Page 74 of Not the Bodyguard's Princess
What would a nice nine-to-five job be like? Jordan banished the thought as she returned to the set and slipped back into the role of Princess Sam.
* * *
Hannah’s house stood out on the street as the only one that was wheelchair accessible. Andrew parked in the driveway. He’d added a Princess Sam doll to Jordan’s offering of a photo, hoping to ease the preteen’s disappointment.
Hannah’s mother answered the door. Andrew could see Hannah in the room beyond, so he signed with one hand as he spoke. “I’m sorry Jordan couldn’t make it this afternoon. May I still talk with you about the shooting?”
While the mother looked unsure, Hannah signed yes.
Andrew gave the gifts to Hannah and sat down. “Jordan wanted to be here, but they had some delays at work.”
“I saw the TV last night. You were with...” Hannah made a sign Andrew didn’t know. “You are her boyfriend, right?”
Andrew imitated the sign and asked her what it meant.
“Name sign for Jordan Lee.”
“Thank you. I didn’t know that sign.”
“My friends and I made it up.” Hannah beamed.
“I think she will like it.”
“Why do you sign?”
“It’s a beautiful language. I fell in love with it. I used to be an interpreter. And I need ASL from time to time in my work as a bodyguard.”
“Okay. What do you want to ask me?”
“My job is to protect Jordan.” It was close enough to the truth ,Andrew didn’t feel the need to explain. “I was watching a video of an interview and saw you in the background signing to your mom. I’d like to know what you saw that day.”
Mother and daughter exchanged looks. “Hannah didn’t duck like the rest of us. She told me someone else did the shooting and the police were wrong. But what she says is a little crazy.” The mother’s voice trailed off. She hadn’t bothered to sign.
Andrew signed as he spoke. “My brother and I have been looking at video after video of the shooting. I think the police may have arrested the wrong man.”
“Mom, I told you. The man in the purple shirt used the gun and then jumped on the man next to him. The police took the second man away, then everyone congratulated the man in the purple shirt.”
Andrew opened his phone and found the photos he’d taken of the Hearthfire bodyguards. The deep burgundy of their uniforms was close enough to purple. “Can you tell me if any of these men is the one you saw?” Andrew scrolled through the photos.
“Stop.” Hannah pointed to the photo of Rod.
Hannah’s mom chimed in. “That’s the man Hannah insists was the shooter. I told her she must be wrong. He’s a bodyguard.”
Andrew put his phone away. “You have been an enormous help. I’m not the police, but I have been wondering if this man could have been part of things. I think you should call the police and tell them. I have the video with Hannah signing ‘wrong man, purple shirt’ over and over in the background, so the detective will know you aren’t making the story up.”
Hannah turned to her mother. “Please, Mom. I need to tell the police.”
“She’s been asking to talk to the police since this happened. Do you think they will have an interpreter?”
“They should be able to find one.” Andrew hoped he was correct.
“Will you stay?” asked Hannah.
“If you want me to.”
Andrew checked his phone. Jordan wouldn’t get a text until she was done filming. Besides, his contact should be Deidre, not the client. He texted Alan.
I have new information about airport shooting.
