Page 65 of Island Protector

“Still there?”

“Can’t be sure. Whoever it is didn’t take the bait when I yelled at them.”

“Miles!” Knox swore. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking for someone who’s supposed to be my bodyguard you’re sure as hell absent at critical moments.”

“I am not.”

“Are you in the marsh? Hiding in the trees out back?”

“No.” Knox swore again. “You’re alive, Miles. Which means I’ve got eyes on you. But I’m wondering how the hell anyone got around me.”

“Crap. Sorry.” Knox had hauled him to the clinic. And it shouldn’t have taken this long for the timing and details to sink in. “You scared off the guy last night, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” Knox replied, clearly distracted. “One of my guys gave chase, but lost him.”

Like the hit-and-run driver. “This is about Molly,” Miles insisted. “And whoever’s dogging her is succeeding because we’re looking for Vedras-level threats.”

Knox sighed. “That tracks. I’ll send it up the line and see what they suggest.”

“Don’t you have backup watching Molly too?”

“We’ve got full surveillance. We’ve had eyes on the three of you all day. Whoever is doing this is damn good at hiding. We’ll get to the bottom of this, Miles.”

“I believe you.” He owed Knox his confidence. And his life.

Miles ended the call and set aside his phone, his mind spinning.

If Knox hadn’t spotted the person taking photos, sending threats, driving into Molly, and jumping him, that person was posing as a local. Miles rushed back to his office and opened his computer. It had started with the sudden custody challenge and escalated quickly.

And he would find a way to bring the trouble to an end.

Chapter Sixteen

Molly was surprisedto see Sharon’s car in the driveway when she got home. Bryce charged through the front door shouting her name, while Molly followed, toting her purse and his bookbag.

She caught up to them in the kitchen, where Bryce regaled Sharon with everything about Miles’s home at top volume. “He had Oreos and I got a whole stack.”

“That’s awesome,” Sharon gushed. “I guess you don’t have room for any of these oatmeal raisin cookies I just baked.”

“He really doesn’t,” Molly said. “Not until after dinner,” she added, cutting off his immediate protest.

“When’s dinner?”

“A little bit yet,” she said. “Do you want to play outside on the porch or watch a show?”

“Not the water table?” he asked, testing the limits.

“I’m not setting up the water table,” Molly said. “The weather isn’t quite warm enough.”

“Soon?”

“Soon,” she agreed. With his fascination for boats, she and Sharon had purchased the water table for him last summer. Itwas an outdoor toy for obvious reasons, but also a warm weather toy. As nice as their weather usually was, February was not ideal water table time.

Appeased, he opted for the family room to watch a show instead.

“Everything go okay with your date?” Molly asked.

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