Page 8 of Lethal Bodyguard Summer

“Have you talked to her recently?”

I wrapped my arms around myself. “Maybe a month ago?”

“Okay.” Brooks sat back. “So probably not dating. Nothing that would make her a target that you know of.”

“So we have nothing.” I stood and started to pace.

“I wouldn’t say nothing,” he said. “We know that she was isolated, that itispossible a family member of someone she couldn’t help could have found her from her old job. Not likely, but possible. You know that she was here a month ago. And you know that she is out there somewhere, still alive. I’d say that’s definitely something. One last thing. Do you have a picture of her? A recent one?”

I shook my head. “I haven’t seen her since she visited me right after she moved here. But she looks almost identical to me. Or, rather, I look almost identical to her. She’s barely ten months older. We’re Irish twins.”

He stood, pulled his phone from the pocket of his board shorts, and walked out onto the back deck. Through the glass, I could see the water and the long stretch of beach. Normal. Peaceful. Completely at odds with the fact that someone had just tried to kidnap me in broad daylight.

I slumped back down onto the sofa, pulling my legs up and pressing my forehead to my knees. Allie was in danger, and by accident, so was I.

Chapter six

Brooks

Rafi answered on the second ring. “This better be to update me on all the surfing time you’re getting. Where did you go? The Carolinas? California? Anywhere but Sunbreak Harbor?”

“Nope. Best surfing I ever found was right here in Sunbreak. You know that. Why would I leave?”

“Fun, Callahan. You still remember what that is, right?”

“Seems like fun always leads to trouble,” I shot back.

Rafi was immediately all business. “What happened?”

“I just stopped an attempted abduction along the boardwalk near The Salty Spoon.”

“And your involvement ended there?”

“She had nowhere else to go. And I’m on vacation, so…”

“So you thought you’d help her?” Rafi’s deep voice asked dryly.

“It is what we do.”

“When we’re paid to do it.” His sigh came across loud and clear. “Was she injured?”

“No, just shaken. Guy thought she was her sister.”

“So the sister is with you too?”

“No. We don’t know where she is.”

I could hear thetap, tap, tapof his pencil against the hard wood of his desk. “So no sister and a near kidnapping. If this is what you consider a vacation, no wonder you don’t take them.” He paused, and the tapping stopped. Finally he spoke again. “My hands are tied here, Callahan. Don’t make me explain to Sloane why one of his best operators is freelancing when he’s supposed to be onvacation.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Better than that.”

“Understood.”

I ended the call and stayed outside for another minute, letting the roar of the surf roll through me. The need to keep her safe was all that mattered. It was unnerving. I was swimming outside the ropes, something that was completely unlike me. I wasn’t sure I liked it, but I also didn’t think I could stop it even if I wanted to.

When I stepped back inside, Aria lifted her head. “Everything okay?”