Expert Witness: A Romantic Suspense Novel

by Luckourt, Nicole

  Nancy chuckled as they headed off.

  Jordan turned her attention back to Mike. “I thought about what you said yesterday, and as hard as this is to say, I think you’re right. Hiring a…bodyguard—” there, she’d said it, “—may be a good idea. At least until we find out who’s behind this. Even if it’s a little much, at least it’ll give me peace of mind. Something I kind of need in this field.” She turned her eyes skyward and gave him a grin.

  “Yeah, I’d say so.” He joked back. “Look, I knew you’d come around. I wasn’t trying to overstep any boundaries.” He looked at her with an earnest expression. “But I went ahead and called him last night.”

  Jordan’s eyebrows shot up. “You what? But I hadn’t even… I wasn’t sure—”

  “Before you get upset, hear me out. I was simply getting some information in case you decided you needed his services. For all I knew, his specialists may have been booked.”

  Jordan relented. She hadn’t thought of that. “So, what’d you find out?”

  “He’s available to meet with you this afternoon at one, if you choose to, and yes, it’s already on your schedule. I was actually lucky to catch him in between assignments. I’m sure any of his guys are competent, but I have to admit, I’ll feel better knowing it’s him looking after you.”

  She burst out laughing. “I should really get you for this. What were you going to do if I decided I didn’t want to meet him?”

  His face broke into a grin. “I’d have hounded you relentlessly until you came to your senses. But seriously, I’m glad you decided to go through with this. Even though you have my wife’s stubborn streak, you’re like a sister to me, and I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you.” He pulled her into a bear hug.

  “Oh, Mike. Thanks. I do appreciate what you’ve done. The whole idea was just a little intimidating.” Jordan returned the hug, wondering exactly what she’d gotten herself into.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Chase Armstrong sat in the busy lobby of the forensic practice. He threw a casual glance around the room. Five other people were waiting for an appointment, one couple and three individuals. His friend’s practice appeared to be doing well. However, the steady stream of clients meant it would be harder to identify the suspect in this case, assuming, of course, that the suspect was actually some type of business contact as Mike had indicated.

  Mike had briefed him on the situation over the phone last night. The fact that the first act of violence had escalated to this point meant he’d have to be extremely cautious during the detail. These circumstances were a lot harder on his clients, particularly one who wasn’t used to the presence of a protection specialist. It would mean more in-depth security measures, which, inevitably, equaled less autonomy.

  He stood up when he saw his old friend walking toward him.

  “Hey, my man.” Mike grabbed his hand in a firm shake. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. What country are you calling home lately?” he asked lightheartedly.

  “Take your pick,” Chase replied, matching his tone. “I can tell you it sure is nice to be back here for a change.” Protecting celebrities, corporate executives, and dignitaries who didn’t fall under coverage by the Secret Service translated to plenty of frequent flyer miles and a greater appreciation of being home.

  “I bet it is. Well, it’s good to see you.”

  “You too.” Chase shook his head. “I’m sorry we couldn’t get together under better circumstances though.”

  Mike’s lips formed a straight line. “Yeah. I won’t tell you this hasn’t kept me up at night. She’s like family to Karen and me. Although, if anything can put my mind more at ease, it would be knowing that you’re with her. I can honestly say I never thought I’d need your services, but boy am I glad you’re here now.”

  “Neither did I. Still, I’m happy to help. You should’ve reached out sooner. I’d have been right over.” He’d easily agreed to handle the case himself when Mike had called. Besides wanting to help out his friend, he was growing a little tired of living in the lives of the rich and famous. A change of pace would be nice.

  “I know. It took us a little while to figure things out,” Mike replied. “When you get to know Jordan, it’ll probably make more sense. I’m actually surprised she agreed to this. It’s not like her to ask for help much.”

  Chase raised his eyebrows. “But she’s on board now?”

  “Yeah. She’s good now. Realized, like all of us, this was pretty serious. Nothing to mess around with for sure. Come on.” Mike motioned for him to follow him. “I’ll take you to her office so you can meet her.”

  They walked in silence until they reached her office.

  “Hey, Jor.” Mike poked his head around her open door.

  “Hmmm,” Jordan replied without glancing up. She was jotting down notes on a yellow legal pad. Her coffee-colored hair fell loosely just below her shoulders, the soft waves shimmering from the reflection of the overhead lighting when she moved.

  “Detach yourself from your work for a minute.” Mike laughed at her. “I have someone I’d like you to meet.”

  She raised her head as he and Mike entered, her blue eyes widening slightly when they landed on him. His body must’ve made a unilateral decision that the feeling was mutual, because his pulse shot up in response to her wide stare. Not that he was surprised. The woman was striking but in that rare classic––Vivienne Leigh or Audrey Hepburn––way. The way he’d always found extremely hot. With large round eyes, defined cheekbones, and full lips, she unequivocally embodied the type of beauty that transcended specific time periods or passing trends.

  “Jordan, this is my good friend, Chase. Chase, Jordan.” Mike’s head moved back and forth between the two of them. “I have to go meet my next client,” he said in a hurried tone, “so I’ll leave you two to work out the particulars.” He gave Chase a friendly slap on the back. “See you around. I guess this is one time you being busy with work means we actually get to catch up.”

  “Sure thing.” Chase nodded, but his gaze was already back on his own client as he stepped farther into the office.

  Jordan stood up from her desk. She was tall, about five feet eight inches, and her fitted slacks revealed a trim figure.

  “Hi. Nice to meet you,” he said as he extended his hand to her. When her soft skin met his, an unusual current zipped through him. It wasn’t an uncomfortable one, like when he’d been tasered during trainings, but more similar to the gratifying burning sensation that came with a finger of Johnny Walker Blue. He’d experienced it once in a while with a woman before––never from a handshake.

  “It’s great to meet you as well. Please have a seat. Would you like anything? Coffee, iced tea, soda?”

  Chase noticed that her voice faltered slightly. His ego would have liked to think she’d felt something with the physical contact too but, in truth, her reaction was nothing he wasn’t used to. Most people didn’t interact with bodyguards in their everyday life, so a little uncertainty was commonplace. “Actually, iced tea sounds great,” he found himself replying, more from the need for a second alone than from thirst.

  She left the room, and a creamy gourmand scent settled in her wake.

  Sinking down into one of her office chairs, he mused whether or not it was her physical beauty that was throwing him off a bit. Ultimately, he eliminated the explanation. He’d been responsible for protecting many gorgeous women during his work—actresses, singers, models—and touching them wasn’t reminiscent of the heat from a velvety smooth blended scotch. He let out a long breath and told himself that she’d likely be his next client. The stark reminder had him abandoning the train of thought altogether. Whatever the cause, it would have no bearing on his interactions with her. He never mixed business with pleasure. In his line of work, those two could be a deadly combination. It was a rule he never broke—never even bent.

  Jordan walked into the room carrying a tall glass. “Here you go,” she said as she placed the tea
on the small end table next to him. Condensation dripped down the sides onto the napkin she’d situated under the drink. “It’s not sweetened.” She watched as he took a sip. “I wasn’t sure if you like it sweet or not, so here’s some sugar if you want it.” Her face flushed a bit as she set a few sugar packets beside the drink.

  Her slight coloring likely meant she’d comprehended that sugar in the South could mean one of two things. He pressed his lips together to suppress a grin. Whether intended or not, she obviously had a way with words.

  Rather than sharing that he normally would have no objections to either sweet or sugar—particularly if it was coming from her—he answered with a simple, “Thank you. This is fine.”

  She sat back down at her desk while rotating her chair around to face him. After fidgeting with the papers on her desk, she finally began speaking. “To be quite frank, I don’t know where to begin. This whole situation still seems so unreal to me.”

  Chase sensed her discomfort and directed the conversation. “For starters, Mike has spoken to me briefly about the circumstances surrounding the attack, but it would help if I heard exactly what happened from you. After that, I can tell you the basics about my role as a personal protection specialist and we can discuss what your responsibilities as a client will look like.”

  Jordan nodded and began to reveal the details of the past few days. While she spoke, Chase observed her. On the surface, she appeared cool and composed. She wore a tailored beige jacket that matched her slacks. Underneath the jacket, she had on a deep blue blouse that highlighted her eyes. He’d never seen eyes quite that color. They sparkled like tanzanite with flashes of violet.

  It was when he was checking out her eyes that he noticed the darkness that defined puffy semi-circles below them. He could imagine it’d be hard for her to sleep with all of this going on. Though she appeared to be making an effort to sound unflustered, her body told a different story. He could see her muscles tense as she got further into the account, and her voice shook when she glossed over how he’d grabbed her from behind. His stare fell to the graceful hollow of her neck, where several bruises peeked out from the collar of her blouse. The sight caused a visceral reaction within his gut. Times like these made him miss being the one to put the cuffs on offenders who preyed on the innocent.

  Jordan interlaced her fingers in her lap when she finished and gazed back at him expectantly.

  Chase considered everything she’d told him and what she hadn’t. “This is the kind of threat you should take very seriously,” he said evenly. “The fact that whoever is behind this is resorting to violence indicates that he’s determined to harm you.”

  “I know,” she acknowledged in a resigned tone.

  “As your protection specialist, it would be my duty to ensure your safety until the police are able to make an arrest. I’ve got a lot of experience with these types of situations. Many of the high-profile clients I’ve worked with are dealing with threats and stalkers, so it’s not an unfamiliar scenario. As for my qualifications, I can give you a resume with my both my work and training experience as well as a reference list.”

  “That won’t be necessary. Mike speaks highly of you, and that’s enough for me,” Jordan interjected.

  “Okay. Let me know if you change your mind.” He stopped to take a swallow of tea before going on. This was the part of his orientation consultation he always reviewed thoroughly with each client. “Before we continue, you need to know that for me to be able to do my job, there are some sacrifices you have to be willing to make. The most obvious is privacy. I’m quite good at what I do, and whenever at all possible, you’ll have space to yourself and time alone. However, there’s been a direct threat to your life. This kind of situation calls for a high level of protection, which means a lot more caution. Unfortunately, being this cautious can be quite intrusive at times.”

  She nodded and crossed one long leg over the other, shifting her hips slightly during the process.

  He continued, willing himself not to get distracted by the motion. “There will be times when you won’t understand some of the procedures I follow. Yet it’s still critical that you follow any instructions I give you. If you have questions during these times, you can ask them later. I’m not telling you this to discourage you from seeking protection. In fact, there are probably quite a few specialists out there who follow a less structured method of operation. But I don’t take my responsibility lightly, and if I’m to do my job and protect your life, then I need your full cooperation.” Upon finishing his usual spiel, he waited for her to accept or reject his terms. These were nonnegotiable.

  Her eyes met his. She made no move to respond. The silence didn’t seem to bother her.

  He didn’t say anything either, giving her time to think. It was her decision and one that she’d have to live with. There was no need to rush it.

  §

  Jordan tried to contemplate what Chase was saying and not focus on the fact that he was nothing like what she’d expected. She took in his chiseled features, olive complexion, and wavy brown hair. He wore a nondescript pair of khaki pants and button-down shirt. Though nondescript couldn’t describe the clothes on this man. They fit snug in all the right places, displaying a broad chest that tapered down to a fit waist. It was apparent he was in excellent physical shape. Thankfully, he wasn’t the hulking bodybuilder type she’d pictured. She told herself she was pleasantly surprised only because it meant he wouldn’t stand out like a sore thumb when he accompanied her on business functions. She wasn’t about to admit that she found his appearance appealing on a personal level as well.

  Chase sat back in his chair, stretching out his legs in front of him. The shift made her office suddenly feel much smaller. His movement reminded her he was waiting for her response.

  She thought about the drawbacks he’d mentioned. The points he’d brought up were the same ones she’d been deliberating herself. The thought of losing her self-reliance, not to mention her privacy, wasn’t appealing. But what choice did she have? Going over the situation a thousand times in her mind, it all came down to one thing. She wasn’t willing to try to escape from another attack by herself. She considered herself fortunate to have escaped the first attempt on her life. Her objective was to be better prepared should this guy make a second attempt. And, in this case, she was pretty sure she couldn’t get any better prepared than she’d be by hiring Chase Armstrong.

  “I understand what you’re saying,” she began, “and I did consider those issues before we met. I’m willing to cooperate with whatever measures you feel are necessary to ensure my safety. However, I’ll admit that I have some reservations.” She paused, looking into the green eyes staring back at her. The color reminded her of woodsy overgrowth in a garden landscape.

  “By all means, let’s address them. I want to make sure we’re both clear on one another’s expectations from the start,” Chase said in a pragmatic manner.

  “Well, I plan to continue working until this matter is resolved. I’m not quite sure how you’ll fit into the picture. I see clients on a daily basis, which brings up the matter of confidentiality. I can’t allow my clients’ right to confidentiality to be compromised in any way.” Her voice was firm. “Also, I often testify in court, attend board meetings, and teach classes.” She chose her next words with care, trying to avoid being offensive. “I’m not sure what kind of impression it would make if everyone present knew I was being protected by a bodyguard.”

  Chase nodded. “I understand your concerns. I won’t lie and tell you that I’ve dealt with them all before, because you’d be the first psychologist I’ve ever protected. But I can say that I’ve dealt with similar situations, and I’m sure we’ll be able to find a way to work this out that won’t compromise your safety or the integrity of your work. If there does come a point when I feel like something you’re attempting to do could jeopardize your safety, then I’d have to ask you to refrain. There’s no need to take unnecessary risks.”

 
His last comment would have made her smile if he hadn’t been so serious. She’d never considered herself any kind of a risk taker in the past. But the way things were now, going out of the house alone would be considered a risk. Based on this criteria, she’d be deemed an absolute thrill-seeker. The notion almost brought a smile to her face as the trait was so incongruous with her character.

  “Thank you for expanding on that,” she responded. “I really don’t have any more questions about my specific situation. I do need to know what your standard fee for your services is?” She held her breath while waiting for his reply, hoping his charges were within her price range.

  Chase quoted her a daily rate for his protection services. “In addition, you’ll be responsible for paying any out-of-pocket expenses related to your protection. I’ll cover the costs of my own meals.” He shrugged. “From the way I look at it, I’d be eating either way.”

  Jordan nodded, and the breath she’d been holding morphed into a sigh of relief. That wasn’t nearly as expensive as she’d anticipated. As long as the police didn’t take too long to make an arrest, she wouldn’t have to dip into the marketing funds for the practice at all. “Then I guess that leaves us with one last question. When do you start?”

  “Under the circumstances, as soon as possible,” he replied. “I need to make a quick trip home to gather the things I’ll need. How about I meet you here at five?”

  “That sounds fine.” Her smile became stiff. Did he say things? Exactly what had she gotten herself into? She’d always assumed moving in with someone would mean she’d found the person she’d share her life with in a romantic sense. Never would she have thought it would be a bodyguard, and an extremely good-looking one at that.

  “Good.” He dropped his chin. “Since we’ve gone over the basics, it’s probably best that we start now.” His voice took on a no-nonsense tone, and she could tell he was accustomed to giving out commands. “For starters, don’t leave the building under any circumstances until I get back. Second, are you seeing any new clients today?”