Jake (Demented Souls #16)

43

T he truck was still going way too fast as they approached the gate. Jake watched, helpless, as Watt stepped in front of the ATV and took his time aiming his pistol at the windshield of the oncoming pickup. He slowed as much as he dared, but wanted to get as close as he could, before stopping to confront them.

He wasn’t sure how close they were before the driver finally stomped on the brakes, sending the truck sliding to a halt not more than a few feet from where Watt stood, unflinching.

Jake waited as long as he dared then hit the brakes and cranked the wheel, bringing the truck to a sliding stop several feet from the back of the truck he was convinced held Lynnie. As soon as the truck stopped moving, he flung the door open and bailed out. He had the pistol drawn from the small of his back and aimed before he’d rounded the hood.

“Keep your hands where we can see them,” he said as he approached, noticing that the men barely glanced at him as they held their hands in clear sight over the dashboard, their attention on Watt in front of them.

He moved close enough it would be hard to miss either one, but not close enough to be hit if they flung open a door then spoke again.

“Get over here Watt and cover them.” Jake waited until his brother was within a couple of feet then pinned his gaze on the driver. “Where is she?”

The man moved only one hand, forming a fist with the thumb sticking out, aiming behind him.

“You got them covered?” he asked Watt. He couldn’t wait for the truck, and the brothers in it, approaching to make sure she was all right. If she were back there, she should be raising hell. Something wasn’t right.

“I got them. Get your girl,” Watt said.

Jake shifted his pistol to one hand, and kept it at the ready, in case there was someone else back there waiting to spring a trap, then opened the door, and keeping his body behind it, peeked around the edge and into the truck.

Lynnie lay in the floorboard, all he could see was her feet bound together with duct tape, lying still as death. His heart seized in his chest before his brain got through, telling him if she was dead, they wouldn’t have needed to tie her.

He checked the rest of the back seat area and found nothing of concern, then shifted to the other side of the door so he could look in the bed of the truck and make sure there was nothing there. Finding nothing, he holstered his pistol and reached for Lynnie. He grabbed the tape around her ankles and tugged, she slid bonelessly across the floorboard, obviously unconscious.

“What did you do to her?” he demanded.

“All we did was tie her and load her. I swear,” the asshole in the passenger seat said.

“She fell and hit her head before either of us laid a hand on her,” the driver piped up. “I checked to be sure she was still breathing, then we tied her up and loaded her. She was in the seat until we hit the breaks for this guy.” He tilted his head toward Watt.

Not knowing what else to do, he climbed up, braced one knee in the seat and looked down at her as she lay unmoving in the floorboard, her wrists taped together, resting against her chest. His heart ached.

A sound drew his attention, he looked up to find Iceman had opened the rear door across from him.

“Is she alive?”

“Yeah, I’m just trying to decide how to get her out of there without hurting her more.” Jake looked back down at her and couldn’t help the ache in his chest at how fragile she looked without her usual attitude, nor the spark that usually flashed in her eyes.

“Did they do this?” Iceman asked.

“We only tied her. She fell and hit her head,” the driver said again.

“How long’s she been out?” Jake asked, still not sure how to get her out.

“Maybe ten minutes,” the idiot in the passenger seat piped up.

“I take it you’re not alone?” Jake asked Iceman.

“Four others, they’ve got these guys while we get her out, then they’ll handle them.”

“Someone needs to take a message back to the Sons that this is done. I don’t care what it takes. They come for her again and someone will die. It won’t be her.” Jake met Iceman’s gaze.

The other man nodded.

“I’ll make sure they know.”

“Let’s get her out of here first. Can you brace her head while I drag her out by the feet. Once I’ve got enough of her out, I’ll pick her up and take her back to your truck.”

“Sure. Let me get up in there so I can stay with her as you move her, but this might make it easier.” He did something Jake didn’t see and the seat of the bench in front of him folded up against the back, leaving at least twice as much space.

“That will help.” Jake backed out, pressed the seat up and couldn’t help but be surprised by the ease with which it folded. Now he could get her out much easier. Iceman was already on his knees in the open space, one hand cupping Lynnie’s neck. He looked up and met Jake’s gaze.

“She’s got a hell of a lump back here, but I don’t think there’s any blood.”

That was good. Still, they needed to get her out of there.

“Ready?” He glanced up at Iceman before returning his gaze to Lynnie’s face as he took hold of the tape on her ankles and pulled. Her body slid along the floor without resistance or her moving on her own. That set his teeth on edge. As her hip reached the door jam, he lowered her ankles then scooped her into his arms, one arm under her knees and the other around shoulders. Iceman helped stabilize her head until it hit his shoulder, then Jake eased her out of the doorway and turned for the rear of the truck he’d driven.

By the time he reached the truck, Steele had dropped the tailgate and pulled the sleeping bag that Iceman had been stuffing into its bag earlier and laid it out on top.

“Put her here and let me take a look.”

“Why?”

“Former corpsman, man. Let me check her out and see if she needs the ER. I’ll take care of your lady.” Steele’s voice was gentle, yet commanding and matter of fact.

Jake laid her down on the tailgate if nothing else, he needed to get a better look at her and see how badly she was hurt.

“What happened?” Steele asked as he hopped out of the truck. He pulled a knife from his pocket and opened it with a flick of his wrist before handing it to Jake.

“They said she fell and hit her head. They just tied her up after that. Not sure if it’s true.”

“All right. You take care of the tape I’ll look at her head.”

Steele was usually pretty quiet, but this take-charge attitude was new. Jake didn’t know if he liked it, but was glad someone had an idea what to do and how to check her out.

Doing as he was told, he moved to her feet, carefully cutting the tape, he hated the way there was no resistance to her muscles, her legs moved and flopped as if she was asleep. He wanted more than anything for her to wake up.

“There she is.” Steele’s voice drew his attention as he peeled the tape from her wrists, trying not to take skin with it.

“She’s awake?” he asked.

“She’s getting there,” Steele said, still cradling her head in his hands as he felt the back of her skull. “She’s making faces and reacting to stimuli.”

“What does that mean? Do I need to take her into the emergency room?”

“No.” The word was slightly slurred as if she wasn’t entirely awake, but clear. “No doctor.” She grimaced.

Jake’s mouth went dry, and his knees almost gave out beneath him as he was able to take his first deep breath since he’d seen her in the floorboard, unmoving. He took her hand and squeezed to let her know he was there.

“Let’s see how you bounce back from this before I make any promises, okay?” he said.

“No bouncing, please.”

Her brow creased and she tried to turn her face, as if the sun shining down on her hurt her eyes. Jake held a hand up so there was shade across her eyes. The crease eased slightly, but not all the way. He couldn’t help but wonder how badly her head hurt.

Steele asked her several questions, looked at her eyes, and made her respond to several commands.

“She’s got a lump, but there doesn’t seem to be any major damage from what I can see,” Steele said. “I recommend you take her in for screening, but I can’t force it. However, if there’s any nausea, dizziness, or loss of consciousness, she needs to get to the emergency room immediately.” He turned and looked down at her again. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to in and get checked out?”

She squeezed Jake’s hand and shook her head. “No doctor.”

“I’ll keep an eye out for anything out of place, but especially the things you said. Thanks, man. I don’t know what I would have done without someone who knew how to help.” Jacke clapped Steele on the back.

“You’d be hauling ass into town for the emergency room, but you’re welcome.”