Someone To Watch Over Me (10 page)

“Yes,” Shawn answered.

The door opened, and a petite young woman
with long dark hair looked at Matt and then Shawn. “I have the
security footage.”

“Great,” Matt replied as he stood up.
“Morgan, I'd like to introduce you to Sabrina. She’s part of the
technical support team.”

The woman shifted her glance from Matt to
Morgan. “Hello.”

Matt spoke, “Let's go to the conference room,
where we can review the footage on the big screen.” Sabrina nodded
and left. By the time Morgan, Shawn, and Matt arrived, Sabrina had
already turned on the power to the TV and inserted the DVD into the
player.

“This covers a four hour period from eight to
noon. We should have footage of you and whoever left the note,”
Sabrina said.

Matt gestured for Morgan to sit. Shawn sat
next to her and Matt sank into a chair on the other side of the
table closest to the screen.

“Let's take a look,” Shawn said.

Sabrina fast forwarded through the footage.
“You arrived around ten-thirty, right?”

“Close enough,” Shawn replied.

For the next couple minutes, everyone in the
room watched cars and people move in what could best be described
as warp drive. Finally Shawn's SUV pulled into the parking lot.
Sabrina stopped, backed up, and set the player on normal speed.

Shawn stepped out of his vehicle. The camera
had been positioned on the roof, and must’ve been at least one
hundred feet away. Morgan couldn’t make out much detail as Shawn
walked around to her on the passenger side of the vehicle.

“We're not going to get a close up of the
guy's face,” Shawn commented.

“Nope,” Matt replied.

Everyone waited as video played on. Finally,
after about ten minutes, a car pulled up. Morgan held her breath
while Shawn and Matt leaned forward in their seats as if getting
closer to the TV screen would give them a better view.

A young man stepped out of his car, looked
around, and then walked up to their vehicle. Morgan pressed her
lips together as she nervously rocked her foot. He was tall,
dark-haired, and had a slender build. Nothing about him was
distinctive. She had hoped for so much more from the security
footage.

He walked over to the SUV, anchored the note
under the windshield wiper, then squatted down on the driver's side
and reached inside the wheel well.

“What's he doing?” Morgan asked.

Neither Shawn nor Matt responded as the
footage continued. Within seconds, the man got back into his car
and drove off. Sabrina turned on the lights. Both men stood up in
unison and strode out of the room. Morgan and Sabrina followed,
practically having to jog to keep up with them as they raced to
Shawn's SUV.

By the time Morgan reached the vehicle, she
found Matt squatting by the driver’s side and reaching up inside.
His face was emotionless as he moved his arm around and searched.
Then he crooked a grin, “Gotcha.” He stood up and held something up
for them to see.

“What is it?” Morgan asked.

“A tracking device,” Sabrina answered.

“That explains a lot,” Shawn added.

Matt tossed the device to Shawn. “Yeah, you
weren't followed to the resort, you were tracked.”

***

“I was right, we weren't followed.” Shawn
muttered as he studied the tracking device in his hand. After
sighting the Honda this morning, he hadn't noticed anything the
rest of the day. The second note and the road kill rabbit had
thrown him, and made him question if he’d lost his touch. Shawn
glanced up at his partner and Matt’s furrowed brow made him
pause.

“What?” Shawn asked.

“I don't know. This stalker has talent. I've
never run across one who's placed electronic equipment on a vehicle
before,” Matt said.

“Do you think he's tampered with anything
else?”

“No. To do something like that would take
more time and a bit of privacy. The video showed he hit and ran.
But now that we know what we are up against, I can make sure he
can't track you.”

Shawn asked. “How?”

“Simple. These tracking devices are available
at a number of places. The primary clientele is the suspicious wife
or husband who tracks the comings and goings of their spouses.”

“So?”

“Well, these companies also offer a
countermeasure. You plug the device into your cigarette lighter to
jam the tracking device. There’s one in our storage room.”

Sabrina piped up. “I'll get it.”

“Thanks.” Matt replied.

Shawn glanced at Morgan. Her arms crossed her
body, and her firmly pressed lips melted into a frown as she stared
at the device he held in his hand.

“I don't believe this. Electronic tracking
devices and countermeasures, I'm beginning to think I'm in a James
Bond movie. What's next?”

“Weaponry,” Shawn said.

Morgan threaded her fingers through her hair
and shot him a nervous expression before looking away. Shawn
swallowed. He'd seen this reaction before. Morgan had reached the
point which signaled the dying gasp of denial. The stage where a
client grasped and completely understood the danger they were in.
Goodbye denial, hello fear.

“Do you have an issue with me carrying a
gun?” he asked.

“Yes. No.” Morgan shrugged, “Sort of.”

“Why?”

She stared at him and sighed. “I don't know
why. But I'm uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong. We use armored
trucks to pick up large deposits and to transport jewelry but...”
She paused as she gazed off at the bank of storm clouds developing
on the horizon.

“I realize you're trained and licensed to
carry a firearm. Still, something could go wrong and a gun is
deadly force.”

Shawn tamped down his frustration.

“Hey, why don’t we take this discussion
indoors? Morgan will be safer, and everyone will be a lot cooler,”
Matt suggested.

Shawn nodded, and they walked back to the
office.

“When do you have to return to the store?”
Matt asked.

“Four,” Morgan answered.

Shawn glanced down at his wristwatch. They
had ten to fifteen minutes before they’d have to leave and he knew
convincing Morgan that carrying a side arm is a good idea would
take more time.

As they walked in the reception area, Morgan
asked Laura, “Where's your restrooms?”

“Down the hall, first door on the left,” The
receptionist replied.

“I'll be in my office,” Shawn said.

Morgan nodded and continued down the hallway.
Once she disappeared, Shawn strode to his office and closed the
door behind him. He unlocked his desk drawer and pulled out his
holster, shed his jacket, and armed himself. He’d barely slid the
jacket on when Matt came into the room.

“Here you go.” Matt handed over the jamming
device.

“Thanks. Everything set for Friday's
concert?”

“We're good. Don't worry. Focus on Morgan and
call me if you need any more assistance.”

Shawn nodded. “I’ve got things under
control.”

Matt slanted a glance his way. “You think
so?”

He regarded his partner's all-too-knowing
air. “What?”

Matt smirked.

“Hell, I know that look. Speak up.”

“What do you think about her?” His partner
asked.

Shawn shrugged and feigned nonchalance.
“What's not to like? She's young, pretty, smart, and rich, the
total package.”

Matt arched his brows, creating an expression
of tolerant disbelief.

He avoided his friend's gaze and closed the
desk drawer. “It shows, doesn't it?”

“A little,” his partner replied.

Shawn shook his head and glared at his
partner. “The last thing I need is to get involved with a client.
You know what happened in L.A.”

His partner glanced at the photo of the child
on the credenza behind his desk. “She isn't Christy.”

“Thank God for small miracles. One Christy is
quite enough,” Shawn growled.

Matt started to reply, but stopped when
someone knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Shawn said.

Morgan stood at the entrance. “We need to
leave now if we're going to be there on time.”

“I'm ready.” Shawn walked around the desk and
threw his partner a quick glance. “When you hear back on the water
bottle, please call me.”

***

The silence on the drive to the store made
the twenty minutes feel like forty. Morgan spotted the gun under
Shawn’s jacket when she got into the vehicle, and realized he’d
disregarded her concerns.

She didn't hold an irrational fear of guns.
Shawn probably thought she was one of those people who believed no
one ever needed to carry a gun. But the fact that he felt it
necessary to arm himself terrified her. What did Shawn expect to
happen? She glanced over and studied him. His posture had softened
a bit, yet he continually scanned the windows and mirrors, hunting,
always on alert and searching.

When they reached the shopping mall, Morgan
pointed to the turn off which lead to the parking behind the row of
buildings. “We can park behind the store and go to the back
entrance.”

Shawn slowly turned the opposite direction
and moved down the first row of parking spaces. “No. There’s too
much privacy behind the store. Lots of foot traffic and people who
might observe something is the prescription we need right now.”

He reached the end of the row and turned
right into the adjoining path. After Shawn passed on the second
available space, Morgan realized he wasn't searching for a place to
park, but instead was patrolling the lot. Only when he had checked
out the whole area did he double back and park near the jewelry
store.

As they walked in the front entrance, Mary
glanced up from the counter. “How did the interview go?”

“Fine,” Morgan replied. “Are they here?”

“They're in your office.”

A twinge of anxiety pinged through her.
Morgan hadn't told her dad about the stalker. She'd hoped to spare
him this element of stress. Now, she'd have to explain what
happened to her car and why she had a six foot two-inch man
shadowing her twenty-four seven.

Shawn came up beside her as she punched the
security code to the back area. “Does your father know about
this?”

She glanced at him and tried to crook a smile
his way. “He will soon.”

Morgan took a few strides through the work
area and then turned around. Shawn had stopped to survey the tables
and equipment. “You design and create jewelry?”

“Sometimes for special customers or events,
we'll order gems and design custom pieces.”

“Who's the designer?”

Morgan smiled. His serious expression had
melted into a curious boyish charm. “Well, since you asked.”

She walked up to Shawn and rose up on her
toes and leaned in close enough to whisper in his ear. “The owner's
daughter, she designs pieces and makes them.”

Morgan settled down on her heels and moved
back a half step. Shawn's lips curved up in a smile. “Vicki?”

Morgan laughed and gave him a playful punch.
“No, I've designed for years.”

“I'd like you to show me some of them.”

Morgan held her breath. A flirtatious twinkle
lit his eyes as he looked at her. Here it was. The connection she
sensed briefly when they first met. The little voice in her head
warned her to be careful because he wasn't available. Morgan took
another step back and cleared her throat. “Uh, let’s do that after
the meeting and not keep my father waiting any longer.”

“Lead the way.” Shawn gestured toward the
offices in the corner.

She paused briefly at her office door and
glanced back at him. “Here goes,” she muttered as she turned the
doorknob and entered the office, “Dad.”

William Kennedy stood up and embraced his
daughter. “How's my girl?” Morgan started to reply, but he glanced
over at Shawn. “Who are you?”

“Dad, we need to talk.” She turned to the web
designer. “Could you give us a few minutes, please?”

The jean-clad man looked at the trio. “No
problem. I'll be out on the sales floor.” After he left, Shawn
stepped in and shut the door.

Morgan took a breath and for a second she
swore she could hear her heart beating in the silence. With the
three of them in the space, her office seemed small. “Dad, this is
Shawn Randall. He is the owner of Sonoran Security.”

William studied Shawn with interest before he
extended his hand for a handshake. “Mr. Randall. Morgan, are you
changing the security arrangements for the fundraiser?”

Morgan swallowed and shook her head. “No.
Dad, please sit down. I must tell you something.” She waited as he
sat.

He studied her with a wary expression. “Okay,
what is going on?”

She lowered herself into the chair next to
his and reached out to touch his arm. “Yesterday someone vandalized
my car and left flowers at home for me. Today I received
threatening notes on the windshield.”

Morgan turned and shot a warning glance at
Shawn. She deliberately chose to omit any reference to the dead
rabbit and the stolen clothing and hoped he wouldn't mention
it.

“Dear God,” William replied.

“Shawn is here as my bodyguard until this is
settled.”

The older man coolly appraised Shawn. “What
type of experience do you have with this type of situation?”

“I'm former L.A.P.D. and then I worked for
several years providing personal protection to the entertainment
industry.”

William turned to gaze back at her. She could
see the worry in her father's eyes, and her chest tightened. “When
were you going to inform me about this?”

Morgan gulped and took a deep breath. She
knew this would happen and she stroked William’s arm. “Dad, I don't
want you to worry. I’ve got this under control now.”

William sat back in his chair in stunned
silence and then glared at Shawn. “What do you have to say about
this?”

“Morgan's correct. However, her stalker has
been watching her for quite a while. Only within the past
twenty-four hours have things escalated.”