The door to Rex’s office swung open, and his brother, Beau sprinted inside. “Why aren’t you answering your phone?”
Rex jolted at the unexpected intruder. He patted his waist, where his cell rested in the holster. Pulling it out and holding it in front of him, he saw the fifteen missed calls. “It must have gone to silent. What’s going on?”
“We’ve been trying to reach you for an hour. No one here could get in touch with you either.”
“I was out to lunch.” He scratched above his brow. An uneasy feeling took root in his gut. A note on his desk caught his attention.Call your brother. Family emergency.“Is Mom okay? Lucas?”
“They’re fine. It’s Lacey.” Beau ran a hand over his mouth. “She and Tom were in South Carolina for his dad’s campaign rally. A man got past the security detail and into Lacey’s room.”
His cousin, Lacey, was more like a sister to him and his siblings. They’d always been close, but that bond was sealed when her parents had died when she was a freshman in high school, and she’d come to live with Rex and his family.
“Is she okay?” Terror struck him in the chest.
If anything had happened to her…
“Her leg’s injured. I’m not sure of all the details. If not for the guard in the room with her who took the brunt of the attack, it would have been much worse.” Beau heaved a sigh. “I’m booking the first flight out for me and Mom. Are you coming?”
“Yes.” He put away papers as he spoke. “I need to clear it with the boss, but I’ll be there. What time’s the flight?”
When Lacey had married a senator’s son, Rex had worried this could happen. When the senator announced his candidacy for president, Rex’s fear multiplied. He’d worked in security too long and knew firsthand the dangers a politician’s family faced.
When he’d heard last week that Lacey was going to South Carolina, he’d made a few calls and asked a few favors to have Monica a part of Lacey’s security team. Monica was the best, and she had a way of putting her female clients at ease without sacrificing professional demeanor or safety.
“Three-thirty out of Lafayette.”
He muttered under his breath, wishing he hadn’t taken the late lunch. “I won’t have time to run home and pack a bag.”
“There’s another flight at seven if you want to catch that one and meet us there.”
“No. I’ll run by the store and grab a few necessities. Anything else I need, I’ll get once I’m there.” He logged into the travel website and pulled out his credit card once he found the flight. “Do Jenna and Lucas know?”
“Mom called Jenna. She was on the phone with the Red Cross trying to get an emergency notice to Lucas when I left.” Beau checked his phone. “That’s Jenna texting. Her professor won’t excuse her exam tomorrow. She can’t go.”
“I kind of understand, but that’s still harsh.” He drew a deep breath and held it, afraid to ask the question pressing on his mind.
“Can you meet at Mom’s for us to leave together?”
He shook his head. “I’ll have to catch up with you at the airport.”
“Give me a call when you get there.” Beau turned and started to leave.
“Beau,” he called out, stopping his brother. He had to know.
“Yeah?”
“The guard with Lacey, do you know who it was?”
Beau gave him a sideways glance. Curiosity lingered behind his gaze. “No, only that it was a female.”
“When you said she took the brunt, do you know any details?”
“She was shot in the shoulder and suffered a head wound. From what I heard, she’s in a coma.”
Rex rubbed his eyes. It couldn’t be Monica. It couldn’t. “Thanks.”
“Think it’s someone you know?”
“Maybe.”
