Undercover Warrior. Aimee Thurlo

      “You say you’re keeping me with you so you can protect me, but if I’m in danger, why aren’t we holed up in some safe place?”

      “Your best bet is to stay on the move with me. I’m not in a position to trust anyone else with your safety, except my brothers, and they have their own work to do right now. If you’re with me, you might also see something that jogs your memory, a detail that could be important. You’ve been working with Hank for quite a while.”

      “I’m not connected to whatever mess Hank was in. I work hard, and my long-term goals have nothing to do with violence, control, or whatever these killers are after. I want to make a living farming the land. Check my background, and you’ll see I’m exactly who I say I am.”

      “Whether you like it or not, you’re involved, and you can’t reason with these people, or fight them alone. You need me. I’m good at what I do, and I’ll keep you safe.”

      “What happens tonight? Once you drop me off at home, I’ll be on my own anyway.”

      “You can’t go home. Not yet. I can’t just put an officer near your door and hope for the best.”

      “You think that the men who killed Hank have someone inside the police department?” she asked, reading between the lines.

      “I don’t know, so I’d be gambling with your life. As far as my not being completely open with you,” he added, “in my job, everything is on a need-to-know basis.”

      “I suppose that explains why you took something from the box on Hank’s desk and put it in your pocket without telling anyone, including the police.” Although she knew what it was, for now, she’d say nothing.

      “I gave it to Preston when he and I were alone. He’ll sign it over to my brother Daniel who has the security clearance needed to find out what we need to know. I also sent a photo of it to my boss.”

      “There’s a whole lot more to that story, but okay—for now.”

      “Take me at face value.” Kyle gave her a disarming smile. “I’m your bodyguard.”

      Her skin prickled with awareness. Kyle was high voltage excitement, a force of nature, adventure waiting to happen. Danger clung to him like an unholy aura. Considering that she was in a life-or-death fight, staying with Kyle was her best option.

      “I’m really not bad company,” he said, his eyes dancing.

      Her heart began beating overtime. “I’m sure you’ve got a long list of women who love spending time with you. Things are always happening when you’re near. It’s like a wild roller coaster ride, periods of calm are just the prelude to the next spiraling downturn.”

      “That’s quite a compliment.”

      “I don’t like roller coasters, I like paddle boats.”

      “Up to now,” he said with a playful grin, then pulled to the side of the road and parked just to the right of a small cottage. “Okay, this is it. We’re here.”

      “What a beautiful little casita. Frieda’s got good taste,” she said.

      Freshly watered red and yellow miniature roses, covered in their last big blooms of the season, bordered the path to the door and glistened in the late afternoon light. As she walked up the narrow sidewalk, Erin relaxed, more concerned now about keeping her shoes dry and avoiding the small puddles on the concrete.

      As she glanced at Kyle, she could see the tension in his body. He kept looking from window to window, his hand on the butt of his pistol. His reaction seemed out of place. “Frieda’s already met me, so why don’t you let me introduce you?”

      “Fine,” he said, in a clipped tone.

      “Frieda, it’s me, Erin,” she called out as they reached the front porch. Erin knocked on the front door, and as she did, it creaked open about an inch.

      Kyle suddenly grabbed her by the waist and pulled her away. “Stay back. Don’t touch anything!”