Thunder Storms (#1 - Semper Fi Series)

Part XV

So she decided to up and marry pretty truck boy. Well, that would not deter him. He would take care of the groom, and reclaim his woman. Then he’d make her wish she’d never done a stupid thing like say “I do” to anyone but him.

Ben laughed at how easy getting information could be. People really had no idea that everything they said or did, every phone call, e-mail and text could be traced. He’d made his own technology from other people’s ideas. He could find anyone and listen to any conversation.

He first learned of this dreadful news when Renee called her parents in the Bahamas. The rest of the details he gathered from the other calls made by one Joe Holbrook. That guy would be a thrill to take out. He seemed to always be three steps ahead. Every time Ben had tried to get down that road, security tightened. The man was a tactician and a genius at protection. A most worthy adversary, Ben thought.

Last night’s call that lasted most of the night between Adam and Renee had been most entertaining, though it turned his stomach to listen to her claim to love him and desire him. He had not wanted to listen to them plan their “new life together.” He wanted that life with her, and he planned on getting it, no matter the cost.

He knew it was almost four hours to Savannah. This gave him plenty of time to plan and plot the things he could do. He already had a reservation at a nice little inn looking over one of the squares. He’d made lots of money in technological engineering and he worked for himself, which made taking time to pursue and catch Renee much simpler.

He checked his weapons and supplies. He had his rope, duct tape for her pretty little mouth, and guns. He would surprise her and end her short marriage. Then, he would take her back to Kentucky, to his house in the woods, to start their own story over again.

Now, he was just a few hours away from finally having his dream woman, whether or not she liked it. He hated to keep breaking her heart, but he would do it, and he would break her, until she finally relented and accepted that she would be with him for the rest of her life.

. . . . .

As much as Joe wanted them to have their privacy, he had to make sure they were going to be safe. He and Will, with permission of the Inn manager, were doing checks hourly. No one was allowed to rent the room on either side of theirs, and Terry and Matt were across the hall in their own suite.

Joe kind of missed being married sometimes. Camille (he called her Cammie) after two years of being married to a Marine, could not take military life and had gone home to her mother. She did him a favor. At least, most days he felt that way. There were days she was missed. Having a husband deploy over and over had taken its toll on her and their marriage. They’d never actually signed any papers to legalize the divorce. They separated amicably, and were still in touch. Right now, he was thinking he wanted her back. Maybe now that he was finished with his active service, she would consider reconciling. He still loved her with his whole being.

Will was on the phone with his wife while doing a perimeter check when he spotted a black sedan that seemed to be either lost or suspicious, for the circles it was driving around the square. “I love ya baby. I gotta call ya back soon, ‘kay?” He keyed his walkie-talkie and asked Joe to come down and meet him in the front parlor.

“What’s up, brother?” Joe asked as he entered the front parlor, which was to the left of the front door.

“Conspicuous black sedan is circling the square for the tenth time, at least. After the third, I started watching closely.”

“We need to secure the doors on every level, as well as any and all balconies on the first floor. Call local law enforcement, and ask to talk to Detective Mercer. I think our man has found us. I alerted Matt and Terry already. I will not let this guy ruin Adam and Renee’s wedding night. If we have anything to do with it, they will never know he was even here.”