No Greater Hell (Lost and Found, Inc. Book 4)

  NO GREATER

  HELL

  NO GREATER HELL

  COPYRIGHT ©2016 by JERRIE ALEXANDER

  Published by: Jerrie Alexander

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, whether electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  ISBN: 978-1-941205-11-2 E-Book Edition

  ISBN: 978-1-941205-12-9 Print Edition

  Cover illustrator: Meredith Blair

  www.AuthorsAngels.com

  Edited by: Amy Knupp, Blue Otter Editing

  www.BlueOtterEditing.com,

  and Pamela Dougherty, www.thewriteactor.com

  Proofread by: Gwen Toppe

  www.Top-ePublishingServices.com

  Interior Design by: Top-ePublishing Services,

  www.Top-ePublishingServices.com

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and the resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Published in the United States of America

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the following people. Their support, advice, and enthusiasm were invaluable.

  Pamela Dougherty, Amy Knupp and Gwen Toppe, who helped me polish this story until it shone.

  Kym Roberts listened to my ideas, helped me fill plot holes and write the elusive back of the book blurb. I appreciate you more than I can say.

  Kayla Bartley, thank you for your honesty and support.

  Alexa Pressley, you are the best brainstorming partner in the world.

  To Jackie Pressley, you remain my greatest contribution to mankind. I’m blessed that you’re my daughter.

  To my personal hero, Jim. You fought the biggest battle of all and won, thank you for your unwavering love and support.

  Any mistakes are my own!

  Last but not least, thanks to my readers. You are why I write. Thank you for writing and encouraging me to write Jake’s story. I hope you love this story as much as I loved writing it.

  OTHER BOOKS BY JERRIE ALEXANDER

  Single Titles:

  The Green-Eyed Doll

  The Last Execution

  Someone to Watch Over Me

  Flirting with Fate

  Series: Lost and Found, Inc.

  Hell or High Water

  Cold Day in Hell

  No Chance in Hell

  Series: Killer Affections

  Till Justice is Served

  Till the Dead Speak (coming soon)

  PROLOGUE

  Jake Donovan hated good-byes. Walking into the offices of Lost and Found, Inc. for the last time would be a bitch. He was finally square with the law and the government. Relocating would help him close the book on his life as Johnny Darling, and then everyone could move on. But he hated the feeling he was turning his back on his friends. Hated letting down the people who’d helped him get his life back.

  That Kay and Nate Wolfe had finally accepted his decision brought Jake an enormous amount of relief. He hadn’t arrived at this conclusion easily or without a lot of soul searching. If, in fact, he still had a soul.

  Nate and Kay had stood by Jake through his surgery and rehab. They’d been his lifeline, the only thing he could cling to when he finally faced the consequences of his actions. Their numerous trips to the hospital during his surgery and recovery had been the glue that held him together. During their visits, they’d tried to hide their concern for his well-being, but their anxiety showed through their efforts at normalcy, and their unease only added to the guilt he carried. Guilt that still held him prisoner.

  Nevertheless, Nate and Kay had given him back his life, and today he’d return the favor.

  He crossed the parking lot, paused for a second to steel his emotions, and then opened the door. Using Nate’s corny entrance line, he called out, “Honeee, I’m ho-ooome.”

  Kay jumped to her feet and rushed to meet him. Her long brown hair swirled around her shoulders. “Yes, you are.”

  Jake and Kay were both thirty, yet she stood there beaming up at him as if she were his mother. He pulled her into his arms and squeezed. He owed this tiny woman a debt, one he could never repay.

  “I was afraid you wouldn’t show.”

  “I wouldn’t lie to you.”

  “I’m sorry I doubted you.” Her hands gripped his biceps tightly. “Come on back; Nate and the guys are waiting.”

  His heart double-clutched. He could only hope she understood why he had to leave. “That husband of yours is one lucky bastard.”

  “I know. I tell him that all the time,” she said with a weak laugh.

  Kay was the glue that held Wolfe’s Pack together. She’d taken on that role during the group’s college days long before the Lost and Found, Inc. agency was founded. The business had brought her, Nate Wolfe, Marcus Ricci, and Ty Castillo back together, and she still mothered the group, except for Nate, who she’d married.

  Jake kissed the top of her head, put his arm around her shoulders, and together they walked around the cubicles toward the conference room.

  Jake stopped at Ty’s old desk, which now belonged to Dalton Murphy. Six months ago, Dalton had taken Nate’s offer to leave the FBI and join Lost and Found. It had been a lucrative business decision for the company, as government contracts had increased dramatically since Dalton’s addition to the team.

  “You coming?” Kay asked Dalton.

  “You bet.” He stood and shook Jake’s hand. “I’m sorry I couldn’t do more for you. I hope the state’s refusal to issue you a PI license didn’t factor into your decision to leave us.”

  “Not one bit,” Jake said truthfully. “I get that my past was a factor but I appreciate you trying.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nate rise and move to the doorway. “We better get in there. The boss is watching.”

  Nate waited until they were all in the room and seated before he joined the founding partner of the company, Marcus Ricci, at the far end of the small conference table.

  “I’m not going to get maudlin and go on about how much we’re going to miss you, but I’m not going to lie. You are family, and we’ll always be here for you. With or without a license, your job is here and our door is open.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate that.” Jake’s chest ached. He didn’t deserve all this kindness and suddenly found himself choking back a swelling in his throat. There had to be a way to change the subject. Sitting in the middle of the table was a pan of barbecue and a couple containers of beans and slaw. “Wow. Is all this for me?”

  “You expected a cake?” Marcus grinned. At the same time, the big man’s dark eyes bored into Jake. Marcus had always been able to ferret out secrets and truths, so Jake looked away.

  “No,” Jake said. “Thank God.”

  Kay took over the job of dispensing the food, giving Jake his plate first. “Did you say good-bye to Holly?”

  “Kaycie,” Nate scolded. “That’s none of your business.”

  “It certainly is,” Kay fired back. She rolled her eyes and waited.

  “It’s okay to ask,” Jake said, knowing this conversation was necessary, and wanting to get it over with. “Why would I say anything to her? We all know why Holly stopped coming by the office. She couldn’t look at me without cringing.” He held up his hand to stop Kay from responding. “You
brought this up, so let me finish.” He looked down for a second, then back at his friends. “Look, Holly has a new life. I stopped by Dallas Mercy Hospital this morning and saw her walk out with a group of people I’ve never seen before. They were all talking and laughing together. Why would I intrude?”

  The truth was, he’d dropped by the hospital more than once. Hell, he’d been two steps away from becoming a stalker when he’d received word that his last remaining relative, his dad’s brother, had died.

  So Jake had spent the past few weeks helping his aunt at their small horse ranch, and found the time in the country a welcome relief. Working outside, using his hands and back, he’d felt as if he was actually contributing to something worthwhile. The hot Texas sun wrung out every ounce of strength he had and yet each morning, he’d willingly crawled out of bed and looked forward to repeating the process.

  Marcus accepted his plate of food from Kay, pinched off a piece of meat, and passed it down to Diablo, his shepherd-collie-mix rescue dog. “So where is Murdock, Texas?”

  “It’s where nobody knows about me.”

  “Not funny,” Kay said.

  “Your location won’t be a secret around here for long. Kay will have you pinned down before you get out of town.” Marcus leaned down and scratched Diablo’s ears.

  “It’s southwest of Houston, but close enough to the Gulf Coast to reach the ocean in a couple of hours. I’ll text you the address after I get there.” Jake ignored the fact that Nate’s right eyebrow lifted in doubt.

  “The ranch isn’t fancy. In fact, the barns are bigger than the house. My family always believed that if you built a good barn, it would pay for the house. The place is five hundred odd acres of grass and weeds. My aunt and uncle built a reputation for quality cattle and horses, and now she needs me. I’m going to help her finish what he started.”

  “I remember. You have experience ranching,” Dalton said.

  “My dad raised Hereford cattle. We worked out of four-wheelers, but we had a couple of horses.”

  “You’ll come back when we get the new compound open?” Kay asked. “It’s going to be complete with offices for everybody, a training gym for employees, and a bunkhouse for when our agents need a place to crash.“ She shot a look at Nate. “I’m hoping to get my PI license.”

  “It’s about time you got into the field.” Jake knew how badly she wanted to become a field agent. She’d been training hard.

  “So you’ll come back for the big day?”

  “I don’t know.” Not wanting to lie to her, Jake met her gaze with his. “No.”

  She opened her mouth as if to argue. Nate cut her off by asking her to pass the coleslaw.

  Jake shoved a forkful of beans into his mouth and said nothing else.

  The group ate in an uncomfortable silence, thankfully broken when Diablo dropped a big paw on Jake’s leg to beg for food. He jumped, giving everyone a laugh.

  “Hang on,” he said to the dog. As he pulled off a chunk of chopped beef to share, the talk switched to Diablo, who Marcus had smuggled into Texas from Colombia. Raised by the notorious drug lord, Manuel Ortega, the dog had been trained to kill on command, and was considered unredeemable by everybody except Marcus. But Diablo had proved them wrong by accepting new training, and he’d grown to worship Marcus. Man and dog had adjusted to each other beautifully.

  Jake hoped his own transition to a new life would be as easy.

  Just getting through today was trying as hell. The group of people surrounding him ranked up there with the best, a team that worked well as a unit, helping people when all other resources had failed.

  Reluctantly, he stood and started his good-byes. He tried to make it quick, giving a friendly hug to Nate and Marcus. Dalton reached out his hand, and Jake accepted it as an honest gesture.

  He and Dalton had gotten off to a rough start. Understandable, since Jake had been living as Johnny Darling for a human trafficking ring at the time. FBI agent Dalton Murphy had worked the case, ultimately arresting Jake for kidnapping Holly. That arrest led to the removal of a brain tumor that had saved his life and restored the part of his memory that was Jake Donovan.

  Kay held Jake tightly for a few minutes, then she whispered, “Take care of yourself.”

  “I will.”

  She turned and buried her face in her husband’s chest. Jake kissed the back of her head and then walked out the door.

  These people had saved his life. They’d taken care of him even though he didn’t deserve the sweat off their brow. Nothing would ever lessen his gratitude. He committed everything they’d done for him to memory.

  He didn’t remember the monster he’d once been, but they did.

  With each step, his breathing grew labored, as an imagined metal strap tightened around his chest. With each step away from the comfort and protection of his friends, the band tightened. And with each step, he opened the door to his new future.

  A big hand landed on his shoulder. “We all have our private hell. I hope you find the way back from yours. Take care, my friend.”

  Jake turned around to face Nate. “You too.”

  “You won’t find redemption by living in isolation. You’ll find it here.” Nate tapped a finger on Jake’s temple.

  Jake shook his head. “I’m not looking for redemption. I’m just hoping for a little peace of mind.”

  CHAPTER 1

  Two years later

  Murdock, Texas

  Jake settled his ball cap on his head, shading his eyes against the morning sunlight. He blinked against the glare as he scanned the Donovan Cattle Ranch for damages. Arms over his head, he reached for the sky, stretching his stiff joints. Spending six hours underground in a storm cellar had left his long frame tied in knots. Neither he nor Aunt Alice had slept, not with the torrential rainfall and high winds pounding against the only door out of this oversized grave of a shelter.

  A battery powered weather radio had kept them up to date on the deadly hurricane as it had swept across the Gulf of Mexico. According to the weatherman, numerous tornados had hit inland, dumping untold inches of rain. He and Alice had known exactly when the storm had passed over the ranch.

  It was graveyard quiet now, without as much as a whisper of a breeze. Even the birds had stopped chirping. Probably too scared to announce the danger had passed.

  While this area of Southeast Texas didn’t flood often, being prepared was always a good idea. Alice and Jake had monitored the weather channels, took seriously the warnings that the impending storm was expected to be one of the most intense in history, and spent the past few days working nonstop to get the ranch ready. Jake had moved the cattle and horses to the back pasture away from the creek. Strong and determined, she worked harder than any two men, and her nephew’s level of respect and affection for her grew every day.

  Now she stood silently beside him, her blue eyes stained with red streaks from the lack of sleep. Her salt-and-pepper hair stood at odd angles, mussed from dragging her fingers through it as the wind had howled and battered the door above them. She pulled an old sailor’s cap from her hip pocket and socked it on her head.

  “Thank God. The old place is still standing.” Alice struck out toward the house, her boots sinking in the mud. “Looks like the wind blew off a few roof shingles.“

  Jake was looking the other direction. “Pasture is standing in water and a few trees are down.”

  “I’ll take a check inside. You’ll check on the livestock?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Jake breathed a sigh of relief. They had expected the worst, and so far nothing pointed toward disaster. Alice wouldn’t say it, but she was worried about what he might find.

  The four-wheeler would get stuck, so Jake went straight to the barn, where he slipped on a pair of tall rubber boots. Rapidly moving water had cut a shallow trench in the usually hard dirt road running from the house to the outbuildings. It was nothing that couldn’t be fixed.

  The odor of wet wood and soggy cattle pens went unnoticed as h
e stepped through the gate leading to the pasture, and started his search. His boots sunk into the mud, making a slurping sound with each step.

  A couple of the corral fence posts had been uprooted. He found young trees dotting the pasture that would have some day provided the livestock shade from the broiling Texas sun. Today their jagged roots pointed skyward, having been yanked unnaturally from the earth.

  Within a few hours, Jake located the livestock. His heart began to sink as he counted four dead, then he stared in amazement at a new-born calf and her mother. He gathered the tiny heifer in his arms, knowing the mother would follow, and carried it back to the barn. Secure in an empty horse stall with a fresh pile of hay, both animals would be fine.

  He’d turned four brood mares and a gelding out into their pasture a few minutes before he and Alice had gone into the storm cellar. Duchess was close to foaling, and Jake was anxious to find her. He walked to the west fence and whistled. He waited a few minutes and tried again, hoping to hear hooves sloshing through the mud or horses nickering as they always did at meal time.

  Their absence concerned him. Losing one horse would break Alice’s heart, but if anything happened to Duchess, she’d be crushed. Jake slipped through the railing and went in search of the mares.

  He found them in the far corner of the field. He approached calmly, speaking soft words of encouragement. Two of them backed away, skittish. All four mares were pregnant by a local stallion and were normally docile, but the storm had rattled them. But Buster, who always nuzzled Jake’s pocket for a treat, came right up to him.

  Jake did a quick visual and found no injuries. Duchess was the matriarch of the group, so he removed his belt and slid it around her neck. “Good girl,” he whispered, running his hand up her neck. Together they led Buster and the other three mares back to the small paddock and into their stalls.

  One at a time, he rinsed them off, rubbed them dry, and then loaded their stalls with fresh grain and hay. None showed signs of miscarrying. More good news to share with Alice.