Protecting Zoey

Chapter 4: Political Alignments

The sun was streaming through the window on the far side of the office softly illuminating the frustrated creases on a middle-aged blonde woman's face as an older seemingly depressed man leaned back in a large armchair in front of his desk.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" The woman asked in an irritated tone. "We've never met this man, Harrison. You just want me to trust him with my daughter?"

"Our daughter, and I will be meeting with him shortly," Harrison responded looking down at the papers in front of him on the desk. "I've already had the police department run a background check on him, he's a relatively popular figure, plus Darren and Albert have both vouched for him."

"Yes, our daughter." She said with a hint of disdain. "So that's it, I have no say in the matter?" She practically whined as she asked the question.

"You'll have plenty of say Elizabeth I'm sure, but that will be once Zoey is safe." Harrison finally looked up from the papers. "Or are you not concerned with the idea of some abomination of human filth kidnapping our daughter and doing god knows what with her?"

Harrison's face was firm and resolute as he spoke. It was a look he used many times on the debate floor when trying to get his way, but this was one of the few times he'd ever used it with his wife. Elizabeth sighed deeply as she glared at Harrison.

"You know I hate it when you do that to me." She said angrily. "I hate it even more that you're right."

"I'm always right my dear, you should know that by now," Harrison said with a smirk. "Please send Darren in when you leave, I need to have a conversation with him before our new employee arrives."

"Fine," Elizabeth responded as she turned to leave the room. "But I want to meet this man before he becomes Zoey's bodyguard."

"Of course, my love," Harrison said as he watched her leave the room finally taking a deep sigh of his own before returning to the paperwork before him.

That interaction could have gone very poorly for Harrison, and he knew it. Harrison's direct control over his wife was extremely limited and she would only do what she wanted to in the end, this has caused them all kinds of issues in the past.

A few minutes later there was a knock at the door and Darren entered the room. Darren was Harrison's

right-hand man and had been for many years. His responsibilities varied but included leading security for his household and businesses. He was also one of the few people who knew about Harrison's unique history and the basis for his concerns about the recent letters.

"You wanted to see me?" Darren asked as he entered the room and sat down in the chair across from Harrison's desk.

"Mr. Arden will be here shortly," Harrison asked finally looking up from his desk. "I understand that he was friends with you and your brother in the past, but is there anything else I should know about him before we meet?"

"Mason is a good man," Darren said after a moment of consideration. "He's been through a lot in his life

especially recently, but he's always come out the other side stronger. I believe he will be perfect for the job. Based upon how quickly he connected with his adopted daughter and how quickly he jumped in to protect people in school I have no doubt he will guard Zoey with his life if needed."

Harrison nodded as he leaned back in his chair. "I hope you're right, Darren, I really do. I'll be trusting him with the one thing in this world that I value more than anything else." Harrison took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. "I expect you to keep an eye on him and if anything, out of the ordinary occurs, you are to step in."