“That is the truth. He’s as squeaky as they come.”
I can tell he doesn’t believe me. After a minute, I check the phone to see if we’re still connected.
“While Senator Nelson will be helpful, he wasn’t who we sent you after, but I can acknowledge and appreciate salvaging a job,” he says.“Moving forward, you’ll answer directly to me. We’ll see how that works for us. For now. You are quite the surprise. Let’s just see if it is a good one or bad one.”
I ignore the ominousness of that last part. “My pay will reflect my new position, correct?”
I don’t expect the chuckle. “You don’t mind pushing me, do you?”
“Would you respect me if I didn’t?”
He ignores my question. “Let’s see if you’re as good as you think you are. There is a situation in Florida you could help with. A sleepy little college town with lots of money. I need you to go there.”
“No problem,” I say, without hesitation. Even though I don’t know what the job is, I know this is my one shot to prove I deserve leveling up.
“Go to the Holiday Inn Express near the airport. Check in under your current alias and wait for further instructions.”
And then the line does go dead.
“I’m finished talking to him,” I yell at the closed door, and Matt is pushing it open seconds later, jerking his phone from my hand.
“You’re going to regret this,” he says.
I shrug, then take the tiny paper swan out of my pocket, dropping it on the corner of his desk.
“What the fuck is that?”
“Something to remember me by,” I say as I head to the door.
At the same moment I’m walking out of this building, there are small white boxes being delivered to multiple locations. In each box is an origami swan similar to what I just gave Matt. When the swan is pulled open, there’s a picture showing the recipient in a very compromising position, with the words “Hilton Head 2017” written underneath it in red Sharpie. And that’s it.
I just made my team a little bit bigger, even if the members aren’t there by choice. A favor was called in that night I was almost arrested in Raleigh, and that was all it took to get me out of trouble.
There will be a time when I need these men and they will come running. I now have a handful of well-respected, God-fearing politicians in my back pocket. A senator, a couple of congressmen, several mayors and state legislators. And poor Judge McIntyre from Louisiana, who tagged along to the cocktail party with a friend.
Chapter 17
Present Day
Judge McIntyre came through like a champ. Just like I knew he would. I’m riding with Ryan back to the house as Rachel follows behind us in her car. She agreed to be held accountable for my actions, so it looks like I’m stuck with her.
In order to walk out of there today, I had to agree to meet with the detectives in Atlanta on Friday morning to answer questions on the circumstances surrounding the death of Amy Holder. If I refused to agree to do that, I would be held at the Lake Forbing Police Department until the escort sent by the Atlanta Police Department arrived and dragged me back there. If I’m not there for that meeting on Friday morning, there will be another warrant issued for my arrest for failure to show.
Yesterday, Mr. Smith’s plan was unclear, but that is not the case anymore. While I thought I could always go back to being Lucca Marino, after today it will be next to impossible to lose the Evie Porter identity. As a condition of being released, I was photographed and fingerprinted, so now not only am I inthe systemfor the first time ever, I’m in the system as Evelyn Porter.
I was so careful to keep Lucca Marino clean and off the grid—a blank slate that I could shape when I was ready—that I’ve got nothing to proveI’m actually her. But Evie Porter has a full background and history, including pictures, the freshly uploaded fingerprints, and the material witness warrant for questioning in the death of Amy Holder.
Eight years ago, Mr. Smith saved me from potential arrest, and now he’s set me up for one.
Today is Monday and already half gone so I have only three full days to handle this.
It’s quiet in the car.
Of all the questions twisting and turning in my head right now, the one that plagues me the most is:Why would Mr. Smith up the stakes onthisjob?I may be stuck in this town and in this identity for now, but my work here is done. Was this ever a real job or just a ruse to keep me in one place?
“You can ask me anything,” I finally say when the silence becomes too much.
“How did she die?” he asks. “The woman they want to question you about.”
