Fossen Delores - Christmas Guardian стр 3.

Tears streamed down the eyewitnesss face. That man dragged her from her car and tried to force her into his black SUV. He was trying to kidnap her or something.

Or something. Jordan was afraid he knew what that something was. This man wanted information about the baby. But why?

The eyewitness broke down, sobbing while she frantically shook her head. The woman fought him, she finally said, her trembling fingers held close to her mouth. She tried to get away. But he shot her and then drove off.

There it was. The brutal end of one nightmare and the start of another.

This wasnt a botched carjacking. Shelly had been murdered. And Jordan instinctively knew

the man in the SUV wasnt finished.

The killer would come after the baby next.

Chapter One

December 22nd

Kinley Ford was after two things: Jordan Taylor and the truth. Tonight, she might finally get both.

If she didnt get killed first, that is.

Because if he did indeed know what was going on, he might take extreme measures to stop anyone from finding out.

Swallowing hard, she stepped inside the reception area of the Sentron Security Agency to find the Christmas party in full swing. The place sparkled, not just with some of the guests in their glittery dresses. There was also an angel ice sculpture on a center table, and it was flanked on each side with white roses in crystal vases and bottles of champagne angled into gleaming, silver ice buckets.

Kinley dismissed all of that and looked around. There he was, on the far side of the room next to the massive Christmas tree.

Jordan Taylor.

He looked lethal. And was. Shed studied every bit of information she could learn about him. Over the years, hed killed three people. All in the line of duty, of course. But that still gave him a dangerous edge that she would be a fool to dismiss.

Kinley hated to think of him as her last resort, but she had exhausted her list of persons of interest. Shed exhausted her bank account. And herself. She wouldnt give up if she failed tonightshe would never give upbut she literally had no idea where to go next.

Beside her, her date, Cody Guillory, took her coat, then her arm and led her not in Jordans direction but toward a tall blond-haired man by the ten-foot-long table filled from corner to corner with party food.

Anna, Cody said using the alias shed given him, this is Burke Dennison. Cody checked his watch. In about three hours, hell be my new boss.

Burke flashed a thousand-watt smile. With that sun-blond hair, blue eyes and tan, he looked every bit the golden boy he was. At thirty-one he was a self-made millionaire and about to take the reins of one of the most successful security agencies in the state.

Burke used his champagne glass to make a sweeping motion around the reception area at Sentron headquarters. I bought the place, Burke let her know. Isnt that a hoot? Im a ranch hands son from Dime Box, Texas, for Christs sake. Who would have thought it?

Jordan Taylor obviously had, since he was the present owner and about to relinquish control a mere three days before Christmas.

Kinley wanted to know why.

For fourteen months, shed examined the lives of more than a hundred people and had looked for any changes in their lifestyles. This was a major change for Jordan. But the question was, did it have anything to do with Shellys murder?

Well, if Id had the cash, I certainly would have bought the place, Cody remarked. He, too, looked around. Almost lovingly. My life is here. He shrugged, then smiled. And usually my body. Burke, dont you expect me to give you eighty hours a week the way I gave Jordan.

Both men laughed, but she didnt think it was her imagination that there was some tension beneath. Maybe Cody wasnt thrilled with gaining a new owner, or losing the old one.

When a tuxed waiter moved closer, Cody snagged two fluted glasses of champagne and handed her one so they could toast Burke. Kinley thanked him and pretended to have a sip while she pretended to be interested in the conversation Burke started about some changes he wanted to make.

Shed gotten good at pretending.

In fact, everything about her was a facade, starting with the red party dress shed bought from a secondhand store. The symbolic necklace that she wore twenty-four/seven. Her dyed-blond hair. Her name. She was using the alias Anna Carlyle tonight, but she had three other IDs in her apartment. Shed lived a lie for so long. Too long.

Excuse me a moment, Kinley said to Cody and Burke.

She stepped away and tried to be subtle. She mingled, introducing herself. She even sampled a spicy baconwrapped shrimp from the table, all the while making her way to Jordan.

There was an auburn-haired woman talking with him, but as if hed known all along that Kinley was coming his way, he slid his gaze in her direction. He whispered something to the redhead and she stepped away, but not before giving Kinley a bit of the evil eye. Probably because she thought Kinley was her romantic competition. That couldnt be further from the truth.

Nice party, she said, extending her hand.