Bare Facts by Katherine Garbera Read Free Book Online

and stepped outside the office. She speed-dialed Sam’s secured number. Anna was right about Sam. He always backed them up, even when prudence said he shouldn’t. But this wasn’t a case of bad judgment.
    “Yes, Charity?”
    “I want to stay on the Williams job. I know he’s dead set against working with a woman bodyguard, but I think he needs us.”
    “Actually, he’s not. I just got a text message from him that he’s changed his mind.” As always, there were no noises in the background to betray where he was.
    “Why?”
    “He didn’t say.”
    “Can you talk to him?”
    “I intend to as soon as I’m finished in a meeting.”
    She wondered what Sam’s real life was like. She knew that their team was just one of half a dozen he had in different locations all over the world.
    “He’s hiding something about his past,” she said. “I’m not sure it’s relevant to what’s going on now, but it might be. He said that the blackmailer wants him to do something illegal. Why would they ask him?”
    “I’m not sure that matters, Charity.”
    “It does to me,” she said.
    “Why is this important to you?”
    She thought about it for a moment. Didn’t want to lie to her boss or to herself. “It just is.”
    Sam said nothing, and in the silence she realized she was going to have to give him something more than those brief words.
    “I have this feeling in my gut that I can save his life, but I can’t unless I have all the information on him.” she said.
    “Very well. I’ll see what I can do.”
    “Thanks, Sam.”
    “Don’t thank me yet. Did Anna find anything in our databases on the assassin?”
    “No, but you know how determined she is. If that woman is in any database in the world, Anna will find her.”
    “Yes, I know. I think that might work in our favor with Mr. Williams.”
    She hung up with Sam and went back into the office. She met Daniel’s gaze across the room and something passed between them. She looked away first, uncomfortable as she realized that she wanted to stay on the job with Daniel for more than business.

Chapter Five
    Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another.
    —John Dewey
    C harity was very aware that John Dewey wasn’t infallible. She’d reached more than one goal to find a dead end. But with Daniel’s acquiescence, she felt like it was a starting point.
    “So you’re going to Seattle with me.”
    “Yes, I am. Why’d you change your mind?”
    “After seeing you in action I knew you could do the job,” he said.
    But the words felt like a lie. Like there was something more to his reason for changing his mind. She hadn’t questioned it before because it had been what she’d wanted, but now she did.
    They were in the Rolls, headed toward the executive airport. His attention had been on the passing cars and scenery. But she knew that he was still going over the attempt on his life.
    She put her hand on his leg. “But you’d already seen me in action and hadn’t changed your mind.”
    He put his hand over hers and turned toward her. There was fire in his silvery gaze and she felt…too much. Not at all what she’d expected, and she knew that was why she’d asked Sam to try again. She liked the unexpectedness of being with Daniel.
    “I can’t explain it further than that. Sam mentioned you’d called him as well. Were you going to ask him to talk to me again?”
    She had never been tentative in her life. And she wasn’t about to start now, but it would be so nice just to disappear into herself for a few moments. “Yes, I was.”
    “Why?”
    “I didn’t want to see you go.”
    “Personally?”
    She made a noncommittal noise. She knew that she wanted him but it was more than lust. She also had that tingling in her gut that said she could save his life. She’d been saving lives for so long that she knew better than to ignore it.
    “Come on, Charity, tell me your secrets,” he said.
    “Will you tell me yours?”
    “Maybe.”
    “Maybe’s not