Obsession (28 page)

Angie Boyter had tried to stop Alan when he’d approached Kendra’s bungalow earlier that day. Her efforts had resulted in two stab wounds. One had been relatively minor: a slash across one of her arms. The other was the real concern: a knife straight to the abdomen.

Kendra started when a hand came down on her shoulder, and her eyes whipped up to see Charlie standing beside her.

“Any news?” Kendra asked, her hand instantly reaching up to cover his.

“Not yet.” Charlie glanced around the waiting room and then motioned to the door. “The nurse said she’s going to be in surgery for a while yet. Why don’t we go for a walk? You need some fresh air, and I bet you haven’t eaten since breakfast this morning.”

“I’m fine.”

“Kendra, please.” Charlie’s voice was low. “Come walk with me.”

She wavered briefly. Then Charlie linked his fingers with hers and helped her stand up.

“We won’t be gone long,” he promised as he led her to the door and out into the sterile hallway.

* * *

Charlie escorted Kendra out of the main entrance and walked down a path lined with benches. They passed by a couple talking quietly by the door, and Charlie could feel the waves of guilt rolling off Kendra. He understood the guilt. He shared it. If he hadn’t gone into the office that morning, it would have been him at the hotel room instead of Angie. He would have recognized Alan and might have been able to stop him before anyone had gotten hurt.

They continued on to the end of the path, and Charlie motioned to a bench where they could talk without the risk of being overheard. He waited for Kendra to sit before taking his place beside her. With his hand still holding hers, Charlie shifted to face her. “None of this is your fault.”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do if someone else dies because of me.”

“You aren’t listening.” He reached out with his free hand and tilted her chin up so their eyes met. “This isn’t your fault.”

“Charlie, we both know that isn’t true. Angie is upstairs in surgery right now because she was trying to protect me.”

He recognized the truthfulness of her words and realized that the only way he was going to be able to help Kendra was to help himself first. “I never told you why I moved to Phoenix.”

Kendra’s eyes narrowed. “I thought FBI agents just went where they were assigned.”

“Usually, we do, but my transfer was deliberate.” He took a deep breath. “My first assignment out of the Academy was at FBI headquarters. FBI agents are usually sent somewhere new, where no one knows them, but somehow that rule was broken with me.”

“Why?”

“I’m still not exactly sure, but I’ve always suspected that someone pulled strings because of my father. Either someone thought having me around would help the FBI get what they needed from Capital Hill or someone figured they were doing Senator Whitmore a favor by keeping his son at headquarters where he would be safe.”

His shoulders lifted restlessly, and he forced himself to continue. “After almost a year of working a desk, I was finally partnered up with a guy named Brian Mueller. He was a field agent—a good one—and he took on the job of being my trainer.” The guilt sliced through him as though it had been yesterday, but he forced himself to go on. “A few months ago, we were following up on a lead. It was routine. Knock on some doors, flash our badges, and ask some questions.”

“What happened?”

Charlie let the images form and fought to keep his emotions in check. “We went into a warehouse where we suspected some contraband was being stored. Something wasn’t right from the moment we got there, and Brian called for backup. Then we heard shots fired.

“We drew our weapons, went in together, and total chaos broke loose.” A fresh wave of guilt crashed over him. “I fired a couple times, but the shooters were well covered. Then one of them worked their way up on some crates. He had me lined up in his sights, but right before he fired, Brian pushed me out of the way. He took the bullet meant for me.”

“Did he . . .” Kendra’s voice trailed off.

“No, he didn’t die.” Charlie shook his head. “But we’re still not sure if he’ll ever walk again.”

“And you feel like it’s your fault.”

“He went into the line of fire to protect the son of a senator, so yeah.” Charlie nodded. “I feel like it was my fault.”

“Maybe he was just protecting his partner,” Kendra ventured.

“Maybe, but either way, he might not walk again because he saved my life.” Charlie shrugged.

“Just like Angie was trying to save mine.”

“Exactly.”

“Does the guilt ever go away?”

“I don’t know. I hope it will.” Charlie squeezed her hand. “I pray that it will.”

“Me too.”

* * *

They had barely made it through the waiting room door when Ray approached them with a dopey grin. “Angie’s out of surgery. She did great.”

Kendra reached for Ray and gave him a hug, tears of relief in her eyes. “I’m so glad.”

“Any news about her prognosis?” Charlie asked.

“She’s going to be out of the action for a few months, but the doctor didn’t seem to think there would be any permanent damage.”

“I sure hope not,” Charlie said.

“Come on.” Ray motioned for the door. “The doctor said she’s going to be out for at least a few hours. Let’s go get something to eat, and we’ll celebrate the end of Kendra’s nightmare.”

Kendra looked from Ray to Charlie and nodded in agreement. “Sounds like a great idea.”

“Kendra!” Sterling Blake rushed out his front door and scooped his daughter into his arms. “Thank God you’re safe.”

“I’m fine, Daddy.” Kendra’s arms encircled her father’s waist as she indulged in a long hug. For the first time in recent memory, she actually seemed glad to be home. She clung to him as he breathed in the familiar scent of her favorite perfume mixing with a hint of his own cologne, the same one that had been named after him. When she finally eased back, she motioned to the man who stood silently behind her. “Dad, this is Charlie Whitmore. He’s the one I told you about.”

Sterling had barely looked at the man until he noticed the easy smile his daughter sent him. In a smooth move, Sterling shifted Kendra to his side with one hand and reached out to shake Charlie’s hand with the other. “Good to meet you, Charlie.”

“You too, sir.”

“Come on inside.” Sterling started up the front steps. The moment they were through the front door, Monica came rushing toward Kendra.

“Oh, you’re home!”

Kendra was passed from father to mother, and everyone exchanged introductions once more.

Sterling led the way into the living room but didn’t bother waiting for everyone to sit down before he opened the dialogue. “Now tell me what happened in Phoenix. All I know is that someone from the FBI called and said you were safe and on your way home.”

“I’m the one who called,” Charlie said. He wisely chose the chair beside the couch instead of taking the spot next to Kendra. “There was an incident in Phoenix where we apprehended the man we believed to be the Malibu Stalker.”

Sterling’s eyes whipped over to look at Kendra again. She looked calm, composed, but all he could think about was that someone had tried to hurt her. Someone had gotten too close. “What happened?”

“Your daughter can share those details with you if she wants. What you really need to know now is who the stalker was.” He glanced over at Kendra, a silent signal passing between them.

Sterling lowered himself onto the loveseat beside his wife. Then Kendra reached forward and took his hand. “Daddy, it was Alan Parsons.”

“What?” Sterling and Monica said in unison.

Sterling shook his head and pulled his hand away. “That’s ridiculous! You must be mistaken.”

Charlie’s voice remained calm. “No, sir. We’re not.”

“How can you possibly think that the man who has been protecting my daughter all these years is the one who was trying to hunt her down? That’s absurd.”

“He manipulated you,” Charlie said bluntly. “He’s the one who wrote the letters, threatening Kendra when she was a teenager. He gave you a reason to need extra security, and he used the reputation of his father’s business to gain access. At first, being around her must have been enough for him, but when he was taken off her protection detail, something must have snapped.”

“I’m sorry.” Sterling pressed his fingers to his temples, and he looked at this man who had brought his daughter home, a man he had barely met. “I just don’t understand how Alan Parsons could be a serial killer.”

“He used his position in his father’s company to meet women who resembled Kendra in order to gain their trust. He had the skills necessary to bypass security systems and elude the authorities, and he also had the knowledge necessary to plant the bomb backstage at Kendra’s concert.”

“Wait a minute. He didn’t even have a backstage pass to that concert.”

“No, but he did have access to this house. We believe he used one of your passes while you were out of town, and then he returned it before anyone even realized it was missing.”

“That’s crazy.” Sterling shook his head in denial, but Charlie continued laying out the facts he didn’t want to hear.

“The LA office also confirmed that he has been in contact with them as your representative on this case.”

“What?” Sterling felt his reality crumbling. “I never asked him to do that. I was personally dealing with the detective on the case.”

“We know that now, but as I said, Alan Parsons was very adept at using his position as a bodyguard to cover up what he really was.”

“Where is he now?”

“He’s in the hospital.” For the first time, Charlie’s voice wasn’t completely steady, but his eyes remained direct. “He has already been charged with attempted murder, but I expect that several murder charges will be added as soon as we can connect him to the victims.”

A sick feeling spread through Sterling. “You’re telling me that I hired a man who tried to kill my daughter?”

“Dad, there wasn’t any way you could have known.” Again, Kendra reached for his hand, and Sterling looked down at her narrow fingers resting in his. He had been so careful. He had taken so many precautions, and still, someone had pushed through all his defenses.

For a moment, he was speechless. Then he considered the security challenges they would face for the upcoming benefit. He certainly couldn’t let Bruce Parsons keep working for him under the circumstances. “Maybe we should cancel your appearance at the benefit.”

“No. I’m done hiding.” Kendra’s eyes met his. “Whether you admit it or not, no amount of security is going to keep me one hundred percent safe.”

“Maybe not, but you have to at least give me time to find a new bodyguard for you.”

“Dad, it’s time you let me run my own life,” Kendra insisted. “Charlie is going to escort me to the benefit. I’ll say my prayers every night, asking to make it through each day safely, and I’m going to trust that everything is going to work out.”

Sterling stared at Kendra. He wasn’t sure prayers alone could keep her safe, but he was willing to entertain the possibility that they might help. He had certainly had a few prayers regarding his daughter’s safety rattling around in his brain over the past few weeks. But his protective instincts were strong. “Are you sure you’re ready to go out in public after this?”

“I’m sure.” Kendra smiled. “Although I do need to call Henrico to see if he can make me another dress. The one he just fitted was damaged after he left.”

“I still can’t believe all of this. It’s my worst nightmare come true.” Sterling squeezed Kendra’s hand. “I don’t know how you are able to sit there and look so relaxed.”

“Maybe I inherited your acting talent.” She gave him a wry grin. “If it’s okay with you, I thought maybe Charlie and I could stay here this week.”

“We would love that,” Monica spoke before Sterling could wrap his mind around Kendra’s words. All he could think was that his little girl was finally home. Then he remembered his last conversation with Kendra, the one when she’d mentioned she was planning on living in Phoenix for the foreseeable future.

“Are you the reason my daughter has decided to stay in Phoenix?”

Charlie nodded, and his eyes stayed focused on Sterling when he answered, “I am the one benefiting from that decision.”

“I see.” Sterling studied the man across from him. He wasn’t sure how he felt about this boy who clearly had strong feelings for his daughter, but one thing was certain: even though Kendra and Charlie hadn’t spoken the words, he had little doubt that Charlie was the man responsible for saving his little girl. “Kendra can show you where the guest room is.”

“Thank you.” Charlie stood up and motioned to the door. “I’ll go get our bags.”

“And Charlie?” Sterling spoke before Charlie could leave the room. “I shouldn’t have to tell you that I expect you to stay out of Kendra’s bedroom and vice versa.”

Charlie’s eyes met his, and he nodded. “No, sir. I respect your feelings completely.”

* * *

“Explain to me again how I let you talk me into this.” Charlie looked at Kendra’s reflection in the mirror as he tugged on his tuxedo jacket to make sure his shoulder holster wasn’t visible.

“I asked you to come.” Kendra leaned against the doorjamb of the guest room, and humor danced in her eyes. “And you said yes.”

“Must have been a moment of temporary insanity,” Charlie muttered. He adjusted his shoulder harness and tugged on his jacket once more. The weight of his gun served as a constant reminder of the day at the hotel when he had nearly been too late.

He still had some bad moments when he thought of how everything had played out, not so much because he had pulled the trigger but because he had come so close to losing Kendra. He didn’t think he had ever prayed as hard for anything as he had on that drive from his office to the Biltmore that day. He had almost been too late, probably would have been too late had it not been for that flash of inspiration during the DeFoe interrogation.

Charlie knew that it had been inspiration that had helped him arrive in time, just as he knew that the Lord had watched over both him and Kendra to allow them to survive that day. Perhaps it was that knowledge that had kept him from dwelling on the fact that he’d been forced to pull the trigger again. As a result of his actions, Alan would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Whether that life would be spent in a mental institution or on death row still remained to be seen. Regardless, he wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone ever again.