Jack and Miss Parker

Chapter 16

Joker and Frost had pulled up to the peer early as they  sat and wait for Mary to arrive. Frost noticed a slight movement in the shadows and nudged  his anxious boss.  Joker acknowledged what he pointed at and proceeded out of the vehicle. Frost sat still and watched as Mary strolled up smoking a cigarette. Joker took it from her mouth and put it out and waived the smoke away from their face. Mary gave him a sarcastic concerned look. "Low birth weight." Mary rolled her eyes as they strolled back to the car. "So.. Where have you been all day." 

Mary continued to look ahead, "Ya know.. Around."

Joker growled as his fingers twitched. They both leaned against the car's hood as they waited. They sat in silence until Mary spoke. "Mad?"

Joker leaned his head back as he sarcastically grinned, "Mad.? Oh no honey.. Try unstable." 

Mary nodded her head from side to side as she tucked her hands in her pockets, "Well.. We've all been there haven't we?" 

They both stood up as they noticed a car approaching. The same SUV that Mary saw at the time of the kidnapping slowly pulled up. Lex happily bounced out of the car. He giggled as he slapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Alright folks.. Who wins the prize?" 

Joker held up his hand, " Shut the fuck up... Show us Grace!"

Lex's smile remained as he glared at Joker, "Of course.." He held up his index and middle finger and beckoned to someone in the car. The back passenger door opened and outstepped the man that Mary shot in the shoulder. Mary slightly chuckled. Men growled as he grabbed a freightened Magda holding a sleepy Grace.

Mary wanted to lunge to her baby, but remained calm. Grace rubbed her sleepy eyes and noticed her mother. She squealed with delight and reached for her. Mary tried to take a step but Joker stopped her. So she spoke, "Hi baby! Momma missed you so much!" 

Grace started to fight against Magda to get to her mother. Lex strolled over to the child, Mary tried to take another step but was stopped yet again by her husband. She quietly kept telling herself, "Don't see red!.. Don't see red!" 

Lex placed his hand on little Graces head and turned to Mary, "Such a sweet child." Mary's chest heaved; Lex removed his hand and strolled closer to the couple. "Give me what I want and your free to go."

 Mary nudged her head to Joker, "You heard the man, give it to em." 

Joker did a double take to her, "I thought you had it. You fucking stole it from my office remember cupcake?" 

Mary smirked, "No I didn't." She placed her hands on her hips, "You fucking lost it didn't you?!" Mary then pulled a gun on him that she had holstered in the back of her pants and placed it against his head. 

Joker coldly glared at her. Mary looked straight ahead as she heard Lex laugh. "Oh my my my.. I knew he was crazy, but Mary you are such a breath of fresh air. Now give me what I want or sweet Grace gets it." 

The last thing Mary could think was her mind screaming, "Red!!" Joker quickly grabbed her gun away as she ducked and charged towards Lex. Joker took quick aim and shot the hired man that  was raising his arm to shoot Grace. Mary screamed as she rammed into Lex's chest and knocked him to the ground. She turned to Magda and told her in Russian to run. As she was doing so, Lex clasped his hands to make a fist and knocked the wind out of Mary chest. While she gasped he stood up while pressing her back to his chest. 

Joker stopped as Lex presented a knife to her throat. "Throw down your gun and give me the fucking drive!" Mary stood as she finally caught her breath; she sighed as she saw Frost usher Magda and Grace into the SUV. The red was gone. 

Joker dropped his gun with his hands up. "Mary give it to him." 

Mary swallowed hard, "Its in my left pocket." Lex reached acrossed her while maintaing the knife in its position. He leaned and kissed her on the cheek as he pulled it out of her blue jeans. 

"Now, that wasn't so hard was it?" Mary closed her eyes as tears trickled down her cheeks. They slowly opened back up when he spoke again. She was looking straight at her worried husband, "But this is." Mary heaved as Lex plunged the knife at a right angle into her chest. 

She saw her husband scream in slow motion, "No!" Her only thought next was to protect him. Mary saw red.