CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Daniel slipped back through the gate and into his truck. If only he had called Mandy this weekend or even texted her, he could have prevented this entire thing. He had planned to be here hours ago, but a fuel-line problem had forced him to wait for another plane. Not being able to reach Colin, he couldn’t get Candace’s number, and Amanda had been working, so he hadn’t even tried.
He knew she’d called over the weekend, but the façade he’d worn for the dates would have cracked if he spoke to her as he wouldn’t have been able to go on the next outing or the one after that, and the “overload the paparazzi” thing was a necessary step in countering Summerset’s advances for his upcoming testimony. But from the look on Amanda’s pale face, he knew the act had cost him what might have been real.
From the cab of the truck, he saw her sitting in the still penned-in car. He dialed her number.
Amanda answered on the second ring. “I’m sorry. I should have stopped it.” Her voice wobbled—whether from poor reception or tears, he wasn’t sure.
“No, I should have returned your calls. I just—I should have called.” The sound of the news van starting up echoed through the line.
“Thanks for the bodyguard and paying my hospital bill.”
“Not a problem. I caused both messes.” He watched her little car spring to life.
“Good-bye, Danny.”
His phone beeped to indicate the call had ended. He watched until the Golf drove out of sight.
Mr. Alexander met him before he got to the door of the caretaker’s house. “You don’t want to go in there. Channel 5 is replaying the feed now. I know I am speaking out of turn here, but I have followed her all week now. I have seen her put up with a bunch of crap she didn’t ask for. Not once has she fallen apart. She spent most of Saturday and Sunday checking her phone for a call she never got. I’ve had several assignments as your bodyguard, sir, and I will tell you this. She is better than ten of those society girls you paraded about with all weekend. Those were real tears in her eyes, not some crocodile job the cameraman caught as she unlocked her car.”
“I’d appreciate it if you would take me to the airport.”
Mr. Alexander mumbled something.
“If you called me an idiot, you have things about right. And you aren’t fired.” Daniel leaned back in his seat and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Candace didn’t bother knocking. She just walked in and sat on Mandy’s bed. “I am sorry, Mandy. I finally found the press release buried in the financial section of Sunday’s paper. He did issue a statement.”
“It isn’t all your fault. I could have tried harder to check too . . . Each new photo of someone clinging to him . . . I let my personal feelings cloud my judgment.” Mandy turned to hug her roommate.
Candace pulled back from the embrace. “You need to come to the living room. Mr. Alexander is here, and they are putting through a video call.”
“I don’t want to see him.”
“Mr. Alexander?”
“Daniel.”
“Okay. Let’s go talk to Mr. Alexander.”
Poor Mr. Alexander. Candace’s furniture was not built for his overly large frame. “Miss Fowler, I know you may not want to hear it, but I am back on bodyguard duty until Colin and Bonnie determine I am off.”
“Did he ask you to?”
“Yes. While we hope the news story doesn’t generate new threats, Mr. Crawford agrees it is better to be proactive this time.”
“Do you have to go to school with me?”
Mr. Alexander nodded. “I know my presence is distracting in the classroom. How about I check your room in the morning and hang out in the teachers’ lounge? You have your alarm, and I can be there in seconds.”
Mandy gave a half smile. “I may call you in for my third-hour class. They behaved better on Thursday and Friday than they have all semester.”
“Sure, I can come in if you need me. And I will be there whenever that coach might be around.”
Candace looked up from her phone. “Video feed will be on in a minute. Don’t worry. Colin says it is only him.”
The computer screen flared to life, and Colin’s face filled the screen. His eyes drooped, and his speech was slower than normal. “I owe you two an apology. I was in Japan working on something and got back a few hours ago. I took a prototype phone, and it didn’t handle all my text messages well. Had I known what you were planning . . .” Colin gave a shrug. “I am not exactly asking your permission this time, but I am monitoring all online activity regarding both of you. Candace, so far I’ve found three email accounts for you plus a catchall. Do you have any others I should know about?” A list of her emails appeared on the screen.
“You are missing the one for my children’s-hospital support activities for kids dealing with cancer. It routes through the hospital.” She typed it in.
Colin rapidly typed on his keyboard. “Hmm, this one will get me into HIPAA-compliance issues as well as dealing with minors. And there are some lines I won’t cross. How about you tell me the second anything odd comes through.”
“Sure.”
“Okay, sorry again for this. But with the trial, I think the media will mostly ignore the protest. As for the fangirls, they are too busy trying to figure out Daniel’s dating tour of New York, so with any luck, nothing will happen this time.” The screen went blank.
Mr. Alexander stood. “Ladies, let me check the cameras, and then I’ll leave you to yourselves.”
Mandy turned to Candace. “Do you know what stinks? Now I need two new pieces for my show. With the ones on the poster all over TV, I can’t say they are still unpublished.”
Daniel checked his phone as the plane bounced through the landing and began to taxi. It would be nearly ten by the time he got back to the apartment. Not for the first time that day, he was glad he had no social engagements for the evening. Daniel’s stomach growled. He hadn’t taken a moment to stop and eat something substantial all day. He might have been better off if he had chosen one of the more expensive options for the charter that included food. But his father had installed a few too many of his miserly ways in Daniel. He really should have found a commercial flight to save him money considering how, in the end, he saved no time. And to think he had been trying to save on the apartment.
Once they were on their way to the apartment, he sat back in the limo he’d booked with the charter. What would the driver say if he asked him to drive through the Golden Arches? Daniel decided to order takeout and have it delivered to the lobby. He made a quick call to the doorman and placed his order online.
His phone beeped. Colin.
You know you are an idiot for not contacting her earlier, right? Nothing like having a best friend who was blunt.
Pretty much. I wish I could explain the dates.
You will be glad to know there have been no threats this time.
Daniel sighed in relief. Usually the threats came immediately. Four quiet hours had passed. Hopefully nothing would happen. Do you think she is out of danger?
Not sure. Keeping Hastings on it. BTW, Bonnie is TICKED.
I can only imagine.
I doubt it. I am rather annoyed with you too.
Colin and everyone else he knew. Join the club.
Aren’t you going to fight for her?
How?
Figure that one out yourself.
Daniel leaned his head back. He didn’t have a single clue. He dialed Mandy’s new number. Voicemail. He tried again. On the third time, he left a message. “There is probably nothing I can say that will make you call me back or listen. Please, not good-bye, not yet.”
The takeout bags were still warm. He gave the doorman an extra tip.
Daniel stepped into the apartment, then stepped back out to check the number on the door. Somehow the decorator had gotten things right. Warm colors, comfortable looking chairs, and clean lines.
At least one thing had gone right today.