by Regan Black
“Carter!” Paige called him over. She was flanked by a uniformed officer and two detectives. Thanks to the background reports from his assistant, he recognized her old friend Ronnie Lewis and his partner, Detective Angela Cruz.
Carter managed not to swear as he joined them. It probably wasn’t the smartest thing, but he walked right over those boot prints. Tampering with evidence was outside his comfort zone, but nothing about this case felt right yet. Especially not the way Detective Lewis glared at him, a hand on his cuffs as if he couldn’t wait to haul Paige in.
Paige let him take the lead as Detective Lewis started his interview. As succinctly as possible, Carter explained what had happened. The color drained from Paige’s face when he mentioned seeing the laser sight on her chest, but that was the only visible sign of her distress.
He admired her courage as she stood her ground, knowing the authorities still suspected her.
“I’m moving her to a safe house,” Carter declared when the initial questions were finished. “My agency is recommending the same for her parents, location to be determined.”
“No. That’s doesn’t work for me,” Detective Lewis said. “She’s a murder suspect and a flight risk and until I find evidence that says otherwise, this looks staged to me.”
Carter bristled at the detective’s heavy-handed approach. Paige trembled and he battled the urge to pound on her old pal. Detective Cruz shifted and he caught the flicker of surprise on her face before she locked it down. Maybe this guy wasn’t always a jerk. If Paige had been his friend she must have seen something valuable in him, but at the moment Carter was not impressed.
“You’ll find her prints all over,” Carter said. “It’s her office. You’ll find mine, too. Make sure you look for any prints that belong to the intruder.”
“I need to know her whereabouts at all times,” Lewis blustered.
“You don’t,” he countered. “I’ll keep her local, but I will not divulge her secure location. Call her lawyer if you need to arrange a meeting. I suggest the first meeting you arrange is to apologize.”
Detective Lewis puffed up his chest, but his partner intervened. “That’s acceptable, Mr. Oakes. I’ll supervise her packing while the CSI team gathers the evidence.”
“Can I take my computer?” Paige queried
“We’ll need to take that into evidence,” Detective Cruz said.
Carter suspected she’d backed up the files on the cloud. If she needed to work on the party, Jenna would get her another device.
He turned on Lewis as the women walked out. “You know that woman,” he said. “You were her friend. She still believes you’re capable of handling this case properly. I have my doubts.”
“The past is irrelevant. I won’t let her get away with murder.”
“How about you don’t railroad her for a crime she didn’t commit?” Carter snapped. “Whoever is behind this has serious resources to get this close.”
“I looked into you.” Lewis stepped closer, his voice low. “Read up on your history and I wasn’t impressed, Mr. Lifeguard. You clean up nice and you talk a good game these days, but you can’t outrun mistakes like the one you made. Once a loser...” He shrugged rather than finish the thought.
Carter had heard this crap often enough. The media pinned the blame on him the day a little girl had died on his watch. No one cared that it had taken him years to recover, to get back on his feet and find work that fulfilled him. No one ever asked for the whole story.
Detective Lewis scowled at Carter. “It doesn’t make any sense to me that Jack Coker would hire a failure like you to protect his daughter.”
“Maybe the chef’s murder isn’t the only situation you can’t see clearly,” Carter tossed back. He stalked away to help his client before he said something really stupid.
He had to get her to a location he could control, where he could give her the protection she obviously needed.
Chapter Seven
The morning sped by in a blur for Paige. The detectives interviewed her at length and there were more questions as the police gathered evidence. Carter had been handling phone calls and conversations simultaneously and never once left her feeling alone. It was quite a skill.
When Carter decided she would be moved to a safe house, Paige expected a grim and drab apartment. She definitely had not expected a bright, beach-side cottage tucked at the end of a quiet street on Sullivan’s Island.
The house was situated well away from the public beach. Though it was older, she could see it had been well-tended and updated for coastal weather conditions. “You own this place?” she asked as he parked in the shelter under the raised house.
“No, it’s a Guardian Agency property,” he explained. “Not tied to my name at all. Three people know you’re here.” He pointed to her and then himself. “You, me, and my assistant.”
“Are you saying my defense attorney doesn’t even know my location?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
It felt like overkill, but her home had been broken into and someone had shot at her, despite her father’s extensive security measures. And if she thought about all of that for too long, she started shivering. “How long will we be here?” she asked.
“I can’t give you a timeline right now,” he admitted. “We need to get a handle on the situation. On the first read of your case, I thought we were dealing with a straightforward case of mistaken identity, motive to be determined. The video, initial fingerprint report and the items you’ve found only raised more questions.”
Welcome to my world, she thought. “Were you able to speak with my dad?”
“No. It was too crowded before we left and I’d rather not have this conversation over the phone. It’s always better when I can see how a person reacts to a question.”
“Will Mom and Dad be moved to a different location too?” It had still been up in the air when Carter insisted she couldn’t stay on the property any longer.
He glanced at his phone. “Not yet. Jenna will let me know and I’ll keep you informed.”
“Thanks. Mad as I am, I love my parents and right this second it doesn’t really matter how we came to be family.”
He massaged the back of his neck. “Learning the how could be critical to clearing your name.”
She agreed. “Okay so it’s a safe bet I’m adopted, based on pictures and resemblance. I’m guessing Dad had an affair and bargained with my biological mom so that he could have a family with Cora.” The entire situation felt so sordid and she wanted to rinse the bitterness from her mouth. “Maybe that wasn’t the end of the affair?”
“You brought those items from the safe?” Carter asked.
“Yes. I made sure no one saw me,” Paige confirmed.
“Great. I don’t want anyone else to find those items and mess with our investigation before we get started.”
He set up his laptop on the kitchen table, and she opened a window. The winter air was chilly, but the soothing sound of the ocean was worth the effort of pulling on a sweater.
“We’re going to review the surveillance footage, along with the clips and stills from the traffic cameras in the area that my assistant found.”
Resigned, she arranged another chair at the table so that she could sit next to him. Though she did her best, tears welled in her eyes when Melissa dropped to the floor.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I know this hurts. This time I want you to watch the woman, not your friend. Do you recognize anything about her clothing or the way she moves?”
She forced herself to focus. Helping Carter was the most direct route out of this messy situation. She studied the pictures and those few seconds on camera, looking for anything familiar, aside from the physical features. “Can your assistant access previous days of surveillance footage in the kitchen?” Paige asked.
“Can and did,” Carter replied. “This is her first and only appearance. If I watched the video without bias, I would say the woman is behaving compassionatel
y at the end. She doesn’t flee until she’s sure she can’t help Melissa.”
“She’s didn’t wear gloves and she left the gun behind,” Paige added, her mind spinning.
Carter nodded. “Another indicator that she isn’t a pro. The more we’ve studied the video, factoring the additional evidence and other pictures we have, I don’t like the odds that she’s wearing a mask made to implicate you.”
Paige sat back in the chair. She’d had similar thoughts. “You think this woman is my sister.”
“I’m not certain, but yes, that’s my theory. And I think she was in your office last night, possibly conducting a search similar to your own.”
“Do you think she tried to shoot me this morning?”
“No,” he said. “I’m worried the shooter was after her. Again.”
“Again?” Paige echoed. “I need more context.”
He reached over and reset the video to play from the beginning. She was so tired of watching her friend die, but she made herself watch once more while he narrated.
“We never see the woman who looks like you actually fire the gun. We see Melissa turn in that direction and we can see that she is likely shouting. Then she goes down.”
“And my sister rushes into the frame to check on her,” Paige finished.
“Exactly. We won’t know the truth until we find her.”
“How on earth do we find someone I didn’t even know existed before yesterday?”
“It helps that she found you. Give my assistant some time and we’ll find a lead.”
“So we just sit here and wait for a stranger to come forward?” Paige asked.
“We’ll start with what you’ve found. My assistant will keep digging for more records that corroborate your father’s affair and give us better connections to that time in his life.”
Looking for more evidence of her father’s infidelity made her skin crawl. “Am I allowed to go outside at all?”
“I want you to feel at home here. The agency keeps this place stocked with basics. We can order more specific items, whatever makes you feel at home. As for outside, walks to the beach should be safe enough. If you take precautions.”
“What kind of precautions?”
“Disguise yourself a bit. Wear a big floppy hat and sunglasses,” he suggested as if that was the best idea ever. “Until we know why that shooter took aim at you, you should stay out of sight.”
Even moody and scared, she wasn’t rude enough to point out that she hadn’t packed properly for the beach because he’d kept the destination to himself.
The back porch offered an excellent view of the ocean and was sheltered from the street and other neighbors by lush landscaping. Choosing to cooperate, she took a soda from the fridge and went outside, settling into one of the two chairs flanking the small table.
A few minutes later she heard the screen door squeak open and slap closed. Carter set a hat and dark sunglasses on the table.
“You work fast,” she said.
“The partners keep the place stocked,” he said.
She reached over and ran her fingertips over the soft weave of the hat. “So can I go for a walk?”
“Yes. If you stay in sight of the house.”
She could work with that. “Thanks.”
“Would you let me tag along?”
“As bodyguard, investigator, or friend?”
“I can be a little of all three,” he said. “This doesn’t have to be a prison with a view, Paige. And it isn’t permanent. The sudden escalation is concerning, but it could also be a positive. A sign that we’ll get things resolved quickly.”
“I would like it all to just go away,” she admitted. “And yes, I’m aware that’s childish.”
Standing, he gave her a wide, warm smile and a fuzzy little wish bloomed in her heart. He was a man a woman could count on, a man she’d enjoy spending time with. It made her sad that her current dilemma was the only reason they were spending time together. Life really sucked sometimes.
“I bet all of your clients fall in love with you a little bit.” Oh, she hadn’t meant to say that.
“I hope not,” he said with a low chuckle, holding out the hat.
She accepted the hat and then toed off her tennis shoes. “Is there a Mrs. Investigator waiting for you to be done babysitting me?”
His lips twitched. “There is no Mrs. Investigator.”
Why was someone as handsome, kind, and capable as Carter single? She knew why she was currently alone. Rich woman, trust issues, all the typical crap. Her last boyfriend hadn’t even tried to hide his intentions. In less than three months it was clear he was using her for a direct line to the influential Jack Coker.
“Would you still do this job if there was?”
“I enjoy the work. I suppose it would depend on the woman,” he said after a moment. “There are other facets of my work besides safe-house level protection detail.”
She liked his thoughtful answers. They crossed the narrow footbridge over the dunes and the breeze off the ocean was more energizing than a cup of coffee. “I’m not sure I could handle a boyfriend who had to spend time isolated like this. Especially not a boyfriend with a secret weapon like your smile.”
“Thank you?” he replied, with a question in his voice.
“Yes, it was a compliment.” She paused to roll up the hem of her jeans and Carter did the same. Her feet sank into the loose sand. She twisted a little bit, savoring the natural massage of the sand before moving closer to the tide line. “Your smile is the thing I remember from that day on the beach,” she said. “It was how I finally recognized you at the house.”
“I don’t remember smiling much during either conversation.”
“It’s a professional smile you use. Polite, yet firm. You must’ve hoped we’d be reasonable with the dog.”
“You were. And I thank you for it.”
“Ha.” With the cool water rolling up over her ankles, she turned to the horizon. “You know, when you stare out at the ocean nothing else seems very important. I’ve always enjoyed that sense of being insignificant.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Because in the tight social circles I was raised in, I’m told all the time that I’m very important. That I have influence. I’m told my last name carries weight and makes an impact. Of course, there are times when it’s true, but it’s still only an impact on a small little corner of the world.”
“So you don’t read or believe in your own press?” he asked lightly. He doubted she could be as genuine or compassionate if that was her habit.
“No way. Never take the reports at face value.” She aimed a look at him. “Always go straight to the source.”
So that’s why they were out here. She wanted to talk about him. Carter barely stifled the groan as she watched him from under the hat, her blue eyes hidden by the big sunglasses. She must have dug into his background last night. Maybe it was a good thing. Researching him would be a distraction from her own troubles.
“Just ask, Paige. I’ll tell you anything. If you want to verify the details, I’ll give you the direct number to the law firm who manages the agency.”
“It was a very public incident,” she reminded him.
“Yes, it was.” Being convicted by public opinion had been torture. He knew what she was up against as soon as news of Melissa’s murder got out.
He could tell her exactly how many years, months, weeks and days had gone by since that incident. But he assumed she wanted more than the timeline. “What do you want to know?”
“What did the media get wrong?”
Just about everything. A little girl had died on his watch on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon on Labor Day weekend. He’d never worked as a lifeguard again.
“Reporters missed the part where I tried my best,” he said. “They glossed over the fact that the grieving family had been negligent. Criminally negligent if you ask me.”
No one had asked his opinion about those details. The public defen
der helped him plead out and worked to make sure Carter didn’t serve jail time for an outcome that wasn’t truly his fault. But he had taken all the blame, lost his job and his college plans stalled out.
“They missed the start of it all,” he added. “I did my best to save that little girl after one of her cousins surfed right over her. I was the first one in the water, though her mother was closer. No one mentioned that.” He paused to breathe through the memory of that angelic little face, the lifeless body in his arms.
“I’d been lifeguarding for years. I knew my job. I followed protocol, made the call as I ran into the surf. Administered CPR as I hauled her up and out of the water. Several people helped me, but it wasn’t our day.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, Carter.”
He stared at her, wasn’t sure he’d heard her right. “No one’s ever said that to me.”
She rested a hand on his shoulder. “Someone should have. I’m sorry you lost your job. You were really good at it.”
He hadn’t meant to unload quite so much, but maybe his opening up would help her. “Thanks.”
“What did you do after the case?”
“A lot of community service, thanks to the public defender. I had to hit pause on college so I picked up any and all jobs around the marinas to make some money. Found a great gig on a fishing boat for a while.”
“How did you become a bodyguard and investigator?” she queried.
“I bumped into a lawyer who was in town on vacation. He liked my work ethic and curious nature. We talked a lot whenever he came down to fish. I didn’t think anything of it until another lawyer from a firm called Gamble and Swann offered me a chance to change my life.”
For several quiet minutes they listened to the ocean. “I admire how you changed your life,” she said.
He liked that she could be comfortable in silence. “We should probably turn back,” he said reluctantly. “What would you change about your life?”
The wind teased her hair and she pulled it back from her face. “Aside from a certain segment of surveillance footage?” She gave him a wry smile.
