Page 22 of Guarding Truth
“I don’t believe in coincidences, and if you hadn’t pulled me back…”
Sirens wailed in the distance. “Let’s not think about what might have happened. You’re safe and we need to get you off the street.” Juliette grabbed his arm again, and they walked toward the awning of a hardware store to get out of the way of onlookers. As they walked, Caleb scanned the faces of every person in the crowd, committing each one to memory in order to help the police. But he knew the perpetrator had taken off right after the shove.
Juliette waved her hands like Moses parting the Red Sea to forge a path through the gawkers. She led him toward the building, about a hundred feet away from the crowd. “The situation has changed, Caleb. It doesn’t take a mathematician to add up these events. The bank robbery. Your home invasion. The man shoving you into the road. This hacker group is coming for you.”
Caleb swallowed. “Blake called me before we left. Apparently Rushmore has declared war against Cyberskies.” He couldn’t form words or wrap his mind around how close he’d come to his own mortality. His skin pricked as his mind recalled every vivid impression of the trolley rushing by him. But one thought shut down all of the others.
Ivy.
“This puts Ivy right into their crosshairs,” Juliette said, as if reading his mind. “If these guys are gunning for you, they could go after her.”
“If anyone is targeting me, Ivy could become collateral damage.” He bit his bottom lip. “Should I take her out of school? Do you think she’s in danger?”
He shot Ivy a text to make sure she was okay. He’d relented and given her back her phone so he could keep tabs on her, especially after the break-in. Her instant response of “Fine” slowed his heartbeat to within a normal range.
He flipped the phone so Juliette could see Ivy’s text. His phone had survived his tumble into the street by some miracle.
“I’m on it,” Juliette said. “I’m calling in for reinforcements. Let me check with Noelle in my office and see if we can get additional bodyguards in place.”
Officers Matt Williams and Ladecia Slaton headed toward them while her fingers flew across the screen of her iPhone.
His neighbor placed his hands on his hips. “Did you two decide to team up to find trouble? Because I’ve seen both of you at crime scenes in the past twenty-four hours.”
Juliette put her hands on her hips, ready to volley the sarcasm back into Matt’s court. Caleb tried to hide his smile and let Juliette handle the retorts. “We just want to make sure you’re earning a paycheck. But we’re concerned that these crime scenes are related.”
Matt’s face grew somber. “How so?”
Juliette turned to Caleb. “Did you notice anything identifiable about the man?”
Of course he remembered every detail, but the hood had covered most of the man’s facial features. He closed his eyes and let his memory draw him a picture of every detail. “Tall and lanky man. Pointed jawline. I didn’t see his eyes. But he had an angry red cut across his right cheek.”
She nodded. “Kind of like someone hit him in the head with a trophy. I thought I saw some sort of scar or wound. I think he’s the man from the bank.”
“So you can describe him?” A jolt of energy sparked through Caleb. This could be their first lead. And it all tied back to Rushmore.
“No. He was wearing a mask, but I clobbered him in the face, which explains the wound.”
A chill shuddered through Caleb, and he listened to Juliette explain her theory that she’d faced off with their perpetrator during the bank robbery on Monday.
Hazard Pay Montgomery.Jules was still living up to that stupid nickname. Caleb had always hated it. Because it meant that Juliette put herself in danger.
Matt pulled up info on his phone. “If this is the same guy from the bank robbery, we might have our first crack in this case. But it also means Caleb needs someone to watch his back.” The officer eyed Juliette, who hadn’t stopped scanning their surroundings.
Matthew and Officer Slaton excused themselves to interview other eyewitnesses and see if they could get various cell phone videos with different vantage points of the incident.
“Your new job as a bodyguard suits you,” Caleb said.
A hint of red swept across her cheeks. She shrugged. “I enjoy it and still get to use some of my Ranger training. But I think we need to get off the street like you suggested, in case the man in black is still watching. Would you consider heading back to my office so we can discuss your need for further protection?”
“So you’re going to take Ivy’s piggy bank money after all?”
She put her hands on her hips. “Caleb, are you making a joke? I didn’t know you had it in you.” He’d never been known for a sense of humor, and most sarcasm was lost on him.
But he wasn’t kidding. The last thing he wanted was for Juliette to be officially in charge of his protection.
He shook his head. “I’m not joking. Are you seriously going to let Ivy hire you to protect me? Because if anything, Ivy is the one that needs a bodyguard. Should I take her out of school? She should be with me. Do you think she’s in danger? Maybe I should text her?—”
Juliette placed a hand over Caleb’s, silencing his jumbled thoughts.