Always Watching (3 page)

Olivia paced outside Wade's room. She wanted to help in the search for Maddy, but knew the people involved were more than capable. Her job was to protect her client. Her phone rang and she slammed it to her ear after a glance at the screen. “Did you find her?”

“Yes.”

A bolt of fear shot through Olivia at Haley's curt response. “Tell me.”

“She's on her way to the hospital. We found her about thirty minutes ago.” Haley's usually mild Irish accent had thickened. Her grim tone sent dread racing through Olivia's blood. “She was in the trunk of her car. The passenger window was blown out.” A pause. “Liv, it's obvious that someone ambushed her.” Haley's voice wavered. “I don't know if she's going to make it or not.”

“That bad?”

“Her throat was cut.”

Olivia gasped and stumbled against the wall. A nurse lifted her head and frowned. Olivia ignored her and tried get a handle
on her shock. Her usually unflappable emotions had just taken a hit.

“Sarah and her team are here working the scene.” Sarah Baldwin, lead CSI for the crime scene unit. Knowing she was there brought a small measure of comfort. “But that's not all,” Haley said. “Whoever did this left a note.”

“What does it say?”

“It's three words written as two sentences. ‘Apologize. He's mine.'”

Olivia stayed silent for a moment as she processed the message. “The second part indicates jealousy on the part of a woman.”

“Oh definitely. We already knew that. It's the reason his father hired us.”

“I know, I know. I'm just thinking out loud. Who's supposed to apologize?”

“Wade?”

“Maybe. If so, what does she want him to apologize for?”

“Some perceived wrong obviously.”

“Yes, of course, but what?” Olivia forced her legs to work and paced to the nurse's station and back, her eyes probing faces, ID cards, body language. “Was the note handwritten or typed?”

“Neither.”

She paused mid-stride. “Excuse me?”

“I'm sending you a picture. It looks like it's made up of words cut from a newspaper.”

“Well, that's original.” Not. “Also indicates forethought. She took the time to put the note together before the attack.” Her phone pinged. “Hold on a second and let me look.” She brought up the picture and studied it for several seconds before putting the phone back to her ear. “The lab will let us know what they find about that.” She paused for a moment as she put
it all together again in her mind. “So she attacked Wade in the parking lot, but didn't kill him,” she muttered. “She's mad at him, but giving him a chance to redeem himself by apologizing for whatever wrong he's done to her.”

“And she wants him to know she can get to him and no one is going to get in her way. ‘He's mine,' she said.”

“She wasn't writing the second part of the note to Wade,” Olivia murmured. “She was writing it to whoever found Maddy.”

“And what if the first part wasn't written to him. What if she was demanding an apology from whoever found Maddy?”

“That doesn't really make sense, but who knows how this person's mind works?” She took a breath and forced her thoughts into organization. “All right. Wade's stalker was watching him. Let's assume she was in a place to notice Maddy's attention focused on Wade.”

“Maddy was being subtle and staying off Wade's radar. She was looking for someone to be watching and following Wade, not someone taking notice of her,” Haley said.

A headache started at the base of her skull and Olivia pulled in a deep breath. “But did the person who attacked Maddy realize that she was his bodyguard, or did she maybe think Maddy was someone else who was interested in Wade?”

“Good question. The note says, ‘He's mine.' Like he's her possession or something. To me that indicates she thinks Maddy was interested in Wade.”

“Therefore Maddy was a threat. She was competition for Wade's affection. Attacking Maddy could also be a warning for other women to stay away from him—or for him to stay away from other women unless he wants them to wind up like Maddy,” Olivia said

“But Maddy and Wade never met,” Haley said. “They never spoke. He didn't even know about her. And if the stalker was
watching him, interacting with him, she would know that. So why consider Maddy a romantic interest and therefore a threat?”

“I know. It doesn't make sense, but it's the only explanation I can think of at the moment.”

“And if she wants an apology from Wade, why hurt him?”

“Obviously she was making a point,” Olivia said.

“Yeah. That she could get to him.”

“Who knows what was going through her mind? Warped brains don't make sense to those of us who have all our marbles—or at least the majority of them.” She thought and paced a few more steps. “Anyway, she said he needed to apologize, so instead of killing him for whatever perceived wrong he's done, she gives him a second chance.”

“Maybe.”

Olivia glanced at the door to Wade's room. “I'm going to ask him a few questions. Stay tuned and keep me updated on Maddy's condition, please.”

“Will do.”

“Thanks.” Olivia hung up and let the anger burn. Being a bodyguard meant accepting that the job came with risks. They watched over their clients while knowing the unthinkable could happen, but hoped it wouldn't. Maddy understood that. They all did. Still . . . it didn't lessen the punch of the blow one bit.

She saw the doctor Bruce had pointed out to her as Wade's—and a lifelong friend of the family. He'd been sleeping soundly when Bruce had called him about Wade, but hadn't hesitated to roll out of bed and immediately come to the hospital to take care of his friend's son. He looked to be in his midfifties and was dressed in black slacks and a blue short-sleeved polo shirt. She approached him and he looked up from the chart he was studying. “Dr. Worthington?”

“Yes?”

“I'm Olivia Edwards, Wade Savage's bodyguard.”

He shook her hand. “Bruce told me about you.”

“I'm not looking for you to violate any HIPAA regs, but could you just tell me the drug he was injected with?”

“You can tell her,” Bruce said. Wade's father stood at the door to Wade's room, looking as though he'd planned on leaving for a brief moment.

Dr. Worthington nodded. “Did you need something, Bruce?”

“Just another cup of coffee.”

“I'll bring it to you,” Olivia said.

Bruce gave her a nod of thanks, then stepped back inside and shut the door again.

“Propofol,” the doctor said.

Olivia nodded. “Thanks.” She headed for the coffeepot, her mind spinning. She texted Angela Malone, the agency's administrative assistant.

Pull up info on a drug propofol and send to me ASAP, pls.

Angela probably wasn't at the office yet, but she'd get the text soon enough. Olivia figured she could just ask the doctor, but didn't want to bother him. She had her resources and would use them. Coffee cup in hand, she turned to head back toward Wade's room.

“. . . looking for Wade Savage's room?”

Olivia's head turned toward the man asking about her client. A tall man in his midfifties stood at the nurse's station. She moved forward before the nurse could speak. “May I help you?”

The man turned. His hazel eyes smiled before his lips. “Only if you know where I can find Wade Savage.”

“Do you mind if I ask who you are?” He looked familiar,
but she couldn't place him. Maddy would have known him instantly.

He held out a hand, his gaze wary, but curious too. “I'm Cameron Short. I work with Breaking Free.”

“The charity Wade set up.” She'd read Maddy's notes on it. And on Cameron Short.

“Yes, yes. He's the executive director. I'm on the board. He and I pretty much run things.” He paused. “And you are?”

“Olivia Edwards.” This time she hesitated. “I'm working for Mr. Savage on some security issues.”

“Security?” He frowned, then sighed, his expression worried. “Look, Bruce sent me a text telling me Wade wouldn't be able to meet this morning. He just said something about him being attacked in the station parking lot and being in the hospital. Of course, I had to come see for myself that he's all right.”

“I'm getting ready to step inside and see that for myself. Why don't you wait here and I'll let Bruce know you'd like to speak with him.”

“That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

“Of course.”

Olivia knocked on the door to Wade's room. “Come in.” She recognized Bruce's voice. She stepped into the room and moved so she could see Wade sitting up in the bed. “You're looking better.”

Confusion knit his brows together. “Thanks.” Then his forehead smoothed. “You were here earlier.”

She glanced at his father. Bruce looked resigned. She handed him his coffee and lifted a brow. He nodded.

“What is it? You two know each other?” Wade had caught the silent exchange.

“I'm Olivia Edwards. I'm part owner of the Elite Guardians Bodyguard Agency.” She held out a hand and he shook it. She
met his gaze, and his eyes, his very green eyes, didn't look away or blink. He simply stared. As did she. She waited, wondering what he was thinking. He finally let go of her hand and her fingers slid across his palm. His lips quirked in a small smile. Olivia cleared her throat and took a step back.

His frown returned as her words registered. “Bodyguard agency?”

“I hired them,” Bruce said from his position in the chair. His jaw jutted and his eyes narrowed. “You've been getting weird gifts in the mail, hang-up phone calls, presents left on the front porch.” He waved a hand. “You have a stalker. When you rejected my offer to hire a bodyguard, I simply did it anyway.”

Wade's nostrils flared. “Of course you did.”

“Son—”

Wade held up a hand. “I can't believe—”

“Maddy's throat was slit,” Olivia said, raising her voice only slightly. Might as well nip the argument in the bud.

The room fell silent. Wade looked at her. “What did you say?”

“One of my employees, Madelyn McKay, was your bodyguard. She was following you, keeping you in her sight at all times, and was there in case someone attacked you. Instead, she's the one who was attacked and is now here at the hospital. Whoever drugged you got Maddy first. The attacker slit her throat.”

“Slit her—oh my . . . I can't believe this.” Bruce's voice was suddenly hoarse, shock paling his tan face.

“The attacker also left a note that said, ‘Apologize. He's mine.'”

“You think the attacker's female?”

“Probably.”

Wade's face paled even further, although Olivia wouldn't have thought it possible. “And you think she was referring to me?”

“We do.”

“Why?”

She lifted a brow. “I think that's rather obvious, but before we get into it—” she turned to Bruce—“there's a man outside waiting to speak with you. Cameron Short?”

“Cameron?” Wade asked. “What's he doing here?”

“You had a meeting with him this morning,” Bruce said. “I texted him and told him you'd be unable to attend. I gave him the really short version of what happened and I guess he decided to see for himself.” He waved a hand toward the door. “He can wait a few minutes. Go on, please,” he told Olivia.

She nodded. “Before last night, this person, and we're assuming it's the same person for now, was sending you harmless gifts. Then for some reason, she felt compelled to come to the radio station, attempt to kill your bodyguard, drug you, and leave a note staking her claim. What changed?”

Wade shook his head as though to clear it and his father looked ill. “Wait a minute,” Wade said. “How is Madelyn?”

“She goes by Maddy. And I don't know. I'm still waiting to hear.”
Dear God, please let her pull through.
The prayer slipped from her before she could stop it. She pulled her phone from her pocket one more time and sent a text to Katie.

Ask them to check Maddy for the drug propofol.

“Okay, let me make sure I've got this right.” His gaze swung to his father. “You hired a bodyguard agency.”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“Two weeks ago. Right after you found the tickets for the concert in your mailbox.” Bruce ran a hand over his face and Olivia thought she saw a few new stress lines that hadn't been there when he'd walked into her office two weeks ago.

“And this woman, Maddy,” Wade said. “She was protecting me and got hurt because of it.” He seemed to feel the need to say the words aloud in order to process the facts.

“Yes.” Olivia nodded. “And that's why after last night's incident, we need your help. From this moment on, we're going to need your thoughts and input. The gifts she's sent you up to now haven't been threatening in any way. However, it's never a good thing to assume that just because the gifts are harmless, the sender doesn't have some kind of ulterior motive, some expectations.” She tapped her lips. “And when you don't meet those expectations, bad things will start happening.”

“Like earlier.”

She nodded. “Like earlier.”

He sighed, then gave a low, humorless chuckle. “The thing is, I know this stuff. You're not telling me anything new. I'm a clinical psychiatrist. I've worked with people who've had stalkers and I've worked with stalkers themselves. I've just never experienced it on quite this level of up close and personal.” He shook his head. “This is so twisted.”

“Agreed, but in her mind, she's showing you how much she cares. Your father was right to be concerned.”

“So you hired someone behind my back?” Olivia heard the undercurrent of steely anger.