Hostage (Bodyguard #1)(11)

Their ideal solution was a live-in carer. But there was no way they could afford one.

Until now.

Connor had spent the past week deliberating over the decision. He dearly loved his mum and gran and didn’t want to leave them. Yet by joining Buddyguard he would guarantee their well-being. And he considered it his duty to look after them, just as they’d looked after him when his father had died.

He glanced over at the photo on the bedside table of his father in Iraq. Six years had gone by, but there wasn’t a day when Connor didn’t think of him. His memories were now like snapshots in a dusty family album – playing football in the park, games of hide-and-seek in Epping Forest, sparring in their back garden. And with each passing year these snapshots faded a little more. Connor was worried that one day he wouldn’t be able to recall his father at all.

But Colonel Black and his father had been friends. He could fill in the missing pieces. And Connor desperately wanted to know more about his father’s secret life – what it was like being in the SAS and working as a bodyguard in hostile environments. He also needed to understand why his father had devoted himself to such a job, one that took him away from his family for such long periods. Connor realized he could never get his father back, but by following in his footsteps he might come to know him better.

Connor pressed the Call button.

It rang once before being answered in that familiar clipped tone.

‘Glad you’ve decided to join us,’ said the colonel. ‘One of the team will collect you Monday at 0900 hours sharp. Be ready.’

‘But … I-I still haven’t agreed to anything yet,’ Connor stuttered.

He sensed a smile at the other end of the line.

‘Connor, you wouldn’t be calling  unless it was to say yes.’





The following Monday a blacked-out Range Rover pulled up outside the house: 0900 hours sharp.

Bags packed, Connor hugged his mum goodbye. ‘I’ll be back during the holidays,’ he promised.

‘Now, don’t you worry about me,’ she said, kissing him tenderly on the cheek. ‘You go have a good time. I’m so proud of you.’

She squeezed his hand. To Connor, his mother always seemed at her most energized and pain-free when she was concentrating on him.

‘And I’ll be here 24/7,’ reassured Sally, a jolly, middle-aged woman who was to be his mum’s live-in carer.

The morning after the phone call, Sally had dropped by their house. Over a pot of tea, she’d explained the in-care arrangement and that the costs were being covered by Connor’s ‘scholarship programme’. His mum had immediately warmed to the idea, proud her son’s talents were being recognized. By the second cup of tea, the three women were swapping stories and laughing like old friends. Reassured by this, Connor knew his mother was in good hands and that he’d made the right decision for her.

And it had the double benefit that his gran would also be cared for in her own home. This news had initially pleased his gran. But, not one to miss a trick, she had questioned him in private about the ‘scholarship programme’. Despite Colonel Black’s warning, Connor had told her the truth – as he always did with his gran. She’d immediately tried to dissuade him. But, seeing the determination in his eyes, she’d resignedly shook her head and said, ‘You’re your father’s son. Always putting others before yourself.’

So it was agreed Buddyguard was to be their secret and Connor had no doubt that she’d keep it. As he went to say goodbye, his gran gripped him with surprising strength.

‘Stay safe,’ she whispered, and for a moment he didn’t think she’d let him go.

With a final hug for his mum, Connor picked up his bags and strode over to the Range Rover. The driver got out, a slender woman with dark brown shoulder-length hair and olive eyes that were good-natured yet watchful.

Connor smiled in wry recognition. ‘You’re not going to arrest me again, are you?’

The former policewoman laughed. ‘Only if you don’t pay attention in class!’ She offered her hand. ‘I’m Jody, one of your instructors. Now get in, we’ve a long drive ahead.’

Tossing his bags in the boot, Connor clambered into the passenger seat. With a last wave to his mum and gran, he heaved the door shut and the Range Rover pulled away. As they drove out of London, they passed the Tiger Martial Arts Dojo. Connor felt a twinge of regret and a nagging doubt returned. The club was almost a second home to him. He’d just made his mark as a national kickboxing champion. Am I throwing it all away? His instructor hadn’t thought so. Although dismayed to lose his most promising student, Dan had only wanted the best for him.

‘The time to strike is when the opportunity presents itself,’ Dan had said, giving him a friendly tap on the chin with his fist. ‘So good luck – and remember: if you get into trouble, hit  first, hit hard, then hit the ground running.’

The Range Rover turned a corner and the club disappeared from view. Burying his doubts, Connor now felt an undeniable thrill at what lay in store for him as a bodyguard. ‘So where are we going?’ he asked eagerly.

‘Wales,’ replied Jody.

‘Oh.’ Connor tried to hide his disappointment. He’d been expecting somewhere a little more glamorous. ‘Why there?’

‘You’ll find out soon enough,’ she replied. ‘Until then, I’d advise getting some rest while you can. The weeks ahead will be demanding.’