Personal Protection (29 page)

“Spink…”

“We’re rooting for you, Randall. You’ve got a good reputation. Don’t blow it.”

I looked round at them, my throat closing up.

“There’ll be other days,” one of them said.

“We’ll be here,” another agreed.

I did the only thing I could before the tears started. I nodded and walked away.

A lot more than soapy water went down the changing room drains. At least I didn’t look like I’d been bawling my head off by the time I hit the street. Maybe I could go to the range?
Shoot the shit out of some targets? Anything, rather than think. Or feel.

Dean was waiting. Leaning, grinning, against the side of his Range Rover. I don’t know if Spink or one of the others had called him. I wasn’t going to ask. I was just grateful.

“Going my way?”

“Depends on which way that is.”

“The office, actually. I have a case I’d like to you look at.”

“You know I’m not much of a detective.”

“You’re not so crap as you make out. But I’ll be doing the detecting, if that’s OK with you? It’s unusual – for us, at least. Celebrity stalker. The police
don’t seem to have made any headway and they haven’t got the manpower to put someone on her 24/7. If they were taking it seriously – which I’m not sure they are.”

“What do you need from me?”

“Personal Protection, what else?”

“Dean, I’m not sure I can…

“Randall, she didn’t die because you weren’t doing your job.”

“It doesn’t feel that way.”

“You’ve just spent the last ten days in hospital paying the price for your devotion to duty and love. Stop beating yourself up and get back on the horse. The business needs the
money. I can’t do it. I’m not qualified and I don’t have the aptitude. You might just have come into money but you still have to work for a living. I need your help.”

There it was. I’ve never turned down someone who asked for help and I wasn’t about to start now. Especially since the one asking was my friend. And business partner. And always there
for me when I really needed him.

“Personal Protection?”

“Yep. She wanted the best. I told her she’d come to the right place. Was I wrong?”

“I suppose we’ll just have to find out.”