The Doctor's Defender (Protection Specialists Book 3) (6 page)

“That’s why I’m here,” he reminded her.

“Exactly. You’re trained at what you do. So am I. I’m a doctor. I should have been told about his illness. I could help him, make sure he’s getting the best care possible.”

“But he is getting the best care possible, right? You said his doctor was the best oncologist in town.”

“True, but...” She closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, there was a bleakness to her gaze that ripped at him. “I feel so helpless.” Anger colored her words. “There’s nothing I can do for him, nothing he’ll let me do for him.”

Flipping on a blinker, Kyle changed lanes. “You could pray.”

She cut him a sharp glance. “You think God will heal him?”

Doubt underscored her statement.

He met her gaze. “You don’t believe that could happen?”

She sighed. “I—I don’t know what I believe. I’ve heard stories of people trusting God and getting better. I know my parents believe it’s possible.” She shrugged. “I’ve just never seen it happen.”

He drove around the block twice, keeping his gaze alert for any threats. He didn’t see any. “And you need to see it to believe it?”

She gestured with her hands as if to say, “What can I say?”

“I’m enmeshed in science. Theory must be proven to become fact.”

He made a scoffing sound in his throat. “So you take nothing on faith?”

“Do you?” she countered, her laser-sharp gaze pinning him to the seat.

He thought about that as he parallel parked his rig at the curb outside her apartment building. He cut the engine and shifted toward her. He didn’t normally share his faith with clients. That wasn’t what he was hired to do. But since she asked... “I do. It took me a while to get there because I didn’t grow up believing in God. But when I joined the Navy, I realized something was missing in my life. That something was faith. I know God’s real, even if I can’t see Him.”

“That makes you and me very different.”

“All it takes is being open and willing.”

“I’m not there.” She reached for the door handle. “I won’t ever be there.”

Her statement made him sad for her, but he wouldn’t judge her. God would bring her to Him in His time. “Sit tight. I’ll come around.”

She sat back with a nod.

Exiting the vehicle, Kyle scanned the area for any potential hazards. Looking for anyone seeming too interested or trying hard not to appear interested, he searched for any manned cars idling nearby. None. He searched the rooftops, the windows of the buildings, the nooks and crannies that might provide cover for a shooter. Not finding anything worth noting as a threat, he opened the passenger door.

Brenda climbed out.

He immediately positioned her in front of him at arm’s length, allowing him to see any upcoming threats to which he’d need to adjust and react to, and to protect her from possible attack from behind.

They reached the door of her apartment building. His hand on her shoulder, he kept her from entering. He went through first, assuring himself no danger waited within the lobby, then tugged her forward by the hand. They rode the elevator to the fifteenth floor. When the doors to the elevator slid open, he motioned for her to stay put as he stepped off, assessing the hallway. He hated the tight space. So many doors hiding possible threats. The corridor was empty. He motioned her out of the elevator. Keeping her positioned in front of him to his right, they went to her apartment door.

Brenda gasped.

The dead bolt had been punched through.

Someone had broken into her apartment.

FIVE

T
he buzz of adrenaline filled Kyle’s head. Had the intruder come and gone? Or was there someone lying in wait inside the apartment like a spider stalking its prey?

Down the hall the elevator dinged. Someone was coming.

He pushed Brenda behind him and drew his weapon.

The elevator doors slid open but no one exited. The doors slid shut.

He didn’t like how exposed they were in the hallway.

Heart pumping, Kyle pushed open Brenda’s apartment door with his foot. No movement from inside. Leading with his weapon, he crossed the threshold and entered the apartment. Brenda’s hand fisted the back of his shirt as she stepped in behind him.

“Oh, no,” she said.

Her apartment had been trashed. His gut clenched with a mixture of anger at the violation but also relief that she hadn’t been here to face the intruder.

Her couch had been ripped to shreds, the stuffing strewn all over the place. The photos on the walls were yanked off their hooks and smashed on the carpet. Glass from the frames glittered in the light streaming in through the open curtains.

Putting a finger to his lips, he motioned for her to remain quiet. The intruder could still be in the apartment.

He urged her into the kitchen, behind the dividing wall. The contents of the cupboards and drawers had been dumped out on the tile floor. Eyes wide, she crouched down, pushing at the discarded utensils to make room.

“Stay down,” he cautioned quietly.

He moved through the apartment quickly. He found the same sort of destruction in her bathroom and bedroom. But no intruder.

“All clear,” he said when he returned to the living room.

Brenda stood, her face ashen. “Why would someone do this?”

He went to her side. “This sort of destruction seems very personal.”

He dialed 911 on his cell phone and explained the situation to the operator, asking for Detective Lebowitz
to be contacted.

Taking her by the hand, he led her out of the apartment. Keeping his weapon ready, they approached the elevator. He pushed the down button then positioned them off to the side.

“We aren’t going to wait for the police?” she asked, her voice tight.

“We’ll wait downstairs. They’ll need to process the scene.”

The door of the elevator slid open. Kyle peered inside, ready to take out a bad guy if necessary. No one was inside, yet the fine hairs at the back of his neck prickled.

“But I need clothes,” she insisted.

“Later.” He let the doors slide closed and tugged her past the elevator toward the stairs. “Keep close,” he said and guided her down to the lobby without incident. They moved to a windowless section of the lobby to wait.

Within minutes Chicago police arrived. Kyle explained the situation. Three officers went up to secure Brenda’s apartment and wait for the crime-scene unit to arrive to process the scene. Detective Lebowitz climbed out of a brown, nondescript sedan and hurried inside the building.

“Was there anything missing?” the detective asked after Kyle told him about Brenda’s apartment.

Brenda shrugged. “I don’t know. We didn’t hang around long enough for me to account for everything.”

“I’m taking Brenda out of here,” Kyle said, grateful for the police presence that would deter any action on the part of Brenda’s unidentified assailant. “She’ll have to inventory the apartment later.”

Detective Lebowitz patted his breast pocket. “I’ve got your contact info. I’ll be in touch.”

Keeping alert to any threats, Kyle escorted Brenda to his SUV.

“Where are we going?” she asked as he drove them out of the city.

Good question. He dug out his cell, punched the speed-dial number for Trent Associates and put the call on Speaker. Within a couple of seconds he had his boss on the line.

“Hey, boss, it’s Kyle. I have a situation.” He explained what had happened both at the hospital and at Brenda’s apartment.

“Is the client all right?”

Kyle glanced at Brenda sitting so composed in the passenger seat. She was holding it together. Impressively so. He arched an eyebrow when her gaze met his.

“Yes, I’m okay, sir,” Brenda said.

Her calm voice surprised him. She’d come close to dying today, yet she was as cool as ice. Better than hysterics, he thought. He hated when his clients went all theatrical on him. He liked Brenda’s composure. Probably came with the territory of being a surgeon. Steady under pressure.

“Good to hear that, Dr. Storm. I have every confidence Kyle will keep you safe.”

James’s praise meant a great deal to Kyle. There were very few men in the world Kyle looked up to. James was at the top of the list right next to Kyle’s former commanding officer and Judge Fisk, the man who’d been instrumental in Kyle’s decision to enlist in the Navy.

“It will take a couple of hours to arrange a safe house,” James said.

“I have an idea, sir. Felicia Brewster has a lake house an hour and a half outside the city. We can go there.”

Kyle could feel Brenda’s surprised gaze.

“Very well. Check in when you arrive. And as always, if you need anything, you call,” James said and hung up.

“Who is Felicia Brewster?” Brenda asked with a touch of wariness in her tone.

“A family friend.” Kyle wasn’t sure how to explain the complicated nature of his and his sister’s relationship with Felicia Brewster. “I think you’ll like her.”

“Won’t we be putting her in danger?”

He shook his head. “There’s no reason for anyone to connect you to her. And I’ll make sure we’re not followed. If you aren’t comfortable there, then I’ll have James arrange something else.”

After a moment, she asked, “You like your boss?”

Like
was a mild term compared with the feelings Kyle had toward James. Surrogate father, respected mentor, a man Kyle would lay his life down for. “He’s the best.”

* * *

Curious about this man she was placing her life with, Brenda asked, “How did you end up working for Trent Associates?”

“My charm and good looks got me the job.”

She caught sight of the wicked grin on his face. Her stomach muscles clenched. She rolled her eyes to downplay her visceral reaction. The man could be charming when he wanted to be and he was certainly good-looking,
but he was also full of himself. She was sure he had women falling at his feet all the time. A real heartbreaker.

The kind of guy who could make a girl forget what was important, forget what she wanted out of life.

Forget that she didn’t want to get emotionally involved. Especially not with a man who “liked to play the field,” “keep his options open.”

“I’m sure your boss saw something more than that,” she said.

He laughed. “You’ll have to ask him.”

Curiosity urged her to press. “Was Mr. Trent a Navy man, too?”

“No. Marine. When he retired he opened his own protection agency.”

“Are all of his employees ex-military?”

“Some are ex–law enforcement.”

More interested in Kyle than she should be, she asked, “Why did you join the Navy?”

She had a hard time picturing this man taking orders without mouthing off. She doubted that would be tolerated in any branch of the military.

“It was either serve my country or serve time.”

She blew out a frustrated breath. “Yeah, right.”

The man never gave a straight answer. She seriously doubted he’d been forced to enlist. One, she knew that was an old practice long ago abandoned by the military. Second, Kyle didn’t strike her as the criminal type. Irreverent and cocky, sure, but not deviant. He couldn’t be those things as a bodyguard. Could he? A prickling of unease made her realize she didn’t know this man well enough to be sure of anything. Yet she was trusting him. She had to give him the benefit of the doubt.

“You don’t believe me?” he asked with amusement lacing his tone.

“Not really. But if you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. It’s not like we’re friends or anything.”

“Come on, now. I thought we were fast on our way to becoming friends.”

“Hardly.” But the idea of him as a friend... She didn’t have to lose her heart to a friend.

“What? You already have enough friends?”

She shrugged. “Not many.”

It was his turn to scoff as he changed lanes. “I can’t believe that.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Why?”

“Everyone has friends.”

The confidence in his tone made her think he really believed what he was saying. She turned away to stare out the passenger window as a hollow feeling settled in the pit of her stomach.

Not her. She had colleagues, she had subordinates and she had acquaintances. But not friends. There were no confidants for her to share her dreams and wishes. Her secrets.

She’d never really had friends growing up, though not for lack of trying on her mother’s part. Mom had arranged playdates and enrolled her in dance classes, art classes and Girl Scouts. She was always the odd one in the group. Tolerated, but not sought out.

While other little girls were into Barbies and makeup,
she’d been dissecting frogs and growing bacteria in petri dishes for as long as she could remember. Instead of posters of the latest teen sensations hanging on her walls, she’d had the periodic elements table and pictures of Madame Curie. A total geek. A quirk that had never changed.

Even as an adult, she was viewed as an oddity.

Except when she did her work. At the hospital she was someone worthy of respect. Too bad it wasn’t enough to fill the void she tried so hard to ignore.

Kyle’s hand covered her hand. Startled, she reflexively tried to pull away. He held on, the pressure gentle and warm. Somehow soothing.

“I was two weeks shy of my eighteenth birthday when me and a couple guys were caught joyriding in a car that didn’t belong to us,” Kyle said.

She stared at his profile, feeling special because he chose to confide in her. “Uh-oh.”

He flashed her a grin. “Yeah, uh-oh. Thankfully, it was my first offense. The public defender pleaded my case before Judge Fisk.” He shook his head. “I’ll never forget how that crusty old man stared me down from the bench. I thought for sure I was going to juvie. Or worse.”

Brenda tensed. “But he gave you a choice? I thought the military wouldn’t allow enlistment as an alternative to criminal punishment?”

“They don’t. Judge Fisk gave me community service as punishment and strongly suggested I enlist in the military as soon as I turned eighteen. Which I did.”

“That was nice of him to be lenient.”

“Yeah. An unexpected blessing.”

She wasn’t sure what to make of his steadfast faith. How could he believe so strongly in something he couldn’t prove even existed? “And you chose the Navy.”

“Seemed the logical choice given how much I love the water.”

He slowed the SUV and took an off-ramp. A mall appeared up ahead. “Time to shop.”

They went inside a popular department store. Soft music played through unseen speakers. The tile floors gleamed. The air smelled vaguely of perfume. Sales clerks smiled as they entered the women’s clothing section.

Brenda halted just as she crossed the carpeted area marking the beginning of the department. “Do you need clothes?” she asked, hoping he’d say yes and they could each do their own shopping.

“Nah. I’m good. My bags are in the back of the SUV.” He grinned. “Besides, helping you pick out clothes will be more fun.”

Fun? Somehow that wasn’t a word she’d have thought to use. Shopping for clothes was a torture that had to be endured. She’d discovered a few years ago the ease of online purchasing. She’d order a few outfits, try them on in the privacy of her own home and return what didn’t work. Buying clothes was a necessity, not a pastime. But over the next hour she had to admit shopping with Kyle was more enjoyable than she’d have guessed. He had an eye for style and found numerous pieces that coordinated together, which she wouldn’t have picked herself. She wanted only a few key pieces, not a whole new wardrobe.

“Really, Kyle, I just need two pairs of slacks, a couple of shirts and a pair of shoes,” she said, dismayed to see the pile of clothes on the checkout counter when she came out of the dressing room wearing black slacks and a black jersey top.

He arched an eyebrow. “You need color. Lots of color. Reds look stunning on you,” he said, retrieving a garnet silk blouse from the pile. “So does green and blue.” He picked out two more tops. “And you need some jeans.” He laid out the three pairs she’d tried on. “Which one?”

She couldn’t decide. Each was distinctly different. One pair had rhinestone stitched on the pocket and had made her feel glamorous. Another pair had a dark wash with stitching that flattered her figure nicely. Then there was a sensible plain pair. Her hand hovered over the sensible pair.

Kyle handed the store clerk a credit card. “We’ll take it all.”

“No,” she protested. “I don’t need all of these.”

“We might not be coming back to the city for a while. You’ll need clothes.”

The reminder of the danger she was in dampened her mood. “I’ll pay you back.”

He grinned. “I’ll add it to my bill.”

She wanted to argue but decided doing so would only encourage more flippant remarks. She’d make sure the hospital included the amount of the purchases in Kyle’s fees. Snagging the receipts, she tucked them into her purse.

With three full shopping bags in hand, they left the store. The instant they stepped outside the confines of the department store, Kyle’s jovial mood dissipated. He glanced around as if he was looking for someone to beat up.

“Everything okay?” she asked, totally spooked.

“I don’t know.” He drew her back inside the store behind a nearby pillar. “I’m going to bring the SUV close. Don’t move from this spot.”

Clutching the bags tight, she nodded. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“This store’s security is high quality. If someone approaches you, scream.”

A shiver of dread skipped over her skin. She nodded and watched him stride purposefully from the store. She wondered what had him so agitated.

* * *

Kyle drove the Suburban right up to the door so that the passenger side was facing Brenda. He climbed out, came around the front and opened both the front and rear passenger doors before returning to where he’d left Brenda.