Page 11 of My One and Only (Blackhawk Security #10)

J o sat on the couch in Cam’s living room. No one glancing in from the sidewalk would see her, but she could see the sidewalk clearly, as well as Cam’s back yard. Her gaze swept the street in front of his house and the yard behind it. No signs of anyone. Every ten minutes or so, she walked to one window, stood where the drape hid her, and scanned the surrounding area. Then repeated it at the other window. Nothing was ever different. No cars parked in front of his house. No one lingering on the street. No one crouched behind the bushes in the back yard. Cam would probably have been fine by himself, but she wasn’t willing to take that chance.

She’d never lost anyone on an assignment, and she didn’t want to start with Cam. She had no idea who’d crashed into him, but it had happened right after she’d seen the inspector take a wad of cash. Right after Cam had discovered the faulty material used in the houses. It wasn’t hard to connect the dots.

But between the city inspector and all the men and women building his houses, it left her with way too many suspects.

In between her sweeps of the front and back of the house, she looked at her phone. Caught up on emails from Blackhawk Security. Texts from friends. An email from her mother, which she answered briefly by explaining she was acting as Cam’s bodyguard, so she wouldn’t be home tonight.

As she hit send, she rolled her eyes, imagining her mom’s reaction. Her mother could build a whole novel around her staying at Cam’s house. She’d focus on the ‘staying at Cam’s house’ part and ignore the ‘to protect him’ part.

About an hour after she’d settled in, she heard a key in the back door. Jumping to her feet, she put her hand on the gun in its holster beneath her left arm. Staying out of sight behind the wall separating the kitchen from the living room, she watched Cam’s mom and a young, blond girl who looked about five or six walk through the door.

Re-holstering her gun, she stepped into the kitchen, a smile pasted on her face. “Mrs. Pierce,” she said, emerging from her hiding place in the living room.

Cam’s mom jerked her head away from the little girl. “Jo!” she said, delighted. “What on earth are you doing here?”

“Looking out for Cam,” Jo said. She glanced at the child holding Cam’s mom’s hand. “Because of the accident,” she said, trying not to alarm the girl.

Cam’s mom beamed at her. “That’s so nice of you to take care of Cam. I appreciate it.”

Jo’s gaze touched on the girl, and Mrs. Pierce caught the signal. “Jo, this is Fiona, Cam’s daughter.” She wrapped her arm around the girl’s shoulders. “Fee, this is Ms. Finster, a friend of your dad’s from high school.”

“Hello, Ms. Finster,” the girl said with a big smile. “Are you my daddy’s girlfriend?”

“Fiona,” Mrs. Pierce stuttered, tightening her hold on the girl. “That’s not your business.”

“Why not?” the girl asked.

“Because that’s between your father and Ms. Finster.”

“It’s Hatch, Mrs. Pierce,” she said quietly. “Jo Hatch”

The older woman’s eyes widened. “You’re married?” she asked, looking at Jo’s left hand.

“No. Widowed,” Jo said.

Cam’s mom’s face fell. “I’m so sorry, Jo. I didn’t know.”

“Why would you have?” Jo asked. “I haven’t seen you or Cam since we graduated from high school.” She pressed her lips together, determined to keep the memories from elbowing their way out.

Transferring her attention to Fiona, Jo crouched in front of the girl and nodded at the backpack that looked too big for her slender body. “Were you in school today?”

Fiona nodded as she slipped off the backpack. “First grade,” she said proudly. “I have homework, too.”

“I bet your daddy helps you with it, doesn’t he?” Jo asked.

Fiona nodded. “Sometimes Gram does, too. But we had to go shopping today, so Daddy’s going to have to help me.”

Jo glanced up at Cam’s mom, raising one eyebrow. Mrs. Pierce read her question perfectly. “Fiona knows her dad had a car accident,” the older woman said. “Knows he hurt his head.” She touched the child’s shoulder. “Why don’t you go into his room and see if he’s awake? If he’s not, give him a kiss but don’t wake him up. He needs to sleep.”

“Okay, Nana,” Fiona said, shoving her Frozen -themed backpack to the side with one purple sneaker. Then she ran toward the hall where the bedrooms must be.

As soon as the girl was out of sight, Cam’s mom turned to Jo. “How did you convince him to let you into the house?” she asked.

So his mom realized Cam could be a pain in the ass. Jo smiled. “I didn’t give him a choice. He hired me as his bodyguard, and me being in the same space he’s in is part of the deal.”

“He hired you as his bodyguard?” Mrs. Pierce reared back a little, as if the idea shocked her. “Why does he need a bodyguard?”

“When the accident happened, I was in my car, right behind him,” Jo said, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Fiona wasn’t in hearing range. “It wasn’t an accident, which he probably didn’t tell you. He was targeted. The truck that hit him was waiting at that intersection. The driver accelerated into the intersection as soon as he spotted Cam’s truck. Cam was lucky that he’d started to move. That shifted the impact to behind the driver’s door. But Cam still banged his head on the steering wheel hard enough to get a concussion. He needs a bodyguard, and that’s why he hired me.”

Cam’s mom put her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. “The accident wasn’t an accident?”

“No, it wasn’t,” Jo said. “I was right behind Cam, and the other truck began to move as soon as Cam reached the intersection.”

“And that’s why he needs a bodyguard,” Mrs. Pierce said, staring at Jo.

“Exactly. Because I’m expecting another attack.”

The older woman frowned as she studied Jo, and Jo saw it in her eyes -- Cam’s mom saw the kid she’d been fifteen years ago. Not the professional that Jo was now. “If he needs a bodyguard, shouldn’t he hire a professional?”

“I am a professional, Mrs. Pierce,” Jo said calmly. “I work for a company called Blackhawk Security. Our operatives are very well trained, and I’ve been doing this for more than a year. I just finished a job in Seattle, and I came home to visit my mom during my leave time. But that’s over in four days. I’m volunteering my time to guard Cam, but if he wants me to continue, he’ll have to sign a contract with Blackhawk Security.”

Mrs. Pierce tilted her head and studied Jo, curiosity in her gaze. “How did you end up as a bodyguard, Jo?”

“It’s a long story, and I’d rather not talk about it around Fiona,” she said. She pulled another card out of her wallet and handed it to Cam’s mom. “You can call my boss if you have any questions about my training or my ability to keep Cam safe.” She tapped the card under Mel’s name. “Mel Melborne is one of the owners. She’ll be happy to talk to you.”

The older woman stared down at the card for a moment, then looked up at Jo. “I don’t need to do that, Jo. I trust you’re telling me the truth. I’m just wondering how that sweet girl from high school ended up as a bodyguard.”

“I took what life handed me and made a career of it,” Jo said. She glanced down the hall, where she could hear Fiona talking to Cam. “Do you want to leave Fiona with me tonight, or have her stay with you and your husband?”

Cam’s mom studied her for a long moment, then took a deep breath. “No offense, Jo, but I’ll keep her with me. If Cam’s in enough danger to have a bodyguard, I don’t want Fiona in the house with him. At least not tonight, when he’s not able to defend himself or Fiona if something happens.”

“No offense taken, Mrs. Pierce. Besides, I’d prefer her to be with you. That way I can focus on my job tonight and not have to worry about Fiona, as well.”

Mrs. Pierce let out a breath she probably hadn’t realized she was holding. “Good. I’ll get Fiona’s toothbrush and clothes for school tomorrow and take her to our house.” She pointed out the window to the house directly behind Cam’s. “We live there, so we’re not far away. When Cam wakes up, tell him she’s with us.”

“I’ll do that, Mrs. Pierce,” Jo said. “And since I’m not sure who targeted Cam or why, I’m glad Fiona won’t be in the house tonight.”

Mrs. Pierce nodded. “Call me Carole,” she said, and Jo could see that her smile was forced. “We’re both adults. Take care of my son. Keep him safe, and I’ll be in your debt forever.”

“I’ll do my best,” Jo said. Then added with a smile, “And my best is pretty damn good.”

Carole studied her for a long moment, then said, “I’m sure it is, Jo. You were always almost frighteningly competent.”

“Thanks, Mrs. … Carole.” Jo forced a smile. “I’ll see you soon, I’m sure.”

“I’ll bring Fiona over after school tomorrow,” Carole said. “Assuming that Cam is feeling better by then.”

“However he’s doing, I’ll make sure he lets you know tomorrow,” Jo said. As she watched Carole and Fiona leave, just before she ducked out the door, Fiona turned and gave Jo a shy smile. Waved at her, then disappeared as Carole closed the door.

That smile from Fiona? It squeezed Jo’s heart. Once she’d moved away from Ogden, she hadn’t been around kids. The only kids in the war zones in Afghanistan hid from the soldiers. And once she’d come home from the states? She’d joined Blackhawk Security, and none of her bodyguard jobs had involved children.

But Cam had a daughter. So Jo needed to get comfortable being around Fiona. Comfortable telling Fiona what to do without scaring her. And she’d need to learn how to relate to a five or six-year-old.

Jo stood up, studied the area outside each of the windows and exhaled when nothing had changed. The sound of feet moving slowly down the hall alerted her that Cam was approaching the living room.

“Jo?” Cam called as he reached her.

“I’m right here,” she said, hurrying to his side. She reached to help him but drew her hands away. The less she touched Cam, the better. For her, at least. Maybe for Cam, as well.

Cam swayed on his feet as he studied her, and she finally took his arm. “Come sit down, tough guy. Tell me what you need.”

She guided him to the couch, eased him down, then sat on a chair that faced the sofa. “What is it, Cam?”

“You met Fiona.” He studied her intently as he said it.

“I did, yes,” Jo replied. “She’s a nice kid.”

“I don’t want her getting attached to you,” Cam finally said. “Because you’re leaving. And she’s already had too much loss in her life.”

How exactly was she supposed to make sure Fiona didn’t get attached to her? She leaned toward Cam, her spine straight.

“I’m not going to be mean to her, Cam. I’m not going to ignore her or tell her she can’t talk to me. Or be around me.” Jo sat ramrod straight and held his gaze until he looked away.

So he didn’t want her to engage with his daughter.

That was too damn bad. Fiona had to be comfortable with her if Jo was going to protect her.

Leaning toward Cam, she stared at him until he looked at her. “Protecting Fiona is a package deal,” she said. “She’s too young to protect herself, and she’s your daughter. Which means someone could target her in order to get to you. Unless you want her to stay with your parents until your situation is resolved and you don’t need me anymore.”

She held his gaze until he looked away. So he’d actually thought about that. About keeping Fiona out of sight. Hidden away from her.

Anger roared through her, making her speak without thinking. “You think whoever is targeting you doesn’t know about Fiona? If you do, you’re delusional. Assassins make it their business to know everything about their target, including all the details of their families. So either you send her away with your parents, to a location they keep hidden from you, or you keep her close where I can guard her, too.”

Cam pressed his fingers to his head. “Assassins, Jo? Really? Assassins don’t drive blue trucks and run stop signs. I don’t have assassins after me.”

“Maybe that was the wrong word,” she said, trying to shove her anger back below the surface, where it could bubble without showing itself. “I doubt trained assassins are after you. But whoever is targeting you is, essentially, an assassin. Someone hired to kill you. Or someone who wants to kill you for their own reasons. And if they think they can use Fiona against you, they won’t hesitate to take her. If you don’t want your daughter around me, send your mom and dad out of town with Fiona. Have them take her to Disney World, or out of town friends. Someplace hard to discover.

“Or keep her close and let me guard her, too.”

He swallowed and looked down at the floor. Following his gaze, she saw his bare feet. They were long and narrow. Pale white, as if they never saw the sun. Without looking up, he asked, “What would that entail? Guarding her as well?”

“She wouldn’t stay with your mom after school, or at all,” Jo said immediately. “You and I would drop her off at school and pick her up. After we picked her up in the afternoon, we’d hang at your office until you were done working, or we’d all come back here and you’d work from home.”

He opened his mouth to speak, and she held up her hand. “I know that’s inconvenient. You probably have meetings most days. Have to visit work sites. But she’d only be with you from the time school got out until we came back here. You could rearrange your schedule to get most of your meetings and visits to work sites finished by the time we picked her up from school.”

“So we’d leave her unprotected in school all day?” he said, narrowing his eyes at her.

Jo shook her head. “Because of all the school shootings, most schools are fortresses these days. All the doors are locked. Only people with legitimate business are allowed past the doors. As long as you talk to her teacher and the principal and make it clear that Fiona might be a target, she’ll be about as safe as possible when she’s in school.”

He slumped back on the couch and closed his eyes, and Jo saw lines of pain on his forehead. He didn’t need to be having this conversation tonight. He needed to sleep.

“Before you go back to bed, do you want anything to eat?” she asked.

He raised one eyebrow. “You can cook?”

She laughed. “No. I know how to use a telephone, though. I’m really good at ordering food. What would you like to eat?”

He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. Opened his eyes again. “Pizza. It’s the only thing that appeals to me right now.”

“Great. I love pizza. Tell me who you order from and what kind of pizza you like, and I’ll place an order. Have it delivered.”

“Al’s pizza,” he said immediately. “I want pepperoni and mushrooms. And whatever you want.”

“Pepperoni and mushrooms sounds great. When do you want to eat?”

He shrugged. “An hour or two? I need to get more sleep.”

“I’ll order a pizza and have it delivered two hours from now. And if you’re still asleep, I’ll wake you up.”

“Sounds good,” he said. He stood slowly. Wobbled for a several seconds, then began to shuffle down the hall toward his bedroom.

“You want some help?” she called.

“I can manage,” he shot back. A few moments later she heard him drop onto the mattress. Bedsheets rustled as he pulled the covers over himself, and then there was nothing but silence from his room.

She was right. Cam Pierce was going to be a total PITA as a client.

Jo stood up and walked into the kitchen. Studied the layout of the drawers, trying to figure out which one would have the take-out menus. It took three tries, but she found the stack of menus in the bottom drawer of the kitchen planning desk. She dug through them until she found Al’s Pizza’s menu.

His address book was below the stack of menus, and she opened it to the Ps. Found an entry for his parents. Dialed the number, then stood, looking out the back window.

“Cam?” Carole’s voice was filled with worry. “Everything all right?”

“It’s Jo, Carole. Checking in. Cam was up a few minutes ago, and we had a chance to talk. It’s going to be easier to protect Cam and Fiona if she’s here all the time. Starting tomorrow, we’ll take her to school and pick her up. You’re welcome to come see her anytime, but she’ll need to stay with Cam and me whenever she’s not in school. To prevent anyone who wants to hurt Cam from using Fiona against him.”

There were several beats of silence on the line, then Carole drew in a deep breath. “Yeah, I, ah, understand. Should I bring her back after she eats dinner tonight?”

Jo would prefer Fiona be with her, but she was pretty sure the girl would be safe with her grandparents for tonight. “Let her stay with you tonight,” Jo said. “Make sure all the doors and windows are locked. And if you have an alarm for the house, double check that it’s set.”

“We’ve never needed an alarm,” Carole said defensively. “Ogden’s a safe town.”

“Okay, then, we’ll see you in the morning.” Saying goodbye, Jo ended the call. She looked out the back window, studying everything, then returned to the living room and swept the area in front of the house. Everything was in order.

But as she dropped onto the couch, she closed her eyes. What had she done? Could she guard Cam and Fiona? Without letting personal feelings get in the way?

Better her than anyone else, she told herself. She would be invested in Cam and Fiona’s safety like no one else would be.

But she didn’t want to think about why that was.