Chapter 25: Chapter 25

As soon as she got up, her hair began to blow in a chaotic pattern around her face, and Jerome found himself wishing that she had it pulled back as he did. She required an unobstructed vision of what might be posed as a threat to her by both Mother Nature and by man.

She yelled, "We really need to get out of this place!"

"Not with those supplies," he answered, extending her his arm before continuing his sentence.

She avoided additional debate by sliding her arm around his elbow and avoiding further conversation. "You mean not before we get Randy."

It was in his plans to disregard what she had to say. She appeared to read his mind and would not allow herself to be dismissed. She exerted pressure on his arm while yelling into the howling of the wind. "I want him, too!"

It seems strange that acceptance of his plan would have been such a significant factor, yet it was. She had some way of knowing that the words needed to be spoken to him.

His palm wrapped over hers as he showed nonverbal appreciation for what she had spoken, but he needed to keep his attention on the task at hand. Both time and the directions that he had given to her were of the utmost importance. They were going to need to move. He tugged her forward, but all they were able to accomplish was taking one stride before they were hit by a strong gust of wind. Jerome braced himself against the blow, and Anna clutched to him for balance, shrieking something he couldn't understand as she did so. He dragged her along behind him, braving the storm in order to collect those items before Randy came. On board the yacht, he had a safe that had enough money to survive a month. He reasoned that it wouldn't be required at all. After the conclusion of the trial one month from today, she would be free to return home. Or so he want it to be.

Jerome made his way toward the boat while keeping an eye out for problems, clinging to Anna, and struggling against the elements. They were saturated in a short amount of time as they made their way down the dock ramps, which were covered in splashes of water.

After climbing up onto the rapidly shaking deck of the Adiós and placing his bag on the floor, Jerome grabbed Anna and pulled her to safety. The ship continued to rock violently. Once he was satisfied that she had a firm grasp and was not going to fall, he got his luggage and led her down a short flight of stairs into the cabin.

Now it was time for him to retrieve the funds and the goods, and then get the heck out of Dodge. Easy. Fast. I don't think so. He felt a tingling sensation at every nerve ending in his body.

This feeling of being pumped up and on edge was more than just ready; it was his inner alarm for peril, the one that had kept him alive many times in the past. And he had no intention of doing anything different this time around.

Anna was compelled to cling to the wall because the boat was rocking violently from side to side. Jerome shifted a painting out of the way and opened a safe, from which he removed a second, smaller safe and stuffed it into his luggage.

Anna did not enjoy the fact that the inside space of the boat was limited. But there was no time for her to freak out. Not right now. Anna took a deep breath and noticed that the scent of Jerome lingered throughout the cabin. She concentrated on the reassuring sensation that the perfume provided. He has some history in this location. This boat belonged to him. "Is this your place of residence?"

"There were many benefits to purchasing a boat. Freedom of movement for one. And for just a few dollars a year, I have someone take care of regular maintenance."

If it had been anyone else, Anna would have inquired about the possibility of the guy who was maintaining the boat turning against Jerome. On the other hand, she was fully aware that Jerome would never reveal his true identity to the person in question. Not when she had a sneaking suspicion that this boat was his means of egress whenever crisis arose.

He went to a cabinet, opened it, and then brought out a few telephones and a number of other stuff that he placed in the bag. She guessed that it was ammunition. It was then that he said, "The boat enables me to disappear if I need to," confirming what she had been thinking all along. He did it the majority of the time, finishing her thoughts or responding to questions she had not voiced. After a few days, she began to practically expect the same thing to happen. He proceeded by saying, "And if it weren't for this storm, it would have been the ideal getaway." After entering a closet, he removed a raincoat from its hook and put it on. “Catch.” It was thrown to her by him.

She saw the puddle of water that had formed at her feet as she grabbed the shiny black jacket. They had been soaked by the water to a much greater extent than they had been by the rain in the forest. If this continues, she will get a persistent case of the shivers.

While she was slipping the oversized jacket over her head and rolling the sleeves up to make them more manageable, Jerome was securing a shoulder holster over his body and placing a Glock handgun inside of it. He hid the weapon by covering it with a rain slicker that was an exact match for the one she was wearing at the time.

The next thing she knew, he was standing right next to her, draping a tiny satchel diagonally across her chest and shoulder. He felt about in the bag. "Now you need a gun. If it's not an absolute need, you shouldn't even bother trying to fire in this wind.

"Like I would hire someone else in that case."

His expression changed to one of annoyance and disgust. "I am aware of how strongly you feel about fairness and acting in an ethical manner. However, being willing to use your firearm when you're out in the field is one of the most important factors in protecting your life.

On other occasions, she might have been irritated by being lectured to, but at this point, the warning had firmly lodged itself in the pit of her stomach. She reminded herself that she was capable of achieving this goal. She had a strong will.

Anna managed to pull herself upright despite the choppy motion of the boat because to the resolve that she had developed. "I know. I'm no idiot. If it comes to it, I'll pull the trigger. I believe that I have demonstrated that."

His normally tense voice took on a more soothing tone as he replied, "I know you aren't an idiot." "However, shooting tires and shooting a person are two entirely different things. Even for the most experienced individuals, the act of pulling the trigger can be difficult. You have no room for doubt."

Once more, obviously, and she was aware of this fact. "If it comes down to it, I'll fire."

He continued to look at her for a few more seconds before nodding his head, indicating that he was content with her response and was ready to resume the game. He grabbed his suitcase and pointed in the direction of the stairs. "Let's roll. I'll go first to make sure everything is in order.

They went back outside a few seconds later, and the weather had gotten much worse while they were gone. Both the wind and the rain had picked up their intensity since the previous moment. Anna attempted to take Jerome's hand as he extended it to her on the docks, but due to the swaying of the docks beneath her feet, she was unable to successfully make contact with his palm. Jerome leaped down to the docks and extended his hand to Anna.

Jerome immediately withdrew his hand and reached for his weapon as soon as he heard the scream that suddenly ripped through the air. Anna maintained a secure hold on the boat's railing as she reached for it.

The shouts continued, but this time they were easier to understand. "Help! Help!"

The adrenaline in Anna's body went into overdrive as she desperately searched for the person or thing that was making the pleas for help. Her eyes traveled around the vicinity and landed on a woman who was standing on the deck of a boat some distance away from the Adiós. The woman was at the railing, struggling with a life preserver, and she was attempting to balance herself for a split second before she threw it over the edge.

As Anna tried to determine the cause of the other person's anxiety, her hair began to blow in her face, hitting her cheeks and brow as it did so. She crouched down and peered beneath a sail before focusing her attention on the lake, where she spotted a man fighting against the turbulent waves.

Oh, God. He was in danger of drowning. She immediately whirled around to face Jerome and yelled his name while pointing out what she had observed. He inched his way closer and crouched down to get a better look. Then there was a curse. Evidently, he was able to see what she had done, given the awful expression on his face. Before turning to Anna and reaching for her, it appeared as though he was considering his choices. "Get a move on."

Before Anna could even regain her breath, he had a hold of her and was dragging her kicking and screaming onto the dock from the boat. As soon as she had planted both feet on the ground, he grabbed her hand in his, and they started sprinting despite the rain and the strong wind that was hitting them.

A few seconds later, Anna and Jerome boarded the boat that belonged to the woman. She sprinted towards them while shouting in a panic, "Save him! Please come to the rescue of my hubby.

While he was doing so, Jerome dropped his bag on the ground and handed Anna his revolver.

Her chest was tight with terror. The water was extremely hazardous, and the fury of Mother Nature was significantly more dangerous than both Randy and Pedro together. She yelled, "You stay alive, damn it!" while the waves in her stomach churned in a manner reminiscent of the ocean.

He didn't answer. Even if he did hear her, she had her doubts. Already, he was climbing up over the side of the boat and diving into the water. She turned her back on the man and asked the woman who was crying, "Do you have a phone?" Have you dialed the emergency number?

"No, sure, I...have a phone," the speaker said.

“Use it! Call! Call right away! And go get help." Anna quickly made her way to the ledge in order to look for a ladder. To our great relief, the woman had in fact extended a rope ladder over the edge of the structure.

She placed Jerome's rifle and holster next to the bag that he'd left behind on the deck as a sign that she was ready to assist in any situation that arose. She made her way back to the railing and began gulping water while the rain pelted her in the face. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes as she coughed and looked about frantically for Jerome. As soon as she saw him swimming over the turbulent seawater, she was able to take a few deeper breaths and relax. He was moving, and his presence could be seen. And you bet! He had a firm grip on the man who was drowning. She watched as he made his way toward them while dragging the other man through the treacherous waves with him.

Anna didn't know how long she waited there, afraid for Jerome as she watched him struggle, but it seemed like an eternity by the time he eventually arrived at the side of the boat with the man still in his hold. To our great relief, the woman arrived with assistance. When Anna turned around, she saw two men who were dressed in uniforms of some kind; she assumed they were members of the beach patrol.

Jerome was able to follow after the other man because two other men began to pull the man who was drowning out of the water. One of the officers got down on his knees, and it appeared as though he was getting ready to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the husband of the woman who had been rescued. The other officer was attempting to provide assistance to Jerome by leaning over the side of the boat.

Anna hurried to the edge, terrified, while also pondering the absence of Jerome's presence. After seeing what it was, she had the feeling that her heart was going to burst. Jerome had disappeared without a trace as the choppy waters carried him away from the boat. She let out a sigh of relief as she watched him seize the life preserver as she watched him grab it.