But Carolina’s voice sounded uncertain, and Harley could tell the delusion was starting to falter. She didn’t like her sister getting hurt like this. It was brutal. Men were scumbags.
“I’m sorry, lady. I’m not talking to anyone on Ponder. Did you ask the guy to send you videos?”
“Well, no. I trust you.”
“It ain’t me. Did you talk on the phone?”
“Yes.”
“Did he sound like me?”
“Well…he had a deep voice. It was raspy. He said he was sick with a cold when we talked. He sort of sounds like you.”
“This guy really doesn’t have a scar on his face, Carolina,” Harley said softly. “The guy you’re talking to lied.”
“He said I have scars?”
“Yeah.”
“Did he send you pictures?” Cash asked.
Harley turned her phone screen to show him the picture Carolina had given her, and Harley saw the spark of surprise in his eyes. “Go look at the Instagram page of a girl named Beary Happy, spelled b-e-a-r-y—”
“Yeah, I got it. I’m getting on her page now.” Sounding miserable, Carolina asked, “Is that your girlfriend?”
“No, she’s my Crewmate. That’s Timber. Scroll down a few lines.”
After a couple seconds, Carolina said softly, “Oh my gosh.” The disappointment in her voice tugged at Harley’s heart. “That’s the same picture you sent me. I mean, thathesent me. It’s the exact same one. It’s even cropped the same.”
“I bet if you scroll through my Crew’s pages, you’ll find whatever pictures he was sending you. I don’t post them of myself. They get posted of me by my friends who take pictures like freaking paparazzi while we’re out.”
“Well, what do I even do with this?” Carolina asked, and now her voice was thick and tear-stained with sadness.
The guy sighed and stared at the ground, shook his head. “I don’t know. I just know I’m not what you’re looking for. I promise, I’m not what anyone is looking for.”
“Cash!” a guy yelled out the front door of the warehouse. “You’re late, man! Let’s go!”
Cash clapped his hand on the door and straightened up. “That’s my boss. I’m real sorry, lady. I hope you find the asshole who did that to you.” He gave a sympathetic smile to Harley and backed away from the car.
“Harley, I’ll call you later,” Carolina rushed out, and Harley could tell her sister was crying.
God, she hated whoever had done this to her. Carolina had really fallen for him. Catfishing was an awful game.
The line went dead, and Harley called out, “Hey, Cash?”
He paused in the gravel parking lot and turned back to her. “Yep?”
“Thanks for setting the record straight. I’ve been trying to talk some sense into her, but she’s a romantic. The heart wants what it wants, and she really wanted you to be real.”
He pursed his masculine lips and nodded. “Tell her to go through the followers of my Crewmate. Maybe start there. He clearly gave her enough information for you to track me to my job. He has to know some of the basics about me. I’ll ask my Crewmates if they’ve had any weird messages on there too.”
“Crewmate.” She frowned as something dawned on her. “Wait, are you a shifter?” His eyes were glowing like molten gold right now.
Cash gave her a cocky grin. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
“Yes. Yes I would. That’s why I asked.”
“It was weird to meet you, Carolina’s Sister.”