Page 53 of Chasing the Past

Asal stepped back to allow the two men inside.

Eli closed the door before addressing his former teammate. “Carter, it’s good to see you.” He held out his hand.

Carter Palmer shook snow from himself before shaking Eli’s hand. “It’s been a while.” His attention shifted to Asal and Eli made the introductions.

“You look so much like your sister,” Carter told her.

Eli’s phone signaled an incoming message. It was Declan. “I need to take this. Excuse me.” He stepped into the kitchen and scanned Declan’s message.

CALL ME!!! News about Asal.

Eli couldn’t dial his friend’s number fast enough. “What’s this news about Asal?” He moved to the kitchen sink and peered out the window.

“Something strange. Remember I told you there was a record of Sashi and her twin sister Asal on file? Well, I did a little deeper digging. There was only one child born to the Noor parents. A daughter by the name of Sashi. There is no record of her having a twin or even of their being a birth for Asal Noor.

The world fell out from underneath Eli. “What are you saying?” But he knew.

“That there is no one by the name of Asal Noor. She’s a spy.”

Eli turned toward the living room where he heard Gavin and Carter talking.

“She’s not a spy.” Eli took a chance and told Declan what she’d remembered so far.

“You’re saying the person who supposedly held her in that abandoned building is actually an American?” The disbelief in Declan’s voice was clear. “She could be playing you. Using your past with Sashi to play on your emotions. You have to admit, she looks just like her. How do you imagine that happened?”

Eli rubbed his forehead. “I don’t know but I’m telling you Asal, or whatever her name is, is telling the truth. She’s not a spy . . . at least not a willing spy.” Eli stopped as something occurred to him. “What if she was a prisoner in this abandoned building and whoever—the American, Rafiq or McDowell—groomed her to play a part? Rafiq knew he was going to bring her here and meet up with you. He’s searching for whatever is on that thumb drive.”

“Or whatever was taken from Fatima’s apartment.”

“Maybe.”

Eli tried to wrap his head around the idea that Asal wasn’t Sashi’s sister. “Do you think they did some type of plastic surgery to make Asal appear to resemble Sashi?”

“We can’t rule out that possibility.”

Or maybe she was actually Sashi. Eli couldn’t let himself go there. These past two days since he’d met Asal had been like ripping off a bandage. He’d been forced to relive the heartache of losing Sashi all over again. He couldn’t go there a third time.

“Until we know what is actually happening keep your guard up, Eli, and protect your heart. I know how much you loved Sashi.”

Eli couldn’t deny it. She’d been everything to him.

“Maybe Gavin has something new on the thumb drive,” Declan was saying. “We really need to know what information was responsible for so many people dying.”

“I’ll ask. And if you don’t mind, let’s keep the fact that Asal believes her captor is an American between us.”

“You got it. Stay safe, Eli. Things are coming to a head quickly.”

Eli recalled what Gavin had said about someone from their own team being looked at and told Declan.

“You know this man’s name?” Declan asked. “I can see if I can get some background on him.”

“We haven’t gotten that far. I should know something soon.” Eli stared out at the darkness beyond the window. At least the weather seemed to be abating. For reasons Eli couldn’t explain, he needed his team close. “Can you get the team and come here? I’d feel better having you and Will close.”

Declan was quiet for a long moment. “You got it, my friend. We’re on the way.”

A sound behind him had him whirling. Gavin stood in the doorway. “Everything okay?”

For reasons Eli couldn’t explain, he chose to keep his conversation with Declan secret. “That was Declan. He was just checking in with us. He said the weather is moving out.”

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