He nodded once. “Thank you, Val.”
The Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 9:15 A.M.
Thank you, Val.
Kaj Cardozo closed his eyes at his son’s sober gratitude, trying to control the fear that clawed at him from the inside out. Someone touched my son. Someone tried to take my son.
Val Sorensen came recommended by Burke Broussard, and Broussard Investigations had a stellar record for closing cases. They got justice for those who’d been long denied. They also specialized in personal protection, which was why he was here.
Kaj had seen Burke in action, had witnessed his dedication and integrity.
Burke Broussard hires capable people. Which includes Val Sorensen.
Kaj had been chanting those words in his mind ever since he’d made the call to Broussard the night before, asking for this appointment. Right after he’d left his pregnant sister’s home, trying not to hold his son too tightly.
Genie had been amazing, protecting Elijah, incapacitating his would-be attacker. His son was still here because Genie had saved him with her quick thinking. And her Taser.
If Genie hadn’t been so vigilant . . . Kaj drew a deep breath, determined not to have a panic attack where Elijah could see him. He couldn’t think that way. It wasn’t good for Elijah.
Nor for me.
“Hey,” Val said softly right next to his ear, and the scent of vanilla filled his head. “Breathe, Mr. Cardozo.”
Kaj’s eyes flew open, and he shuddered out a breath when he saw the woman take the seat beside him, sweeping her hair over one shoulder in a practiced way. He’d noticed her hair the first time he’d seen her at a party back in the summer. It was long and white-blond, nearly the same color as his had been as a child, the same as Elijah’s was now. She was smiling at him, sympathy in her blue eyes.
“Elijah’s here,” she murmured. “He’s here and he’s okay. Scared, but okay.”
“And we’re going to keep it that way,” Burke added.
Kaj scrubbed his palms over his face. “Okay. What’s next?”
“That depends on you.” Val glanced at Elijah, who sat watching them warily.
Kaj tried to smile, but his mouth wouldn’t curve. “You okay over there, kiddo?”
Elijah rolled his eyes, and that very genuine preteen gesture finally prodded a smile onto Kaj’s face. “I’m fine, Dad,” he said, his tone dripping with condescension. “Are you?”
Yes, Kaj started to say, then shook his head. “Not really. But I will be.”
Elijah sobered. “I know.”
Kaj returned his gaze to Val Sorensen, who sat patiently waiting, carefully watching. “You’ve protected children in the past?”
Val nodded once. “Four times in the past three years.” She pursed her lips, as if remembering. “All are safe today.”
But they hadn’t been. He could see it in her eyes. Something had happened to one of her charges.
“What happened?” Elijah called over. “Which time did you have to use your gun to keep a child safe from grabby hands?”
Val’s smile was rueful. “Why are you so smart, kid?” she called back.
“It’s my cross to bear,” Elijah said dryly, and Kaj’s chest tightened. Heather used to say that. In that same dry tone. Damn, but he missed her.
Val coughed, hiding a laugh. “How old are you, Elijah? Twenty-five?”
“Only ten,” he said with a put-upon sigh.
She huffed. “I’m gonna need to see a birth certificate.” She eyed Kaj. “You might as well have your son sitting here with us, Mr. Cardozo. We’re not hiding anything from him.”
Kaj sighed. “I know. He really is too smart for my own good. C’mon over, Elijah. This is all about you, so you might as well be involved.”
“Which is what I told you when we got here,” Elijah muttered, dragging his chair from the small conference table over to Burke’s desk. He dropped into the chair, crossing his arms. “Well? Grabby hands?”
Val glanced at Burke, who shrugged. “Okay,” she said, her accent also New Orleans, Kaj noted, but not Cajun—and not very strong. It made him wonder how long she’d been in the city. “I was protecting a teenage girl and her brother, who was nine. I’m only telling you because it’s public record. It was covered by the media. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to share this.”
Elijah nodded very seriously. “I understand.”
“Good. The girl’s father had been threatened because of an upcoming corporate merger. Lots of people were losing their jobs and tempers were high. His children had been specifically targeted in the threats, so he hired me. The nine-year-old did everything I asked, but the teenager . . . not so much. She didn’t think all the fuss was necessary and had a boyfriend.” She looked at Elijah sadly. “She’s a smart young woman. She figured out how to disengage the alarm system and climbed out her window and shimmied down a tree to see her beau.”
“But she’s still alive?” Elijah asked, eyes wide.
“Yes. But her boyfriend is not. I was able to shield her, but the boyfriend got caught in the line of fire. He . . .” She sighed. “He’d been approached by one of the disgruntled employees to lure the young woman away from the house. He’d taken money to deliver her into the hands of those who would have harmed her to get back at her father. He was only seventeen.”
“And you feel guilty,” Elijah murmured.
My perceptive son. It was exactly what Kaj had been thinking because the emotion was clear on Val’s face.
“I do. I would have saved him, too, but he ran back to the kidnappers, thinking they’d protect him, that they’d take him with them when they ran away. But he was a loose end and they killed him.”
“I’m sorry,” Elijah said quietly. “That it happened, and that I made you talk about it.”
“You’re fine,” she said firmly. “If I’d been nearly kidnapped yesterday, I’d want to know that my bodyguard had the experience to keep me safe, too. You have every right to ask questions. If I can’t answer them, I’ll tell you so. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll find out. If I can’t answer because I’m protecting someone else’s confidentiality, I’ll tell you that, too. Just like I’ll keep your circumstances confidential when we’re finished and you’re safe again.”
Elijah bowed his head. “Thank you.”
Val ran a hand over his son’s hair, her touch sweet, her expression fond. Which wasn’t a surprise. Elijah elicited that response in nearly everyone who met him. Except for the bastards who’d tried to kidnap him.