Chapter 18 – New Phone
Elizabeth went to get her purse and decided to throw jeans on instead of the shorts that she was wearing. When she came back out, Robert was gone, but Devin was still there.
"Ready?" Devin asked.
"Jack you coming?" Elizabeth asked.
"Of course." Jack said.
"Then I am ready." Elizabeth said. "Are you sure that they won't be able to track me anymore?"
"I am sure." Devin said. "Again, I am sorry I didn't think about it sooner. Because these programs are illegal, we will be able to charge Mr Kensington. It might also make it easier to convince a judge to extend the restraining order due to stalking behavior and them already violating the order."
"What about school this fall?" Elizabeth asked.
"Well." Devin said. "It shouldn't be a problem. You will be a first year education student and Mr Kensington will be a second year business major. I doubt that you will have any class in common and if I remember correctly, you will actually be on opposite ends of campus most of the time."
"I guess I didn't think about that." Elizabeth said.
"Don't worry about it." Devin said. "We have a lot of time between then and now. Who knows with the new charges, Mr Kensington might not even be at Columbia, but I am getting ahead of myself."
"Is there anything else that you need while we are out?" Jack asked.
"No." Elizabeth said. "I think I have everything else that I need."
"Then let's go." Devin said. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner you can get back and relax before taking off tomorrow."
The three of them headed down to the garage. Elizabeth noticed that there was another security guy in the garage waiting.
"Hey Andy." Jack said. "What are you doing here?"
"My job." Andy said.
Jack just rolled his eyes. He liked Andy Brown well enough, but he was more serious than some of the other security guys.
"Why are both of you going?" Jack asked.
"Your Dad." Devin said. "With the direct threat to you, your Dad is insisting that there be two of us for a time being if you are together. Two of you, two of us."
"Okay." Jack said. "I am not worried about Kensington, but I think I will have to take that argument up with my father. I am hoping that we get a break in Saratoga."
"Me too." Devin said. "I know how much you like being up there and you are right, I am following orders. If you have a problem with it, you will need to talk to your father, but I doubt that he will back down at least until things calm down. And before you ask, if there is a problem in Saratoga, yes there will be more security. We already added two additional people for anytime you are at the track. I am sure that there will be security hanging around anytime you leave the farm. They will try to give you your space."
Jack just shook his head, but he knew that they were just trying to keep everyone safe. They all got in the car and headed out to get Elizabeth a new phone. When they got to the store, the guy wanted to call Mr Thatcher since he was the primary account holder. Elizabeth looked at Jack in a panic.
"Randy." Jack said, looking at the young man's name tag.
"Yes." Randy said.
"What do we need to do to get Miss Thatcher a new phone?" Jack said. "She is an adult and wants, no she needs her phone that was lost. We downloaded everything from the cloud to load onto her new phone."
"Well." Randy said. "She could get her own plan."
"Okay, let's do that." Jack said. "Elizabeth, pick out whatever phone that you want."
"Jack, are you sure?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes." Jack said. "You need a phone and this seems to be the only way to do it. Don't worry about the cost. I got it."
Elizabeth looked at Jack and he nodded, giving her a dimpled grin.
"Sir." Randy said. "Do you have an account with us?"
"My father does." Jack said. "I am sure that he wouldn't mind putting Miss Thatcher on the family plan."
"I would need to talk to him." Randy said.
"Well." Devin said. "I am an authorized representative for his father and father's company."
"Do you have paperwork to show that?" Randy asked. "Otherwise his father will have to come down here or authorize things online."
"Yes, I have paperwork." Devin said.
"Then we can add her to your plan." Randy said.
Devin left to get some paperwork from the car while Elizabeth looked at phones. Jack went over to her.
"Is that the one you want?" Jack asked.
"I don't know." Elizabeth said. "It is much fancier than the one that I had."
"I don't care." Jack said. "Is it the one that you want?"
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "I like the blue one."
"Randy." Jack called. "We will take this one in blue. We will also need a case and screen protector for it."
"What kind of case do you want?" Randy asked. "We have a few different ones."
"A durable one." Jack said.
Jack helped Elizabeth pick out a case for her new phone. While they were doing that, Devin set everything up with the account. They got Elizabeth's new phone set up and Jack pulled out his card to pay for everything. Elizabeth felt bad about Jack having to spend more money on her. He sensed she was upset at the cost of everything.
"Don't worry about it." Jack said. "It doesn't add much to the monthly bill. Dad won't care. He knows that you need a phone."
"Are you sure?" Elizabeth asked.
"Positive." Jack said. "Relax. This phone will last you a while and no one will be able to track you."
When they got back in the car, Elizabeth turned to Devin and Jack.
"Thank you all." Elizabeth said. "I don't mean to be trouble."
"No trouble." Devin said. "Just glad that we were able to take care of it before something happened."
"I agree." Jack said.
"Anything else?" Devin asked.
Elizabeth shook her head.
"No." Jack said.
"Let's head back to the apartment, Andy." Devin said.
"Yes, boss." Andy said.
As they were pulling out of the phone store, Andy noticed a car following them. He made a couple of turns and the car was still there. He looked over at Devin.
"Problem?" Devin asked.
"I think that there is a car following us." Andy said.
"Hold on you two." Devin said. "We may have a problem."
"Just get us back." Jack said.
Jack reached over and took Elizabeth's hand. He looked at her and tried to show that he was calm.
"It will be okay." Jack said. "They know what they are doing. We will be home in just a bit. We just may have to take a longer route."
"Okay." Elizabeth whispered.
After a few more random turns, Andy was able to shake the car that was following them. All the while Devin was on the phone. When they got back to the garage, there were two additional security guys. Devin got out and opened Jack's door. He got out and helped Elizabeth out. They then headed to the elevator. Devin and another security guy both got in.
"Jack, Elizabeth." Devin said. "This Matthew. He will be stationed on the floor. Anytime you leave the apartment and are in the building, he will be with you today."
"I don't plan on going anywhere." Elizabeth said.
"Then I can sit and read a book or study." Matthew said. "I know that you aren't used to this, but we need to make sure you are safe."
"Devin, is this really necessary?" Jack asked.
"Today, yes." Devin said. "Apparently, there are a lot of people coming and going from the third floor and because we don't know everyone that is a threat right now, we need to be extra careful. Since you have this entire floor and your father's client is leaving this afternoon, we need to make sure that no one comes up there who isn't supposed to be. We even have held off the service until tomorrow. That way they can clean both apartments and have everything ready for you when you get back."
"Okay." Jack said. "I was just going to order take out for later."
"Just let me know." Matthew said.
"No problem." Jack said.
When they got to the apartment, Jack thumbed the lock and opened the door. Devin went in first and double checked the apartment before leaving. Matthew took up his spot down the hall just across from the elevator. Jack wondered if there was something else going on and Devin just didn't want to share because he didn't want to scare Elizabeth. Before Devin left, Jack looked at him and almost understanding what he was asking, Devin motioned to the library.
"What is going on?" Jack asked. "This is a lot of security, even for me."
"While we were out." Devin said. "Mr Thatcher showed up demanding to see his daughter. We think that the Kensingtons told him where she was. I wasn't lying about a lot of people coming and going downstairs, but there is also a fairly new doorman. I don't want him to accidentally say something that could cause trouble. He has been informed that you are here with a guest, but that you have asked for privacy and unless you let them know, there will be no visitors. He has been ordered that he can't even confirm you are in the building to anyone, unless you let them know that someone is coming, including food."
"Okay." Jack said. "I am worried that all of this is going to scare Elizabeth."
"Talk to her." Devin said. "Let her know that we are just trying to keep everyone safe. Things will be different when you take off tomorrow."
"Okay." Jack said. "Still looking at leaving at seven?"
"Maybe a little before." Devin said. "We have also moved takeoff from TSS to West 30th, just in case. People who know your family know that you usually use TSS. There will also be a young security member, Nathan Grant, flying with you. You will meet him in the morning. He is just a few years older than you, but he is good. We went with him, because if anyone asked, it would look like a friend of yours heading up to your grandparents. Since that is not uncommon, no one would question it. I think you might like him. I have talked to your grandfather and he knows that you have two friends coming with you. Nathan will be staying at the ranch and going with you if you leave the ranch. Even though he will be working, treat him like a friend. He rides and is into horses, that is part of why we chose him. He also said he would be willing to help with chores as your grandfather is letting him stay onsite. Your father is taking extra precautions because the Kensingtons have made additional threats."
"Okay." Jack said. "You know that Doug and maybe Lee are both coming up there as well."
"Yes." Devin said. "But not until next week. Please don't fight me on this. Kensington has a lot of connections and he has made more threats to you guys. I didn't want to tell you, but you are too smart not to figure it out. We want to give you as much freedom as possible when you are in Saratoga and the only way that is going to happen is to have Nathan with you. It will just look like a group of friends out. It will also hopefully cut down on the gossip that there is something between you and Elizabeth."
"Thank you for telling me." Jack said. "I will talk to Elizabeth."
"Good." Devin said. "I need to get back downstairs."
Jack nodded and they walked out of the library and Elizabeth was sitting on the couch. The TV was on and she was working on her phone, getting everything set up. She looked up at the guys.
"Everything okay?" Elizabeth asked.
Devin didn't say anything, but just looked at Jack, then quickly left the apartment.
"Jack." Elizabeth said. "Please tell me what is going on. I can see it written on your face."
"Fine, I will tell you." Jack said. "But I don't want to upset you."
"I can't promise I won't get upset." Elizabeth said. "But I will try."
"Okay." Jack said.
