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He’d have to add one more name to the list of people who knew about his alter ego. “About a year ago, a book I wrote came out. It did well and
my agent got me a deal for another four. I’m almost finished with the second.”
“How did I miss this?” Courtney asked.
“I used a pen name. When I submitted the manuscript, not even the agent knew my real name.” When his agent had learned the truth, she’d been speechless.
Courtney blinked several times, and he suspected he knew the question headed his way. “Why did you do that?”
“Why do you think, genius?” Calling his cousin a genius wasn’t far from the truth. Courtney Belmont was perhaps the most intelligent person he knew. She had an IQ of 154 and had completed high school two years early, then gone on to graduate from both Harvard and Yale in record time. Despite all her intelligence, sometimes she missed the most obvious… like now.
“I wanted the book published because it was good, not because of who I am. And I definitely didn’t want people buying it because the name Sherbrooke was on the front cover.”
Courtney rolled her eyes at him. “I assumed as much. But it’ll get out. You know it will. Someone who knows, either at the publishing house or maybe even your agent, will let it slip. Why bother wasting the time to keep it a secret, especially now if the book is out and people like it?”
He recognized that what Courtney said was very possible. Still, he preferred to keep the truth under wraps for as long as he could.
“People didn’t just like it, Courtney. Curt’s book hit all the major lists. Our dear cousin is a fantastic writer. I’m looking forward to his next one,” Scott said, joining the conversation.
“You and my publisher. She expects the manuscript no later than August tenth.”
On the floor, Courtney accepted the stuffed dolphin Cooper handed her. “Guess I’d better get your first book. What name did you use?”
“C.S. Hilton.” He’d struggled with a good pen name. Finally, he’d opted to go with his initials and his mother’s maiden name.
“That’s you?” Courtney sounded amazed. “I couldn’t put Fatal Deception down. I finished it in two nights.”
“Neither could I,” Aunt Marilyn chimed in. She’d already known about his secret career. His mom had told her not long after the book was released. “And I can’t wait for the next one. Even your uncle enjoyed it, and you know he never reads fiction.”
“You shouldn’t have to wait too much longer. For the next few months all I plan on doing is writing and working on the new house.” And the town of Pelham, New Hampshire, would be the perfect place. He’d be away from all major distractions. And if people did eventually realize who he was, hopefully it wouldn’t be until he finished the renovations and was ready to move on.
***
Exhausted, Taylor Walker popped open the trunk and pulled out the bag containing her body armor. She’d left the house before the sun came up. Coffee and sugar had kept her going much of the day, but she’d passed the point where either would do any more good. As a DEA agent in Boston, working crazy hours wasn’t anything new or unusual. Unfortunately, it would take her body a couple days to feel normal again. Every once in a while, she wondered why she’d left the Boston Police Department and gone to work for the Drug Enforcement Agency instead. Then she’d be part of a successful bust like today, and she’d remember. Yes, drugs and drug dealers were still out there, but thanks to the work she and her colleagues did this morning there were fewer tonight.
“Auntie Taylor.” Reese, Taylor’s niece, skipped down the driveway, her ponytail swaying from side to side. “I made something for you at school today.”
Taylor put her gear down and gave Reese a hug.
“Most kids made it for their moms. Hazel is saving hers and giving it to her nana for her birthday. But I wanted it to be for you.”
“I can’t wait to see it.”
Once again, she wished she could catch the jerk who’d first introduced her older sister, Reese’s mother, to drugs. Reese should be making things for her mom, like her friends at school. But she wasn’t. Instead, she was living with her aunt and grandmother while her mom was who knew where, doing God knew what.
“We’re having tacos for dinner. Mimi let me cut up the tomatoes.” Reese loved tacos. The kid would eat them or pizza every day if they let her.
Taylor picked up her body armor and the duffel bag containing the clothes she’d worn to work that morning. After a big arrest and search like today, she always showered and changed her clothes back at the office before she came home.
“Can I carry something?”
Taylor passed the duffel bag to her niece. While Reese was strong for an almost- seven-year-old, the body armor still weighed fifty pounds, not to mention the bag was cumbersome. “So how was school today? Did you do anything fun?”
“Great. The butterflies in class hatched this morning. It was kind of gross. Mrs. Lowell says it’ll be a few days before we release them outside. I wish we didn’t have to. I like having them in class.”
Taylor didn’t remember ever having caterpillars change into butterflies in her first-grade classroom. Then again, a lot of the things Reese did in class were different from when she’d been in school.
“They won’t survive if you don’t release them.”
