Christmas Bodyguard by Margaret Daley Read Free Book Online Page B

called her a few hours ago to tell her my plans. Until then, all she thought was that we’d had a blowout on Saturday. She’s lived a pretty sheltered life, especially here at the ranch.” Slade shifted on the couch as though he couldn’t get settled. “I thought we should talk about some kind of game plan.”
    Joshua tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair, something he did when he was impatient to get to work. “As I told you before, I want to check for listening devices, then talk to the people who put in your security system.”
    â€œI want to get a feel for the house and the surrounding area. Meet the people who work for you besides Hilda.” Elizabeth captured Slade’s attention. “Everyone.”
    â€œThat’s fine. I can introduce—”
    A scream from above ripped through the house, followed by a thud.

FOUR
    T he scream coming from his daughter slammed Slade’s heart against his chest. He bolted to his feet and rushed for the door. Elizabeth wrenched it open a few strides in front of him.
    The silence that followed Abbey’s shriek quickened his pace. Bounding up the stairs, Elizabeth pulled her gun from her holster. Several steps back, Joshua withdrew his, too. The sight of the weapons sent ice through Slade’s veins.
    At the top of the staircase, Slade surged around Elizabeth, determined to get to Abbey. Thoughts of what could be happening raced through his mind, threatening to paralyze him. He silenced them and kept going down the long hallway to Abbey’s room at the end—the longest fifteen yards he’d ever covered.
    Nearing his daughter’s bedroom, Elizabeth clamped her hand on his elbow. “Let me go in first.”
    Common sense told him to agree, but the father in him couldn’t. Shaking off her grasp, he increased his speed and shoved open the door, charging inside. He came to a halt a few feet in. Abbey stood in front of her computer, the chair toppled over behind her. Her face bleached of color, she twisted toward him. Her mouth opened but no sound came from it.
    Ignoring Joshua and Elizabeth behind him, he crossed the room and clasped his daughter’s arms. “What’s wrong?”
    Tears flooded her wide eyes. “My computer.” She launched herself at him and clung to him, her whole body trembling.
    Slade swung his gaze to the computer. The sight on it curdled his gut. The screen was totally black except for Abbey’s name written across it in a font that looked like blood that dripped and pooled at the bottom. The horror of what he saw and its implication took over, erasing all thoughts.
    Abbey’s sobs against his chest finally brought him out of his daze. He tried to move her away, but she remained rooted to the floor, clutching him as though he were her life preserver. “Honey, what happened?” he whispered against her hair.
    For a long moment she continued to cry. Then, slowly she quieted, gulping in shallow breaths that finally deepened. Her body still quaking, she drew back, her eyes glistening with her tears. “I turned on my computer, and that is what popped up on the screen. How? Why?”
    He glanced again at the computer, chilled at what he saw. When Abbey started to look at it, he blocked her view. “I don’t know, but I intend to find out.”
    â€œSlade? Abbey? What’s going on?” Mary stood in the entrance to his daughter’s bedroom, her forehead creased with worry.
    â€œWe’ll look into this,” Elizabeth said, stepping forward.
    â€œWhy don’t you take Abbey out of here?”
    Slade peered at her, hearing the words but not registering them for a few seconds. She’d holstered her gun, as had Joshua, but that didn’t lessen the implication that someone had possibly been in Abbey’s room and that the maniac, asAbbey called him, was involved in what happened earlier. Elizabeth was right. Abbey needed to