Page 96 of Perfect Pitch

My jaw tightens, the only physical giveaway I’ll permit myself in front of the man I’ve reported to for the last two and a half years. I ask bluntly, “What do you know?”

He does me the courtesy of replying honestly. “Nothing concrete yet. But I saw the request from Carys and I have eyes, Mitch.”

I flop back. “What did she want?”

“A full life history of Austyn and Paige Kensington. That’s when I noticed you’d already pulled one—very top level.”

My teeth grind so hard, I’m afraid I’m going to crack them. “At whose request?”

Colby sends me a pitying look.

“The top floor?” I try to circumvent saying his name because if I say it, I must acknowledge what I’m hiding from the woman I’m falling for.

“It came from your neighbor, yes.” Colby’s hand is relaxed. “Any ideas about how to go about fixing this?”

I bark out a laugh. “Can I break my NDA? Tell her who I work for?”

He snorts. “Not a chance.”

“Then I have no clue because, as far as I know, they’re just two strangers.” I hope Colby picks up what I’m dropping down—that Austyn has no idea that Beckett may be her father.

He does. He scrubs a hand over his face. “Shit. This isn’t going to go well especially with you caught in the middle.”

I keep my tone neutral when I say, “Well if you’re here to propose something different to me, I’m interested.”

“Give me a second. I’ll dream up a miracle.”

“Thanks for nothing.” I roll my eyes.

“Two things.”

I nod, waiting for him to continue.

“I’m temporarily pulling some of your time. I need you to work on something a little closer to home.”

My brow lowers to a V. “What the fuck?”

Colby shakes his head before his fingers touch a file, which he slides in front of me. “Keep cool, Mitch.”

“Because I’m caught between a rock and a hard place?” I ask angrily.

“No, because I put the pieces of the puzzle together seconds after opening that.” Colby stands. “Leave the file. I’ll call you.”

I let out a harsh breath. “Yeah.”

Colby leaves, closing the door behind him.

Seconds after he does, I flip it open and find a single photo.

In it is a woman that’s easily recognizable as Dr. Paige Kensington. Kissing her is a very young Beckett Miller.

I quickly take a snap of it using my phone so I can study it later.

* * *

Later that night, with a glass of Jack in my hand, I open my photo app and study the picture more intently. Now that I have unfettered access, I can easily understand what Colby meant. There’s no way to mistake how much Austyn looks like her mother with her father’s eyes.

“How did she do it all these years? How did she keep a secret this huge?” I mutter aloud.

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