Page 31 of My Bodyguard Neighbor
"What's the plan?"he asked.
"Courthouse security is being tripled.FBI's involved now that we have concrete intelligence.They want the judge to postpone, but apparently he's refusing."Blake paused."Your girl's old man has balls, I'll give him that."
"He's an arrogant ass who thinks he's bulletproof."
"Maybe.But he's not backing down."Another pause."Are you going to tell Holly?"
“Yeah.”Jonah hung up and stared at himself in the mirror.Dark circles under his eyes.Three days of stubble.The face of a man who'd spent twelve years killing people and the last week falling in love with someone who deserved better.
When he came out of the bathroom, Holly was awake, sitting up against the headboard with the sheet pulled around her.Her hair was a mess, her eyes still heavy with sleep.
"What's wrong?"she asked.
Jonah sat on the edge of the bed."Blake just called.He found out that the Popovs are making their move tomorrow at the sentencing."
Holly shifted from sleepy to alert in seconds."My father."
"Yeah."
"Are they going after me too?"
"No.You're no longer useful leverage.The verdict's in."Jonah watched her face."This is revenge now.Pure and simple."
Holly pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them."I have to warn him."
"I figured you'd say that."
"You think I shouldn't?"
Jonah shook his head."I think you should do whatever lets you sleep at night.Your father made his choices.He knew this trial would make him a target.He's choosing to go through with sentencing anyway.That's on him, not you."
"I know."Holly's voice was small."But I can't just let him walk into an ambush.Even after everything he did, he's still my father."
Jonah reached for her hand."Then call him."
Holly picked up her phone, stared at it for a long moment, then dialed.She turned on the speaker phone.
"Holly?Are you safe?Where are you?"
"I'm fine.I'm calling because I have information you need to know."
There was a pause."I'm listening."
"The Popovs are planning to kill you at sentencing tomorrow."
Another pause, longer this time.When her father spoke again, his voice had changed.Less authoritative."How do you know this?"
"Jonah's team captured one of their men.He talked."
"I see."A long exhale."The FBI has already briefed me on increased threat levels.They want me to postpone sentencing."
"Are you going to?"
"No.I won't let these criminals think they can intimidate the federal judiciary.If I postpone, every trial I oversee from now on will be vulnerable to the same tactics."
"So your pride is more important than your life?"
"It's not about pride.It's about the rule of law."
