Blackstone's Heart (Blackout Security Inc. Book 1)

  Chapter 1

  Krista sat in her upstairs writing studio working on her current novel. Normally she liked to sit outside on her wrap around porch and work, but the day was grey and a steady rain fell outside. She loved days like this. The rain pitter-pattering on the roof setting the perfect soundtrack for romance writing. Especially the scene she was currently working on. Her hero was taking her heroine against an oak tree in the rain.

  She nearly jumped when her cell rang, interrupting the peacefulness of the house. Cursing, she answered. "Damnit Jerry! I was right in the middle..."

  "We got another one Krista." Jerry jumped right in.

  Krista's eyes closed as she gnashed her teeth. "When did you get it?"

  Jerry sighed, "I just found them this morning. We got two but it was a four weekend last week."

  “Great. Have Jimmy and Cain seen them yet?” She asked.

  “I’m pulling up to the Federal building right now. Once I’m done here I’m coming to you. You might want to give your dad a heads up on this. I should be done here in about thirty.”

  “Alright. I’ll call Dad now and wait for you. Be careful Jerry. Jimmy and Cain have both said, as has Dad, that this guy could be watching us.”

  “I’ll watch myself honey. I gotta go. See you soon.”

  Krista ended the call and stood from her desk. As she dialed her dad, she moved through the room checking the windows. Her writing studio was one of her favorite rooms in the house next to her kitchen. The wall behind her desk was all windows that looked down on her sprawling tree filled backyard. There was a ten by ten-foot section near the house that had no trees. That area held her fire pit and the bricked patio. She had just checked the final window lock when her dad picked up.

  “Nicholas Jameson.”

  “Dad, Jerry just called me. He said he found two letters this morning.” Krista jumped right in while exiting her studio and heading the bedroom next door to check the windows.

  “Dammit. Do you have the copies yet?”

  “Not yet. Jerry called me as he was pulling up to the Federal building. He said he should be here in about half an hour.”

  “Alright, once he gets there I want you both in my office asap. I’m assuming you received two letters due to the four-day weekend last week.”

  “That’s what Jerry thinks and I agree.” She replied, now making her way downstairs.

  “What was all that clicking and rummaging around I’ve been hearing?”

  “I’m checking all my windows and making sure they’re locked. Hell, I used to never bother when I was home but since this creep started writing me I’m becoming paranoid and I hate it.” She growled as she checked the locks on the living room windows.

  “Baby, you can’t be too careful. I know you can take care of yourself, but we don’t know for sure if this guy is actually watching us or just trying to make us think he is. You just stay there, wait for Jerry, then you two come here. We’ll get through this Krista.” Nicholas assured her.

  Krista let out a sigh walking into her kitchen. “Yes sir. I’ll see you soon. I love you.”

  “I love you too honey.”

  Leaning against her granite counter, Krista dropped her phone to the surface and ran her fingers through her unbound blonde hair. She hated feeling like she was a prisoner in her own home, let alone in her own hometown. Mumbling to herself she moved to the half full coffee pot and poured herself a cup. With her coffee she walked into her spacious living room to wait for Jerry. Sitting on the plush sofa, she sipped her coffee, her mind no longer thinking about hot sex in the rain against a tree with a hunky alpha rancher. Instead her thoughts were now consumed by her unknown stalker.

  ‘Who the hell is he and what does he want with me? Where did I meet him? Did I even meet him? God this is so frustrating!’

  ***

  A knock on the front door half an hour later had Krista moving. She had been pacing for the last ten minutes after she had gathered her phone and purse, which were now waiting on the end table in the foyer. She grabbed both items, opened the door and stepped onto the porch with Jerry.

  “Um, we going somewhere?” Jerry asked, lifting a brow as she locked her house.

  “Dad wants us in his office. You drive. I’m still too pissed to be driving in Austin traffic right now.” Krista answered.

  Jerry chuckled as he followed her in the misting rain to his flashy Porsche 911 Turbo. In fire engine red to top things off. It had been his first major purchase after Krista’s first book, Dress Blues, hit number one on New York Times best-seller list nearly six years ago. He slipped behind the will and steered the car toward downtown.

  Nick Jameson looked up when his office door opened. He let out a silent breath of relief at seeing his only daughter standing safely in front of him. He stood and rounded his desk. He gathered Krista into his arms and gave a nod of greeting to Jerry.

  “I’m okay Daddy.” Krista said quietly.

  “I know baby. This whole mess has me a little overprotective of you and I won’t apologize for that either.” Nick stated.

  Nick released Krista and moved back to his chair while Jerry and Krista sat in the two chairs in front of his desk. Once everyone was reseated, Jerry pulled out the copies of the letters from his briefcase and laid them on the desk.

  “Here’s the copies. Jimmy and Cain say the handwriting looks the same as the others. The postmark was from San Antonio this time.” Jerry began.

  Nick took one while Krista took the other. Nick frowned as he read the words.

  My Dearest Kris,

  Why are you ignoring me? We are meant to be. You knew it as I did the first time we met. I don’t like that those F.B.I agents are trying to keep us apart. No one can keep us away from each other. You are mine and I am yours.

  We will be together and you will see my love. I am the only one who truly understands you. There’s no point in delaying this Kris, you can’t stop fate.

  Nick laid the letter back on the desk and ran his hand over his face. He had no desire to read the other letter. He knew it would read much the same. When he looked up again he found Krista looked pissed and was putting the letter he had just read on the desk. Guilt suddenly filled Nick.

  There had been a change in her stalker case yet it was a change only he knew about. He was still weighing his options about how to handle this change. Once he made a choice he would tell her. He looked at his only daughter and her best friend and agent.

  “This is getting ridiculous! We have no leads, no idea who this is and personally I’m getting pretty sick and tired of looking over my shoulder every time I step out of my damn house!” Krista hissed as she stood and began pacing.

  Jerry rubbed his chin. “Nick, what else can we do? I mean, we’ve got the Feds involved, Austin PD are a doing drive-by every few days, I can’t think of anything more we can do about this.”

  Nick leaned back in his chair, feeling much older than his sixty-four-years. “I can’t think of anything else we can do Jerry. Waiting always seems to be the hardest part.”

  “I’ll say.” Krista mumbled, dropping back into the chair and slouching.

  “Just be patient honey. That’s about all I can think of to tell you at this point.” Nick said sadly.

  ***

  Ethan jerked awake, cold sweat trickling down his neck. Breathing heavily, he swiped a hand over his face as he tossed back the sheets, biting back a curse and rose from the bed. Silent as a shadow, he moved to the window, staring out over the back of his property watching dawn break.

  Slowly his breathing returned to its normal pattern. Yet the sadness and guilt remained like a landmine in
his gut. It was nearing the two-year mark of the death of several of his teammates and brothers in some Iraqi desert. Even now he could still feel the heat of the desert, smell the burning Humvee and burning flesh. THE SMELL OF DEATH.

  'Christ! You have to put this shit behind you, man! Pull yourself together, Blackstone.' He ordered himself.

  Taking a deep breath, Ethan turned from the window and headed for the shower, stripping as he went. He reached into his glass enclosed shower and turned the knobs. While waiting for the water to heat up, he moved to the sink and stared at his reflection. His grey-blue eyes seemed hollow. This was nothing new whenever he had dreams of that final mission. He didn’t dream of it often, but for the last year they seemed to happen more and in an infrequent pattern. He couldn’t figure out what was triggering them now, other than the three-year anniversary of the event.

  When the steam began wafting out of the shower, he climbed in under the scalding water. As the water beat over him, he pressed his palms flat against the tiled wall, hanging his head as the memories of the last mission replayed in his mind. The day had been bright, clear and hot as the blazes of Hell itself. The intel they had received seemed promising. He had been the last of the MARSOC team to load into the Humvee. Ethan and his men were ready for anything. Anything except the ambush that had awaited them in that Iraqi desert.

  Ten minutes later, feeling more like himself, he exited the bathroom and began dressing for the day. He pulled on black tactical pants and a drab green t-shirt. After he was clothed he then sat on the bed to pull on his combat boots. He had just grabbed his cell off the charger when it rang in his hand.

  "Blackstone."

  "Hey boss man."

  Ethan smirked at the southern drawl of his second in command, Gage Carson. "Whatcha need, Carson?"

  "What I need you can't give me, sweet cheeks." Gage joked.

  "Asshole." Ethan laughed heading downstairs for coffee.

  "Yeah, love ya too. Anyway, just got into the office and found the esteemed District Attorney Nicholas Jameson waiting outside your office." Gage stated.

  Ethan stopped dead in his tracks. "What?"

  "Yep. Says he'll only talk to you, boss. He looks, well, I'd say scared." Gage reported.

  "I'll be there in twenty. Take him to the conference room. And Gage?"

  "Yeah?"

  "Try to get him to talk. Get a read on him."

  "Copy that."

  The line went dead. Ethan frowned as he slipped into the shoulder harness he held, all thoughts of coffee now gone. He threw on his worn motorcycle jacket, snatched up the helmet, and headed for his bike. He had known D.A Nicholas Jameson his whole life, and never once had he seen the man show anything even remotely resembling fear. The man was fierce in a courtroom and had a reputation for being harsh, yet fair. It was that reputation that led to whispers of him possibly throwing his name in the hat for Governor in the upcoming election. If he was at Blackout Security and was scared, something was wrong-VERY WRONG.

  ***

  Nicholas Jameson studied the man that sat next to him at the round conference table. The man, Gage Carson, he had said his name was, was a big man. Hair shaved close to his scalp, light brown eyes that seemed to look right through a person and miss nothing about his surroundings.

  "How long have you known Ethan, Mr. Carson?" Nicholas asked.

  "I met him right after I graduated boot camp. I joined the Marines about a year after he got into the fleet. We were in the same unit." Gage answered.

  Nicholas heard the hint of a southern drawl. He nodded as his sipped the coffee Gage had brought him. "His parents were so proud of him when he told them he wanted to be a Marine. His mother went with him and signed the papers so he could enlist at seventeen."

  "You know Ethan, sir?"

  Nicholas chuckled at that. "Son, I've known Ethan since he was a newborn. His family and mine are old friends. He graduated with my second son, Hayden. Hell, he went to school with all of my children at some point."

  Gage smiled a little. "Sir, is there anything you can tell me about why you're here? Anything that can help me and Ethan help you."

  Nicholas felt his body tense once more. Sitting a little straighter in the chair, he blanked his face as he looked at the man next to him. Yes, he knew he should tell him something, but his gut said to say nothing until he had spoken to Ethan alone first.

  "Mr. Carson, Ethan may trust you, but I don't know you. I DO know Ethan. I will discuss nothing further until I have spoken to Ethan and Ethan alone." Nicholas stated, his voice taking on his courtroom voice as his kids called it.

  Before either man could say anything further, the door opened and there stood Ethan. Nicholas studied the man, remembering the boy he had been. The man before him now was no longer an innocent boy, he was a hardened warrior. He felt his heart swell in pride. Ethan strode into the room as Nicholas stood. He pulled Ethan to him as if he were one of his own. Hell, he thought of Ethan as one of his anyway and always would.

  "It's good to see you, son." Nicholas said quietly.

  "You too, sir." Ethan smiled a little. "How's the family doing?"

  "They're good. Debbie will be happy to see you when she gets home next month. She went to visit her sister in Denver." Nicholas answered as he retook his seat.

  "I'll have to go see Mama Debbie when she gets back." Ethan chuckled as he too sat. "Now, what brings you to Blackout, sir?"

  Nicholas took a deep breath to center himself. "Ethan, no offense to Mr. Carson, or any of your guys, but can we discuss this privately first? After I tell you everything, then you can bring in your people."

  He watched as Ethan frowned a little at the request. He knew he could be taking a huge risk by coming to Ethan, but he had to. His only daughter was in danger. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to her. Ethan was his only chance. Relief flooded him when Ethan signaled for Gage to leave them alone. Once alone with Ethan, Nicholas felt his shoulders sag under the weight he had been bearing silently for the last month.

  "Nick, what is it? It's just you and me now. Tell me what's wrong." Ethan pleaded.

  "Ethan, you're my only hope right now." Nicholas said, his voice nearly cracking.

  "What the hell is going on, Nick?" Ethan demanded, the man's worry showing through.

  "It's Krista. Ethan, Krista's in danger and I need your help to protect her."

  ***

  Ethan felt like ice had pierced his chest. Krista's in danger. Those words made his blood freeze in his veins. Krista Jameson was Nick and Debbie's only daughter. She had also been his girlfriend his senior year of high school. He had been her first lover and she him. Of course, he imagined Debbie and Nick, along with Krista's three brothers would string him up by his balls if any of them knew that little tidbit.

  "What kind of danger?" He asked, trying to contain the rage he felt building up inside him.

  He watched Nick run a hand over his face. "Let me give you a bit of backstory. After you and Krista broke up and you shipped out, she took up writing. I think she was lonely. Oh I know you and she agreed it was better, but she missed you I think. You two were always close. Her senior year she submitted a short story and it lead to a full scholarship to Hamilton College up in New York.

  "Before she graduated college in 2009, she had published her first novel. In the last seven years she's published nearly a dozen more. Her genres are either romantic suspense or military romance. The last five have made to both the US and New York Times best seller lists."

  Ethan should have been shocked, but he wasn't. In school she had always been good at essays and reports. She was the only reason he and her brothers made it through high school, because she usually wrote their damned papers for them.

  "I'm following you so far, but how is Krista being an author put her in danger?" He asked Nick.

  "Well, about a year ago, she gained a fan. It started innocently enough. Telling her how great her novels were, how captivated he was by her words. Then the lett
ers became more frequent. She receives a letter a week now. Three months after they began, the gifts started. Stuffed animals, flowers a few times, even jewelry. She uses a pseudonym, Kris James.

  "All her fan mail goes through her agent Jerry Summerland. He was her best friend in college and they even shared an apartment for two years in New York after graduation. Six months ago, the tone of the letters changed. Darker. Possessive. Telling her she and he belonged together. When that happened, Krista went to the F.B.I. There's an open investigation, but so far no leads." Nick paused and reached into his briefcase pulling out a stack of letters. "A month ago, I started receiving these."

  Ethan pulled the letters to him. He just knew that whatever was in them he wasn't going to like it. Carefully he picked up the first letter. The postmark was from Houston and there was no return address. That immediately sent up a red flag. The address was for Nick's office downtown. He pulled out the first letter.