Page 29 of Not the Bodyguard's Princess
“Off a real-estate map. Blake chose middle-class neighborhoods. If the neighborhood is too wealthy, they get suspicious of strangers. No one in a middle-class neighborhood has a clue who their neighbors are because they’re always at work or soccer.”
Stu nodded. “That sounds reasonable.”
“I need to change my shoes.” Jordan searched Stu’s face. After the police left, he’d promised to keep an eye on her room. Paul still refused to have her move to a different hotel or a rental. And other than changing rooms with someone else, there weren’t many options. “Come on, Princess, help me choose my walking shoes.”
As she hoped, Andrew followed her. Stu didn’t stop him. At the room, she let Princess and Andrew in first. She hoped it wasn’t obvious that she trusted his skills more than the guards hired to keep her safe.
The neighborhood Stu found was perfectly suited to walking a dog. Andrew walked on the outside of the sidewalk, alert to everything. Jordan slipped her earbuds in.
“I need to call my grandmother. Can you do me a favor and make it look like we are talking and not really listen in?”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Thanks.” Jordan dialed. “Hi, Grandma, sorry it’s so late. We were running a read-through that went forever. How was your flight?”
“You know how it is. I’m just glad to land someplace I can call home.” Of the three European properties Grandma owned, the London apartment was Jordan’s favorite.
“I need to tell you I’ve had a bit more excitement here.”
“Other than the shooting?”
“A black rose in a box by my hotel room door, and someone left a photo of Mom with catsup on it and a steak knife through it on my balcony.”
Claire Lee swore in French, Swedish, and German. “Pardon my language, dear. Isn’t that new bodyguard of yours any good?”
Jordan snuck a side glance at Andrew, who whispered the words toMary Had a Little Lambkeeping up the pretense that she was talking to him. “He is the one who got me out of danger both times. He has a plan for getting a second person on to his team.”
“How’s Blake?”
“They released him today. His wife is here to take him back to LA. I will go visit them tonight.”
“So you think you are safe with Andrew?”
“Yes, I do.”
A yawn came from the London end of the line. “I wish I could talk longer, but my body has no idea what time it is, and my clock says I have call time in eight hours. Love you, bunny.”
“I love you too.”
“Tell that young man to take good care of you.” Claire’s voice faded.
“Don’t worry. He does. Bye.”
Andrew’s eyebrows raised during the last part of the conversation, but he didn’t ask any questions when she hung up. “Can we have a real conversation for a second?”
“Sure.”
“September is going to bring the best dog whisperer in Chicago with her when she comes up Thursday afternoon.”
“That long?” Forty-some odd hours was a very long time.
“Sorry. It couldn’t be faster.”
“I was hoping to get some sleep. I’m a little nervous since this afternoon. I did get my pass key card changed.”
“Can I copy it to my phone?” Andrew pulled his phone out of his pocket and brought up Blake’s app. Jordan pressed her keycard to the phone. Stu’s car inched closer.
“I wish I could keep Princess in my room, but if she needs to go out in the night, I have to wake up half the hotel.”
