Page 44 of Lone Star Country Protector
Once Blakely was safely inside, he parked and then walked the perimeter. The parking lot itself wasn’t busy. Half the spaces were empty. Jurors were most likely already present. This new-construction building had a dozen courtrooms. Summoned jurors were being sorted through in a large room, given assignments. Others had cases underway and were already seated in court.
Badge visible on his belt clip, he walked corridors and poked his head in rooms to get a baseline. So far, so good.
He’d seen Johnny Spear’s picture, so he knew what facial features to look for. There were countless ways to alter your appearance, but Dalton was skilled at sifting through hair color changes and the various other ways to conceal your real identity. Clothing was another big one. Throw on a dress, put on makeup and paint your nails, and someone like Johnny could walk around freely without being identified.
The probability that Johnny could breach the courthouse might be slim, considering all the ID checks and fail-safes implemented, but Dalton left nothing to chance.
When he’d dotted everyiand crossed everyt, he locatedBlakely’s courtroom and found a seat in the back row. There was a small sprinkling of attendees. A gentleman with white hair sitting by three college-aged kids gave rapt attention not to the defendant or the litigators, but to Blakely.
Was this the law professor who’d shown up at the hospital? Didn’t that make the tiny hairs on the back of Dalton’s neck prickle? The man seemed to be stalking Blakely. This felt like more than just following her career. Dalton needed to have a conversation with her to get her take on the situation. This whole bit rubbed him the wrong way. Not once had any of his college professors tried to establish a personal connection outside of the classroom.
To be fair, she was remarkable and very successful at a young age. He was certain her university would want to keep a strong alumni connection.
Dalton’s cell buzzed in his pocket. After checking the screen, he slipped out of the courtroom. “Hey, Jules. What’s up?”
“It’s Grandpa Lor,” she began, emotion making the words come out strained.
“Everything okay?” His pulse spiked.
“He’s awake,” she managed to say clearly. “And he’s asking for everyone.”
“I’m on my way,” Dalton replied before ending the call. His next was to his supervisor. “I need to go. Now. My grandfather’s condition has improved.”
“That’s good news,” Jamison Fox said. Most called him Foxy behind his back. The females on staff said he could pull off the name given his good looks. He wore a gold bracelet around his wrist with his wife and two young kids’ names inscribed on it. His devotion to family, they’d said, made himPeople’s Sexiest Man Alive eligible in their books. “I’m happy for you, Dalton.”
“I’m mid-assignment,” Dalton began.
“Not a problem,” Foxy said. “I’ll pull someone and send them over. Where are you?”
“In court,” Dalton said before explaining Blakely was well protected while in the courthouse.
“Go be with your family, Dalton.”
He hesitated before thanking his supervisor. The thought of leaving Blakely sat hard on his chest. Harder than he expected.A break would be good, the little voice in the back of his mind reminded. They’d hit a wall on the personal front. Being with Blakely twenty-four-seven wasn’t doing good things to his heart or his mind. A little time apart might help clear his head because their attraction was becoming a problem. For him, at least. She’d been clear about where she stood on having anything but a professional relationship.
“I’ll have someone over before the end of the day,” Foxy said. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this. We’ll protect the judge.”
The reassurance helped, easing some of the guilt he felt for abandoning her.
“I appreciate it,” Dalton said.
“Mesa Point is a couple hours’ drive,” Foxy said. “You should get on the road if you want to be there by lunch.”
“Will do, boss,” Dalton said, then thanked his supervisor once again before ending the call. He was torn right down the middle. Half of him wanted to give Blakely a heads-up before he took off. The other half reminded him that she’d been clear about taking care of herself. She’d been clear about not needing anyone in her life.
Walking away while his pride was still somewhat intact was his best bet. If it hurt now, imagine what it would feel like if he spent more time around her.
Closure. This was closure. So why did he feel like he had a big, gaping open wound where his heart should be?
* * *
Out of thecorner of her eye, Blakely saw Dalton slip out of the courtroom. Hours passed, and he didn’t return. Had something happened? Had Dalton been called out? Was something happening in the building or parking lot?
Or had Johnny Spear been caught? Case closed?
At noon, she ordered a break for lunch. Ralph escorted her to her chambers, where she half expected Dalton to be waiting. Her heart sank to her toes when she found the space empty instead.
Still no sign of Dalton when it was time to head back into the courtroom. On the way, she leaned into Ralph and asked, “Have you seen my US marshal escort anywhere?”
