Tempted By The Bodyguard. Elle James

photo. “Shelby Raye O’Hara. A beautiful, smart young lady with a full life ahead of her. If I can find her before something awful happens to her.” He swallowed hard. “If it hasn’t already.”

      If she had been missing for two weeks, Daniel predicted bad things had, indeed, happened to the girl. And nothing anyone could do would bring her back.

      “I didn’t give up my daughter. She died,” Kate whispered, a single tear slipping down her cheek. She lifted her head, her chin trembling.

      “Is that what you told yourself?” Patrick laughed, the sound completely without humor. He stepped closer. “I don’t care if lying to yourself helped you throw away your own flesh and blood. I can’t believe I ever loved you. You’re selfish, heartless and deserved the man you married.”

      Daniel laid a hand on the man’s chest. “Back off.”

      Patrick stared at Daniel as if it was the first time he’d seen him and his gun. “Kate, I don’t give a damn about you or your high-society family. What I do care about is getting my granddaughter back. Alive. If you have any sense of decency, you’ll help. She’s your family, too.”

      “Mother,” Sam said. “Say the word and I’ll throw him out.”

      Daniel braced himself for a fight with Patrick O’Hara. He didn’t want to use his gun; it would leave a big mess in the Winstons’ house. And as far as he could tell, O’Hara wasn’t armed.

      “No.” Kate shook her head. “If someone thinks Shelby O’Hara is related to me in any way, she’s in danger.”

      “I’ve never told anyone about her bloodline. Shelby doesn’t even know her mother was your daughter.”

      “Stop.” Kate held up her hand. “Until I verify your story, I promise to help. And if Shelby has been kidnapped because of me, we will do our best to help find her.” Kate turned to Thad. “Our only link to the Cartel at this time is Robert D’Angelis. Can we check and see if he knows anything about the missing woman?”

      Thad, who was on the Raleigh Police crime scene investigation team, nodded. “He’s in a holding cell at Wake County Jail. I’m on my way.”

      “I’m going with you,” Kate insisted. She turned to her personal secretary, Debra Winston, Trey’s wife. “Debra, cancel all my afternoon appointments.”

      “Yes, ma’am.” Debra, eight-and-a-half-months pregnant, but just as on the ball as ever, waddled out of the room, tapping the touch screen on her cell phone to make the necessary calls.

      Kate turned to Daniel. “Mr. Henderson, please notify the director of the Secret Service about this new development. If Shelby’s kidnapping has anything to do with me and the Cartel’s attempts on my life, I want the Secret Service involved in finding her, as well. The more people looking, the better chance we have of finding her. Now let’s get to the county jail.” Kate passed Daniel, heading for the door, her heels clicking determinedly on the white marble tiles of the foyer.

      “I’m going with you,” Patrick said as he fell into step with Kate.

      “Of course you are.” Kate didn’t display any emotion in her announcement. “If you’re lying to me, we won’t have far to go to have you arrested for trespassing and attempted assault.”

      As Kate’s personal bodyguard, Daniel insinuated himself between her and Patrick, limping along as fast as he could, ignoring the pain in his knee.

      If O’Hara had a knife, he’d have to go through Daniel to get to Kate Winston. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d taken a hit for the woman. His scars had barely healed over from the bullets he’d absorbed by throwing himself in front of her at a rally. And if he hadn’t torn a ligament, he’d be investigating instead of performing bodyguard duties.

      Debra must have alerted the chauffeur. One of the two Winston limousines stood out front in the curved drive, the second one coming to a halt behind it.

      “Daniel and Thad, I want you two in my vehicle. Mr. O’Hara can ride with the others in the second.”

      Patrick stepped away from the Winston family. “I’ll take my own car.”

      Trey slipped an arm around his pregnant wife. “Debra, Sam and I will follow in my car. No need to take the other limousine. Besides, it’s hard for Debra to get in and out of it.”

      “Suit yourself.” Kate slid into the limo, tucking in her long legs. Thad sat on one side of her and Daniel on the other. He didn’t like that Patrick was leaving alone. But Daniel refused to leave Kate’s side. As long as he was assigned as her bodyguard, he would provide the best protection he could. Normally, he hated playing bodyguard to politicians. But Kate Winston wasn’t a normal politician. She was smart, down-to-earth and personable.

      Still, Daniel would rather be investigating the case than babysitting the target. Given his latest injury, he was lucky to be working at all. A torn ligament meant being relegated to the sidelines, gimping along until he could return to investigations.

      By the time they’d arrived at the Wake County Jail, Daniel had contacted the director of the Secret Service and relayed the information about Shelby O’Hara’s disappearance. Director Kincannon agreed to meet them there.

      “What’s going on, Mother?” Thad asked on the drive across town. “Why did O’Hara say you had a granddaughter?”

      “It’s a long story.” Kate looked straight ahead. “I’d rather not talk about it just yet. The most important thing to focus on is finding the girl.”

      Daniel suspected that, like most high-powered politicians, even Kate Winston had a few skeletons in her closet. Skeletons not even her sons knew about.

      Once inside the building, Kate insisted Daniel go with Thad to interrogate the prisoner. “If Robert D’Angelis has any information concerning the missing girl, the sooner we get it out of him, the better for Shelby.” A sheriff’s deputy led her to small room where she could watch the interview through a two-way mirror.

      As promised, Director Kincannon met them outside the interrogation room. “Agent Henderson, Detective Winston.” He nodded to each of them. “They’ve moved the suspect into the interrogation room. Do you want me to question him?”

      Daniel paused outside the interview room his hand on the doorknob. “I’ve had more recent experience interrogating suspects.”

      Director Kincannon nodded. “Then, by all means, question him.”

      Daniel turned to Thad.

      “Go for it.” Thad held up his hands. “I’ll stand back and listen.”

      “While you two conduct the interview, I’ll watch from the observation room.” Director Kincannon moved back toward the room where Kate Winston waited.

      Daniel gathered his thoughts and entered the interrogation room, Thad close behind him.

      Former Secret Service agent Robert D’Angelis sat in a metal chair with his hands cuffed and resting on the table in front of him. His face was pale with a slightly green tint. A half-empty paper cup of water sat on the table within his reach.

      The tall man was hunched over, his fit body seeming to sag with the weight of his muscles. A fine sheen of sweat covered his face, and his eyes were yellow and bloodshot.

      “Why am I here?” he said. “I’m not talking to anyone without my lawyer.”

      “Agent D’Angelis, we have a few questions for you,” Daniel said.

      D’Angelis blinked and squeezed his eyes tight, then opened them, squinting. “Light is so damned bright.” He shook his head and blinked again.

      “Are you all right? Do you need a glass of water?” Daniel asked.

      “Just had one.” He lifted his cuffed hands and tugged at the collar of the bright orange jumpsuit supplied by the Wake County Jail.