“What’s that?” Regina asked. “Weston Davis? Who’s he?”
“A friend of Agent Martin’s. He’s a CIA operative with connections to several private security and detective agencies.”
“As in a bodyguard?”
Bill ran his fingers over the paper. “Exactly. But hopefully, we’ll find someone who not only can protect, but solve this mystery. When I spoke with Agent Martin privately, he told me Weston was the one he would call if he had a problem. What do you think?”
“Do you even have to ask? Call! Please. Bellamy is determined to stay here and I want her to be as safe as possible.”
“Any other young woman would run, you know that, don’t you? Look at Amy. But not our Bellamy.” Bill inhaled and held the breath longer than he intended. When he exhaled, there were tears in his eyes. “I miss Will. I miss all three of them. But mostly, I miss my son.”
She responded with a heavy sigh. For a moment they sat in silence, comforted and tormented by the memories of their lost child. Regina pushed the cell phone an inch closer. “This is why we have to keep his daughter safe. Make the call.”
“You’re right.” Bill punched in the number and waited as it rang. “That is unequivocally my top priority: keeping Bellamy out of harm’s way.”
“This is Weston Davis.”
“Mr. Davis, my name is Bill East. Agent Martin of the Clarke County Police Department told me you may be able to help me with a security issue.”
“Mr. East, I’ve already spoke with Agent Martin and he’s given me a little background on the situation.”
Bill kneaded the tension in his shoulders. “Wonderful. Do you think you’ll be able to help us?”
“Yes, sir. I believe I know just the man for the job. His name is Locke Manning.”
Chapter 4
Locke Manning took a long drink of water before he resumed his search on Bellamy East. He was thankful for Weston’s recommendation and happy to hear from an old friend. As usual, Weston had remarked how silly it was that the two of them both lived in Atlanta and never got together. Both were busy with their careers, and Weston was a family man now with a wife and two kids. Still, he made the offer for Locke to come over soon for an evening of beer and burgers like they used to do in college.
They’d met during Locke’s freshmen year at Harvard when—after a fraternity prank gone wrong—Weston saved his life. From that moment on, the two became fast friends. Weston, a senior upperclassman, served as Locke’s mentor even after he joined the CIA. His dedication to his craft inspired Locke to join the army after college and Weston was happy to write a letter of recommendation when Locke applied to the prestigious Ian de Caro & Associates several years ago.
At age twenty-six, he’d already vaulted years ahead of the life plan he’d written during his senior year in high school. To say he was an overachiever would be an understatement. Damned and determined to get everything he wanted out of life, Locke Manning worked hard and pushed himself even harder. Early on, his parents fostered that attitude of independence, told Locke he could do anything he set his mind to. So he did. He wanted to go to Harvard and graduate in the top of his class and he did it, receiving honors and a three-point-nine GPA. He wanted to enlist in the army to follow in his father’s footsteps, so after graduation he enrolled in Officer Candidate school, eventually earning the rank of 1st Lieutenant. After two tours of duty in Afghanistan and an honorable discharge, he was accepted to the private security firm, Ian de Caro & Associates. When he’d completed the required training, he became the youngest security operations director in IdCA history, and today, he supervised over the entire southern region.
Bellamy’s case interested him. As evidenced by his earlier search, she wasn’t easily accessible on social media. Her Facebook and Instagram profiles were private and the only information he found on the Internet was a write-up about her high-school graduation a few years ago. Her parents both had biographies on the hospital website, but nothing beyond generalizations. From what Bill East told Locke, Bellamy was headstrong and resolute and she’d hate the idea of private security.
Locke liked her already.
“Mr. Manning,” his secretary buzzed in. “The Easts are here to see you.”
“Great. Send them in.” Locke closed his laptop, then opened the door to greet his guests. “Welcome. Glad you could make it, Captain and Dr. East. Where’s your daughter?” He glanced in the hallway when only two people entered.
“We’re happy to be here. And we wanted to meet with you first, get an idea of what an assignment entails before we tell Bellamy. As I’ve mentioned, Bellamy’s not going to like anyone telling her what to do and when to do it.”
Regina chuckled awkwardly. “She has enough of that from me. Our daughter is very self-sufficient and she’d be even more so if not for my meddling in her life. But this circumstance goes beyond what she wants or even what I want. Keeping her safe is the top priority.”
“I agree. So why don’t you tell me what’s happened so far?”
“A few nights ago, Bellamy and her roommate Amy, came home to find their apartment destroyed. They talked with the police and changed the locks. Bill had contacted the landlord and there were plans to install a security system, but their apartment was broken into again. This time the intruder assaulted Bellamy and nearly raped her. He kept asking her where is it, but she had no idea what he was talking about. Amy didn’t either.”
“How did she get away?”
“She shot him. Got away, took his gun, and shot him.”
Locke suppressed a smile. Bellamy intrigued him. “How on earth did she manage to do that? I know seasoned cops who have trouble getting their faculties together in a stressful situation.”
“I’ve trained Bellamy to protect herself since she was young. She’s taken martial arts for years and is proficient with a gun. I don’t mean she can simply shoot it for sport. She’s damn near an expert. The girl’s good under pressure too. She aimed to kill him, but right as she shot, he lunged and the bullet caught his shoulder. It was enough to stop him and Bellamy, her dog, and Amy ran to safety.”
“But he died anyway? Some sort of drugs?”
“Took a cyanide pill. Was dead within minutes.”
With a forehead full of lines, Locke thought of all the reasons why a botched robbery or even an attempted rape would end with a suicide and decided there were none. Sure, it could happen, but the likelihood was slim. The perpetrator would be charged with a misdemeanor if it was his first offense, but why would that make him kill himself? “People who have cyanide pills are preparing for the time when they might need to end their lives. I’m sure you’ve seen it, Captain, when you were overseas with the military.”
“Nothing can be done to save them. Most were DOA.”
“Right,” Locke agreed as he opened a mini-fridge and removed three bottles of water. “So what I’m gathering from this is the intruder was looking for something in Bellamy’s room and when he couldn’t find it himself, he tried to get her to help him, then was injured with his own gun, and ingested a lethal dose of cyanide.”
After a long drink, Bill spoke. “Yes. That’s correct.”
“Strange. But onto specifics. The team I assemble will be divided into two parts: Team A will focus on discovering what the intruder wanted from Bellamy. They’ll do an extensive investigation into your lives as well as hers. Where you’ve been, who you’ve talked to. It will be an intrusion of your privacy, but protection is our priority. We’ll also obtain a consent from Amy’s family. I know the police established that there was no motive, but we’re going to delve deeper than they did. The other will center around protection for her. We’ll have a man with her at all times. Someone will stay inside her house either on the couch or a spare bedroom and the two more will be twenty-four-hour surveillance. Bellamy will continue with her day-to-day activity and we’ll be in the background. How does this sound to the two of you?”
“Wonderful.” Regina sighed. She looke
d at Bill and he nodded. “When can you start?”
“Right now, but first, do you want to talk cost?”
Bill shook his head and flipped his wallet open. “It’s irrelevant. Cash or credit?”
“All right.” Locke pointed to the booklet he’d passed them earlier. “If you are curious, it’s detailed in the first few pages of our packet. And I can take a credit card.” As the payment processed, he leaned forward and folded his hands. “I guess the only thing left to do is meet Bellamy.”
An hour later, Locke waited outside the Easts’ hotel room. Though the door was closed, he could hear Bellamy’s protests. With his hand over his mouth, he couldn’t help but chuckle at her plight. Already, she seemed difficult to control and while that should make Locke back out or at least pass the case along, something inside told him this assignment may change his life. Even as a small boy, Locke had the gift of knowing. The ability to discern a situation and make a judgement about it with very little information. It was what made him effective in the army years ago and what helped him excel in his career now.
“I expected this from Mom, but you, Dad?”
“Our concern is your well-being, honey. I think you’re downplaying the threat…”
“This is ridiculous.” Bellamy’s voice was closer now. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Just meet him,” Regina encouraged.
“Hell no.”
The door swung open and Bellamy East collided with Locke Manning. For a moment, Locke couldn’t speak. Taking in each feature, he decided she was the loveliest woman he’d ever seen with her raven hair and sapphire eyes. She wasn’t his usual type—generally, he preferred blondes—but that didn’t prevent the almost instantaneous swell in his jeans. Her hair was long and curly, and her clothes and shoes were black as were her lips and nails. Black was definitely Bellamy’s signature color. Though she barely reached five-three, her presence was fierce and intense, like heat rising from a thunderstorm that came out of nowhere. When she jerked back, Locke extended his hand. “Ms. East, I presume.”
“Seriously, y’all?” She turned to her parents. “You brought him?”
“I’m Locke Manning,” he said before Bill and Regina could respond. “I don’t want to work against you. I want you to help me help you.”
Bellamy threw her head back and laughed. “I call bullshit.”
“Bellamy Amanda!” Regina chastised. “Stop being rude. Locke, I’m sorry. She’s usually not like this.” She paused long enough to glare at Bellamy. “Okay, well, maybe she is, but she usually uses more discretion around acquaintances.”
“This is a lot to process,” Locke said.
“Sweetheart, I know you don’t want any help, but it’s either your mom and I stay here in Athens with you at your apartment indefinitely, or we let Locke and his associates get to the bottom of this,” Bill spoke with authority. Normally, Bellamy listened and relented, but not this time.
“I chose option number three. None of it.” Bellamy pushed past Locke, slamming the door behind her.
Regina’s eyes closed, then opened again. “I was afraid of this.”
“Will you give me a chance to talk to her?” Locke asked, his hand on the doorknob.
“If you think it will make a difference, then be our guest.” Bill typed on his phone and Locke’s phone chimed in his pocket. “I sent you her number. She wouldn’t go far, not when she knows we’ll worry. Even when she’s mad at us, she still cares about our feelings.”
Locke smiled. The more he heard about Bellamy, the more he wanted to know.
Chapter 5
As Bill predicted, Bellamy didn’t go far. She sat cross-legged in the lobby and a scowl darkened her face when Locke sat beside her. Minutes passed and they did not speak, yet their breathing synced to one another and their eyes locked. He could do this for hours and judging by Bellamy’s blank stare, she could too. No smile. No emotion. She hadn’t even blinked. Locke wouldn’t have either had it not been for the child who backed into him by accident.
“So sorry,” the boy’s mother apologized.
“No problem.” Locke waved as they walked away.
“I won,” Bellamy said evenly.
“You won? Were we playing a game, Ms. East?”
“It’s Bellamy. Not Bella. Not Belle. Bellamy. Got it?”
“Run it by me again, would ya? To be so petite, you sure do have the biggest corncob stuck up your ass.” Her mouth gaped open, but Locke continued. “Your parents adore you. They would do anything to keep you from danger and you’re bitching about having a babysitter. Do you know how lucky you are to have people who care about you?”
She didn’t speak, but her face softened and she relaxed.
“The question wasn’t rhetorical. Do you know how great your parents are?”
“I do, Mr. Manning. Thank you for reminding me.” She hung her head. “They’ve always been overprotective, but it’s not because they want to control me. It’s because they’re fearful of losing me.”
“I can see that, and it’s Locke, please. We’re going to be spending a lot of time together, so we might as well be on a first name basis.” He cleared his throat. “Assuming you’re going to let me help?”
She shrugged. “Yes. But only for my mom and dad.”
“Oh? Not because someone has broken into your home and made an attempt on your life? I suppose you think that just because you shot the perp, you’ve got it under control?”
“No.” Her head moved back and forth, but her gaze remained focused on him and his electric smile. He wasn’t simply handsome; Locke Manning was hot. Dressed in tan slacks and a white button-down, he exuded confidence and skill. Black tattoos lined his forearms and undoubtedly extended higher onto his shoulders and chest. Ripped pectoral and bicep muscles strained against the fabric of his shirt so tightly that she feared a button may pop open if he strained too much. Bellamy blushed, deciding she wouldn’t mind seeing that happen. His hair was brown and his eyes were several shades brighter than hers. Crystalline, almost.
“Earth to Bella.” Locke’s hands waved in front of her face.
“It’s Bellamy,” she hissed as she shook her head.
He laughed. “I know. I was just teasing. You went into a daze there for a minute. Had to say something to bring you back. So I believe you were saying what a great idea it is for my team to help you…”
“Is this how you convinced my parents, putting words in their mouths?”
“Honey, your parents came to me. Begging, practically. Like I said, they love you. Immensely.”
She brought her hands to her heart. “I love them too. And regarding your earlier question. I don’t believe I have it under control. I was lucky this time.”
“Were you scared?”
“Definitely. I may be stubborn, but I’m no fool. Dad taught me if you point a weapon at someone, expect to kill them. As soon as I knew I had a chance to get the gun away from him, I was mentally prepared to end his life. I mean, no, I’ve never shot someone, nor have I killed anyone either, but I wasn’t going to wait for somebody else to come and save me. I was saving myself.”
“Are you okay? It’s a lot to process.”
“Oddly, I am. I think if I’d killed him, I would still be okay. There are no blurred lines for me when it comes to hurting those I care about. He was there to harm me and Amy. He did hurt Luci.”
“Your Spitz, right?”
Her face brightened. “Mom and Dad must’ve told you.”
“They did. Said I had to pass the Luci test if I wanted to work with you.”
Bellamy stood and pointed in the direction of her room. “They’re right. If you fail the Luci test, it will negate everything my parents or I have agreed to, and you won’t have a job.”
“So Luci controls everything?” Together, they walked to the elevators.
“Damn right. Don’t expect this to be easy either. She’s notorious for hating strangers.”
Locke chuckled as they arrived o
n the third floor. “Sounds like I’ve got my work cut out for me.”
When they entered the Easts’ suite, Bill and Regina stood. Locke expected either one or all of them to say something snarky to begin the argument again, but as soon as Bill opened his arms, Bellamy ran to them and they embraced.
“We love you so much, baby girl. Keeping you safe is our only priority.”
“I know, Dad. I love you too.” Bellamy looked at Regina. “If Luci likes him, then I’m in. If not, we’ll have to think of something else.”
Regina rolled her eyes and sat back down. “You and that dog.”
“Luci’s choice, it is,” Bill announced as he went to one of rooms, opened the door, and clicked his tongue. “Good luck, Locke. You’ll need it with this one.”
The dog jumped off the bed and ran straight to Bellamy. She noticed Locke immediately and growled, placing herself between her master and the potential threat.
“It’s not looking good for you…” Bellamy said.
“Just give me a second.” Locke reached in his pocket and pulled out something thin and brown. Bacon. Luci sniffed the air and edged in Locke’s direction. Closer still, when he stretched out his hand with a piece inside.
“Hey, no fair.”
As she’d been trained to do for a treat, Luci sat. After Locke made his offer and she accepted, he stroked her white coat. “Hello, Luci. Seems I have to be your friend first before your mom decides to let me help figure out why her life’s in danger. She’s pretty stubborn, isn’t she?” He cupped his hand around his ear, pretending to listen. “What? You’ve heard that before too? How can you stand living with her?”
To Bellamy’s surprise, Luci jumped up on the sofa and sniffed at Locke’s pockets. “You bribed my dog.”
“Sure did. I wasn’t born yesterday.” He passed the rest of the treat to Luci. “Guess I’m in.”
“Only because of the bacon.”
Passion, Vows & Babies: Latch (Kindle Worlds Novella) (A Yeah, Baby & Counterplay Crossover Book 1) Page 3