Bodyguard/Husband by Mallory Kane Read Free Book Online Page B

Besides, this has been going on for six years, if we believe the notes.”
    “But Brad didn’t die here. He died while we were living in Texas. It was an accident.”
    “And your fiancé disappeared, and Detective Barbour apparently had an allergic reaction. Seemingly unrelated events.”
    “Tied together by the notes.” She didn’t want to acknowledge that truth, but she couldn’t help it. She shuddered. “I hate this! How can this person just come in and take over my life? Kill people I love? I can’t stand it.”
    Jack reached across the table and put his hand over hers, squeezing gently. “Feeling exposed and helpless is natural.”
    “Not for me.” She lifted her chin. She couldn’t give in to those feelings. She was afraid if she did she’d fall apart like Humpty Dumpty. “I need to figure out who’s doing this. I don’t want anyone else to be hurt.”

    “The only thing you need to do is stick close to me and let me do my job.”
    She sniffed and shook her head. “I will not sit back like a southern belle on a verandah waving a paper fan while I wait for you to save me. I have to do something.”
    “You’re doing exactly what you should be doing, pretending to be my wife. It’s important that you act like nothing has changed. Don’t forget, I’m the one he’ll target, and we have to let him do that without arousing his suspicion. Because when he comes after me, I’ll be ready.”
    Holly heard the steel in his voice and saw the cold resolve in his gray eyes. This was more than just a job to him. “Why do you do this?”
    Jack’s expression closed down and he dropped his gaze to his mug. “Do what?” he asked too casually.
    “Set yourself up as a target to protect a perfect stranger.”
    He shrugged without looking at her. He obviously didn’t like the question.
    “It’s my job.”
    “That’s no answer. You chose your job. My question is why.” This man who was so controlled, so professional, acted as if no one had ever asked him the question before, as if he didn’t know how to answer. He shifted in his seat, then stood and took his dishes to the sink. He spoke without turning around, his voice remote and carefully even.
    “Someone I knew was stalked and killed a long time ago. I decided I wanted to keep that from happening again.”
    “Oh, Jack…” She didn’t know what to say. So thiswasn’t just a job for him. He’d obviously cared deeply for whoever had been killed.
    Before she could think of an appropriate response, he faced her, back in official mode.
    “By tomorrow morning I need a list from you of everything that’s gone missing in the past six years.”
    She stood and paced. “Why is this person doing this? You know all about stalkers. What does he want from me?”
    Jack wished he could take her in his arms and calm her agitation and fear. But that would only help for a moment. He needed to stay focused so he could help her rid her life of this menace forever.
    He crossed his arms over his chest, quelling the urge to reach for her, to comfort her. His next words would terrify her, but he hoped they would also prepare her for what was to come. “He wants to possess you. He may even want to be you. He probably has a shrine where he keeps pictures and mementos.”
    Her eyes filled with anguish.
    “Pictures?” She shuddered and rubbed her arms. “How can I not know who he is? I know everybody in this town. They know me. These people grieved with me when my parents died. I treat them in physical therapy. I teach them in aerobics classes. I have lunch with them.” She pushed herself to her feet and picked up her dishes.
    Jack felt a jolt of compassion for Holly as the dishes she carried rattled against each other. He tried to make his tone comforting, because he knew his words were ominous. “That’s the classic serial-killer profile. Most of them are quiet, unremarkable people. People you could live next door to and never know what they were doing.”

    He