Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2
GHOST
E arlier that day, walking behind the woman he was guarding, Alejandro "Ghost" Edwards entered the bustling bookstore. Iris Higgins was a famous, romantic suspense author, and although he'd never heard of her, based on the extremely full parking lot across the street, he was in the minority. Her agent had arranged for Spartan Elite to guard her during her book tour. Personal Security Details were not his favorite. He’d rather be kicking down doors and eliminating the pieces of shit posing as threats across the globe. But, he was a team player and he went where his boss, and best friend, Hunter, sent him.
They’d briefed him on the potential threats toward Ms. Higgins, and he kept his head on a swivel for anything even slightly suspicious. After studying the dossier that her agent had sent over, Ghost concluded that Higgins’ story lines were closer to nonfiction than fiction. It wasn’t abnormal. Many television shows pulled their storylines from headline news and spun it just enough to make it fictional. Ms. Higgins’ most recent release had gained in popularity, putting an even larger target on her back.
Ghost moved through the building, his tall, muscular frame easing through the throngs of excited fans and authors with a grace that belied his size.
“Who is that?” One lady asked her friend, nodding at Ghost.
“I don’t know. A cover model maybe? God! He’s smokin’ hot!” Her friend replied. Ghost could reply and let them know he heard them. But, he wouldn’t. Women like that wanted his attention. It wasn’t as if they whispered their comments discreetly. No, any woman who would loudly make an overt gesture like that wasn’t for him. They were a dime a dozen. Just recently, he’d gotten into a debate with his sister about toxic masculinity. She brought up how women were often the victims of catcalling, and he’d asked what it was called when women did it to men. According to her, women did not behave in the same manner. He begged to differ.
“Hey there, Daddy.” Another woman said and gave a low whistle as he walked by. Refusing to lift his head or acknowledge her presence in any way, Ghost continued to scan the room for potential security risks. After making sure Ms. Higgins’ was secure in her dressing room, he returned to the floor. Ruby had already gathered several key employees and, after a quick introduction, Ghost began a perimeter check, with them following close behind.
Pausing at the fire exit, he inspected the locks and the clearance, ensuring nothing would impede a swift evacuation. He pointed out a stack of promotional materials left carelessly by a door and watched as a staff member hustled to clear the potential obstruction.
"Keep pathways clear at all times," he instructed, tone firm but respectful. "We can't afford blockages in case of an emergency. Not to mention, the fire marshal wouldn't be happy." Some of this was basic and had nothing to do with Ms. Higgins being there. He hoped they’d take his words to heart and keep the changes even after the event today. It always surprised Ghost how blasé civilians were about safety.
"Understood," the employee nodded.
After making a full circle around the perimeter and fixing a few other security issues, Ghost approached the event organizer. He spoke softly, but had a naturally commanding presence that made most people pay attention when he spoke. "I need to go over the emergency protocols with your team," he said.
"Of course," the organizer replied, signaling her staff. They formed a semi-circle around Ghost, giving him their full attention. Each volunteered and paid staff member wore a red shirt, making them easily identifiable. They were all women, and he stood at least half a foot taller than the tallest in the group. Not wanting to intimidate them, he spoke softer than he would if he were to address a group of Elite’s agents.
"If you see something out of the ordinary, say something immediately," Ghost said, locking eyes with each person for a second before continuing. "Listen to your gut. No detail is too small. My team isn't simply here to react. We'd prefer to do our best to prevent any dangerous situation from arising. Ideally, we want to minimize not only a risk to Ms. Higgins, but also to all the attendees and staff, making today's event that much more enjoyable."
He continued to outline the procedures, pointing out the exits, assembly points, and the coded language they would use for discrete communication if a problem arose. The venue staff nodded, showing their understanding of his orders. At the end of his brief speech, he thanked each one of them. "Your awareness can make all the difference," he finished. "Thank you for your cooperation."
"Thank you, Mr. Edwards," the organizer said with a grateful smile. "We feel safer knowing you're in charge. We've held several events in this space, but we've never had security that put this much effort into their jobs."
Ghost merely nodded. There were fewer things in life that made him uncomfortable than praise. He shriveled inside every time someone thanked him for his service. Not that he was ungrateful for their acknowledgement of the sacrifice, but rather, those words of appreciation were for his brothers-in-arms who'd died doing so. He was a behind-the-scenes type of man, not the up in front of a crowd public speaking type. He'd leave that to his best friend, and boss, Hunter. Hunter had charisma and charm. When Hunter spoke, people listened. Thankfully, they also opened their wallets to Spartan Elite because of his persuasive speeches about making the world safer.
Were they a highly paid security firm or a group of vigilantes? Maybe, a bit of both. One thing was for sure, Ghost didn't mind for one second ridding the world of evil men who set out to harm the innocent. It was a weight he bore willingly. Once he found taking a life to be a burden, but now killing transformed into purpose. Taking a life still impacted him. But now, there was no doubt in his mind the people he removed from this earth deserved it.
Leaving the military after twenty-years of fighting in war zones, he'd looked for a new purpose. Nothing filled the void special forces left in his life. Not police work, firefighting, or government overseas contract work. He'd bought a motorcycle, went skydiving, and took up white water rafting. No matter what he did, or the level of adrenaline it brought with it, there was still a void... he needed to feel like he was accomplishing something, more than just merely existing.
When one of his former teammates, Rider, invited him to visit Valhalla, a community in Colorado made up of former special forces operators, he fell in love. He'd worked a few jobs for Rider’s firm, Spartan Shield, but they were too by the book. The men who worked for Spartan Shield were good men, all combat special forces veterans, but they were the kind of good men who never straddled the moral line, let alone broke the law. Those men dreamt of building a home with a wife and a white picket fence.
Ghost liked being on the move. Coloring outside the lines. Taking care of the bad guys and preventing them from hurting anyone else. The truly terrible monsters. Men who danced gleefully with Satan in the fire of hell's inferno while still living on earth. The ones who didn’t need to be arrested, a cell wouldn’t contain their brand of evil. No, they needed to be put down and stopped once and for all. Some men were created different. They were born with the ability to do whatever was necessary to hunt down and rid the world of evil. Ghost was one of those men. A sheepdog.
This job, working on a private security detail for some rich woman, wasn't fulfilling. But, as Hunter said when assigning it to him, these jobs kept them legitimate. Spartan Elite didn't have a funding problem. Hell, last week, they took down a notorious drug cartel. Half of the money seized now lined Elite's pockets as payment. The other half, the documented amount, sat in an evidence locker at the DOJ. The government looked the other way when the results were favorable for them. DOJ and ATF got credit for the bust, Elite got payment. It was the way of things. When the government needed a specific mess cleaned up, and wanted total deniability, they called Elite. To keep up appearances and throw off suspicion, Elite needed to take on legitimate jobs. This was one of those legitimate jobs.
An hour later, Ghost scanned the room once more before taking his place on the dais. A minute later, Ruby escorted the client to her chair. Not unlike a lifeguard at a pool, Ghost's gaze continued to sweep the room in a methodical scan. The audience consisted almost entirely of women. He drowned out their excited chatter as they made new friends and revisited with those they'd not seen in a while. The surrounding conversation was mostly about books and something called Booktok. Social media, in his opinion, was a complete waste of valuable time. He had zero online footprint, and that’s exactly how he liked it.
When a store employee stacked another pile of books on the table, blocking his view of the line directly in front of Ms. Higgins, Ghost cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Too high. Make shorter piles." He needed to see over the books to any potential threat. Annoyance filled him when the employee looked at Ms. Higgins for approval. He narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.
Looking from Ghost to her assistant, Ms. Higgins laughed softly. “Do as he says," she ordered before turning back to Ghost. "She knows I like things done in a very specific way. My assistant has been with me for years. But before, the, uh, threats, things were done differently. I didn't need armed security.”
"Your specific way needs to change to my way," Ghost answered. "If you want me to protect you."
She nodded. "Understood."
He stepped back behind her and as he surveyed the room again, his gaze landed on the young woman in the middle of the line he’d met a few minutes earlier. Cassie. Unlike the women who had all but catcalled him, Cassie was a breath of fresh air. He’d felt almost disappointed after he’d set her back on her feet and she’d stepped out of his arms.
He took a moment to study Cassie. Most of the women were paired up or in small groups, but she stood alone. With her height, weight and hair color similar to Ms. Higgins, she could be easily mistaken for her daughter. They had a very similar look to them, although Ghost couldn’t tell if it was more the physical similarities or the fact that they wore almost the exact same outfit. Both women wore black blouses, jeans and black shoes. Although Cassie had on a pair of ballet flats and Ms. Higgins was wearing heels.
There was something else about Cassie that caught his interest. She seemed different from other women in the way she carried herself. Cassie had a quiet confidence combined with a hint of vulnerability and self-consciousness. Studying her, Ghost thought she had an interesting look. He couldn’t put a finger on it exactly.
She clutched her book tightly to her chest and pushed up the large round glasses that took up half of her face.
Curvy and nerdy.
Almost a sexy librarian look. Definitely the girl next door. Too innocent for him. He should stay far away. One night with him, and he’d ruin her. As if sensing his thoughts, she lifted her head.
As their eyes met, a connection seemed to form between them. Holding her gaze, he dared her to look away first. He wasn’t immune to flirting, but that wasn’t what this was. There was something more there between them. In the depths of his soul, he felt it. Her blush spread across her cheeks, turning them a dark pink, added to her allure. She nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and shifted from foot to foot before looking down at the ground.
Ghost smiled to himself. She was adorable.
Before he could dwell further on their encounter, Ghost forced himself to tear his gaze away, returning to his duty of ensuring Ms. Higgins’ safety. Yet, even as he resumed his vigilance, there was a magnetism that pulled him towards glancing her way every so often.
The front door was in direct line of vision, the employee entrance was to his right. Ghost's gaze settled briefly on the colorful banners promoting Higgins’ latest thriller. He waved over another employee and asked the two banners to be spread further apart, making it hard for anyone to hide behind. His order was obeyed immediately.
"Ghost." Dozer gave Ghost a nod so subtle it was almost imperceptible to an untrained eye. Ghost followed Dozer's line of sight. Two suspicious looking men had walked into the bookstore. Ghost kept his gaze on them as they looked around the store. It was supposed to be closed to the public for the signing. He watched as an employee approached the men and explained the situation to them. One scowled at her and Ghost was ready to come to her aid until she firmly guided them back out of the store.
“Dozer,” Ghost said, his voice low and even. One word that spoke hundreds. Threat clear. For now. They both worked for Hunter at Spartan Elite, but more importantly, they'd served as special forces operators. Having the same training and similar experiences, they needed few words to communicate.
Ruby, her red hair a stark contrast to the monochrome of her all black suit, approached with a tablet in hand. “All comms check out,” she reported with the efficiency of someone who had spent years distilling life-and-death information into byte-sized directives. Ruby normally stayed behind at the office; as Elite's tech guru, however, she demanded to go on location today. Ms. Higgins was one of her favorite authors and she would not pass up the chance to meet her. She'd remained incredibly professional, not fangirling at all. Ghost would give Ruby that, she was the ultimate professional.
“Thanks, Ruby,” Ghost acknowledged with a nod before his gaze methodically swept across the venue for the hundredth time, noting the thrum of anticipation in the air as fans continued to line up for the book signing. An hour later, Ms. Higgins went into a private room for a break, taking her assistant and a store employee with her. After making sure she was secure and no one could get into the room, he turned to his team, his intense brown eyes locking onto Ruby's. "Let's walk the perimeter," he said. His gut was screaming something was wrong... off... and he didn't like it.
"Copy that," Dozer responded, his posture tensing as he read between the lines. Ghost wanted a more detailed walk through than the first one. The two men who’d come in had his hackles raised.
They moved with purpose, Ghost leading the way as they weaved through the crowd. He’d worked alongside the Secret Service on many details and knew exactly what to look for. The layout was a maze of bookshelves and displays, offering numerous hiding spots and choke points. Ghost pointed out an emergency exit tucked away behind stacks of bestsellers, an entry point by the coffee shop, and the main doors where eager readers were filtering in.
"Cameras need to be moved. I want a full view of these points," Ghost directed, his finger tracing imaginary lines across the air.
"Got it," Ruby affirmed, tapping on her tablet. Her fingers flew across the screen with practiced ease, assigning camera angles and blind spot checks. Within seconds, one of the cameras moved slightly to the right, exactly as he'd instructed.
“Position them so we can toggle between facial recognition feeds if needed,” Ghost added.
“Done,” she replied, her eyes never leaving the tablet.
“You'll be our eyes,” Ghost continued, laying out the roles with precision. “I'm going to return to the stage. Dozer, I want you on crowd control. Stay mobile, my gut is telling me something is up. I didn't like the looks of the two men who came in earlier. They were scouting the place. I don't know if they are planning to rob the venue after, since a large amount of cash is flowing or if they were targeting a specific individual. They were not shopping.”
"Roger that," Dozer acknowledged, his gaze already scanning the room.
"Coordinate with local PD," Ghost instructed Ruby, his mind two steps ahead, envisioning scenarios that he hoped would never unfold. "Make sure they know any signs we identify as a red flag. We have several contacts at One PD. See which one is on duty."
"Got it." Ruby said, meeting his gaze. With a nod of dismissal, Ruby headed towards the back room where Ms. Higgins was currently taking a break and signing a pile of paperbacks.
"Communicate every fifteen," Ghost told Dozer with a final nod.
Four hours later, the event ended. Ghost looked around for Cassie, but couldn't find her. The feeling of disappointment confused him. She was a stranger he’d spoken to once. He shouldn’t care that they didn’t have a chance to exchange numbers.
“Client’s wrapping up,” Ruby communicated as the last book closed with a gentle thud. “I'll stay with her until she’s safely in the car.”
“We have about an hour at the hotel before we head to the restaurant,” Ghost told her, prepping for the rest of the evening. If dinner went the way the signing had, there was nothing to worry about.