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“You plonker,” he grins at me. “I’m your brother, not your therapist, but judging by that grin on your ugly mug, even I know where your head just went!”
Jagger huffs a loud laugh. “The Evans bruvs strike their horny knobs once again.”
He waltzes off towards the house, shaking his head in amusement, and I follow in pursuit, leaving my brother and Rick to check the surrounding property.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t think of her in that T-shirt feeding the dog. We’ve all seen her bend over!” I say as we enter the house.
Jagger stops and turns to me with a smirk all over his face.
“Yes, we have, and for the record, she has one fine view, but the difference between me and you two bruvs is that I can keep a straight face and a knob from tenting in my trousers when talking about Eden feeding her dog!”
Fuck was it that obvious?
Jagger chuckles once more, and we head further inside to find the other two in the kitchen.
Both Asher and Eden sit on the floor cross-legged next to the dog, who is currently lapping up a bowl of water and is obviously dehydrated. He was abducted two days ago, and with the kidney issues he suffers from, I’m surprised the animal still stands on his four legs without getting the necessary liquids he needs.
Judging by the concerned look on Eden’s face, I can see she’s thinking the same thing. Her eyes look weary, and I can see the faint dark shading under them, signifying her exhaustion. This has been deliberating but more for her psyche than anything else.
“Sir,” I hear Rick standing by the entryway and turn to see his face beckoning Jagger and me to him. I nod my understanding and address Eden.
“Princess, how about you and Storm get some rest in your bedroom.” She flickers her eyes up at me, and Asher leans over to say something to her. I watch them both stand up.
Jagger and I go to meet Rick out front.
“I've checked the security cameras. They’re all running fine.”
“So the perpetrators are on camera.”
“No, that’s just the point. The entire system was hacked. It runs as if the dog was in the trailer the entire time.”
“Like the cameras back home,” I say, thinking out loud.
“The system I installed and the one Ms. Rivers has are both top-end systems. Whoever these people are, they are organized professionals that know how to overrun even the most sophisticated equipment.”
“Eden said her home in Bel Air was hacked in a similar manner too. It has to be from the same individuals. But what is it they want with her?”
“Mr. Evans, I’m going to be blunt with you,” Rick looks at me sharply. “We aren’t dealing with your average stalker. This is work from a highly skilled professional.”
Concerned, I stare inside to watch Eden and Asher disappear down the hallway with Storm. My attention is brought back to Rick and Jagger.
“Do what you need to do to protect her. I don’t give a toss about cost. I don’t want that bastard coming anywhere near her, and when you do catch him….”
Dare I finish my sentence?
“Shoot him dead, or I’ll do so,” Jagger does it for me. “And while you’re amping up the security, I’ll need access to firearms.”
“With all due respect, Sir, but do you know how to operate a gun?”
“I commanded a platoon for three years in South Sudan,” Jagger explains, gaining an impressed look from the usually stoic bodyguard. “It was a few years ago, but I think I’ll remember how to use a gun,” he adds wholeheartedly.
“I spent some time in Bentiu and Malakal. The British troops had a large operational base there supporting the UN’s camps.”
“Keeping the peace…” Jagger’s voice trails on as I leave the two men talking about their military experiences. Instead, I take a walk around the outside perimeter of the property, and begin to snap photos.
Squinting my eyes, I survey my surroundings and the vast expanse of this rugged landscape beyond the property. I feel like a mere speck in the midst of this expansive panorama. This desert sprawls in every direction under the relentless gaze of an unyielding early morning sun.
The swimming pool, unused, is covered with a mechanical floor to keep dirt and animals out. Past the paved area, into the undeveloped land, scattered shrubs and hardy vegetation cling tenaciously to the parched ground, their resilience a testament to the harsh beauty of this desolate terrain. The silence here is profound, interrupted only by the occasional whisper of the wind. The stillness seems to echo through the vastness, a reminder of the solitude that defines the Mojave.
