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“No one slips past Juliette Delgado. I see everyone who comes in. I saw Kelly arrive this morning, but I also saw her leave.”
Why did this assignment feel more like dealing with a certain class-skipping teenager than a reasonable adult?
“Any chance you know where she went?”
Ms. Delgado’s expression didn’t give him much hope that she had the answer he was looking for. “I do not, but I can find you someone who might.”
“Perfect.”
While he waited for her to make a call, a voice came over the radio. “I have to admit, I’m a bit jealous of Kelly today. She’s going to be coming to you live from the brand-new Great Barbecue over on 4th Street. If you love barbecue as much as I do or just want to see Kelly Bonner in person, you should really head on over there for lunch today.”
Donovan didn’t have to wait for Ms. Delgado, but he did need to get over to Great Barbecue before Miss Bonner’s stalker beat him to her.
CHAPTER THREE (#u358e2534-8289-5d6e-9913-31b1fcf2139c)
“IS THERE ANYTHING else you need?”
Kelly plugged in her laptop and checked to make sure she had a Wi-Fi connection. “I think I have everything,” she said to Dominick, the manager of Great Barbecue. She looked to Lyle. “Are you good?”
Lyle was busy shoving some coleslaw in his mouth. He nodded and gave her a thumbs-up.
Kelly couldn’t help but laugh. “We’re good.”
Dominick was decked out in jeans and a black Great Barbecue collared shirt. He had an easy smile and twinkling blue eyes. “You sure you don’t want to sample something before your show starts?”
“I am definitely going to pig out, just not right now.”
Barbecue was messy and Kelly didn’t want to get their small work area dirty. They were given a table against the back wall in the dining area of the new Great Barbecue. It was a small restaurant in an older part of Nashville that was undergoing rapid gentrification. What it didn’t have in terms of square feet, it made up for in charm. From the exposed brick walls to the picnic table–style seating, everything had a down-home feel. There were even paper towel rolls at every table for those messy fingers.
“You should try everything on the menu,” Lyle said, giving the corners of his mouth a wipe. “This place is amazing.”
“Maybe this is where you can bring Nancy on your first date.”
Lyle’s eyes went wide. “Did you talk to her? Did she say she’s interested? Does she like barbecue?” Kelly smirked, making Lyle a bit paranoid. “What? Did you talk to her?”
She pulled her phone out of her back pocket. “Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t.” Pretending to scroll through her text messages, she could see Lyle’s face turning red.
“Come on, Kelly. Don’t mess with me.” He came around to her side of the table and tried to get a look at her phone screen.
“I’m not messing with you,” she said with a giggle, holding her phone against her chest so he couldn’t see.
“That’s exactly what you’re doing. Come on! Did you ask her? What did you say? What did she say?” He gently tried to tug the phone away from her.
“Stop,” she protested as he almost succeeded. She turned her back to him and he wrapped his arms around her. They playfully wrestled for the phone until Lyle flew backward. In the blink of an eye, he was facedown on the ground with Detective Walsh on top of him, growling at him not to move. As if poor Lyle would fight back.
All eyes were on them and everyone was frozen in their spot. It was as if they believed Detective Walsh’s words were meant for them, as well. Kelly was the only one who had the ability to intervene.
“What are you doing?” she asked as she attempted to push the detective off her friend and producer. He was as strong as a bull and as stubborn as a mule. He wouldn’t budge.
“What am I doing? I’m doing my job. This guy was all over you.”
“This guy is my producer. Please let him up.” Kelly scanned the room. People whispered to one another. Phones were out and texts were definitely being sent about what just happened. This would end up on someone’s social media. Caroline would not be happy if the station got bad press because of her.
Detective Walsh helped Lyle back on his feet and apologized for the misunderstanding.
“Are you okay?” Kelly scanned Lyle for any injuries. He wasn’t bleeding. She prayed there were no broken bones.
He did still appear a bit dazed. “I’m fine,” he said, giving his neck a rub. “You could have told me you hired a guard dog.”
“I didn’t. My uncle sent him, and I thought I had gotten rid of him.”
“Yeah, we need to talk about that,” Detective Walsh said. “I left you at work. That was where you were supposed to stay until I got back.”
He had some nerve. She motioned for him to follow her away from all the prying eyes and ears to the back hall by the restrooms.
Once they were alone, she laid into him. “Let me make something clear. I did not ask for you to be assigned as my bodyguard. I have a job to do—”
“So do I,” he interrupted. “And when you aren’t where you’re supposed to be, it makes my job a little harder.”
“It makes your job harder? You were the one who abandoned your duties. My boss sent me here. What was I supposed to do? Tell her I couldn’t go on location because the cop my uncle sent to babysit me had to go deal with some personal issues?”
With his hands on his hips, his head fell forward. “I’m sorry about that,” he mumbled at the ground.
“What was that? Did I hear an ‘I’m sorry’?”
His head lifted and their eyes met. “I’m sorry I had to leave. I take my job seriously, and you know your uncle. I don’t want him to think that I wasn’t making your safety a priority.”
Of course he was more worried about her uncle than her. Truthfully, she was more worried about Caroline than anyone else.
“Listen, I am under a microscope right now. I can’t have you attacking innocent people while you’re watching me. My contract at the station is on the line. I don’t want to get you in trouble with my uncle, but I have to call him and get him to back off on this bodyguard idea.”
Detective Walsh held his palms up. “Whatever you want to do is fine by me. I’m not going to stop you from calling your uncle, but I am asking you not to throw me under the bus when you do. Your job is on the line and so is mine.”
She didn’t want to get the guy in trouble, but she had to make a case for getting rid of him at the same time. “I’ll do my best,” she promised.
Kelly started back to her makeshift work area but Detective Walsh touched her arm. “This is a bad idea, by the way. Leaving yourself out in the open like this. Shouting it from the treetops exactly where you are and how long you’ll be here. It makes you an easy target.”
“How is it any different than being at the studio? He knows where I am every day I work.”
“Yeah, but can he walk right into your studio? Can he sit a few feet away from you during your entire show? Whoever your little stalker is, he can get his hands on you here if he wants that.”
Kelly wrapped her arms around herself. She sure hoped he didn’t want that. There wasn’t a chance this guy would really show his face. Was there?
“Well, you’re here now. If he was spying on me and saw what you did to Lyle, I should be fine.”
Detective Walsh tipped his chin. “For today. Until you call your uncle. In the future, you need to think about this kind of stuff.”
She had been so gung ho about getting rid of her bodyguard a few seconds ago, but now, it seemed like one of Uncle Hal’s better ideas. Her uncle would catch this stalker, obsessed fan, whatever he was. She wouldn’t need someone to protect her forever.
* * *
DONOVAN HAD BEEN on a few stakeouts in his day. This wasn’t exactly like those but close. Instead of sitting in a car all day, he got to hang out at one of his favorite barbecue places and eat the free food the manager kept bringing him. Standing behind the table where the radio station crew sat to do their show, he slathered the pulled pork in some of the tangy and sweet Kansas City–style sauce.
“How’s it taste?” the manager asked, checking in for the third time. Donovan wasn’t sure if he was simply being generous or was afraid of getting slammed to the floor like that Lyle guy.
“It’s delicious, sir. This might be even better than the brisket, and that was heaven.”
The man’s whole face lit up. He took pride in what he did and it showed. “Glad you like it. Can I get you anything else? Did you get some cornbread?”
“I’m good, thank you. I’ve had two pieces of cornbread. You guys make the best.”
“Appreciate that. Let me know if there’s anything else we can do for you while you’re here.”
Donovan gave him a will-do nod before the manager did a quick check on Kelly and her crew. She was off-air at the moment and chatting it up with a couple of female customers. Kelly laughed at something they said and thanked them for stopping by. She had a way with people. There was something very down-to-earth about her that people seemed to be attracted to.
“Kelly Bonner, I am your biggest fan.” A man the size and height of a professional basketball player appeared at the table. Donovan could see Kelly’s back straighten and her shoulders tense. He set his sandwich down on the counter behind him and quickly wiped his hands. He had let the food distract him from watching the room.
“Glad to hear it. Would you like to spin our wheel and win yourself a prize?” she offered. Kelly’s producer had set up a prize wheel that listeners could spin for radio station paraphernalia or free food from the restaurant.
“Can I win a dinner date with you if I spin?” he asked, causing Donovan to inch closer.
“You can definitely win dinner,” she replied, ignoring the come-on.
“This place is fine for lunch, but I want to take you somewhere real nice. I know this great Italian place on the north side of town.” He placed his hands on the table and smiled down at her like a fox in the henhouse.
Donovan stepped in. “Sir, I’m going to need you to back away from Miss Bonner, please. Either spin the wheel for your chance to get your hands on a free can cozy or get in line for lunch.”
The man stood up and reached into the inside pocket of his suit coat, pulling out a business card. “I don’t need any can cozies, but if you want to have some of the best lasagna you’ve ever tasted, give me a call.” He slid the card across the table.
Kelly’s producer picked up the card. “I love lasagna. I’ll drop your card in our drawing for tickets to the Grace Note concert.”
The guy looked like he was about to say something when Kelly said, “Good luck and thanks for listening to K104.”
Taking the hint, he made his way to the register to buy himself some lunch. Donovan hoped he himself had never made a woman feel that uncomfortable before and been so clueless about it. He prided himself in being able to read people better than that.
“Sorry we had to interrupt your lunch back there,” Kelly said, cracking a smile. “I think this is the first time since we’ve been on the air that I’ve seen you empty-handed.”
Donovan tried not to roll his eyes.
“Do you think that was the guy?” her producer asked. “I listened to him talk, hoping I would recognize his voice.”
“That wasn’t him,” Donovan said.
“How do you know? You didn’t hear the guy when he called yesterday,” Kelly challenged.
“I know because you told me your stalker is angry at you for saying you had a boyfriend. That guy strode up to you like there wasn’t a chance you’d reject him. I’m less concerned about the men who approach you than the guys who hang back and watch you without saying a word.”
Kelly scanned the room with wary eyes. She bit down on her bottom lip.
Her producer put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Kel. Between me and Detective Walsh, no creep is going to touch you.”
“You’re sweet, Lyle, but I’d like to be able to take care of myself.”
Donovan admired the way she thought, and given the ease with which he took Lyle down earlier, her friend wasn’t going to be much help if things got physical. It was best she learned to defend herself.
“Maybe you could get some pepper spray,” Lyle suggested.
Kelly glanced back at Donovan and fought a smile. “I hear that’s not the best idea, actually.”
Maybe she wasn’t as stubborn as he’d assumed.
Lyle’s computer chimed. “Shoot, you’re on in thirty seconds.”
Kelly put on her headphones and Donovan slipped back behind her. It was his turn to scan the room for anyone out of the ordinary.
There was a group of women gathered around one of the tables. Their laughter came in bursts in between their raucous conversation. There was a dad and his two kids at another table. Both kids had to be under the age of five. The older child knocked over his cup and spilled red punch. His dad jumped up and grabbed the roll of paper towels off the holder at the other end of the table to wipe it up. The man’s patience was admirable. He didn’t yell or make the little boy feel bad for spilling; he simply had his son help clean it up.
Donovan wished he had that kind of patience with Graham and Avery. He was a military man who was used to always having things in order. Clutter wasn’t something that existed on a military base. Kids created clutter without even trying. His niece and nephew were like two tiny tornadoes who could mess up a room in the blink of an eye.
A group of thirtysomething professionals walked in together. Behind them was someone wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt. He wasn’t with them but stayed close enough to them that Donovan couldn’t get a good look at him.
“We’re going to be hanging out for another hour, so I hope you’ll come on in and spin our wheel of prizes and enter for your chance to win two tickets to the Grace Note Records Concert for the Kids,” Kelly said into her microphone. “Speaking of Grace Note, let’s play the new song from Boone Williams. This is ‘One Mountain at a Time.’” She clicked a button on her laptop and took off her headphones. “I cannot wait until the real promo for this show starts. You think I’ll get an in-studio interview with Boone Williams? I have been in love with him since I was six years old.”
Lyle laughed. “Careful, you don’t want him getting a bodyguard because you’re the obsessed fan.”
Donovan’s attention was split between Kelly and the guy in the hoodie ordering his lunch. The group of work buddies came over to the table and took turns spinning the wheel and chatting it up with Kelly and Lyle. The lone wolf sat in the far corner with his back to the radio station’s setup. It began to irk Donovan that he couldn’t see the guy’s face. He didn’t even know what color his hair was.
Something inside his head told him to get a better look, so he waltzed over to the mystery man’s table. “Want to spin the wheel for some prizes? They’re giving away free pulled pork sandwiches on your next visit.”
The guy didn’t move. “No, thanks.”
“Come on.” Donovan tried to cajole him. “You can sign up to win tickets to some big concert, too. Boone Williams is going to be there.”
The guy kind of chuckled. “Don’t need any tickets. Especially to Boone Williams.”
Donovan still couldn’t see his face but could tell he had a baseball hat on under that hood and sunglasses on. “You got something against Boone Williams? Kelly over there loves him. You know, Kelly Bonner. From the local radio station.”
“Everything all right over here?” The restaurant manager was back with a worried expression and a tray full of cornbread slices. “Can I offer you gentlemen some cornbread while you wait for your food?”
Finally, the guy turned and looked over his shoulder. “I’m not going to say no to that.”
The manager’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Boone Williams?”
“He’s not interested,” Donovan said, getting a good look at this creeper. The man was in his forties. Dark hair under his hat and hood. Strong jaw. No visible scars on his face.
“Boone Williams!” a petite brunette from the table of women shrieked.
Before Donovan knew it, pretty much everyone in the place, save the dad and his two kids, was huddled around them asking for pictures and autographs. That was when it hit him.
