Behind the Lies (A Montgomery Justice Novel)

by Perini, Robin

  He picked up the GPS monitoring device from the seat. The southern California coast was outlined on the screen. A red dot pulsed in movement on the freeway.

  Maybe his luck had changed.

  Brad pulled a small device from his pocket. He zoomed in on the map. A couple of miles ahead, the perfect spot.

  He dialed a number.

  “Johansson.”

  “I need contact information for one of the Montgomery brothers. I don’t care which one.”

  “You don’t ask for much. I’m kind of busy right now.”

  “It’s urgent.”

  “Fallon, it’s the office calling. Give me a minute.” His FBI contact’s voice filtered through the car. A few seconds later, Johansson rattled off a number.

  “Which one does it belong to?”

  “Reporter,” Johansson said, his voice short and staccato.

  As if the man could hide his duplicity.

  “I won’t say it’s been a pleasure, Johansson, but our association is over.”

  Brad pressed the button. Johansson shouted out. An explosion erupted. The phone went dead and the red dot vanished from the map.

  One loose end obliterated.

  He set aside the GPS tracker, picked up his phone, and dialed.

  “Luke Montgomery,” the voice barked.

  Brad gripped the cell. “Tell Jenna that if she wants to keep the kid, she can have him, but I want the evidence, the tapes, everything. I’ll be in touch for a meet.”

  He hung up. What a mess.

  “Can’t the kid even clean up after himself? All he does is leaves shit everywhere. Clean up his mess.”

  His father’s voice echoed in Brad’s memory.

  There’d be no more messes this time. He’d make sure everything was perfect, then he’d vanish. He would become someone new. And stronger. And better. And perfect.

  He’d start again. Not alone, though. Not this time.

  He’d take his son and teach him how to do things right.

  A chorus of crickets chirped their muffled song of joy outside the closed window. For one brief moment, Zach wanted to join in. Despite the chaotic world around him, he held perfection in his arms.

  He should move, but he didn’t want to let Jenna go. He eased his weight from on top of her, but she clutched at his shoulders. “No. Don’t. I want to remember,” she whispered, and wrapped her legs around his hips.

  God, so did he.

  Her softness pressed against him and he groaned. He could get used to this. He kissed her temple.

  If things were different.

  They lay together until slowly her breathing evened and she fell asleep.

  They’d have to talk, but he didn’t want to ruin the moment. It would have to last a very long time. If this was anything like what his mom had felt for his dad, Zach didn’t know how she’d survived losing her husband.

  When Seth and Luke introduced Jenna to her new life, his own would become a colorless reflection of the possibilities.

  A soft knock sounded on the door. “Zach. We got trouble,” Luke said under his breath.

  As quietly and quickly as possible, Zach slipped away from Jenna, slid on his jeans, and opened the door. He half expected some wiseass comment from his brother, but Luke’s gaze didn’t contain a glint of humor, only low-burning fury.

  Zach shut the door behind him, and the click closed her away. He couldn’t feel his heartbeat. “Mom?”

  “No, we received a call from the Chameleon,” Luke whispered, leading Zach into the kitchen. “He wants Jenna’s evidence in exchange for leaving Sam alone.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Zach rubbed his face in an effort to wake up to reality. “Why?”

  “Mom knocked some sense into him when she bashed him with the vase?” Luke shrugged. “Hell, I don’t know.”

  “A man doesn’t go a decade as an invisible assassin and then just call up and say let’s meet. No way. It’s a trap.”

  “Of course it is.” Seth propped his boots on one of the rough-hewn chairs. “I say we wait for his call and then treat him to a Montgomery welcome he’ll never forget.”

  “Jenna has to be away from here before that happens.”

  Seth folded his hands behind his head. “I called in a favor. Her documentation is in the works. I’m impressed with what you already had in place, Zach. Not bad subterfuge for a has-been actor.”

  “Shove it,” Zach countered. “As long as she’s gone before we take care of Brad Walters.”

  Luke sat down across from Zach and cleared his throat. “When I researched Brad, I also discovered a few unusual details about Jenna. She has some pretty interesting secrets of her own.”

  Zach didn’t like the look on Luke’s face. Not one bit. “I know about her past, Jenna’s a straight shooter. There’s nothing that puts her in danger now that I can tell.”

  “I’ve seen how you look at her, Zach. Read what I found, then decide what to do.” Luke slid the folder across the table.

  Zach put his hand on the file but didn’t open it. “When did Brad say he’d call back?”

  A gasp erupted from behind them. “You’ve talked to Brad?”

  Zach hit his feet and whirled around. Jenna stood, hovering in the kitchen doorway, looking sleepy and sex-tousled. Her lips were swollen, her body soft and appealing, except she couldn’t hide the pain on her face.

  “Jenna—”

  She shook her head. “Don’t.” She raised her hand. “I’m going to assume—because you promised not to lie—that you just found out about Brad’s call and you haven’t been in contact with him the entire time.”

  Zach nodded.

  Jenna swayed against the jamb. “Tell me what he said.”

  They relayed Brad’s demands.

  “No way. I can’t give him the evidence,” she said. “It’s my only leverage to keep him away, to keep him from killing us.”

  Seth and Luke exchanged looks. “Jenna, we’re not going to give him the evidence, but we’re definitely going to use it as bait.”

  Red and blue strobes whirled and sirens shrilled behind Farzam, lighting up the interior of the rental car. His face flushed with heat, and he squeezed the steering wheel trying to plan an escape. Two sheriff’s cars sped past him.

  Shocked, he relaxed his grip. His breath took longer to return to normal. He watched the lights disappear in the distance. He squirmed in his seat. He didn’t like the left-side steering wheel. He turned off the main road. Less likely to attract attention that way.

  Farzam had seen more than one Uzi when he’d veered off course and driven through a few unsavory neighborhoods, though the danger of Denver’s night streets didn’t touch those of Kabul, particularly if a man was on Khalid’s death roll.

  He scanned the neatly typed list of addresses resting on the rental car’s seat. He’d visited three already. The American woman had told the truth. One house had been burned to the ground. Perhaps the United States wasn’t so different from Afghanistan after all.

  Following the GPS, Farzam drove past a sheriff’s office. He could see the tan vehicles with lights on the roof. All was quiet here now, however.

  Farzam parked across from a bar. Alcohol. He knew about it. He’d been in his share of pubs in the United Kingdom. Not to imbibe of course, but Farzam understood the world. Its dangers and its temptations.

  After a quick scan of the area, he exited the vehicle and strode to the swinging doors of the entrance. He stood in the doorway. Raucous men out of control. Women sidling up to them, flashing their flesh.

  He ignored them, searching for one very particular man.

  Two large men strode in from the back. One of them paused as his gaze crossed Farzam.

  A warrior. He knew that look. Military.

  In a move to conceal his face, Farzam ducked among a large group that had just entered the bar. He peered around the protection for a second glance. The soldier studied the figures surrounding Farzam, suspicious and alert.

 
He’d been seen, however briefly. Time to disappear. Besides, he had the information he wanted. He’d recognized the men from the photos the woman had provided. The soldier and his companion were both obviously Montgomerys, given their similar appearance, but not Zach Montgomery. Where there were two, Farzam might find more.

  Since the men had come from behind the bar, Farzam’s next stop became easy. The back rooms were definitely worth investigating. He slid outside, unnoticed.

  Staying close to the shadows, he walked to the side of the building and worked his way to the rear, making himself as undetectable as possible.

  “Jenna!” a voice shouted into the night.

  Farzam skidded to a halt and sank deeper into the darkness, away from the lights.

  He froze in the night, disbelieving as Zach Montgomery walked out of a house. There he was, the man who had caused Farzam’s sister to lose her pride, her humanity, and finally her life. The man whose very existence had torn Farzam’s son away from him.

  The man Farzam needed to kill.

  He reached for the weapon he’d purchased from a thug on a street corner. Farzam’s hand shook, and he pulled the gun free. The time was here to prove himself a man, avenge his family, and liberate his son from Khalid’s clutches.

  Zach Montgomery walked over to a woman. Gently, reverently, he turned her toward him then pulled her into his arms, holding her close.

  Stunned fury hit Farzam as he stared at the couple. His enemy loved, an emotion Farzam had never expected to see on the face of the man who’d so callously destroyed Farzam’s family. He lifted his weapon and took aim.

  An entrance to the bar opened and a sea of people exited, joking and laughing. They blocked Farzam’s vision. When they headed his way, he lowered his gun to avoid detection. Seconds later, a spotlight illuminated the parking lot, showcasing a basketball hoop. The group set to a fierce game with shouts and catcalls.

  Farzam cursed. He couldn’t gun down Zach here. There were too many witnesses, too many chances to get caught. He couldn’t risk making a mistake or he’d never get home. He needed his prey alone and vulnerable.

  Montgomery tucked the woman to his side and walked her to the door, his touch tender and caring. They disappeared inside the house.

  Farzam gripped the stock of the gun so tightly his fingers went numb. He stalked across the parking lot into the building next door. Struggling against his instinct to rush in after his enemy, he gulped down the rage. He’d bide his time. Soon enough, Zach Montgomery would make himself vulnerable, then Farzam would have everything he wanted.

  His enemy would be no more.

  His son would be returned.

  He would have a new life.

  If the American woman who brought him here kept her promise.

  The screen door closed behind Jenna and Zach, drowning out the whoops and hollers from the basketball game. She sucked in a deep breath. Barbecue smoke and fried food wafted at her from the bar, but instead of making her hungry, the scents just stirred nausea in Jenna’s gut.

  Thankful Seth and Luke had taken off to the bar to give her and Zach a bit of privacy, she stiffened in his arms. “Brad always has a plan. He’ll never just let us go,” she said. The weight of her husband’s skills terrified her. “I won’t let him take Sam. I can’t.”

  Zach turned her in his arms, the warmth of his body encompassing hers, but a chill settled deep in Jenna’s bones.

  “We’ll catch Brad,” Zach said. “He’s making mistakes he never made before. His perfect disguise is slipping.”

  “Perfect,” she spat, rubbing her arms. “I hate that word. Brad wanted his house, me, and Sam to be perfect. We’re not, and Brad doesn’t react well to mistakes.” She touched the cheekbone Brad had bruised the first time he’d hurt her. “I can’t risk my son,” she said.

  “We won’t let Brad near Sam—or you. We know what he wants.”

  Could she place her future in Zach’s hands one more time? She met his strong gaze and took his hand in hers. “What’s your plan?”

  “That’s my girl.” Zach led her into the kitchen and pulled out a chair from the table. As she sat down a knock sounded at the door.

  Seth peeked in. “Do you have a minute?”

  “Yeah, get in here,” Zach said. “We’re going over the mission.”

  Seth and Luke entered, then hesitated just inside the door.

  Zach frowned at them. “Something’s wrong?”

  “What happened?” Jenna rose.

  Luke clutched his phone. “Was Agent Fallon your contact at the FBI?”

  She bit her lip and nodded.

  “I’m sorry. I just received a newsflash. Fallon and his partner,” Luke looked down at the screen on his cell, “an Agent Johansson, were killed in a car accident on I-10 earlier today. No witnesses. Their car was found off the side of the road. It burst into flames.”

  Jenna went numb, and slowly sat again. “It’s Brad.” She closed her eyes. “Even halfway across the country, he can kill someone if he wants to badly enough.”

  Luke laid his phone on the table and placed his hands on the wood tabletop. “That doesn’t mean he can’t be stopped.”

  She kneaded the back of her neck. “How? He destroys everything he touches.”

  Zach knelt between her knees. “Don’t give up, Jenna. You haven’t let him knock you down yet. Don’t do it now.”

  “What’s the point? The evidence is in California. He’ll be calling soon. He’s smart, Zach. He’ll find me wherever I run. Sam will never be safe.”

  “We’ll stop him. Besides, there are always ways. I’ll get Ace to fly us to La Jolla and we’ll get the evidence. We can turn the rest over to the authorities and be back here in a few hours.”

  “What about Sam?”

  “Seth and Luke can guard him. They’ll protect him with their lives.”

  The two men nodded their agreement, but foreboding settled in Jenna’s gut. Every time she let herself hope, the world came crashing down on her.

  Sam’s scream sounded from inside the bedroom. Jenna ran down the hall and slammed open the door. Sam was sitting up in bed, tears streaming down his face.

  “Daddy!” he moaned, his eyes still closed

  Jenna sat next to him and pulled him into her arms.

  “Daddy, don’t hurt her,” Sam shouted, kicking and striking her blindly. Her heart hurt with each pound of his small fists on her arms and chest.

  Zach leaned over Sam and clutched his shoulders. “Wake up, Sam. It’s OK, buddy. We’ve got you.”

  “Zach?” Sam pushed away from Jenna and launched himself at Zach.

  He tugged Sam into his arms. “You’re safe. I’ve got you.”

  The little boy looked at the man holding him and immediately quieted.

  Zach rocked him closely, each movement breaking Jenna’s heart. Gently, she pushed the hair away from her son’s tear-streaked face.

  She had to end this. For Sam. She had to erase Brad from their lives or Sam would never heal. She headed for the kitchen where Luke and Seth huddled in a private conversation. Jenna scanned the table. There, Luke’s phone in plain sight.

  At the edge lay a folder labeled with her name. She grabbed it and slipped the phone under the manila file to hide her actions. With a deep breath she returned to Sam’s room, staring at her terrified son, her heart aching.

  “Jenna,” Zach whispered, cradling Sam in his arms. “Where are you going?”

  “He wants you right now, and I need to take a shower,” she lied. “I…I need some time alone.”

  “Jenna, Sam didn’t mean to hurt you. He just needs to be held right now.”

  “I know, and thank you.” She smiled sadly at Zach and her baby. “As his mother, I know exactly what he needs.”

  “Have I overstepped?” Zach asked.

  “No,” Jenna said. “I just need a few minutes on my own. Please.”

  Zach nodded, his expression brooding while she walked to the bathroom, closed the door, and turned on
the shower. She cradled Luke’s phone in her hands, held her breath, and thumbed through recent calls. When she recognized the California area code she hit redial.

  “That was fast, Montgomery.”

  The sound of her husband’s voice made Jenna shake.

  “I accept your offer, Brad,” Jenna said. “I’ll bring your evidence tonight. Where and when do you want to meet?”

  Brad chuckled. “I knew you’d come through, Jenna. Don’t try to double-cross me or else I’ll take you down with me.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” She clutched the phone and sent up a heartfelt prayer that her plan wouldn’t fail. “If you give up Sam, Brad, you can have whatever you want.”

  She folded her fist at the second knuckle and tensed her hand. To protect her son, she would do anything.

  * * *

  Chapter Fifteen

  * * *

  HOT WATER DOUSED Jenna in the small, utilitarian bathroom. The sheets of heat pounded into her, but she didn’t linger. She couldn’t afford to. Swirling steam cleared her head when she breathed in. She couldn’t believe she’d agreed to meet Brad. She had no more chance of giving him the evidence in the next hour than she had of flying to the moon.

  She slammed down the shower handle, grabbed a towel, and quickly dressed. She peered into the hallway, then skirted into the bedroom. She tossed the phone onto the bed and stared at the device. What had she done? Her legs trembled beneath her. The room felt colder than she remembered. Maybe it was the shower—or the thought of seeing Brad chilled her soul.

  The crickets chirped a mournful song through the window. If she kept her meeting with Brad, she would never live to see her son again. She longed to go to him now, but she knew she’d break down.

  A soft knock sounded at the door. “Jenna,” Zach whispered.

  She fell backward onto the bed, curled her body around the phone, and closed her eyes, feigning sleep.

  A soft snick sounded as the door opened, then silence.

  She focused on making her breathing slow and even.

  A strange tension filled the room. She who had begged him for no more lies now deceived him. Her heart shattered.