Page 11 of Special Agent Isabella

When Isabella didn’t say anything, as if she’d decided the child had the floor first, she had to give her brownie points. If she’d have come on strong with the normal cheesy greetings many people used, Abbie would have lost interest immediately. Possibly, she might’ve become sassy which she often did when tired or bored.

Now, intrigued, she looked at the woman and ventured her opinion. “Your hair is really long. I want mine to grow long like yours.”

Startled, the agent answered without a pause. “If you want the truth, it’s a pain in the… ahh, backside to keep it out of my face, so I usually wear it up. But by the end of the day, I can’t leave it like that anymore because it gives me a headache.”

“I like it this way. Can I brush it sometimes?” The sweet voice sounded completely earnest.

Taken aback completely, Stacy could see that Isabella didn’t know what to say. She looked to the others in the room and sensed they were waiting to see what she’d reply. Going with her gut, she spoke the truth. “I’ve never had anyone brush it before. Guess if you really want to, we could figure it out. But if you pull on snags, I’ll probably grunt, maybe even yell, but not at you. I promise.”

The child wriggled for Tanner to lower her and then she approached Bella. “I’m very gentle… if you sit still.”

“And if I don’t, will you smack me with the brush?” Now Bella teased.

Abbie giggled. “I might. But not hard.Ipromise.” Bella grinned at the way the innocent had turned her own guarantee back on her.

“Then it’s deal.” After hearing a combined sigh, Bella looked at the two adults and knew she’d passed some weird test to be the bodyguard they needed.

“Abbie, you’ve met my new assistant, so now it’s time for bed.” She pointed at the bar and spoke to Tanner. “Could you make whatever you want for you and Isabella? I won’t be long. Just need to settle the brat here for the night.”

“Hey, who’re you calling brat?” Abbie had lowered her voice and talked like a mob boss. Obviously a shared joke that cracked both her and her mom up. Instantly, Stacy swung Abbie up into her arms for a hug, and they left the room giggling together.

* * *

“She’s a nice kid, Bella. A sweetheart really and very smart. Don’t ever question her intelligence because she’ll be onto you right away. Her life here has made her grow up too fast… no silly childish stuff for her.”

“You mean she doesn’t play with dolls and toys like most kids her age?”

“Oh, she does. But… well, you’ll see what I mean. Can I get you a drink?”

“Sure, since you’re driving, I’ll have a white wine and leave the bottle close by. I have a feeling I might need refills before the night is over.” When his head swiveled her way, she smiled without any humor.

Wandering around the room while Tanner looked after their drinks, she felt relaxed. From what she saw by their living quarters, the governor had restricted the opulence to a minimum. This comfy space could be in any home where a single mother had sole custody of her daughter. There were a few toys scattered around but mainly puzzles, books, and Lego creations that were huge.

“Let me guess. The kid built these monstrosities.”

“Pretty much. Stacy helps some, but Abbie has a superior mind when it comes to construction. As you’ve guessed no doubt, she’s miles ahead of her age group and gets homeschooled for a lot of her courses. Stacy demanded that she still attend classes half days at the local school so she can socialize. Of course, with this new threat, she’s been kept home, and Abbie’s not happy about it at all.”

“Jesus, I know how that feels, to be kept away from something you love to do.”

“You’re thinking about your boss forcing you to stay in the office for light duty. I don’t blame her. When I was talking to your superiors, they hinted that you have a tendency to be a magnet for trouble. Let’s hope that part of your personality stays hidden here.”

“Look who’s talking. You’ve been involved in more police shootouts than most of the other agents put together. So don’t lecture me. I know how to do my job.”

“I wasn’t lecturing… okay, maybe warning. Stacy and Abbie need our protection, and we still don’t know whether it’s a one-person threat or more. She’s not popular to some of the domestic terrorist groups either. One example is this… there are those who believe that abortions should be legal, and the state passed a ban for after fifteen weeks. It was put in place before she stepped up to take the position, and the people who voted it in are adamant to keep it. Of course, there’s the other side who want it changed.”

“Uh-oh, now that’s a controversial subject.”

“Yeah. Then there’s the new bills they’re passing in the state senate about law enforcement that’s getting a lot of coverage. They’re making the phone-carrying, filming-crazy public stay at least eight feet away from any situation where police officers are carrying out their duties. It’s a red flag to those who believe they have the right to keep the police honest.”

“That’s one thing that’s been proven effective in some cases. Selling their footage to a reporter to cause a scandal is another.”

“Yep. There’s that too. I could go on. It’s a mess out there and getting worse. So we have to be diligent for any signs of trouble.”

“I get it. Having lived under the pressure of a person wanting to kill me for months, I’ve become pretty paranoid about anything out of the norm. Can you take me on a tour of the residence and the grounds? And having a blueprint of the property would be invaluable. I’m a visual learner. Once I see the layout, it’s there for good.”

“I never knew that. Demi’s told me a lot about how brilliant you are ad nauseum, but she never mentioned you have Iconic memory.”

“Never told her. No need. I don’t brag about myself like some people I know.”

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