Page 11 of Tell Me Lies

I reached for her arm and pulled her against me. “A mistake? Are you fucking kidding me? What happened between us was one of the best experiences of my life. Don’t make it something ugly. What I wanted to talk to you about is your brother.” I gestured to the kitchen table. “Sit back down.”

“Have you heard something? Did he call?” The look on her face gutted me, her eyes full of fear. But she had to know the truth, needed to know her brother wasn’t the saint she perceived him to be.

“Before we get to Ben, you and I need to agree on something. Fair enough?”

She shrugged. “Maybe. I guess.”

“One thing I’ve learned over the years is how to read a liar. Rapid blinking, failure to look someone in the eye, shifting from foot to foot. Baby, you’ve done them all. And it ends right now. Understood?”

She shook her head, a flicker of anger crossing her expression. “I have been honest. I don’t know where he is, and I know nothing about any money. So stop accusing me when you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I lowered my eyes to see her right leg shaking. “My pretty little deceiver continues defending someone who has in turn been keeping things from her. Ugly things, baby.” I slid the phone from my front pocket and clicked on photos. “Maybe this will convince you to stop lying to my face.” I handed her my phone with the shot of the camera I removed from her bathroom and disposed of.

“I don’t understand. What am I looking at?”

“A camera. One I found attached to a light fixture right here in your home. Baby, Ben has been monitoring you. This was in your goddamn bathroom.”

Her mouth dropped open, a tear slipping down her cheek. “What? Why? Why would he do that? How could he?”

“I’m not yet sure. But rest assured, I’m not leaving you until I find out. So do us both a favor and stop protecting him. Tell me where your brother is hiding.”

“I … I don’t know,” she said as she reached for her hair and twirled it between her fingers. “As God is my witness, I don’t. He just told me he was taking care of business and that his truck was having transmission problems, so he needed to use my car. He didn’t say what kind of business, and I didn’t ask. That’s all I know.”

“Ben embezzled money. He was warned more than once to return the funds and in fact was told he could keep his job if he did. He never returned the cash and was let go after some harsh words between him and his boss. That’s why I’m here. With a client who detests attorneys and refuses to pursue that avenue, I was hired to take whatever measures necessary. Do you understand the importance in that comment?”

Her hands wound around her middle, panic flaring in her eyes. “I didn’t know he was fired. He said business was slow and that he was laid off and needed to take care of some things. He didn’t say anything more. My God, I don’t know what to do. None of this makes sense. But there is one place he’s always loved since we were kids. I guess he could have gone there.”

“Okay,” I replied after she admitted her brother’s love of fishing and his favorite local lake. “Here’s what we’re going to do.” I moved my chair closer to hers and lifted her ice-cold shaking hand to my lips. “You’re going to call Sam. Open the shop tomorrow while I wait here and make some calls to cabin rentals around Joe Pool Lake. I know a guy, a private investigator. I’ll give him a call. He’ll watch over you and Sam to ensure your safety.”

“How am I supposed to work after this?” Sadness loomed in her eyes. “Ben did everything for me growing up. He loved me. What would possess him to do something so vile?”

“I’m not certain what all he’s involved in. But I’m not leaving until I find out. That’s a promise.”

Chapter Nine

Brooklyn

I loved it out here after the sun went down. Just a few miles outside of town, the stars seemed a little brighter, the moon looked like it was just right over the horizon, and the air was crisp and a little less gloomy with smog. It wasn’t big or fancy and needed a lot of repairs, but it was home. I’d left West in bed, telling him to sleep another hour while I showered and got ready for work. Though I needed to be on my way, I was still on the small patio Ben built, finishing my coffee, thinking about how strange this life was, and worrying.

Why would Ben steal from his employer? Install a camera in the bathroom? Record my most private moments? I couldn’t fathom any of those things. A cold chill lifted up my spine. What was he involved in? And where was he?

I tossed out the last sips of coffee and turned toward the door while wondering whether or not to wake West as I promised. Last night, the two of us walked down the road to the entrance of the subdivision so he could show me where he had left his car parked. Knowing Ben’s truck had transmission issues, he refused to let me risk driving it into town and insisted I use his vehicle. The black sapphire metallic BMW M8 coupe was the fanciest car I had been inside, much less driven. Uncomfortable behind the wheel of something I wasn’t familiar with, especially knowing it cost more than my house, I’d refused, but West wouldn’t take no for an answer. Though I’d tried convincing him to park it beside Ben’s truck, he said it was better where it was and that he would walk me back to the car when I was ready to leave for work this morning.

God knows I didn’t get enough exercise. The short walk would do me good. And I was a grown ass woman. I didn’t need an escort. Didn’t need to wake West.

Low-beam headlights flashed in the distance which I found strange being that none of the neighbors were up this time of the morning. But just as suddenly as they appeared, they were gone so I figured the driver turned around, probably lost.

Once I brushed my teeth a second time and freshened my lip gloss, I looked over at West. His arm was across his forehead, his breathing low and deep. Doing my best not to wake him, I reached for the key fob to the BMW and padded down the hall and into the kitchen to grab my stack of bills to look through once I had pies in the oven. Tears pricked my eyes when I saw the empty napkin holder. There was only one reason those bills were missing, and he was in my bed. I blew out an edgy breath, then rotated when I heard something behind me. Ready to read West the riot act over putting his nose where it didn’t belong, it wasn’t him.

“Ben! Oh my God, I’ve been so worried!” Despite being upset with him for all he’d done and for taking a good ten years off my life, I nevertheless couldn’t help feeling relieved that he was alive and well. Just as I took a step forward, the back door opened and a man armed with a pistol walked inside. My heart racing, I looked toward Ben who had his hands stuffed in his pockets.

“For once in your life, don’t ask questions. Just pack an overnight bag. You’re going with Mr. Herman.”

“Mr. Herman? What are you talking about? What the hell is going on? And why is he holding a gun?” Dread lifted up my neck as a muscle in Ben’s face twitched.

“Don’t make this more difficult than it has to be. Either go with him or we both die.”

The man with his eyes glued on me wasn’t bad looking and didn’t appear to be a day over forty. But his gaze was pure evil, much worse than West’s when he broke into the house.

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