Book excerpt: From the New York Times bestselling author of the classic espionage novel, The Brotherhood of the Rose . . . He calls himself Cavanaugh. No first name, and even “Cavanaugh” isn’t his actual last name. He’s a protector. His hatred of bullies compelled him to enlist in Special Forces. Now as a civilian, he operates Global Protective Services, the world’s finest security company. His goal: to keep predators from their prey. Following Cavanaugh’s missions in The Protector and The Naked Edge, Rambo-creator David Morrell presents three short stories that explore the psychology of a warrior compelled to risk his life for strangers. “Most people muddle through their lives,” Cavanaugh tells a client. “All I can do is hope that if I keep them from dying a while longer, maybe they’ll find a way to justify remaining alive.” In “Blue Murder,” Cavanaugh matches wits with an assassin determined to kill a bestselling female novelist. In “The Controller,” Cavanaugh and his wife, Jamie, confront the dilemma of how to protect a billionaire who refuses to take advice. In “The Attitude Adjuster,” they discover that the Internet can be as dangerous an enemy as a stalker. This collection includes an introduction in which Morrell describes his training as a protective agent. “The best thriller writer of this or any generation.”—Providence Journal “David Morrell has written more good thrillers than just about anyone else alive.”—Chicago Sun-Times “Everything [Morrell] writes has a you-are-there quality, and that, coupled with his ability to propel characters through a scene, makes reading him like attending a private screening.”—Washington Post Book World