Chapter 8: One Step Closer

The next morning, Audrey left the house as scheduled.

In the end, she had fallen asleep not long after returning to her room the night before.

She chose not to think too deeply about the fact that the last image in her mind before closing her eyes had been Nathan standing beside the upstairs window.

A little before nine, Audrey sat in the back of the SUV reviewing the day’s schedule as they headed toward Manhattan.

Two meetings at headquarters. After that, she was expected at a presentation for a new wing at a children’s medical center supported by the Sterling Foundation.

Richard had argued until late the night before that the hospital appearance should be canceled.

Nathan had not approved it without conditions either.

But he had never told her not to go.

Daniel had been sent ahead to inspect the building the previous evening—the entrances, underground parking, emergency exits, and surrounding streets. After reviewing the results, Nathan had decided the appearance could proceed.

For Audrey, that was enough.

“How much did you tell the hospital about the extra security?”

Nathan sat across from her.

“Only what they needed to know. They weren’t given details about the threats.”

“You didn’t want to create unnecessary panic.”

“That too.”

“What else?”

“Fewer people knowing is better.”

Consistent.

He did not restrict information because he suspected one particular person.

He restricted it because information itself was a vulnerability.

The morning meetings passed without incident.

Shortly after one, Audrey’s convoy entered the medical center through the underground parking level.

Ordinarily, she would have arrived through the front entrance, where reporters would be waiting for photographs and questions about the Sterling Foundation’s involvement.

Today, she went upstairs through a staff elevator instead.

Daniel walked several steps ahead.

He was almost the opposite of Nathan at first glance—short-cropped hair, an easier expression, the sort of face people instinctively found approachable.

Nothing about the way he moved was casual.

“Daniel Cross,” Nathan said while they waited for the elevator. “He’ll be part of the detail for a while.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Sterling.”

“Audrey is fine.”

Daniel had barely opened his mouth when Nathan spoke beside her.

“Ms. Sterling.”

Audrey turned.

“You get to decide that?”

“During an operation, consistency reduces confusion.”

Daniel looked away, clearly suppressing a smile.

So the two men had worked together before.

The elevator doors opened, ending the conversation.

The presentation itself went smoothly.

A scale model of the new wing stood near the stage. Representatives from sponsoring companies mingled with physicians, foundation staff, and invited members of the press.

Audrey gave a brief speech, then toured part of the facility with the hospital director.

Nathan stayed at an unobtrusive distance.

The day before, Audrey might have searched the room to see where he was.

Today, she did not need to.

A black suit remained somewhere at the edge of her vision.

That was enough.

The problem came when the presentation ended and the group moved into the main lobby.

For several minutes, the route used by ordinary hospital visitors overlapped with reporters leaving the event.

Security staff began redirecting the flow of people.

One man broke away from the crowd.

“Ms. Sterling!”

Audrey turned instinctively.

He looked to be in his thirties.

A phone was in one hand.

The other was still inside his jacket as he moved directly toward her.

The distance closed fast.

“Wait! Just one question—”

She never heard the rest.

Nathan was suddenly in front of her.

Audrey had not seen him move.

He had not shoved her or dragged her backward.

His left arm simply blocked her path while his body placed itself completely between her and the approaching man.

“Stop there.”

Nathan did not raise his voice.

He did not need to.

The man took another step.

Nathan’s right hand disappeared inside his jacket.

At the same moment, Daniel came in from the side and caught the stranger’s arm.

“What the hell? I’m a reporter!”

What fell from the man’s hand was not a gun.

It was a business-card case.

Cards scattered across the floor, printed with the name of a financial magazine.

“I only wanted to ask her something!”

Voices rose around them.

Nathan was no longer looking at the reporter.

His attention had shifted over Audrey’s shoulder, scanning the rest of the lobby.

“We’re moving.”

“But he—”

“We’re moving.”

The second time was not an explanation.

Audrey did not argue.

Nathan’s hand touched the middle of her back.

Not enough pressure to push.

Only enough to tell her where to go.

He guided her through a staff corridor and the door shut behind them, cutting off the noise from the lobby.

Only then did Nathan turn toward her.

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“Did he touch you?”

“No.”

Satisfied, Nathan pressed a hand to his earpiece.

“Daniel. Verify his identity. Everything he’s carrying. Confirm it against the press registration.”

After issuing the instructions, some of the tension finally left his face.

“I’m sorry.”

Audrey frowned.

“For what?”

“I got closer than necessary.”

It took her a second to understand.

He meant the hand on her back.

“That’s what you’re apologizing for?”

“I told you I’d keep my distance unless there was an emergency.”

“And that was an emergency, wasn’t it?”

“It could have been.”

Audrey glanced at the closed door.

“What if he really had been carrying a gun?”

“You’re here.”

“That doesn’t answer the question.”

Nathan was silent for a moment.

“My job is to stop him before he gets it out.”

He said it as though there were nothing remarkable about that.

Perhaps to him, there wasn’t.

Daniel reported back less than fifteen minutes later.

The man really was a financial reporter. His credentials were legitimate. He had been carrying a phone, recorder, and business cards.

Nothing more.

He had ignored the security line because he wanted an exclusive question.

That was all.

“Do you think you overreacted?”

Audrey asked as they headed back toward the underground garage.

“No.”

“He wasn’t carrying anything.”

“We didn’t know that when he approached.”

Nathan kept his eyes ahead.

“Protection means making the decision before you know how the situation ends. I’d rather stop the wrong man and apologize than fail to stop the right one.”

There was nothing more to say.

They reached the garage and got into the SUV.

Audrey had just taken her phone from her bag when a notification appeared.

Another message.

Another unknown number.

She opened it.

There was a photograph attached.

Taken only minutes earlier.

The hospital lobby.

Nathan stood in front of Audrey, blocking the reporter’s approach.

The photograph had been taken from some distance away.

Below it was a single line.

He can’t stand between us forever.

The blood drained from Audrey’s fingers.

Without a word, she handed the phone to Nathan.

His eyes changed the moment he saw the screen.

He enlarged the image and began studying the background.

The angle.

A column.

Glass doors.

A lobby directory.

“Where?” Audrey asked.

Nathan studied the photograph for another few seconds.

“Second floor.”

“Second floor?”

“The public walkway overlooking the lobby. From there, they would’ve had a clear view of you.”

His hand went to his earpiece.

“Daniel. Second-floor lobby walkway. Secure the surveillance footage now. This is separate from the reporter.”

His voice remained calm.

But whatever trace of ease had remained in his expression was gone.

Audrey looked at the photograph again.

Nathan’s back filled the space between her and the camera.

Someone had been watching them from the other side.

Watching both of them.

And now, for the first time, whoever was behind this was no longer focused only on Audrey.

They had started paying attention to Nathan too.