Security Detail

by Lisa Phillips

  As if.

  Conner said what he needed to say with a look. He shoved Manny’s shoulder and strode past him to the wooden steps. How Andis knew they were going to be there was anyone’s guess. It had to be a coincidence. They were supposed to have stayed out of his way, and he showed up at the exact place they were? Sure, it was Andis’s business, but Conner was the one who took care of this place for the boss. Had this whole “chasing the laptop” exercise been a trap?

  The only other explanation was that they were somehow tracking either him or Kayla and hadn’t even realized the laptop was here. Perhaps Andis was having him followed. Or tracking his phone. They could be doing the same with Kayla, through that camera in her office, or her phone. But that didn’t explain why they needed the laptop.

  Conner stepped inside. “Everything okay?”

  Kayla’s eyes locked with his, and then he saw the gun. “Andis.” He said the name like it was any other day and he wanted to greet the man. Conner’s stomach was in knots. He wanted to step between them. To pull Kayla behind his back and protect her with his body, the way he’d been trained to do.

  “Conner, I have to thank you for bringing Ms. Harris to me.”

  Her wide eyes darted to him and back to Andis. Her hands were clenched at her sides, the muscles of her forearms taut. Her cheeks were flushed, but she held her shoulders as though she was ready to bolt at any moment.

  And there was nothing Conner could do about it.

  Andis went on, “I wouldn’t have been so concerned about your loyalty if I’d known you would bring her to me this fast.”

  Kayla’s face changed from a look of fear to one of betrayal. She couldn’t believe this was his doing, could she? He would have thought there was no way she could think that. Conner gave her a quick shake of his head and then said, “Of course. Anything to clear up the confusion.”

  If he didn’t agree, Andis would likely shoot him and the case would fall apart. After that, Kayla’s body would turn up in the woods miles away, where it couldn’t be traced back to Andis Bamir. They’d probably frame Conner for the murder after they made him “disappear,” too.

  “Though I don’t think killing Kayla will help, not when you’ve already got the laptop,” Conner said, as nonchalant as he could. “Too much heat when the body of former President Harris’s daughter gets discovered by a hiker.”

  Andis said, “I have you to make sure the evidence doesn’t lead anywhere. Don’t I?” He motioned to Conner with his head and told Kayla, “Your boyfriend is good at disappearing bodies. Did he tell you that?”

  It was true, in a way. He’d relocated eight people, two of them with their families, since he’d gone undercover. He’d told Andis they were dead, taken a couple of convincing photos using movie makeup and had Greg send them on to their new lives in some other state—or into witness protection.

  A good thing, a right thing in the middle of this mess of gray areas. Right. Wrong. Conner was so far under he had trouble figuring out the difference anymore. Sure, he’d saved lives and not killed as Andis had ordered him, but that didn’t really make him a good guy. He’d still done plenty of bad things for Andis.

  Dread settled over her face. Conner cleared his throat. “How about we just get to the point?”

  Kayla didn’t belong here, not with a man like Andis, and not with him. She belonged in her girlie house with her pedigree and her fancy job. Sure, that wasn’t exactly fair, but it was true. They didn’t mix.

  “Certainly.” Andis’s aim with the gun wasn’t so determined, but Kayla didn’t relax. He said, “I simply wish to know where my wife and daughter are. That is all.”

  “What makes you think I know where they are?” Her voice was small, her spirit broken. Conner felt the impact of it like a physical pain in his chest.

  “You are responsible for their disappearance. Now, since you came all this way to retrieve your laptop, I suggest you use it to find them.”

  It was a setup. They’d been lured here, all because Andis needed Kayla to use the laptop to find his family. Of course.

  She said, “Are you the one who put the surveillance system in my office?”

  Andis’s mouth twitched, but he didn’t answer.

  Years ago she’d have fibbed her way out of the situation—and out of the consequences of her actions. This Kayla, the incredible woman she’d grown into, was strong and honorable. Which only made Conner all the more aware of the ways she had outgrown him. She’d flourished, and it was beautiful to see. But like looking at a rare book behind a glass case. No touching allowed.

  And he’d brought her right to Andis.

  The man didn’t back down. “Did you somehow forget where you sent them?”

  Kayla said, “I only…facilitate when a person needs to escape their horrible life of terror at the hands of the person who is supposed to care for them. I provide the means for them to start over, but I never know where they end up or how they get there. Only that they are finally safe.”

  She was going to anger Andis, talking like that. But Conner couldn’t help admiring her courage. She knew who she was and that she’d done the right thing. Now she wasn’t going to back down from the first threat—even if Andis was likely the worst man she would ever meet.

  “I see.”

  Andis didn’t sound impressed. If Conner didn’t direct this conversation the right way, it would go horribly wrong. “Andis—”

  “I don’t think so, Conner.” The man took two steps out of reach and shifted his gun. “Turn on the laptop and use whatever program you have to communicate with them to find my family.” He pointed the weapon at Conner. “Or he dies.”

  Part of him, honestly, eased. He expected it. Kayla in danger wasn’t right. Conner having a gun pointed at him was duty. It was the way things were supposed to be. He should be the one at risk. He should be the one in the line of fire. Anything else just didn’t sit right with him.

  Kayla touched her mouth with her fingers and gasped. He knew she cared, but if he was hurt or killed, he didn’t want her to waste time grieving. Not for someone like him.

  “Now.”

  Kayla sprang into action. She set the laptop on the desk and opened the lid. “The computer is fried.” She pressed the button. After three tries, she looked up. Innocent, but Conner saw something in her eyes. She knew something. “It isn’t working!”

  Beside the laptop, Conner saw the cord that could be used to connect the damaged laptop to the desktop. That had to have been how it connected with the internet.

  Kayla was stalling. Relying on him to figure out how they would get out of this.

  “This isn’t something I will tolerate,” Andis said. He stared at Conner. “This woman has taken my family from me, and if she doesn’t know where they are…well, I don’t need her. Do I?”

  “Just let her go. We’ll figure out how to use the laptop to find your family,” Conner said, desperate for a way to get Andis to release Kayla. “I’ll find someone who can get the information off it.”

  Andis’s eyes narrowed. “This woman has stolen from me. And if she cannot return what she has taken, then I will take from her. A life for a life.”

  He wanted Andis to take his instead. Conner was trained to take the bullet rather than let someone else get killed. Especially someone he cared about as much as he did Kayla. His body itched to move. To dive in front of her.

  “Manny will make sure she does it,” Andis said. “You can come with me.” He glanced outside and yelled, “Manuel!”

  “I’m not leaving Kayla.”

  *

  Andis and Manny passed each other. Andis didn’t comment on what Conner had said. He simply nodded to Manny and then waited by the door.

  Kayla hugged her middle, too scared to try to hide her fear. Conner was here with her, but she was likely minutes from death. Andis Bamir wanted her dead for helping his wife and daughter get away from him. She’d met them in the grocery store. The sheriff hadn’t been involved at all. First
it had just been coffee and talking. Getting to know each other enough that Sofija knew she could trust Kayla not to betray her confidence. Her daughter had been so sweet and so pretty, even with the bruise on her temple. Like a skittish puppy at the pound, Sofija had reached out to Kayla expecting to get slapped back for it. Instead Kayla had shown her the same love and grace she’d been shown by the Lord.

  Then she’d helped the woman escape her life of fear. And Kayla would do it a thousand times over, even if it meant her own death. Even if it meant Conner turned her over to Andis every single time—whether it was what he’d done, or not.

  She should run, but Kayla didn’t know if she could move. She should scream, but she didn’t know if a sound would come from her mouth. Her body was frozen, and probably her vocal chords, too.

  Andis continued, “My business has been destroyed from within, and there are many culprits. Some trying to buy their way back in using that laptop or by installing surveillance in your office to buy my favor.” He looked pointedly at Kayla. “Now is the time to tie up loose ends.” Then his deadly attention moved to Conner. “Betrayal cannot be tolerated.”

  A phone rang, but Conner didn’t move. Andis left, and Manny strode across the room, his gun hanging loose in his hand. Casual, as if he wasn’t about to take her life and make it so no one ever knew the real story of what happened to her.

  “Let’s go.”

  Kayla shook her head. Don’t let them get you in the car. Her mind flashed with images from murder documentaries she’d seen. Gruesome pictures. Andis’s wife’s and daughter’s visible injuries and the emotional turmoil that Kayla had been unable to see. There was no way she was going to become an evidence photo. A case number on some detective’s desk, bringing all the media exposure that went with who she was. No, thank you.

  Lord, help me.

  She didn’t think Conner had betrayed her, but she couldn’t look at him either. His gaze would likely mirror all the terror in her heart, and she didn’t want to see it.

  Manny kept moving toward her. Conner didn’t; he just stood where he was. Not doing anything, but looking like he was waiting for something.

  A car engine revved. Andis. Dissatisfied with the nonanswer she’d given him, he’d taken off and left her here to die. What kind of a man did that so casually? She didn’t see those traits in Conner, which meant there was still hope left that she could point out to him. Why did he wonder if he was a bad guy? He had restraint. Andis had none, which worried her since it didn’t seem he would stop searching for Sofija and her daughter.

  God, keep Sofija and Lena safe. Wherever they are.

  She’d been honest when she told Andis she really didn’t know where they were. That was the point of what she did—and how she did it. Anonymity, safety. Two of the most precious commodities to someone who was hiding and fearful for their life.

  Luxuries Kayla didn’t have, considering everyone knew who she was.

  Perhaps this was the only logical end. Not that she would have chosen differently. Secret Service agents were willing to die for what they believed in, and she’d always thought them so noble. Not just Conner—every single one of them. Whether they worked on the presidential detail or not.

  Now she would do the same thing.

  Kayla lifted her chin while the car outside sped away. Manny came close enough to reach out and touch her.

  Conner launched toward them. His arm whipped out and he grabbed for Manny’s gun. He pulled Manny into a spin and punched him in the face. Manny flinched for a second, then brought the gun up.

  The tussle began.

  Both men fought for the gun, Conner’s hand around Manny’s wrist as he tried to keep it from aiming at either of them. Shoulder to shoulder, they wrestled for control of the firearm.

  “You can’t stop me.” Manny bit out the words.

  Conner’s teeth were clenched, and neither man backed off from their struggle. “Andis isn’t here anymore.”

  “Exactly,” Manny grunted. “Guess I’ll have to say it was an accident. He already doesn’t trust you, so I’ll tell him the golden boy got in the way. Bye-bye, Conner Thorne.” The two men continued to grapple. “Once you’re buried, it’ll be back to business as usual. Before you came along.”

  Didn’t Conner have a gun? He needed to shoot this man! But Conner kept trying for Manny’s weapon, while the man continued jeering. “Guess I’ll have to prove I was right that you were the plant. Fooled everyone, but not me. You’re Secret Service and you always will be. Fired or not.”

  “Man, you have some serious issues.” Conner used his body weight to shove against Manny’s shoulder. “Let me guess… Your older brother was a football star, and no one even noticed you.”

  Manny roared, renewing his fight against Conner. They were evenly matched, similar in height and weight…and strength. And both of them had only one goal: getting to the gun.

  If Kayla had to guess, she might wonder if Conner didn’t have as many issues as he accused Manny of having. But she wasn’t going to hang around and see their battle play out to its only possible end—one of them getting injured.

  Kayla inched toward the door, each tiny movement only a breath of space apart. Her heart didn’t want to leave Conner, but she needed to go and get help. Her phone was in the car. She could call the sheriff.

  Manny looked up. His eyes locked on her.

  Conner used the distraction to his advantage. He grasped the gun and yelled, “Go, Kayla!”

  She didn’t think about it. She just ran.

  Kayla rushed into the daylight, down the steps and toward the car before she realized she no longer had to take Secret Service orders. But she knew she needed to get to her phone and call the sheriff. She’d left it in the car so it wouldn’t go off when she was trying to be stealthy. Now that precaution might mean Conner’s death.

  Kayla yanked open the door and jumped into the car. He’d stashed the keys in the cup holder, so she started the engine and grabbed her phone from the floor of the backseat. Please, God. Get help here quickly. We need You. Conner needs Your help. Don’t let him get hurt.

  Kayla fumbled to enter her passcode.

  No signal.

  She tried to dial anyway, to tell Locke to get here now. What else was she going to do? The phone beeped angry tones at her. Kayla threw it on the passenger seat and put the car in Drive.

  Where was she going to go?

  A gunshot rang out.

  Kayla clapped her hands over her ears and screamed. Her foot slipped off the brake and the car jerked forward.

  TWELVE

  Fire burned the outside of Conner’s thigh as though a knife had swiped across him, front to back. His head swam, but he fought the rush of nausea down. If he hit the floor, Manny would put another bullet in him—this time in his head.

  Conner let go of the gun and punched Manny once, as fast as he could, in the stomach. He grabbed Manny’s ears, pulled his head down and planted his knee in the man’s face.

  Manny’s outcry was cut off like a needle had been lifted from a vinyl record.

  Crash. The car—his car—swung in an arc in front of the office and took out the stairs in the process. Shards of wood exploded as Kayla screeched to a halt in front of the door. The passenger window lowered and her gaze connected with his. “Conner!”

  He glanced back at Manny, facedown on the floor and out cold.

  Conner took a step on his leg, testing if it would hold his weight. He got as far as the door, grabbed the frame and slumped onto the floor. He scooted forward and dropped into the car through the open window, like a race-car driver.

  Kayla gasped. “You’re hurt.”

  The injury wasn’t even on her side. It was on his leg by the window, but blood had spread quickly to soak his jeans. He fingered the tear in the denim. It wasn’t bad, only a graze. “Don’t worry about it—just drive.”

  She did. But not without glancing at him before she pulled onto the road. “Where do you want me to go? Is Ma
nny dead?”

  “No, but when he wakes up, he’s going to come looking for us so he can finish what Andis told him to do.”

  “So where do we go?”

  Conner wanted to touch her, but there was blood on both of his hands. Instead he dialed Locke’s number. It went straight to voice mail. Either the man was in a dead spot with no signal, or his phone had died—which Locke would never allow to happen.

  Conner dialed Greg. When his handler answered, he said, “Andis and Manny got away.”

  “Why didn’t you stop them?”

  “Where’s Locke? He was supposed to meet us there.”

  “Traffic report says the crash was a bad one. An old man was airlifted from the scene.” Greg gave him the address to a safe house. “It’s actually a vacation rental. Totally clean, and the owner isn’t on-site.”

  “Okay.” Conner sighed.

  “You okay?”

  “Fine.” He hung up.

  “You aren’t going to tell him you got shot?”

  Conner didn’t answer her. He relayed the address Greg gave him. Thirty minutes later she pulled into the drive, and he told her the code for the detached garage set away from the house. The property was ringed by trees, giving them privacy.

  Kayla looked concerned, which wasn’t good. Conner wasn’t a project or someone she needed to save. He just needed a bandage, some painkillers and about twelve hours of sleep. After that, he’d be up and running again. Kayla didn’t need to look at him like she was worried he was going to bleed to death.

  He heard the roll of the garage door as it lifted. The car moved, and then Kayla had his door open. “I can help you.”

  Conner grabbed the door frame and pulled himself out of the car. She slipped under his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his back. How she was going to hold him up when he outweighed her by at least sixty pounds was anyone’s guess. They walked slowly together out from under the detached garage’s door.

  Kayla let go of him for a second and he heard the door roll down and hit the ground. Then she was back, holding him up. They crossed to the front door. Hopefully, there’d be a first-aid kit. Conner’s head was pounding. Swimming. He could barely think. Apparently his “just a scratch” was worse than he’d thought.