“Nothing out of place.”
“That’s good.” Maybe the bastard hadn’t gotten inside. Ryder led the way back to the living room.
Harrison walked into the kitchen and filled a glass with water before setting it aside. Turning back toward the room, Harrison gripped the edge of the kitchen island bar that separated the kitchen from the living room. The man’s knuckles were white with the grip he had on the counter.
“You have a nice place.” Ryder tried to get Harrison thinking about something else.
“Thanks.” Harrison offered him a tight smile.
“It’s going to be okay.”
Harrison nodded and reached for the discarded glass. He took several gulps of the water and left the glass on the counter before coming around the island. The young man dropped into one of the wide chairs that faced the west windows that provided a view of the Rocky Mountains.
“Not a good time to have a system upgrade.” Harrison rubbed at his forehead. The lines bracketing his mouth clearly showed the stress and strain on the man’s face.
“Was the upgrade a sudden thing?” Ryder asked gently.
“No. This kind of thing was talked about last year and planned for this year, and then the dates were selected about a month ago.”
“Who plans for something like this?”
“The department heads, and from that point, it’s rolled out in email to all the staff and residences.”
Great, that’s three hundred and fifty some odd suspects. Plus, anyone that may have inadvertently got ahold of the dates of the upgrade.
The elevator dinged in the distance and Ryder eased to the partially opened door with his gun drawn.
“Harrison? Ryder?” Detective Carson’s voice called out on approach.
Ryder opened the door completely and holstered his weapon.
“Come in, Detective,” Harrison said, rising and stepping gracefully toward them. “Where’s Williamson?”
“She had another case she was wrapping up.”
Along with Carson entered an evidence technician.
“I brought Sam here, he’ll collect the evidence.”
While Carson took their statements, the CSI tech collected the letter from the door.
“Anything else disturbed?” Carson asked, tapping his pen on the tablet.
“Not that I can tell.” Harrison thrust his fingers through his hair, leaving the gold-tipped strands sticking up.
“I’ll dust the dresser and bathroom. That’s where perps usually tend to linger,” Sam said and handed the plastic covered letter to Carson before stepping past them and down the hall.
“I’ll show you the master bedroom,” Harrison said, following the tech.
Ryder scowled at the blotchy letter in the plastic with clear evidence that the stalker’s semen stained the paper.
“How’d the questioning with Edward Crane go yesterday?”
“He denied he had anything to do with any of it. He says that Harrison fell into the railing. I’m checking into the guy’s alibi around the time of the attack in the garage.”
“Fell into the railing?” Ryder squinted. Not fucking likely. He may not know Harrison Trudel very well yet, but the man didn’t come across as a liar.
“My thought as well.” Carson held up the letter. “Whoever did this is getting bolder. This looks like the stalker’s DNA. I’ll run it through the system. If I don’t get a hit, I’ll see if Crane will consent to a DNA swab.”
“Good.”
“I noticed the surveillance cameras,” Carson said.
Ryder shook his head. “They run the same system here. Everything is offline until the upgrade is complete.”
Carson held his gaze. “Well, isn’t that convenient.”
“My thoughts too,” he returned, and told Carson how the upgrade is rolled out via email, company and residence wide.
“Thank you,” Harrison said to the CSI tech, reentering the room.
“I’ve questioned Edward Crane, he denies any involvement in your attack in the parking garage. He’s provided an alibi. I’ll let you know if it checks out,” Carson told Harrison.
Harrison turned a bit pale. “Okay, Carson, thank you.”
“Anything to help. I’ll leave you in Ryder’s good hands,” Carson said, shaking first his hand and then Harrison’s. “Call me if anything further happens.”
“I will.”
“Thanks, Carson.” Ryder followed the detective and CSI tech to the door, shut it, and turned the lock.
Harrison stood next to the bar, arms wrapped around his waist.
“Okay, that’s it then,” he said, but was suddenly loathed to leave the lost looking young man.
Harrison’s next words stopped him in his tracks.
“I have a function I need to go to tonight,” Harrison said, dropping his arms and twisting his hands together before toying with the flesh-colored Band-Aid that had replaced the gaudy white bandage over the cut on his hand.
Just fucking great.
“You should cancel,” he said abruptly, not liking the shade of Harrison’s pale skin nor the shaking of his hands.
“I should cancel,” Harrison repeated the words after a few moments.
“That’s a great idea,” he agreed.
Several expressions flitted across the younger man’s face. Silence for another moment before a stubborn tilt lifted Harrison’s chin that should have warned Ryder of the oncoming storm.
“No. This is my life! I’m not letting that son of a bitch scare me away from going where I want to go.”
Bravo for bravery, boo for stupidity.
“You really should cancel.”
“I’m not going to.” Harrison glared at him.
“God forbid you miss a party,” he muttered.
Harrison placed his hands on his trim hips and narrowed his eyes at him. “It’s not only a party. It’s important.”
“What’s the function?”
“It’s a fundraiser for the medical center. Department heads and staff from Trudel will be there. There’ll also be very wealthy and powerful people attending.”
Ryder made a not so silent sound of irritation in the back of his throat and pinched at the bridge of his nose.
“If you don’t like it, I’ll go alone,” Harrison snapped.
“You’re not going to that party alone.” He growled after the angry words had faded.
Ryder’s jaw clenched when those blue eyes swept over his worn leather jacket, faded blue jeans, and biker boots.
“Do you even own a suit?” Harrison tipped his chin, the tone just a tad haughty.
“I have a few in my luggage in my jeep.” Ryder drew on his patience. Out of habit, he’d packed up all his stuff from the hotel room every morning. A bodyguard never knew when a suspect would be apprehended, no sense paying for an extra night if he didn’t have to.
“Really?” The man’s brow furrowed.
“Yes, really. As a bodyguard, I need to fit in,” he growled.
“That’s a surprise,” Harrison said rudely. “You haven’t tried to fit in at the office.”
Ryder smirked. He’d deliberately not worn a suit to the office. So fucking sue him, he wasn’t going to conform to this rich snob’s world.
A fundraiser, however, was another matter altogether.
“You’ll need to change and at least look like my date,” the smart ass said.
He squinted, grinding his teeth at the snooty tone. “Date?”
“Posing as my date. Don’t get any ideas.” Harrison narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” he snarled.
Harrison snatched something off the end of the counter.
“Here’s the keys. I’m taking a shower. There’s a guest room down the hall with a shower and towels when you come back up. It’s yours. One hour. Don’t be late,” Harrison ordered, smacking the keys into his outstretched palm before stalking out of the room.
There he goes with the orders again.
&nb
sp; Ryder sneered and stalked out the door. Returning to the lobby, he approached Thomas.
“I figured you didn’t need a call since it was the police, Mr. Freeman.”
“You can even call me if it’s the police coming up.” He smiled at the older man.
“Very good, sir.” Thomas returned the smile and held open the door.
Stepping outside, Ryder leaned against the wall of the building and scanned the surrounding area. How the hell was he going to handle the man upstairs? He’d already exchanged more words in the last five days with Harrison than he had the whole three months guarding his previous client.
He’d warned Logan. If his boss got a call from Harrison, then Logan had only himself to blame.
A few moments later, Jaxon roared up on his motorcycle with Felix straddled behind him. Jaxon kicked out the stand, then Felix hopped off the bike and Jaxon followed. Jaxon took off his helmet before raking his fingers through his dark hair upon approach.
Felix advanced with a grin. “Long time no see. Not.”
“Tell me about it,” Ryder smirked.
“Hey, man,” Jaxon said, stalking toward him. The ripped and muscled bodyguard quickly surveyed the area in the ten steps it took to reach him.
Ryder gave his friend a fist bump. “Thanks for last night and bringing Felix by.”
“No problem.”
“What happened to your SUV?” he asked Felix, slanting a look at the bodyguard.
“Brick has it, he ran to get some fast food and is meeting me here. He’s going to do surveillance with me. Any idea of how long you’ll need us?”
“Maybe a week? I just want to see if anyone hangs around during the time the camera system is down.”
“Down? I’ve heard of Trudel Industries, they usually don’t have surveillance problems,” Felix said.
“Yeah, conveniently, the system is having an upgrade at the moment that includes the company building, this apartment building, and both parking garages.” Ryder pulled his fingers down the stubble on his chin.
“Sounds like an inside job,” Felix said.
“Possibly,” he said. “The client thinks it’s a jilted lover. But I’m not jumping to any conclusions. Jaxon, will you write down this list of names? I want Logan to check them out.” Ryder turned to the quiet man.
Jaxon pulled out his smartphone, pressed the recorder app, and held it out.
“Go ahead.”
Ryder took the phone and spoke into the recorder. “The head of Security, Brian Sanders, he comes across as hostile, but could just be overprotective.
“There’s two employees I have my eye on: Toby Grant and Shelby Clark. Toby Grant is not only a coworker that works in the video feed division, but also a friend with a bit of a temper, and Shelby Clark is another coworker, head of the video feed division, doesn’t hide the fact that he’s attracted to the client and very persistent about it, plus he lives in this same apartment building.
“There’s a janitor named John, seems a good guy, but he’s big, with the same body type of the attacker, check into his background.
“Oh, and I know the attacker was a man, but can you check into the stepmother? She’s not happy with her monthly allowance and may have hired someone. Those are the ones I’ve met so far.”
“Jesus Christ,” Felix gaped at him. “All that?”
“Yeah, and there’s one other one I haven’t met. The detectives are looking into a man named Edward Crane. He used force after the client ended the relationship. Says he has an alibi for the day of the attack, but check on your end,” Ryder finished in a flat, hard voice. Cobalt Security had connections the police department didn’t even have. It helped that Logan’s twin brother, Liam, was a colonel in the army.
“I’ll give Logan this,” Jaxon said and clicked off the recorder once he finished.
“Thanks, man.”
“You know where I am if you need me,” Jaxon said.
“Just down the block, I know.”
The native-born Denver man grinned. “Yup.”
Jaxon fist bumped his and then Felix’s fist and strode back to straddle his hog. In a minute, the fellow bodyguard was gone, the deep roar of the bike fading down the street.
“So, your client was jumped in this parking garage?”
“No, it was the one at his work. Tonight we found a letter taped to his apartment door.” He clamped Felix on the shoulder. “You good out here? I gotta get back up there.”
“Yep.” Felix smiled and took up a lean against the building. The guy looked at his phone. “Brick should be here in five minutes.”
“Thanks, man.”
Ryder collected his bag and let himself back into the apartment and dead bolted the door.
On silent feet, he prowled down the hallway to Harrison’s room and paused outside the master bedroom’s partially cracked door. Cocking his head, he heard the shower running.
He’d already checked every nook and cranny over here. There was no damned reason to even be on this side of the apartment. He beat a hasty retreat to the other side of the apartment and took over one of the guest rooms closest to the living room and front door.
Standing beneath a cold shower, he quickly scrubbed down. With a clearer head, he dressed, combed his hair, and made his way back down the hall, attaching cufflinks to the ends of his dress shirt while juggling his jacket over his arm. He laid the jacket over the back of the couch and finished getting the gold stars through the small hole.
His cell phone buzzed.
“Freeman,” he answered.
“Mr. Freeman? Mr. Toby Grant is on his way up,” Thomas said.
“Thank you.”
A sound drew him around, and the front door handle jiggled.
“Harrison? Open up, it’s Toby.”
Ryder threw open the door and blocked the entrance.
“You always seem to be lurking around.” Ryder narrowed his gaze.
Wasn’t it fucking convenient the way the guy showed up right when Harrison might need a shoulder to cry on?
Toby was dressed in a suit and tie, and by the smell of him, he’d poured on more cologne than necessary.
“I’ve been here a lot longer than you have, asshole, so back the fuck off,” Toby said between his teeth.
“It’s my job to protect him.” Ryder continued blocking the man from entering.
Toby shoved forward, trying to pull the same shoulder check move he’d used the very first day.
Ryder snatched the man’s arm, twisted, and then spun Toby around before power-walking him away from the door and face first into the wall across the hallway.
Squeezing the man’s wrist, Ryder applied pressure until Toby’s arm was hiked up his back and the guy was on his toes. Toby jabbed with his other elbow and came down hard on Ryder’s foot. The elbow missed, and his dress shoes took the brunt, protecting his toes.
When Toby smashed his head back in an attempt to hit him in the nose, Ryder jerked his head to the side, avoiding the blow to the face.
Fucking asshat.
Ryder growled and smashed Toby’s cheek into the cream-colored wallpaper. Then, using all of his body weight, he pinned the guy. It took most of his strength, but it helped with Toby’s arm pushed up his back. The guy was definitely trained, probably ex-military.
“If I find out you’re behind these attacks, I’ll ruin you,” Ryder snarled near his face.
The words were designed to provoke and test, but surprisingly, he meant every fucking word.
The elevator pinged.
Ryder jerked his head around and spotted Shelby stepping out of the metal doors. The Trudel team leader wore a cream-colored suit and in his hand, he held a single red rose. The man’s eyes flew wide, mouth slightly ajar, before his gaze swept over them locked in the brutal struggle. Then, Shelby took an abrupt step back and disappeared inside the elevator.
Toby bucked and tried to throw him off, yanking back his attention. Ryder pinned the guy harder and shoved his arm up higher on his bac
k.
“Fucker! Let go,” Toby said through clenched teeth.
Not fucking likely!
“What the hell is going on?” Harrison’s voice called loudly from behind them.
He gave one last shove at the guy before stepping back.
Toby angrily spun and shot daggers at him before schooling his expression and straightening his suit jacket.
“Harrison, your bodyguard just assaulted me!”
“Why did you do that?” Harrison frowned at him.
“Just making sure you’re safe,” he said, crossing his arms against his chest and planting his feet apart.
“By threatening Toby?” Harrison hissed.
Ryder clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes on Toby.
Toby’s face turned smug, and Ryder wanted to wipe the look off with his fist.
“Well?” Harrison said.
He unlocked his gaze from Toby and glanced toward Harrison. What the fuck could he say? Toby’s actions were fucking suspicious? The fucker rubbed him the wrong way? Which sounded stupid and unprofessional.
Harrison threw up his hands.
“I don’t think you should accompany me to the event tonight. Not if you’re going to attack my friends,” Harrison snapped at him.
“You’re not going without me,” Ryder warned.
“Fire this Rottweiler and go with me,” Toby interjected.
Ryder snorted and studied the suddenly thoughtful look on Harrison’s face, the guy clearly mulling over his options.
“And you? What are you doing here?” Harrison said after a moment, frowning at Toby.
Ryder felt way too much satisfaction when Harrison’s words wiped the smug look off the fucker’s face.
“The fundraiser tonight? I thought we could go together.”
“Honestly? At this point, I’d rather go alone.” Harrison snapped his teeth together.
Not happening. Ryder watched Toby carefully hide his anger.
“Come on, you always take me,” Toby insisted and went to step forward.
Ryder moved a fraction of an inch, but it was so menacing, Toby wisely stopped in his tracks.
“Damn it, Ryder!” Harrison hissed. “Toby, just go. We agreed earlier you weren’t supposed to be here tonight.”
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