Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 154925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 775(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 775(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
“You don’t think you can do the job with the men you have?” She put a chill in her tone.
This John was taller than the last one, a bit more intimidating physically, but he’d been trained the same way. If he was upset she challenged him, he didn’t show it. “I’m stretched thin. I need you to prioritize what you want, ma’am. Do you want me to look for Vaughn? I can pull a couple of guards off the perimeter.”
No one knew where she was. The only people who knew this compound was still in her possession were dead. Without her father or the old John, no one would even consider this place as a possibility. Kyle and the kid had no idea there were tunnels, and they had plenty of security cameras. “I want five guards on the house. You can take the rest. No one’s coming in those tunnels.”
Her father had made sure those tunnels had been forgotten. His family had kept things quiet over the years and not given into the need to aggrandize themselves for their parts—both good and bad—in American history.
“I agree,” John said with a nod. “I can monitor the security cameras. Mostly it’s deer and the occasional hiker, but no one has found the entrance to the tunnels. I have ensured that the way is clear and the lights are functional. I did that myself since we’re working with mercenaries. They don’t need to know the secrets of this house. They could talk later.”
“Oh, I thought we would kill them when we’re done,” she said with a wave of her hand. “They charge too much anyway. Now where is my fiancé?”
John shrugged off his future murder assignment like a pro. “He’s taking a shower, but the kid said she was hungry so one of the guards took her into the kitchen.”
Julia frowned. “She’s alone with a guard?”
“I thought we were supposed to feed her. It’s okay. I left a guard on Hawthorne’s room, too.”
Kyle would lose his shit if he found out his precious, not quite a cousin had been left alone with a guard even if it had been the girl’s idea and not hers. She would be blamed. She hurried out of the office. “You should have asked me. I made a deal with Kyle that she wouldn’t be without him. Also, I think you might be underestimating her. She’s likely planning to murder the guard since there’s only one of him now.”
“I know she pulled some crap back in Dallas but that was because the guards weren’t ready for her. Now they all know she’s got some skill. I think they can take her. She weighs a hundred pounds soaking wet,” John argued.
“Yes, because small equals harmless.” She moved into the kitchen, pressing through the old-fashioned double doors. There was no open floor plan in this house. The people who cooked would be kept far from the rooms used for entertaining. The guard was staring at his freaking cell phone, and Kala had her head in the refrigerator.
Julia let out a long sigh. Good help was so hard to find.
The guard stood up straighter the minute he realized she was standing there. He was young. Younger than she would normally use, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. He had to be in his twenties, and from what she’d overheard, he’d been kicked out of the Army for drug use. Again. Beggars. Choosers. “Ma’am. The girl said she was hungry.”
Kala slowly closed the refrigerator door. It was the way she’d went still that made Julia suspicious. Kala wore the clothes she’d had on days ago despite the fact Julia had offered her clean ones. Stubborn thing. “Not that you have anything to eat. Can we get some pizza or something?”
Sure, she’d come in looking for food. Julia glanced toward the knife block. Perhaps she should step out and see if the girl could actually take this guy. He pretty much deserved it, and he would be dead by this time next week anyway. “Where are the knives, Kala?”
“I don’t know. Where are the knives, Julia? Why would I have knives?” The girl was good. Her expression didn’t change, and despite the pale shade of her skin not a flush went through her.
“Do I have to have one of these guys manhandle you? I would rather not. I’ve been in that position, and it feels like shit. I’m trying to ensure you get out of this experience with as little future dysfunction as possible,” Julia said. “But we can do it your way. I’ve found kids sometimes need some trauma. John?”
Kala’s hands came up. “It’s in the fridge behind the almond milk. I don’t have a place to hide it. Next time I’ll wear cargo pants when I get kidnapped.”
That information tracked since there was only one knife missing from the block and there were no other knives that would be deadly in the kitchen. She nodded to John, who moved to the fridge and pulled out the big butcher knife.