“If we do find him a companion and something happens to him, those kids are going to scream and tie us up in litigation for years.”

“That’s what I think, too,” Eliza told Samantha. “I need to find a bingo parlor filled with large German widows close to his age.”

“But he wants a young wife.”

“He wants a companion,” Eliza insisted. “Someone to share his time with. His children don’t spare him any of their precious time unless he’s shelling out money. It’s sad.”

Eliza stood and the others in the room followed.

“You’ll call me tomorrow?” Sam asked.

“Keeping tabs on me?”

“Damn right.”

Eliza would do the same if Sam were the one in her situation, so she took it as a concerned friend and not an overprotective measure.

“We’ll work scheduling the security system in tomorrow morning. Do you plan on taking Zod with you when you’re out?” When the dog heard his name, he stood and wagged his tail.

“Restaurants don’t allow animals.”

Carter mumbled something under his breath, but Eliza ignored him. “I should be back before noon.”

“Perfect,” Gwen said. “That will give me time to gather my things.” Gwen leaned in for a hug.

Eliza thanked Sam for dinner while Carter and Blake headed for the door.

Once their goodbyes were said, Carter stood outside with Eliza. “I’m not going to be able to talk you out of following me home, am I?”

Carter shook his head and sent her a cocky, tired smile.

“Fine.” He couldn’t keep up the pace of politician running for office and personal bodyguard for long. She turned toward her car, Zod at her side.

“What, no argument?”

“I’m too tired to argue,” she said over her shoulder.

Carter chuckled and proceeded to follow her home.

****

Lunch with Sedgwick proved to be the highlight of Eliza’s day. Even with the older man’s constant chatting about the world going to hell and how the youth today didn’t know how good they had it, his noise didn’t compare to the noise of Eliza’s home.

Zod greeted her at the door with a need to go outside. Before the dog was finished, her phone rang. With the phone to her ear and the back door to the house open so the dog could get back in, Eliza listened to Neil detail the long list of service men who would descend upon her in less than an hour.

“Parkview securities are sending four electricians within the hour.” Neil’s tone was short and to the point. “They have grey uniforms with black lettering for their logo and names.”

Eliza giggled. “This is important, why?”

“Knowing who is walking through your door should be a priority. I would think you’d understand that.”

The smile drifted from Eliza’s face. Neil didn’t sound very happy with her or the situation.

“Okay, boss, what else?”

Zod finished outside and walked back in the house. Eliza shut the door and continued to listen to Neil’s monotone voice.

“Two of the electricians will work inside the house, two outside. They will wire all the doors and windows and place cameras in common rooms and hallways.”

“I don’t want my bedroom monitored.”

“Bedrooms and bathrooms are excluded.”

There was some comfort in that she supposed.

“A fifth man will arrive a couple hours after the others to set up the monitoring system. His name is Kenny Sands. He’s the owner of Parkview. He’s five-ten, about a hundred-eighty pounds. He will need to show you and Gwen how to work the system and explain how to access your system when you’re away from home.”

“Is Gwen on her way?” Eliza glanced at her watch. It was just past noon.

He hesitated. “We will be there by two.”

“So who is going to watch these cameras, Neil?”

“You’ll have 24-hour surveillance from the same eyes watching Samantha and Blake.”

In other words, handpicked virtual bodyguards who worked with Neil.

“Any questions?”

“Just one.”

Neil was silent on the line.

“How come Samantha didn’t call me with these details?” A phone call from Neil was out of character.

“I told her I would take care of it.”

“She’s afraid I would talk her out of it?”

“Something like that.”

“And there’s no arguing with you.”

“Few have even tried.”

Eliza laughed. “I’ll bet.”

Chapter Eleven

Carter’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the text message from Neil that said only one word.

Done!

Although the information Jay was telling him about the latest polls was important, the room around him faded as Carter’s thoughts turned to Eliza. Her house was secure and she wasn’t alone. Not that Gwen would offer much in the way of protection. At least Eliza had company when he couldn’t be there.

The night before when he’d dropped her off, he didn’t want to leave. He had walked around her home making sure there wasn’t anyone lurking in the shadows and hadn’t said a thing. Her arms had been crossed over her chest in an obvious sign of “leave me alone.” Carter took the hint and moved along.

“Did you hear me?” Jay asked.

Carter shook his head, “I’m sorry. I’m distracted.”

“That’s obvious,” Jay scowled and tossed his pad and paper aside. “What the hell is up with you lately?”

Carter rolled his head from one side of his neck to the other, all the while searching for the answer Jay wanted. “I have a lot on my mind.”

“Which is obvious to me and the voting public. Care to share so I can fix your problems and we can move on?”

“You can’t fix my problems, Jay.”

“The hell I can’t. That’s what you hired me for. I find your problems before they submerge from the depths of the Atlantic. So what is it? Family? A woman? What?”

Jay was the best. He’d been in Carter’s employ for a few years. Started out as an assistant and worked his way to campaign manager. Jay had earned Carter’s trust when two years ago Carter’s uncle, Senator Maxwell Hammond, decided to pay an unexpected visit to Carter’s office unannounced.

Jay recognized the senator on sight, but when the man announced he was Carter’s uncle, Jay thanked the man for the introduction and then asked if he had an appointment.