Page 56 of Home of the Brave

"Jesus Christ." Nash stood and paced to the window. "That sure as hell is high-profile. Connected to Angelica?" Nash asked Jase.

"Yep," Jase nodded.

"And you think this stranger is connected to her?"

"We don't know." I pulled up the network logs on my laptop. "She's being blackmailed. Someone created a deepfake video demanding she withdraw from her next film. The surveillance started four months ago. Whoever did this has been patient, methodical. Sending someone to Jasper Creek to check on her is new."

Nash turned back to face us. "What do you need from me?"

"Eyes on the stranger." Simon leaned forward. "If he shows up again, we need to know where he goes, who he talks to, what he's doing."

"I can handle that. What about Ms. Lord's security?"

"That's what we need to figure out." Roan checked his watch. "I've got a case in DC that's going to take me out of town for at least a week. Can't postpone it. I'll be coordinating with Hart on the technical investigation, so he's out."

"I'm in." Simon's voice was emphatic.

"What about the other guys?" Jase's voice came from the doorway. I hadn't heard him come up. "We've got men in this town with military backgrounds. Kai and Beau should be available. And when the hell is Nolan getting back from Hawaii? Jesus, Simon, how much leave did you give the man?"

"He never got a honeymoon. This is it. He'll be back next week. And I'd rather keep this tight. The fewer people who know about Katherine, the better."

"Angelica's at the Inn too," I pointed out. "She's been captured on camera forty-seven times. If this threat expands beyond Katherine, Angelica's the most likely next target."

Jase's expression hardened. "All the more reason to keep her away from my house. I'm not bringing this anywhere near Bonnie and the twins."

"Agreed," Simon said. "Which means we need someone at the Inn full-time."

"I can work from there." The decision made itself before I'd fully thought it through. "Set up my equipment, continue the investigation while maintaining close proximity to both Katherine and Angelica."

All three men turned to look at me.

"That's a lot of hours in close quarters with a client," Nash said. His expression suggested he saw right through my tactical justification.

"It's the most efficient solution. I can protect both of them while continuing to hunt the threat."

Simon studied me for a long moment. He'd commanded SEAL teams for decades. He recognized bullshit when he heard it.

"All right. Code takes point on close protection and continues the digital investigation. I'll coordinate with Hart and handle any external threats. Jase, you stay available but keep your family out of it. Nash, you track this stranger and report anything suspicious."