Accidental Bodyguard

by Sharon Hartley

  To maintain that body, he had to work out regularly. Karate couldn’t create all those muscles. Or could it? Damn, but this guy was hot. Would he sizzle? She reached out a finger, but stopped herself.

  Jack needed sleep. When he’d hit the bed last night, he’d gone out so fast it was as if he’d turned off a switch. She’d worried about awkwardness, but after such a tension-filled day, they hadn’t exchanged a word. Although rolling around with Jack on this bed might have been a nice release.

  Yeah, very nice.

  She closed her eyes. Stop it. Think about something else.

  She recalled the previous evening, meeting Jack’s flamboyant mother and Pookie, her sweet dog. Now someone else had seen her face, someone else to worry about telling the wrong person. Irene had surely complicated things, especially since Jack didn’t trust her to keep their presence a secret. He’d gone so far as to confiscate her phone. Claudia stifled a giggle, remembering the outraged expression on Irene’s face, but quickly sobered.

  Really, her situation wasn’t funny at all.

  The calls of the birds snagged her attention again, and she looked out the window, trying to find them. Must be hundreds to make that much noise. She didn’t see anything flying, but in the brightening morning she saw the emerging shapes of trees.

  Careful not to disturb Jack, she climbed out of bed and padded over to the window.

  Wow.

  An immense green forest, full of towering pines, spread out beyond Jack’s backyard. She longed to go outside and breathe in the scent.

  A few isolated trees had been left in the yard, and that was where she spotted three feeders, where a variety of quarreling birds jockeyed for prime position at the trough. Irene must keep the feeders full of seed, which explained all the birds clamoring for breakfast. This was February. Wild birds needed help this far north to make it through the winter. The patch of grass between the house and the forest was brown, not green.

  It’d been dark when they arrived last night, so she hadn’t appreciated the beauty of this setting. Of course she’d been too frightened of the supposed intruder to appreciate anything at the time. But the lure of those woods was almost as strong as the pull of Jack’s body.

  She’d been cooped up for so long, first inside the walls of Villa Alma and then—even worse—inside a tiny gun locker.

  By God, she was going to go outside and breathe.

  Claudia grabbed her jeans from the chair where she’d draped them and moved to the door. She’d slept in her T-shirt, and that would have to do for now. Turning the knob quietly, she slipped out. Jack didn’t so much as twitch as she closed the door behind her.

  After pulling on the jeans in the small hallway, she moved to the living room where Irene, covered by one of her quilts, snored loudly on the sofa. The window behind her displayed more forest extending in that direction.

  Pookie, resting at her owner’s feet, raised her furry head to eye Claudia with interest. When Claudia stepped to the back door, Pookie leaped to the carpet and followed.

  Claudia stood at the door and peered outside. Pookie looked up and cocked her head as if saying, “Open the door already. I need to pee.”

  Trying not to wake Irene, Claudia quietly unlatched the door and slid it across the track. Pookie bounded outside, and the birds scattered into the trees with outraged shrieks. After squatting to relieve herself, the dog glanced toward the house, probably wondering why the stupid stranger wasn’t joining her in this perfect morning.

  Still Claudia hesitated. She was tired of living in the shadows of life, but was it safe for her to venture outside? Jack claimed his cabin sat in the middle of fifty acres, so there was no one to see her. No way could Carlos’s henchmen find her this fast. Surely she could enjoy a few brief moments of freedom.

  With a deep breath, Claudia stepped over the threshold onto a concrete slab, keeping close to the cabin. The cold morning air bit at her flesh, making her wish she had a fur coat like Pookie, who had scampered to the beginning of the tree line and patrolled the perimeter with her nose to the ground.

  Yeah, maybe it was cold out here, but the huge expanse of open space soothed her soul. She felt liberated by all this undeveloped real estate.

  She shut the door behind her to preserve the interior heat and took a hesitant step onto the deck, which contained one Adirondack-type chair next to a small round table, a gas grill and a clay chiminea. Hugging herself for warmth, she took a long look around. The huge forest surrounding Jack’s cabin appeared to be endless, but she knew of course it wasn’t. Couldn’t be. But it felt vast, knowing, as if it protected secrets she needed to learn.

  To her right, at the far end of the cleared land, she spotted an opening into the trees and suddenly longed to take that path. What would she discover? Maybe later. But not alone. With Jack.

  To her left she found a sleek aluminum Airstream travel trailer, a storage shed and a stack of firewood. The image of sitting in front of a roaring fire with Jack popped into her head.

  Too bad Irene’s presence ruined that idyllic fantasy.

  With Pookie too far away to worry about, the birds had returned to the feeders, and flitted back and forth from their breakfast to the trees. She couldn’t identify them all, but recognized a brightly colored male cardinal and his mate, a more subtly hued female. Fascinated by their activity, she gradually realized each bird remained aware of Pookie, constantly on alert for the return of the dog or the approach of some other hidden danger, scattering back to higher perches at the slightest noise.

  Just like she should remain on alert for Carlos’s henchmen.

  Maybe she should go inside. Someone could emerge from those woods any second. With a weapon. Or they could be lurking behind the tree line with a scope aimed at her. Feeling as if a long-legged spider crept up her spine, she shivered and pressed her back against the cold wall of the cabin.

  What a way to live. Would she react this way for the rest of her life, scattering for cover, hiding from every loud noise like a nervous bird?

  She should go inside.

  No. A few more minutes. Even though now thoroughly chilled, she refused to step away from this little slice of heaven just yet.

  Behind her, the door slid open, and Jack stepped outside carrying two cups of steaming coffee.

  “Morning,” he said.

  “Morning,” she replied.

  He wore jeans and a bulky sweatshirt, looking comfortable, well rested and sexy as hell even though fully clothed. What was it with her and Jack? He pulled her in like the moon created the tides.

  Claudia reached to shut the door for him, and Pookie darted inside, brushing her ankles.

  Her gaze dropped to the second mug.

  “Is that coffee for me?”

  He handed her a mug. The brew was black, the way she liked it. She smiled, pleased he’d remembered.

  “Thank you, kind sir.” She took a swallow, and felt the welcome warmth slide down her throat. Well, well. Her gladiator had many talents, and he definitely knew how to make coffee.

  “How did you sleep?” he asked.

  “Great.” She motioned with her head toward the backyard. “This is beautiful, Jack. I know I shouldn’t be out here, but I couldn’t help myself.”

  He nodded and took a swallow of coffee, surveying his property over the rim of the mug. “You’re okay for a few minutes.”

  “This place is perfect, completely isolated. No way anyone could trace us.”

  He shrugged.

  She took another swallow of coffee and asked, “When was the last time you were home?”

  “Three years. I’m thankful the forest hasn’t overgrown the yard as much as I feared.”

  “Do you ever hike in those woods?”

  “All the time. Or I used to.”

  “Any wild anima
ls?”

  “Deer, ’coons, squirrels.” He looked at the feeders and smiled. “Of course birds. The occasional bobcat.”

  “Bobcat? You mean Florida panther?”

  “No, a much smaller wildcat, not much bigger than a house cat.”

  “But no bears?”

  He shot her a glance. “Are you worried about bears?”

  “Should I be?”

  “There are black bears in the area, but I’ve never seen them on my property. Mostly over in the Forest.”

  She must have looked puzzled, because he said, “The Ocala National Forest, which isn’t far from here. The Florida Trail runs through there, and a branch off one of my trails hooks up eventually with the Florida Trail.”

  She knew of the Florida Trail, a public path that led north from Big Cypress in the Everglades all the way to Pensacola. In another life, before she’d met Carlos, she’d loved to hike and had once planned to complete at least part of the Florida Trail. Carlos had convinced her the idea was nutso because of the possibility of a bear attack. He’d shown her gruesome photos of hikers mauled by bears, all part of his psychological warfare against her.

  “So bears could get here?” she asked.

  Jack shook his head. “There’s too much development between here and there, areas without cover. Could happen, but I doubt it. Their numbers are small, and they have plenty of food and shelter where they are. No reason to leave. It’s a different story down by Orlando.”

  “Good.”

  “Do you want to take a hike?”

  She bit her lip. “Maybe. Something about those trees—I don’t know—draws me in. It’s hard to resist.”

  He stared at her. “I know the feeling.”

  She held his gaze and he gave her a lopsided grin. So they had something in common besides raw animal lust. She looked away when she realized the direction of her thoughts. Stop it, Claudia. This is how you get yourself into trouble.

  “Is your mom still asleep?”

  He snorted. “She’s never been an early riser.”

  Claudia nodded. She wanted to ask Jack about his history with Irene, but decided to wait, suspecting Irene was likely to reveal her side of the story without much prompting. Then she could clarify the events with Jack and get a more complete picture.

  She’d once heard an old wives’ tale that if you wanted to know how your future husband would treat you, just observe how he treats his mother. Not that Jack was her future husband. And of course she never even met Carlos’s mother.

  “Have you decided what to do about her?”

  His face tightened, but he didn’t reply, which was her answer.

  “Do you believe she has no place to go?”

  “Sounds like her normal pattern.”

  “And if you kick her out, she’s likely to tell all of Dunnellon we’re here?”

  “I’ve never been able to stop her from doing what she wants.”

  “I have an idea,” Claudia said.

  “What?”

  She pointed to the Airstream next to the shed. “Is that trailer functional?”

  “It was three years ago. That’s my mobile hunting lodge.”

  “Why not let her move in there?”

  He narrowed his eyes, considering.

  “She’d be out of your hair most of the time, but you could still keep an eye on her.”

  “I don’t want to keep an eye on her.”

  “Do you want her on the sofa every night?”

  Jack turned to face her. “I want her as far away from here as possible.”

  She met his gaze again. “You’re that mad at her?”

  “I am, yes, but that’s not the reason.” He glanced back toward the house and lowered his voice. “Remember who we’re hiding from, Claudia. If your ex’s thugs do show up here, everyone near you will be in danger. I won’t be able to protect you both.”

  * * *

  JACK IGNORED A twinge of guilt at the stricken look on Claudia’s face. He’d just thrown her situation in her face, but it couldn’t be helped. She’d relaxed in this bucolic setting, maybe too much, and she needed to stay on her guard. She seemed more worried about the unlikely possibility of a wild animal attack than the Warriors.

  If it came right down to it, who would he save? His mother or Claudia?

  That was a choice he didn’t want to make. Another reason why Irene should go.

  But Claudia’s idea was a good one. He’d load his mom in the Airstream, hitch up the old trailer to his vehicle and drive her over to the state park where he’d pay for a hookup for three weeks. Too bad she’d hate the idea of living in a trailer.

  He’d decide what to do with her after that when the time came. Right now he needed to focus on keeping Claudia alive to testify.

  The real question was whether his mother would keep her mouth shut about him being home. He needed to somehow impress on her the importance of her silence. Yeah, and when had he ever been able to do that?

  “One good thing about my mother being here is we have groceries,” Jack said. “Are you ready for some breakfast?”

  “At least another cup of coffee,” Claudia said.

  Inside the cabin, his mother had managed to procure her own coffee and return to the sofa to nurse it. She’d positioned herself in front of the window so she could see out front with her dog at her feet.

  “Morning,” she called out as they entered.

  Jack noted she’d combed her hair and draped herself in an elegant satiny robe. She’d even put on lipstick, which surprised him. She’d never been much of a morning person.

  “Good morning, Irene,” Claudia said. “How was the couch?”

  “Not too bad. Now that you’re here, Jack, I hope you’re going to arrange for some sort of television reception. I sure miss my Good Morning America.”

  “Not going to happen,” Jack said.

  “And why not?”

  “We don’t want anyone to know we’re here,” Claudia said, stepping toward the couch. “Remember?”

  “Oh, poo. They’ll think it’s just for me.”

  Jack poured himself and Claudia another cup of coffee and moved into the living room. “There’s a television in the Airstream.”

  “But is there service?”

  Before Jack could answer, his attention was caught by the unmistakable sound of tires crunching the gravel on his road. The dog heard it, too, because she placed her paws on the back of the couch, looked out the window and emitted a low growl.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “WHAT THE HELL?”

  Jack handed Claudia her mug and moved closer to the window to get a better look. Because of the rise of his land, he couldn’t see whatever vehicle approached, but dust billowed into the air signaling something was definitely coming.

  No one ever came out here.

  He shot his mother a glance. She’d placed her coffee on the windowsill and leaned forward. Peering down the driveway, one hand smoothed her hair, one hand clutched her robe.

  “You expecting company?” Jack demanded.

  “Maybe,” she said.

  “Who?” he demanded.

  “Chuck sometimes comes out in the mornings on the way in to work.”

  “I thought you two broke up.”

  “I never said that. We just have to be more discreet now because of Janie Sue.”

  Jack stared at his mother for a long moment, trying to wrap his head around this new development. Even for his mother, this was unbelievable. So Chuck had evicted his mom, fired her and now used this cabin to continue screwing her.

  A black F-250 pickup truck crested the hill, and its hood emerged from the swirling dust.

  Claudia moved beside Jack. “Chuck is the sheriff, right? You
r old boss?”

  “Right,” Jack said.

  “Do you trust him?” Claudia asked.

  “I used to,” Jack said.

  The truck braked to a stop in the driveway.

  Jack considered his options. What a mess his mother had made of his plan to protect Claudia.

  “Should I hide in the bedroom?” Claudia asked.

  “Yeah, why don’t you do that,” Jack said as a tall, powerful figure jumped down from the huge pickup. “I don’t want him to know you’re here.”

  “Got it. Please don’t tell him,” Claudia said to Irene, and scurried down the hallway.

  Chuck removed his hat, tossed it in the front seat and slammed the truck door. As he had for over twenty years, he wore the tan uniform of the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, complete with personalized Glock and handcuffs on his hip. His pant creases still came to a point crisp enough to cause damage to careless small children. Maybe he’d packed on a pound or two in his belly and his graying hair had thinned a bit, but he still looked damn good for a man bucking sixty.

  To think he’d once considered Chuck Wheeler a mentor.

  Jack jerked open the front door and pointed at his mother. “You wait here.”

  Chuck halted in his quick steps when he spotted Jack. Surprise flickered over his face, quickly replaced by what Jack could swear was pleasure.

  “Well, as I live and breathe,” Chuck said, holding out his arm. “Jackson Richards.”

  Jack clasped his hand and squeezed hard. “Morning, Chuck. Can I help you with something?”

  Wheeler darted a look toward the house. Jack almost laughed. The sheriff had just realized he wasn’t going to get his morning nooky.

  “When did you get here, son?”

  “Last night,” Jack said.

  “You here to stay?”

  Jack shrugged as if he wasn’t sure. “Just a short visit to check up on things.”

  “Well, I’m sure your momma is glad about that.”

  “Oh, she’s overjoyed.”

  Chuck narrowed his eyes. “I hope you’re treating your mother with the respect she deserves.”