Convenient Lies

by Robin Patchen

  Rae was starving, but that’s not what had her waffling. “What kind of information?”

  Samantha passed her and headed for the small kitchen table, setting her laptop bag on the counter on her way by. “Dinner first. McNeal’s had their fish and chips on special, so I got two platters. I also grabbed three cups of potato soup, because theirs is the best in the world. And just to be safe, I grabbed a Reuben. I remember you used to like those, Rae.”

  Real corned beef from a real Irish restaurant. Her mouth was already watering.

  Sam set the sack on the kitchen table. “Brady, the drinks are in the car. Would you mind? I left it unlocked.”

  “I’m on it.” He stepped outside.

  Rae grabbed plates and silverware while Sam pulled containers of food from the sack. “I really appreciate your help, Sam, but if anything happens to you because of me, I won’t be able to live with myself.”

  Sam paused, a Styrofoam container in her hand. “You think I want something to happen to you? I have to help if I can.”

  “But this is my fault,” Rae said. “It’s not your problem.”

  “How is it your fault you fell in love with a criminal?”

  “Well—”

  “And even if you were somehow to blame,” Sam continued, “I’d still help.”

  Brady came through the front door. The screen slammed behind him as he carried a drink holder stuffed with three giant cups and set it on the kitchen table before returning to the door to lock it.

  “Iced tea,” Samantha said. “Unsweetened. But I grabbed some sugar and sweetener, if you want.”

  Rae grabbed a cup and added a packet of sugar. She looked at Sam and smiled. “Thanks for bringing dinner. How much do I owe you?”

  Brady said, “It’s on me.” He turned to Samantha. “You had them put it on my tab, right?”

  Samantha grabbed her tea. “Decided against that.”

  Brady’s eyebrows lifted. “Since when do you turn down a free meal?”

  She laughed. “I told Bonnie I was taking dinner to my brother and sister-in-law.” She turned to Rae. “Andrea’s second baby is two months old, so it made sense.” She turned back to Brady. “If I’d told them it was for you, then there’d be questions. And since Rae is in town, people might assume that I was getting the food for the three of us. And I think it’s safer if I keep my distance from Rae. Everybody thinks she hates me...” She looked at Rae and winked. “Frankly, I’m okay with that. I know too much about Julien and his minions. I don’t want to be on their radar.”

  Brady nodded. “A very good point. I didn’t think of that.”’

  Samantha and Brady shared a look.

  Rae sighed. “What?”

  Samantha looked away. “He wants you to stay, and he’s not afraid of Julien. Me? I’m smarter than he is.”

  Rae nodded. “Obviously.”

  They sat, and Rae took a few bites of the fish and chips. The platters were big enough to feed a small Tunisian village. Best she’d ever had. She cut the Reuben in fourths and ate one portion. And she devoured her soup. Rae enjoyed the meal more than any she’d had since the last time the three of them had been together. It was as if nothing had changed. If only.

  She set down her spoon. “I was hungrier than I thought.”

  Brady dipped a french fry in ketchup. “You haven’t eaten all day. And you were up half the night.”

  Rae nodded to Samantha. “Thank you. This was perfect.”

  “Glad to do it.”

  “Now, tell us what information you brought.”

  Samantha wiped her fingers on her napkin. “Not a whole lot, but it’s a start.” She set up her laptop on the kitchen table. “I’m sure I haven’t learned much you didn’t already know. Brady told me you’d found Moreau’s files, so I doubt any of this will be a shock to you.” Samantha outlined what she’d learned about Alejandro’s organization and even mentioned a few of the arms deals Julien himself had been involved in. “I can’t prove any of these,” she said, “but with the contacts, the timing... I think maybe Julien had a hand in them.”

  Reagan forced her jaw closed. “How in the world...?”

  Samantha shrugged. “I made some calls, dug around on the Internet...”

  “Don’t even ask about that,” Brady said. “Seems our little Samantha has a skill for hacking.”

  “This information was all obtained legally,” she said, a twinkle in her eyes. “As far as you know.”

  He glared at her. “I am an officer of the law.”

  Samantha glared right back. “And Rae’s life is in danger.”

  Rae couldn’t help but smile. It was high school all over again. Brady and Samantha were often at odds, and apparently nothing had changed. Samantha had been Rae’s partner in crime—like Nancy Drew and Bess Marvin, though they never settled which was Nancy and which her sidekick. They’d spent their childhood snooping out mysteries that were none of their business. Not that they’d ever fed Nutfield’s very active gossip mill. Rather, they’d enjoyed knowing the truth where others only guessed.

  Rae’d thought she’d taken it to the next level, becoming an investigative journalist. Seemed Samantha had too. Maybe her friend had never left Nutfield, but with the ability to hack into private servers... Oh, what the two of them could discover together.

  If only Rae could stay. She pushed the thought away and watched her friends in their latest showdown.

  Brady blinked first. “Go on.”

  Samantha’s lip twitched, fighting the satisfied smile Rae’d seen so often. She turned to Rae. “Am I right about these arms deals?”

  “As rain.”

  That smile came out now. “Thought so. Your husband’s a dangerous man.”

  “You have no idea.”

  Her smile faded. “I’m sorry. That stinks.”

  The understatement of the century.

  Sam continued. “He’s here, in the States. Flew over on Sunday.”

  Rae’s heart dropped to the floor. Of course he was here. Of course he was looking for her. Still, to have it confirmed.

  “He flew to San Diego first,” Sam said. “Any idea why?”

  “There’s where I told him I was from.”

  “That makes sense, then. Anyway, he traveled with two people.” She clicked the mouse. “Let’s see. Hector del Bosque and Farah—”

  “Hanachi.” Rae met Brady’s eyes and shrugged. “So much for friendship.” She looked back at Sam. “Nobody else?”

  “Those three tickets were purchased together. First class.” Samantha cleared her throat. “He left San Diego on Monday and flew to New York.”

  So they’d been to Columbia. He already knew too much. “He’s too close. If he finds me, it’s not like I can fight him.”

  “We could, together.” Brady pushed his food to the center of the table and leaned toward her. “We could try.”

  Could they? Was there any chance the three of them could defeat Julien and Hector? And then what? Rae would stay in Nutfield. She could live in Gram’s house, restart her career, raise her child. She and Samantha could be friends again. And she and Brady... They could be a family.

  But the only way to defeat Julien would be to kill him. And Hector. And what about Farah? What would become of her? And could Rae be involved in killing Johnny’s father? And what if it didn’t work? What if Brady or Samantha or somebody else in town got hurt? Rae had caused her mother’s death. Inadvertently, but still. She could never live through Brady’s or Samantha’s, especially not if it were her fault.

  And in the end, what would happen? Even if they eliminated Julien and Hector and dealt with Farah, it wouldn’t matter. Julien’s father would never allow her to live. Bad enough she had evidence against him, but if she killed Alejandro’s son...

  The familiar sting of tears blurred her vision. She reached across the table and took Brady’s hand. “There’s nothing I’d like more than to stay here. But I gave up the chance to come home again the day I met Julien. Johnny and I ha
ve to go.”

  Brady squeezed her hand. “Okay, then. We go together.”

  “This is your home. You’d give up everything if you went with me. Your parents, your sisters, your job. I couldn’t ask that of you.”

  “You’re not asking.”

  Rae allowed herself to consider it. She thought about the little shack she been picturing since she’d known she’d have to disappear. What if Brady were in that picture? Her husband, her protector? But if Julien found them, he’d kill Brady too. It wasn’t worth the risk.

  She had to stop his line of thinking. And there was only one way to do it.

  She pulled her hand away. “I’m sorry. This has been nice, getting to know you again. I’m so glad we worked things out. But—”

  “Nice?” His eyebrows rose. “It’s been nice?”

  “And I always wondered, you know, about you and me. If we could have made it work. If what we had was more than just adolescent hormones on overdrive.”

  Color drained from his face, and he leaned against the back of his chair.

  It took all her self-control not to take the words back.

  “It’s just...this situation is clouding our judgment. My life is in danger, and you’re a protector by nature. I needed you, and I think you like to be needed. But beyond that...” She let her words trail off, not sure if she could force more lies from her throat.

  He jerked forward and grabbed her hand. “You’re lying.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  She inhaled a deep breath, pushed it out, and made herself say the words. “I. Don’t. Want. You.”

  Brady snatched his hand away, pushed back from the table, and stormed into the living room, where he paced across the floor.

  Rae stared at the table until Samantha cleared her throat.

  “I understand,” Samantha whispered.

  Rae nodded but couldn’t seem to form any words.

  The baby cried, and she pushed back from the table.

  Brady said, “I’ll get him.” A moment later, the whimpering stopped. Brady carried the baby into the living room.

  “Does he feel warm?”

  “Nothing to worry about.”

  She started toward them, but Brady glared at her. “He’s safe with me.” He disappeared into the second bedroom and closed the door.

  That look on his face just before the door had closed, the hurt, the pain. How could being near her son help him? And how could she rip Johnny from his arms? She returned to her spot at the kitchen table and dropped her head into her hands.

  “It’s better this way,” Rae said.

  “He loves you. And you love him. Maybe you could—”

  “No. And you can never tell him the truth. It’ll only hurt him. Okay?”

  Sam nodded. “Do you have a plan? Do you know where you’re going?”

  Rae forced her thoughts to shift away from Brady. “Nothing concrete.”

  “Maybe I could help—”

  Rae looked up and shook her head. “The less you know, the safer we’ll both be.”

  “Brady told me Johnny has RSV. My nephew had that. It was really serious, and he wasn’t nearly as young as Johnny. I’m surprised they didn’t hospitalize him.”

  “My first lucky break. But we have to go soon.”

  “I’ll pray for him. Poor baby. And you have everything you need?” Samantha asked. “If we found out he was on your trail tonight, you could pack up and be gone?”

  She nodded. “Except I’d be broke.” She quickly explained about her father’s gold. “I really thought I could find it. So now... It would be hard enough to disappear with the cash. I thought, if we had some money stored away, I could live on it, and I wouldn’t have to work.” She sighed. “Maybe I could teach English. I wanted to be a hermit, keep to ourselves. Better chance he’d never find us that way. I fear I’ll be more exposed if I have to work.”

  Samantha nodded. “You could sell your house.”

  “How, though, without risking somebody’s life? Whoever I asked to take care of the details for me would become a target for Julien. I’m not willing to put anybody else in danger.”

  Samantha closed her laptop. “We need to find that gold. Seems that’d be the best bet.”

  “I’ve looked everywhere. I have no more ideas.”

  “Well, maybe a fresh set of eyes—”

  “Absolutely not. If you’re at the house and Julien shows up...”

  Samantha nodded slowly. “Right. Okay, then. I have some money I can give you.”

  “I’m not taking your money.”

  Sam shook her head slowly. “It’s only money, Rae. It’s not nearly as important to me as you are.”

  Forty-Five

  Brady paced the cabin’s tiny bedroom. He figured he’d better get used to not having Rae around, since she seemed determined to leave him behind. Again.

  Had he read her wrong? When they’d kissed, he’d thought she had feelings for him. Was it really nothing more than nostalgia? Or was she lying to him now? He knew she was worried something would happen to him. She’d never recovered from her mother’s death, because she’d never stopped blaming herself. But nothing was going to happen to Brady that could be worse than losing her again. Did she think it was any easier for him to send her off to God only knew where, alone and unprotected, with an infant?

  He snuggled the baby tighter and paced between the twin beds. As long as he kept moving, Johnny kept sleeping. He should try again to lay him down, but he really didn’t want to give the little guy up.

  Rae was worried about Brady, but what about his worry for her? For this child? Didn’t she understand that?

  No way he was letting her go. Wherever she went, he’d be right beside her.

  The gold would’ve helped them disappear. But they didn’t have any more time to search for it now. Brady had some money saved, which he’d intended to use as a down payment on his own home. That money would be a start.

  But he couldn’t do anything right now. He maneuvered the baby over his shoulder and grabbed the remote off the nightstand between the beds. He flipped on the TV and was about to switch to ESPN to find out the score of the football game when he saw the Special Report graphic.

  The news reader reported a bombing. In America.

  At Columbia.

  His stomach filled with acid as he stared at the images from the scene. One killed so far, multiple wounded. Too soon to tell how many. No idea yet the motive for the bombing. But maybe it didn’t matter, because maybe the true motive was another message for Rae. He watched just long enough to discover that the reporter didn’t have any more real information. Then he stepped into the living room.

  Rae and Samantha were still at the kitchen table, laughing, a beautiful sound he remembered from their childhood. They could giggle about the stupidest things. He’d always loved it. And he was about to end it.

  Rae heard him and looked up. Her smile faltered. “Is Johnny—?”

  “He’s asleep. You need to see something.”

  The light in her eyes dimmed. “What happened?”

  Brady kneeled beside her and stroked her hair.

  She batted his hand away.

  He forced a deep breath. “I was watching the news. There’s been another bombing. I don’t know if it’s related.”

  “Where.”

  “At a coffee shop. On the campus at Columbia.”

  He watched her face as it registered shock, then horror. “Oh, my God. He wouldn’t...” She shook her head. “I can’t believe... I thought, the first time... I didn’t think he’d do it again. How could he?”

  She seemed to be looking for answers on Brady’s face, then Samantha’s. “Was anybody killed?”

  “One so far.”

  She wrapped her arms around her stomach. “My fault. All my fault.”

  He started to wrap his free arm around her, but she stood and pushed past him.

  She turned on the TV in the living room
, then stared at the images on the screen.

  “You really think it was Moreau?” Samantha whispered.

  “Pretty big coincidence if it’s not,” he said.

  “Did anybody take credit for it?” Sam asked.

  “Not yet.”

  They rounded the island and stood beside Rae.

  “I don’t believe it,” Rae said.

  Brady rubbed her back. “I know, it’s—”

  “Don’t.” She ducked away from him and glared. She must’ve seen hurt in his eyes, because she softened her expression. “Sorry. I’m just... I mean I don’t think it was Julien.”

  He stepped back and studied her face. She seemed sincere. A wave of anger swept over him. He marched into Rae’s room, gently laid Johnny in the middle of the bed, and returned to the living room, closing the door behind him. “Why not? You believe he killed those Tunisians. Why not Americans?”

  She must’ve heard the anger, because she turned her gaze to him. “I just—”

  “Maybe you think your husband is just too nice a guy to kill Americans. What? Are they more valuable than Tunisians?”

  “Not one bit, and don’t look at me like that.”

  He crossed his arms and glared.

  “He’s a monster,” Rae said. “I know that. But I also know—”

  “He’s just such a sweet guy.”

  “Brady,” Samantha said, “why don’t you let her explain?”

  Brady glanced at Sam, glared at Rae. “Explain.”

  “You’re going to think this sounds stupid, but Julien loves America.”

  “Yup. Sounds pretty stupid.”

  “Brady.” Samantha stared hard at him, then nodded at Rae. “Go on.”

  Rae turned to Samantha. “Whenever I would talk about America, he would get this look on his face, almost awe. He always referred to America as my home, and when I corrected him and told him I was home, right there in Tunis, he’d shake his head like he couldn’t understand me. Once, I asked him to explain his fascination with America.

  “‘The land of the free,’ he said. ‘The land of opportunity, where you can be anything, do anything.’ I didn’t understand at the time. He owned this business, made millions of dollars, went anywhere he wanted. He was helping people, bringing jobs to some of the poorest people in the world. He seemed as free as anyone I’d ever met. But of course, that was all a front for his real work. And maybe...”