HER BODYGUARD

“You bastard,” Kimberly said. “He thought you were his friend. He trusted you. Why would you do something like this to him?”

He ignored her questions. “I want you to change your clothes” he said as he walked back to the door. “You will have to eat too. No fainting. In fact, nothing out of the ordinary”

She waited, knowing he was finally going to tell her what this was all about. And then, before he could speak, she understood.

“You need money.” she breathed. “You were after the ransom money from my kidnap. Only that plan didn’t work out so well for you”

“Smart girl,” Christopher said, grinning.

“You could have just asked for help” Kimberly said. “You didn’t have to do all this”

“Shut up,” he shouted. “I don’t have to explain my actions to you. That’s the thing with you and your father. Feeling and acting like gods. Now, I decided to go another way. We are going to your bank and you are going to transfer that money to an account I’m going to give you. Just like that… So simple”

Kimberly hissed. “I’m not going to be bullied into doing anything like that. Your new plan is going to fail again, because I’m not going to do that. You will just have to kill me then”

Christopher grinned. He pulled a small electronic device from his suit pocket.

“This is a really interesting piece of work” he said as he flipped up the cover and showed her three buttons. “This is a remote control device that can transmit several hundred miles. I tap into satellites with it and send a code to a receiver. Right now that receiver is attached to the brake line of your father’s car”

Kimberly breathed deeply. “You are lying” she said

He smiled. “Oh. Remember when I said your dad was safe in his mansion? Oh yeah… I lied then. He left for San Francisco today… Alone. It was my idea. He didn’t want to go at first, but I talked to him…. told him he needed the trip. Convinced him you were safe with Mr bodyguard. You know what the roads are like on the coast route. All those twists and turns. If a car lost its brakes there, the result would be tragic. One push of the button and no more daddy”

He snapped the cover back in place. “Your call, Kimberly. Either cooperate or he’s dead. Now, would you like to change your mind about transferring that money?”

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Kimberly didn’t need any time to think. “I don’t care about the money. You can have it all”

Christopher smiled. “Spoken with the easy confidence of someone who has never done without. Not that you should worry. I will still take care of you” he glanced at his watch. “You will have a half hour to eat and change your clothes, then we will drive to your back and make that transfer. If anything goes wrong -” He waved the remote detonating device.

“Nothing will go wrong,” Kimberly said quietly.

Fifteen minutes later, she had forced herself to eat a scrambled egg and some toast. Food was the last thing she wanted, but she agreed with Christopher on the ‘No fainting’ rule. She had no one to blame for her current circumstances except herself. Better to keep up her strength and energy so if an opportunity for escape came, she was ready to take it.

As she sipped on the coffee, she changed out of her jeans into the pale blue suit Christopher had brought her. A white silk blouse and pale gray pumps completed the outfit. She had just finished brushing her hair then pinning it up in a twist when he reappeared in the doorway.

“Ready?” he asked.

She nodded. “I’m going to need identification,” she said. “Even if they know me there, they will still ask for it”

Christopher held out a small purse that matched her shoes. She checked inside and found her wallet, complete with her driver’s license, along with her passport.

“You sure thought of everything. Did you get these from my place after I left?” she asked.

He only smiled. “Let’s go” he said, motioning for her to step out of the small room.

Unlike Asher, Christopher saw no reason to conceal the location of the facility from her. They were in some kind of business complex with rows and rows of small industrial businesses. She glanced around but couldn’t figure out what part of town they were in. Still, she did her best to memorize what she could to help the police find the place again. Assuming she ever had the chance to talk to the police.

Christopher put her in the back of a limo, then climbed in himself. With the privacy panel in place, she couldn’t see the driver, but he must have already been behind the wheel because as soon as Christopher closed the rear door, the engine started.

“Just so you know I’m not kidding” Christopher said as he began to punch numbers on a phone.

Kimberly watched him for a second, then realized it was Asher’s phone -the one she had taken when she had foolishly escaped. He listened for a second, then looked at her.

“I have a surprise for you,” he said. “hold on a second” He passed the phone to her and then removed the remote device from his suit jacket pocket. “Talk to your father”

She took the phone. “Daddy?”

“Kimberly!” her father sounded delighted. “It’s good to hear your voice. How are you?”

“Good. I’m good. How are you feeling, dad?” she asked.

“I’m alright. I’m heading to San Francisco for a conference. Christopher suggested I drive. Fine idea. What a beautiful part of the country. We should spend a long weekend there when this is all over”

Tears burned in her eyes, but she blinked them away. He was fine. He had always been fine. Why hadn’t she trusted Asher? Why had she acted out of fear instead of thinking things through?

“That sounds nice. I love you dad” she said quietly.

“I love you too, Kim”

Christopher glared at her, then took back the phone and hung up.

She knew in her heart that Christopher would kill her father without a second thought. No one mattered to him ; he just wanted money and power.