Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 69582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69582 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
“I was hired as her bodyguard.” He pointed at me.
My mouth fell open. “What?”
“By who?” Black asked.
“Her boyfriend!” He threw up his hands. “And I wasn’t going to shoot the bird. I was going to shoot close to it. It didn’t look right. I wanted it to leave the area.”
Oh, whatever.
My scoff caught everyone’s attention again.
I blushed and looked away, using Peanut’s floppy ear as a distraction, marveling at how soft and squishy it was.
“Do you have the name of the man that supposedly hired you?” Black pushed.
“Errol Fuller,” he answered.
My heart sank.
I felt more than saw Odin inch closer.
“Why the tracker?” Black asked.
“They both agreed that it was necessary. I have text messages from both of them.” He pulled out his phone and held it out to the sheriff.
Black took the phone and used his thumb to swipe through something.
His eyes moved as he read, his face darkening.
“When did you get contracted to start this security detail?” Black wondered.
“I’ve been tailing her for a few months,” he said. “Ever since she got here. I follow her to the sanctuary every night. I am in my car waiting at the gate every morning when she leaves. I’m just supposed to be here in case her crazy ex-boyfriend comes calling.”
“Joke’s on you,” I drawled. “Errol is my crazy ex.”
The man frowned. “I think you’re mistaken.”
“Mistaken about what?” Odin finally cut in. “She would know if he was a crazy ex or not, seeing as it’s her life.”
This was just getting so confusing.
“What does this ‘crazy ex’ look like?” Creed wondered.
“Flip to the photos. It’s the first one in the roll,” Otto urged.
Black did just that and shook his head. “The man in this photo is Errol Fuller. Do you have a photo of who hired you?”
The man shook his head. “No. I’ve actually never even met him.” He frowned. “Now that I think about it, that sounds really bad. But it’s usual for my company to be outsourced without meeting the clients. My boss just tells me where to go and who to protect, and that’s what I do.”
“So, if you were protecting me,” I wondered. “Then where were you this morning when a dog was attacking me?”
“In the bathroom,” he admitted, looking apologetic. “I’d eaten something that didn’t agree with my stomach.”
“Convenient,” I drawled.
“The truth,” he promised. “You can look at my location. I share it with the big boss. Every single step I make is recorded for liability reasons.”
“Easy enough to check out,” Black said. “You’re coming with me. We’ll have a talk with your boss and find out who, what, when, and why.”
Otto stood up and walked with Black to his police cruiser.
Odin came to me and reached for Peanut’s lead.
Peanut reluctantly got off of me and came to heel next to his owner.
“I didn’t know you had a dog,” I murmured, eyeing the strange pairing.
When you looked at Odin, you’d think that he would have a German Shepherd or a Malinois. Not a cute little droopy-faced bloodhound.
“Went to the shelter to get a cat and came home with him,” he murmured quietly. “His old owner was a search and rescue chick. She died during those fires that ran rampant through here a couple of months ago. He looked sad and depressed, so I took him home with me. Found out really quick that he needed something to do to stimulate him or he’d be destructive. I just got him home from training.”
“Oh,” I said.
“Hi,” the woman who’d been extremely quiet during the entire exchange between Otto and the rest of us said. “I’m Sage.”
I waved at her. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Constance.”
“I know.” She smiled. “Not to interrupt, but I have to get to work soon. Major, are we going to do anything else today?”
Major, who I’d learned earlier was the vice president of the Dixie Wardens MC, brought his wrist up so he could check the time. “I have time. If we do it quick, we can still get some work in. Creed, you still up to play the missing hiker?”
“Yeah.” He frowned. “Though I only have an hour. My girl expects me home before dusk. We have an appointment tonight.”
“Let’s get started, then.” Major clapped. “Black, talk to you later.”
Black nodded as he dropped into his seat and closed the door.
Otto in the back, he rolled out of the parking lot.
When I looked up, Creed was gone, and Major was standing over a map at his truck.
Sage was shifting from foot to foot, and her dog that’d never strayed farther than a foot from her side stared at all of us accusingly. His muzzle made him look mean as hell.
“Are you headed home?” Odin asked.
I scrubbed at my face. “I should probably. Wendy will need dinner.”
He looked at his watch. “She gets out of school soon.”