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Tanner stood up and rinsed his cup under the faucet. “The National Guard has got nothing on us. Fletcher Security employs the best of the best, and I’m telling you now, some rules are meant to be broken.”
Rachel pulled her cell phone out of her back pocket. “I hope you’re right,” she muttered. “If John finds out about this, he’ll complain to the school board. I’ll be dismissed, have no job to go back to, and end up living on the streets eating Tess’ leftovers.”
“Hell of a way to go, ma’am.” Tanner held her jacket toward her. “You don’t need your bag. I’ll bring you straight back here after breakfast.”
Rachel stopped dialing Bella’s number. “I’m on house arrest?”
“I wouldn’t put it in those terms exactly. As I said before, there are some rules that are made to be broken, and some that aren’t. Bringing you back here isn’t one of the rules I’m willing to break.” He held the back door open. “After you.”
Rachel put her jacket on. “You wouldn’t have negotiated an early release for breakfast because you want to eat Tess’ pancakes, would you?”
Tanner nodded at her cell phone. “I believe you have a phone call to make, Ms. McReedy.”
Rachel redialed Bella’s home number, hoping John was nowhere in sight. Tanner opened the back door and waved her through. She stayed where she was, waiting for someone to answer the phone. Tanner’s stomach could wait a few extra minutes before they left for the café.
Someone picked up the phone and said hello. “Tank? Is that you?”
“Rachel? How are you?”
“I’m fine. I’m staying with Tess and Logan. Tanner is here with me, but then you probably know all of that.” Rachel clamped her lips tight to stop from rambling. “Could I speak to Bella for a few minutes? I just want to make sure she’s okay.”
“Sure, she’s right here.”
Rachel waited a few seconds for Bella to speak.
“Rachel?”
“I’m here, Bella. How are you feeling?”
“I’m good. Dad’s gone into work early, but he’s coming home soon. We’re going to watch a movie and have popcorn and ice cream. Mrs. Daniels made bacon and eggs for breakfast and Miss. Snuggles likes having me close.”
“It sounds like you’re having a great day.”
“It would be better with you here. Dad said that you’re starting your other job sooner than you thought.”
“It’s something like that,” Rachel said quietly. “Have a lovely day. I’ll see you at school in the new year.”
“But Santa is bringing a present to our house for you. I thought you’d be here on Christmas morning to help open our gifts.”
“Maybe you could keep Santa’s present safe and I’ll see you after Christmas? I’m going to see my mom and dad on Christmas morning.”
“Oh.”
Rachel heard the disappointment in Bella’s voice, but she couldn’t do anything about it. John wanted her to have no contact with his daughter. She even felt guilty about calling her this morning. “I’ve got to go now, Bella. Have a good day with your dad.”
“I will. Rachel?”
Rachel felt the weight of the words that Bella was about to say. “Yes?”
“I miss you.”
“I miss you, too. Have a great time.” Rachel disconnected the call, then looked at Tanner. “I guess this is what you call tough love?”
Tanner shook his head and reopened the back door. “No. What you call John’s decision is plain stupidity. Let’s go to Angel Wings Café before Tess’ breakfast deal expires. I don’t need two disappointments this early in the morning.”
Rachel followed Tanner outside. It would take more than her bodyguard’s charming personality and Tess’ pancakes to make her feel better.
***
John leaned forward. Dan Carter, the Chief of Police had just told him the news that he’d been waiting for all night. “You’re telling me that Bella wasn’t followed? That the man running behind her wanted a coffee before he went home to his children?”
“Brian Tanner hasn’t done a thing wrong in his life. No parking fines, speeding tickets, or tax evasion issues. It looks as though Bella panicked.”
John stood up and looked out of the window. “I’ve been so paranoid about anyone getting close to her that she must have overreacted. I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. I’m not sure if I’d act any differently if I were in your shoes. The CIA and the FBI are still working on the Oracom case. Until we hear back from them, I wouldn’t change what you’re doing. It will be Christmas soon. Enjoy the time with your family.”
“I will. Are you going to be here over Christmas?”
Dan nodded. “I drew the short straw this year. If I hear anything, I’ll let you know straight away.”
“Thanks, I’d appreciate that.”
“Don’t thank me. Thank your buddies in the FBI. If it hadn’t been for them, the CIA would have cut us out of their communication channels before now.”
“It didn’t have anything to do with me. Oracom’s reputation for getting what they want started long before our case. The only difference is that this time, they’re up against the US Government.”
“Have you heard anything more about the security drone?”
“Nothing that I didn’t expect.” John held his hand out toward Dan. “Thanks for what you’re doing. It means a lot.”
Dan shook his hand. “No problem. Call me if you need me.”
John left Dan’s office and headed toward his truck. Tank was waiting for him on the sidewalk, talking on his cell phone. When he saw John he ended the call and moved swiftly across to their vehicle.
“Everything okay, boss?”
“Everything is fine. I want to head over to Angel Wings Café and thank Tess for what she did yesterday.”
Tank opened his door and walked around to the driver’s side of the vehicle. “Tanner’s there with Rachel. They’re having a late breakfast.”
John hesitated before sliding into the passenger seat. He wasn’t ready to see Rachel. He’d fired her and called her irresponsible.
But it was the things he hadn’t told her this morning that made him feel even worse. He hadn’t called her and said that after Bella was safe at home, he’d calmed down and realized what an idiot he’d been. He’d woken up knowing that Rachel wasn’t the only person who’d made a mistake yesterday.
He pulled his seatbelt across his chest and locked it in place. “Forget the café. I promised Bella I’d come home early to watch a movie with her. Do you know if Mrs. Daniels has got popcorn and ice cream in the kitchen?”
Tank turned the ignition on and moved into the traffic. “I’ll call through to the house and ask. Are you sure you don’t want to stop by the café first?”
“Positive.” It was about the only thing he was sure about.
As they drove down Main Street, John checked his emails, but all the time his mind was on Rachel. Yesterday he’d been worried about Bella, angry that Rachel and Tank had deviated from a plan that he wasn’t happy with in the first place.
Rachel had been as worried as he was about Bella, and all he’d done was tell her to leave. She was headstrong, beautiful, and intelligent. She deserved someone that appreciated who she was and loved her like she was the most important person in the world.
He hadn’t been that person yesterday, but he wished like crazy that one day he could be.
***
Rachel looked around The Bridesmaid Club headquarters. It wasn’t where she thought she’d be on Christmas Eve, but then she couldn’t have predicted anything that had happened over the last few days.
She passed a bridesmaid a purple organza dress. It had big, puffy sleeves and so many sparkly beads that it could have been used as a lighthouse off the coast of Maine.
“Cheer up,” Tess whispered as all three bridesmaids walked into the changing room. “It’s supposed to be the happiest day of their sister’s life. You look as though you’re dressing them for a funeral.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll put my smiley face on.” Rachel plastered a fake smile across her face and turned to Tess. “Is this better?”
“A little. Now you look as though you’ve had too much Botox.”
Rachel felt her smile droop at the sides. “It’s no use. It keeps slipping.”
Tess laughed so loud that she had to slap her hand across her mouth. “This is so not the Christmas Eve that I imagined.”
“You can’t help it if the dresses the bridesmaids were going to wear never arrived.”
“But I could have told them we were closed for Christmas. Who gets married on Christmas Eve, anyway?”
Rachel quite liked the idea. “I think it’s romantic. They couldn’t help the snowstorm.” For the last ten days, the bride had been waiting for her bridesmaids’ dresses to arrive from Italy. With all of the airport closures and diverted flights, the dresses were now somewhere in New York.
