Page 120 of A Touch of Treachery
I opened my mouth to spout some lie—
“Charlotte.”Desmond’s low voice slid against my skin like a delicate caress.
He stepped up beside me.He was dressed in a powder-blue suit jacket, tie, and shirt, and his silver watch gleamed in his vest pocket like usual.My heart clenched, right along with my stomach, but I forced myself to smile.
Desmond stared at me, his face calm.I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, and I didn’t know if that was good or bad.He leaned down and kissed me on the cheek, and I closed my eyes, savoring the moment.I was about to destroy my whole world—and his too.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Desmond murmured.
I nodded, my throat too tight to croak out a response
Joan glanced back and forth between the two of us, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.“I’ll see you two in the briefing.”
The liaison scooped up some folders from her desk and headed into the conference room.
Desmond gestured with his hand.“After you, Numbers.”
I ground my teeth to hold on to my smile.“Of course, Dundee.”
I clutched my files and folders a little tighter to my chest and went to the conference room.Desmond fell in step beside me.
In addition to Joan and Evelyn, Diego and Gia were already inside.I passed Diego the flash drive with all the evidence I’d collected over the last several hours, and the tech guru slid it into his laptop and flashed me a thumbs-up, ready to rock ’n’ roll.He also slid a black clicker across the table.I clutched the small piece of plastic like it was a life jacket that would keep me from drowning in the storm of secrets I was about to unleash.
I dropped into my chair like a stone, reminding myself that I was doing the right thing.That this was theonlything I could do if I wanted to clear my father’s name and root out the last of Henrika Hyde’s influence at Section 47.
More footsteps sounded, and General Percy strode into the room.The door shut behind him, and the familiar buzz of the soundproofing rang out.His two bodyguards took up positions outside.
General Percy sat down in his usual seat at the head of the table.“What’s this update about Henrika that was so important it couldn’t wait until the regular afternoon briefing?”
I drew in a breath and slowly got to my feet.For a moment, I wavered, but I couldn’t ignore what I had learned and the ramifications it had for everyone in this room.
“I called the meeting.Henrika Hyde came to see me last night.”
Evelyn, Gia, Diego, and Joan gasped in surprise.Desmond showed no reaction, but Percy’s eyes narrowed.
“Henrika came toseeyou?When?Where?”the General demanded.
I hit the clicker.Footage of the interior of the Moondust Diner appeared on the film screen along the wall.When I’d bought the place a few months ago, one of the first things I’d done was install a state-of-the-art security system that covered every inch of the diner, as well as the surrounding parking lot and streets.
I hit the clicker again, and the footage began to play.The others watched my talk with Henrika, including her asking me to come work for her.
The video ended, and General Percy fixed his angry gaze on me.“Why didn’t you report this immediately, Ms.Locke?If you had alerted us the moment Henrika arrived, we might have been able to capture her.”
“And she would have killed everyone in the diner.I wasn’t about to risk the lives of innocent people.”
The General grunted, but for once, he didn’t argue.
“Besides, I wanted to see if I could figure out what Henrika was talking about.”
Joan frowned.“What do you mean?”
“A few months ago, when I first met Henrika at the Halstead Hotel, she claimed to have information about my father’s death.Ever since then, I’ve been digging into the Mexico mission, although I probably never would have figured out what happened if not for Henrika’s little clue last night.”
“What clue?”Gia asked in a sharp voice.
“Seashell Imports.”
I hit another button, and the clamshell logo from the mailing envelope appeared on the screen.Everyone stared at the logo, but I kept my gaze on General Percy.He blinked once, and his mouth puckered slightly, but those were his only visible reactions.If I hadn’t known better, I would have chalked up the micro-expressions to his usual dislike of and perpetual annoyance with me.
