AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I headed for the door and stopped short, listening in on the conversation.
“Goddamn it,” Jonny hissed.
“I thought you’d want to see this, boss. I’ve been keeping an eye on social media. A buddy of mine alerted me to the news,” Michael said quietly.
“I don’t like this shit. Call a meeting for first thing in the morning.”
“Did you find anything on the jump drives Ms. Beckett brought with her?”
“Nothing that makes any sense to me, but some of the files are encrypted.”
He’d searched my things. I wasn’t certain whether or not I felt violated or just exhausted from fighting this game. I was frozen, listening to horrible deeds I’d supposedly done, my name dragged through the mud. All I could think about for a few seconds was what my father would think, my friends. And I wondered if Matt was laughing with his buddies over a Heineken, sharing with them what an ice queen I was.
As I walked closer, I could tell they were watching a news broadcast. CNN to be exact. Seeing a massive big-screentelevision wasn’t surprising. It was the news in blazing color coming from some United States national program that was.
No, seeing my face plastered next to Jonny’s was horrifying. But not nearly as much as the text surrounding it.
Fugitive aided by prosecuting attorney. A national manhunt has been organized.
“We need to get to the bottom of this,” Jonny hissed.
“I’m not sure how we’re going to do that.”
“Oh. My. God.” My voice wasn’t audible over the volume of the broadcast, yet it seemed Jonny sensed my presence, immediately turning around to face me. For a few seconds, we stared into each other’s eyes, both of us obviously uncertain how to react. While I’d expected a backlash, I hadn’t been prepared for it occurring less than twenty-four hours after we’d fled Louisville.
I folded my arms, taking cautious steps into the room. Michael shifted his gaze, shaking his head slowly, almost apologetically.
“What the hell is going on?” I asked, settling my gaze on the television. The entire story was being played out, but not like it had happened. I walked closer, trying to keep from becoming hysterical. Hell, no. That’s what they wanted. They. Whoever they were. I felt like I was living in some conspiracy vacuum. I continued watching, daring myself to move even closer. As I listened to what was being said, the words scrolling across the bottom of the screen, I started to laugh.
Jonny lifted his eyebrows, a slight expression of amusement crossing his face from my reaction.
“They think you killed your own soldier and my friend Victoria. Let me guess. They’ve also pinned the murders of Ronan O’Connor’s men on you as well. And they think I helped you.” I was merely recapping the words offered by what was a completely unsympathetic reporter, the girl obviously provided with what she believed to be the story of a lifetime. “Next, it’ll be a Lifetime movie. I wonder who will play us? Any guesses?”
“Whoever they are, I’m certain they’ll be glamorous,” Jonny teased.
I sensed Michael had grown uncomfortable with my sudden change in demeanor. Maybe he should get used to it. I folded my arms again, glaring from one man to the other. “You took my jump drives without permission.”
Jonny seemed more amused than ever. “That is the point of trying to work together.”
“Perhaps, but it would have been nice if you’d asked me first.” I threw him a look, trying to curtail my anger. He didn’t deserve it at this point.
“Duly noted. As far as your question. It would seem the railroading continues. I’m sorry you were implicated, Sedona,” Jonny said. He glanced into my eyes once again, obviously fighting with himself to keep his rage from increasing. But his eyes remained full of curiosity as to what I was thinking. I could feel it in my bones.
I took a deep breath, and it was apparent both men had been waiting for me to break down, crying my eyes out as I’d done one too many times. I’d been forced to remind myself during my second nightmare of the night that I’d resolved to cease being a victim, and that was the truth. If Christine was behind thisattempt at derailing two people, then I would discover every secret the bitch had hidden away.
And I would expose her for what she truly was.
A conniving bitch.
But I’d need to turn into a duplication of her, using her tactics in order to catch her at her own game. Yeah, I could do that.
“Hand them over, Jonny,” I demanded, holding out my hand. “I think we both knew it was going to happen. I require a computer and some space to work as well as uninterrupted time. I need to find out every detail of what is going on.” I refused to allow the ugliness that had become my life to disrupt what I knew was the right thing to do.
Now I was just doing it for both of us.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Michael giving his boss a sly grin, which I wanted nothing more than to be able to wipe off his face.
“Not so fast,cherie. Michael. Leave us alone for tonight. Gather the troops, including my brother for a meeting in the morning. Contact my father as well. I want it held at his house.”
