Key Witness by Christy Barritt Read Free Book Online

toward the door, her lithe figure somehow looking weighed down with a million stones at the moment. “Why don’t I give you that tour now? It beats standing out here and staring at the chaos and destruction around me.”
    Exactly. “Sounds like a plan.”
    They walked into the massive house—seven thousand square feet, from what Denton had been told. Two wings and no expense spared. Apparently, the senator had won several big lawsuits as a trial lawyer that afforded him any luxury he might want.
    They paused in the two-story marble entryway, and Elle pointed to the left. “In the south wing, we have the kitchen, living room, my father’s office, two other rooms we use as offices when working here and a library.”
    “Do you work here a lot?”
    She shrugged. “We have campaign offices throughout the state, including one in Norfolk. But working here is convenient and the space is ample.”
    “Your best option right now is to work here until these men are caught.”
    Her expression remained neutral. “That’s what I concluded, also. That’s no problem. I can do my job from here with relative ease.” She sucked in a deep breath and slowly released it, as if regaining her composure. “Oh, and speaking of work, Bentley stays in a bedroom upstairs, also.”
    “Bentley stays here?”
    “Not all of the time, but if he’s in town with my father, he’s around enough that he’s practically family.” She stepped in the opposite direction. “In the north wing we have the family’s bedrooms, some guest suites, a racquetball room and an exercise room.”
    “I’ll need to stay somewhere close to your bedroom.”
    “The bedroom beside mine should be comfortable for you.”
    They moved through the house, and Denton found out her schedule for the week—which included a huge fund-raising gala in two days. The mere thought of it caused Denton’s muscles to tighten. Big crowds, a difficult-to-control environment and at least two men who wanted Elle dead—not a good combination.
    Elle paused by the kitchen, her luminous eyes glancing up at him. He saw intelligence in their depths...and fear. “I don’t have to go to the gala.”
    “No, you should go. It will take some planning on my part, but we can make it work.”
    She sagged against the wall a moment. “None of this seems real, you know.”
    “We’re going to get through this, Elle.”
    She seemed to hesitate a moment before nodding. “Yes, we will. Now, if you don’t need me for anything else, I’ll show you to your room and then get some sleep myself. I have a busy week, as you’re going to soon find out.”
    “Remember—your safety is more important than your father being reelected.”
    “I know.” She looked off in the distance. Denton wanted to do something—anything—to help wipe away her worries. But there was nothing he could do except offer his protection...and pray.
    He’d be doing a lot of praying until these guys were behind bars.
    * * *
    Even in the midst of cardboard alphabet letters, multiplication tables and twenty-five giggling second-graders, Denton stayed glued to Elle’s side. No, an elementary school wasn’t the most likely place for someone to come after Elle. But Denton couldn’t be too careful.
    Senator Philips sat at the front of the classroom, reading a book to the eager students seated in a semicircle around him. Elle stood at the back of the room with the rest of her father’s handlers. Her gaze fluttered between her BlackBerry and her father.
    Denton had encouraged her to stay home and to lay low, but Elle wanted nothing to do with that. The police had found no clues, come up with no answers. Nothing was known except that an innocent man’s life had been taken.
    Jimmy had been shot by a Glock, right through the skull. The rest of the perimeter was clear. But someone had obviously been trying to send a message—a deadly message. They’d gotten to Jimmy. Denton would make sure they didn’t get to Elle.
    “‘The