Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
“Thanks again for this.” Janie walked down the long, carpeted hallway of the hotel with Emmett as the two made their way to her room. “You know, I almost didn’t call. I thought I was just overreacting or being paranoid for no reason.”
It turns out, there was a reason. A very real, very unsettling one, at that.
“You thought you were being followed,” the sexy private security operative’s deep voice rumbled beside her.
“And from what Blake found when he backtracked through the footage, you were right. It’s a good thing you called.
In fact . . .” He paused to hold out a palm as those dark eyes of his turned her way. “Give me your phone.”
Janie’s gaze locked with his half a heartbeat before she tore her focus away to unzip her purse. Retrieving it with ease, she unlocked the screen and set it in his big, strong hand.
After adding his personal number to her list of contacts, he gave her back the phone.
“You ever find yourself in a situation like that again, I want you to call me on my cell. If you can’t get me there, try the office.”
“Okay.” She moved to take the phone from his hand.
Her breath was stunned into a silent hitch when her fingertips brushed against the skin covering his palm. Janie flashed a quick smile, avoiding eye-contact at all costs.
She looked away, her focus turning to putting her phone back into her purse. The simple task gave her the moment she needed to remind herself who the man was and why he was here.
He’s the man trying to help you find Amy. And he’s here because someone was following you today, just like they did before.
It was an intimidation tactic she’d experienced back home during her investigation into the corruption story she’d been chasing. No matter where she was, the same non-descript car would appear.
The gas station. Grocery store. Through the drive-thru at her favorite fast-food place. Her apartment.
Everywhere I went.
And like then, Janie wasn’t going to let some nameless, faceless shadow keep her from seeking the truth. A missing young woman may not matter to anyone else in this town, but she sure as hell mattered to Janie. If only they had some answers to the many questions rolling through her head.
What happened in those few short minutes when her security system was down?
Was she hurt?
Worse?
Amy’s youthful, timid face appeared in Janie’s mind’s eye. Her chest tightened from the horrifying scenarios that kept filling her imagination, and she prayed those answers would come very, very soon.
“Janie?”
She blinked to find Emmett staring down at her expectantly. From the look on his face, it was clear he’d been talking, but she hadn’t heard a word he’d said.
“Sorry, what?”
He stopped walking and pointed to the door on their left. “This is you, right?”
“Oh, uh . . . yeah.” Janie mentally shook her wandering thoughts clear. “Sorry.”
She reached for the keycard, which was still in the back pocket of her jeans and started for the door. Before she could insert the key into its thin slot, Emmett put his hand over hers to stop her.
“Let me.”
The struggle was real, but Janie somehow managed not to outwardly react to his electrifying touch. She handed over the card and waited. He unlocked it with ease and began pushing it open with obvious caution.
With the toe of his Oxford shoe, the attractive security specialist kept the door ajar long enough to reach for the pistol he had concealed at his hip. Her heartrate spiked at the sight of a weapon she hadn’t even realized he’d been carrying until that very moment.
“Stay close.”
The tall, dark, and apparently deadly man was inside the room before she could formulate a response. Janie’s belated steps hastened, and she rushed over the metal threshold, putting her back to the wall just inside the room.
It took Emmett all of forty-five seconds to check every space of her hotel suite, and yes . . . she’d counted.
“All clear.” His imposing form appeared from the shadows.
The sound of his weapon sliding back into its hidden holster was decidedly loud in the otherwise silent room.
“You, uh . . . ” Janie pushed herself off the wall and flipped on the entryway lights. “You didn’t really think someone was in here.” She crossed her arms at her chest, adding an almost hesitant, “Did you?”
The stoic man walked over to where she was still standing. “No.” He slid his hands into the front pockets of his pants. “But I wasn’t going to take that chance, given the tail you picked up earlier.”
“Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me for doing my job.”
“To be fair, I hired you to help me find Amy Weaver. Not to be my personal bodyguard.”
“You’re a client, Janie.” He gave the slightest of shrugs. “Doesn’t matter why you hired us initially, keeping you safe is part of the deal.”
“Good to know.” She smiled back at him as the room grew quiet once more.
Staring back at him, she couldn’t help but feel as though he was searching her gaze. For what, she had absolutely no idea because his dark stare was as unreadable as the expression on his ruggedly handsome face.
There’s a story there.
And suddenly, Janie found herself wanting to read every single line.
“Do you need anything else before I go?” He took a slow step toward her.
Only you.
“I’m good,” she blurted with an immediate clearing of her throat. “Thanks, though.” She made a move to open the door but stopped short when he spoke up again.
“I suggest you stay inside for the rest of the day, just in case. If you want food, order room service. If money’s an issue, I can stop at the front desk and put my company card on your accou—”
“That won’t be necessary,” she cut him short. “But thank you.”
Emmett nodded before starting again, “If that changes, or you need anything else, my personal cell’s in your phone now, so don’t hesitate to call.”
“Okay.”
He held her stare a moment longer before parroting her with a deep, “Okay. Oh, and someone from my team will return your rental for you and get you a new one. One that’s not in your name.”
Janie felt her brows fall in the center. “You can do that? Without me, I mean?”
“We accessed the city’s CCTV footage within seconds, and you’re asking if we can arrange for a rental?”
An almost indiscernible twitching of his lips appeared at one corner of his delectable mouth.
“Fair enough,” she agreed with her own sideways grin.
“It’s just a precaution, Janie.”
Oh, how she loved it when he uttered her name. It was all deep and rumbly and made her pulse spike with a feeling she could only describe as desire.
“You’ll have the keys by morning,” Emmett vowed. “I’ll touch base with you sometime tomorrow to go over anything we might discover between now and then.”
“Sounds good.” Janie nodded.
“Lock up behind me.”
“I will.” Another nod. “Goodnight, Emmett.”
“’Night, Janie.”
He turned around and left.
As promised, she slid the deadbolt into place, as well as pulling open the metal privacy reinforcer as an extra precaution.
They were probably going way overboard with his having driven her here tonight, as well as exchanging her rental for one that couldn’t be traced back to her name.
In all fairness, however, she also hadn’t expected some random weirdo in a tinted-out car to follow her around D.C. So there was that.
A row of shivers raced down her spine, sending a wave of goosebumps in its path. The sudden chill prompted the reminder of the room’s giant soaker tub she still had yet to enjoy.
Maybe that’s what you need. A nice, hot bath.
Janie headed that way, checking her watch in the process. It was still a little early for dinner, which meant she’d have plenty of time for suds.
Once the water was going and the bubbles had begun to rise, she went back to the bedroom to strip out of her clothes. Before she did, Janie went over to where she’d left David Ellis’ offer. She picked up the envelope, flipped it around, and pulled the seal free.
No way!
The starting salary Ellis had proposed was quite a bit more than she’d expected. Between the generous pay and the benefits listed, she’d be a fool not to call the man right this second and say yes. And Janie most certainly wasn’t a fool.
Knowing just how badly Ellis wanted her as part of his team gave her an idea. A quick check of the tub said she still had a few minutes to go, so she grabbed her cell phone and made the call.
“This is Ellis.”
“Mr. Ellis, this is Janie Reynolds.”
“Janie!” His gruff tone immediately grew softer and noticeably more excited. “I was hoping to hear from you today. Did you get the voicemail I left for you this morning?”
“I saw you called but haven’t had a chance to listen to your message,” she answered truthfully. “I’m sorry I didn’t call before now.”
“No apologies needed, my dear. Although, I will say, I’m hoping this means you’ve decided to become a part of our family here at the Post.”
She smiled. “Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I have a counteroffer of sorts.”
A small pause ensued before Ellis’ voice struck her ear again. “Which is?”
“I have a story I’d like to pursue, and I was hoping to have the Post’s backing.”
“A story?” He sounded surprised. “What story?”
Here’s where it gets tricky.
“The details are still a bit up in the air,” Janie told him.
“And to be honest, I don’t feel comfortable speculating based off what I do know as of yet.
But I can assure you, the story is real, it’s local, and it’s already starting to grow teeth.
I just need a little more time to look into things before I’m ready to share more. ”
“Let me get this straight.” The man’s tone held a hint of amusement and bewilderment. “You’re in town for all of four days, and already you’ve stumbled upon a story you claim has merit?”
“It’s not a claim, David. I’m telling you, this is front page, above the fold news.”
Ellis paused. “I thought you said the details were still up in the air.”
“I’m following my gut, and my gut is never wrong.”
So far, anyway.