Free Black Jack: A nail biting, hair-raising thriller (Jack Ryder Book 4) by Willow Rose Page A

Savannah.”
    “Wauv,” Abigail exclaimed while Emily scoffed from where she was standing leaned up against a wall, her bangs covering most of her face, her hoodie pulled up. She was wearing way too much clothes for such a warm evening.
    “Well it’s true,” I said addressed to her. “That there are actual tunnels underneath Savannah.”
    I had heard about the tunnels myself but had always been told they were used for the bodies of people who succumbed to yellow fever. Through an underground network they were put in the tunnels and moved to prevent panic aboveground.  Still another tale tells of runaway slaves hidden under the floor of the First African Baptist Church, and then ferried out of harm’s way via an Underground Railroad. I didn’t know what to believe. Savannah was a place of myths and legends and the Savannahians master storytellers.  With a location this steeped in history, there was no shortage of compelling plotlines and colorful characters. 
    This place was no different.
    “Even now, many swear that the ghost of Captain Flint still haunts The Pirate’s House on moonless nights,” the pirate ended his a tale just as our table was ready and we were seated in a private area like I had asked for, to make sure Shannon could take off her hat and relax for a bit. And so she could breastfeed if she needed to.
    I tipped the lady extra and she went on with a happy smile.
    The kids got menus that they could shape into pirate hats and paper-earrings and color while me and Shannon looked at what to get. Tyler had fallen asleep on our way here and stayed in his car seat, slumped down deep in dreamland. I just hoped he would stay there until we were done eating. We could use a nice night out with the kids without his meddling for once. He was adorable, but also exhausting.
    “I’m gonna get myself a steak,” I said and then added an pirated “arrr”
    Shannon laughed. The kids seemed more embarrassed, especially Emily who was hiding behind her menu.
    “I’ll have some Southern Style Catfish,” Shannon said. Then tried an “arrr” of her own. It received a laugh from her own daughter. Mine didn’t know how to pity-laugh.
    It was all the way it was supposed to be. It felt great to be back to normal again. If you could ever call this crazy family normal.

Part 2
    P USH : A tie; the player and dealer have hands with the same total.

Chapter 23
    M ay 2016
    Shannon was happy. It had been a tough couple of days with Betsy Sue in the house, knowing her story and everything, and it hurt thinking about it. But now Shannon had finally let it go, finally she was back with her family enjoying every one of them.
    Jack’s kids were being rowdy as always and every now and then she wanted to say something to Abigail, but she held it back. This was not the time or place. It was still Jack’s battle to fight. Later when they were more used to Shannon around, when they moved into the new house, she might listen to Shannon.
    The house. Oh the house. They had owned the property for almost a year now. They started building the house after Jack’s plans and the drawings he made with the architect, but the house wasn’t done yet. It was about to drive all of them nuts. The house was there. There was a roof on and everything, but then there was the issue of the plumbing, then there was the electricity. It still didn’t work properly and they hadn’t been able to move in yet.
    Soon, they said. Very soon.
    They had said that for months now. It was getting tiresome. Shannon couldn’t wait to move in and start living in the house that Jack built for her.
    All good things come to those who wait.
    She was hoping that they’d be able to move in before the summer, but was trying to not get her hopes up too high. Until now they had all been living in Jack’s apartment and it was getting a little cramped. Emily was spending most of her nights at the motel that Jack’s parents owned next door and that had helped a