Witness Pursuit (Bodyguards #1)

No way. She had no intention of being here that long. Brigs had to take her away.

Luke pointed at the beach. “Bro, something on board? You can’t be so cruel. It’s her twenty-first.”

“She has to stay out of sight, Luke. All I can say is Ben’s sending Brigs and he’ll be here early this evening. I’m going back on duty and Lydia’s fully in my care.”

She tensed at the finality in his words. He’d taken her protection a year ago just as seriously. She truly shouldn’t expect anything less now.

Luke’s gaze traveled from his brother to her, realization dawning on his face. “Bummer.” He pulled his sunglasses from the top of his head and plopped them onto her nose. “Sorry about whatever’s happened. Tyler will look after you.”

“Go and have fun for me, Luke.”

“You got it.” He winked and shot off.

She faced Tyler. “I don’t know how much time I’ll have left with you, but I’m willing to make the most of today while I can.”

“We’ll have more than today. Come with me.” He released her and strode to the wide storage trunk to one side of the deck. After heaving the lid up, he eyed the compartment filled with fishing rods, tackle, surfboards, boogie boards and waterski gear.

“I wish you’d listen to me. I don’t want to stay.” He had to see it wasn’t a good idea.

Instead he leaned into the trunk, his cotton shirt rising in the back and baring the bump of his gun. “Could you grab what I pass you?”

“Sure.” She yanked his shirt down then grasped the plastic buckets and spades. “Since I’m confined, I’ll go ring my sister. I keep missing her.”

“Hold on.” He pulled back from the trunk and tossed her the sat phone from his pocket. “Call Saria from my room. I’ll pass on your regrets to Liam and Nico. Give me five minutes.”

“Thanks, I think.” She raced to his room and grabbed the battery. The moment she inserted it, a signal popped up and she punched in Ben’s number.

“Hello.”

“Saria?” She perked up as her sister answered. “You’re who I’m after.”

“Lydia. Hey, happy birthday, sis.”

She grinned. “Happy birthday to you too.”

“Lydia Sands, I swear you should have called me by now.” Okay, her sister had gone from pleased to huffy in one second flat. “Ben said he and Tyler spoke, not that I know Tyler, but I love the man simply because he saved your life. Ben said he’s taken over looking after you. What’s going on?”

“He doesn’t remember me, although on some kind of emotional level, he does.” Clearing her throat, she glanced about his room. “We slept together. Last night.”

“What? I’m sorry, but did I hear you right? You slept with Tyler Whitehall? You’re in The Program, and one you can’t escape from until a killer’s been found. There’s no way for you to have any sort of–”

“I know, I know. It was just…sex.” She’d barely gotten that last word out.

“Yeah, even I heard that lie. I take offense you’d even attempt that with me.”

“How’s your studying going?”

“And now you think to change the subject. Hello, you’ve known me for twenty-one years. That won’t fly either.” Saria let out a rush of air. “But I have to say, with Ben’s looming and all that’s gone on since you left, the study has gone surprisingly well. Did you hear about the midday news?”

“What midday news?” Huh, her sister could change subjects quicker than she could.

“Ben didn’t tell you? Hold on, he’s right here. Let me ask him.” Saria coughed. “Ben, I’m talking to Lydia and she hasn’t heard about Taita Senior being all over the news. Why’d you not tell her?”

“Because you answered my phone, Saria.”

“You left your cell phone on the kitchen counter,” her sister replied. “I answered it, because I’m helpful.”

“Hand it over if you two have finished catching up and I’ll tell her.”

“Nah, I can tell her. The bad news will be better coming from me. You have no diplomacy. Sooo, sis,” Saria said, “John Taita Senior is demanding justice and that a year on, additional resources be assigned to moving his son’s case forward. Ben’s on his laptop copying the broadcast to a file. He’s going to email it to Brigs in case he has trouble picking it up there.”

“A broadcast?” She shouldn’t be surprised that had happened since the newspaper’s morning headline. Taita Senior was aggressive in keeping his son’s name in the news. He wanted justice, and he wanted it now.

The bedroom door swung open, and Tyler marched in. “Is that Saria?”

“Yes.”

He held out his hand. “I need to speak to Ben. Can she get him? It’s important.”

“I heard,” Saria said in her ear. “Here’s Ben. Be good, sis. Talk to you soon.”

With a sigh, she handed the sat phone to Tyler as her sister did the same for Ben. So much for catching up with her sister.