Bare Witness by Katherine Garbera

girl she’d once been. She was going to ensure their safety because it was her job, and without that, she had no idea who she was.

Chapter Five
    P iper was distracted and cranky after almost eleven hours on the plane. Constance was keeping her close, and Nigel was a bit on edge since Anna and Charity had entered the plane on the ground in Lima. He’d seen the censure in the eyes of Justine’s team. Fuck them. He knew how to take care of Piper. And no one could protect her like he could.
    The team tested their earpiece mikes, then took up positions in the plane. They’d all donned the Kevlar vests under their clothing. Right now they were waiting for the Immigration representative to arrive and clear them into the country.
    “Pedro Maldano will be here in a few minutes. He will serve as an escort for our party to Immigration. Entering Peru isn’t a big deal for any of us since our countries are on good terms with the current government,” Charity said.
    The tall blond woman was stunningly beautiful, but Nigel realized he noticed her looks only as a matter of fact. He wasn’t attracted to the buxom blonde at all. He had never really gone for obvious beauty.
    Anna was seated next to Piper, Charity stood in front of the door, and Justine was positioned to his left. “How much longer do you think this will take?”
    Justine glanced over at him. “I have no idea. Do you have somewhere you need to be?”
    “No. I think Piper’s going to have a meltdown in a few minutes, though,” he said, glancing at his daughter, who was swinging her bunny rabbit around by its ears and staring at Constance with a belligerent look on her face.
    “I…don’t know what we can do. It will be worse for her in the long line at customs rather than waiting for the officials to come to us.”
    “I know,” he said, rubbing his hand against the back of his neck. He felt itchy and restless. He needed to get off this plane and away from Justine. He wanted Piper safe in the secure housing on the Baron Industries compound.
    Justine didn’t say anything to him. He’d noticed that she’d shut down personally toward him and that was fine. He’d been treating her the same way, but now, seeing her with the other women, he realized how much he missed the feisty comments she’d made at first. Now she was nothing but an automaton doing her job, with all the emotion of the Terminator.
    The pilot stepped out of the cockpit. “There is a black Mercedes parking next to the plane.”
    “Thanks, Mark,” Charity said. “I’ll go greet Pedro. Everyone stay back from the door.”
    Justine moved in front of him and Anna positioned herself in front of Piper.
    “Why can’t we leave, Daddy?”
    “We have to wait until they are ready for us, Pip.”
    “How much longer?”
    “Not too much,” Nigel said.
    “I want to get off the plane.”
    “Me, too,” Justine said. “But we need to follow the rules of entry for this country.”
    Piper wasn’t buying it, though, and Nigel saw the bratty look on his eight-year-old’s face a second before she opened her mouth. “My daddy is a very important man. We shouldn’t have to wait.”
    “Piper,” Nigel said in a firm tone.
    “It’s true, Daddy,” she said.
    “If there were any way to get us off this plane more quickly, don’t you think I’d do it?”
    She nodded.
    “Sit down next to Constance and be quiet.”
    “I don’t—
    “Piper?” Justine interrupted.
    “Yes?”
    “Remember how we talked about fathers earlier?”
    Piper nodded.
    “This is one of those times when, if we want to keep your father safe, we are just going to have to wait.”
    She bit her lower lip and hugged her stuffed bunny closer to her chest before sitting down next to Constance.
    Nigel wasn’t too sure he liked the way Justine had handled the situation, but Piper was sitting quietly now.
    Nigel took Justine’s arm to draw her back, but she evaded his grip. “I’d like a word with you.”
    “Not now.”
    “Yes,