Crushed (Partners in Crime Book 3)

Chapter 9

Olivia stopped the flow of tears. She had almost died. Many people were dead. Jack was holding her. He called her honey. He was stroking her hair. She shouldn't be doing this. But she needed the support. She pulled out of his arms and leaned against the side of the car they were hiding behind.

"All those people we couldn't save."

"There's nothing we can do about it now. Just pray."

Olivia looked around at the wreckage, "Will you pray?"

Jack nodded, "Father, we come to you right now in a place of devastation. Countless lives were lost today. We pray that all those lives joined you in Heaven and that they get to live forever with you. Please be with Olivia and help her to understand that it's going to be okay and that she's a strong woman. Help us to catch the evil men who did this and put them to justice. Give us the strength and power to get through this. We love you. Amen."

Olivia let the silence linger. His faith was incredible. And he prayed for her. She just couldn't keep her thoughts about him straight.

Sirens and shouts rang in the air. Jack stood and then helped her up, "We probably should get out of the way. We need to do some investigating."

She nodded and let him help her around the debris. As they crossed the police line, a little boy ran up to them. "I have something for you." He stared at Jack.

Jack raised a brow but took the envelope the boy handed him. As soon as Jack was holding the envelope, the little boy ran away. Olivia started to run after him, but Jack stopped her, eyeing her ankle. "This might be of more use to us." He waved the envelope in the air.

"Right. I have some gloves in my bag you can use to open it."

"Great. Thanks."

Back at the car, Olivia dug out a pair of gloves for Jack. As he opened it, she leaned her back against the Jeep. She scuffed her feet around and wiped some of the dirt off her knees. Her shoes were covered in dirt but you could still see the bright red. Her ankle looked swollen and gross. Sighing, she wiped her face. She probably looked disgusting. But that was no match to how others looked. Or felt.

~~~~~

Jack read through the note with a solemn expression.

               To whomever it may concern,

                    I see you are onto me. You are connecting the dots.

                    Congratulations. Although your one problem is

                    that you don't know who I am. Well I hope you

                    realize I'm no American. I hate America

                    with all my being. I'm a very important person.

                    And the more you mess with me, the angrier

                     I get. Watch out.

He looked up from the note and at Olivia. Her brow was knit together, causing worry to cover her gorgeous little face. How he loved her. He hated to see her hurting. It took all of his being not to kiss her senseless.

"Jack, did you read the note?" Olivia moved closer to him. He inhaled her amazing coconut shampoo despite the fact that her hair was filled with dust. If she got any closer...

He cleared his throat, "Yeah take a look at it."

She leaned even closer and read the note, her hair tickling his skin. "Hmm. So he knows we're onto us and he's mocking us because we haven't figured out who he is yet."

"How do you know it's a he?"

She shrugged, "The way he writes it. He's too cocky. Women aren't cocky."

He grinned, "Women aren't cocky?"

She simply smiled, "No as cocky as you guys. Trust me. I have two brothers. And you. I know what cocky is."

He laughed, "Me, cocky?"

She punched his bicep, "You are a bit cocky. Remember our family vacation at the beach in California?"

Oh he remembered all right. The Wagners treated everyone like family. All were invited to their family vacations. He was like their adopted son. And yeah, he was a little cocky that weekend. Especially when it came to ultimate frisbee. "Yeah. Maybe."

Olivia rolled her eyes, "A lot. But it was cute."

He gaped at her. Cute? Him? What was she saying?

Apparently Olivia thought it was awkward too because she blushed, "I didn't mean it like that. I meant-"

"I get it. Don't worry. Why don't we bag this up and then take it to the lab to check for prints?"

She nodded, "Why don't we stop at the hospital on our way back as well? Then you can check on Sophia."

He looked down at her now swollen ankle, "And you can get that checked out."

"I don't need it checked out. It doesn't hurt."

"Adrenaline."

She crossed her arms. "I said, I don't need it checked out." The pure spit-fire in her voice and in her eyes proved she wasn't going to get it checked.

He sighed, "Humor me?"

"No."

How she vexed him. "Fine. Get in the car."

She slid into the car with a smirk of satisfaction that only vexed him more.

~~~~~

Olivia tried to move her ankle around while they drove back. Locals had informed them that they had everything covered and they were free to leave. So she sat in silence trying to ignore the fact that her ankle did in fact hurt. But she wasn't about to give Jack the satisfaction of having it checked.

"What's your thoughts on this whole case now?" Jack asked.

"Well the bombings are definitely tied to the trashed homes and the note we just got definitely proves it could be the Russian Mafia." She answered.

"So you think it's the Mafia?"

"Yes. But who? Is it a Mafia leader we've heard of before or is it someone new?"

Jack thought for a moment. "Definitely someone new. The MO doesn't match any of the earlier ones and that also rules out the idea of a copycat."

Olivia settled into a more comfortable position, "So it's someone new."

"If I were a betting man, I'd say yes." Jack looked over to her and raised a brow, "Your ankle hurts?"

"No." Yes.

"It does. I can tell." He looked at her with pure concern. "I can see it in your face."

"It doesn't hurt."

He held up his hands for a second before placing them back on the wheel, "Sorry."

Time for a subject change. "Think we'll get any prints of the note?"

Jack noticed she changed the subject, but when with it anyways. "If we're lucky."

"I hope we are."

"Me too. You look exhausted. Get some rest."

"I slept fine last night."

"You almost got blown up." He retorted, "Not to mention your ankle. Get some rest please."

She didn't want to admit it, but she was tired. But she was also scared to sleep. PTSD. "I'm not tired."

Jack saw right through her. "You are. You will be fine. I'm right here."

She didn't know why, but that comforted her so she reclined her chair just a little and closed her eyes.