“No, but he did have access to this house. We believe he used one of your passes while you were out of town, and then he returned it before anyone even realized it was missing.”
“That’s crazy.” Sterling shook his head in denial, but Charlie continued laying out the facts he didn’t want to hear.
“The LA office also confirmed that he has been in contact with them as your representative on this case.”
“What?” Sterling felt his reality crumbling. “I never asked him to do that. I was personally dealing with the detective on the case.”
“We know that now, but as I said, Alan Parsons was very adept at using his position as a bodyguard to cover up what he really was.”
“Where is he now?”
“He’s in the hospital.” For the first time, Charlie’s voice wasn’t completely steady, but his eyes remained direct. “He has already been charged with attempted murder, but I expect that several murder charges will be added as soon as we can connect him to the victims.”
A sick feeling spread through Sterling. “You’re telling me that I hired a man who tried to kill my daughter?”
“Dad, there wasn’t any way you could have known.” Again, Kendra reached for his hand, and Sterling looked down at her narrow fingers resting in his. He had been so careful. He had taken so many precautions, and still, someone had pushed through all his defenses.
For a moment, he was speechless. Then he considered the security challenges they would face for the upcoming benefit. He certainly couldn’t let Bruce Parsons keep working for him under the circumstances. “Maybe we should cancel your appearance at the benefit.”
“No. I’m done hiding.” Kendra’s eyes met his. “Whether you admit it or not, no amount of security is going to keep me one hundred percent safe.”
“Maybe not, but you have to at least give me time to find a new bodyguard for you.”
“Dad, it’s time you let me run my own life,” Kendra insisted. “Charlie is going to escort me to the benefit. I’ll say my prayers every night, asking to make it through each day safely, and I’m going to trust that everything is going to work out.”
Sterling stared at Kendra. He wasn’t sure prayers alone could keep her safe, but he was willing to entertain the possibility that they might help. He had certainly had a few prayers regarding his daughter’s safety rattling around in his brain over the past few weeks. But his protective instincts were strong. “Are you sure you’re ready to go out in public after this?”
“I’m sure.” Kendra smiled. “Although I do need to call Henrico to see if he can make me another dress. The one he just fitted was damaged after he left.”
“I still can’t believe all of this. It’s my worst nightmare come true.” Sterling squeezed Kendra’s hand. “I don’t know how you are able to sit there and look so relaxed.”
“Maybe I inherited your acting talent.” She gave him a wry grin. “If it’s okay with you, I thought maybe Charlie and I could stay here this week.”
“We would love that,” Monica spoke before Sterling could wrap his mind around Kendra’s words. All he could think was that his little girl was finally home. Then he remembered his last conversation with Kendra, the one when she’d mentioned she was planning on living in Phoenix for the foreseeable future.
“Are you the reason my daughter has decided to stay in Phoenix?”
Charlie nodded, and his eyes stayed focused on Sterling when he answered, “I am the one benefiting from that decision.”
“I see.” Sterling studied the man across from him. He wasn’t sure how he felt about this boy who clearly had strong feelings for his daughter, but one thing was certain: even though Kendra and Charlie hadn’t spoken the words, he had little doubt that Charlie was the man responsible for saving his little girl. “Kendra can show you where the guest room is.”
“Thank you.” Charlie stood up and motioned to the door. “I’ll go get our bags.”
“And Charlie?” Sterling spoke before Charlie could leave the room. “I shouldn’t have to tell you that I expect you to stay out of Kendra’s bedroom and vice versa.”
Charlie’s eyes met his, and he nodded. “No, sir. I respect your feelings completely.”
* * *
“Explain to me again how I let you talk me into this.” Charlie looked at Kendra’s reflection in the mirror as he tugged on his tuxedo jacket to make sure his shoulder holster wasn’t visible.
“I asked you to come.” Kendra leaned against the doorjamb of the guest room, and humor danced in her eyes. “And you said yes.”
“Must have been a moment of temporary insanity,” Charlie muttered. He adjusted his shoulder harness and tugged on his jacket once more. The weight of his gun served as a constant reminder of the day at the hotel when he had nearly been too late.
He still had some bad moments when he thought of how everything had played out, not so much because he had pulled the trigger but because he had come so close to losing Kendra. He didn’t think he had ever prayed as hard for anything as he had on that drive from his office to the Biltmore that day. He had almost been too late, probably would have been too late had it not been for that flash of inspiration during the DeFoe interrogation.
Charlie knew that it had been inspiration that had helped him arrive in time, just as he knew that the Lord had watched over both him and Kendra to allow them to survive that day. Perhaps it was that knowledge that had kept him from dwelling on the fact that he’d been forced to pull the trigger again. As a result of his actions, Alan would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Whether that life would be spent in a mental institution or on death row still remained to be seen. Regardless, he wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone ever again.
Charlie pushed those thoughts aside and turned to face Kendra. His breath caught as he took in the stunning effect of Kendra in full makeup, her hair artfully piled on top of her head, and her saffron-colored gown shimmering in the lamplight. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” She smiled fully and took a step inside the room. Casually, she brushed at a speck of lint on his jacket.
As though his parental radar were tuned perfectly, Sterling Blake’s voice boomed through the hall. “Kendra?”
“In here, Daddy.” Kendra called out and turned toward the door.
Sterling looked into the guest room. He gave Charlie a stern look and then spoke to Kendra. “I thought we agreed that you were going to stay out of the guest room while Charlie is here.”
“Yes, Daddy.” Kendra fought back a grin but obediently stepped back out into the hall and pulled Charlie with her. Then she asked her father, “Is it time to go?”
“Yes.” Sterling nodded. “The car is waiting downstairs.”
“We’re ready,” Kendra told him. When Charlie tugged on his jacket again, she ran a hand down the front of his tuxedo. “It looks fine. You can’t even tell it’s there.”
Sterling’s eyes narrowed. “What’s there?”
“My weapon.” Charlie straightened his shoulders, not sure how Sterling would feel about him going to the benefit armed.
“You have your gun with you?”
“Yes, sir. I’m supposed to keep my weapon with me at all times.”
Sterling stared at him for a moment but nodded. Then he looked over at Kendra. “I think I might like this guy after all.”
“I thought you might.” Kendra laughed. “I need to go get my purse. Dad, we’ll meet you outside.”
“Don’t dawdle,” Sterling called out as he headed down the stairs and Kendra started down the hall.
She returned a moment later, purse in hand. When she reached Charlie, she glanced downstairs and then looked up at him with a mischievous smile on her face. “You know, this may be the last time we’re alone for hours and hours.”
“In that case . . .” Charlie’s hand wrapped around her waist and he lowered his lips to hers. That familiar sense of rightness and belonging spread through him, and he could feel his future snap into pla
ce.
When they parted, Kendra rubbed her thumb over his lower lip. “Sorry. I got lipstick on you.”
“I gather it isn’t my color.”
“Well, we might not want to leave it there, even if it is.” She wiped the last smudges off and laughed. “What would everyone think?”
Charlie took her hand in his and brought it to his lips in a sweet, old-fashioned gesture. “They won’t think—they’ll know that I’m the luckiest man alive.”
About the Author
Originally from Arizona, Traci Hunter Abramson spent much of her childhood exploring the little town of Pinewood. She is a graduate of Brigham Young University and a former employee of the Central Intelligence Agency. Since leaving the CIA, Traci has written multiple novels, including the Undercurrents trilogy, Royal Target, and the Saint Squad series.
When she’s not writing, Traci enjoys spending time with her husband and their four children. She also enjoys cooking, although she prefers an electric stove to the wood-burning variety.
Other Books by Traci Hunter Abramson
Undercurrents
Ripple Effect
The Deep End
Royal Target
Freefall
Lockdown
Crossfire
Backlash
Smoke Screen
Table of Contents
Title Page
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
About the Author
Other Books by Traci Hunter Abramson
Obsession Page 23