Page 8 of Booked for Kidnapping

“I’m afraid to ask now, Janette. I hadn’t read anything about President Castillo being in attendance.”

“Honestly, when I stopped to think about it, it would be stranger if he hadn’t gone to the memorial. What astonishes me is that I wasn’t given more scrutiny. Security was a breeze. Then again, they know I’m an exsanguinator, so what’s the point of trying to stop me from bringing in a gun? To them, I’m the weapon, so they must have figured I was a safe enough risk to have around.” As I’d been too stupid to bring my cane, I hopped in the general direction of the steps.

“Let me get this up to your apartment, and then I’ll come fetch you. I’m debating if I’m tossing you over my shoulder or treating you more like a princess today. Before you arrived, I thought about dragging you up the steps by your hair, but I worried I might hurt your foot, so I was forced to reject that plan.”

I raised a brow at his commentary, which was more in line with his behavior before the disagreement over how to handle the investigations had broken out. To make it clear I could hop up the steps without help, a vast improvement to last week, I grabbed the rail and followed him.

“I see you have decided you are not a wilting lily and will go out of your way to vex and worry me.” Bradley heaved a sigh and lugged my wheelchair to the top, where he unfolded it and pointed at it, snapping his fingers until I hobbled to the damned thing and sat down. Unlike some of the other chairs I’d used, it fit through the doorway into my apartment. “The others are having a mass meltdown, and I left before I started banging heads together. Important lessons on your stubborn pride have been learned.”

“They should know this by now,” I grumbled.

My fluffy goddess bounded out of the bedroom, and without waiting for an invitation, Ajani jumped on my lap. I gave her three strokes down her back and waited to see what my cat wanted. She rubbed her head against me in a demand for her chin to be scratched, and I obeyed so I wouldn’t be mauled. “You brought Ajani?”

“She whines when you’re gone too long, so after I got annoyed, I headed to the house and retrieved her. After you left, I decided to use my brain for a change.”

As I’d informed him he could use some quiet time with his brain as an active part of his decision-making process, I stared at him, wondering what had happened to the Bradley from yesterday, who’d been adamant I shouldn’t attend the service. “I see you were listening to some of what I said.”

“However much I disagree, some of what you said was sensible, reasonable, and should have been considered with more care. For the record, my mother tore into us for being stubborn, and she reminded us your integrity is more valuable to you than many things, including your foot. You also have enough medical training you refuse to ignore anyone in need, even if you think they’re useless wastes of breath.” Bradley pointed at my couch. “Make yourself comfortable there, and I will take care of feeding us. As I still can’t cook to your mother’s standards, I’ll do this through the magic of delivery. I mean, I can’t cook to my standards, either, but I try. My last lesson, I managed to follow the directions on a box of fake cheese and noodles.”

“Did you punish yourself with lactose, Bradley?”

“Yep.”

I sighed at his idiocy. “Why did you do that?”

“I was feeling sorry for myself. By the time I realized I’d been a dick, I was already committed to my dickish ways.” To help make certain I made it to the couch, Bradley claimed Ajani, and he worked his wicked magic on my fluffy goddess’s chin so she wouldn’t maul him.

I got up and hopped the short distance from my wheelchair to the couch. On what planet did Bradley acknowledge he had been a dick? I eyed him with interest. “What brought on that change of heart?”

“My mother reminded us that the politicians are merely the symptom of a greater illness, and that the politicians aren’t working just for themselves. They work for their constituents. That means that even with the various bits of legislation that helps them cover their tracks, there are people who voted for them and support their efforts. The problem isn’t just with the politicians. And you’re right. Murder won’t stop these bills and might martyr them, heightening the chance those bills make it through the system. And we, on a whole, voted for it.”

“I don’t want to sleep in that bed,” I muttered.

“Neither do I.” Bradley waited until I made myself comfortable on my couch before coming to join me. “Are you going to make me suffer with Chinese today? I lost to milk once this week already, but I’m willing to sacrifice myself for the cause if truly necessary. Honestly, it might serve me right at this stage.”

“I’d say pizza or Mexican, but I’m not that cruel. Let’s get some barbecue. Try to avoid the things that will attempt to kill you.” I placed my purse on my lap and dug out the card Senator Hanson had given me. “I got waylaid by a senator who tangoed with Representative Kennedys. Apparently, there are politicians who have enough of a conscience to bother with cards. Also, my ethics and morality may need some work. I would be sorely tested if Representative Kennedys were shot in front of me and I had to save his ass. To say I dislike him is an understatement. However, watching Senator Hanson tear into him was interesting and rather satisfying.” After setting the thick envelope aside, I dug into my wallet and showed Bradley the business card. “The President of the United States visited me, and I was invited to teach the Secret Service about bodyguard stuff, including car accidents and subsequent trauma associated with such accidents. Apparently, he hasn’t lost a single agent during his entire presidency. I’m not even sure how that’s possible. But he was aware he hasn’t lost any agents, and he wanted to expand their education.”

“He has a strong offensive talent. He probably augments the Secret Service, and when the President of the United States can electrocute somebody at the snap of his fingers and pull other elementalist tricks, he’s quite capable of defending himself.” Bradley took the card and frowned at it. “He really gave you this?”

“He even wrote the contact numbers down. From memory.” I needed my contact list on my new phone to dial anyone, and it amazed me that President Castillo had such excellent recall, especially considering how difficult of a job he had. “He’s aware of our engagement.”

Bradley stilled, and for a long moment, he stared at the card. “That’s something for us to be worried about, and that’s intel we wouldn’t have gotten without you going to the service. Damn it.”

“Does this mean I get to hear the most prized of words, Mr. Hampton?”

“Will it make you happy?”

I stole my cat back from Bradley and risked petting her, and as she refrained from shredding my flesh from my bones, I snagged the brush and went to work on her fur, earning her adoration. “It will make me happier for certain.”

“You were right, and I was wrong.”

“You weren’t completely wrong,” I conceded. “But I was definitely right about the opportunity. I now have access to the President of the United States, and he gave me orders to contact his security team.”

“Still, you were right. You going to the service was important. And even knowing that, I expect everyone will try to keep you safe, and that’s despite knowing there are some things only you can do. I’m in the club of those wanting to keep you safe. You’ve suffered enough.”

I regarded my infected foot with a scowl. “Give me ten minutes and a knife, Bradley. I’ll have that infection purged.”

“Your lungs still need to heal.”