Page 37 of Wired Justice

Jake pulled the Jeep over deep onto the shoulder. Sophie took a bag of kibble out of her backpack and shared it into small piles on the back seat, leaving a fresh bowl of water for the dogs on the floor. The two animals seemed perfectly content to eat their dinner and relax together.

Jake produced a small, high beam flashlight as Sophie checked her weapon, stowed it in her cargo pocket, and produced a similar light. Jake locked the Jeep, and they headed up the road toward Chernobiac’s driveway.

Jake signaled that he would take the lead as they turned off the main road, and he was gratified when Sophie did not argue, merely falling into his shadow as they worked their way stealthily toward the house. As soon as they reached a clear area in front of the dwelling, motion detecting lights bloomed on.

Jake took cover behind a tree, and Sophie stayed glued to his side. “Let’s see what happens now.”

Jake assessed the simple wooden house, just another of so many built on the Big Island made from standard kits shipped to Hawaii. A lamp burned in an upstairs window, implying someone was home. An untrimmed yard surrounded the place, and a showy Honda street rod gleamed in an open garage on one side of the house. Jake pointed. “Seems like a pretty nice ride for a gamer dude of Chernobiac’s age,” he whispered.

“His truck was too expensive as well.” Sophie’s breath stirred the hairs near Jake’s ear and brought up goose bumps on his skin. Her body warmed his back.

No movement from the house. Eventually the light went off.

“I don’t think anyone is home, though that sensor light will out us,” Jake whispered. “But we can always pretend we’re a stranded couple in distress.” Jake reached back to take Sophie’s hand. Her fingers felt warm, slim and strong, just like the rest of her.

A rush of endorphins flooded Jake’s system.

He stood poised at the brink of danger, lawbreaking for a good cause, the woman he loved at his back, and a couple of good dogs waiting for his return.

He was a simple man, and he knew it. Jake shut his eyes for just a second, overwhelmed. So this was what happiness felt like. “Let’s do this.”