“I like my favorite spot better. I can enjoy the gardens and the ocean.”

“Will you show me?”

“Sure.”

They continued down the sidewalk, and Levi took a right when two paths met. After a few meters, the trees on either side crowded the walk, the palms curtaining the sky.

“I would have loved having gardens like these when I was a kid. Hide-and-seek would have been so much fun.”

“What is your home like?” Levi asked.

Cassie appreciated that he recognized the palace as a home instead of a landmark or a symbol of power. “English gardens, lots of open space. The south lawn now houses the new security office . . .” Her words trailed away. “I guess the enhancement wasn’t as effective as my father expected.”

“When was the new security office built?” Levi asked.

“Construction started nine months ago, but it wasn’t completed until this past February.”

“Do you know why your father decided to enhance security at the palace?”

“After what just happened, I think the answer is obvious.”

“No. The shooting shows it was warranted,” Levi corrected. “When people choose to make drastic changes to their security protocols, it’s usually a result of a threat or the expectation that a decision will cause new opposition.”

“So you want to know what change occurred nine months ago,” Cassie said, now understanding his thought process.

“I think the problem would have been identified before that, probably at least a year. It could be much longer, as much as two or three years,” Levi said. “It would have taken months for designs to be drawn up and construction crews cleared to work on the grounds.”

“A lot of changes were happening around that time.” Cassie did the mental math. Fifteen months ago, everything had been right in her world. Her mother had been happy and healthy, except for her recurring headaches. “My mother was diagnosed with cancer thirteen months ago. She passed away a few weeks later.”

Levi stopped and took her hand. He waited for her to face him. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

His sincerity touched her. She squeezed his hand. “Thank you.”

“Tell me, did anything change in the power structure of your country when your mother got sick or after she died?”

“My sisters and I took on more duties.”

“From what I understand, you took on the lion’s share.”

“Both of my sisters are still attending university. They have neither the time nor the experience to take on much beyond an occasional social role.”

“Which put everything on you.”

Cassie didn’t deny it.

“Maybe the next couple weeks will give you some much-needed rest.”

“You know, you’re sounding a lot more like my boyfriend than my body­guard.”

“Sometimes it’s possible to be both.” He stepped off the main sidewalk onto a mulched path.

Cassie ducked beneath a palm leaf he held aside for her. When she straightened, she discovered they had emerged on the far side of the garden where a grassy hill overlooked the ocean. A cluster of trees shaded the single bench that faced the water. The lights lining the adjoining path filtered through the leaves, creating a soft glow.