Witness Pursuit (Bodyguards #1)

“So, you’re still going ahead with this?”


“Yes.” He shucked off his pants and crawled in beside her. Flopped on his back, he stared at the ceiling. “You’re not changing my mind.”

She rolled onto her side and touched a finger to the shadows under his eyes. Today had certainly taken a physical toll on him. “You are so stubborn. You could have your brothers and me. I hate you can’t see that.”

“I’m glad you’re not tossing me out of your bed.” He grasped her hand and tucked it over his chest then with another yawn, he shut his eyes.

“Ha. You wouldn’t go if I tried.”

He smiled. “Finally, you understand me.”

“Go to sleep. You look exhausted.”

“It was difficult to put my lost images into order, but now it’s done. I’ll be fine come morning.”

“Can I see your report?”

“Tomorrow.” With another wide yawn, he rolled to his side.

She waited as his breathing evened out.

Slowly, she slid her fingers from his and slunk out of bed. She wanted to see his report, and it wouldn’t wait until morning.

On tiptoes, she snuck down the stairs.

The laptop sat on the dining table and she opened the last working document. Bingo.

Reading the report, she covered each detailed account, from the moment Tyler had arrived at Jeffrey Lawntree’s to the time of his shooting. There were discussions of interest he’d had with Lawntree, ones held late at night after she’d gone to bed.

Also, personal thoughts and opinions, although none of them surprised her. Lawntree was a politician, one whose career was his life. There was nothing she hadn’t already alluded to in her own reports to both the police and those in The Program.

Damn. She’d hoped something within Tyler’s report might mean something to her, perhaps even trigger a misplaced thought, but nothing.

She closed the lid and rubbed her forehead. She needed some space and clear air, somewhere quiet where she could consider her options, ones Tyler was eliminating one by one. Glancing up the stairwell, all was still clear.

She padded barefoot to the mudroom, grabbed a jacket from the hook, and pulled it over her pink camisole and sleep shorts. It wasn’t cold out, but the wind was brisk as she followed the pebbled path highlighted by the moon’s glow. It led around the side of the homestead. She scaled the wooden stile over the wire fence and hopped into the back field. All was dark, but in the light of day, long blades of green grass would ripple in the breeze.

This was the most beautiful spot on the station. A majestic maple tree spread its wide branches in the center of the meadow, and she lay beneath it. She linked her hands behind her head and stared at the thick blanket of midnight sky. Millions of diamond-like stars twinkled.

Her sister loved the night sky, just as she did. If Saria were here, she’d be outside with her, but instead she was hundreds of miles away, preparing for her own re-identification now her finals were done.

Tears streamed down her face. Tyler would have to deal with these emotions too, if she couldn’t make him take back his decision. His brothers would be furious. Tyler didn’t need to go under. Why didn’t he see that? He was so obstinate.

Which meant plan, and she had to come up with one to make things right.

A metallic twang echoed on the breeze.

She rolled to her side, but saw no one crossing the stile. A shiver chased down her spine. Farther down the fence, a very large someone climbed between the wires. The cloaked man held a long rifle, the metal shone in the moonlight. Nobody on this station would carry a weapon in the dark of night.

Her heart jumped then skittered out of time.

She rolled to her front and flattened to the ground. No, bad move. Lying low would let this man get to the homestead. Making the only decision she could, to take control, she leapt to her feet.

The man from the phone booth twisted toward her. “Well, looky there,” Ladd Hyena leered as he trained his rifle on her. “Just the person I was after.”

Hell.



As a gunshot ricocheted across the valley, Tyler jackknifed out of bed. He made a grab for Lydia, except she wasn’t there.

He bellowed her name as he jammed his legs into his pants and snatched his weapon. At the top landing, Brigs and Ronson bounded half-dressed from their rooms and joined him, guns in hand. Tyler’s heartbeat pummeled his chest. “I don’t know where she is.”

Racing down the stairs, Brigs led the way. “Let’s go. That gunshot was close.”

They all called to her, except nothing.

Where was she?

Outside the three of them halted, remaining deathly quiet.

Ronson leaned in. “The gunshot came from downhill. We’ll separate and search. Stay low.”