Taken by the Con

by C. J. Miller

  Cash repeated his story, keeping the details vague. He’d once heard someone say that the trick to a convincing lie was details. Cash thought the trick to a convincing lie was consistency. He would repeat his story exactly, until he was almost one with the lie and the lie was embedded in his head as truth.

  Benjamin rubbed his chin. “What will we do about you robbing Holmes and White? Nothing you saw is admissible in court.”

  Cash was aware. “I know. It’s a tough situation.”

  Benjamin’s eyes narrowed. “Made tougher by the fact that you committed a crime after we warned you that you had to stay within the law at all times. All times. Not only when it suited you.”

  “It was a judgment call. If I had bailed, I wouldn’t be helping the investigation.”

  “Or yourself.”

  Cash nodded once. He was looking out for himself. No one else was, so why not?

  “You could go back to jail for this.”

  The threat was held over his head constantly. “I’m aware.” He didn’t like being reminded of it as if it could slip his mind.

  “We thought Holmes and White had insiders.”

  “Now we’ve confirmed it,” Cash said.

  “Most of their staff is gone. Tracking them down one by one to question them is manpower we don’t have,” Benjamin said.

  “I could mention a few names I saw with higher numbers next to them to give you a place to start. You’ve already questioned employees, what’s a few more?” Cash said.

  Benjamin appeared interested. “A few names? Tell me.”

  Cash was surprised that Benjamin was even considering the idea. “Kinsley Adams was on the list. So was Leonard Young.” He named a few others he wasn’t familiar with.

  Benjamin rubbed his chin. “Young is involved.”

  “He was on the list.”

  “Someone at Holmes and White knows about that list,” Benjamin said. He let out a grunt of frustration. “If we had gotten the document in a legal way, then we could have used it to put pressure on those people involved. Someone knows where Anderson is keeping his money. But who?”

  “Perhaps Lucia and I can have another look at the list while we’re undercover. If we steal one of the pages, you can run a handwriting analysis,” Cash said.

  As if knowing he had spoken her name, Lucia opened the door to Benjamin’s office. “Cash, are you all right?”

  She looked beautiful with her hair loose around her shoulders. Her jacket was unbuttoned, revealing a soft, clingy shirt beneath. Cash’s mouth felt dry and he wished that he was alone with Lucia. His adrenaline was pumping just as it had been after the theft of the Copley that had led to fantastic sex.

  He didn’t miss the concern in her voice and neither did Benjamin. Cash watched Benjamin’s face and he appeared angry at Lucia. It was a brief flash that lasted only a moment. Was Benjamin jealous of Lucia’s concern for Cash? Angry that Cash had broken the rules and Lucia was more concerned about him than the law?

  “We’re wrapping up here. Cash, I’ll email you my report. Please add your notes to the file by nine tomorrow. We’ll have a status meeting in the morning to fill in the rest of the team.”

  Benjamin left the room, leaving Cash and Lucia alone.

  Lucia watched Benjamin’s retreating back. The tightness of Benjamin’s shoulders and the crispness in his stride told Cash this incident wasn’t over. Benjamin might not be sure what to do, but he wouldn’t let Cash get away with breaking the law.

  “What happened? Are you okay?”

  Cash weighed how much to tell Lucia. He didn’t want to drag her into the middle of his decisions. “The case isn’t going as planned.”

  “When does it ever?” Lucia touched his sleeve and he felt the touch on another level.

  Somehow, with the distance between them in every area of their lives, they found common ground when they were alone.

  “In my experience, life is as likely to kick me in the teeth as it is to give me something wonderful. You’ll read the details in the report tomorrow.”

  Lucia motioned to him to follow her. They were alone in their office building. Without the sun coming in through the window and the office chatter and the lights from computer monitors, it was still and dark. The quiet was nice and Cash was glad to have these moments with Lucia. They wouldn’t have many more.

  “We need to go back undercover and look for something.”

  Lucia nodded. “Are we taking another trip to the FBI’s closet?” She screwed up her face.

  “I know you hate those clothes, but you look good.”

  “I understand. Lots of leg. Leave nothing to the imagination.”

  Cash shook his head. “You leave many things to my imagination. You make me think about the ways I want to make love with you. You make me think about finding some way to pull you away from this job, to get you alone and do unspeakably pleasurable things to you.”

  Confusion marred her expression. “I thought you were mad at me. For what happened with my family.”

  He’d been hurt. But his life was filled with hurt. When she was with him it was easier for him to forgive than carry the anger. She could be taken from him at any time: if he was thrown in prison, if the case was solved, if she changed departments, if Cash found some way to get closer to Adrian.

  “I am not angry.”

  She shot him a sideways look. “Something else?”

  “Nothing else. I don’t want anything but to spend the night with you.” He slipped his arm around her waist and anchored her to him. “I would ask you to come home with me, but I don’t want you anywhere near the Hideaway.”

  “My place?” she asked.

  Her breath was coming faster, her chest rising and falling. Her place. Yes.

  He scooped her into his arms and carried her to the elevator. She swatted at his chest. “Someone will see us.”

  “Do you care? Your reaction to me in Benjamin’s office was almost as overt as this.”

  She wiggled out of his grasp once they were in the elevator. “I promise to let you hold me however you’d like when we’re alone. But here, we’re colleagues. In my place, we can be anything and do anything.”

  “Anything?” he asked, waggling his eyebrows at her.

  The corners of her mouth lifted playfully. “Sure, I trust you.”

  The playful tone of their conversation turned on a dime. Trust. That word that was so hard for both of them to give to others. “If that’s the case, I will be careful with your trust.”

  When they arrived at her car, Lucia threw him the keys. “You drive.”

  She climbed in the passenger seat and the moment they pulled away from the building, she stretched her seat belt to be close to him. She kissed his earlobe and his neck.

  “Do you want your car to survive the drive home?” he asked. “If you keep doing that, I’ll hit something.”

  She laughed and continued her assault on his senses. Everything in him burned for her. And then she slid her hand to the inside of his thigh and his brain could only focus on one thing: Lucia.

  “I can see you’re enjoying this.”

  “If we’re pulled over because I’m driving erratically, what will we tell the police?”

  “You’re driving fine. You have spectacular control.”

  In this space, he felt out of control. He wanted to pull the car to the side of the road and have sex with her, fast and hot and hard. He stopped himself because her words of trust lingered in his mind. Trust was a big deal to him. Growing up with a father who was a liar, a father who still was a liar, and learning that lying was part of life had warped Cash’s perception of a relationship. It was his wife who had taught him honesty, and now with Lucia he wanted to prove he was that honest, better man. Not the man his father had raised to trick and
manipulate people and take what he wanted without regard to others.

  When they arrived at her condo, they were barely inside the door before they were throwing their clothes to the floor. He heard fabric tearing and didn’t care. What did a few seams and buttons matter?

  Lucia was all he had left in his life that was good and honest and pure. He needed her. And he needed to be inside her. Though she had initiated this in the car, he took control. He carried her to her bedroom and both naked, they fell onto the bed.

  Cash could have worshipped her body all night. He took a moment to drink in the sight of her. She was beautiful and strong. Having her in his life had been the greatest stroke of luck he’d had in years.

  “Change your mind?” she asked, as she lifted her knees and spread her thighs in invitation.

  “How could I change my mind?” He covered her body with his and pushed inside her.

  When he filled her completely they both groaned. As he moved, she lifted her hips hard into his. He loved that she wasn’t passive as they made love.

  She came apart in his arms and he crashed with her. In the languor of the aftermath of their lovemaking, he felt truly relaxed and happy.

  She threaded her fingers through his. “I trust you, Cash. I trust you at work, I trust you in the bedroom and I trust you as the man in my life.”

  * * *

  Benjamin handed Cash the document they’d doctored to give to Mitchell about Anderson. He threw Cash’s GPS tracker on top of it.

  The rest of the team watched the exchange. No one spoke.

  “You forgot to put this on,” Benjamin said. “Luckily, I knew where you were last night.” He looked directly at Lucia who held his gaze without flinching. She refused to let her face turn red or hide under her desk.

  If the team wanted to gossip about her and Cash, fine. She wouldn’t apologize for having a relationship.

  Cash’s phone rang. “It’s Mitchell.”

  “Answer it,” Benjamin said.

  Cash answered the phone. Lucia leaned in to listen to the exchange.

  “Hey,” Cash said.

  “I need to speak with you immediately.”

  “I’m at work,” Cash said.

  Something in Mitchell’s voice shook Lucia. He sounded...angry? He should be happy. Cash and the crew Mitchell had assembled had successfully broken into the safe at Holmes and White and had stolen important documents. They’d met their objective.

  “Tell your boss you don’t feel well. This is important. And bring Lucy.”

  That set Lucia’s heart racing. Why would Mitchell need to speak with her? She was nothing to their operation. Mitchell had insisted that Lucia stay away during the previous night.

  “I’ll call her,” Cash said.

  “Do it. Move fast,” Mitchell said and disconnected.

  Cash set the phone on the table in front of him.

  “It could be a trap,” Lucia said. “Maybe he figured out the painting isn’t real. Or your cover’s blown.”

  “It’s possible,” Cash said.

  “We can’t meet with Mitchell until we know what he wants,” Lucia said. “We don’t have time to plan this and set up proper backup.”

  “I’ll tell him you were busy and couldn’t come,” Cash said.

  Benjamin looked between the two of them. “Lucia stays with us. Cash, you go.”

  Lucia stood, slamming her hands on top of the table. “No. You can’t send Cash in. If he were an FBI agent, would you tell him to go into an uncertain situation without backup and unarmed?”

  “We’ll be listening. Cash can take in a service weapon if he chooses.”

  Lucia could not believe the words coming from Benjamin’s mouth. How could he consider letting Cash go without her? He wasn’t trained. “I’m going with him. I’ll be armed.”

  * * *

  “We’ve got a serious problem,” Mitchell said. He stood from behind the desk and cracked his knuckles. “I need to know how you know her and what you were doing with her,” Mitchell said. He threw a picture of Audrey onto Cash’s lap.

  Cash was careful to hide any reaction. “Are you having me followed?” Did he know Lucia was an FBI agent?

  “I’ve been watching you. You went into her condo building last night and stayed all night. What were you doing?”

  Lucia turned to look at him, her eyes wide. “You weren’t working last night? You told me you were working.”

  Lucia’s hand inched to the gun at her thigh. She’d have it out and trained on Mitchell in seconds.

  Cash wasn’t sure if it was too late to salvage this operation, but he’d try. “Luc, I was working.”

  Mitchell folded his arms over his chest and smirked as if enjoying what he was seeing.

  “With her?” Lucia asked, gesturing to the picture of Audrey.

  If Mitchell was tracking Cash’s movements, he knew Cash was in Audrey and Lucia’s condo building. He had made the wrong assumption about who Cash was visiting. Lucia’s condo could be in her father’s name and perhaps he’d excluded the other residents based on who they were.

  “She’s a mark. A wealthy mark,” Cash said. Would Mitchell buy that he was conning Audrey? Did Lucia catch his game?

  “I thought you said you were done with all that,” Lucia said. “You’re working for him now.” She gestured at Mitchell.

  “It was an easy score,” Cash said.

  Lucia narrowed her eyes. “I’ve seen her before. She looks really familiar.” She feigned surprise and looked between Mitchell and Cash. “I saw this woman at the casino. Who is she? Did you invite her when you knew I’d be with you?”

  “I did not invite her anywhere. Her name is Audrey,” Cash said slowly. “She’s a wealthy heiress.”

  Lucia glared at him and let out an angry growl. “You said you’d changed.”

  “I have changed,” Cash said.

  Mitchell took the picture from Cash.

  “Did you sleep with her?” Lucia asked.

  “No!” Cash said. Even if Mitchell didn’t believe him, he had to react the way a lying boyfriend would.

  “I have another surprise for you two. I’m not a trusting man. Neither is Anderson. He’s been worried about his godson.”

  Cash inwardly flinched, but said nothing. Anderson was his godfather, a fact that existed in the files of a church, but had no other meaning.

  Mitchell handed Cash another folder. He opened it. It was a file on Lucia. Mitchell had blown a hole in her false identity. Lucy Harris didn’t have an employment history or tax records. Cash didn’t read anything in the file about her being an FBI agent. How much did Mitchell know and how much more could he find out? It might be too soon to hit the panic button, but Cash was flailing.

  He quickly decided on a plan and hoped Lucia caught onto it. “So what? Her name isn’t really Lucy Harris. I knew that.”

  “You did?” Mitchell asked.

  Cash guessed he’d been expecting a different reaction from Cash. Panic or fear, but Cash wouldn’t lose it. He’d given up the life of conning people, but his ability to control his emotions and his reactions were what had made him a good liar. It was a rough truth to admit, but a useful skill.

  Cash reached for Lucia’s hand. “I knew who she was when I met her. She knew who I was. What’s your point?”

  “I need to know the people I’m dealing with,” Mitchell said.

  Lucia pulled her hand away from Cash. “You slept with another woman.”

  Cash gave her points for fixating on the part of the story that would upset her most if they were a couple. “I did not sleep with Audrey. I’m trying to build a better life for us. I love you. I want our future to be happy. I want people to see us as more than an ex-con and an ex-addict.”

  “Tell me what’
s going on,” Mitchell said. “I don’t like being the last to know.”

  “I need to tell him,” Cash said.

  Lucia appeared miserable. “It’s not part of my life that I’m proud of.” She was speaking in a whisper.

  Cash patted her hand. “We have to tell him, Luc.” He faced Mitchell, leaving his hand covering Lucia’s. “Lucy was an addict. She’s five years clean, but her past has a way of following her. She uses a pseudonym so she can have a fresh start and a fair chance.”

  Mitchell didn’t look as if he believed their cover story. Even if he did, the threads of uncertainty were loose. The more he looked into Cash and Lucia, the more likely he’d stumble onto something that would give them away.

  “I don’t like that you lied about who you were,” Mitchell said.

  Lucia narrowed her gaze at Mitchell enough to come across as defensive, but not aggressive. “You’ve never needed a fresh start? You’ve never made a mistake that you’ve had to pay for all your life? I was too young and too rich and I spent too much time doing nothing. I got into trouble and in over my head. Now, I’m clean. I’m sober. I like it. I won’t apologize for being a better person and trying to do better with my life.”

  Mitchell held up his hands. “I’ll pass this along to Anderson. We’ll be watching you both.”

  And monitoring him. Cash’s immediate concern was for Lucia, but now he was worried about Audrey, too. She’d need to be warned to stay away from the casino.

  As Lucia and Cash were leaving Mitchell’s office, they caught a glimpse of Kinsley Adams. She was leaning against one of the blackjack tables. She had a drink in one hand and was laughing at something being said to her.

  Cash was caught for a moment, wondering about her and Mitchell. Was she happy? Did it matter?

  Then the sound of gunfire peppered the air.

  Cash grabbed Lucia and pulled her back into the hallway leading to Mitchell’s office.