by Rachel Grant
He didn’t know Matt Clark very well, but he knew the guy was devoted to his adopted son. But Julian was only six or seven. You didn’t unload your heartache on innocent seven-year-olds.
But what about potentially lying seventeen-year-olds?
He sighed. “No. Not really.”
“Is this about…Maddie?”
He gave a clipped nod.
“You…really liked her.”
“I don’t want to talk about it, but yes. I did.”
“I’m sorry.”
He waited, hoping she’d add more, but she didn’t.
“Did you…love her?”
He picked up his beer and finished it off. Then he stood. “I don’t want to talk about it. Sorry, Ava. I’m not in the mood for a movie. Chase should be here soon. Maybe he’ll keep you company.”
He retreated to his bedroom, sat on the edge of the bed, and dropped his face into his hands.
Ava had lied to him. She must have.
But…what if she hadn’t?
Maddie powered through Sunday night, canceling credit cards and putting a fraud alert on her bank accounts. She turned on the ringer on her phone, determined not to miss Josh’s call, if it should come.
She woke Monday with a heavy heart, her phone having remained silent except for texts from Trina checking on her.
God. She wished she could talk to Trina. After she’d lost her closest friend last year, she’d found herself turning more and more to Trina, finding the distance didn’t matter when they had FaceTime. But sharing this heartache with Trina would be a massive violation of Josh’s privacy, and no matter how much she was hurting, no matter how angry, she’d never do that to him.
The drive to the Painted Hills was every bit as painful to her sore muscles as she’d feared, but at least she was working, staying busy.
Her privacy had been stolen by the doxing, but she hadn’t begun to wrap her brain around that. There were too many questions, starting with: did she need to move? Followed by: would they just dox her again?
It could all be futile.
She was nearing her destination—a parcel of land in the middle of a checkerboard cut out of tribal land. The parcel had been along a railroad line, and Otto and Sally Kocher had been invited to dig there by none other than Clifford Nielsen the first, whose steel company was a big investor in the railroad and later ended up acquiring the line and half the checkerboard.
Checkerboarding—which looked on a map exactly like it sounded—was the method by which the federal government had leased and sold land in many western states. Government lands were divided into squares, and only nonadjacent squares were sold to private companies, like railroads, which could only purchase half the squares along the line, or settlers. This way, there were federal—or tribal—lands amidst private property. It was seen as a way to encourage investment in the private holdings between government land as well as a way to destabilize tribal communities on and off the reservation.
She hoped to determine if the Kochers had been digging in a government-owned square before the square was sold to Nielsen Steel.
She’d found references to the dig in the Nielsen Steel archives, and it matched a note card from one of the vaults. Today, she’d hike out to the area and see if there were artifacts on the surface and would fill out a site form to file with the state. Having the remains tied to a recorded site would make it a lock for returning to the proper tribe, and add to her preponderance of evidence.
Today, she would focus on that. She’d do her job and see to it the remains were returned and reburied. She would not think about Josh or Ava or heartache.
Her cell phone rang. Caller ID indicated it was an international call. What were the odds it was an extremely wealthy steel magnate?
She didn’t usually take calls while driving, but the road was straight and empty, so she tapped the screen.
“Maddie, it’s Cliff. I heard you had a break-in yesterday.”
“Your knowledge of my life is getting a little creepy, Mr. Nielsen.”
“I’ve told you to call me Cliff.”
“That doesn’t make it less creepy.”
He laughed. “I have contacts at the police department and asked them to keep me informed if your name came up. Your relationship with Warner puts you at risk.”
She bit her tongue from telling him the relationship was history. Their relationship status didn’t matter. She was in danger. “Your concern is flattering.”
“I’m sure Warner will do an excellent job seeing to your protection.”
Okayyy. So he wasn’t concerned. Good to know. “Yes. Raptor is taking good care of me.” That was true enough.
“Excellent. I look forward to working with them. My question for you is, I understand your computer was stolen. Were my great-grandparents papers on that computer?”
She pulled over to the side of the road, realizing her vision had narrowed to the degree that she would probably miss a road train in the oncoming lane.
“Really, let me repeat, your concern is flattering.”
“I could waste both our time on platitudes, but I’m a busy man.”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes. Photos of your great-grandparents’ papers were on the computer. It loads all my photos from the cloud.”
“I would like an inventory of all the documents you photographed.”
“I provided that with my documents request last week.” She sighed. “Cliff, what is your issue here? What are you afraid of?”
“Nielsen Steel is an American company with a hundred-and-twenty-five-year history. We’ve made mistakes, but we worked to right them. We played an important role in the war effort during World War II, and we’re about to embark on an ad campaign highlighting that history. If you should come forward with papers indicating my great-grandparents were Nazi sympathizers, we’re going to have a problem.”
“I can’t speak to your great-grandparents’ sympathies because I wasn’t researching that. You should check your own archives if you have that concern. Now, sir, like you, I am a busy person and need to get to work. I hope your business in Japan is going well. Goodbye.”
She hung up and took a deep breath. What the hell?
Why was this man pestering her? The papers were in his archives. He could answer his own damn questions. Clearly, he wanted to intimidate her, and she’d bet he planned to use the Raptor contract to silence her if she found anything damaging to the family legacy.
Unlucky for him that she wasn’t feeling too charitable toward Ava right now—who would be the direct beneficiary of the contract in the form of college money.
Not that Maddie would be so petty as to sink Josh’s deal, but she also wasn’t going to bow to pressure when it came to doing her job.
It didn’t even make sense. Her job had nothing to do with exposing the Nazi history of Portland businesses. But Nielsen was clearly afraid of something.
So afraid he’d had her computer stolen?
Maybe.
Maddie was out of cell phone range for the majority of the day as she hiked across rocky desert ground to locate the areas where Kocher had excavated just under ninety years ago. The day’s work was a success, though, as she located and recorded three archaeological sites, which, her gathering evidence indicated, included no fewer than fourteen burials, and all had been government land in the 1930s. Today, one parcel—which included one archaeological site—was probably owned by Nielsen Steel. Thankfully, she didn’t spot any “No Trespassing” signs as she crossed from public lands to private. She would confirm ownership when she reviewed county tax records next week.
The moment she hit cell tower range as she drove back toward Portland, her phone chimed with missed calls and texts. Unable to help herself, she pulled over to the side of the road to see if Josh had called.
Her heart sank upon seeing he hadn’t.
Deep down, she’d been hoping he’d come to his senses. Or that it was all a big mistake. She found she was able to spin a hundred wild
fantasies that explained his ghosting her, and every single one started with an apology.
But there was no apology, and her eyes burned.
Alan had called, but not the man she’d been steadily falling for.
Her finger hovered over her brother’s name on the voicemail list. Might as well make a crappy mood worse. It wasn’t as if Alan could hurt her more than Josh had.
“Hey, Maddie. I…think we should talk. Seeing you the other night, and then reading in the news that you were doxed…I’m worried. And I miss my baby sister. Will you call me? Please?”
Alan sounded genuine. But then, he was a politician, and he practiced sounding genuine. But he was also the only brother she had, and she was feeling particularly alone right now. She couldn’t even call Trina.
She took a deep breath, quenching the threatening tears, and hit her brother’s cell phone number in the address book. He answered on the second ring. “Hey, sis. I’m so glad you called me back.”
His voice was warm and reminded her of the big brother who would swoop into her life on breaks from school and take her out for ice cream. How she missed that Alan.
But she needed to keep her barriers in place. “What’s up?”
“I know you’re mad at me because of the campaign.”
She remained silent. She’d been clear on her hurt for months, him acknowledging her upset changed nothing.
The silence stretched on, and finally, Alan sighed. “You aren’t going to make this easy for me.”
“No. Why should I? You have never given a thought to my feelings, so I’m not going to consider yours.”
“Ouch.”
“Yes. The truth does hurt.”
“Maddie. You know I don’t believe it. You know it’s what I have to say to get elected. But once I’m in office…”
“No, Alan. You don’t have to say it. Call me crazy, but I think a politician running for office should only advocate for what he actually believes. For what will actually be pursued once he, she, or they are in office. When you say you think I should have been forced to die instead of getting the medical care I needed, I will believe that’s the policy you’ll pursue if you’re in office.”
“But that’s not how politics work. I can’t come from the center. I have to work the extremes to get elected. Once I’m in office, I can do what I want.”
She let out a bark of laughter. “Right. Sure. Because it’s never about the next election cycle and donors. Do you really think I’m that naïve?”
“Trust me, Maddie. I won’t let you down. I just need to get in office, and then we can fix this crazy world. You want health care? I’ll fight for it. You want equal pay? I’ll make it a priority. But I can’t do any of that without votes. And I won’t get votes in the middle.”
“You’ll tell any lie to get elected. Is that what you’re saying?”
“No! I’m…listen, no one is going to deny a woman surgery to save her life from an ectopic pregnancy. So it’s a safe area for me—I can say I disagree with the practice to get elected, but it’s not a change that’s going to happen. I look good to the voters I’m courting without risking anything.”
“And you think I’m naïve. Alan, women die all the time because they can’t get the medical care they need. Maternal mortality rate in the US is appalling compared to other First World countries, and it’s worse for Black women and other minorities.”
“I promise, Maddie. I won’t let you down. I’m not a monster. I just… There is no other path to victory for me. I need to take a stance my opponent won’t touch to get votes. Something needs to set me apart.”
“Have you considered running again later? Against a different opponent you don’t have to work so hard to differentiate yourself from?”
“I’ll be fifty in a few months. If I want to run for president, I need to make the jump from congressman to senator now.”
She closed her eyes. Alan had always joked about running for president one day, and much as she loved him, she’d always known he didn’t have the charisma for it. Too much hunger for power and not enough selflessness.
The best leaders made sacrifices and took leadership roles because it was the right thing to do. Because someone had to step up, and if they didn’t, a power-hungry monster might fill the void.
Josh was that kind of man. The person who stepped up to do the right thing, risking himself so someone else wouldn’t have to. So someone without a moral compass wouldn’t end up in charge.
Josh would make a great senator, come to think of it.
She closed her eyes against the pain. She still had a long drive ahead of her. “Listen, I need to go.”
Alan sighed. “You’re still mad.”
“Yes, Alan. I’m mad. And hurt. And…” She huffed out a sigh. “I’ve got a lot on my plate right now. This contract I’m working on is huge, and Troy Kocher is doing his best to scare me, and now I’ve got Cliff Nielsen the fourth on my back.”
“Cliff is powerful. You need to play nice with him.”
“No, I don’t. I’m not a politician. I’m a NAGPRA specialist.”
“Do it for your boyfriend, then. I saw the news about Nielsen hiring Raptor. Surely you don’t want to screw it up for Warner?”
Was that the reason Alan had called in the first place? Had C-IV reached out to her brother and asked him to lean on her to get her in line? She ran a hand over her face. She needed to remember that Alan always had an agenda.
The big brother who used to take her out for ice cream was long gone. In his place was a man who wanted power above all else. And she wasn’t certain she would ever understand why.
18
Thursday evening, Josh slid his credit card across the counter at the check-in desk of a hotel in downtown Portland. Bulletproof windows and other security measures were being installed in the house, and it would take a few days. He, Ava, and Chase would call this hotel home until the work was complete.
“I have you in two connected rooms, one standard king, and the other a standard double,” the clerk said.
“Any chance the double can be upgraded to a suite?” He didn’t mind sharing a room with Ava, but they’d both be more comfortable if they had a little separation.
“I’m sorry, sir, all our suites are booked for the next four nights.”
He’d have shopped around for something more comfortable, but this was the hotel Raptor had negotiated corporate rates with, so this was where they were staying.
The clerk gave him their key cards and Wi-Fi instructions. “Don’t forget, you can unlock your door with the app,” she said as she pointed him toward the elevators.
“Thank you.” He picked up the keys and crossed the ornate lobby to the couches in the middle, where Ava sat with Chase. Ava was distracted by her phone, while Chase scanned the lobby like the operative he was.
His eyes narrowed. “Brunette in the bar vestibule. Weren’t you talking to her in the gym on Sunday? She looks a lot like Trina Sorensen.”
Dread settled in Josh’s gut. He’d known she’d be here, but the hotel had over four hundred rooms on sixteen floors. It shouldn’t be hard to avoid her. He turned and got both a jolt and a kick in the nuts.
She was hugging a beautiful Asian woman. The woman cupped her cheek like a lover and said something that made Maddie shake her head.
Had Maddie moved on that quickly?
He caught the low sound of her voice, but not the words. Then the Asian woman kissed Maddie on the lips and headed toward the revolving door at the front of the hotel. Maddie watched her leave. Josh couldn’t see her expression. Sadness? Longing? From her posture, he guessed she wasn’t happy.
She turned, head down, as she dug in her purse and pulled out a key card. She looked up and caught Josh’s gaze.
She froze. She remained utterly still for a heartbeat, and Josh could swear the entire lobby went silent, but it was probably temporary deafness due to his brain no longer sending signals as needed. Their gazes locked, and he saw the hurt i
n her eyes. Then her gaze flicked to Ava, and her nostrils flared, but her expression didn’t otherwise change.
Ava let out a soft gasp, and suddenly, he could hear all the ambient noise of the lobby. People rolling suitcases across the polished floor. The clink of glasses and conversation in the restaurant. A preseason football game playing on the TV in the bar. The honk of horns on the street.
The only thing he couldn’t hear was Chase’s words as he asked Josh something. Well, he could hear it, but the words themselves might as well have been the waahhh waaa wahhh of the adults in a Peanuts holiday special.
Maddie’s expression didn’t change as she lifted her chin and headed toward the elevator. She disappeared into the alcove, and Josh took a deep breath.
For the first time in days, he had clarity. He realized, far too late, what he couldn’t have fathomed before: he should have called her Sunday night.
“Who was that?” Chase asked, probably for the second or third time.
“Uncle Josh’s girlfriend,” Ava said.
He glanced down at the girl he loved with all his heart but at the same time feared had done the unthinkable.
“You have a girlfriend?” Chase asked. “And I’m just hearing about it now?”
“Had. Sort of. It’s complicated.”
“What’s she doing here? Is she stalking you? Is she a suspect in any of this? Does she have anything to do with the tear gas attack?”
Josh ran a hand over his face. It had been shitty of him not to tell Chase, but he hadn’t been able to talk about it Sunday night. He’d braced for questions, assuming Keith would mention Maddie and the doxing. But Keith hadn’t, which meant Keith was keeping his secrets, even if Keith himself didn’t know what they were. “Grab your bags. We’ll head up to our rooms, and I’ll explain after we order room service. I’m starving.”
He was relieved to find she wasn’t in the elevator alcove when they got there. Alone with Chase and Ava in the elevator heading to the fourteenth floor, he said, “She was never really my girlfriend. It was a convenient excuse.” He knew Ava wouldn’t dare correct him on this…blurring of the truth.
