After I gave my statement to the FBI, it hit me hard that I’d killed someone. When it happened, I didn’t give it much thought. I think I was in shock and running off pure adrenaline. Even though Cal was a horrible man and was going to kill Bryce, it was still hard to deal with. It would’ve been nice to have someone who understood, someone who could relate to what I went through.
Someone like Bryce.
My phone rings again and I huff in annoyance. He’s persistent, I’ll give him that. I’m afraid one of these days I’ll cave. Looking down, I see it’s my mother.
“Hey, Mom,” I answer.
“Have you seen the news?” she asks.
“No . . .” I draw out.
“Cal’s mother committed suicide.”
“What?” I’m beyond shocked. I quickly find the remote and turn on the news. Sure enough, there it is. “Hold on, I’m watching it now,” I tell her.
“This just in. Grace Fitzgerald, the mother of the late Senator Callahan Fitzgerald, has killed herself. Reports say that she hung herself in the bedroom of her mansion,” the news anchor says.
My hand goes to my mouth. “Oh my God.” I continue listening.
“As you know, Senator Fitzgerald is at the center of a huge corruption investigation linking him to the Los Malvados Cartel. He was shot and killed by his wife, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. No charges were filed against her and the DA ruled it a justifiable homicide. It is not yet clear why Grace Fitzgerald took her life, but sources close to the family blame it on the investigation. They claim that the embarrassment was too much for her to take and speculate that’s why she ended her life. We’ll keep you posted as more updates roll in.” I turn the television off.
“I can’t believe she’d do that,” I say.
“Yeah, I thought it was shocking too.”
The news report left out something, though. It took the district attorney a month to investigate Cal’s murder and clear me of all charges. I was a nervous wreck the whole time, afraid his family’s influence would push them to charge me with murder. Once that was closed, Cal’s attorney contacted me and his mother and said we needed to be present so he could read his will. To my surprise and his mother’s horror, he left everything to me except the steel company.
A steel company that was basically worthless. No one knew this, but the only contract Cal had was with Henry Williams’ shipping company. He was going to lose it, so he made a deal with the devil, so to speak. He blocked trading bills that would allow searches of all ships coming in and out of U.S. ports in exchange for his lucrative business. Apparently, all of this was well documented by Cal and was obtained by the FBI. That’s what the reports are saying anyway.
Grace flew into a fit of rage claiming I shouldn’t get a dime since I murdered him in cold blood. It doesn’t matter that the facts show otherwise.
I thought a lot about why Cal would do that. It’s not like he cared about my well-being while he was alive. I can’t imagine he gave a damn when he died. The only thing I could conclude went right back to the election, as almost everything in our lives did. He was worried someone would find out that he left nothing to his wife during the election. Politicians are vicious people and will look for any kind of dirt possible. Yeah, that stuff is supposed to be confidential, but juicy information is always leaked. And how would it look if the next President of the United States had cut his wife out of his will?
First thing I did once the will was read was put the house on the market. I didn’t want that gigantic thing to begin with and had no use for it now. I debated donating all of the money I had inherited to charity. It made me feel gross. It was tainted by the things Cal had done. Actually, I was surprised the Feds didn’t confiscate it. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it. For now, it sits untouched in a separate account.
“Elizabeth, are you listening to me?” my mother scolds, breaking me from my thoughts.
“Huh?”
“I asked if you’ve talked to Bryce yet.”
I let out a deep sigh. “No, mother.” It’s the same thing every time I talk to her.
“I know you don’t like to hear it, and I’m not saying run back to him. I just think you should hear the man out.” I told her what had happened between us and now she’s Team Bryce.
Traitor.
“I know you do, Mom, but there’s nothing to talk about.”
“Okay, okay. I’m not going to push,” she says. I roll my eyes. This is what she calls not pushing? “I love you.”
“I love you too and I’ll talk to you later.” I hang up the phone and start picking up around the apartment.
Our relationship has improved significantly. It took me a while to muster up the courage, but I finally expressed my true feelings to her. I didn’t realize how the anger and resentment I was holding on to was affecting me. I know I always had choices. No one twisted my arm and made me stay with Cal, but a part of me hated her for planting and nurturing the seed in my head that told me I needed to marry a wealthy guy. I hated her for feeling trapped in that marriage for fear of letting her down. It killed me to admit the latter because her health was at stake, but I was so unhappy and I felt like she didn’t give a damn.
She broke down. I guess she really didn’t understand how hard it was for me even though I felt like I’d tried talking to her. Once everything was laid out there, I began to understand her motives behind it. She never had money. Not growing up and certainly not with my dad. She thought that money solved everything and was a key element to happiness. Of course, I can attest to the fact that that’s a bunch of bullshit, but she had no clue. She had good intentions and really just wanted the best for me. After that, a huge burden had been lifted from my shoulders and I learned to forgive her. Things are better than ever between us. She’s still in remission and we’re continuing to build the mother-daughter bond that was lost for some time.
Flopping down onto the couch, I look around until my eyes land on a box. It’s small and sits off in the corner of a bookshelf. Not able to resist the urge, I get up and open it. Nestled inside is the necklace Bryce gave me. The last thing I have that ties him to me other than my memories.
I take it out and slide it over my head. A tear falls from my eye as I look at it lying on my chest. Squeezing them shut, I take a deep breath and push my emotions down. It hurts so damn bad sometimes. The pain almost crippling where I can’t think of anything but him.
Why? Why couldn’t you just tell me the truth when I started to fall for you?
My resolve is failing. I feel it. I don’t know how much longer I can push him away. I miss him. I need him. And as much as he hurt me, I know he didn’t do it intentionally. But is this something I can move past? Will I be able to trust that he’ll never lie to me again?
I don’t know. And that might be the scariest part of it all.
BRYCE
I PULL UP to a modest home in a small town. An old Cutlass sits in the driveway, having seen its better days. A well-manicured garden lines the front of an otherwise plain, single-story house. To say I’m nervous is a gross understatement. A lot rides on this and it’s my last shot. If this fails, I have nowhere else to turn.
Reaching my hand up, I knock on the door and wait. My sweaty palms rub down the front of my pants. Finally, the door opens. “Hi, can I help you?” A petite woman asks.
“I hope so. Are you Mrs. Montgomery?” I know she is. I’d recognize those eyes anywhere. They’re the same as Elizabeth’s.
Her eyebrows dip in curiosity. “Yes,” she says hesitantly.
I hold my hand out to her. “You don’t know me, ma’am, but I’m Bryce Daniels.”
She shakes my hand. “Oh, I know who you are.” Releasing my hand, she crosses her arms over her chest protectively.
“Would it be a bother if I came in and talked to you for a minute?”
She ponders my request for a moment or so and finally relents. “Sure, come on in.”
She leads me to her living room where we have a seat
on the couch. A tall, brooding man, who I assume is Elizabeth’s dad, enters the room. I stand back up and hold my hand out to him. “Hi, sir, I’m Bryce Daniels. You must be Mr. Montgomery.”
He shakes my hand. “Yeah, what do you need?” He sits down in the recliner and I resume my place on the couch. Now that I’m sitting in front of them, I have no idea what to say.
“I—” I rub the back of my neck with my hand. “I don’t know where to start.”
“How about from the beginning?” Mrs. Montgomery suggests. Looking into her eyes, I feel like she knows more about the situation than she’s letting on, so I just spill it.
“I’m in love with your daughter.”
She laughs softly, taking me off guard a little bit. That’s definitely not the reaction I expected. “That sounds more like the end, but I guess we can start there too.”
God, I’m such an idiot. “Sorry, I guess I’m messing this up.”
“No, just relax and tell me why you’re here.”
I nervously glance at Mr. Montgomery before continuing. “I miss her. I walk around in this fog with nothing to look forward to. She’s all I think about.”
“Why the hell are you telling us this instead of her?” Mr. Montgomery grumbles.
“I’ve tried, but she won’t listen to me. She wants nothing to do with me. I know I’ve hurt her, but she has to believe that it wasn’t my intention.”
“What did you do?” Mrs. Montgomery asks.
“I lied to her,” I say on a sigh as I lean forward with my elbows on my knees. “I wasn’t upfront about certain things to keep her safe.”
“From her husband.” It’s not a question, but a statement. I see the guilt wash over her and I know she probably feels bad about the role she indirectly played in all of this. I don’t know the extent of her knowledge and have no intentions of filling her in since it’s not my story to tell. But considering her daughter had to shoot and kill the man she was married to, I’m guessing she has some insight into what her life was like with him.
“Yes, ma’am,” I say with a nod.
“I see.” She leans forward in her seat before continuing, “Let me tell you a little bit about Elizabeth. She’s closed off and doesn’t let people get close to her. Looking back, I don’t think she’s ever had a real relationship with anyone where they knew the real her. No friends, boyfriends, and certainly not her husband. Until you.” I’m momentarily taken back by her statement. I knew she was lonely, but I didn’t really get it until now. She’s never had anyone.
“She doesn’t think I picked up on it, but I knew you were different. Just the little things she’d say or the tone of her voice would give away her real feelings toward you. No matter your motive, you have to understand that handing over that level of trust was very hard for her, and in her eyes, you betrayed her.”
This is not at all what I wanted to hear. A piece of me dies knowing I might have messed this up beyond repair. My head sags while listening to her words.
“I also know she’s never had anyone fight for her. You have to show her what she means to you, that you’re not going to give up. I feel like I’ve failed her as a mother.” She looks down at her hands in her lap, her voice shaky and a look of shame written all over her face. “All I want is for her to be happy. You make her happy.”
I lean my head back against the couch. “I just wish we could start all over. Have a blank slate where she never heard of Alex Matthews.”
“What if there was a way to do that?” I bring my head back down and see the wheels turning in her head. “I’ve got an idea.”
“I’m listening.”
I was told to be here at eight thirty sharp. Looking at my watch, it says eight twenty-nine. I get out of my car and walk toward the restaurant that Mrs. Montgomery had told me about. I guess her and Elizabeth had dinner plans already for tonight. She told me where they’d be and said the rest is up to me. The closer I get to the door, the more my stomach knots up.
Opening the door, I immediately spot her sitting at the bar with her mother. Her back is to me with her long, brown hair falling down her back. She turns toward Mrs. Montgomery to say something, allowing me the opportunity to look at her profile. I probably look like a creeper standing by the door watching her, but I don’t give a shit. It’s been too damn long since my eyes have landed on her, and I’m going to enjoy the moment.
She laughs at something said to her, but I can tell it’s forced. She’s pretending to be happy for the sake of her mom, and I hate that I’m the reason she’s upset. Taking one final breath, I head over to her.
Clean slate.
It’s the phrase I repeat in my mind over and over as I approach her. Her head is still turned away from me when I get to the bar. Damn, I’m nervous. I clear my throat and say, “Excuse me Miss, can I buy you a drink?” I know the moment she recognizes my voice because her spine straightens. She turns around ever so slowly until her wide eyes land on mine. Her gaze travels all over my face as if she can’t believe I’m really here, but she recovers quickly.
“No, thanks,” she responds coolly, turning her back on me. Ouch, that stings.
I look over her shoulder to see Mrs. Montgomery staring at me. I’m not giving up yet. I move around Elizabeth and hold my hand out to her mother. “Hello, ma’am. I’m Bryce Daniels. How are you this evening?” She accepts my outstretched hand and shakes it. Okay, I might be overdoing it, but I’ve got to crack her exterior and find a way in somehow.
“I’m doing well, thanks,” she responds.
“Any advice on how I can get this beautiful lady to have a drink with me?”
“Ugh, fine,” Elizabeth reluctantly agrees with a roll of her eyes.
I signal for the waiter and order her another glass of wine and a beer for myself. “I’m Bryce Daniels, by the way.” I hold my hand out to her. She looks at me from the corner of her eye before giving in and placing her hand in mine.
“Elizabeth Montgomery.” Bringing her hand to my lips, I place a kiss on the back of it while looking up into her eyes. I hear her breath catch and that one sound sends me soaring. She’s still affected by me. There’s still hope.
“Nice to meet you.” I release her hand and she swallows hard.
“You too,” she replies quietly.
“So, you from around here?” The corners of her mouth tilt up just the slightest bit at my cheesy line.
“Yep, born and raised.” She plays along, allowing me to chip away a tiny piece of her shield.
“Nice. I’m just passing through myself. Had something important I needed to take care of.” The waiter puts down our drinks and I take a pull from mine.
“And what was that?”
“You see, there’s this girl that I’m crazy about and she just walked out on me.”
“I find it hard to believe she left for no reason.” She arches an eyebrow, daring me to argue with her.
“No, she had plenty of reason and I don’t blame her. I tried to give her space, but I just can’t take it anymore.” I push down the nerves that threaten to choke me. This is it. I just laid it out there in a way, and I’m scared shitless of her response.
“Hmm, she must be pretty special for you to come all the way out here to see her.”
I smile at her comment, but it quickly dies so she sees how serious I am when I say, “I’d travel to the moon if I had to.” We lock in on each other and it’s there. The invisible electricity that we became so familiar with. It’s crackling, ready to pop, until she looks away and breaks the connection.
“What do you do for a living, Mr. Daniels?” She messes around with the napkin in front of her, tearing off tiny pieces and putting them in a pile.
I lean in closer to her. “I work for the FBI,” I whisper loudly. “But you can’t tell anyone.”
She grins. “Your secret is safe with me. It’s too bad though.” She makes a show of being disappointed.
“What’s too bad?”
“I’m more of a soldier kind of g
irl.” She shrugs her shoulders as if to say sorry. Yeah, we’re joking around, but I think this is her way of confirming the things I’ve told her and seeing what’s true and what’s not.
“You’re in luck then,” I reply.
“Why’s that?”
“It turns out that I’m former military.”
“Is that so?” I nod. “Well, you might just have some potential then.” She picks up her wineglass and takes a sip. Her response to me has been a relief, but I didn’t come down here so we could dance around the topic.
“Can we talk?” I ask.
She sighs and says, “Yeah. Just let me make sure my mom gets home and we can go somewhere quiet.”
“Oh, don’t worry about me, honey,” Mrs. Montgomery says. “I drove, so you go ahead with Bryce and I’ll head home by myself.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, go.” She waves her hands at her in a shooing motion. Elizabeth hugs her and I hear her say, “I know you’re behind this.” I throw some cash on the bar and guide Elizabeth to the exit. As we’re walking out the door, I turn over my shoulder and mouth a thank you to her mom. I owe her big for this.
Once we’re in my car, I turn to her. “Where to? I’ve got a hotel room not far away. Or we can go to your house, or a coffee shop, I don’t care.” And now I’m rambling. Shut up, Daniels.
“Let’s go to your hotel room. Hank probably won’t be too thrilled with you coming over.” Hank? Who the hell is Hank? My face must say it all because she continues. “I got a dog about a week ago. He doesn’t like strangers.”
“Good to know.” I try for casual, but I know she’s not buying it.
The twenty-minute car ride is quiet. It’s a little awkward, but I’m thankful that she’s willing to talk to me. I walk her to my room, unlock it, and hold the door open for her. “This is nicer than the rooms we’d been staying in,” I joke.
Uncovered by Truth Page 17
