Your Eyes Don't Lie

by Branton, Rachel

  She found herself nodding off, so she pulled out her textbooks. She was missing accounting class today, and that meant taking the online daily quiz blind. She’d get some trick questions wrong, but it would be better than not taking it at all. If the professors didn’t feel they had to justify their classes by using trick questions, she wouldn’t need to go to class ever. All the material was in the book.

  They hit Colorado Springs less than four hours later. Nate had slept much of the time but was irritable and ready to leave the car. Lenny had only stopped twice to let him use the restroom, and he needed to go again.

  “I’ve booked you a room here,” Lenny said as they pulled up at a motel. “I’ll be back to pick you up a little after seven. The pickup is at eight, and we’ll want to be in place well before then.”

  “We’ll be in place?”

  He gave her a predatory grin. “I told you I’m not going to let that money out of my sight. Not after the last time.”

  She’d already figured that much, and it would make it hard, but not impossible to grab the money and get herself and Nate away from him.

  “What’s he going to do while we’re there?” Lenny thumbed at the backseat. “I ain’t babysitting.”

  Keeping Nate with him would prevent any subterfuge on her part, but Lenny seemed too stupid to realize that, for which Makay was grateful. “I wouldn’t dream of asking. It’s at a park, right?” That was one thing she could usually count on. Lenny was a creature of habit, and he thought parks were the best place for her to meet his targets—plenty of people about to limit the danger, yet isolated enough that the target would agree to the location. “He’ll play on the swings, if there’s any. If not, he’ll take a book and read under a tree.” As far away from Lenny as possible.

  Lenny didn’t appear to be listening. “The room is under your name,” he said.

  “What about you?” They usually stayed together on out-of-town jobs since Lenny was too cheap to swing for two rooms, and since she planned on taking off with the money and beating him back to Phoenix, she hadn’t worried much about it. But right now she needed to have a private discussion with Nate.

  He shrugged. “My old girlfriend lives here, and I’m hoping we got some catching up to do.”

  “Okay. I don’t want details.” She gathered her belongings and opened the door. “Come on, Nate.” He was already climbing from the car, bringing his toys, books, and blanket with him. She helped shove them into their duffel bag as Lenny drove away.

  “I don’t like him,” Nate said. “His car is cool, but what’s the point of a cool car if you’re stupid?”

  “Don’t say stupid,” Makay said automatically.

  “Why? You do.”

  She sighed. “Come on, let’s go eat some food and rest a bit.” She thought about not checking into the motel at all but decided it would be a better place to make her final arrangements. And even the worst dumps usually had a microwave for the meals she’d brought for her and Nate. If not, she’d go down to the front desk and request use of theirs. It wouldn’t be the first time.

  Twenty minutes later, they were eating their microwaveable meals at a round table in a small room with two queen beds. “Look,” Makay said, “we’re going to a park in a little bit. I have to talk to a man there.”

  “Do I get to play?”

  “For a little while, at least, but when I go talk to him, I want you to stay right where I tell you. I don’t know where that will be yet, but under no circumstances are you to go anywhere with anyone besides me.”

  “Not Lenny?”

  “Especially not Lenny. I’m hoping you won’t be out of my sight at all, but in case you are, you need to stay where I put you. And of course keep away from strangers.” Although given her own history, many of the strangers she’d met in parks had been kinder than her own family.

  “What if Lenny comes by me?”

  “Then you’ll move away from him. Go up in a tree or in one of the swings or something.” She wasn’t really afraid Lenny would do anything to Nate, but she wasn’t willing to risk it. She hated having Nate here at all, but there was no other choice. Not even Lily would be okay with her pulling Nate out of school and dropping him on her for two days. At least not without questions. Besides, having him here meant they could go anywhere quickly if they had to.

  “What’s that?” Nate pointed his fork at the fat envelope she’d taken from her backpack.

  “I’ll show you later, okay? It’s a surprise. Don’t spoil it.” She stuffed the envelope in the smaller section of her backpack where she wouldn’t have to dig for it. What it contained were photocopies of hundred dollar bills. Lenny hadn’t told her how much this pickup was yet, and probably wouldn’t, so she’d stuffed double the usual amount in the envelope—one hundred bills in all. The bills were poorly made, printed on typing paper she’d bought last night after Brette said she could use her printer. No way would the bills stand up to even casual scrutiny, but she hoped it’d be enough to fool Lenny until she could get away from him. Maybe. So many things could go wrong that she felt sick just thinking about it.

  “We may not be going back home in Lenny’s car,” she said to Nate. “If I say to run with me, do it, okay?”

  Nate’s eyes grew wide. “Is he a bad man?”

  What are you doing? She wanted to scream and cry. Call the police. Do something—anything—not to see that frightened look on his face.

  “You don’t have to be scared of him, honey. I just want you to be ready.”

  He nodded. “Okay. I can run fast.”

  “You sure can. Now why don’t you finish eating while I go down to that vending machine we saw, okay? Would you like something there?”

  He shook his head. “I think I’ve had enough sugar today.”

  She laughed. “Okay.”

  After taking the accounting quiz on her laptop using the motel’s free Wi-Fi, Makay forced herself to lie down on one of the beds to rest, but her mind was going a hundred miles an hour. She pulled out her phone to scroll through her texts. She’d turned it off after Harrison had tried to call and text her yesterday, fearing what he might say, but though he’d tried to call twice more, there were no new texts from him. Lily had also called, as well as Tessa and IHOP. Great. I forgot about work. She didn’t listen to the messages, not even Lily’s or Tessa’s, because there was nothing they could do that would help or change her course of action. Later she’d call them, right before she got rid of the phone after she left Arizona.

  Lily had also sent a text that said a little imperiously CALL ME in all caps. But Makay only shook her head. Her eyes caught once again on Harrison’s message: We need to talk. About what? About turning herself in? About how she’d ruined his life? How he’d never accept her as a sister? She’d been so stupid, and she couldn’t blame him in the least. She powered off the phone and closed her eyes.

  A banging on the motel room door jerked Makay awake a short time later. Nate watched her as she opened the door. “Why aren’t you answering your phone?” Lenny pushed his way inside.

  “It’s turned off.”

  “Well, turn it back on.”

  “I forgot to call in to my work. They’re probably angry. They may call again during the pickup.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Waste of your time there anyway. Wish you’d see that. Come on.” He strode from the room.

  Makay swept up her backpack and the duffel bag, making sure everything was inside before leaving the room. Lenny eyed the duffel as they climbed in the Jag. “Why didn’t you leave that stuff back in the room?”

  Because I have no intention of going back there. “I don’t know if there are swings, and Nate may need a blanket.” And of course she’d need the backpack with the recorder and the fake money.

  Lenny heaved an aggrieved sigh. “Whatever.”

  “I take it things didn’t go well with your girlfriend?”

  “Ex-girlfriend,” he corrected. “And they went well enough. Don’t you worry about my
love life.”

  “Oh, it’s the furthest thing from my mind, believe me.”

  They drove to the park in silence, which suited Makay just fine because her mind was intent on her plan. First, she had to retrieve the money from the target, estimate how much there was, and substitute the fake bills for the real money. Before she turned the envelope over to Lenny, she’d rip it open and make a show of counting the fake bills. It’d be tricky, but she thought he was conceited enough to enjoy watching her do it. Then she had to get away with Nate and the real money before Lenny learned the truth. After that, she and Nate would rent a vehicle and drive back to Phoenix for her car and their things before leaving town. Maybe after she gave all the evidence to Harrison, he wouldn’t sic the police on her. Still, it would pay to use cash for a time and keep her head low. Everything hinged on how much cash was in this pickup. Too much and counting it for Lenny would become even more risky. Too little and it wouldn’t last long in her new life.

  The park was only a small one, but it did have an area with swings and slides. Makay was supposed to meet the target on a park bench near some thick shrubbery that was some distance from the playground, and that worried her until she walked by and verified that she could see Nate if she stood up near the bench.

  She pulled him to her. “I’m just going over that way for a bit, and I can see you, so I’ll stand up and look over every now and then. Be ready when I come back here for you.”

  “Okay. Can I go now?” His little body quivered with excitement. There were four other children on the playground even this late on a school day, and they were yelling with enthusiasm.

  “Sure.”

  She watched him approach two of the children and smiled as they all climbed into a small fort that divided into three slides.

  “Remember, I’ll be watching you,” Lenny said, coming up behind her.

  “Lucky you.” She set her duffel on the ground next to a bench. No use in carrying it too far, and the few mothers sitting nearby didn’t appear to be the type to take off with anything. Besides, her wallet and everything really important were in her backpack. She stroked the furry blue monster keychain Nate had given her last year for her birthday—for luck and to keep away the bad guys, he’d said. “How much am I picking up from the mark?”

  “You don’t need to know. You owe me, remember?”

  “Well, am I going to need the duffel bag or will it fit into my pocket? That’s kind of important.”

  “Take your backpack.”

  That meant probably at least ten thousand dollars. That would be enough. If it was more, she’d only take part of it, the part she could replace with the fake money, and it would be that much longer before Lenny discovered the truth.

  She took a step and hesitated. “Aren’t you going to tell me the guy’s name?”

  “Darren Nichols.”

  With another glance at Nate, she walked away from the playground. Stay put, Nate, she thought silently. She looked over her shoulder at Lenny, who was angling away from the playground in another direction, probably with the idea of finding a place where he could watch the pickup. The sun was low on the western horizon, but there was still ample sunlight to get the deal done and make it to the car rental agency before dark.

  Makay scanned the park as she approached the isolated bench between the bushes and a paved jogging trail. No one looked in her direction except a jogger, who breezed past with a strained smile. Makay made it to the bench and peered back over the playground. Nate seemed to be making friends just fine. She sat down and from that position all she saw was the narrow trail that wound past the bench and through the park. There were no more joggers and only an occasional shout from the playground echoed to her ears. It was the kind of peaceful evening she loved spending at the park with Nate, surrounded by other people who didn’t know her well enough to judge her past.

  After three minutes, she checked on Nate again. Did he remember his water was in the duffel bag? She was sure he wouldn’t leave with any strangers because she’d drilled him too often on that one. There was no sign of Lenny anywhere near the playground, so at least he didn’t plan to hold Nate hostage for the money.

  I’ll be out of it soon. The promise was like a beacon, urging her onward.

  Finally the target arrived, striding down the trail with purpose, looking comfortable in tan pants and a blue polo. He was an average-looking man, a bit on the short side, with dark hair, a narrow face, and arms too large for his frame. He looked younger than the fifty years listed in the folder. He sat beside her, a foot away, and put his backpack on the ground next to hers. “Are you Erica?”

  Makay nodded. “You must be Darren Nichols.”

  “Yes. You look older than I expected.”

  He was right, and she’d make it a point to complain to Lenny again about setting her up for deals that were too young for her, if she’d be sticking around. “I’m nineteen, but you already know that.”

  He frowned, his blue eyes troubled. “Look, I’m really sorry, and I’m glad you contacted me. I had no idea that your life had been so tough. You don’t think of that when you sign the papers. You think you’re doing the right thing and that you’re making everyone happy.” He hesitated and looked out over the short grass on the other side of the trail, his jaw working for a silent moment. “I’m glad to help you out,” he said at last. “I feel terrible that I can’t let my wife know about you, but we’ve been through a lot already, and I don’t know if our marriage can take one more blow. We lost three babies, and though the last was ten years ago, it’s been really difficult for her.” He shook his head sadly. “I don’t know what it would do to her if she knew that when we were having trouble I made a baby with someone else. I . . . I’m really sorry. I hope you’ll forgive me. I don’t mind giving you the money. I mean, it was difficult to get, but I will help you out in the future if I can. It’s the least I can do.”

  I can never do this again, Makay thought. This poor man thought he was doing something for his child, making amends in some way, but he wasn’t. His real child was out there somewhere with no knowledge of what was going on with her birth father except the lies Lenny would tell her. This man wasn’t the first to express guilt and remorse, and usually it made her relax, but since learning Sherry Matthew’s story and practically falling for her son, it felt that much more wrong.

  “I won’t need further payment,” she mumbled. She would never tell Lenny about the offer.

  “Look,” the man put his hand inside his jacket pocket, “I brought you something. It’s a picture of you and me at the hospital where you were born, and one of my parents. I thought you’d like them . . . Wait, I must have dropped them back there on my way from the parking lot.” He glanced down the paved trail where it disappeared around a bend near some trees.

  A second parking lot near the beginning of the jogging trail would explain why he hadn’t come from the other side closer to the small playground. Of course, he’d probably want to stay as hidden as possible in case he saw anyone he knew.

  “I’d better go look,” he said as three joggers emerged from the trees. “It was just right there. I put them in my pocket where the trail bends. I don’t want them to get ruined.”

  Makay wanted to tell him to give her the money and forget about the pictures. Normally she would have, even in the face of his guilt, but she was different now. “Okay.”

  He arose. “Come with me. I’ll tell you about them on the way. Your grandparents. And your mother.”

  The first rule Lenny had ever taught her was never to go anywhere with a target. Yet this man wasn’t asking her to go somewhere in his car. He only wanted to find his photographs. It couldn’t hurt walking a few yards with him. Picking up her backpack, Makay stood and glanced over her shoulder at the playground. It would still be in sight for at least a short distance.

  “Your mother was so beautiful. Just like you are,” Nichols said. “You have her eyes. I was an idiot, and I didn’t treat her like I should
have. I hope she’s okay. Have you heard from her?”

  Makay shook her head, her eyes searching out Nate. “Not yet.” He was going down a slide, his face looking blissful.

  Nichols followed her gaze and made a noise in his throat. “I missed that with you, didn’t I? Playgrounds, ice cream cones, birthdays. I’m so sorry. The story of my life.” He started back the way he’d come, looking almost desperately at the ground as if Makay had come for the family history instead of the money. He was so pathetic and needy and what else could she do but help him? Maybe his real birth daughter would be happy to have the photos. Makay knew that she would have loved to see her grandparents holding her as an infant.

  The moment they moved under the trees, she felt a chill as the branches overhead blocked the evening sun. She glanced at Nichols, who was bending over, examining the ground, zigzagging several feet to either side of the paved trail, his plain face flushed with anxiety. Poor man. With his luck, they’d find the photographs with shoe tracks stamped across them.

  Another jogger came around the bend, his gaze flicking over Nichols as he peered at the ground. Makay hesitated at the bend, her eyes wandering over the ground and finding nothing. She wasn’t willing to go further and leave her view of the playground completely behind.

  “Ah, there they are,” Nichols said, looking off to the right of the trail. “Funny, I don’t remember a breeze. But they must have blown over there.”

  “Where? I don’t—” Makay’s words cut off as his hand shoved her forward. She scrambled to stay on her feet, but Nichols pushed her again, harder. She tripped over a small bush and rolled, coming up onto her knees.

  Nichols loomed over her, his face contorted. “Think you’re going to shake me down, do you?” He punched her in the face, and pain burst through her skull. “No one blackmails me, and especially not for a mistake like you. Not my fault if a woman can’t keep her legs shut and decides to drop a litter.” He aimed a kick at her leg, which Makay was too dazed to dodge.