Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 584(@200wpm)___ 467(@250wpm)___ 389(@300wpm)
“I have a job for you both. In San Francisco.”
Corbin frowned. He didn’t often leave the Ranch. But it wasn’t completely unheard of if they needed a tech expert on site.
There was that time months ago when he’d gone to LA to relieve Dominic when everyone else had the stomach flu. That wasn’t something he wanted to think about right now, though.
“Both of us?” Hayes asked. “I thought Corbin worked support.”
“Yeah, I do. Kent, I don’t know if it’s a good idea for me to go to San Francisco.” Corbin turned to look at Hayes with a frown. “Although I like to think it’s more than just support. And I can hold my own on the field.”
“I know you can do this,” Kent told him. “I really need you there for a couple of weeks. I need you to set up some cameras and put in an alarm system while also keeping an eye on the client’s daughter.”
The client’s daughter? Not the client himself?
“Basically, this is a slightly strange situation and I need some delicacy. Normally, this would be the sort of job I’d send Dominic on, but he’s in New York. And everyone else is busy or not suited for the job. Which means it’s either me or you,” he said to Corbin.
And Kent didn’t want to leave Abby and Asher.
Fuck.
The last time Corbin had gone out on a job, things had not gone well.
He had no interest in repeating that disaster.
“I’ll work support while you’re gone,” Kent added. “This is a short-term job at the moment. And I know you’ll be able to handle this situation diplomatically.”
Because Hayes wouldn’t be able to. Corbin got it. Hayes was a straight-shooter. Zeke said he’d always been like that. Grouchy. Blunt. But after his wife died, he’d become even less social.
There was nothing delicate about Hayes. Or diplomatic.
So Kent was sending him to smooth the way for the other man. Fuck. He was making it impossible for Corbin to say no.
“Who is the client and their daughter?” Corbin asked.
“The client’s name is Benton Benner.”
“Wait, the Benton Benner?” Corbin asked. “As in the rock star?”
“Yes, he’s about to start a tour overseas. He’ll be gone for a month and needs someone to watch his daughter while he’s gone.”
“Why us?” Hayes asked. “Surely he could hire someone local?”
“Yeah, he could. But this is a favor. Benton was an old friend of my dad’s. What isn’t widely known is that he spent some time during his childhood here in Wishingbone. He and my dad were in school together and were good friends. Benton doesn’t feel like he can trust just anyone with this job, so he came to me. I feel like I owe him this.”
“Have there been threats against his daughter?” Corbin asked.
“Apparently, there have been some threats made against the family. But these are against just the daughter and they’re intense.” Kent laid out some sheets of printed paper. Corbin stared down at the news headlines.
Rich and Reckless.
Money Can’t Buy Loyalty. Or sense.
“Jesus,” Hayes muttered.
“These are all old tabloid articles about Benton’s daughter, Bluebelle. Benton’s wife, Barbara, is the self-professed queen of reality TV. Several years ago, she started a reality show called The Benner Life. Basically, they have cameras following them around everywhere, recording their lives for other people to watch.”
Corbin couldn’t think of anything worse than having people with cameras in your house, following you around, and showing it all to the world.
“Why the fuck would you want cameras recording your life? My life wouldn’t even be that interesting,” Hayes muttered.
No doubt.
“And who watches that garbage?” Hayes added with a grumble.
“I think I saw it advertised,” Corbin said, trying to sound more positive. “She’s not still filming it, right?”
Kent waved his hand in the air. “You don’t have to have seen it. And no, the series ended when Bluebelle, the daughter, pulled out and refused to be on it anymore. But after that show ended, Barbara went on to produce several more reality TV shows. Like that one where they deliberately put a group of single people into a scary situation and see how they react. For example, they’d put them on a boat that starts to sink, and they’d have to get on the life raft and paddle to an island.”
“Sounds like riveting stuff,” Hayes muttered. “You couldn’t pay me to watch that. So, is the daughter a troublemaker?”
“Maybe when she was younger. She had a bit of a reputation. But I couldn’t find any recent press about her. Could be a matter of him being overly cautious.”
Corbin grew pensive. “Are you saying we’ll be less bodyguards and more handlers?”
“That’s not what I signed on for,” Hayes added.
“Like I said, there have been some threats against Bluebelle. Enough to worry Benton into putting in a security system at his daughter’s house and leaving her with bodyguards while he’s away for these four weeks. After that, he said he’ll reevaluate and look at his options. I made it clear we can only be there for a month. We’ll work on the security system and guard Bluebelle.”