The Bodyguard (Hosie)

Chapter 29

Josie's arm gave her a lot of grief the next morning. Unable to tolerate the pain, she popped the painkillers prescribed by the doctor along with breakfast brought to her room by Cassie. After breakfast, Josie visited Hope's room but her bodyguard was still asleep so Josie approached her father instead.

Answers. With her energy restored after a good night's sleep (surprisingly uninterrupted by nightmares) and a good breakfast, Josie wanted answers. Answers to all the questions that she had burned to ask since last night but was unable to because of sheer fatigue.

Her father was in his study as usual. Eyes looking out at the world through reading glasses, grey hair combed neatly even though there wasn't anybody to meet. Sitting behind the desk, he was dressed for work as though he were in the office instead of his own home–a little trait that Josie liked tease him with.

"Are you feeling better this morning?" he asked when she entered and sat on the leather chair across the table from him. "Have you had your breakfast?"

"My arm was very painful when I woke up, but I ate breakfast and took painkillers, so it's okay now."

"Good. I hired a nurse to come on call to change your dressing and also to help to check on Hope. She'll be here in the late afternoon."

"Sounds good. But I'm here for something else."

Her father clasped his hands together. "For Hope?"

Josie nodded. "I want to know why. I want answers. Real answer, Dad."

Her father sighed. "I'm really sorry. You have no idea how much my heart ached when I got you back after the kidnapping. Now I feel even worse after what happened last night."

Josie shook her head. "You don't look sorry at all, Dad. You're all business as usual this morning. Back to your dollars and cents."

"I'm trying to make sure this doesn't happen again, my dear. I'm doing my best to think of a way."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Josie, the last time I want for you is to be worried and afraid. That's why I convinced Hope to protect you in a covert operation. She was very hard to persuade–my offer to pay her three times more didn't even work. But I begged her to help me and she finally agreed to continue protecting you–albeit from afar."

"Why are they so bent on harming us? They wanted to kill us both last night, right?"

"Tomorrow is when I stand trial to testify. I didn't think they would come after you anymore since the evidence had already been submitted and arrests had been made. And to tell you the truth, last night was more about them trying to silence me. You were not the primary target."

"Is that why you doubled the security in our home?"

"Yes, you're right."

"But I'm the last to know about all of this. I feel like a fool right now."

Her father heaved a deep sigh. "My dear, this sort of thing is best kept secret. I didn't tell you about Hope because it would compromise her too. It was the best that you didn't know so that everything will look as it was. Nobody knew that Hope was still protecting you. Nobody but the two of us. That was the best way."

"What happens after you testify tomorrow?"

"Once I've testified, there's nothing they can do anymore. Last night was their last chance to prevent me from appearing in court tomorrow. Now, with the alarm raised, my security has tripled with the police on high alert. So for today, I hope you will stay home and rest, with Hope."