Chapter Twelve #2
Hawk shook his head. “Listen, I work with a lot of retired detectives, street cops, investigators ... military. And if there is one thing they all have in common, it’s wanting out of whatever branch they were in because of the frustration when their hands were tied and they couldn’t dig deeper into open cases.
If Owens and Fitzpatrick don’t have a lead, and everything falls at a dead end, they will be moving on to the next case within a week.
Unless our guy keeps poking the bear. And even then, they only have so many resources. ”
“A week?” Chase asked in disgust.
“They’ll tell you the investigation is open. And it will be, but ...”
“What do you think the likelihood is that this person will try something again?” Chase asked.
Hawk looked over at Max, who stood there shaking his head.
“There wasn’t a guy I met in juvie that didn’t have a score to settle with someone on the outside. They were vocal until they were physical. And those guys rotated in and out like a damn Ferris wheel,” Max told them.
“Juvie?” Hawk asked.
Max shrugged unapologetically. “Misspent youth.”
Hawk could appreciate that. “Max is right. You have to take the threat seriously. They went through some major effort to pull this off.”
“ They threatened our sister. We do everything we can to protect her,” Max said.
“We will,” Chase assured him.
They all left the building, Max driving Alex’s car, Chase taking his truck ... with the understanding that they’d be back in the morning to facilitate the employees coming in to retrieve their belongings and cars.
After a cup of coffee and a shower, Hawk skipped the gym and headed straight for Stone Enterprises.
Ed arrived with two replacement security guards at seven in the morning.
Hawk had already been there for an hour.
“Did you leave last night?” Ed teased.
“I slept.” Barely.
They stood in front of the parking garage.
Remnants of the police tape flapped along a pole.
“I sent the contracts you requested last night. They were signed before I had my cup of coffee.”
“They’re not messing around.”
“Nor should they be. Charlie worked with Owens a few times in the past. He’s going to reach out and see what he can learn from them aside from what we already know.”
“That will be helpful. When is Stevie coming in?”
“I told her nine.”
They walked deeper into the garage, still packed with cars.
The main floor of the covered garage was ground level and then went subterranean. It sprawled under the Stone Enterprises building and went down four levels.
The main level, however, was where the executives of the company parked.
Alex, Chase, and Max all had names on their parking spaces.
Surprisingly, the three of them drove unassuming vehicles.
Alex had an older-model Lexus, and both Chase and Max drove dual-cab trucks.
The other vehicles on the executive floor were much more in tune with high-value positions. BMW, Porsche, Range Rover ... Audi.
“Do we know if the security cameras record the license plates of the cars in this garage?” Hawk asked.
“Yes, as they’re coming in,” Ed said.
“Front plates are hit-and-miss.”
Ed nodded. “One of the first changes we need to implement.”
“We need a portable camera to record everyone coming in and out today.”
“I’m already on it.” Ed was all smiles. “You sure you won’t take point on this entire job?”
“Can’t. I’m the one that convinced Alex she needed a personal bodyguard when she’s in public. I need to be available to fill that role.”
Ed tilted his head to the side. “Since when do you like long-term one-on-one assignments?”
“This is different.”
“How?”
Good fucking question.
“I’ll take the load off you when I can. The family home is big, but secure. We can rotate security there—”
“How is this different, Hawk? Is it her?”
Hawk met Ed’s gaze, his jaw tightened. “For people with money, they don’t act like it. I don’t think they realize what kind of target all those zeros in the bank put on them. Have you read their press?”
“I have. It’s like a daytime soap opera. Dead father, missing brother, gold-digging widow. Sounds messy.”
“It is messy. We both know I’m good with finding out who is tossing the dirt onto the mess. It’s easier to do that when I’m around the target. Alex is the target.”
Ed conceded. “I’ll manage the crews. You manage the case.”
Another reason why Hawk liked working with Ed. They were a security service, but they also focused on decreasing the threat.
“I can do that.”
Ed looked at the concrete ceiling of the garage. “First things first. Better lighting and more cameras.”
“Keyed entry,” Hawk added.
“Twenty-four-hour off-site surveillance.”
“And inside presence until whoever pulled this stunt is behind bars.”
Hawk and Ed walked out of the garage when Chase’s familiar truck pulled up in front of the building. He didn’t bother with the garage.
Chase and Alex both exited the vehicle.
Hawk’s gaze narrowed on her. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I’m not sure why not. Since I’m being forced out of my office, I’ll need to transfer work onto my laptop without the office staff realizing I’m preparing to be out more than in.”
Chase lifted both hands in the air. “I couldn’t convince her to let me do it for her.”
“You have your own crap to deal with.” Alex headed toward the main entry of the building. “Are we the only ones here?”
“Security is inside.”
“Good.” She stepped in front of the automatic doors and waltzed through.
She bypassed the entry system that used a badge to calculate who was in the building and headed toward the elevators.
Hawk stood by Chase and Ed, watching her march away.
“Did she wake up pissed?” Hawk asked Chase.
“I’m not sure she slept.”
Knowing the building was vacant, Hawk waited until people started showing up before taking the elevators to the top floor.
He found Alex at her desk with her head in her hands.
Hawk cleared his throat.
She looked up.
“It’s getting busy down there.”
She moaned and slowly lowered her head. “This is unbelievable.”
He heard her frustration. “It won’t be forever, Alex.”
“Fine.” She lifted her head, yanked open a drawer, started pulling papers out and shoving them into a briefcase. Once that was done, she typed a few things into the desk computer, then moved to her laptop, and then closed them both down.
Hawk stood out of her way when she walked out of her office and stopped at her assistant’s desk.
“I need a few minutes.”
“Take the time you need,” Hawk told her.
She offered a placating smile. “Come back in two hours, then.”
The sound of someone walking down the hall had both their eyes shifting in that direction.
Alex reached for the phone, paused, and then started talking. “Okay, Piper. What do I need to do?”
Hawk watched on as Piper led Alex through something on the computer. Within ten minutes, Alex was finished, and they were headed to the elevator.
“I need to be here on Monday. At least for a few hours.”
Hawk expected as much.
“I’ll pick you up at eight.”
“Chase can drive me in.”
Hawk shook his head. “He’ll need his own car. I’ll pick you up.”
She looked like she wanted to argue.
She didn’t.
The lobby was empty, with the exception of a security guard.
Hawk greeted him but kept his pace with Alex.
Outside wasn’t the same situation. Cars were driving in, unloading passengers who all headed toward the garage.
Which was exactly where Alex was headed.
“My car is right here,” he said, stopping her.
“I’m driving Max’s truck back.”
“That’s not a good idea.”
“I didn’t ask your permission.” She moved around him.
Two long strides, and he was in front of her, blocking her way. “I thought we agreed that when you are here, I’m with you.”
She pointed the hand holding her briefcase toward the garage. “I’m getting into a car and will no longer be here . So, you’re good.”
Hawk reached for her briefcase and relieved it from her fingers. “Maybe I wasn’t clear.”
Instead of going further, Hawk turned toward his car and started walking.
“What are you doing?”
He opened the door to the back seat, tossed the briefcase inside, slammed the door, and then moved to the passenger door and opened it. “Get in, Alex.”
She strode up to him, determination in each step. “Who do you think you are?”
“The man you hired to keep you safe. I can’t do that if you’re driving in the car in front of me.”
“No one is going to—”
“Drive you off the road? Pull in behind you and in front of me? Cause an accident by swerving into traffic? No one is going to do any of those things. You’re right ... maybe, or maybe not. They may just drive up alongside you and pull out a gun.”
She winced.
“Someone threatened to put another Stone in a grave yesterday, and they used your voice to make that threat. Don’t be an idiot,” he barked.
She took a giant step, putting her chest just inches from his. “I am not an idiot!”
“Prove it.”
Her nose flared; her chest heaved.
There was something hot and magnetic in the anger behind her eyes. Hawk would be lying to himself if he said it wasn’t a turn on.
Alex placed a hand on his chest, nudged him back, and then climbed into his car.
She sat in complete silence as Hawk drove.
He wasn’t about to apologize for how he spoke to her. His tone seemed to be the only thing that motivated her to do the right thing.
“Have you ever had physical therapy?” he asked.
“W-what?”
Clearly, Alex wasn’t expecting the question.
“Physical therapy. You know, to recover from an injury or surgery?”
“I know what physical therapy is. Yes, why?”
“Did it hurt? Did the therapy bring you to tears and make you hate life for the thirty minutes the therapist was working on you?”
She sighed. “Yes.”
He glanced over, didn’t see her expression through the dark sunglasses covering her eyes. “I’m your therapist, Alex. You can cuss, yell, scream, and plead, but I’m still going to do what I need to in order to keep you safe. And when it’s all said and done, you’ll thank me for it.”
She stared straight forward. “You’re arrogant.”
“You’re stubborn.”
When her lips lifted, he knew he’d broken through her armor.
They arrived at the estate to find two black SUVs in the circular drive. One, Hawk recognized as part of Ed’s fleet. The other appeared to be a car from a professional driver. “Are you expecting someone?” Hawk asked.
“My mom . . . and Gaylord.”
“The boyfriend?”
“Fiancé,” she corrected.
“Seems to be a lot of that going on around here.”
Alex reached for the door as soon as the engine was turned off. “Yeah, well ... someone has to keep the marriage industry in business.”
That’s an interesting comment, Hawk mused.
He followed Alex up the steps and directly into a beautiful, older version of her.
The mother.
Alex’s mother didn’t let Alex put her purse down before forcing a hug. “Oh, thank God. What are you doing? I thought you’d be here.”
“I had to—”
“There she is,” the booming voice of a man came from around the corner.
Wearing a cowboy hat and boots, jeans, and a button-up pearl-snap shirt, the man Hawk assumed was the fiancé strode into the foyer. “Where have you been, young filly? You scared your mama half to death.”
“I went to the office.”
Hawk stood back and tried not to grin as the parents lit into Alex for leaving the manor.
It was rewarding to witness.
“Your life was threatened yesterday, and you went to the office.” The mother turned to look at Gaylord. “Went to the office!”
The mom was mad.
“Security is everywhere.” Alex glanced over her shoulder at Hawk.
“That doesn’t mean you need to be there.”
The mom pulled away, as did some of her anger. “I’m just worried, honey.”
“Chase is there ... are you worried about him?” Alex asked.
“That’s different,” Gaylord chided.
“That’s sexist.”
Hawk crossed his arms over his chest and tried not to smile.
“Don’t care if it is,” Gaylord replied.
It was then that Gaylord looked directly at Hawk.
Hawk didn’t wait for an introduction. He stepped forward and extended a hand. “Hawk Bronson, sir. Alex’s—”
“Babysitter,” Alex interrupted. “And he’s just as bad as the two of you.”
“I prefer bodyguard , personal security ... I’ve never been one for diapers and binkies.”
Gaylord teased a smile. His handshake firm and deliberate.
“Well, at least you had the good sense for that,” the mother said, turning to Hawk. “I’m Vivian.”
“A pleasure,” Hawk said. “You’re just as beautiful as your ...”
Oh, fuck ... he had not meant to say that. “Daughter,” he finished, unable to pull the words back in.
“Thank you,” Vivian said, smiling. “Hopefully I’m not as stubborn.”
Hawk felt Alex’s stare.
As much as he’d have liked to ignore it, he wasn’t built like that.
He met her stare and added his own.
It was Vivian that pulled her away. “Max was telling us what the authorities are doing. Do you have any idea who could have done this?”
Alex kept her eyes on him as she walked with her mother, then snapped out of his orbit and left him in the foyer.
“Gaylord Morrison, by the way. Thank you for taking care of her.”
Hawk shook his head. “I have a feeling it’s going to be like watching high schoolers at prom sneaking drinks.”
Gaylord patted him on the back and walked them both out of the entryway to the house. “Take it from a man who raised his kids without their mama ... best thing you can do is anticipate her moves and beat her to them.”
“That’s good advice.”