In Our Dream Read online

  Barry leaned close in behind him. “It’s okay. Pete is as sick of the shit in here as I am.”

  Dom nodded and then started to follow the guard. Barry moved alongside him and reached out to put a cuff on one hand. “Hold the other one to look like it’s closed.” He checked over his shoulder. “If anything happens, you grab my swipe card and get your ass locked back in that room.”

  Dom nodded as he placed the cuff around his other wrist and held his hand over it. “What’s the plan?”

  Barry looked over his shoulder again. “We’re going to walk you right to the guard parking tunnel.” Dom raised his eyebrows. “Don’t worry about it. Pete has it covered.” Dom just nodded and hoped he did.

  When Pete grabbed the back of Dom’s shirt and started to practically push him through the door, Dom gave Barry a skeptical look. Barry shrugged and motioned him to go through. Dom gritted his teeth and allowed the other guard to shove him through and half drag, half push him in the direction of another hallway.

  * * * *

  He stayed down in the backseat until Barry turned around and told him he could sit up. Reaching his arm forward, he waited for the one cuff to be unlocked. “Now what?” He watched behind them to see the prison fading in the night. He glanced at the other guard in the mirror. The man that had been scowling the whole time winked at him and then turned his attention back to the snow covered road. Sitting back, he leaned his head against the seat.

  Barry turned and leaned to look at him. “We’re to take you to a safe house until we hear from your captain.” He smirked. “Your wife called and told me to get you out.”

  Dom smirked. “Guess I owe her one.”

  Barry laughed. “I guess you do.”

  Dom closed his eyes and relaxed for the first time in months. He thought of Jennah and couldn’t help but smile.

  * * * *

  Jennah heard shouting and the squeal of tires, and she cursed under her breath. She couldn’t see around the side of the house, so she had no idea who had just left in that much of a hurry. She was just about to stand up when she spotted someone sneaking around the side. Squinting, she kept her eye on them as she ducked down further in the shadows. Her hands were cold, but she didn’t dare make a move to warm them. She breathed into the top of her vest so her breath wouldn’t be seen.

  “Jennah.”

  She jumped when his voice loudly filled her mind. “Are you out?” She watched the man as he worked his way toward the back of the yard. Glancing around, she realized that there was no one covering the area but her.

  “Yeah, thanks to you.”

  She moved to the side a few feet so she had a clear path to the man slithering through the snow like a snake toward her. “Are you all right?” He got up into a crouch and looked around behind him.

  “Yeah. Hey . . .”

  She couldn’t focus on both Dom and the target at the same time. “Not a good time.” The man was only five feet from her now, and no one else had noticed him. “Shit!”

  “Shit what?”

  “Be safe.” She held her breath as the man stepped quietly toward her.

  When he was almost on top of her, she stood up and aimed right for his chest. “I think that’s far enough.” She watched his eyes and prayed he wasn’t going to make a break for it. He peered to his left and then behind her briefly. Damn it, don’t make me shoot at you. “On the ground, now!” She could hear someone moving toward them, but didn’t look away from him. He moved his hands away from his body and dropped to his knees.

  The captain came up beside her as one of the others dropped down and pulled the face down man’s hands behind his back. “The warden got away.”

  She lowered her gun and clipped the safety on. “Shit!” Pulling off the glasses, she turned to look at him. “Dom’s out.”

  The captain nodded. “Good. We may have to hide him until we can get a line on the warden, though. He’s going to head straight for him.”

  She could only nod. Blowing out a breath, she turned to watch the others bringing a second man in cuffs around the house. “I’ll meet you back at the station.” She turned and worked her way through the snow back out of the trees to where she had left her car.

  Undoing the vest, she tossed it and the white jacket in the car before climbing in. She started it and flicked the heat to high. Her ankles were numb and hands were red.

  She exhaled slowly and pictured the door opening. “Dom?”

  “What the hell was that about?”

  She smirked. “We nabbed two accomplices, but the warden got away.”

  “Shit!” There was a long pause. “We?”

  She grinned. “I thought I’d tag along.”

  “Tag along? Are you all right?”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m fine. You’re going to have to stay out of sight until he’s found.”

  She could hear him sigh. “Yeah, but at least I’m out of Wyestate.”

  She closed her eyes as the shaky feeling that always came after the adrenaline caught up to her. “As long as you’re safe now.”

  “I owe you, beautiful.”

  She laughed. “Yes, you do, and I will collect.”

  She heard his deep chuckle. “I look forward to it.”

  She leaned forward and started the car. “I have to go back to the station and play in paperwork. Take care of you.”

  “You too, babe.”

  She pulled out of the trees and slowly headed toward the main road.

  “That wasn’t a good bye, just so you know.”

  She grinned at the way he sounded and then took a deep breath. “Got it.” She could almost hear the door closing and knew that Dom was probably shutting down for the first time in six months, or longer considering how long ago his father had died.

  Chapter Nine

  Jennah hung up the phone with a loud groan. It had been nice of Captain Wilds to call her with an update, even if it wasn’t the one she wanted to hear. They had a few leads on the warden, had made three more arrests, and had spent the last week checking out contacts, which was all good. It was coming together. Dom was still in a safe house, and from what the captain implied, Dom wasn’t happy having to stay out of sight.

  She sighed and watched out the window. It was snowing again, and she felt as heavy as the snowflakes looked. She had tried to connect with Dominic several times in the last week, but hadn’t been able to. She wasn’t sure why she couldn’t. The captain had said he had been exhausted and spent a few days resting more than anything, but now he was working the case with them. Did he have her blocked again? She was wishing she had asked him more questions about this thing that they were able to do. It wasn’t as if she could just search for it on the Internet. What would she search? Controlling your mind hopping abilities? How to connect in dreams? She snorted at her own exhausted thoughts.

  Work had kept her busy enough. The crazy incidents were the only things that were distracting her right now, and there were a lot of them. Rudy had tried to get her to take a day off, but she wasn’t interested in time alone to sit here and wonder and worry. The captain wouldn’t tell her where the safe house was, and that was probably a good thing because, despite her knowing she might be recognized or followed, she would have gone there just to see if Dom was all right.

  Twice she had asked if she could help with tracking the warden down, but Captain Wilds politely told her that she had already done enough and that his men would look after things. She knew it was nothing personal, and certainly nothing to do with her gender, but it still irked her.

  She bit her lip and turned back to the phone. Was Barry still at the safe house, or had he returned to the prison? She picked up the phone and ran her finger over the buttons a few times, trying to decide if she should even bother. He might be as clueless as she was at this point. Without second-guessing herself a third time, she dialled his number.

  He answered.

  “Hi, Barry. It’s Jennah Best.”

  He chuckled. “I’ve been wond
ering if I’d hear from you. I actually expected to before now.”

  She played with the wood grain on the table. “I’ve been trying to sit here and accept being in the dark, but it’s not sitting really well.”

  “I guess it wouldn’t. I can’t tell you much you probably don’t already know. I stayed with Dom for two days until his captain made other arrangements.”

  “How was his side?” She blushed.

  “Healing, with no help from him. He’s like a trapped animal when he’s not allowed to do anything.”

  She grinned. “I would imagine he is.” She sighed. “I shouldn’t ask, but do you know where he is?”

  He chuckled again. “Nope. They moved him.”

  “Oh.”

  “Listen, Jennah, it’s probably better you don’t know.”

  “I know all of that, Barry. Really, I do. The cop part of me understands completely, but . . .”

  “The woman part is worried,” he finished for her.

  “Yeah.” She blew out a long breath. “Did you go back to the prison?”

  “Yep. It’s been a whole different place these past few days. New warden, new guards. They only kept a few of us, and I’m suspecting the list of who stayed came down from Dom’s reports.”

  She nodded. “That’s good, though.”

  “Yes, it is. I’m actually on my way there now.”

  She grimaced. “Oh, you got the night shift?”

  He laughed. “I like the night shift. Everyone is sleeping—or should be.”

  She shrugged. “I suppose, but I would be a bit bored.”

  “Well, I’m not an adrenaline junky like some people I’ve met recently, so the quiet night suits me just fine.”

  She smiled. “I am not an adrenaline junky, just so you know. My own job is quite calm and peaceful most of the time.”

  “Well, if I ever need rescuing, I’m calling you, just so you know.”

  She smiled again, even though she was feeling a bit sad. “I’ll be there. I’ll let you go. Take care.”

  “I will, and Jennah? Dom’s going to be fine. I’ve never met a more determined man.”

  “Thank you, Barry. Have a good night.”

  “You too.”

  She hung up the phone and sat there, staring at it. She closed her eyes and pictured Dom when he’d been so relaxed and playful during her brief visit. She smiled at the image that filled her mind. “Dominic? Where are you?” She knew she sounded a little desperate, but she couldn’t hide that. She waited for longer than she should have for some sort of response. When none came, she exhaled shakily and opened her eyes.

  Grabbing the phone, she dialled the office. She wasn’t tired and had to find some way to work off this frustration and impatience. Maybe Scott could use some company tonight, or even help. Maybe she’d even send him home to see his wife and she’d sit at the station and take calls. She just needed to be doing—something!

  * * * *

  Dom paced around the small room. It was larger than his cell at Wyestate, but it still felt like a prison to him. Sighing, he opened the door and walked out to the kitchen. Brody was sitting at the table reading a newspaper. He looked over the paper at him with a curious expression on his face. “I can’t sleep,” Dom grunted as he opened the fridge. There was nothing but a few sodas and water. Why couldn’t he have beer? It’s not like he was going to be drinking and driving. Not when he wasn’t allowed outside this tiny, crappy house.

  Brody leaned back in his chair. “Have you even tried to sleep tonight? You do know they’re paying us to sit here all night, so you can sleep without worrying.”

  Dom closed the fridge door, maybe a little harder than necessary, and leaned back against the counter. Crossing his arms, he studied the man he’d worked with many times before. “I know how it works. I’m just usually the one getting paid to stay awake, not the hostage.”

  Brody laughed. “You’re not a hostage, Jesus, Dom! You’re wound tighter than a spring lately. What gives?”

  Dom shrugged. “I just want to find the prick so I can go back to my life.”

  Brody raised an eyebrow. “Your life of working twenty out of twenty-four hours? Your life of cold pizza and sour milk? I think there’s a bit more to it than that.”

  He snarled at the man and then sighed. “Did you work with the team when they went to bring the warden in?”

  Brody crossed his arms and nodded. “Yep. That was one cold friggin’ night.”

  Dom studied the floor while he spoke. “So you met Jennah?”

  Brody grinned. “Jennah? Oh, you mean the hot little package with the twin Springfields?”

  Dom smirked. “She carries Springfields?” He chuckled. “I can see that from her.”

  Brody laughed loudly and then stopped when Dom glared at him. “This is all about her, isn’t it? It has nothing to do with being cooped up. You’re missing your woman.”

  Dom shrugged. “She’s not technically my woman.”

  “Like hell she’s not!” Brody stood up and leaned against the counter across from him. “She went into the prison to get the info from you and then she pretty much told Captain Wilds she was on the team to go after the warden, end of story.” He waved his hand around. “We’re all scrambling around in the snow like puppies trying to find the one perp and she’s hanging back, invisible to the eye . . .” He paused and shook his head. “Tory and I are sneaking around trying to catch sight of the guy, and she steps out of the shadows and points the barrel about three inches off his chest and tells him, almost friggin’ politely, to get on the ground!” He chuckled. “I’m pretty sure the guy wet himself.” He shook his head again. “She didn’t blink an eye until Tory and I made it to her and cuffed him.” He grinned. “Tory’s in love now.”

  Dom scowled at him. “Tory’s married.”

  “Separated.”

  Dom stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I find him anywhere near her and I’ll . . .”

  Brody raised his hands. “Relax. Everyone knows she’s for you.”

  Dom smirked. “She did that, huh? Right at the guy’s chest?” Brody nodded. “Has anyone talked to her since?”

  Brody shook his head and grinned. “Oh, no. We are not going there and we are not calling her.” He shrugged. “The only one that knows how to contact her is the captain and I don’t think he’s about to give anyone her number.”

  Dom sighed. He paced over to the other side of the kitchen and rubbed his hands over his face. “I’m losing my fucking mind just sitting here, Brod.”

  Brody patted him on the back. “She’ll be there when this is all wrapped up.”

  Dom dropped his hands and gripped the counter. “It’s been over two weeks! He’s long gone. No one is going to pick up his trail.”

  Brody sat back down and picked up the paper. “Have patience just a little bit longer, Dom.”

  Dom snorted and turned around. “Easy for you to say. You get to go home every day.”

  Brody just smirked and kept on reading. Dom grunted, turned, and walked back out of the room.

  He just wanted to talk to her. He’d tried in sleep, in thought, and got nothing. It wasn’t even like when she’d slammed the door on him. There was nothing, no trace of her at all. He didn’t like that one bit.

  He stood in the middle of the sitting room, with its mismatched furniture, and looked at the front door. Turning slowly, he studied the window. He’d stared out it enough to know that it led nowhere that was useful to him. The window in his room wouldn’t budge. He’d already tried that when he’d needed to smell fresh air. Pacing around the room, he squinted at the bathroom door. He hadn’t checked that out yet. He glanced over his shoulder to see if Brody was paying any attention to him. He wasn’t.

  * * * *

  It was a perfect Christmas Eve. The night was bright and clear and the snow sparkled wherever light hit it. Jennah parked her car in her driveway and got out to look around. Turning, she eyed the door to her apartment and sighed. She didn’t want to go sit
in there alone and think of what it would be like to share this night with family and children. Locking the car, she dropped the keys into her pocket and turned toward the sidewalk.

  She stopped to watch a family outside playing. The children were excited, and rightly so. This was a pretty big night in their young worlds. The parents were happy. She could see the secrets they held between them each time they looked at each other on this magical night.

  Each home she walked by was decorated and sang out the season’s joy. Feeling a chill, she pulled up the collar on her jacket and then stuffed her hands into her pockets. For this one night, there was only happiness in Ridge. For one night, it seemed all the crazy things that happened leading up to it were put on hold.