Chapter 1
Three Pittsburg senior police officers listened to the request from mega-wealthy businessman Ben King.
Ben was asking for around the clock protection for his wife following the second attempt on his life.
In the first incident, a shot from a high-powered rifle burst through the windscreen of his car and grazed his neck. He lost control of his car and it spun into an empty school bus, leaving the elderly driver shaken but no more shaken than Ben.
In the second incident, he was confronting by two knife-wielding guys. A cab driver spotted what was he thought was a murder in progress. He drove straight at the assailants, running one down and killing him. The other felon landed on the hood and bounced off to the side of the vehicle and onlookers allowed him to hobble off.
Ben was rushed to hospital with knife wounds to his arms, received with defending himself.
He and his attorney were now discussing the situation with the senior police officers.
The captain in charge of the division, Mike Orchard, said, "I regret to advise Mr King we are unable to offer you and your wife police protection because our investigations have failed to produce evidence that the threat on your life persists.
There is no evidence to show that that gunshot was in fact an attempt. It could have been the result of an accidental discharge of the rifle.
Police investigations of the recent knife attacks revealed the dead knifeman has been identified as a street thug with at least twenty known associates, none of whom you were able to identify as the suspected accomplice of the fifteen associates we managed to identify as possible suspects."
Ben interrupted, "I don't want police protection for me, I want it for my wife. I'll tighten my accessibility and my close associates will take care of my protection."
The lieutenant from criminal investigations said, "Unfortunately Mr King you have not managed to produce any evidence that your wife is in danger. Until you can convince us that the lives of Mrs King and you are clearly under threat of attack, I agree you should take prudent measures to protect yourself and that you arrange protection for your wife if you are that concerned, or perhaps you should send her away out of this State for a period."
Ben King stormed from the room with his attorney, yelling "Assholes" as he left. His attorney hurried back to apologize on behalf of his client whom he said obviously was under stress.
When the attorney had gone, the captain said to the two lieutenants, "We must take Ben King seriously. His life could be in danger. Mick get a team on to this right away. Find out why anyone would want him killed. If those were in fact real attempts on his life, then the people involved appear real amateurs."
There was a huge row in the King's apartment that evening when Ben announced he was giving Nova a bodyguard.
"No way," she yelled. "You give me a light machine gun and I'll look after myself."
"At least that would give you firepower far beyond what the .32 peashooter you carry would deliver."
"Shut up, shut up; you're trying to scare me."
"Baby, believe me, I don't want you hurt."
"Then put Dick Johnston in charge of your business and we'll go away for a few months."
"That's a good idea. But first I have a couple of crucial deals to work through. Give me three weeks."
"Get me another martini," Nova sobbed, throwing her empty glass against the stone feature wall.
Next morning Ben called the head of a company that performed private investigations for him and worked on clients who were threatening to default on loans made by some of his companies.
"Carl, I want to hire an agent for a month with eyes in the back of his or her head and who's good with weapons."
"We don't do contract killings, not even for you Ben."
They laughed.
"I want a 24/7 bodyguard for my wife. It had better be female as the agent will have to remain pretty close."
Carl asked why and Ben told him the two suspected attacks on his life, both having gone unreported by the media.
"I have no idea who it is Carl."
"Well I was about to recommend Jules Clark as she's a great shot and is tough but I would recommend you take Lewis Driver, a former Navy Seal."
"I don't want a brawny brute around my wife who is a sexy thirty."
"He's about your height and weight Ben and is a real gentleman I promise you. But if you are worried about him fucking your wife..."
"Ex Seal eh, and I take he's still fit and alert?"
"Very much so and he's my nephew Ben. I'm confident he'd put his body on the line for your wife once we have the protection contract."
* * *
Nova King came out of the air-conditioned jewelry store into humid heat and was erecting her parasol when a guy came in against her and taking her arm asked, "Mrs King, Mrs Nova King?"
He was smiling and sounded confident and so she replied only a little nervously, "Yes?"
"Okay don't attempt any sudden movement and don't scream or attempt to run. I have a hypodermic ready to plunge a lethal substance into you that will be impossible to identify and trace. Force me to use it and you'll be dead. I'll simply merge into the crowd."
"W-what do you want?"
"You are to come with me to be used as bait to lure your husband to us Mrs King. We have decided it is time to give him an ultimatum."
"V-very well. I'll cooperate."
"Good. Please hold this Mrs King. But don't prick yourself with it."
Nova took the hypodermic and waited fearfully for the next instruction.
Suddenly, she realized she was alone.
She looked around quickly but saw no one matching the guy in the white suit who'd held her captive for a few moments.
"What the hell?" she gasped, not knowing what to do.
Her phone rang.
Nova dug it out and answered with a querulously stammered y-yes.
"Hi I hope you are not shaken up too much?"
"No."
"You were calmer than I expected. Just drop that hypodermic into a street trash bin. The needle is useless as it's rubber and the liquid is just distilled water."
"Why are you doing this to me?"
"Because you have been a naughty girl. You wouldn't do as Ben wanted to ensure your safety. We decided to show you just how vulnerable you are when alone but then again even if you had three bodyguards surrounding you, good professionals would still take out your protection guy or guys or simply wipe out all of you."
"God you're brutal."
"Oh no, that's not my style. I was only relating how it could be. Here, talk to your husband."
"Hi darling. Sorry about that nasty fright but I had to get through to you in a manner that you couldn't ignore. Lewis Rogers will be your bodyguard 24/7 for the next month."
There was silence.
"I didn't hear any objection. Why's that?"