Page 12 of Not the Bodyguard's Baby
Adam pickedup his keys and phone from the security desk. There were three texts, the first from his mother.
—Please pick me up at O’Hare at 3:30. Usual spot.
The next was from his father.
—Your mother lands at 3:10 pick her up at 3:30. Usual spot.
The last was from Elle at the office.
— I have three phone messages for you. Please call when you can.
He answered yes to the first two texts, then called Elle once he reached the privacy of the car. “Hey, it’s Adam. What’s up?”
“Mrs. Hastings called. She needs you to pick her up at 3:30.” Three requests. Unusual for Mom. “Alex called. He wondered if you could take a shift tomorrow afternoon. He needs someone to fill in during a dental appointment.”
“Do you know who the client is?”
“Daniel Crawford and Colin Ogilvie have off-site meetings to attend with Galli-Batiste International.”
Adam double-checked his calendar. Harmony should be with September all afternoon. “I think I can as long as I am done by five.”
“Fine, I’ll put you on the schedule. The last one isn’t really a call. Jethro asked you to call Simon Dermot at Dermot Security. He said Mr. Dermot has some information for you. Also, Alan wants to know if you are coming in today.” Adam checked his watch. If he went to the office, he would only be there an hour or so before heading to the airport. “Does he need something specific?”
“One moment. I’ll check.” Elle’s voice faded out. She must have pressed the mute button, meaning Alan stood next to her. “Alan is trying out a new surveillance system and wants testers.”
“Tell Alan I can in the morning. I don’t dare risk missing mom’s flight because some electronic gadget locked me in a room.” He heard a snatch of conversation through his phone.
“Alan says that will work.”
“Tell Alan to get back to work.” Wouldn’t help, even though Alan maintained his interest in his client-turned-secretary was platonic. A lie only Alan believed. “Thanks, Elle.”
Adam dialed Simon Dermot’s number. Until last year, he had always felt Hastings was competing with Simon’s security firm. However, after Abbie’s stint as an undercover fake fiancée for Simon’s biggest client, Preston Harmon, his respect for them had grown. Watching his sister via phone conference as she and Simon disabled a bomb had a lot to do with the trust he had in the other firm. Now she was married to Preston, and Dermot was in charge of Abbie’s security. There wasn’t another firm on earth he would trust with Abbie’s life. “Hey, Simon, it’s Adam Hastings.”
“Thanks for calling back. Your father asked me to poke around, and I have a few answers. After Hastings Security parted ways with September Pratt, an LA firm, Armstrong Security, was hired. They are fairly large, the type of place where the boss doesn’t know everyone. The day before September’s manager, Shyla, announced she was going into rehab, the firm was put on standby, meaning they were not actively serving as her protection. Then, four months ago, ties were severed with Armstrong, and a new startup by the generic name of Smith’s Best Bodyguards was hired. They are on retainer, although September has still not made any appearances and reportedly isn’t in LA. According to California business records, Smith’s Best founder is Sven Bent, who worked for Armstrong until the day they were put on standby.”
“Sounds suspicious.”
“That’s what I thought. I could keep digging, but I think I hit a nerve and my contact at Armstrong clammed up. A general search on Sven didn’t come up with anything, but I can’t find him before three years ago. Sorry I don’t have more for you.”
“Thanks, Simon. That is a start.”
“No problem. Later.”
The line went dead. Adam left the Eastland hospital parking lot and headed toward the office. He called Alan’s private cell on the hands-free. “Are you alone?”
“Not at the moment. But give me a minute.”Still at the reception desk?
Adam waited for his brother to speak again.
“There. I am in my office, and, no, I wasn’t flirting with ZoElle.”
“You realize you are the only one who calls her by her full name? Don’t answer. Not why I called. There is a new security firm in LA called Smith’s Best. I need everything you can find on them and the owner—a Sven Bent.”
“Again?”
“What do you mean ‘again’?”
“Mom asked for the same thing four or five months ago for one of her clients.”
