Page 1 of Her Guilty Protector
CHAPTER 1
Elias Hawke
There are two files on the desk, the name on the top protection folder makes my blood run cold.Delaney Carter.
The door opens behind me. My boss, Vance Landon walks into the office, another operative behind him. He arches his brow at me before taking his seat and motioning the other operative and myself to also sit.
“I have two new cases to discuss and assign.” He deliberately shuffles the files. “The first is a forty-five-year-old male who is being blackmailed and possibly stalked. Recently divorced, it was not an amicable separation. Lots of money involved. Lots of money missing.” He pauses looking directly at me.
“According to the client, he has been physically attacked and threatened in the past by his wife and her family. She may or may not have mafia ties. We’re dealing with relocation and new identity. We’ll know more after we’ve done our own investigation. Whoever is assigned will be twenty-four-seven with the client.
“Porter, although you came to us as more of a software investigator, you have your four year army commitment and are almost done with your IRR. You excelled in our combat trainingand proved yourself on your last two assignments. However, this is a high-profile case and has the potential to turn deadly if it is indeed tied to organized crime. It requires an experienced hand.
“The second is a standard protection. A woman was attacked, her home vandalized while she was in the hospital. The assailant needs to be found and warned off. I think this is the perfect segue for you.”
“No.” I meet Vance’s gaze. “That case is mine.”
“You’re assigning jobs now?” he questions.
“Porter needs the experience so have him work with Thompson. He finished his last mission a week ago. He’s got excellent mentoring skills. This case will be a good learning experience and segue into tougher jobs for Porter.
Vance frowns working his jaw. “Porter, give us a minute will you?”
Standing, his back to the boss, Porter gives me the ‘you got balls’ look and walks out, quietly closing the door behind him.
“You want to tell me what’s going on here? I need your expertise on the other job it’s going to be dangerous.”
“It’s personal.”
“I’m gonna need a little more than that.”
“I know the woman and the man threatening her. It’s more than surveillance. The guy tried to kill her once before.”
“Really. One glance at the file and you know? The police don’t have a suspect.”
“I know. She’s my best friend’s sister. This is my fault.”
Vance leans back in his chair and studies me in his patiently annoying habit of stripping an operative down with his gaze.
“Her brother Frank and I were Rangers together. Whenever I was stationed stateside and he was deployed, I’d look after her. She’s a computer programmer and was making quite a name for herself with her own business. Two years ago, I was checking in on her and saw bruises on her arm and neck. I found her assholeboyfriend and gave him a... talking to. A couple weeks later I shipped out.
“Two months after that she ended up in the hospital. She’d been jogging. Hit and run. Cops couldn’t find the guy. She had severe hip and femur damage. It’s been two years, and after multiple major surgeries and months of rehab she still needs a forearm crutch to walk. This is a woman who was a distance runner and played basketball and volleyball. That’s all gone for her now.
“Her ex also drained her accounts, leaving her only a small trust fund he didn’t know about and turned a lot of her clients away with lies. Then the bastard disappeared.
“She spent months in the hospital. Her brother relocated her after she got out and set up private rehab. She started over with another business that she can do from home. Her brother created a limited liability corporation to keep her identity safe. We’ve tried to hide her both physically and virtually.
“Because the guy knew who I was, her brother and I decided I should keep my distance, so he didn’t follow me back to her. I got out of the service and came to work for you. I’ve been trying to find the bastard, but my guess is he bought himself a new identity after stealing and then selling a computer program she developed.”
Vance raises an eyebrow. “That’s who you’ve been looking for on your off time with the help of my staff and network.”
I shrug. Vance is smart and his staff is loyal. I’m surprised he hasn’t called me out sooner.
“Anything else you and her brother have failed to tell me?”
“I threatened the asshole. Then he hurt her because I didn’t finish the job. She didn’t deserve any of this. It’s my fault for not making the message ... clearer. I won’t make the same mistake a second time.”
“We don’t do revenge.”
