Page 33 of Filthy Liar

“Here?” I glance around the diner.

“D.C.”

“The first time or the second time?”

“Now.”

I hesitate. “Yes.”

His eyebrows hit the roof. “Is that a little bit of truth that I hear, Ellie?”

I shrug. “If we’re trading information, it’s only fair.”

“I’m not the enemy here.”

“That remains to be seen.” I play with a sugar packet. “I know about the incriminating documents.”

His expression doesn’t change. “What documents?”

“If you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you any more than that.”

That gets me a small twitch on his temple. “You’re fishing.”

“I’m not. I know that there are many people implicated, and I also know there are bad actors floating false flag reports, too.”

That gets a bigger reaction. His jaw rocks to the side, then he leans in. “I’m very interested in that part of it.”

“Mayfair?”

“No comment.”

“Jason—”

“I can’t. If I could, I would. But let me make some calls later, while you sleep, and I’ll see if I can share more later today.” He gives me a charming grin. “Over dinner?”

“Two meals in one day is really asking a lot.”

“I’ll ask again after you get some rest.”

“I’m fine.”

“No heroics. So we’re going to keep going about our business like last night didn’t happen, but you cannot pursue any investigation without checking in with me first.” Jason catches my chin in his hand. “Can you do that?”

How am I supposed to know what will come up? “Sure. Yes.”

He doesn’t look like he quite believes me—smart man—but he accepts my answer. “Good. Who knows where you live?”

“Nobody.”

“You haven’t taken anyone home, even a total stranger?” When I raise my eyebrow at the question, he doesn’t back down. “I don’t care. I’m asking as a security specialist.”

“Nobody. Not even Caroline, although she knows I’m in her neighborhood. I—I got some death threats when I released my book. I was anonymous before that, but once those came in, to my publisher and my agent, we took extra steps. My home in California, this apartment…they’re rented by numbered corporations, which can’t be traced back to me.”

“That’s slick.”

“I take my privacy very seriously.” Even as I look at the bottom of my second cup of coffee, I realize I’m bone tired. And suddenly, I’m done with Jason not believing me. “Come on. You want to be the first person to know where I live?”

He throws some bills on the table to cover our breakfast. “After you.”

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