Page 87 of Fate's Unseen Shadow

“I see.” He looked away, sliding his hands into his pockets. “I still would like your cooperation.”

“You’ve been friends with Slater for a long time.” Damon eased past him to his door, pulling out his key. “I’ve never had a reason not to cooperate with you.”

“That’s good to hear. Do you know the real identity of Ella?”

He forced a small laugh. “Her identity? I think I know her pretty damn well by this point. We’re practically living together.” He unlocked the door but didn’t open it. “Will be after this weekend. Why are you asking me that?”

But Jeff bypassed the question. “Can we see the document she gave you to verify her employment?”

Damon frowned, pretending to be confused to buy a little time for Ella to get to Ryker’s. “Do you mean a copy of her driver’s license?”

“That’s a good place to start.” Jeff stood right behind him. “Can we come inside?”

“Sure thing,” he said as he walked into the apartment. “But I don’t have a copy of it.” He looked back in time to see Jeff roll his eyes. Yeah. He didn’t blame the guy for doubting that.

“Come on, Damon. Slater goes by the book on everything, and he wouldn’t co-own Cager if you didn’t, too. You hired her without any documentation?”

“But we agreed to a trial period with Ella.”

“When does the trial period end?”

Damon sent him a humorless smile. “Whenever I decide.”

“You want me to believe you’re not paying her to work there?” Jeff crossed his arms and glanced at the two FBI agents. “How is she living?”

Damon went to the kitchen and poured a glass of water for himself. “I’m paying her to work there. It’s not running through Cager’s books. It’s my personal bank account. So, I didn’t ask for her driver’s license. Why are you so interested in that?”

“I think the soon-to-be Mrs. Vargas may be wanted for murder.”

Damon stopped drinking and locked eyes with Jeff. He didn’t have to fake being shocked at Jeff saying it. The simple idea that anyone who met her would think she was capable of murder made him shake his head. “I’m afraid you have the wrong person, Jeff. Ella is not capable of murder.”

He crossed his arms. “Everyone thinks that until it happens.”

“What are you talking about? If she needs an alibi, she has me. She’s been with me for the past three weeks. Almost four.” And falling in love with her in a short time seemed impossible. But he was in love. He’d die for that woman without an ounce of hesitation. It didn’t matter if he’d known her for a week or a month or a decade. He loved everything about Ella and knew he’d love Elizabeth too.

But for him, she’d always be Ella.

“That’s sweet of you to offer her an alibi, but the murder didn’t happen in the last month.” Jeff sat down at Damon’s dining room table. “Have you heard of Elizabeth Cassin?”

With two FBI agents and a damn good cop staring right at him, now wasn’t the time to lie. “Yes.” He shrugged. “Anyone watching the news has heard of the billionaire who ran away after her stepbrother was found murdered. Did they ever find out if she was abducted or murdered, too? Because the fact all these people”—he leaned to the side to look at the FBI standing behind Jeff—“automatically assume she killed her stepbrother isa little ridiculous in my book. I’ve seen trained soldiers hesitate to shoot someone during combat. I realize people commit murder, but the idea a businesswoman like her without a big motive could pull the trigger at point-blank range is farfetched in my reality.” He shrugged. “But hey, that’s only my two cents.”

Jeff shook his head. “I guess I should rephrase it. She is wanted as a suspicious person. They don’t have any direct evidence pointing her to the murder.”

Getting fed up with Jeff, he finally asked, “What are you doing involved with this, Jeff?”

Jeff folded his hands behind his neck and surveyed the living room. “It’s been nearly two months since she left. Someone has had to help her survive.” He ended with a direct stare at Damon.

“Probably,” he agreed. “If she’s alive.”

Jeff’s quick smile worried him. “Oh, she’s alive. I took a picture of her leaving Cager last Saturday night.”

Cold dread filled Damon. “You mean Ella?” His attempt at distancing himself from this began to fail. “A little stalkerish of you.”

“I did a facial recognition against Elizabeth Cassin. It’s her. Ella is Elizabeth. I called the FBI here to confirm it.”

Damon leaned on the counter and shook his head. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Agent Diggs took out a small notepad. He scribbled something. “So you had no idea that Ella, the woman you’re seeing, is Elizabeth Cassin?”

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