by Tara Brown
The End of Lies
The Single Lady Spy Series
Tara Brown
The Single Lady Spy Series
Book Four
The End of Lies
By Tara Brown
Copyright 2018 Tara Brown
This is a work of fiction.
All names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Text Copyright © 2018 Tara Brown.
This work is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This work may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the express written consent of the publisher.
Published by Tara Brown.
Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. No alteration of content is permitted.
Printed in the United States of America.
Cover Art by Dark Tree Designs.
Edited by Andrea Burns.
All rights reserved.
ISBN - 9781726658546
http://TaraBrown22.blogspot.com
Contents
Other books by Tara Brown
Foreword
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Epilogue
The End
This Was Never About Me Anyway
Afterword
Untitled
About the Author
Other books by Tara Brown
The Serendipity Series
Fling Club
He Loves You Not
Blood and Bone
Blood and Bone
Sin and Swoon
Soul and Blade
The Puck Buddies Series
Puck Buddies
Roommates
Bed Buddies
Baby Daddies – coming soon
The Single Lady Spy Series
The End of Me
The End of Games
The End of Tomorrow
The End of Lies
The Lonely Duet
The Lonely
LOST BOY
The Roses
Cursed
Bane
Hyde
Witch
Death
Blackwater
Midnight Coven
Redeemers
Betrayers
The Royals Series
A Royal Pain
A Royal Affair– coming soon
A Royal Wedding– coming soon
Crimson Cove Mysteries
Pretty Girls Die First
The Little Crimson Lies
When The Lights Fade
The Born Series
Born
Born to Fight
Reborn
The Light Series
The Light of the World
The Four Horsemen
The End of Days
The Last City of Men Series
Imaginations
Duplicities
Reparations– coming soon
The Blood Trail Chronicles
Vengeance
Vanquished
Valiant– coming soon
The Seventh Day Series
The Seventh Day
The Last Hour
The Earth’s End– coming soon
Standalone novels
Castaways
My Side
The Long Way Home
First Kiss
Sunder
In the Fading Light
For Love or Money
Lost in La La Land
Erotica
Sinderella
Beauty’s Beast
The Club
This book is dedicated to the Polaris Project. Thank you for being the North Star in the darkest times.
For more information on how you can help end human trafficking and modern slavery visit - https://polarisproject.org
Foreword
Sex assault and human trafficking are not tropes or themes I use lightly or take as a something to fill pages. They are close to my heart and subjects I always try to bring awareness to. I wrote a poem in honor of the victims of such crimes. It’s at the end of the story. Not everyone likes poetry. So I won’t force it on you.
Cheers,
Tara
Prologue
September 2013
The explosion still rang in my head, even when the news had moved on to stories of the crashing markets and the hundreds of vastly important people who had died, casualties that would affect the economy. How would we recover as a world from such losses?
They didn't mention the one name that should’ve been on the list of dead.
A name they wouldn't know.
A name I would never forget.
The rest of the people who had died in the explosion could all burn.
I didn't care.
I was stuck on the one name they failed to say, reliving fractions of memories melding together to create a story, possibly one that hadn’t happened.
Every single image flashed behind my eyes, reminiscences I wasn't sure were accurate. I couldn't trust my brain.
Reliving an entire lifetime, which in reality was only months long, was excruciating. My mind found ways to twist and turn the tiniest of seconds, the quickest of looks, the softest of whispers. It found a way to make him more than he was.
I’d nearly sainted him in his death.
One thing was certain though, he haunted me.
He’d found a way to stay behind, no doubt dodging his date with destiny and the hellfire he’d totally earned.
I’d seen him multiple times, passing a doorway or staring from a window. But like the ghostly vision he was, he vanished by the time I got there.
A teary smile cracked across my face at the thought of him running hell, because of course that was the only way he would endure the heat.
But no, he wasn't there.
He was here.
Haunting me.
Dead and not.
Dead.
Thinking that word felt wrong.
How could something so strong and colossal die?
But he had.
He had died by our hand.
Our bomb.
Our plan.
There was no recovering from this.
The ice in my veins no longer chilled me. The cold was a welcome reprieve to the fiery pain I’d endured.
Two losses in one day, one second, one breath.
There was no recovering from this.
1
Cold hard truths
May 2013
“Ralph!” Jules shouted gleefully. Her footsteps echoed slapping sounds across the huge courtyard of the manor as she rushed to the cat.
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Servario’s manor home was so large I’d lost my children in it three times in the weeks we’d stayed here.
“Uncle Fitz! You got him!” Jules grabbed the cat carrier from Fitz and placed it down roughly, something Ralph would not likely thank her for. She pulled the fluffy animal from the carrier and held him tight. It was the struggle snuggle of his life.
The cat obliged but gave me the warning look; undoubtedly we were counting down to the moment the fur flew and the child cried.
“Okay, let me see him.” I hurried over, taking my chubby cat in my arms and sniffing his fur. “I’ve missed you,” I whispered to him.
“Did you bring Penny too?” Jules asked Fitz about the horse he’d given her.
“No, honey. I couldn't fit her on the plane. But I did make sure she was doing well at the boarding stables. She sends her regards and wishes she were on this journey with us.” Fitz grinned at her but his eyes darted to me, telling me something wasn't right. Something that would need to be discussed privately.
“Why don't you take Ralph in and show him where the food is going to be and set up his litter box?” I handed him to Jules.
“Why do I hafta do it?”
“Because pets are a responsibility, missy. Move it!” I folded my arms and gave the mom look. The one where I arched one eyebrow more than the other and side-glanced silent threats.
“Fine. But this isn’t fair. Mitch never has to do anything.” She stomped off.
“Life’s hard.” I rolled my eyes and headed in the opposite direction, past Fitz, forcing him to turn and walk with me.
“Yes, I can’t imagine being a little kid living with three maids, a groundskeeper, and a butler.” He chuckled.
“I don't know how we will ever go back to normal,” I lamented.
“Evie, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but there is no normal, kid.”
“I’m starting to see that.” I hugged myself tighter. “What was the other thing? The look?”
“Well, our house in Canada has been ransacked. They’re clearly searching for us.”
“God, even Canada isn’t safe?”
“Apparently not. Though the good thing is we’re still undetected in England. No one seems to know we’re here.” Fitz shrugged, satisfied with that.
“Do you think it’s Saransk, and he’s figured out it was me who took down his daughter?” The thought made me want to panic but until we had proof, there was no point.
“I don't know. It’s possible, there could’ve been cameras we didn't find or ways of figuring out it was you who took down the brothel. A mole perhaps.”
“But that’s why we do everything so under the radar. The brothel sting was serious need to know, so any moles wouldn't be able to alert Saransk.”
“Which means we need to get rid of him. ASAP. If it is him, he’s better connected than we were prepared for.” Fitz sounded tired. “I checked in with Coop. He’s busy making it appear as though he’s working a completely different case, trying to lead any moles watching us away. So we might be able to fly under the radar long enough to finish this and end the target on our backs.”
“That’s hopeful.” I didn't want to believe it, but there really was no other option. The choices were: stress out until I couldn't even function, or live with the hand we’d been dealt and hope hiding here at Servario’s mystery mansion was enough. Neither was amazing but it could’ve been worse.
It could always be worse.
If Saransk found out who I was or found my children, it would be much worse.
“I’m going to lie down. Tell your mother I’m back, please.” Fitz leaned in and kissed my cheek, leaving the lingering scent of his aftershave in the soft breeze.
“Will do.” I watched him amble away, wondering how hard it was, being a hidden asset all these years. Fitz, Mom, and Dad had been in the game a lifetime now. I wondered about the cost on the soul and happiness. They did seem rather tired.
Not having the time to ponder that, I turned and went back to the office where Jack currently lived.
Opening the door to the dark room made me cringe.
It was every mother’s worst nightmare.
Weird smells.
Dank odors.
Lack of air circulation.
Sort of like dust, stinky unwashed feet, and a combination of foods at different stages of decay blending to make the smell all teenagers seemed to thrive in. Particularly boys.
Jack’s bloodshot eyes didn't lift from the computer screens, but he nodded his head, acknowledging my arrival. “Evie.”
He was typing faster than I ever thought possible, his gaze flickering between three massive screens.
On the other side of the room, facing him, was a wall of small TVs all flashing images from facial recognition software linked to different CCTV networks he’d connected to. Next to them were three smaller TVs monitoring Coop, our other new job. We watched his back and the activity around him. Everywhere Coop went, facial recognition caught him on camera and patched the information to these TVs. It was like being there for him but not. If it was an emergency, we could get in contact with him. Otherwise, our orders were to wait here for Jack to crack the code on the bots while we came up with a plan for the destruction of the Burrow and the Organization.
Luce glanced up at me, her eyes bloodshot as well. “Oh thank God. My turn to go outside?” She struggled to get out of her chair.
She stood tall, stretching and moaning, her shirt lifting a little to reveal some of her abs. Jack’s eyes and typing paused as he focused on her for a moment, one she didn't notice. His eyes stayed on her stomach, his brow knit, and he gulped. It took a moment before he went back to the rapid typing, but his gaze didn't lock on the computers again. It flickered from them to her.
She was oblivious. Her stare met mine and she grinned. “I’m going for a swim.”
“Tell Mom Fitz is back, please. And take Mitch with you. He needs fresh air. Servario had every new gaming system delivered days ago, and I don't think he’s left the room since.”
“Reminds me of someone else.” Luce eyed Jack whose cheeks flushed in the bright light of the computer screens.
“This is actually my job. It’s not like I’m playing the early release of The Last of Us.” He sounded bitter.
“That’s what Mitch is playing. He can't believe Mom's mystery friend got it a month early for him.”
“Of course he can’t,” Jack seethed.
“Anyway. I’ll be back in a few hours to relieve you.” Luce left the room, closing the door softly.
“Still nothing?” I asked Jack quietly, not wanting Luce to hear.
“She hates me. I don't know how to fix this.”
“Yeah, me either. I’ll keep thinking on it.” I nestled into the warm chair Luce had left me. My eyes narrowed in on Coop sitting at a desk typing, much like Jack was. “Anything exciting happen?” I asked him about Coop.
“Nope. He’s got to be bored. Weeks of updating criminal and political profiles in the database would probably kill me.” His voice trailed off as if he was detached from his thought process. “But I think he needed a couple of weeks away.”
The comment stung just enough to end the conversation, though I wasn't certain that was what Jack intended. He wasn't cruel, he was indifferent, which could also be painful to anyone on the receiving end. I turned back to Coop and started to watch his six.
On the screen he scowled, maybe concentrating, but then his lips lifted into a grin.
Seeing him on a screen was akin to watching a TV show. He was beautiful enough to be an actor.
“He looks good. Happier,” I noted quietly, maybe to myself. It was a vast improvement compared to when his sister died. He was a wreck just weeks ago.
“Yeah, he seems almost back to normal. Been posting jokes to our safe profiles for days. Lighthearted ones too. It’s weird but I’m relieved. I was sure her death would be the end of his sanity.”
“How long is he staying there?�
�� I’d assumed he would be back by now.
“Not sure. He keeps delaying. It was two weeks, then three. Now it’s been a month and he’s delayed again.”
We missed him but watching Coop’s eyes sparkle again as they lifted from the screen, focusing on something out of the camera’s viewpoint, was worth his not being here.
“If our house in Canada was ransacked, what are the odds that it’s Saransk who knows who I am and is hunting for me?” I asked offhandedly.
“Fair to good. There’s always a chance in everything.”
“I need to take out Saransk, sooner than later. We need to start preparing for that.”
“I’ll add it to the list of shit I’m trying to accomplish this week,” he said dryly.
“Smart ass.” I lifted a middle finger into the air and focused on Coop’s smile, noting it had shifted, softening as he stared into the distance. I was just about to change the angle when a female walked into view. She had on black tight-fitting dress pants, ugly square-shaped shoes, a pale blue blouse, and her shiny blonde hair was spun up in a struggle bun. She glimpsed back and smiled at someone behind her.