“I can live with that,” Mandy said hurriedly.
James didn’t immediately answer, and when Mandy slipped her hand on top of his arm and fixed him with pleading eyes he realized he was going to relent even though it was the last thing he wanted to do.
“I love you, James, but you have to let me do this and not fight me on it.”
James signed. “Okay, baby,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “You need to text me in between every event, though, and I want you to be extra vigilant. Make sure you have Sven or Rodrigo in sight at all times.”
“I promise.”
James cupped her chin. “You also need to go without underwear and send me dirty photos with the texts.”
Mandy made a face. “I’m not changing into a skirt.”
“I had to try,” James said, breaking into a grin and kissing her. “If something goes wrong, you should be ready for me to handcuff you to the bed and not let you out of this house for the rest of your life. I’m just warning you ahead of time.”
“We’ll talk about how I’m going to reward you for being reasonable later,” Mandy teased, the weight from her shoulders lifting. “Now, where are my pancakes?”
“I’M surprised you’re here,” Judge MacIntosh said, greeting Mandy in the center of the Best Western lobby an hour later and looking her over. “I thought for sure James would’ve put a stop to your attendance.”
“He’s not happy,” Mandy conceded. “I have a job to do, though. I have no intention of letting you down.”
“You could never let me down,” MacIntosh argued. “The only way you would let me down is if you refuse to take care of yourself. I’m assuming you’re not here alone.”
Mandy pursed her lips and shook her head.
“How many of Peter’s men are here?”
“Two,” Mandy answered. “I … James wants them to have event credentials so they don’t look out of place. If you’re not comfortable facilitating that, I understand. I don’t expect you to pull strings for them.”
“Which men are we talking about?” MacIntosh asked.
Mandy pointed, and MacIntosh studied Sven and Rodrigo with detached interest.
“They actually don’t stand out,” MacIntosh said after a few moments. “I’m not sure I would’ve recognized them for what they are in a busy setting like this if you didn’t tell me who they were. I’ll take care of security badges.”
“Are you sure?” Mandy was surprised.
“I’m positive,” MacIntosh said. “You stay here and I will handle your friends. What are their names?”
“Sven and Rodrigo.”
MacIntosh snorted. “That’s priceless,” he said. “While I’m doing that, go ahead and mingle. Don’t wander off on your own. I have trouble believing Pritchard would be stupid enough to approach you here, but then again, he went after you in the courthouse and that was one of the boldest things I’ve ever seen. It wasn’t especially smart, though. I will take care of these other two gentlemen, and then we can enjoy our day.”
Mandy forced a smile. “I can’t wait.”
“THAT was really interesting,” Heidi bubbled as she left one of the conference rooms with Mandy a few hours later. “Didn’t you think that was interesting?”
While Mandy was a big fan of Heidi’s over-the-top exuberance on a normal day, she had to wonder if she’d been in the same informational session as her friend. As Heidi happily jotted down notes and soaked up the knowledge, Mandy stared at the wall clock and counted the minutes until they were done.
It was a sobering thought, but Mandy realized she was already mentally checked out of her job. She wasn’t sure when it officially happened. She’d never considered clerking to be a lifelong ambition. She always wanted to be an artist. She was pragmatic enough to know that wouldn’t pay her bills, though.
James made enough money that she didn’t have to work. In theory, he didn’t have a problem with her working as much as he had a problem with where she worked. He didn’t like his wife hanging around lawyers and criminals all day.
After her father died, Mandy also received an inheritance. Despite his protestations, Mandy insisted on giving James a big chunk of the money to use as a down payment on their house so they could be equal partners. She invested the rest of the money into retirement accounts, and now she felt she should bring money into the household coffers, even if it was paltry in light of what James made.
Mandy always fancied herself a diligent worker. Her stomach sank at the realization that she was biding time now. It wasn’t a good feeling.
“Are you even listening to me?” Heidi asked.
“I’m sorry,” Mandy said. “I was just … absorbing the knowledge.”
“I know, right?” Heidi was back to being excited, seemingly oblivious to Mandy’s epiphany. “That new computer system is going to be great. We won’t get it until January, but it’s still going to streamline everything for us.”
Mandy knew she wasn’t going to be at the courthouse in January. There was no way she could tell Heidi that, though. Heidi liked to gossip more than just about anything else. She couldn’t risk Heidi breaking the news before she was ready to do it herself. “It is going to be great,” Mandy lied, moving closer to a hallway wall to allow a group of women to pass. “Where are we supposed to be going for lunch, by the way? Do you know?”
“Oh, um … .” Heidi broke off, biting her lip as she scanned the area leading into the lobby. “I think the dining room is over there.” She pointed. “It’s supposed to be closed off for just us. I hope we get something good. Oomph.” Heidi flew into the wall as a man barreled into her, taking both women momentarily by surprise.
The man was wearing a delivery uniform, a hat pulled low, but Mandy recognized him instantaneously. She shoved Heidi farther away and took a step back as she faced down Lance Pritchard.
“I cannot believe you’re this dumb,” Mandy hissed.
“I can’t believe you’re this dumb,” Pritchard said, reaching for Mandy’s wrist. “Come on. You’re coming with me.”
Mandy instinctively reacted, slapping Pritchard across the face as hard as she could and rocking him back to his heels. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Omigod!” Heidi wailed. “Is that Lance Pritchard?”
Pritchard’s eyes widened as numerous eyes shifted in his direction. He reached toward his pocket and withdrew a jagged-edged knife, causing Mandy to take another step back. “I will gut you if you don’t walk out of this hotel with me right now.”
Mandy opened her mouth to respond, a pithy comment on her lips, but she changed tactics midcourse and did the only thing she knew would save her. She screamed.
It wasn’t necessary. Sven was already at her side, his hands on Pritchard’s arm as he forcibly turned him. Rodrigo stepped into the space behind Mandy and grabbed her around the waist, spinning to put his body between her and danger.
Sven momentarily grappled with Pritchard, but the melee was enough to cause people to panic.
“He’s got a knife!”
Mandy had no idea who was screaming, but when everyone joined the fray it resulted in pandemonium. People rushed by the fighting men and someone inadvertently fell into Sven, forcing him closer to Pritchard, where he was impaled on the knife.
Sven’s eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t give up trying to wrangle Pritchard. Pritchard took advantage of Sven’s weakened condition and pulled away, shoving Sven into the wall and locking gazes with Mandy. “This isn’t over.”
He didn’t wait for her to respond, instead bolting through the terrified people and heading toward the front door. Mandy broke from Rodrigo’s grip and rushed to Sven’s side as the man buckled.
“Call 911!”
Seventeen
“Where is she?” James asked, rushing into the hospital lobby and scanning the assembled faces.
“She’s in the bathroom washing up,” Peter replied, his demeanor calm despite the situation. “She insisted on te
nding to Sven’s wound and she’s covered in blood.”
James frowned. “Is she hurt?”
“She’s fine,” Judge MacIntosh said, standing. “Sven is the only one who got hurt.”
In his head, James knew his wife was safe. His heart wouldn’t let him relax until he saw her. “What do we know?”
“Pritchard attacked a flower delivery van on the south side of Mount Clemens about thirty minutes before approaching Mandy in the lobby,” Peter said. “He stabbed the driver, who is also here but expected to make a full recovery, and he stole the vehicle.
“He parked in the east lot of the hotel and waited until someone with a key let him in,” he continued. “He feigned unfamiliarity with the property and said he was new. He delivered flowers to the front desk and said they were for a woman at the conference.”
“What woman?” James asked, already knowing the answer.
“They were for Mandy,” Peter replied. “There was a note with the flowers. Rodrigo tried to see what it said, but the police confiscated it before he could. I apologize, but you’re going to have to get that information from Sheriff Morgan.”
“How did Pritchard get past Rodrigo and Sven?”
“Mandy and Heidi were in a computer training seminar right before lunch,” Peter replied. He recognized James’ tone and knew the man was close to exploding, but he refused to engage in a screaming match. “Rodrigo was on the far end of the hallway and Sven was in the lobby so he could watch the women make their way to the dining room for lunch.
“Pritchard was already in the building and approached from the hallway by the indoor pool,” he continued. “No one expected him to approach from that direction. Sven recognized him as he closed in. Pritchard then pushed Heidi into a wall and tried to grab Mandy.
“She smacked him across the face and screamed bloody murder to draw everyone’s attention,” Peter said, detailing the events with detached determination. “That’s when Sven went after Pritchard. Rodrigo then grabbed Mandy and shielded her, but the damage was already done.”
“What damage?” James asked, tugging on his limited patience.
“Mandy’s scream caused everyone to panic and someone shoved Sven as he grappled with Pritchard,” Peter answered. “Sven was pushed into the knife and Pritchard took advantage of everyone running and screaming to escape.”
“Then Mandy hopped on top of Sven and started treating his wound as she screamed for someone to call 911,” MacIntosh added. “She kept her head about her and never faltered. She was … amazing.”
“She’s always amazing,” James muttered, lifting his eyes when he saw Mandy walk out of the nearby bathroom. She scurried to his side when she saw him, and James pulled her in for a tight hug, ignoring her ruined clothing as he embraced her. “You’re going to be handcuffed to the bed for the foreseeable future.”
Mandy rewarded James with a harsh chuckle, but he knew it was entirely for his benefit. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry, baby,” James said, rubbing her back as he rocked her. “I heard you handled yourself like a pro.”
“She was very impressive,” Rodrigo said, joining the group. “Heidi is in the examination room. She claims she has a concussion from hitting the wall. I think she’s merely embarrassed about screeching the way she did in front of an audience.”
“She’ll be okay,” MacIntosh said. “She’s got an impressive rebound rate.”
James kissed Mandy’s forehead and reluctantly released her. “You can’t go back to work. You know that, right?”
“James … .”
James shook his head, cutting her off. “It’s not safe, baby. Are you going to forgive yourself if Heidi is hurt because you want to do your job? You have to take everyone else’s safety into consideration. I’m sorry.”
“He’s right,” MacIntosh said, patting Mandy’s shoulder. “It’s going to be better for everyone if you take the next few days off. If we’re lucky, Pritchard will be caught right away and everything can go back to normal.”
“What about work?”
“I can find someone to replace you quite easily,” MacIntosh replied.
James recognized the hurt look as it washed over Mandy’s face. He was sure the judge didn’t mean anything negative by what he said, but Mandy was emotionally overwrought, so that’s how she took it. “Baby, I don’t think … .”
Mandy jerked away from James. “I’m fine,” she said. “You don’t need to treat me like a child. I get it. I’m not necessary at the office. It’s no big deal.”
“That’s not what I meant,” MacIntosh protested. “You’re a wonderful worker. It’s just … .”
“Everyone else’s safety comes before my needs,” Mandy said. “I get it.” She turned her back on the group and wordlessly stalked to the far side of the room. James moved to follow, but Peter stilled him with a hand on his arm.
“Give her a few moments to collect herself,” he said. “She was terrified Sven was going to die because he was trying to protect her. She’s … overwhelmed.”
“How is Sven?”
“He’s fine,” Peter said. “They might not even keep him overnight. The knife went into fleshy tissue on his chest, but it didn’t hit anything important. He’s been through much worse. Trust me.”
James watched Mandy pace, his heart rolling. “She’s angry, but she cannot go back to that courthouse,” he said. “If I have to start screaming tonight to get her to see that, I’m going to do it. I know she doesn’t like it when I get bossy, but enough is enough.”
“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Peter said. “In a few minutes, I’m going to talk to her and everything will be fine.”
James arched a dubious eyebrow. “You’re going to talk to her and everything is going to be fine? Have you met my wife? She’s in a mood. She’s going to cause a scene if you’re not careful.”
Peter chuckled. “I think you’re too close to the situation,” he countered. “I believe Mandy will see logic when she’s approached from a place of information instead of emotion. Give her a few minutes to collect herself, and then I will handle our problem.”
“You must be a wizard or something,” James lamely quipped.
“I just know what she’s thinking and feeling,” Peter said. “Don’t worry. She’ll be fine.”
James could only hope Peter was correct.
“DID James send you over here?” Mandy asked, glancing up at Peter as he approached. “Is he afraid my head is going to spin around like in The Exorcist?”
“Your husband loves you beyond reason,” Peter said, sitting on the couch in front of Mandy and patting the seat. “Sit.”
Mandy narrowed her eyes. “I’m not in the mood to be bossed around.”
“And I’m not in the mood for petulance,” Peter countered. “Sit.”
Mandy did as instructed, although she was bitter about it, and crossed her arms over her chest as she regarded Peter. “Is Sven okay? You’re not over here to tell me he died, are you?”
“Sven is perfectly fine,” Peter answered. “His wound is not serious and they’re sewing him up even as we speak. He won’t remain in the hospital overnight and will convalesce at my home. There is no need to worry about Sven.”
“Except for the fact that he was stabbed trying to protect me.”
“That is his job,” Peter countered. “You handled yourself well today. You took control of the situation, you did not let Pritchard get the upper hand, and you walked away unscathed. What more do you want?”
Mandy was taken aback by the question. “I want Pritchard back in prison.”
“We’re working on it.”
“I want … my life back to normal,” Mandy said.
“We are working on that as well,” Peter said. “Do you want to know what I think your problem is?”
“Not particularly.”
Peter ignored Mandy’s droll response. “I think you’re at a crossroad in your life and you’re struggling with new dreams as th
ey overlap with old realities.”
“You sound like a fortune cookie.”
“And you sound like a woman who knows I’m right,” Peter shot back. “You’re upset because Judge MacIntosh said he could replace you.”
Mandy’s mouth dropped open. “I’m upset because Sven was stabbed.”
“That upsets you, too, but you’re more upset about your boss saying you’re not necessary to his operation,” Peter said. “Now, you should realize the judge thought he was doing you a kindness when he said that. He did not mean to upset you.
“That man loves you and he thinks you’re a good employee,” he continued. “He also knows you won’t be with him forever.”
Mandy lifted her chin, startled. “What do you mean?”
“I know you plan on leaving the courthouse in September,” Peter replied. “Sophie told me. Even before that, though, I knew you wouldn’t remain there. That’s not the life you and James are building. It’s not part of it.”
Mandy licked her lips, conflicted. “I feel guilty,” she admitted after a moment. “He hired me when I was fresh out of college and had no experience. He mentored me and showed me so much kindness I can never repay him. Now I’m planning on walking away.”
“Do you think he’ll resent you for it?”
“Right before Pritchard approached me, I realized I was sleepwalking through my job,” Mandy said. “I’m already mentally checked out. When he said he wouldn’t miss me, it was like a slap in the face. Life will go on there without me.”
“Everyone wants to think they’re irreplaceable,” Peter said. “You are a good worker, but you’re not meant to be in that courthouse. You’re meant to be an artist. You’re meant to travel with your husband. This position is holding you back.
“One of the things I respect most about you is your loyalty,” he continued. “That’s what’s really bothering you. You’re loyal to Judge MacIntosh. You’re more loyal to your husband, though. You two have built the life you’ve always dreamed about. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying it.”
“James called me spoiled the other day,” Mandy said. “Do you think I’m spoiled?”
Deadly Arrival (Hardy Brothers Security Book 16) Page 13
