The Bodyguard by Lena Diaz Read Free Book Online

had nothing to do with it. Who helped you?”
    She laughed bitterly. “A friend? A lover? My husband made sure I had no one, Detective. I didn’t make a move that he didn’t know about. I couldn’t even leave the house without him.”
    “Obviously that’s not true. You left without him Thursday morning.”
    She rolled her head on the pillow. “The one thing my husband allowed me to do on my own, the only thing he let me do, was run two weekly errands—taking our clothes to the dry cleaner’s and bringing his papers to his lawyer’s office, to Leslie’s office. That’s what I was doing. That’s how I left without him knowing I was taking off.”
    “‘Let’ you?” the detective asked. “Are you saying you were a prisoner in your own home? Did you resent your husband for controlling you that way?”
    “That’s enough.” Luke said. “Mrs. Ashton, again, I strongly urge you not to say another word without adequate legal representation.”
    The door flew open. A tall man in a business suit stepped into the room. His coal-black hair had tiny streaks of silver, but that was the only thing that hinted at his age. His blue eyes were still vivid, piercing, as they swept the room and landed on her.
    “And just who the devil are you?” Leslie demanded.
    Luke looked relieved to see the other man.
    The man ignored Leslie, nodded at Luke. He stepped to the side of Caroline’s bed and smiled down at her. “I’m Alex Buchanan, a defense attorney with one of the best records in the state of Georgia. Mr. Dawson called me about your situation. And from where I stand, you look like you could use my help.” He pulled a dollar out of his suit-jacket pocket and handed it to her.
    “What’s this for?” she asked, automatically taking it.
    “I figure you probably don’t have any cash with you here in the hospital. If you’d like me to represent you, you can give me that dollar as my retainer.”
    Leslie scoffed.
    Cornell’s mouth curved in grudging admiration.
    Caroline looked at Luke. “You think I need help?”
    “I know you do. Alex really is the best. I recommend that you hire him.”
    She held the dollar out to the handsome man smiling down at her. “You’re hired, Mr. Buchanan.”
    He took the dollar and slid it back into his pocket. “Excellent. Detective Cornell, miss,” he said, looking at Leslie. “I need a moment alone with my client.”
    “I’m not leaving unless he does,” Leslie said, pointing at Luke.
    Alex smiled without humor. “Yes, you are. You’re both leaving. But Mr. Dawson stays. Three days ago, someone killed my client’s husband. And if she’d arrived at the house a few moments earlier, she could have been killed, as well. Mr. Dawson is her bodyguard. He’s not going anywhere.”
    * * *
    A PPARENTLY , C AROLINE LOVED GARDENS . Luke had done his best to find one for her so she, Alex and he could talk without anyone overhearing them. The closest thing to a garden the hospital had was a spot in a small, empty waiting room on the first floor that looked out a group of windows to some flowering shrubs.
    Not that it really mattered. Caroline wasn’t paying attention to the view. She sat in her wheelchair staring at Alex with the same confusion Luke felt.
    “I don’t understand,” she said.
    Luke shook his head. “Neither do I. Maybe you should explain one more time, Alex. How, exactly, am I supposed to protect Caroline when I won’t even be in the house with her?”
    “Mrs. Ashton already has a contract with a security company to guard the mansion. Stellar Security has an excellent record. There’s no reason to believe they can’t take care of her without your help.”
    “If you truly believe that, then why am I even here?” Luke asked.
    “To protect Mrs. Ashton.”
    Caroline’s brow furrowed and she shared another look of confusion with Luke.
    “See, that’s the part where you lost me earlier,” Luke said.
    Alex smiled. “Forgive me. I’m not explaining this very