Accidental Bodyguard by Sharon Hartley Read Free Book Online

or did she need to be proficient because of some threat? And who were these mysterious people who didn’t think she was forgiving? Why was she used to cleaning up puke? She was studying to be a PA, so maybe she was a nurse.
    Damned perplexing. But he loved to solve a good riddle. Besides, what else did he have to do?
    Ike Gamble, one of the guards on roving duty today, motored to a stop out front on his electric cart. The other, Rafael Garcia, arrived a minute later on his. They’d completed a circuit and were taking their afternoon break. The two entered the office animatedly discussing the excitement at Villa Alma.
    â€œGood job today, guys,” Jack told them. “I appreciate how fast you responded.”
    â€œMan, what a rush,” Rafael said in his slight accent. He was a new hire, a Hispanic man in his thirties carrying a few extra pounds. “That’s the first time I ever responded to an alarm.”
    â€œAnd hopefully the last,” Jack said.
    â€œEverything all right inside Villa Alma?” Ike asked.
    â€œYeah, false alarm. The new tenant pushed the panic button by mistake.”
    Ike nodded. “That happens every so often.”
    â€œSure broke up the day,” Rafael said. “I wish it happened more often.”
    â€œYou wouldn’t say that if someone had been inside bleeding or dead,” Jack said. Yet he’d once felt the way Rafael did. As a deputy sheriff in Marion County, he’d craved action like a junkie craves smack. But Rafael had no military or police experience. All he knew was the boredom of Collins Island. He didn’t understand how in a heartbeat a thrill could turn tragic.
    The phone rang, and Jack reached to answer. “Break is over,” he told the guards.
    â€œOkay, boss,” Rafael said, hiking up his belt, his hand moving protectively over the Taser as if he was on his way to the OK Corral.
    Jack grinned. “Be careful out there.”
    Ike rolled his eyes as he left the office.
    â€œSecurity,” Jack barked into the phone.
    â€œThis is Lola,” she said needlessly in her distinctive voice. “I’m calling to remind you about the all-hands meeting tomorrow morning.”
    â€œI forgot about that.”
    â€œConveniently, as usual. Thus the call. You know how I look out for you, Jack.”
    â€œCan I skip it this time? Those meetings are nothing but a time suck.”
    â€œYet required for all available operatives. You’re expected at 9:00 a.m.”
    â€œYeah, yeah. I’ll be there,” Jack grumbled. He’d have to take the 8:00 a.m. ferry to make the meeting on time.
    â€œI also wanted to let you know the facial recognition program didn’t get a hit on Louise Clark.”
    â€œToo bad.” Jack suppressed a stab of disappointment. Damn. Was he craving action now, too? “Well, at least she’s not a known criminal.”
    â€œShe’s not in any law enforcement database we have access to,” Lola said, “so she’s never been arrested.”
    â€œGood to know. Thanks, Lola.”
    â€œSo what are you going to do about her?”
    â€œI’m not sure.”
    â€œLiar.”
    â€œI’m wounded,” he said, deliberately making his voice aggrieved.
    â€œNo. You’re curious and you won’t let it alone until you figure out what bothers you.”
    â€œI have work to do,” he said, and disconnected.
    Which wasn’t a lie. He wanted to complete the paperwork documenting the alarm this afternoon. Even as a deputy sheriff, Jack’s work habit was to get the paperwork out of the way immediately. Putting off drudgery only made a boring task loom larger and harder to initiate.
    He pulled up the form on the flat-screen monitor, renamed a file for today’s incident and stared at the blanks he needed to complete. Lola had labeled him a liar, a dig that bothered him. She knew how much he valued the truth. What she didn’t