Page 21 of Wrecked (McIntyre Security Bodyguard #16)

The whole Howard Kline debacle comes to a sudden and unexpected end when Jake’s surveillance team notifies Shane that Kline is on his way to Beth’s townhouse in Hyde Park.

Beth hasn’t lived in the townhouse in quite a while—she moved into the penthouse with Shane and me—but Kline doesn’t know that.

For the past few months, Shane has had Beth’s doppelganger living there, posing as Beth.

Caroline Palmer, a highly experienced McIntyre Security employee, looks so much like Beth, it’s uncanny.

Shane’s plan was to have Caroline living there, along with a back-up team for protection. The hope was that Kline would make a move on Caroline—thinking she was Beth—and Caroline and her team would be ready for him.

And it worked. When Shane was informed that Kline was on his way to the townhouse, Shane got there first. He, along with Jake and Caroline, waited for Kline in Beth’s upstairs bedroom.

When Kline broke into Beth’s townhouse this evening, he made his way upstairs to her bedroom armed with a gun. Shane was waiting for him, and when Kline attempted to shoot the woman he thought was Beth, Shane shot and killed him.

Then Shane called me, asking me to come take care of Beth while the police investigated the scene.

When I walk into the townhouse, I find Shane sitting with Beth on the sofa in the parlor. He seems pretty chill, considering he just shot and killed a man. Beth, on the other hand, is an absolute wreck. Understandably, of course.

“Do you want me to call Troy?” I figure Shane’s going to need his attorney before this is over.

“Not yet,” he says, calm as a cucumber. “Let’s see how this plays out. If there’s a complication, call him.”

A complication … meaning Shane is arrested for murder. That would definitely count as a complication.

Beth looks like she could pass out any minute. I’d like to get her out of here ASAP.

Jake is here, along with his team. He calls 911 to report the break-in and subsequent shooting. All in self-defense, of course.

I can tell Beth’s panicking inside.

“Don’t worry, Beth,” I say as I stand at the front window to watch for the police to arrive.

“What Shane did is perfectly lawful. Kline committed a felony by breaking into your home, armed. Shane faced the threat of imminent death or great bodily injury. He’s in the clear.

They’ll question him, but they won’t charge him with anything. ”

At least that’s what I’m hoping happens.

Flashing lights signal the arrival of the cops. “Shane, they’re here.”

Shane kisses Beth’s temple before he stands and asks me, “Cooper, come sit with Beth.”

I open the front door to let three uniformed officers in. Shane meets them in the foyer and gives them a run-down of what happened here tonight.

My job is to reassure Beth. I sit down and put my arm around her. No surprise, but she’s shaking.

“He broke into my girlfriend’s house,” Shane explains to the cops. “He came upstairs to our bedroom and pulled a gun on me. I shot him before he could pull the trigger.”

That’s it. Short and sweet. It was self-defense. End of story, right? God, I hope so.

The next thing I know, Tyler pulls up in front of the townhouse and races inside. He’s mad as hell. “Where is she?”

He’s referring to his sister, of course.

Damn. Things just got really complicated.

Tyler and Shane are not on good footing.

Tyler thinks it’s highly inappropriate for Shane to be romantically involved with his sister.

Not only is she much younger than Shane, but Tyler considers Shane’s involvement with her as professionally unethical.

Shane was hired to protect Beth, not seduce her—at least that’s how Tyler sees it.

Tyler takes one look at his distraught sister, and then he lunges at Shane, grabbing him by his shirt and slamming him into the foyer wall. “What the fuck were you thinking?” His face darkens with rage as he wraps his hands around Shane’s throat. “You son of a bitch! She could have been killed!”

Beth jumps up from the sofa. “Tyler, stop!”

I haul her back down beside me, holding onto her tightly as Tyler and Shane go at it. Tyler punches Shane, knocking his head against the wall. Beth screams as she watches Shane stagger from the blow, blood streaming from his nose.

The uniformed officers jump in then to break up the fight. One of them throws Shane face first against a wall and begins to cuff him.

Beth struggles to free herself from my grip.

Jake comes thundering down the stairs to see what all the commotion is about. It’s utter chaos.

Tyler tries to catch his breath. “What the fuck were you thinking, Shane?”

Shane glares at Tyler. “I did what had to be done.”

Beth manages to pull free and run to Shane, clinging to his arm. An officer tries to hold her back. “Miss—”

“Get her back, Cooper!” Shane yells, his voice ragged.

“Arrest him,” Tyler orders the officers.

“You have the right to remain silent,” the cop says to Shane. “Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.”

“No!” Beth cries as she sobs. Suddenly, she’s struggling to breathe. All this stress is throwing her into an asthma attack.

“Get her inhaler!” Shane yells. “It’s in my jacket pocket.”

Tyler goes for the inhaler. He shakes it and holds it to Beth’s mouth. “Breathe in, Beth,” he says as he administers the medication. “It’s okay, kiddo. Just breathe.”

Devastated, Shane looks on as Beth begins to breathe more freely. “Beth, sweetheart, I’m sorry.”

Beth looks her brother in the eye. “Tyler, please. Don’t let them take him.”

Tyler looks away. “Take him to the local precinct,” he orders. “I’ll be along shortly, after I see to my sister.”

Shane meets my gaze. “I guess you’d better call Troy.”

It looks like Shane will need his attorney after all.

* * *

I drive Beth back to the penthouse. Lia is already there, waiting for us. I gave her a heads-up, filled her in on what happened tonight.

When Beth sees Lia, she bursts into tears.

“Shit, Princess,” Lia says as she wraps her arms around Beth. “What the hell has my big brother done this time?”

After reiterating everything that happened tonight, Beth lets Lia lead her to the great room. The two girls crash on one of the sofas. Beth reaches for a fleece blanket and wraps herself up.

I pour Beth a shot of whiskey. “Drink this.”

She swallows it down, gasping and coughing as it burns her throat. “Another, please,” she says, holding out her glass.

I do as she asked, and she knocks that one back, too.

Someone must have alerted the McIntyre family because before long a bunch of them arrive.

Liam is the next one to show up. Then Jamie and his dog, Gus.

Their sister Sophie joins us next. The only siblings not here are Jake, who’s still back at Beth’s townhouse, and their sister Hannah, who is away at college.

I hate abandoning Shane to his fate right now, but I know my place is here with Beth. It’s what he’d want. She’s his priority. He’s trusting me to take care of her.

Shane’s siblings say what they can to try to cheer Beth up and assure her everything’s going to be all right.

As the night drags on, Beth is exhausted and barely able to stay awake. I try to talk her into going to bed, but that’s a waste of time. She’s not moving from that sofa until Shane comes home.

She’s half asleep when my phone rings. Beth’s eyes pop open and she looks at me for news.

After a brief conversation with Shane’s attorney, I end the call. “That was Troy. Shane’s been booked, and they’ve moved him to the county jail.”

Beth looks gutted.

“On what charges?” Liam asks.

I roll my eyes. “Assaulting a police officer.”

That jolts Beth out of her stupor. “Tyler’s the one who started the fight! Shane was only defending himself!”

Lia tries to mollify Beth. “Look at the bright side, Princess. They haven’t charged him with murder. An assault charge is nothing in comparison to that.”

I shake my head. “I need a drink.”

Beth announces she wants to go to the jail, but I put the kibosh on that real quick. There’s no way in hell I’m letting her go anywhere tonight.

Eventually, Beth falls asleep on the sofa. I carry her to her room and put her in bed. But it’s not long before she wakes up and returns to the great room, right back on the sofa with Lia, who’s asleep. The rest of the siblings have gone home.

I’m sitting on one of the armchairs, attempting to read, even though it’s pointless. I can’t concentrate on a single word.

I imagine Shane is beside himself right now, worrying about Beth. As for me, I’d sure like to get my hands on Tyler.

* * *

A couple of hours later, the elevator chimes as the doors open. Shane walks into the great room, looking disheveled. He walks straight to the back of the sofa, leans over, and kisses Beth’s forehead.

Her eyes flutter open as she gazes up at him. “Shane?”

“Yeah, I’m home, just a little worse for wear.”

After their tender greeting, Shane scoops Beth up in his arms. “Thanks, man,” he says to me.

I nod. “Anytime.”

As I watch them disappear down the hallway, I’m grateful that Howard Kline is no longer a threat to Beth. They can move on with their lives without that shadow hanging over them.

I’m tempted to call Sam and give him an update on what happened, but it’s the middle of the night, and he’s asleep. I don’t want to wake him. I guess he’ll find out soon enough.