Page 16
Story: Road Trip with Her Bodyguard
I pump the gas, then move the car before we go into the station to grab some snacks and sodas. By the time we return, the texts are flooding in.
Gerald: Where the hell are you? Where’s my daughter?
Gerald: This was NOT the plan. She was supposed to fly to Georgia.
Gerald: Her mother wants to talk to her right this second.
Gerald: How am I supposed to keep tabs on you when you don’t do as you’re fucking told?
Jorie leans in to read with me, then sighs. “Yeah, he hates it when people don’t obey his instructions to the letter.”
I caress her back gently. “I’m sorry. That must have been hard to deal with growing up.”
She shrugs. “Pfft, we mostly ignored each other. He was never around anyway. He’s only started paying attention to me now that I’m old enough to come out to events with them.” She grins, making a gagging noise. “I feel he’s showing me off and trying to introduce me to guys he’d like me to date.”
My spine stiffens. “Have you ever been interested in any of them?”
“Nope.” There’s a dreamy glow in her eyes. “I guess I never knew what I was looking for…until recently.”
It hits me again like another ton of bricks: her family is going to go ballistic when they discover we’re together. Her father in particular is going to view it as me taking advantage of the situation.
“Jorie, maybe we should talk about…”
The phone pings yet again.
Gerald: I demand you respond to me right now. Tell me she’s all right, and precisely where you are.
She is safe and happy. I’m not going to make any detailed comments through a device that could possibly be traced. You’re tech savvy enough that you should appreciate that. Unless of course you are less concerned about keeping her safe than you say?
Holding out the phone, I wait until Jorie reads the message and nods her approval before I hit send.
Gerald: You ignorant piece of shit. Get her to Georgia immediately. I will take over personally.
If anyone has been tracking your phone, they will know where you are and where you want her to go. I’m sticking to your original instructions to keep her safe, and that means I am staying off the radar, and away from you. This phone will be dropped into a garbage can in 10 seconds. We will contact you again tomorrow with an update.
Once again, I wait for Jorie’s approval before hitting send.
Instead of actually ditching the phone, I snap out the SIM card and put it in the signal blocking box in the trunk with our other phones.
I want to see how he responds, but that will be at the next rest stop, away from Jorie. If her father is devolving into a complete asshole, I don’t know how much of that she should see.
I need Jorie to stay calm and enjoy our trip. Especially when I’m about to take her to my own private paradise.
9
JORIE
My eyes have been completely opened.
If it weren’t for Dane, this experience would have been a nightmare. If I’d gotten onto that helicopter, I’d be stuck in some ritzy hotel in Georgia with my parents with Mom shopping herself into oblivion and Dad going on about the importance of his latest upcoming merger or acquisition or whatever it is this time.
Instead, I’ve seen a ton of breathtaking scenery, tried new food and listened to new music, and learned about demolition. Asking Dane about his work is fascinating.
“People always think that demolition is just swinging a sledgehammer,” he says, smoothly changing lanes so an eighteen-wheeler can pass us. I’ve noticed he sticks precisely to the speed limit and always gives the right of way to larger vehicles.
“But youdoswing a sledgehammer all the time, right?”
“Quite often, yes. But only after I’ve checked the wall for electrical, plumbing, or anything else. I’m often wielding a crowbar too, if there’s anything like paneling or cabinets or wood trim. A lot of that can be salvaged and reused.”
Gerald: Where the hell are you? Where’s my daughter?
Gerald: This was NOT the plan. She was supposed to fly to Georgia.
Gerald: Her mother wants to talk to her right this second.
Gerald: How am I supposed to keep tabs on you when you don’t do as you’re fucking told?
Jorie leans in to read with me, then sighs. “Yeah, he hates it when people don’t obey his instructions to the letter.”
I caress her back gently. “I’m sorry. That must have been hard to deal with growing up.”
She shrugs. “Pfft, we mostly ignored each other. He was never around anyway. He’s only started paying attention to me now that I’m old enough to come out to events with them.” She grins, making a gagging noise. “I feel he’s showing me off and trying to introduce me to guys he’d like me to date.”
My spine stiffens. “Have you ever been interested in any of them?”
“Nope.” There’s a dreamy glow in her eyes. “I guess I never knew what I was looking for…until recently.”
It hits me again like another ton of bricks: her family is going to go ballistic when they discover we’re together. Her father in particular is going to view it as me taking advantage of the situation.
“Jorie, maybe we should talk about…”
The phone pings yet again.
Gerald: I demand you respond to me right now. Tell me she’s all right, and precisely where you are.
She is safe and happy. I’m not going to make any detailed comments through a device that could possibly be traced. You’re tech savvy enough that you should appreciate that. Unless of course you are less concerned about keeping her safe than you say?
Holding out the phone, I wait until Jorie reads the message and nods her approval before I hit send.
Gerald: You ignorant piece of shit. Get her to Georgia immediately. I will take over personally.
If anyone has been tracking your phone, they will know where you are and where you want her to go. I’m sticking to your original instructions to keep her safe, and that means I am staying off the radar, and away from you. This phone will be dropped into a garbage can in 10 seconds. We will contact you again tomorrow with an update.
Once again, I wait for Jorie’s approval before hitting send.
Instead of actually ditching the phone, I snap out the SIM card and put it in the signal blocking box in the trunk with our other phones.
I want to see how he responds, but that will be at the next rest stop, away from Jorie. If her father is devolving into a complete asshole, I don’t know how much of that she should see.
I need Jorie to stay calm and enjoy our trip. Especially when I’m about to take her to my own private paradise.
9
JORIE
My eyes have been completely opened.
If it weren’t for Dane, this experience would have been a nightmare. If I’d gotten onto that helicopter, I’d be stuck in some ritzy hotel in Georgia with my parents with Mom shopping herself into oblivion and Dad going on about the importance of his latest upcoming merger or acquisition or whatever it is this time.
Instead, I’ve seen a ton of breathtaking scenery, tried new food and listened to new music, and learned about demolition. Asking Dane about his work is fascinating.
“People always think that demolition is just swinging a sledgehammer,” he says, smoothly changing lanes so an eighteen-wheeler can pass us. I’ve noticed he sticks precisely to the speed limit and always gives the right of way to larger vehicles.
“But youdoswing a sledgehammer all the time, right?”
“Quite often, yes. But only after I’ve checked the wall for electrical, plumbing, or anything else. I’m often wielding a crowbar too, if there’s anything like paneling or cabinets or wood trim. A lot of that can be salvaged and reused.”