Daddy Guardian (Night Ops Daddies #3)

Chapter 1

Luke

Directions? That’s never been my strong point.

I might be an investigative journalist who graduated summa cum laude from my college and went straight into working for one of the world’s biggest news providers, but that definitely doesn’t mean that I won’t get lost on pretty much every single assignment that involves me travelling outside of my home city.

You’d think that at the grand old age of twenty-three, I’d have improved my navigation skills. You’d be wrong! If anything, I’m getting more and more prone to finding myself down the wrong alley—both literally and figuratively.

But maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

I might have left my first role at the big establishment news agency for something smaller at a boutique news agency, but I think that my willingness to seek out all the dark corners of a story, no matter how lost I get, actually lays to my advantage way more than the occasional misdirection harms me.

Justice Heart News came to me at just the right time.

I was finding life at the big news network a little bit of a grind—and I had the distinct impression that they really weren’t all that bothered about the truth either.

Or helping regular people for that matter.

Everything seemed so focused on corporate interests, pleasing sponsors, and following whatever the cause of the day happened to be.

I certainly didn’t get into reporting so I could recycle and rehash nonsense to please some old man in a suit, put it that way. So when Justice Heart News approached, I knew it was an offer I had to listen to.

The company founder is a man called Robert Treach.

He’s in his fifties, seriously rich, and has a burning desire to expose corruption and bad people in a way that I’ve never encountered before.

He made it very clear to me that he supports his journalists with everything he’s got—be it travel costs, the latest surveillance equipment, even providing bodyguards on assignments that might stray over the line into something altogether way more dangerous than the job description entails.

Oh, and Robert doesn’t mind when I find myself totally lost in a new town or city either. In fact, I actually think he finds it charming!

Anyway, speaking of new towns…

I’m here in West Quay, a rather well to do coastal town that is home to the state’s big players—both politically and in the business world. And there’s one man I very much have my eye on…

Lowell Haynes is a senator who rose up the political ladder so quickly it turned heads from coast to coast and has even had people in DC whispering about how far he could go.

He’s in his early forties, good looking, and has a way with words that makes him popular with everyone from grandparents to teens and everything in between.

But…

There’s something about him. Something unsettling. Call it journalistic instinct, but as soon as I started digging around I began to get that undeniable feeling that I was on to something.

And when I say something, I’m talking the highest level of corruption imaginable—the kind of corruption that could not only kill his career stone dead but also lead to the type of jail sentence that no one walks away from.

Which is why I’m here, in West Quay.

Now, if only I could find my hotel…

“Hey, Swift, any thoughts?” I ask, looking inside my backpack and seeing my darling stuffy staring back at me, his orange pelican beak almost grinning as he realizes that yet again, I’m lost. “Don’t worry, my phone should help…”

I get my cell phone out of the bag and attempt to make sense of Google Maps. I know I should be close to the hotel, but for some reason there’s barely any signal and the map isn’t updating to my current location.

Urgh.

It’s at times like this where I really wish that I had actually paid attention in the outdoor skills classes I was forced to take at high school. My mind was always far more occupied with Little matters though—and it’s kind of still true today.

I mean, come on, why bother learning to read a map when you could be imagining a world of pelicans, unicorns, and… peli-corns!

Being a Little is a big part of who I am.

I don’t exactly advertise it at work, but I’m pretty certain that Robert is aware of this side of my life and doesn’t give a damn. He knows I’m a good journalist, and is happy for me, or any of his other employees, to live their lives how they feel most comfortable.

I know that I’m lucky in this sense. I had the distinct feeling that a lot of the employees at my old media outlet were hiding who they truly were for fear of being singled out or overlooked for promotions.

But the whole point of Justice Heart News is that normal people should be free to live their lives and not in fear of being exploited or abused by those in power. So, as a Little, that makes me feel extra good knowing that I’m working for the good guys.

Along with Swift, I’ve also got with me my travelling supply of Little goodies…

Sketchpad? Check.

Coloring pencils? Check.

Romper? Check.

Oh, and I’ve even got a travel pacifier just in case the mood takes me!

But don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I’ll have too much time to get involved in any Little fun on this trip.

I know that Lowell Haynes likes to be seen out and about at night at all the hottest spots in the city—and I’m pretty sure that these kinds of places don’t want a Little showing up with their coloring pencils and a pacifier!

No, I’ll need to move subtly, not draw any unnecessary attention to myself.

Normally I wouldn’t have any worries about blending into the background and going undetected.

I used to super-enjoy taking drama classes in high school and college so I’ve always felt comfortable in putting on an act and behaving in such a way that makes me fit in with my surroundings. It’s actually kind of fun to do this.

Except this time, I’ve got company…

Despite my protestations to Robert that I didn’t need—or want—a bodyguard, he absolutely insisted that he send one of his men to look after me.

It’s not that I don’t appreciate the offer of course, and I know that as far as Robert is concerned it’s coming from a good place.

But in my experience, the last thing you need when going undercover is having some big guy trailing you around.

The bodyguard might think he’s being discreet and keeping his distance, but if anyone is watching you then it’s only a matter of time before they spot the bodyguard and put two and two together…

I’ve already put too much time into diving into Lowell Haynes to have my investigation blown by some lumbering meathead, that’s for sure.

Still, Robert is the boss—and I guess he does know his stuff too. I’m not sure, but I think Robert might have been involved in some military type operations before he became a media mogul. He keeps his private life very private, but it’s just another one of my journalistic hunches.

Anyway…

I seriously need to find my hotel now.

“Okay, so I’m guessing I head down this street,” I say to myself, the hot sun above me and not a cloud in the sky. “And what’s the worst that could happen?”

I giggle to myself and begin walking down a side street that brings me out onto the town’s main boulevard. I’m definitely in the right place now, I can tell from the colorful café fronts and bustling vibe.

“Yes!” I exclaim, duly spotting my hotel just a few buildings further down the street.

But as I spot the hotel, my eyes also happen upon what looks like a highly inviting ice cream and gelato parlor. Now this might be a work trip but that doesn’t mean a Little can go without a sweet treat to keep their blood sugar on the right track.

It’s time to investigate Gino’s Gelatos…

“Oh yummy, thank you!” I smile as the waitress places a triple-flavor gelato bowl onto my table.

To say it looks appetizing is an understatement.

I pick up my spoon and scrape it across the three flavors, making sure to get a taste of each one. And the taste certainly does not disappoint, that’s for sure.

But even as I’m indulging my sweet tooth, my mind is drawn back to Lowell Haynes. He’s the reason I’m here in West Quay and I’m not going to be distracted from that—even by the tastiest gelato I’ve ever experienced in my entire life.

I’ve known that Haynes is involved in some kind of corruption pretty much from the jump.

I might be young, but I’ve got a good network of contacts in the political world already.

Even some of my former colleagues will slip me information when they think I might be able to use it—they’re mostly really good people who just happen to work for a stinky corporate news agency more intent on getting clicks than telling the truth.

But what I’ve been realizing with each passing dive into Haynes’s murky world is that he’s not quite who he says he is. There’s no doubt that most of what he says about his upbringing is true, but there’s just about enough of a hint of doubt around certain details that sets my alarm bells ringing.

Some people might say I was paranoid or going out of my way looking for lies. And to be honest I couldn’t really argue with that assessment! The reality of being an investigative journalist is that you have to put yourself into the mindset where you don’t take anything at face value.

Evidence is key.

I need to see things to believe them.

And so far I’ve not been able to see anywhere near enough about Lowell Haynes to make me think he’s anything other than a low-down corrupt politician with ties to the kinds of criminals that would scare any law abiding citizen.

So that’s why I’m here in West Quay.

The people need to know what’s up with Senator Haynes, and I’m the Little to do it.

Feeling pumped and ready to get to the hotel, I take a big final spoonful of gelato and feel its cold, fruity flavor hit my tongue.

Wait though…

I’ve got a message on my cell. And it’s from the boss back home…

ROBERT: I trust all is well in West Quay.

And let me guess, you only got lost once so far?

Sorry, couldn’t resist. Anyway, just an update to let you know that your security detail should be with you at any moment.

He’s locked in for 48 hours, but if you do decide to stay longer all you need to do is let him know and he’ll amend his arrangements to suit.

Now take care, dive deep, and show the world what a Justice Heart journalist is all about…

I smile and reply with two thumbs-up emojis, which is pretty much my shorthand for ‘Got it boss!’ as far as me and Robert are concerned.

And with Robert’s 48 hours in mind, I decide that it’s time to make my way to the hotel lobby and get myself prepped for what I’ve got no doubt is going to be a very revealing and highly productive next couple of days.

With my adrenalin already coursing through my veins, I power down the street and enter the hotel lobby with my mind focused and my intentions all set.

It’s time to work.

It’s time to nail this S.O.B Haynes.

It’s time to…

“Oh my gosh,” I say, floored as I see the face staring back at me from over on the lobby’s window seat. “Him? You absolutely must be kidding me. No… way…”

Sitting across from me is Connor Kasinski.

With his silver-streaked cropped hair, deep tan, and smug smile, I’d know that face anywhere—and his lips too…

This isn’t good. This isn’t good at all.

All I can do is hope beyond hope that he isn’t the bodyguard that Robert was talking about in his message. Because if it is, this next 48 hours isn’t going to go very well at all…