Catharine & Edward

by Marianne Knightly

  Prince Alexander.

  He walked over to Cat and gave her a hug. “Cat, my God, are you all right?”

  “I’m all right, just worried. How’s everyone else?”

  “In a minute.” Alex glanced at Edward, who had reverted to his stiff, professional posture. “I’ll want to talk to you as well, when I’m assured she’s all right.”

  “Yes, Your Highness.”

  Alex nodded and led Catharine a few steps away.

  Edward had been assigned to Catharine’s protective detail for almost two years. She usually had one or two agents on her at all times – more if the occasion warranted it – and a female agent was always available, either on shift directly or on call should Catharine need her.

  In those two years, he had seen a lot, heard a lot, and pretended not to see and hear most of that. Discretion was a cardinal rule of being a Royal Protection agent, an exceptionally high honor that was only offered to the best and brightest.

  He’d seen her with her elder twin brother numerous times throughout the years. They always touched base at least once a day, if not more, whether in person or by phone. Edward was close with his sisters, but even he only checked in with them a few times a week. Eventually, Edward realized that it was the twin bond that kept the pair of them connected.

  All of the royal siblings were close. Sure, they fought and teased and drove each other crazy, but they loved and protected one another without hesitation.

  Alex, however, went to extra lengths for Catharine. Truthfully, they all did. Everyone in Valleria knew the story: she was a surprise at birth, hidden behind Alexander during ultrasounds where the pictures were never that great to begin with, especially thirty-five years ago. Therefore, the entire royal family – hell, the entire nation – doted on her.

  A woman like that – classy, smart, funny, loyal, hot as fuck, a real-life goddamned princess – she deserved better than someone like him: a commoner with a past the press would love to exploit.

  Even if he was a badass bodyguard that would give his life to protect her.

  “Mama’s declared a family dinner for tonight,” Alex said, and Edward held back a smile when he heard Catharine groan; the royal siblings were not fond of family dinners.

  “I thought we were on lockdown. Will the Royal Wing even be open by then?”

  “It will be. I snuck through the passageways to check on Rebecca and you, so I’ve no doubt Papa’s already done the same to check on Mama.”

  She gave her brother a teasing smile. “You checked on your fiancée before your sister? I see how it is.”

  The corner of Alex’s mouth tipped up. “I don’t need to check on you, Kitty Cat. We’re twins, remember? I could sense you were just fine.”

  She snorted, something Edward found too fucking cute. “Well, in any case, I think I’ll try to get some work done, and maybe rest for a while before dinner.”

  Alex gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Call me if you need me.”

  She nodded and, with a quick glance to Edward, walked down the hallway towards her bedroom.

  When they both heard her door click closed, Alexander turned to him. “Tell me what happened.”

  In the same tone he’d used with Marcello, he told Alexander everything, and what they’d discovered so far.

  “Fucking tabloids,” Alexander grit out. “They’re lashing out since I banned the entire press corps from the palace grounds.”

  “That would be my guess, Your Highness. Even though that took place a few months ago, just prior to the Holiday Ball, we’ve heard grumblings about it. However, we never picked up chatter that could lead to this.”

  “I want to know how the fuck they got inside. It’s one thing to sneak into the palace, it’s another to get a security card that lets you into the Royal Wing.” Alex ran a hand through his inky black hair and let out a deep breath, no doubt remembering that day months ago when they’d discovered cameras in his own bedroom. “You did good with my sister today, protecting her first, then neutralizing the threat.”

  “It’s my job, Your Highness. A job I’m honored to have.”

  Alex nodded. “She feels safe with you and the others on her protective detail, but I want additional security on everyone. I’ve already told Marcello.”

  Edward nodded, understanding. At one time, he’d unfortunately had to guard his own sisters against a threat. Now, they were never unprotected, whether he was near them or not.

  “I wish I could interrogate him myself,” Alexander continued, his eyes narrowed, his lips twisted in a snarl. “Fucking with me or my family is completely unacceptable. Catharine’s still worried about it. You and the other agents will need to stick closer to her until she’s reassured.”

  “Understood, Your Highness.” Though, if Alexander knew how close he really wanted to be to his sister, he’d probably beat the shit out of him.

  Alexander nodded once and left through the secret door.

  Agent Brooks arrived a few moments later and, with a last glance towards the hall, Edward left without saying goodbye to Catharine.

  It was for the best.

  But it felt like the worst.

  Chapter Four

  Edward watched the intruder twitching in his seat on closed circuit television from the next room, Marcello at his side. “He talk yet, Sir?”

  Marcello shook his head, his eyes steady on the man who was handcuffed to center of the bolted table, which was situated in the middle of the interview room. “I know you recognized him in the corridor as Cesaire Sacheverelle. He’s the same one who sold the pictures of Alex and Rebecca a few months ago, then tried to pass them off as Alex with a mistress.”

  Edward ran a hand over the scruff on his face. “Which I don’t get. Sacheverelle’s known for being a ruthless celebrity photographer. His actions in the corridor do nothing to confirm his reputation.”

  “I agree. For a man who makes a shitload of money by harassing people and taking their picture, his behavior is indeed surprising.”

  “It’s more than that; it’s desperate. Even with his talents, he couldn’t have made it into the palace alone. The pictures of His Highness and Miss Campo were taken with long-range lenses, which means he wasn’t inside the palace; he just had an unobstructed view of the gardens where the photos were taken.”

  “Holmes did two sweeps through the halls, and I’ve got some more agents doing a third and fourth, as well as sweeping the apartments while the family’s at dinner. There were quite a few pieces of equipment found, many of them not Vallerian-made.”

  “Meaning Sacheverelle’s either working for someone else, perhaps a foreign enemy, or he’s at least being funded by someone else.”

  “And those are just the two least scary scenarios.”

  Edward brushed the back of his fingers up his neck and under his chin, an absent gesture he often made since growing out his stubble. He watched Sacheverelle tug again and again on his handcuffs with no success; even his chair was bolted to the floor. “Look at him; he’s clearly scared of something. He didn’t even request a lawyer?”

  “No, though he knows the rules of law are different on palace grounds, or any land owned by the monarchy. We don’t have to provide him with representation for at least forty-eight hours.”

  “Have we backtracked yet?”

  “Holmes is still working on it, which is why I’ve assigned other agents to re-sweep everything. I still don’t understand how Sacheverelle could have planted all of that equipment. Every hallway in the Royal Wing is stationed and our cameras are covered twenty-four hours a day.”

  “Jammer, maybe? Though I didn’t find one on him when I patted him down. Though that wouldn’t explain how he made it by the guards, even if he did sneak in during a shift change.” All of the RPS agents carried jammers, useful to not only confuse or disable nearby electronics, but they also muffled conversations that needed to remain private from passersby. Both the King and Queen, along with Alex and Marcello, carried one constantly.
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  “He may have a man on the inside, as we had once before.”

  Edward sucked in a breath. If someone was working with the tabloids – or someone more nefarious – they had an even bigger problem on their hands.

  And they had a pretty big fucking problem already.

  Previous security breaches had endangered the lives of not only Alexander and Rebecca, but also Nathaniel and his girlfriend Charlotte, as well the King himself, and threatened the fabric and future of the entire monarchy. Any threat – no matter how small it seemed – would be taken seriously. They all knew how quickly a small threat could lead to a larger deception.

  “Are you sure you want me to interrogate him, Sir?”

  Marcello nodded as he finally turned away from Sacheverelle and faced Edward. “I’m sure. I’ve been watching you for some time, Bash. You keep a cool head, as evidenced by your quick takedown today,” he said, gesturing with his head to Sacheverelle. “I wouldn’t have placed you on Royal Protection detail – particularly not for one of my siblings – if I didn’t know you could do the job.”

  Edward’s gut tightened; he never knew what to do with compliments. “Thank you, Sir.”

  “Now go deal with this asshole so we can move forward. I’ve got to brief everyone – including the royal family – in a couple hours.”

  “How far do you want me to go?”

  “As far as you think is necessary.”

  “His place is being tossed?”

  Marcello nodded and gestured to his ear. “Nothing yet, but I’m connected to the team as they’re searching. Plug in an earpiece, so you’ll know in case it comes up.”

  “I suppose it’s too early to get info on the security card he used.” Edward had dropped it by the RPS’s electronics division for analysis before meeting Marcello.

  “Probably, but I’ll let you know if something comes through while you’re interviewing him.”

  Edward nodded, then picked up and pushed in an earpiece. “His phone?”

  “We’re tracing the numbers now. An awful lot of calls have been made to a hospital recently.” At Edward’s quirked eyebrow, Marcello shook his head. “Children’s cancer unit.”

  “Fuck.”

  “You said it. After digging some more, we found out he’s got a sick kid he never told anyone about. Our brief investigation into him before the holidays didn’t dig it up, either, and that pissed me off. I won’t stand for shoddy investigative work.”

  Edward didn’t envy whoever had done the first investigation; they’d either be demoted or fired before the day was through. Another thought struck him. “I hate to say it, but if we’re looking for an inside man, could it be whoever did the first investigation?”

  Marcello’s eyes narrowed. “I hadn’t thought of that, but I’ll do some digging.”

  Edward scratched his beard, and decided not to think about a traitor in their midst, at least not yet. “What about Sacheverelle’s finances? He makes a shit ton of money when he sells those pictures. He’s got to be able to afford taking care of his kid.”

  “We’re still trying to access his accounts, and we’ve got someone at the hospital asking questions. It’d be a good motive.”

  “Money’s a good motive any day. Needing money to help your sick kid is an even better one. But the ends don’t always justify the means.” Edward crinkled his brow as he remembered something. “Wasn’t there a referendum about cancer care passed recently by the Royal Council?”

  Marcello rubbed a hand over his beard-free chin. “Yes, there was. It’s part of the comprehensive medical coverage plan the family’s working towards for Valleria. We’re starting with full coverage for minors first, though it’s not set to take effect until mid-year, at least. Unhealthy children, including those with cancer, would have all their medical expenses covered.”

  “Won’t help Sacheverelle right now, though.”

  “The hospital he’s got his kid in is top of the line. Not the royal-approved one we’ve used in recent times, but it’s in the top five in the country. That’s got to be pricey.”

  “Let me see what I can get from him.”

  Edward walked out and then into the interview room next door, calmly, casually, and confidently. He shut the door and did a quick check to make sure the lock caught; if he had to get rough, he wanted to make sure Sacheverelle couldn’t escape.

  “Oh, Cesar, Cesar, Cesar.” Edward butchered the man’s name as he draped himself easily in the only other empty chair in the room, which was also bolted to the floor.

  “My name is Cesaire,” he muttered grumpily in his French accent. He pulled on the handcuffs again, their silver clanging against the metal of the table.

  “Well, Cesar,” Edward began deliberately, “you’re in a shit ton of trouble. Breaking into the palace, planting illegal devices, resisting arrest. What do you have to say for yourself?”

  Cesaire just scowled.

  Edward grinned.

  He’d forgotten how much fun interrogations could be. “Nothing? Well, that’s all right. I can talk, you can listen for a while.

  “It seems to me that you’re not only going to prison, but that you’re also going into a deep, dark hole at that prison where you’ll never be seen or heard from again. Did I mention that the palace still has a dungeon? I mean, no one really uses it anymore. It’s more for a special occasion type of deal. Are you a special occasion?”

  Cesaire’s face paled, a sharp contrast to his dark, lanky, chin-length hair. “I didn’t do anything.”

  Edward’s eyes narrowed, grin gone and the heat of his controlled anger filling the room. “That’s not the first time you lied to me, but it had better be the fucking last.”

  “I have rights,” Cesaire said, a tremble in his voice.

  “You lost your rights when you conspired against the crown and put the royal family in danger.”

  “I want to call someone.”

  “Tell me their number and I’ll call them for you.”

  “I need my phone.”

  “You’re not getting your phone.”

  Cesaire grew more agitated. “I need to make a call!”

  Time to try another tack. “You want to see your kid again, you want us to tell you how your kid’s doing, you better fucking start talking and you’d better fucking do it now.”

  Cesaire gasped, then dropped his head into hands, the handcuffs clinking as he did. “My boy. My boy. My poor boy.”

  Edward spoke more gently than before. “Where’s his mother?”

  Cesaire scoffed. “That bitch. Left me and my boy barely a day after he was born. At least I never married her.”

  “He’s been sick a while?”

  “Too long. One day, fuck, one minute is too fucking long for a kid to be sick. This shit, it’s fucked up. But my boy,” he inhaled a deep breath full of pride, “he’s a fucking trooper. Never complains, never gets angry. He’s a fucking miracle.”

  “You want him safe, you’d better start talking.”

  Cesaire’s black eyes glittered. “No one hurts my boy.”

  “For Christ’s sake, you think we’d hurt a kid, any kid, much less one with cancer? No way, asshole. Get your head out of your ass. You’re in pretty deep, with pretty fucking crazy people, by our guess. You think for a minute that they give a fuck about your sick kid? You think they won’t use him against you?”

  Cesaire muttered a curse. “Jesus, you think I don’t know that? Why the fuck do you think I’m in this position to begin with? They blackmailed me.”

  “A sick kid is not blackmail.”

  “Threatening to stick some poisonous shit in his IV is, and that’s what they said they’d do. I had to break into the palace, plant that stuff, or else.”

  “Who is ‘they’? Who coerced you into this?”

  “I can’t say.”

  “Won’t say.”

  “No, I cannot say! They’ve threatened my boy, damn you! I’m not doing anything to help you until I know he’s safe.”


  Edward leaned across the cold table. His voice was low and even when he spoke. “You know we can help your boy. Help us.” Edward watched the man struggle, his hands twisting, the silver handcuffs clinking again.

  Then he sighed in resignation.

  “I don’t know who’s behind it.”

  “Bullshit.”

  “Fuck you, it’s the truth. They approached the editor of the Vallerian Star, blackmailed him with something and, no, I don’t know what they blackmailed him with. All I know is that he called me into his office the next day, said I’d be visited by someone and I had to do what they said.”

  “What’d you say? Giorgio Vincente’s the editor, isn’t he?”

  “Yeah, goes by Vinnie. Fuck knows why. I told him I wasn’t going to be forced to do anything just ’cause he’s got some shit he doesn’t want out.”

  “You just said you didn’t know what they blackmailed Vinnie with. How do you know they weren’t blackmailing Vinnie with family, same as you?”

  Cesaire huffed a laugh. “That asshole? Burned all his bridges. He fucked over everyone he knew to get that job, which is why no one gives a fuck about him in return. He wants personal attention, he pays for it.”

  “And someone came to visit you? Threatened your boy?”

  Sacheverelle’s eyes narrowed and his lips twisted in a snarl. “A woman. Brunette. Fucking built and knew it, wearing a plastered dress and fuck-me heels. I was in a park trying to get a picture of a movie star known for stepping out on his wife when she walks up to me. Bitch was smiling when she told me what I was required to do or else my boy dies. Fuck! She even pulled out a picture on her phone; she was dolled up as a hospital volunteer standing next to my boy.” His eyes darkened. “She stood next to my boy, infecting his airspace.”

  “Do you have a copy of the picture? Or know when it was taken?”

  “I figure it was taken about three weeks ago. My boy finished another round of chemo about that time, and wasn’t looking too good. As to a copy of the picture…” He shook his head, then his face relaxed when he grinned. “Bitch took the memory card from my camera before she walked away in case I got one of her coming, and she moved so fast I didn’t have time to put in a replacement or grab my other camera as she walked away. What she didn’t know, being the dumbass bitch she is, is that in my profession, you never keep just one or two cameras handy. I always wear a body camera in case celebrities come after me and I need to sue their ass.”