Chapter Seven

“Here’s your messages MacKenzie.” Claire handed her a pile of pink post-it notes as she walked back into her office.

“Thanks Claire, listen go have some lunch while it’s quiet I can grab the phone if it rings. It’s a gorgeous day out there,” she dumped her bag down on the corner chair in her office. She reached up and tied her hair back from her face before sliding into her chair, shaking her mouse to bring her laptop back into life.

She kept her eyes on the screen as she unwrapped the chicken BLT sandwich she’d picked up, took a bite and attempted her email. Lunchtime Yoga sessions were always a good way to relax her mind, hell they were a nice compliment to Josh’s sadistic gym sessions and didn't leave her wishing for death. That was always a bonus. She jumped when her phone beeped, “son of a bitch, always lunchtime.”

She grabbed the phone and held it to her ear, licking her finger free of stray mayonnaise. “Hello MacKenzie Cooper,” she took a swig of her water and leaned back in her chair.

“How’s my favourite girl doing?”

She grinned and relaxed. “I’m doing good, how are you doing Dad?” Her father often randomly called her at work, just to say hi or to tell her stupid little things. Her parents had moved from New York five years ago down to Florida to retire, well her father would never retire as much as he wouldn’t admit it. Practicing medicine was always what he did, and loved. He was officially retired but he still worked part time in the clinic near where they lived, as a General practitioner.

“Oh you know, just the usual been a little busier with the clinic since Frank went on holiday but it's keeping me out of trouble. How about you? My favourite hard assed daughter, keeping out of mischief?”

“Dad I’m your only hard assed daughter, and yes it’s been a little slow, just the usual PI stuff coming through a few high profile cases but that’s all. How’s Mom?” Admittedly Mac was her Daddy’s girl. Her mother had never approved of her going into the marines or the force. She was much more traditional when it came to woman’s careers. She’d got over it all the same, and she still had a great relationship with her Mom as well. It helped that they lived in Florida.

“You know your mother, off organising social events at the Country club is taking up time but she’s in her element with all those woman.”

“God, I couldn’t stand it,” she shivered remembering last summer when she went down to see her parents and was dragged to her mother's social committees. Her mother loved what she did so Mac had to be supportive, but by the end of it she had thought of fifty-five ways she could poke herself with a needle in the eye.

“I know, not my scene either but you know your mom in her social planning element so it works… so no boys on the scene?” He asked hopefully.

MacKenzie snorted, every single time he’d ask it. “No Dad, like I have time.” She looked up when David burst into her office waving frantically at the TV in the corner of her office. She cupped the phone, “what’s up?” she picked up her remote and flicked on the TV.

The image that flicked onto the screen made her raise her brow, Jon. “Ah Dad, can I call you back something’s come up.” She disconnected the call and stood.

“What the hell?” A chaos of people gathered outside a building with Jon shielded in the background.

“Today at lunchtime a hit and run attempt was made on the front man of Bon Jovi, Jon Bon Jovi narrowly missed an attempted outside some downtown studios where band mate Richie Sambora is recording his next solo effort. It’s not clear whether the attempt was aimed at Bon Jovi, or Sambora, or if it was simply a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Aww hell,” she raked her fingers through her hair.

The screen flashed over to Jon who was clearly uncomfortable, shunning the reporters that swarmed around him like bees. His sunglasses shielded his face, and he didn't answer one question that was flying at him as they disappeared into the studios.

“That’s why.” David said folding his arms nodding.

“Hit and run? God, that seems a little ridiculous on a rockstar doesn't it?” She chewed on the back of her thumb as her mind worked overtime.

“Weren't you looking into some gang business for him?”

She met David's stare and popped her brow. “God, you don't think they'd...shit!” She expected that Jon could hear from the gang again, after he'd dopped the kid. But never expected this extreme behaviour. Christ, least he wasn't hurt, from what she could tell. She reached over and punched a few buttons on her phone.

“Hi Craig, it’s Mac. I need a huge favor. I need everything that you can get for me on The Bloods, the leader Black Watch and anything relating to their affliates, and hits they’ve planned or made over the past and I need it as soon as possible...Thanks, I won’t forget this.” She hung up and motioned to David to turn off the TV.

“God damn it. You know more about gangs than me. He must of kicked the kid off the team who was the gang leaders brother….is he in ongoing danger?” she asked.

Mackenzie already knew the answer but she wanted to hear it from others to confirm.

“Well in my experience on the force and you’d know it too Mac, if they can’t get to him they’ll try other avenues through family, friends anything they can do to send the message, and with someone as high profile as Jon, it's a perfect opportunity to send that message loud and clear for the world to see not to mess with them.”

“Right.” Damn, this wasn’t good. Especially with his upcoming schedules around the political scene. This was NOT good. What if they used him to send OTHER messages? Shit.

“Well he’s got security right? I mean he’s a rock star. I’m sure it’s not that unheard of.” David asked shifting to her fax which had started beeping. “God this was quick. How’d you get shit out of them so damn fast? Takes me hours even for urgent stuff!” He pulled the pages off the fax.

She chuckled. “They’re scared of me, have no idea why.”

David shook his head. “No nothing to do with storming in there and threatening his balls?”

“Ok ok maybe so, gimme,” she said clicking her fingers out at him. She began to scan the police reports of attempted hits on people that were never proven to be the bloods, but they were under high suspicion for them. “Shit, look at all this.” She walked back to her desk laying each page out.

“Not the friendly folk you take to a Sunday picnic?” David joked.

“I know he’ll have body guards but hell, it’s not a good look on the political scene… and I don’t know he doesn’t seem like the type to like having a minder.” She rubbed her lip with the pad of her index finger, “I wonder…..” She trailed off into thought.

“Offering him your services?” David asked “Nice big job, but you up to it? Living his lifestyle? Being out there amongst all that action again?”

“Its not about me, it’s about his safety and those around him. It makes perfect sense if he’d agree to it, unless he has a girlfriend it may not work.” But why would he ask me out to a football game if he didn’t right? She’d not taken a huge personal security job since when she’d had to fill in as the “nanny”, for a family under threat from some corporate mafia.

“You up to that? Living twenty four seven with him?” David asked seriously.

“If that’s what has to be done, it has to be done… he has kids as well David. Until we get to the bottom of this and what they actually want from him I think he needs something.” Maybe I should go and see him? She looked back to the blank TV screen and for a second wondered how he was feeling after all this. He needed to know at least what he was up against, it was only fair. As a respected client she owed it to him.

“David find out for me where this is, I’m going to go down in thirty minutes.” She clicked open the folder on her laptop for contracts for personal security. She had to at least recommend and offer this job. Hell, the money she could do with and she wasn’t stupid. Jon was someone that was very influential and a good word from him in his inner circle could prove very illustrious for her business.

She printed off the relevant documentation he’d need to make an informed decision, and even more screeds of paper were flying off the fax as she packed it all into her brief case. She shrugged on her jacket, cinching it at the middle and checked herself over. She left armed with her briefcase, and her sandwich as she flew past David who held out the location of the studio.

“You are a gem.” She plucked it out of his hands and barrelled down the stairs.

“Go get em Mac,” he called after her. Let's hope she could make it down there in record time, before Jon left.