Captured Lies

by Maggie Thom

"I think it's time we used your grandmother's connections," Graham said as soon as his two passengers climbed into his Hummer.

  "Nice vehicle." Bailey settled back in the roomy, clean back seat, the exact opposite of his car.

  Guy was busy typing messages to Graham and then holding his phone for him to be able to read it. Bailey, thankfully, was too busy looking awed at the height and view the vehicle gave her. He'd been like that the first time too.

  Did you find the information I asked for?

  Graham casually nodded.

  Is she part of it?

  Graham pursed his lips but shook his head.

  Fact or opinion?

  Graham put up two fingers, to indicate the second option.

  No evidence though.

  He shook his head sharply.

  Sinking back against the door, Guy tried to feel relieved but a sick feeling settled in his stomach. He couldn't shut his mind off to the fact that this was going to get uglier.

  "We need a good night's sleep and then we'll set up a meeting tomorrow. Any ideas?"

  Bailey leaned forward between the seats. "I thought you said we'd be safe at Graham's."

  "I thought we would be. Obviously someone followed us or somehow found us. My mistake."

  "Who do you think it is?"

  Guy was aware of her intense look but refused to meet her eyes. He shrugged. She stared at Graham. When he glanced back at her Guy caught his attention and very slightly moved his head side to side.

  "Uh? not sure-"

  Guy jerked upright. "What are we doing here?" He looked at the large wrought iron gates before his gaze slid to the stone guard house off to the right.

  Graham stared straight ahead looking a little sheepish. "I couldn't think of anywhere with better security."

  "Dammit, Graham. We can't stay here."

  "Better to den with the lion then to have him chase you through the jungle."

  "May I ask who's calling," the guard in the toll building bent down to peer into the vehicle.

  "Well, hello Mr. Turner. We weren't expecting you. My apologies, I'm not sure what happened to the notice to inform us of your arrival."

  Guy sighed heavily. "There wasn't one." He'd learned a long time ago to call ahead and let them know he was coming. It saved him a lot of anguish and a lot of lectures. "In fact, Jim there isn't one. We're gonna go. Grandma's probably busy with one group or another. So we'll just-"

  "No need sir, I've already informed her of your arrival." The guard snapped to attention and smiled.

  Guy crossed his eyes, giving Graham a fierce look. "Thank you, Jim. As always you do a great job for Grandmother. I guess that's why you've been here for twenty years." The large metal gates, with its design of intricately woven vines and leaves, soundlessly swung open.

  "This is your grandmother's place?" Bailey leaned forward, her eyes wide open.

  Graham's head swung sideways, giving him a questioning look. Guy glared back. Graham's eyes widened, in comprehension. Guilt landed on Guy's shoulders like an immovable boulder. When was he going to tell Bailey who her family was? Better question was how.

  Following the well treed, winding cobbled road for a quarter mile, they suddenly burst out into a clearing. Bailey gasped. Her left hand covered her mouth, as her right hand fumbled to unclasp her seatbelt. She scooted as far forward as she could, without climbing into the front seat. "Oh my God, are we at the White House?"

  "What?"

  "Isn't this what you'd imagine the White House to be like? I know this doesn't match the pictures of the real one but this is what I always imagined it should look like."

  Guy looked at the white stone columns that flanked the front of the three story house, balancing a huge balcony on top. Vines cascaded down over the sides, wrapping themselves around the ornately carved pillars.

  "I don't just mean the house but this whole lay out. Oh my God. And if I say that more than once, tough. Oh my God." Her head swung side to side, her eyes peeled wide open.

  Guy chuckled. He remembered his first trip there. His response to the elaborate flower gardens that not only hosted every color imaginable but plants from all over the world and the extremely large house that loomed over him like a dragon, had all added to his peeing his pants. His hand automatically went to the back of his head where his uncle Geoff had cuffed him for being such a baby. It had only been the first of many.

  Shaking off that memory, he tried to see it as Bailey was. In truth though he couldn't take his eyes off her, her face lit up like Cinderella at her first ball.

  "This is incredible. Wow. This must have been amazing to play in as a kid. Hide and Seek would have been fun. I'm betting kids got lost for days because they couldn't be found."

  He smiled but didn't correct her assumption that there had been laughter or fun. He was just glad this place didn't scare the crap out of her because when she discovered who really lived there, he was sure, it might be the last time she talked to him.

  Graham pulled up in front of the extravagant marble stairs that rose to an open set of massive, double oak doors. Guy was about to tell Graham to go for a drive and come back later but he should have known better. His grandmother was already hustling out the door, her cane barely clipping the ground as she hustled toward them as though she feared they'd drive away.

  Not looking forward to this encounter but knowing it was already in motion, he opened his door and jumped out.

  "Stay here for a minute. Please." He glanced at Bailey but reinforced it with a look to Graham before closing the door. Turning, he skipped up the stairs to meet his grandmother with her usually demanded hug but she was busy trying to move past him. Guy stepped in front of her, only to have her cane land against his ribs and shove him sideways. She was determined to get past him. Looping his arm over her shoulder he tried to steer her away but she wasn't having any of it. She slipped under his arm and made her way towards the Hummer.

  "Stop. She doesn't know who you are."

  Spinning so fast he was sure she was going to topple over; he grabbed her arm. "Come and walk with me. I'll explain."

  She looked at him and then anxiously toward the vehicle. It had been almost thirty years since she'd been able to hold her granddaughter.

  "Gram. I can't go into all that has happened but I-"

  "Never told her anything. Dammit Guy. I sent you because I thought I could trust you. I thought you'd follow my instructions. You were to find her. Let me know. I'd set up the meeting. What the hell are you trying to do to me? I won't have Gina and Daniel put on that emotional roller coaster again. Do you hear me?"

  Having her yell at him or anyone really wasn't out of character but the emotional wobble to her voice was and it almost did him in. It was the third time he'd ever heard it. The first had been when he'd shown up at ten. The second had been when his step grandfather had died.

  "Yes, I do. And my intention wasn't to spring her on you." If I had my way we wouldn't be here. "But someone's after her. I think they're trying to kill her."

  "What? Why haven't you shared this information with me before now? I'm still in charge. And don't you forget it." Turning she moved swiftly towards the vehicle, her cane swinging freely in her hand.

  He stood by and watched. He really didn't know what to do. The rest was really in the hands of fate. If he was lucky Bailey's future would have the gold lining that his ended up with.

  "Hello, my dear. You must be Bailey. I'm Dorothea Lindell. Please call me Dorothea. Come. Let's get you settled."

  Bailey climbed out and took her heavily ringed hand. At least four karats of diamonds adorned the fingers of her right hand. On her left, he would have bet it was double that.

  "Thank you, Dorothea. I'm sorry to just drop in on you like this. I don't think-"

  "Don't you worry, come, we'll have some iced tea on the balcony."

  Bailey's head tilted back as they walked under the overhang. Guy stuffed his hands in his pockets, not sure what to do with himself for the first ti
me in years. The sound of a vehicle starting up, caught his attention. Spinning around, he was in time to see his buddy wave as he drove away.

  "Damn you, Graham." He knew giving chase was futile but that didn't stop him from looking for a basketball size rock in the garden and think about chucking it at the receding tail lights. They soon disappeared behind the forest, which lined the driveway.

  "Guy! Guy, are you coming?"

  He gave his whole body a vigorous shake, like that of a wet dog drying himself, hoping it would wake him from the nightmare he was finding himself in. The two women were talking like old friends as they made their way up the stairs. Sighing, he grabbed the backpack and bag that Graham had graciously unloaded in the driveway. He immediately tensed when his grandmother yelled again.

  "Guy. You're being rude. Get in here."

  Smiling, feeling like things were normal for the first time in a long time, he followed them in.

  CHAPTER FORTY-TWO