Page 17 of Not the Bodyguard's Princess
“Then why doesn’t Blake have someone from his own crew come out here?”
“No clue. You said he was in a lot of pain last night. Did you get to talk to him today?”
Andrew sat on the edge of one of the upholstered chairs—not half as comfortable as it looked. “No. I dealt with the dog. The call I made to Blake’s office was somewhat helpful. His wife is the office manager. They run a lean team, with only enough manpower for Miss Lee and her grandmother Claire Lee. Shouldn’t Mr. Blake have a backup plan in place?”
“Maybe? But that isn’t the point. Jordan called September, and Mr. Blake approved of using Hastings Security. Right now, we are the backup plan.”
Andrew remembered how Blake’s face relaxed when Andrew confirmed he was one of Jethro’s sons. “Which takes me back to how bad it would look if I quit.”
“Think on it tonight. You can talk to Mr. Blake tomorrow. From what you said last night, the briefing was bare bones. Maybe there’s something more he can fill you in on when he isn’t suffering the immediate aftereffects of surgery.”
“True. Anything more on yesterday’s shooting?”
“No, the videos we found are down now. I guess the police don’t want them going viral. Alan might know more tomorrow.”
“I don’t like this. It feels like I’m in a movie where the audience is screaming at me not to turn the next corner but I follow the cute girl anyway.”
“If I were you, I’d wait another day and get more facts. Quitting in haste is not a good idea.”
Someone tapped at Andrew’s door. Dinner. “Thanks, bro.”
“Anytime.”
Andrew hit the end button and answered the door. He tipped the delivery driver extra for being quick.
An hour later, he got a text from Miss Lee.Come get Princess.
Andrew took the stairs to work out his annoyance at being a glorified dog walker.
A Hearthfire bodyguard leaned back in a chair outside Miss Lee’s room, playing on his phone. He didn’t look up until Andrew was three feet away. Then he stood. “What do you need?”
“Miss Lee messaged me about the dog.”
“Fine, go in.”
Andrew knocked, and Jordan opened the door wide. “Come on in.”
As soon as Miss Lee shut the door, she held up another bug. “Princess is on the balcony.”
Andrew followed her to the balcony, then she signed, “Don’t make Stu upset. I don’t want you kicked off the set.”
He knelt down next to Princess and scratched her ears. “Where was the bug?”
“Is it safe to talk out here?” whispered Miss Lee.
“I have a signal blocker. Only works about ten-foot radius, though.”
“On the lamp next to the couch.”
Andrew frowned. “There wasn’t one there earlier. I can keep removing them, or we can ignore them.”
“At least we can sign. If it is Stu’s bug, we will only make him upset, which will make Paul upset with me.”
“You didn’t tell Stu?”
“Blake may respect him but he doesn’t like him for a reason. I don’t need to know the reason to be wary. So he isn’t the first person I’ll trust.” Miss Lee rolled her eyes. “I’m not stupid.”
“I didn’t say you were. Anything you have to tell me? I’ll wear out my welcome in another minute.”
