Gabe: The Alvarez Security Series (32 page)

“Could I walk away from the building that the old folks are in? Of course I could. But everything in me has never allowed myself to back down.” Michael turned his head and stared into Santo’s eyes. His voice took on a cold tenor. “I will not allow a tiny piece of pussy to be the catalyst for stopping me in what I want. Ms. Lambert has managed to thwart me at every turn and it stops now.”

Santo hid his smile…he’d been wanting to take care of the troublesome woman for a long time.

“I want you to start with the old man. Get rid of him and her little old folks’ empire will begin to topple.”

Santo gave in to his grin at that time. “You got it boss.” With that, he stood, set his empty tumbler back on the credenza and walked out.

Michael sat and continued to stare out onto the Richland night skyline. His private door opened and a beautiful woman walked in, making her way over to him. He looked up at his new mistress. Quiet. Compliant. Perfect.

M
onday morning after
dropping Ross off at school and being at work for several hours, Jennifer called Gabe’s cell to ask him who would be available to take her to visit Stuart Mason’s home. “I want to talk to him again. I told him that I would keep in touch, but with so much going on, I really haven’t. If the others are right, he may be afraid that if we move out of the building he will have to sell.”

Gabe told her that Jobe had just finished a job in the downtown area and could pick her up. “Wait on the inside, babe, until you see him drive up.”

She agreed and grabbed her bag.

“Heading out?” Sybil asked.

“Um, yeah. Thought I’d meet Gabe for lunch,” she lied.
I hate this. I have no idea who to trust anymore.

Jobe picked her up and drove in the direction of older neighborhoods in the city. Pulling up to a modest home in a tree-lined neighborhood they noticed that the mail was still in his box by the front door as well as several papers.

“I wonder if he went on a trip?” Jennifer asked out loud, moving out of the SUV.

The hair on the back of Jobe’s neck stood up and he immediately moved out of the vehicle and stepped in front of her. “Jennifer, stay back. Let me go up to the door.”

Eyes wide, she peered up at him. “What’s wrong?”

“Maybe nothing, but I’m not willing to take a chance,” he responded. With that, he moved to the porch that spanned the front of the house. Looking into a window, he immediately ran to the door pulling out his cell phone and began speaking.

Jennifer watched in concern and then when Jobe pulled out his gun and ran to the back of the house, she could not help herself…she moved forward and up the steps. Glancing at the front door to see what Jobe had seen, she saw splintered wood around the deadbolt. Moving cautiously to the front window that Jobe had looked into, she saw Mr. Mason on the floor. His body lying awkwardly. A pool of dark liquid under him. The front of his shirt red. And his eyes. Staring. Unseeing. Dead.

A scream pierced the quiet neighborhood and Jobe came running back around the house, his gun drawn. Seeing her on the porch, he took the steps in one leap and moved to her.

“Jesus fuck, Jennifer. I told you to stay back,” he bit out, pulling her into his body. She realized that the screaming had come from her but seemed unable to stop the shaking. She felt him pull out his cell again, “Tony. Got a problem. Get Gabe to Stuart Mason’s house ASAP. Jennifer’s fine.”

Jobe scooped her up in his arms and carried her back to the SUV. Opening the back door, he sat on the edge of the seat, holding her in his lap awkwardly, keeping his arms wrapped protectively around her.
How does Gabe do this? We’re trained to protect but how the fuck do you protect someone you love?
He continued to stroke her back for a few minutes.

Jennifer was vaguely aware of Jobe’s quiet voice and then the sound of sirens began to intrude into her consciousness. Vehicles began to pull in around and Jennifer felt herself shifted slightly as Jobe explained to the first responders what was happening. She heard Matt and Shane’s voices in the background, as Jobe continued to press her head into his chest.

The squeal of tires resonated and she could hear Gabe’s voice calling out her name. She felt strong arms lifting her from the comfort of Jobe’s chest and then was pulled into the familiar embrace of the man she loved. Voices continued to sound all around her, but it was as though she was in a dense fog and everything appeared far away.

Gabe looked down at Jennifer in his arms as Jobe gave a quick, succinct description of what had occurred. Matt and Shane had already gone inside and Jobe moved toward them to answer questions.

“Babe?” she heard Gabe call.

“Sir, does she need to be checked out?” one of the EMTs asked.

Gabe walked to the back of the ambulance, carrying her in his arms. Placing her on the stretcher, he looked down at her pale face. One of the workers put an oxygen mask on her face and in a moment, the voices became clearer and her vision became less cloudy.

Gabe watched carefully as the color began to come back to her face. Her eyes sought his and she saw the angry tick of his jaw.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “Jobe told me to stay back but it was as though I had to see what was happening. I never…never…I…”

“You’re right. You should have stayed where Jobe told you, but I’m more angry with myself. I should have come with you instead of sending someone else.”

Gabe helped her sit up and she pulled the oxygen mask off. They exited the ambulance as she assured the worker that she was fully revived. Licking her dry lips, she peered toward the house, now a hive of activity.

Gabe walked her to Tony’s vehicle and placed her in the back seat. “Babe, I need to see what’s going on. I need you to stay right there,” he ordered. She acquiesced, not wanting to see anything else of horror. She watched as he moved toward the house and stopped to talk to Matt, Shane, Jobe, and Tony. Sighing, she leaned her head back again and closed her eyes.

“What the fuck happened, man?” Gabe growled.

Not making any excuses, Jobe apologized. “I’m fuckin’ sorry, Gabe. I told her to stay and assumed she would. That was my error. She went to the window to look in as I ran around the back.”

Gabe hung his head knowing he could not be pissed with Jobe.
Jesus, why couldn’t she have stayed where she was told to stay?

Matt spoke up. “Stuart Mason was shot three times at close range. There’s nothing to suggest robbery. Honestly? It looks like another execution.”

“Fuck,” Gabe bit out. “The fuckin’ noose is getting tighter and tighter.”

“We’re done here for now. Going to let the rest of the investigative team process the scene,” Shane said. “Matt and I are heading over to pay Michael Gibbons a visit. If he’s so legitimate, then we should be able to get the names of his potential clients out of him.”

Jobe added, “I’ll stay here and make sure they’ve got all they need from me.”

Tony moved Gabe to the side and said, “Let’s get her home.” Gabe nodded and they quickly headed back to the vehicle where she was sitting, pale and quiet. Tony pulled himself into the driver’s seat and Gabe slid into the back with Jennifer.

She opened her eyes and looked at his worried face. “I’m fine, honey. I really am. The shock sent me into a bit of a tailspin, but I’m fine now.”

She thought for a moment and then asked, “Tony I hate to be a bother but can you take me to the Elder Center?”

Tony’s eyes looked at Gabe’s in the rear-view mirror. She caught the silent exchange and rolled her eyes. “Come on, guys. I’ll admit I grew faint at seeing the poor man’s body, but the little lady doesn’t need to be tucked into bed. I’ve got to let Henry and Cora know what is going on. They knew him from a long time ago when he lived in the neighborhood.”

Sighing, Gabe nodded at Tony and he changed directions. Pulling out her cell phone, she sent a text, then tucked her phone back into her pocket. Seeing Gabe’s questioning look, she explained, “I was supposed to have coffee with Sherrie today. I just texted her that something had come up and I needed to go to the Center instead.”

In a few minutes, they pulled up to the front and all three headed inside to the TV lounge. Seeing Jennifer and Gabe brought a smile to the resident’s faces and they stood to greet them and see who the other man was. Jennifer left Gabe to introduce Tony, bringing another round of military introductions.

She found Henry and Cora in the kitchen. Diving in, she quickly told them the latest updates on what was happening, finishing with Stuart Mason’s murder earlier that day.

“Oh my, God rest his soul,” Cora said. “He was a good man if somewhat of a recluse. I remember him in the neighborhood where we grew up. Kind of a rough kid who grew into a hard man. A good man, but a hard one.”

Henry nodded and rubbed his hand over his face. “I know I need to mourn him, but now I’ve got to wonder what will happen to us.”

Jennifer stared at him dumbly for a few seconds until the reality slowly dawned on her. “Oh my God. I never thought of that. Who will own the building?”

“If he didn’t have any heirs, I suppose the building will go into some kind of probate. It could be auctioned off.”

“Do you think that will affect us?” Cora asked, concern written on her face.

“Yeah, no doubt,” Jennifer sighed. Rubbing her hand across her brow, she looked up into the faces that had been her salvation when her parents died and Ross first came to her. Smiling, she reached out, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. “We’ll be fine. We always are.”

The two smiled back, agreeing.

“I’ll find out what I can about Mr. Mason’s funeral and we’ll all go together.”

She walked with them into the TV lounge, seeing Gabe easily conversing with the men. She glanced around but did not see Tony. Hearing voices from the entrance hall, she moved to the doorway and saw Tony standing there with Sherrie…neither looking happy.

“We’re in the middle of trying to keep her safe and I sure as hell don’t need you putting yourself in harm’s way,” Tony was saying.

Tossing her blonde hair out of the way, Sherrie glared back. “I have no intentions of messing things up for Jennifer. I just told her that if she needed me, I would be there for her. And I intend to keep my promise.”

“Hmph,” was his reply. “I saved you once—”

“You don’t have to remind me,” she snapped. Glancing behind Tony, she saw Jennifer standing in the doorway. Slipping around him, she hurried over and gave her friend a hug. “I’m so sorry for everything that’s happening, sweetie. If you need me for anything, and I mean anything…just let me know.”

Jennifer returned her hug, looking at Tony over Sherrie’s shoulder. “I’m fine, really. Gabe’s going to take me home soon and we’ll grab Ross and spend the evening in.”

Nodding, Sherrie said goodbye, turned and was walking past Tony without looking up when he reached out and gently snagged her arm. She stopped and looked up sharply.

“I’m sorry I brought up the earlier event,” he said. “I never meant that it was an imposition to rescue you. Quite the contrary,” he added softly.

Her eyes warmed as she viewed the man in front of her. Ever since the night he had rescued her she had dreamed of him, but he had made it obvious that those feelings were not returned. Calming, she said, “Apology accepted.” Smiling, she turned and walked back out of the building.

Gabe approached Jennifer from behind and wrapped his arms around her. “Let’s go get Ross, baby.” He felt her nod against his chest and they made their goodbyes to the residents. Looking down at her as they walked back to Tony’s vehicle, he said, “We’ll come back together this weekend and serve the food for breakfast.”

She turned that glorious smile up at him, filling him with more warmth than the spring sun.

“I’d like that,” she said, realizing that he understood how she felt about this place and the people inside.

*

A week later,
Jennifer sat in her cubicle going through emails and writing reports. Her thoughts were filled with her earlier visit to the Senator’s office.

His warm eyes welcomed her as he ushered her to one of the plush leather chairs. She took note that he sat next to her, not behind his desk. He asked about Ross and they spent a few minutes chatting, keeping the comments personal.

“I’m going to be honest, Jennifer. The budget is tighter than I realized this year. I don’t think your grant will be a problem for at least another year, but now with Mr. Mason passing away so recently, I can’t say what will happen when the building is turned over to new owners.
”

“So our lease could be broken just like that?” she asked, knowing the answer but hoping that perhaps it could be a different one.

“Yes, my dear, it could be over just like that.”

Jennifer rubbed her forehead, trying to keep the headache at bay. “Sir, I’ve looked at the possibilities. If this falls through, then those residents will be out on the street. Some will find housing with relatives, but many will end up in sub-standard housing or in homeless shelters.”