Under His Protection (SAMPLE- Available in eBook & paperback)

4

Rita wiped her sweaty palms on her beige dress, taking a deep breath to try and calm her nerves. On her way to church, she was worrying about the congregation's safety. As long as she had a target on her back, no one was safe in her company.

At that moment, Jack's walkie talkie came to life.

"Nathan to Base."

Jack removed the walkie talkie from the holster at his waist, pressed the button on top, and spoke into the speaker. "Go ahead."

"How far away are you?" Nathan asked. "Over."

Jack pressed the button. "Ten minutes out. Over."

"Roger that," Nathan said. "Everything's good on my end. How's Angel doing? Over."

"Angel's nervous," Jack replied. "Over."

"Did you two just refer to me as Angel?" Rita inquired, arching an eyebrow.

"We did." Jack smiled crookedly. "It's your code name."

"Tell Angel we got her back and not to worry," Nathan said. "Over."

"Roger that," Jack said. "Out." He lowered the walkie talkie. "Everything's going to be fine, Rita. Nathan and Jon are in place at the church. Relax and breathe."

"I'll try," she sighed.

Jack raised the walkie talkie and pushed the button. "Base to Jon."

"Go ahead," Jon said.

"Just checking in," Jack said. "About five minutes out. Over."

"Roger that," Jon said. "Everything's looking good. Over."

"Roger that and out." Jack returned the walkie talkie to its holster and shifted toward Rita. "Do you know how to shoot a gun?"

"No," Rita muttered. "Why do you ask?"

"It's something I need to know," Jack responded. "I would like for you to learn how."

Rita toyed with her engagement ring. "Guns make me nervous. Why do you want me to learn how to use one?"

"In case something should happen to me, and Nathan and Jon can't get to you," Jack said. "I don't want you left defenseless. I want you to have a fighting chance. I understand that guns make you nervous, but if you learned how to use one they wouldn't seem scary."

"He's right, Miss Rita," Joseph said, glancing at her in the rear view mirror. "If you learned the proper way to handle a gun it wouldn't seem so bad."

"Do you know how to shoot, Joseph?" Jack inquired.

"I do." Joseph activated the turn signal and slowed down. "My father gave me my first gun when I was thirteen. It was a hunting rifle."

"Do you carry a gun with you?" Jack asked.

"I keep one in the car," Joseph answered.

"Good." Jack looked at Rita. "Think about learning to use one. Let me know what you decide."

Joseph pulled into the church parking lot and drove toward the side of the building.

"Why are you going this way, Joseph?" Rita asked.

"Jack is going to take you in through the side entrance," he said.

"I can't go in through the front entrance," Jack told Rita. "I'm armed. I'll set off the metal detectors. I don't want to cause any alarm among the congregation, so we're going in through a side door."

Rita frowned at him. "You can't take a weapon into the church."

"I can and I will," Jack stated. "I've been granted permission. I called and spoke with the head of security earlier. I informed him of your situation. He told me to use the entrance on the west side of the building. A guard will be waiting for us."