by Krista Ames
He sat silently and still at the head of her bed until he heard the shower turn off. When she saw him, she would probably freak and try to run. He saw the curtain move and knew he didn’t have much time to get to her door before she did it again. As he stood listening against the painted wood, he heard the shower then a door close. He knew he wouldn’t have enough time to run to the office and convince the night clerk to give him a key. He tried a credit card but she had the chain latched so he went to the window. She’d been so worried to keep a watch out that she didn’t check to see if the window was locked.
He’d slid the glass open and crawled into the room, making himself comfortable on the bed.
“Don’t panic. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Sure, that’s what they all say. I’m not stupid, you came here to kill me for what I did.”
She started to look around the room, presumably hoping for something to use as a weapon.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Prove it.”
Proving it meant he had to tell her everything he knew about what she’d done and who hired her as well. Maybe he could get away with as little as possible for now. He wanted to get her out of the motel as quickly as possible. It was obvious she wasn’t scared enough to go with him without an explanation first.
“Your dad hired me.”
She started to say something more but he had anticipated that so he continued with a little information to make her more comfortable.
“And yes, I do know who he is.” Dirk whispered that part just in case, these kinds of places were always wire-tapped. He held up his phone toward her, showing her a picture of her dad.
“You can trust me. I was hired to protect you and I’d like to do that but we need to leave this motel if you don’t mind. You’re a sitting duck here.”
“I am not a sitting duck.”
The look on her face told him she didn’t believe it. He crawled from the motel bed and stood by the door.
“How about we get out of here. I know you saw my car out in the lot. Did you see anything else suspicious?”
“No, how long have you been watching me?”
“Just a couple hours. I got the call early this afternoon and after I read over your file I did a little searching and came up with this place. I don’t know who’s after you just yet but if I found you, don’t you think they will too?”
“Do you think they’ll find out who my dad is?”
“Not right away. I don’t want to say any more until we’re out of here in case someone is listening.”
Her features became panicked.
“Hey, I’m not trying to scare you. It’s just not safe here. I’m going back to my car, I’d like for you to follow me. Just keep your head down.”
She slipped on her shoes and picked up her bag, throwing it over her shoulder, she approached him.
“Just know this, I’m not going with you for the protection, because I can take care of myself.”
“Duly noted.”
***
Why should I trust this guy?
She followed him down the walkway and out to his car, against her better judgment. It was completely dark out now so if there were someone else out watching them they wouldn’t know until it was too late. He unlocked and opened the door, motioning for her to climb in. She hesitated.
“I thought we got over this. Can you get in the car please?”
“How do I know you won’t kidnap me if I get in the car?”
“Would you feel better if I gave you my gun?”
He reached for the pistol he had tucked inside the back of his jeans, fiddled with a button on the side and handed it over to her.
“What did you just do?”
“I made sure the safety was on. I’d rather not have you shoot me, or draw any unwanted attention to us. As I’m sure you already know, this isn’t the best part of town. If we could get in the car, I would be glad to answer any questions you have. Plus, I have a few of my own for you.”
She guessed bad guys didn’t usually hand over their guns willingly so that was one point for him. Unfortunately, she didn’t know anything about any kind of weapon so he could very well be lying to her and she wouldn’t be any the wiser. She got in the car anyway because he was right, she didn’t want to be standing outside any longer than necessary.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“That’s it? Somewhere safe? You can’t tell me where?”
“Okay, fine. We’re going to my place.”
“You take people to your home to protect them? Are you sure I’ll be safe there?”
“No, I do not take anyone to my home but you’ll be safe there, it’s as good a place as any. Off the beaten path and lots of security with plenty of places to escape.”
“I’m not so sure about this plan.”
“Well you’re welcome to stay at the motel, I can take you back. By now though, you’ve probably already been caught on the security cameras there.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Could be. If they got a clear picture of your face, they can run a match and find out who you are in seconds.”
“I don’t want them to find that out.”
“I’m sure you don’t and I can guarantee your dad would rather them not know either because while you didn’t use his name, they would be able to tell when you changed your name and from what. Our whole lives are on the web.”
“What’s your name? I’m sure you already know mine, along with everything else there is to know I suppose.”
“My name is Dirk Rockwell.”
“Are you married Dirk?”
“This isn’t about me.”
“I’m aware of that but I can’t not talk. I’m guessing you’re one of those guys, the quiet brawny type that uses muscles instead of words?”
“I use plenty of words, thanks, but the muscle when I need to. Right now, you don’t need to know anything about me.”
But I will find out Mr. Dirk Rockwell. You know all about me and all’s fair in love and war so I might just have to do some digging of my own.
“Oh, do you think we can stop at my car and then by the Carlson to grab my things and check out?”
“Did you use a credit card to reserve your room there?”
“I did why?”
“They are probably waiting for you so I’m afraid we can’t go back there. Where is your car?
“Just up another block. I drove around a while when I thought someone was following me and when I found a lot, I pulled in and left it there but only grabbed my backpack.”
“I’ll drive by and we’ll see if it’s still there.”
“Do you think it won’t be?”
“There’s always a chance.”
When they got to the lot, Avery was glad to see her car again still in one piece. When he stopped across the lot from it, she got out. He followed and was next to her in a few seconds.
“Wow you move fast.”
“You ain’t seen nothing yet. Now next time, can you let me look around first before you just hop out into public?”
“Oh yeah, sorry, I didn’t even think about it. Do you want to look around now?”
He didn’t answer and started shining his spotlight around the wheel wells, underneath the chassis and then asked her to look in the windows for anything that wasn’t where she left it.
“How could anyone get inside there?”
“It’s called breaking and entering. They would use a tool to jimmy the lock. If you didn’t know what signs to look for, you’d never know they’d done it.”
“Lovely. That black square thing on the back seat, that’s not mine.”
“We need to go, now. Do you have a remote lock keychain?”
As she dug the keys out of her backpack, he grabbed her arm and moved them away from her car toward his.
“Hey, quit pulling, where are we going? I still need my things.”
“Sorry, not g
oing to happen.” He unlocked his car and opened the door for her to get in.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Avery crossed her arms over her chest and stiffened her stance.
“Suit yourself, but if you unlock or open that car, it’ll blow and I don’t want you or me anywhere near when it does. Please get in the car, we need to leave. I’m guessing we only have a few minutes until people start showing up.”
“Are you being serious right now?”
Dirk was standing on the driver’s side ready to climb in.
“Very serious, now please, get in the damn car.”
When they were a safe distance away and out of visible sight, he stopped and looked back.
“Who are in those cars pulling into the lot.”
Dirk pulled a camera from under the seat and aimed his zoom lens toward the vehicles they’d seen pull up to hers. He clicked the shutter several times then slid it back under the seat where it’d come from. She knew cameras and that was no mom and pop digital, that was a high-dollar set up.
“I’m guessing you don’t want to know. I’m sorry about your car.”
When she started to ask what he was talking about, he raised the remote out the window and clicked. Only seconds later, a loud explosion and her car was a ball of flames billowing into the air. He didn’t wait to see what was left, he just sped away.
“You blew up my car.”
Chapter Four
Dirk sat down at his desk and fired up his laptop. It’d been pure dumb luck that he’d been able to get pictures of the license plates on the cars that had rushed up to Avery’s. They must have had motion sensors set up to know when someone approached. That was some high-tech surveillance. He knew these guys had to be big league. While he waited for the images to load from the SD card, he wondered what kind of evidence she’d really gotten of the murder. Yet, he hadn’t seen a camera anywhere in her possessions. Hopefully she was smarter than to leave it in her car but more than likely she had buried it in her backpack. He didn’t blame her but they would need to talk about it. If he was going to keep her safe, he needed to see it all and know everything she knew.
Once he’d collected the license plate numbers, he made a few calls and when his return call came in he hit speaker.
“Yeah, not cool bud. You know how I feel about protecting women lately, so I did not appreciate you leaving me in the dark on this one.”
His friend Corey didn’t seem fazed by the fact Dirk was ticked off at him. He proceeded to tell Dirk the information he needed to know about the plates.
“It can’t be a dummy corporation. We need to keep digging. I have another connection that might be able to look into it further. Thanks for calling me back.”
“Wait, let me see if I can do a different search, no need to call on anyone else.”
“No really, it’s okay, you’ve done enough. Talk to you later.”
Dirk scrolled through the files in his desk drawer, until he found the one he wanted and laid it on the desk.
“Doesn’t sound too promising yet huh?”
Avery startled him when she appeared at his office door. He didn’t usually have anyone in his house so he hadn’t thought to shut the door.
“I wouldn’t say that. Just might take some more digging. How was your shower?”
“You aren’t going to tell me what you found are you?”
“No, I hadn’t planned on it.”
“I don’t like to be kept in the dark. This is my life on the line.”
“Well now it’s both our lives on the line. I need to see your camera.”
“Why?”
Is she kidding? It was the whole reason she was here at his home in the first place.
“Avery, do you even know why you’re running?”
“Of course, I’m not stupid you know.”
“I never said you were, but you’re not really giving me anything to go on either. I’m trying to keep you safe.”
Avery walked further into his office and sat in the empty chair in front of his desk, crossing her legs.
“So how did you end up getting this protection detail anyway?”
“Friend of a friend.”
“What friend because the only person I called was my dad.”
“Why is this relevant? Can’t you just let me do the job?”
“It just sounds weird, humor me, will you?”
“Fine. If you never tell anyone. I like to keep my contacts private and they like it that we as well.”
When she nodded he figured that was all he’d get from her so he continued.
“I have a contact in your dad’s department. He called me up and said he needed my help so I accepted.”
“That’s it, no questions, you just agreed to do the job without knowing anything?”
“Yes, and trust me, I’m starting to rethink my methods. Clients are only sent my way on a referral basis. I can’t be found in the phone book. Usually this person is trustworthy so I didn’t see a problem with it. He forwarded me your information, then I made a few phone calls, found you and here we are.
“Wait, it only took a few calls to find me? That’s scary.”
“Now do you see why I was trying to get you away from that motel?”
“But don’t others know how to find you here from your previous clients?”
“No, they don’t. You are the first and only person I’ve ever brought to my home. No one job is the same and others required onsite security but I wasn’t going to let either of us get killed at that roach motel so here we are.”
“Don’t you ever have women in your home?”
When she smiled, he knew where she was going with that question.
“My personal life is off limits.”
“Mine too.”
“Not this time I’m afraid.”
***
Avery continued to admire the man in front of her. He was handsome as hell in a military kind of way but still a little bit mysterious. He had a solid body that just didn’t stop and she loved the tattoo on his forearm. His hair was the same color as hers only buzzed short. She couldn’t help but be attracted to him. His air of authority drew her in. The tight t-shirt that accentuated his muscles didn’t hurt either.
He didn’t say much unless she pressured him, which in his line of work wasn’t a bad thing. But what did he really do? She wanted to know more about him.
“So, I’m guessing you’re not married, this place isn’t exactly female friendly. However, heaven only knows why you don’t have women at your beck and call. You’re totally the job, aren’t you? Did the military teach you that?”
“What part don’t you understand when I say my personal life is off limits?”
“Listen, if I’m going to be stuck with you, I want to know what I’m up against. You have to give me something.”
“Okay, I have a deal for you. Hand over your camera and I’ll answer a few of your questions.”
“That’s the deal?”
“Yep, take it or leave it, just know that either way, I’ll be getting the camera.”
“How’s that?”
“Give it to me or you go back to the motel.”
Shit. I can’t go back there.
Avery had to think things over. She got out of his chair, left his office and went back to the spare room he’d given her to stay in. The bed was comfortable. Maybe if she curled up under the covers, he’d forget about the deal or the threat to take her back to the.
“Probably not.”
She already knew he was pretty much a no-nonsense guy so she wouldn’t win. Her last resort option would be to try to sneak out of his house and find somewhere else to lay low. That probably wouldn’t work either. While he did say there were lots of ways to escape, he probably meant him, not her alone. And he was big on security. She’d seen a few alarm boxes on the walls and her luck, they were all set.
She eyed her backpack sitting on the chair in the corner of the room. What would it hurt to give it to him? He’d alr
eady taken huge risks on her behalf and while he was probably getting paid, why would he expose his home, even for money?
“Ugh, why do I always make stupid decisions?”
She climbed from the bed and dug down to the bottom of her backpack where she’d wrapped the camera in a towel from the motel.
She powered on the device and clicked the button to view the images, just to make sure they were still there. Made her queasy to look at them again. Watching it play out first hand was bad enough. She hated to have that whole memory stuck in her mind.
Laying the camera on the bed for a minute, Avery put the rest of her things in the bag and zipped it. With the bag on the floor by the door, she scooped up her digital Nikon and headed out the door and down the hall when the lights flickered then went out.
The security alarm sounded and she screamed for Dirk. She was in a strange place in the dark and the panic set in. Feeling for her bag, she put her camera back inside and set it down again. There was a red emergency light flashing from the security panel but it was just enough light to enable her to see into the hallway and get her bearings. She needed to make it to his office.
“Avery tell me where you are?”
“I’m in the hallway right outside the bedroom doorway. What’s going on?”
He was in front of her before she even realized, wrapping his arms around her. It wasn’t the right time but he really smelled good. She relaxed in his arms and could feel his deep breaths puff through her hair and over her ear. Oddly enough, it calmed her. She hadn’t really been held like that in a long time.
“I’m scared.”
“Everything will be okay. I need to check the security cameras.”
“But the power is out.”
“There’s an underground line that services them, not attached to the lights. Grab your bag and stay close behind me.”
“You have a plan for everything don’t you?”
“Usually.”
They made their way back to his office where he dug in his pocket for a key, inserted it into a hole she couldn’t even see and then pushed on the front of the bookshelf. She heard it click, then swing toward them.
