A Mahogany Moment

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Jamie left the train station with the tickets to California in his back pocket and his heart full. He would get Olivia out of Mahogany before he left to report for his tour. Climbing into his truck he started the engine and headed for the boardinghouse. He would get Olivia and head to his office where he kept a safe and retrieve the money he kept there and give it to Harold.
Jamie arrived at the boardinghouse and his eyes widened when he saw Olivia sitting on the porch with an older woman. Jamie took a deep breath and exited the truck. He closed the door and Olivia looked in his direction, she smiled and his heart swelled. She was so beautiful.
"Jamie!" She called and waved. Jamie eyed the older woman who smiled at him and he turned to Olivia.
"This is Mrs. Evans. She knows about you." Olivia explained and Jamie's eyes widened in fear.
"Oh, no she's ok. She won't tell anyone." Jamie chuckled. How many times had he heard that before? Walking up the porch steps he shook the older woman's hand and smiled.
"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Evans. I'm—"
"I know who you are, Jamie Ross. I've heard all about you."
"I see."
"Are we leaving?" Olivia asked.
"Yes, if you're ready." He waited on the porch with Mrs. Evans while Olivia went inside.
"I want you to know that I approve of what you young people are doing." Mrs. Evans said.
"Thank you. I just wish everyone thought like you."
"Olivia told me you've been summoned to fight in the war."
"Yes ma'am. I leave in two weeks."
"I lost the love of my life in the first war. He was a white man too," Jamie's eyes widened at that revelation, "so you see I know what you two feel. Take good care of her for me."
"I'll do my best."
"Getting her away from here was a good start. I see how you look at her. You're in love."
"I suppose I am. However, two people like us can't marry and so I feel bad knowing she can never be my wife."
"Always one way to skin a cat." Mrs. Evans said and winked. At that moment, Olivia emerged from the house with a large suitcase. Jamie took the suitcase from her and carried it down the stairs to the truck.
"Now I'll only be gone a few days, Mrs. Evans..."
"I'll be fine, child. You and your man go."
Olivia hugged the woman once again and then descended the stairs and climbed into the truck. Jamie closed her door and rounded the vehicle.
"If you want to protect her while you're away, giving her your last name will do just that. I have faith that you'll find a way Jamie Ross." Mrs. Evans called. She smiled and walked into the house. Jamie chewed on the words she had just said before getting into the vehicle.

"This isn't the way to the cabin, Jamie." Olivia stated as she looked out of the window.
"Minor pit stop. Can you wait in the car while I go inside?" She nodded and and Jamie parked the car in front of a small white building before getting out.
Olivia mulled over the list of things she wanted to do while they visited San Diego. She heard the sound of a car pulling up and turned to see an unfamiliar car pulling up beside the truck. There were several men inside the car and Olivia recognized one of them as Tommy, Jamie's brother. The others she didn't know but they looked dangerous. Olivia watched as the other men got out of the car and walk towards the building where Jamie had went. Something didn't feel right. Olivia opened the door and slowly followed behind only to feel someone grabbing her by the arm. Turning she saw it was Tommy.
"Don't." Tommy said, he looked afraid. She noticed the busted lip and wonder if the men he'd been with had done it.
"What are they after? Are they after Jamie?"
"It's best you stay out of this."
"I can't stay out of it. Not if they're trying to hurt him. Let me go, please." She struggled to get away from him but his grip was tight.
"Oh, come on sweetness. I bet you don't struggle like this for Jamie."
"He's your brother."
"Don't remind me. Listen, don't do anything stupid or else Jamie is going to get hurt." He let her go and Olivia rubbed her arm.
"What do you mean hurt? What do they plan to do?"
"Nothing if you keep quiet."
Olivia turned and gasped when she saw Jamie walking out of the building. He stopped when he saw the men approaching him and then his eyes found her and Tommy and she saw his brows furrow. His eyes narrowed and then he turned his attention back to the men.
"Harold? What brings you here? Didn't think me good for the money?"
"Oh, I did but there's been a slight change in plans." Harold replied with a grin.
"In what way?"
"Your brother told us about your sage and where you keep your money. We want it and no one gets hurt."
"A thousand dollars was what we agreed to, Harold."
"Like I said, change of plans."
"You'll be disappointed to know that there is nothing left in the safe. All of it is here."
"I don't believe you."
"He's lying, Harold," Tommy yelled. Jamie looked to Tommy in disbelief and saw he had Olivia by the arm.
"Your brother says you're lying."
"My brother doesn't know anything. He's a drunk. You've seen him. Tommy, let her go."
Harold turned and his eyes widened when he saw Olivia.
"And who might this be?" Harold walked over to where Olivia stood, her arm still in Tommy's tight grip. Harold looked her over and Olivia could tell he liked what he saw. She closed her eyes when he lifted her chin and turned her head right and left.
"Nice indeed. I'll tell you what, Ross. Keep the money and let me have her for the night."
"We agreed to the money, Harold." Jamie said sternly. He wanted out of this situation without either one of them being harmed, especially Olivia.
"Change of plans. The girl and you can keep the money. What do you say?"
"No!" Olivia cried.
"What's it going to be, Ross?" Harold asked. He yanked Olivia from Tommy's grip and pulled her towards him. Olivia struggled to pull away but he was too strong.
"Harold, take the money."
"No I don't think I will," Harold leaned in and whispered in Olivia's ear, "how about you and I get out of here? I know a great cabin." Olivia's eyes widened.
"Let me go!"
"What's it going to be, Ross?" Harold called out. He whipped out a pocket knife and held it up to Olivia's throat.
"The girl? Or...your brother?" A shot rung out and Jamie watched as Tommy fell back, blood seeping from his arm.
Olivia screamed and struggled to pull away from Harold. Jamie stood in shock. Tommy grabbed his arm and winced as he struggled to get up off of the ground.
"Shall I make the decision for you?" Harold asked.
"Harold, the money. This is what you wanted. Take it and leave Olivia be."
"Olivia? Pretty for a pretty girl. I'm going to have fun with you."
Jamie stood trying to figure out what to do. He needed to get to Olivia but Tommy needed him as well.
"Will you stand still you wench!" Jamie turned in that moment and caught Harold as he slapped Olivia across her face. Anger raged within him and he charged towards him. Harold pushed Olivia aside causing her to fall down to the ground and she felt herself being yanked up by the arm once again. Looking up she saw Tommy struggling to drag her away.
"What are you doing? You need to help him!"
"Jamie's on own!"
"He's your brother! How can you do this to him?"
"Shut up!" Tommy yelled and pulled her away from the brawl and down the road.
"Tommy, please, you have to help him."
"I said shut up!"
"Why are you doing this?"
"Jamie always gets what he wants. He's the perfect son. He got the career and the girl. Or should I say girls? I told Jamie that it was a good idea to be with you. It was me who saw Alice first and then he was the one who proposed to her. My father gave Jamie a job at his firm. And what about me? No. Not this time. This time I'm going to get what I deserve."
"Tommy, please, I don't know what you've been through but I know that Jamie has only wanted to help you. He took a beating for you!"
"Because I told them to do it!"Olivia stopped in her tracks and stared in disbelief.
"Y-you told them? Tommy he could have died!"
"No thanks to you!"
"You tried to kill him?"
"I DESERVE TO BE HAPPY AND THAT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN WITH JAMIE ALIVE!" Tommy yelled. Olivia couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could Tommy be so cold?
"Tommy..." Olivia pleaded once again. A shot rang out and Olivia turned her head in the direction it came. Her knees went weak and she felt sick to her stomach. She had to help Jamie. She had to get to him.
"I guess that's it. He's finally gone." Olivia yanked her arm away from him and Tommy grabbed his injured arm. Olivia looked around for something to protect herself with and found a broken piece of glass on the ground. Picking it up she squeezed it in her palm. Tommy leaned over, his hand still clutching his wounded arm. He stood and looked at her and laughed.
"I'm going to have fun with you, you know that? I want to know what's between your legs that has Jamie's nose so high in the sky."
"You will rot in hell for what you've done." Tommy winced and choked out a laugh.
"I've got news for you, sweetness. I'm already there. And in two weeks I'll be leaving and going to a different kind of hell."
"Tommy there is still time to fix this. Please, you can go help Jamie and make this right."
"Jamie is dead! I paid them...those men work for me."
"What? Tommy you didn't..."
"I did. Now, come on!" He went to grab her but she took the piece of glass and sliced swiped it across his arm. Tommy cried out and stumbled back.
"You stupid bitch!" He yelled. Olivia watched as he struggled to cover his new wound before taking off in the opposite direction praying that she wasn't too late.

I hope y'all are enjoying the story. We're almost to the finish line. Yay!