Page 11 of What Started In Deception

“Yes,” she said without hesitation.

“That’s naïve, Lydia.”

Her jaw clenched. “That’s Ms. Monroe to you.”

“Right.”

She handed the pictures back as she turned her body more toward his. “What do you want?”

“For you to get me onto the compound.”

She huffed out a humorless laugh. “Forget it.”

“You spend a month there every summer. You’re going to take me with you.”

She shook her head. “No. The compound is the only place where my family has any privacy. I don’t bring friends with me. I never have.”

“So, you’ll bring your serious boyfriend.”

She gaped at him. “You can’t be serious.”

“I’m dead serious.”

“You want me to date you?”

He nodded. “For pretend.”

“How does someone pretend to date?” Her laugh had more humor to it this time as she pressed her fingers to her forehead and closed her eyes. “This is insane. You’re insane.”

He shrugged. “I’ve been called worse.”

She shook her head again. “No. Absolutely not.”

“It’s only for a month. And the next few weeks. I’ll be out of your hair by the end of the summer.”

“That’s a hard pass.” She stood. “There’s another explanation for your pictures. Good luck with your witch hunt.” And then she walked away.

This wasn’t going well. At all. He hurried up next to her. “I need access to your family.”

She shook her head as they approached her SUV. “I’m calling my uncle. Then I’m calling Will.”

“Then I’ll be slapping cuffs on you and arresting you. Interference in a federal investigation is a big deal, Lydia.”

She stopped abruptly as they reached the hood of her Telluride. “How dare you do this. How dare you put me in this position.”

He sighed, fully understanding that he was putting her in a hell of a spot. “Look, I’m doing my damnedest to handle all of this discreetly. Currently, this is an inquiry to figure out if your uncle’s situation requires further investigation.”

“It doesn’t. There’s another explanation.”

“I need to figure out what that is. Political corruption is a serious offense, especially when there are rumors of a possible presidential run. The Department of Justice has their ears perked up on this one.”

“I can’t help you,” she said as she turned toward her vehicle again.

He snagged her by the wrist, knowing that this was probably his last shot at getting Lydia’s cooperation. “This investigation is happening. It’s full steam ahead.”

She faced him again, pulling her arm away.

“You can help me quietly. We can control the narrative as much as that’s possible, but once I leave here, that scenario goes away.”