Page 41 of A Pawn for Malice
“Great,” Bryan answered. “You two head back.I’ll catch up with you shortly.”
Jessica looked at him, as though she surmisedsomething else was up, but hesitated only briefly and turned towalk with Connor.
Bryan directed his attention to the Sergeantand closed the distance between them.
“Senator, what can I do for you? You’ve gotthat look on your face, that something isn’t quite right.”
He knew Sergeant Taft a long time. Mac was onfoot patrol for the city for almost five years, before he switchedover to the Capitol Police. He rose in the ranks quickly then.
“It’s not, Mac. That man I sent one of yourofficers after, I’m certain was the same guy, who accosted Jessicaon my staff.”
The Sergeant’s look wasn’t a happy oneeither. “You’re dead certain.”
“Enough for a line up. I think, if we pullthe tape from the camera in there that was directed at the dais,we’ll find that the guy standing less than two feet away from us onmy left, was the bastard that attacked Jessica outside myoffice.”
“I’ll go pull it right away, run themside-to-side and see if you’re right. Give me a few hours to getback to you.”
Bryan reached out his hand to acknowledge hisoffer. “Thanks, Mac. I’ll be around only until about 5:30, and thenI’ll be out for the evening. After that, you have my cell.”
“Will do, Senator. I’ll take care of thismyself.”
“Thanks, Mac.”
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CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Now, Bryan had cause for concern. He lookedat the coffee cup, that had been sitting on his desk, since fiveo’clock that morning. Its contents were cold from being ignored. Hedidn’t need it to stay awake. Sleep had been evading him for quitesome time now. Last night was no
accept ion. He, just, couldn’t fall to sleepfor shit. He tossed and turned for nearly four hours, until finallyhe gave up, when the digital time on his bedside clock read 4:15a.m.
He should have fallen right to sleep too. Hehad two glasses of wine at dinner, a delicious meal, and relaxingconversation. Abigail and Jessica hit it off, as though they hadknown each other forever. He kept checking his phone for a text orvoice message from Mac. He never heard back from him, until wellafter ten o’clock last night.
The news Mac shared, hadn’t been good. Heconfirmed, just what Bryan had suspected all along. The man, whoaccosted Jessica her first day on the job, was the same guy atyesterday’s press conference.
At least, he knew what he was dealing with.There was no doubt left in his mind, that this was a personalvendetta. It had everything to do with his sponsorship of the deathpenalty bill, some close friend/family member sitting on death row,or both.
He knew this guy was planning something ...watching them. The question was, was he the target, or would thisbastard go after Jessica again? He knew in his heart it would bethe latter. He’d bet his seat in the Senate on it. He wasn’t ashrink, but his professional experience told him, that this guy wasa psychopath. He got a thrill out of being covert and scheming outhis next attack.
Bryan’s sponsorship of the death penalty billsomehow tripped something in this guy, to the point he wascompelled to fight back, to lash out on behalf of someone close tohim. He targeted Jessica out of sheer, unbridled cruelty, for theenjoyment of creating fear and making her suffer.
The public knew by now, that his engagementhad been severed with Angela. The sicko knew by now, that Jessicawas never his fiancé. But, being a member of his staff, placed atarget on her back, and this guy saw her standing beside him at thepress conference yesterday.
Bryan knew, he had to do everything in hispower to protect her. Even though he knew her barely two months,she had stolen his heart. He would die, if any harm came to her. Healso knew, he had to let Florence know as well. She was in jeopardytoo, since Jessica was living under her roof. He wouldn’t besurprised, if this madman had been following Jessica all along.
He had also heard from Dante. There wasn’tany banter out on the streets about this guy either. Not one word,even after, Bryan told Dante he’d pay five-hundred dollars toanyone with sound information.
Clearly, this guy never had dealings of anykind with those thugs … again, a validation he was a loner.
The screen shot pulled from the securitytapes of the press meeting didn’t match anything in the system,frustrating the piss out of him, even more. It would have madefinding him, so much easier.
It was time to call in reinforcements, andBryan picked up his cell to call his old partner of almost fiveyears, Ayden Tyler.
“Shit, man. You know what time it is?” Aydenanswered groggily on the second ring.
“Sorry to wake you, bud. It’s realimportant.”
Bryan could hear the rustle of covers and theclick of a table lamp go on in the background.
