Too Many Lies

by E B Corbin

  He took a step closer and gave her a kiss--not a deep, mind-blowing kiss, but not a quick peck on the lips, either. Roxanne's traitorous mind didn't want it to end. Her arms encircled his shoulders of their own volition. As he pulled away, she was aware of Pete and Kate staring at them.

  "Let's go," Callahan said to Pete, who followed him without a word.

  "My, my," Kate said. "So you and Callahan are--?"

  "Nothing. We're nothing," Roxanne interrupted before Kate could continue. "We're friends, that's all."

  "Looked like more than a friendly kiss," Kate said with a smile. "Hey, I'm not trying to be nosy, I'm just sayin'." Kate stretched out her hands before she began to clear the wine glasses and beer bottles from the table.

  "Sorry, I'm a little touchy where relationships are concerned," Roxanne explained. "I've had two less than ideal ones, and I don't need another right now."

  "I hear you," Kate said. "Didn't mean to pry. Pete's had a tough time with, um, affairs of the heart, I guess you could call them. And I think he likes you. I wouldn't want to see him hurt again."

  "You think he likes me?" Roxanne said. "I didn't get that impression. In fact, I think he's trying to get to know me better so he can get some info to take to the sheriff."

  "Wow," Kate said. "You're really cynical, aren't you? What's your read on Callahan?"

  "I don't trust him one hundred percent, either," Roxanne said. "I used to but..."

  When Kate asked if he had done something to make her doubt him, she told her what Conor had said about Roxy not trusting the people around her.

  "Did this Conor guy mention Callahan by name?" Kate asked.

  "No names were mentioned but Roxy hinted that she thought her calls were monitored," Roxanne said. "Ever since Conor told me, I don't know who to trust." She felt a sense of relief discussing her doubts with an impartial party. She realized she had no one close enough to talk about her misgivings and fears. "I'm sorry, you don't need to hear my problems."

  "I haven't had anyone my age to talk to since I moved here," Kate said. "I've been so wrapped up in my own misery, I've forgotten what it's like to have a little girl-talk. Sorry, if it makes you uncomfortable."

  "Not at all," Roxanne assured her. "In fact, I was just thinking the same thing. Maybe, when this is all over...we can get together for lunch or something."

  "I'd like that," Kate said.

  "Of course, I don't know how long I'll be in town. I don't have a place to live and I might not have a business left if I don't get this whole Roxy situation cleared up soon."

  "Roxy is your mother, right?" Kate turned to the sink and began to rinse the wine glasses.

  "Yeah, sort of." Roxanne spoke to Kate's back, glad the other woman couldn't see the expressions on her face. "I just found out about her a few months ago. Took me a while to wrap my head around it. Sometimes it seems like a dream...good or bad, I'm not sure which. I had a pretty regular childhood, for an only child. I was raised by Roxy's sister. Thought she was my mother all my life until last November when, supposedly, Roxy was shot and killed by a hunter..." Her voice tapered off as she began to recall the shock of learning the truth about her birth.

  "That must have been hard." Kate dried her hands and turned around.

  "Threw everything I believed out the window," Roxanne said. "I was just getting used to the idea, and feeling bad that I had never met my birth mother when I found out Roxy wasn't dead. Now I'm right back where I started, confused as hell. Except I know I need to rescue Roxy. If I can only see her and talk to her, I might be able to deal with my tangled emotions."

  "I wish there was something I could do." Kate looked around the kitchen to make sure all was in order.

  "You've got to think about Jonathon's safety, first and foremost," Roxanne told her. "I very much appreciate a place to sleep tonight. And something to sleep in. If all goes well, I'll be out of your hair tomorrow."

  "Speaking of hair, let me grab that wig for you." Kate disappeared through the door to her private quarters. In a few seconds, she was back, holding a wavy blond wig. "It's real hair, just not the latest style."

  "It will be fine," Roxanne said. "Do I want to know why you have it?"

  Kate laughed. "No secret. I dressed as Barbie last Halloween and I don't do things half-assed."

  "Wow." Roxanne held up the wig. "I can see that." She stifled a yawn as recent events caught up with her. Soon afterwards, she excused herself and headed to bed.

  As she drifted to sleep, she imagined herself in the wig, making her way down unfamiliar streets in Erie with Callahan on one side and Pete on the other.

  She always wondered what life would be like as a blonde.

  - 11 -

  Roxanne had looked forward to hours of uninterrupted slumber to help her recover from recent events. Instead, she tossed and turned until early morning. When she finally dozed off, visions of flames dominated her dreams. The alarm woke her at 8:00 a.m. She punched it to silence and lay in bed, trying to erase the lingering images in her head. Eventually she jumped in the shower only to realize she had nothing but her jeans and sweater from the day before.

  That motivated her to make a list of basic supplies for the next few days. Her first thought was to use her phone, until she remembered she no longer had one. She searched the tiny drawer in the old-fashioned writing desk and found both a notepad and pen. Writing by hand felt strange after becoming so dependent on electronics. Her list grew longer than she expected but she was starting from scratch and her credit card would cover it. She froze for a moment as the truth sank in. She didn't have a credit card, either. If only she'd taken her messenger bag with her yesterday. Then she'd have a few things besides the keys in her pocket and her car in the garage.

  But she had a bank account in Oilville. She could get cash for the most urgent necessities. Cash--a unique concept after using debit or credit cards for so long.

  Rather than wait for Callahan to arrive at 10:00, she decided to try the wig and follow Kate's suggestion of sneaking to her garage through the alley. The bank opened for two hours on Sunday morning. If she hurried, she could get cash and be back before anyone knew she was gone.

  The ash-blonde wig, medium-long in length in a curly pageboy style, transformed her. Her pale freckles and turquoise eyes now stood in sharp contrast to the lighter hair. It was a look she'd have to get used to but should work as a temporary disguise.

  She hoped the bank teller recognized her because she had no bank card, ID or anything else to prove she was Roxanne Boudreaux, the legal owner of the checking account.

  Stepping into the hall, she listened for sounds of activity downstairs. All remained quiet so she tip-toed down the stairs taking care to avoid the squeaky step. The door to Kate and Jonathon's private quarters remained closed. She unlocked the back door and took special care to re-lock it quietly after she stepped out.

  Melting piles of dirty, grey snow turned the yard into an obstacle course. She almost lost her balance twice before she made it to the alley. She stamped her feet several times to kick off much of the dark brown sludge coating her boots then entered the code to open the garage.

  The generic Chevy sitting where the pickup used to be startled her at first. She wondered what happened to the truck and Roxy. Then she shook the thoughts out of her mind. She needed to keep moving. She grabbed the extra fob for her car which hung on a hook behind a row of shelving. Not the safest place for it, but she was thankful for it now.

  The ignition fired right up and she pulled out, forcing her eyes away from the burnt rubble which once stood as her home. She'd have time to stand and survey the damage later, when she could mull over her future.

  She made it to the bank and tucked an envelope full of cash into her jean pocket without too many problems aside from a few curious glances from the teller. Thank goodness for banks in small towns. The teller had heard about the fire and accepted her excuse about the wig covering her singed hair. One thing accomplished--now to get back to the B&B b
efore anyone missed her.

  After driving around the block twice before entering the alley, she felt fairly certain no one followed. She congratulated herself on pulling it off. Then her heart tripped when she spotted Callahan glowering at her in front of the garage door. She gave him a tiny wave and smiled as she hit the garage door opener. So much for no one noticing she was gone.

  Sliding out of the car, she checked her pocket to make sure the cash was safe before approaching Callahan with caution.

  "Where the hell have you been?" he demanded.

  "I, um, I went to the bank for some cash. I don't have any credit cards and I'll need to get quite a few things at the store."

  "You didn't think I would stop at the bank if you needed me to?" Callahan made no attempt to hide his anger. "I have credit cards you could have used."

  "Calm down, I made it. I can't be hiding in my room all the time." Roxanne glanced over at the TR3 tucked into the far rear of the two-car garage. The little car appeared unscathed and she breathed a sigh of relief. The deep garage allowed enough room for her to park the Lexus in front of the sports car but the Chevy looked out of place where the Honda used to be. She debated backing the Chevy further into the garage closer to the back wall but she didn't have keys for it. Besides, one look at Callahan's face changed her mind. Later then.

  "When I got to Kate's and found you gone, I thought the worst." He blew out a breath. "You're going to be the death of me yet."

  "I'm sorry." She stepped closer and patted his arm. "I thought I could save some time this way. And I wasn't followed..." Before she could finish, a black SUV pulled into the alley causing her heart to jump into her throat. "Shit!"

  "Relax, it's just Tiffany. She's going with us today," Callahan said.

  "Tiffany? You're kidding, right? No one in the real world is named Tiffany." Roxanne forgot about her need to placate him.

  "Shush, she'll hear you," he said. "She's a good agent and can help us."

  Roxanne watched his frown turn into a delighted smile. "Tiff! Glad you could make it."

  A small attractive blonde powered down the window. Her platinum pixie hair framed a perfectly oval face. Her green eyes sparked and her pert lips formed a wide grin. "Callahan. Nice to be working with you again. We need to catch up."

  "We will," he said. "But first I'd like you to meet Roxanne. She's going with us."

  Tiffany gave Roxanne a dismissive nod and turned her attention back to Callahan. "So fill me in."

  Roxanne wanted to smack the snooty smile from her face. Instead, she stood silently by as Tiffany flirted with the man she had been trying to keep at a distance. She straightened her shoulders and kept a stiff smile. No way would she show the other woman how annoyed she was. Tiffany--what a stupid name!

  "Let's get out of this alley." Callahan held the rear door open for Roxanne to climb in and went around to the passenger side. Tiffany gave him a big smile. "You're looking good."

  "So are you."

  Roxanne felt like a third thumb sitting alone in the back seat. She didn't like this new development at all and resented Tiffany's camaraderie with Callahan. She cleared her throat to remind the two in front she was still there but they either didn't hear her or just ignored it.

  "How much did Gabe tell you?" Callahan asked Tiffany.

  "Just the basics. We need to find those Irish troublemakers and keep them in our sights. Told me he'd meet us in Erie with Ron and said you'd fill me in on the rest of it." Tiffany grinned at him. "So, start talking, boss man."

  "We think they have Roxy on a boat at the Commodore Perry Yacht Club in Erie."

  "How'd you get that info?" she asked, suddenly all business.

  "Roxanne got a ransom note. They want five million dollars by tomorrow at midnight," Callahan said.

  Tiffany whistled. "Are we going to pay it?"

  "Sort of," he said. "I got permission to use some of those counterfeit bills we grabbed from the Mexican cartel. Gabe's bringing them with him."

  "The big boss agreed to that?" Disbelief sharpened her voice.

  "Well, he did after Gramps put a word in," Callahan said.

  "How is Chester?"

  Roxanne tuned out Callahan's answer. Who was this chick? How did she know so much about Callahan, and even Chester? She didn't care for her attitude, and she most certainly did not care for her familiarity with Callahan and his grandfather. While the two agents chatted in the front seat, Roxanne crossed her arms and stewed. When they approached the turn off for the small shopping area that housed Walmart, Tiffany made no move to slow down.

  "Hey!" Roxanne called from the back seat. "I need to stop there."

  "Oh, forgot," Tiffany said. She made the turn on two wheels, amidst honking horns from drivers behind them.

  Callahan laughed. "Still the same, I see."

  Roxanne fought off a scream. If she had to listen to much more of this saccharine small talk from the front seat, she would throw up. As soon as Tiffany pulled into a parking space, she bolted from the SUV.

  "Hey, slow down," Callahan shouted. "I'm going with you."

  "No need." She threw the words over her shoulder and kept walking. "I think I can handle a shopping trip myself."

  "I'm going with you," he repeated as he ran to catch up with her. When he took her arm, she pulled away. He took her arm again and held tight.

  "Let go," she snapped, trying without success to wrest her arm free.

  "Stop it," Callahan whispered in her ear. "People are looking at us. They'll think I'm abusing you."

  "You are. I told you I can do this myself."

  "And I'd feel much better if I were with you," he retorted. He loosened his grip but kept his hand on her elbow. "What's wrong with you? You're acting like a two year old."

  "I don't like Tiffany," Roxanne blurted before she could stop herself. "She's rude."

  "Maybe so, but she's good at what she does." Callahan tried to hide a self-satisfied grin.

  "I don't care, I still don't like her."

  He forced her to stop, then turned her to face him, taking both elbows in his hands. For a split second, Roxanne thought he was going to kiss her and she tensed, ready to angle away. Instead, he lowered his mouth to her ear. "I know she's not the easiest person to be around, but she's one of the best."

  "Easy for you to say," she answered. "She fawns all over you."

  Callahan did not try to hide his grin this time. "You're jealous."

  "Am not."

  "Yes, you are."

  "No, I'm not." Roxanne huffed out a breath.

  "You might as well admit it," he said. When she repeated that she simply did not like the woman, he shrugged. "Okay, just deal with it for the next few days. After that, she'll be gone."

  Callahan waited for the sliding door to open. "In the meantime, let's get you what you need."

  Roxanne followed him into the store, grabbed a cart and veered to the left without waiting for him to catch up. She realized she'd left the list in her room at the B&B so she tried to remember the essentials. No wonder she never jotted notes on paper. You had to remember to bring the slip with you. She always had her phone. At least, she used to have her phone.

  She started down one aisle, grabbed some shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste and a toothbrush. When she turned the corner, she almost collided with Pete. "What are you doing here?"

  Pete stared at her for a long moment before speaking. "Roxanne?"

  "Yeah, it's me." She'd forgotten about the wig. A lot of good it was doing if everyone she ran into recognized her anyway. But it had taken Pete a minute to make the connection, so maybe she should feel reassured.

  "Kate was worried. She didn't see you this morning and asked me to see if I could find you. I figured this is the only place in town to get everything you need."

  "Good guess." Callahan put a proprietary hand on Roxanne's back as he joined them.

  "I talked to the sheriff about a few days off. He's good with it," Pete told Callahan. "I'm available for whate
ver you need."

  Roxanne cut into their conversation. "While you two plot my future, I'm going to try to get a cell phone."

  "Don't forget a burner," Callahan told her.

  "Do I ask for a burner phone?"

  Pete grinned at her. "No, tell them you want a pre-paid phone."

  She nodded. Although she was mad at Callahan and disgusted with Tiffany, she had no reason to take it out on Pete. "Thank you," she told him, smiling sweetly.

  The electronics department started a few aisles over. She swung her cart around, leaving Callahan and Pete behind.

  Feeling a little embarrassed about her naiveté concerning the burner phone, she ordered a new cell with her old number. It took her no time to pick out a pre-paid cheap one but longer to scan the laptops. An iPad would prove more useful than a laptop but at the moment they didn't have any in stock. Instead, she grabbed a cheap laptop then left Electronics to go to the clothing section.

  She took her time at each counter, in no hurry to get back to Tiffany. With the cart piled high, she chose the longest line at the check-out.

  Let the bitch wait.

  - 12 -

  The drive to Erie seemed interminable. When they reached the interstate, away from the narrow winding roads, Roxanne used the time to rip the tags from her new purchases and pack the clothes in her new carry-on suitcase. As soon as she had Wi-Fi access, she planned to download her contacts from the cloud to her new phone.

  She hadn't found a messenger bag at the superstore, so she'd settled for the largest shoulder bag available in green canvas with brown vinyl straps. It didn't match her new blue parka, but the laptop fit inside. With a shrug, she finished transferring everything as they entered the city limits for Erie.

  "What happens now?" She'd grown tired of being cooped up in the back seat. The details didn't really matter, she just needed to know the journey would soon be over.

  "We find a motel as far away from the Commodore Perry Yacht Club as possible and still close enough that we can be there in minutes," Tiffany answered in a clipped tone.