to Jared, and he was trying to keep her calm. When the SUV started to come up alongside, she could only see the shadow form of the driver due to the tinting that seemed to cover the whole vehicle. "Jared, he's got a gun. He's coming up beside us now. We just passed the Miller Farm. Okay, okay, I will tell them. I love you, so much." Then she hung up. "Jared said he is one mile up and ready to get this guy. Evan, when we pass the cruiser, you need to immediately slow down and pull to the right off the road. Then we are all to jump out and lay flat on the ground on the side of the vehicle. He says under no circumstances are we to lift our heads or even a finger."

Everyone took a deep breath, preparing for what was to come. This was not going to be easy.

Danny was driving as fast as he could, lights and sirens full blast. What the hell happened? How did Sandi get out of the apartment? This guy had been waiting for the moment when he could get to her, and now he had found it. Damn it, when would Jade quit playing games? Now she had involved the woman he loved.
Whoa. The woman he loved? When did that happen?
He couldn't pinpoint a time, but he knew it was true. He loved Sandi. He had resisted her. He knew if he let her in that he was a goner. She was just like his mom in a lot of ways, and his father used to always say that one day each of the boys would find a woman like her and settle down. That's why he had acted like a playboy, well, he had been one back then, but he had wanted to scare her off. Now, he just wanted her in his arms. Safe.

They arrived at the spot Jared had picked for the ambush, and he whipped the cruiser off to the side of the road on the left. They jumped out. Miles grabbed the spike strip; he was very good at whipping it out like a whip when they needed to. Jared had gotten off the phone with Traci and was checking his glock, as well as making sure the shotgun was loaded.

"Alright, they are two minutes out coming at a high rate of speed. Miles, you ready?" Jared asked.

"Good to go," Miles flipped the safety on the strip off and crouched down.

"The second they pass us, throw it out. They’ve been instructed to pull to the right, get out and down. We only have one shot at this. Make it count," Jared barked out.

They all got into position as they heard the sound of vehicles approaching. They looked down the road and saw the headlights of two cars side by side. Evan seemed to be following Jared's instructions as they watched him slow the car, which in turn caused the other car to slow down. Then at the last second, he floored it and cut in front of the other SUV. Then he slammed on the brakes only to surge forward again. The first SUV blew past them, swerved to the right, and then the brakes were engaged. The second SUV was passing them, and Miles threw out the spike strip and caught the back tires of the second SUV. Both tires exploded, and the SUV swerved violently then started rolling to end up on its roof. The group from the first SUV jumped up off the ground and ran into the road, staring at the upside-down vehicle. It landed about fifty yards away.

Jared, Miles, and Danny headed straight for the vehicle. They had their guns drawn and surrounded the car. Jared and Danny took position on the front two corners of the windshield of the SUV, and Miles took up a position on the driver's side door. Jared's voice boomed, "Driver, show me your hands! Now!" There was some movement and then a hand appeared out of the driver's window, then another. Miles holstered his gun and went to grab the wrists of the driver as Jared instructed, "Do not move, keep your hands where we can see them."

Miles grabbed the wrists and then pulled the driver from the car. Danny was surprised to see a young man come out. He had a cut on his forehead and was glaring at Jared. Danny holstered his gun and jumped in to help Miles cuff the guy and roll him back over to lift him up into a sitting position.

Jared said, "Miles, call and get an ambulance here to check everyone out." He holstered his gun and turned just in time to catch Traci as she flung herself into his arms. She buried her face in his neck as he held her tight.

Just then, a car came screeching to a halt, and Zach jumped out of his car and ran to Jade. "What the hell happened? You were supposed to be at the restaurant, then hanging with Traci and Sandi at the apartment. How are you here? Someone tell me what's going on." Zach was pissed, and Jade opened her mouth to explain. "No, don't you answer me right now. I am telling you, I am going to paddle your ass for this. You know the rules, and you broke them. You are in trouble, little girl." He continued to threaten her with all manner of punishments as she looked over his shoulder at Sandi and winked.

Sandi smiled and walked around to the front of the SUV where the driver was cuffed. Miles and Danny stood over him staring him down as he glared at them. She had to see the person who had done these things to her, and she hoped to find out why he had done it. The minute he saw her, he tried to lunge at her.

"You bitch! This is your fault! You should be dead by now, why can't you die?" he screamed at her, yelling obscenities and vile descriptions of how he wanted to kill her.

She was horrified at the vehemence behind his words and didn't recognize him at all. She turned away, and a pair of strong arms wrapped around her. She breathed deeply, Danny. This was all she needed, she felt safe and protected in his arms. She pulled back a little to be able to look in his eyes. He looked angry, and she saw a flash of hurt in there, too. Then he leaned down and mashed his lips to hers, seeming to take possession of her mouth as he plundered it. He consumed her with that kiss, surrounding her with all that was Danny, drowning out everything around them. Her blood heated and pooled low in her abdomen, sending tingles and sparks to her clit. Oh, how she wished they were in her apartment, instead of on an open road in the middle of nowhere. He broke the kiss and then looked into her eyes, did she a flash of love there? No, it couldn't be, she was going to question him when she heard the raised voices behind her and turned to see what was going on.

Jade and Traci were being held back by their men as they screamed at the young man on the ground.

"You so do not get to yell and speak to her like that, you piece of shit!" Jade yelled, furiously trying to get to the man, but Zach had his arm banded around her middle.

"Yeah, you jackass, trying to kill us all, what the fuck?" Traci seconded.

"What the hell did she do to you anyway? Who are you?" Jade shouted at him.

The young man looked between the two women and their men and obviously decided to keep his mouth shut. He glared daggers at Sandi now, and she shivered with fear at the fury in his eyes. Danny's arm tightened around her, and he whispered in her ear, "I'm here, you're safe." She felt herself relax back into him and let his warmth surround her.