Free A Bodyguard to Remember by Alison Bruce Page A

private school that caters to government and diplomatic clients. It’s a high security establishment and they are used to students coming and going, so it won’t be strange for your children to enroll midway through the year.”
    Not strange for the school, but weird for Hope and Boone.
    “Once they’re at school, Hope and Boone will be safe. For the rest of the day, you and Nate can work out a schedule that will suit you both. I want him to be with you whenever you’re not here or at the school.”
    “Surely your son has a life that I am disrupting.”
    “He’s just finished six years in the army, mostly spent in Afghanistan. He’s gone back to school part-time and is debating whether to go for officer’s training or police training or who knows what. He won’t dog your every step, but he’s familiar with protection details. I trust him.”
    That wasn’t what I was getting at, but I let it drop. As the man said, Nate and I could work it out.
    “Okay,” I said, changing the topic. “Tell me about this school.”
    “It’s a little different.” He almost smiled. “Hope and Boone aren’t far off comparing it to Hogwarts. Many of the students board there. Some stay while their parents are out of the country. Some are from other countries. A few are like your kids, in protective custody. They have to get creative to accommodate the different students. It will be a mind broadening experience for them. And it’s only temporary. In a couple of weeks, this whole situation could be settled.”
    I choked back a snort of laughter. It wasn’t that I thought he was lying. I just couldn’t believe his forecast.
     
    *    *    *
     
    In the afternoon we all visited the school, Nate included. We drove, but it was within walking distance of Merrick’s condo. The school was a big old house. Outside it looked like the house from The Addams Family TV show. Inside, Nate said it reminded him of ‘Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters’ from the X-Men . Boone and Hope stuck with Hogwarts and wished they could meet Harry Potter.
    There were only three classes—Primary, Junior, and Senior. Partly, this was because the school was small. Partly, it was a choice to compensate for the variables in the previous education of the students. Each class had at least two core teachers—one for English, one for French. Plus, there were art, music, science, and physical education teachers. More importantly, once you got past the armed security at the front door and on patrol in the yard, it was easy to forget that the place was protected up the wazoo. All the other measures were nearly invisible.
    Based on their grade, Hope and Boone were provisionally placed in the intermediate class. Their knowledge and skills would be assessed over their first week to determine their academic levels and spot any weaknesses. I knew one. They weren’t fluent in French. That, I was assured, wouldn’t be a problem.
    We visited the gym, science lab, and art and music rooms. We explored the library, where we were each allowed to sign out a book. Boone found a book on great Canadian inventions. Hope discovered a Nancy Drew book she hadn’t read yet. I picked up an illustrated guide to spy gear.
    “Does the place meet with your approval, Hartley?” Merrick asked on the way back to his apartment.
    “I like it. I like it a lot.” I turned so I could look into the backseat. “You guys like the school?”
    They gave me a hurried yes then got back to speculating what special subjects they would take—still thinking magic more than math and language.
    “Nate, would you mind walking to school?” I asked, craning to see him in the seat immediately behind me. “I usually walk in the morning and this would be a way of doing so without taking up too much of your time.”
    “Works for me.”
    I nodded and arranged myself more comfortably. During the drive, I considered other things I could do to be less of a burden. When Merrick parked, I turned and