He wanted to assess her trustworthiness. But from what he could tell, she was in Jana’s camp. The background check had shown that they’d been friends since their competitive days. And there was no reason to think that Coley didn’t have Jana’s best interests at heart.
Watching them, Thaddeus could tell they were good friends. The way they talked and laughed, even ate and drank, conveyed their fondness for each other. That was good. Jana needed a friend, especially during such a stressful time.
Jana wouldn’t admit to that, and continued to claim there was no problem. But Thaddeus didn’t buy it. She had to doubt her safety after all that had happened. She was playing it tough, acting like it didn’t matter, and trying to convince him that she could rely on herself.
That was fine. It didn’t mean that Thaddeus wouldn’t be there when something happened—as it surely would. He’d kept his eyes and ears open but hadn’t observed anything alarming in the restaurant. He’d been ready for action, just in case, but was glad that it had been a pleasant getaway for Jana, an evening without incident.
It had gone well, but Thaddeus didn’t like being in a public place. There was too much opportunity and he couldn’t keep eyes on everything. His primary focus was Jana. So long as he didn’t take his attention off her and maintained appropriate awareness of his surroundings, he could head off trouble—or so he hoped.
He’d counted the two drinks Jana had ordered. Not that much. She shouldn’t be tipsy, and she seemed to be walking straight. The alcohol might impair her, but not enough to affect her driving. He’d been glad to see her eat, as that would help.
Thaddeus would have preferred to escort her into the Jeep and drive her home. But short of forcing her into his vehicle, that wouldn’t work. She still wasn’t looking at him or acknowledging his presence. That was something he was used to. Often clients forgot that he was there; he was supposed to fade into the background anyway.
Jana lifted her hand and pointed toward her truck. Before she could click to unlock the doors, Thaddeus grabbed the key fob.
“What the—”
Thaddeus held up his hand, staring at the truck. He’d spotted a flicker of silver by the front wheel well. “Stay back,” he said, then edged forward. He pulled a small flashlight from his pocket and squatted by the car, without touching anything.
Just as he’d thought, it was duct tape, just an edge of it sticking out. Thaddeus got on his back and shined the light underneath the car. His pulse sped up and he shifted into danger mode.
Quickly, he got up then took Jana’s arm. He waved the flashlight toward the restaurant. “We need to move back.” He spotted another couple headed for their car that was parked near the truck. “Excuse me,” he said. “But you need to wait.”
The couple hesitated, wondering who he was.
“I’m in the security business,” Thaddeus said. “That red truck is rigged with a car bomb. I’m about to contact the authorities.”
The couple looked stunned and froze in place.
Jana’s eyes widened. “How do you know that?”
“I had a hunch. And it’s lucky I acted on it. I found the contraption, right under the wheel well.”
Jana looked shaken. “Oh my God.”
Thaddeus held tight to her arm and made the call. A car bomb required a special detail with equipment to disarm it. He didn’t have that on hand, so needed to get law enforcement on the scene.
After hearing that her truck was set to explode, Jana hadn’t resisted him. She stood close with her arm through his. “Thaddeus…this is really bad. I could have… My truck might have…”
“Yes, I’m aware.” Thaddeus had seen plenty of explosions. He had a vision of Jana pulling open the door to her truck and triggering the detonator. What came next he didn’t want to think about.
Jana closed her eyes then pressed her forehead against his sleeve. He felt her trembling against his arm. “If you hadn’t been here… I dread to think.”
Thaddeus hated seeing her traumatized, but she was alive and well. That was what counted. He’d headed off disaster, but he’d need to stay more alert. He shouldn’t have allowed Jana to drive alone, no matter how mad she was. It wouldn’t happen again.