The Protector (2003) by David Morrell

know some of the trade jargon?" Relieved that Prescott's breathing was less agitated, Cavanaugh didn't mind distracting him by answering harmless questions. "One way for an opponent to get at a client would be to learn the identities of the client's protector's."
    "What would that accomplish?"
    "The opponent could discover where the protectors live, whether they have relatives and so on. You see the liability?"
    Prescott's ample chin wavered as he nodded. "The opponent could kill the bodyguards where they live, when they're off duty, when they're not as alert."
    "And the new team the client hires wouldn't be up to speed on how to maintain his security. The client becomes a viable target," Cavanaugh said.
    Prescott nodded again. "Or else the opponent kidnaps the bodyguards' relatives and puts pressure on the bodyguards to lessen the client's security."
    "You catch on quick. People close to me can't be threatened if the bad guys don't know who the people close to me are. Because the bad guys don't know who I am," Cavanaugh said.
    "You have a family?"
    "No," Cavanaugh replied, lying. "You referred to 'bodyguards.' That's not what I am."
    "Then...?"
    "The technical term is protective agent."
    "What's the distinction?"
    "Bodyguards are thugs. They're what mobsters use. Crude muscle."
    "But what you do, as you've proven, requires sophisticated talents. Thank you. What you went through to save me is the bravest thing I've ever seen."
    "No," Cavanaugh said. "Not brave."
    "I can't think what else to call it."
    "Conditioned."
    Between them, the skinhead's cell phone buzzed.

    Chapter 16.
    Prescott flinched.
    The phone buzzed again.
    "Press the answer button," Cavanaugh said. "Then give it to me."
    Uneasy, Prescott obeyed.
    Steering expertly with his left hand, Cavanaugh held the phone against his right ear. "Pizza Hut."
    "Cute,"a sandpapery voice said.
    "Thanks."
    "Not the Pizza Hut thing. I meant about setting fire to your car and stealing ours."
    "I know what you meant."
    Prescott watched intently, trying to figure out what Ca-vanaugh was hearing.
    "This won't stop us. We'll keep coming," the voice said. "I expect that," Cavanaugh said into the phone. "You're not a cop. You'd have called for backup. Instead, you kept clear of police cars. You must be private security. Give it up. You're way out of your league."
    "Gee, I thought I'd done pretty good so far." "Did Prescott tell you who you're dealing with?" "He hasn't had time to tell me anything," Cavanaugh lied. The transmission was weak. The shots had made his ears ring enough that he had to press the phone tighter against his ear so he could distinguish what the voice said next.
    "If you don't know anything, we can cut you some slack. Give him to us, and we'll let you go."
    "Say it again, this time as if you mean it." The voice sounded weary. "You'd be dead now if you hadn't been near Prescott. This has to be the only time the guy we were after was a shield for his bodyguard." "Protector." "What?"
    "I'm not a bodyguard."
    "Whatever." The voice became harsher. "The next time I see you, you'd better pray you're close to Prescott. Otherwise, I'll put a bullet through your head. Does that sound like I mean it?" "Is that the reason you phoned? To make cheap threats?" The voice became silent.
    Cavanaugh suddenly understood what was going on. "Lots of cheese, right?" "What?"
    "Your pizza will be ready in fifteen minutes." Cavanaugh risked taking his eyes off the road long enough to press the disconnect button.
    A pickup truck loaded with junk drove past him. He lowered his window and tossed the phone into the back of the truck.
    "What are you doing?" Prescott asked.
    "Escobar's men didn't call just for the hell of it. They want to make certain we're with the phone."
    "But why would--"
    "The phone must have some kind of location transmitter in it. They'll follow it, hoping it leads them to us. Now it'll take them nowhere. For all I know, this car has a location transmitter also, but right