Beautiful White Lies Duet

by K L Clare

  “Ells, thank God. Where are you?”

  “Just landed. Are you close?”

  “Yes, I’m here. I’ll meet you at the gate. But I’m warning you—there’re a lot of people looking for you, including Will.”

  “You spoke to him?”

  “No. I haven’t taken any of their calls. But I was getting worried after so many—”

  “Jess, you know I’m fine. Don’t take the calls. I need to think about how I’ll handle this. Have you learned anything new?”

  “Ben said in his message that he’s with Will and that if I see you, I should be sure to tell you so that you didn’t do anything else stupid. And Detective Parker was at your house this morning.”

  “We’re deplaning now. I’ll see you in a minute.”

  I’d made a mess of things, and I wasn’t sure what, if anything, could be done to clean it up. Everyone would be angry with me, but at some point they needed to realize I had no choice. I had to touch Will, had to feel him touching me to know I hadn’t lost him. It was a desperate desire, and there was no rationalization.

  I called Thomas next.

  “Where the hell are you?” he shouted into the phone.

  “Everything is fine. You found my note?”

  “No, nothing is fine, Ellie. Do you know what you’ve done? Not only have you put yourself in serious danger by running off without anyone to protect you, but you’ve also put me in a very bad position with my brother. He’ll kill me for this, and he should. If anything happens to you—”

  “I’m so sorry. There’s nothing I can say to make you understand.”

  “Where are you? Give me your location, and I’ll come get you. We can still fix this. Tell me where to find you. Please, Ellie.”

  “It’s too late. I’ll see him soon.”

  “Christ. You found him. Why didn’t you just tell me where he was? I could have gone with you.”

  “You mean you didn’t know?”

  “No! He was sure you’d get it from me.”

  “Just landed in Connecticut. I’ll call you again soon.” I hung up.

  Jess was waiting at the security entrance and caught me when I crumpled. She shouldered my weight as we made our way from the terminal to her car. “Come on, Ells. Let’s get you out of here. I won’t lecture you until you feel better.”

  As she merged onto the southbound highway for Stonington, I dropped my face between my legs and retched with punishing force.

  Jess patted me on the back. “We’ll figure this out. We’ll find him.”

  Forty minutes into the ride, I leaned back against the seat and took a sip of water. “Do you still have those guns?” I asked.

  * * *

  Ben stood over the bed and watched me wipe the sleep from my eyes. Jess had called him while I had slept. “Welcome back, sleeping beauty.”

  The sickness was finally subsiding. My body was slow to fire, but my brain was beginning to function as it should. “How long have I been out?”

  “She said it’s been seven hours.” He tapped a message into his phone.

  “Are you texting Will? Why isn’t he here?”

  “He wanted to know the moment you woke. Why do you think he’s not here?”

  “What is he doing?”

  “What do you think he’s doing?”

  “Damn it, Ben. Stop answering my questions with questions.”

  “Just tell her what’s going on. Do you know her at all? Look what she’s done. Tell her or I will tell her,” Jess said.

  Ben glared at me. “Jesus Christ, Ellie. You should be in England. Do you know what you’ve done?”

  I rubbed my temples. “Save the lecture. I’ve heard enough already. Where is Will and what’s going on? You’re supposed to be with him so he’s not alone.”

  “That’s fucking rich coming from you. You flew across the Atlantic alone.”

  “Yes, I screwed up. It’s done and I’m here. Let’s move on.”

  Jess cleared her throat in warning.

  “Jack Lewis and Charles Green are here,” Ben said, glaring at Jess before addressing me. “They’re looking for ways to draw you out. Searching public records, looking for connections to something or someone. They came over as part of a faction of eight to start. Will picked off several before I arrived. He’s watching them now—waiting for the right opportunity to present itself.”

  “Go back to him, Ben. I don’t want him fighting alone.”

  “He ordered me here.”

  “When will I see him?”

  “Gee, he’s a little busy right now. Tracking assassins and all, you know?” His shifting demeanor between anger and insolence was aggravating. And it was unlike him.

  “You don’t have to be unkind. I’m worried about him.” Tears flooded under my lids, but I was stronger. “I love him. Put yourself in my position for a minute.”

  He spent several moments examining the carpet before moving his eyes back to mine. “I’m sorry. You don’t deserve that. This isn’t your fault. I’m worried too, because he’s certifiably mad when it comes to you. And that’s not your fault either. He doesn’t want to lead them to you. That’s the only reason he’s maintaining distance.”

  I accepted his apology with a nod. “Give me a few minutes, and I’ll come downstairs.”

  Rounding the corner into the kitchen after throwing on clean clothes and pulling my hair into a ponytail, I was determined to take charge. It was time I partnered with Will and took control when it was necessary. Being managed by him was one thing, but no longer would I allow his men to order me around. Not even Ben. So long as my directives were sound, the guys needed to respect my wishes. Will’s safety was as important as mine. I would assert my position of strength.

  I made a beeline for Ben. “No one knows Will better or how to anticipate the movement of these assassins like you do. Go back to him. Jess will cover me.”

  Ben straightened his back and raised his brows, but neither of them said a word.

  “Jess, show him your collection. Convince him of your skill. Will needs him in the field.” I grabbed a bottle of water and headed back to the staircase. “Tell him I’m safe and that I love him. I won’t take no for an answer, Ben. Go to him.”

  I didn’t wait for their responses or look back, though a smile hit my lips when I heard their footsteps moving toward her father’s hunting room. My best friend teased Will’s best friend as she unlocked the door. “He may be an earl, but theoretically she outranks him.”

  * * *

  Jessica Johnson knew how to handle a weapon. In order to gain her father’s attention, she had learned to share his enthusiasm for shooting and hunting. Two of the five pairs of mounted antlers on the wall belonged to her.

  I found her alone in the hunting room after I’d showered.

  “Ben’s gone?” I asked.

  “Yeah. Let’s see what happens. He was concerned Will would send him back.” She continued to load a compact pistol and a revolver. “He was out of line. Glad you set him straight. Will might give you a hard time, but no one else should.”

  “Will doesn’t speak to me that way, and if I ask for something, he gives it to me. Oh, don’t get me wrong. He’s moody and he can be a prick, but then he goes to the gym and works it out.”

  One of her robust laughs burst from her gut. “Are you saying the Hulk has been pussy-whipped?”

  I laughed at her laugh. “It’s not that. God, no woman likes that. It’s more of a mutual thing. You’ll just have to wait and see.”

  “So . . .” She cocked her head and lifted a brow. “He taught you to shoot?”

  “Yes, he did, but don’t be upset with me. I need to know how to use a gun now. You know I didn’t have the need when you offered to teach me.”

  “I get it. Everything has changed.”

  “Yes, everything has changed.”

  “Ben said you have a Glock 26 Gen4. That’s illegal over there.”

  “I know. I don’t carry it. He keeps it under lock and key i
n the weapons room.”

  “I can’t believe what I’m hearing, but I like it. Try my Ruger. See how it feels.” She handed me her pistol. “It has a manual safety, not auto like yours.”

  It was about the same size as mine. I tested the sight. “How’s the recoil?”

  “Not bad, but more than your Baby Glock.”

  “Jess, listen. This is . . . well, it’s . . . umm . . .”

  “Whatever it is, Ells, just say it.”

  “Okay.” I nodded. “I need you to understand how dangerous these men are. They can’t be offered the benefit of the doubt. They will kill me without hesitation.” I drew a shaky breath. What would she think of Will? Would she see him differently—would she think of him as a murderer? “All men involved have killed others . . . all men on both sides.”

  “Some kill, some must kill. If the alternative is losing you, I’ll do it myself,” she said without hesitation.

  48

  I stared out the window into the darkness. “Damn you, Will.” He was out there somewhere. I could feel him. He hadn’t called or texted, nor had Ben. No relevant calls had been broadcasted over the Stonington police scanner. Nothing in the newspaper or on television. We listened to the county’s live emergency audio feed but heard nothing of consequence reported. Jess even called her supervisor at the hospital to see if anyone had been brought in with knife or gunshot wounds. Nothing.

  After more than forty-eight hours, I’d had enough. Jess holstered her revolver at her hip, and we headed out into the evening to find my missing warrior. I was unarmed. We’d argued—and she’d won—about me carrying one of her guns without a license.

  Stonington’s night, with its waxing gibbous moon, was ominous and quiet. It didn’t feel quaint and safe like it had in years past. Everything had changed.

  Jess drove past my abandoned house but didn’t stop. I would never step foot inside again. It wasn’t about cowardice to me. It was about moving forward with a new life and leaving the pain of the past behind.

  “Goodbye,” I whispered as she hit the gas.

  “You’re sure?”

  “Quite.”

  “You’re beginning to sound like the British.”

  I smiled. The comment would have pleased Will.

  “That’s a huge rock you’re wearing. You’re sure about that, too?”

  “I’ve never been more certain about anything. He’s everything, Jess. We’re connected on a level I’m not sure others can see, and there are no words to describe it.”

  “It hasn’t been long.”

  “I know. Time’s become extraneous. It feels like we’ve already shared a lifetime.”

  “You’ve been through a lot together.”

  “I belong with him.”

  She nodded but kept her eyes focused on the street.

  My heart twisted. I hated how she still waded in that stupid blue plastic swimming pool, hoping for that one connection to surface each time she stepped in. She deserved more. I wanted her to find the wonderful, obsessive explosion of bliss that I’d found with Will.

  We drove back through town, circled to make one last pass down Water Street, and headed for the town dock.

  “Lissie misses you, Jess. And your superhero movie binges.”

  “I miss her too. Will I see her again?”

  “Come back with me and you will. She loves England. She’ll be grown—and English—before long. She’s picking up the dialect and accent fast from her uncles.”

  “Uncles . . . so it’s true. You’ve confirmed it?”

  “It’s true. I read the paternity results myself.”

  “Really sucks that he’s gone. How nice it would’ve been for her to finally have a father.”

  “We haven’t told her yet that Ethan was her father. I’m so glad she loves Will. You should see how she adores him, loves them all. And they love her. It was the right call, Jess. She has so much more now than I could have given her on my own. She’s safe, loved, and she’ll never want for anything.”

  “What would Will say if I came back with you?”

  “He won’t deny me my best friend.”

  Jess parked in the first lighted area. We stood in the middle of the empty visitors’ lot, searching through the night for movement and sound. Much of Stonington’s pier was built along a peninsula of land covered in asphalt, and it was referred to as the town dock. There were boats and cold-storage units and seafood-processing warehouses. There was also a cultural center used for the arts, meetings, and celebrations.

  “There’s some light out there. Some of the crew must still be here. Maybe they’ve seen him. Let’s go,” I said, longing to walk that pier one more time.

  “You’re sure about the exposure?”

  “You’ve got my back, and I’ve seen you shoot, so I’m good. If you thought you would be worried, you should have let me carry your pistol.”

  Jess narrowed her blue eyes.

  “You do remember what Will looks like?”

  “He’s a bit hard to forget. I won’t shoot him or Ben. Anyone else might be shot first, questioned later. If they live.”

  “Now you sound like Will.”

  “This is serious shit, Ells. I won’t risk someone taking you from me.”

  I righted after stumbling on a warped plank. “Now you really sound like him.”

  “Then I like him already,” she teased.

  As we reached Neptune’s dock, I dragged my fingertips along the port side of her fading emerald-green hull. I’d missed her. Generations of fishermen shared their stories around town about the lost souls of these old boats. Maybe that’s why I loved Neptune so much—we’d each been a lost soul and we’d comforted each other. “You’re still quite beautiful,” I whispered.

  “Shhh . . . listen.” Jess’s flaming hair billowed behind her. “Did you hear that?” She wrapped both hands around the grip of her revolver and held it low but ready.

  I listened but heard nothing. Then my body seized as it released adrenaline into my bloodstream. There it was. The subtle cadence of boots on asphalt. Someone was following us. There was a sudden grating screech. One of the rusty sliding doors on a metal warehouse had been opened. Light poured out, shadowing everything in its path.

  I prompted myself to breathe in, breathe out.

  “Keep your back against the boat,” Jess said, her voice resolute. “Too late to turn back.”

  A creeping shadow crossed the small lot in front of the warehouse, and cold blood rushed through me, its frightened song humming in my ears.

  “Freeze!” Jess aimed her gun at the shadow. “Hands over your head.”

  “I’m unarmed,” the shadow called out, continuing in our direction.

  “Liar. Stop walking and get on your knees. Do it!” She raised her gun higher, and the stout shadow fell to his knees with his hands in the air above his head. “I’m going to approach. If you move a muscle, you’re dead.” Jess then lowered her voice. “Stay there with your back to that boat, Ells.”

  “I told you, I’m unarmed. I lost my piece back there.” The silhouette of his head jerked toward the other warehouses. The voice was familiar, but I couldn’t place it.

  “What’s your name, why are you out here, and who are you with? And, oh, by the way, if you move, I’ll blow your head off without your answers.”

  “There’s some bad shit going on in this town. You should go home, Red.”

  Jess moved closer to our shadowed detainee one slow step at a time. “Detective Parker?” she asked. “Why are you—you’re a cop, for Christ’s sake.”

  My heart crashed against my rib cage. My lungs quivered. Detective Parker, with a murderous hunting knife, had haunted my dreams many times. There were others, but it was his face I saw most often in those nightmares. Each time, he laughed and taunted, touched me in ways too awful for words, and then finally slit my throat.

  I moved closer. I needed to see his face.

  Parker grinned. “Ellie James. So you’re back.” He spoke with
the British accent he’d been concealing effectively. “My mates are going to love this. You should’ve stayed in England, dumb bitch.”

  The disguised pieces that had drifted through my subconscious finally came together and made sense. How stupid that it took so long—the facts had been there. Parker had been posing as a police officer to help the Order get closer to me. He was the enemy.

  Jess looked over her shoulder at me. “Get back against the boat, damn it, Ell—”

  Parker was on his feet in a split second and nailed her in the face with his fist. Her gun flew from her hands and slid along the old wooden planks of the pier as she landed on her back. He climbed on top of her and put a knife to her throat.

  He was going to take her from me.

  I screamed her name.

  Adrenaline flooded my body again, and something I’d never before experienced overwhelmed me. Fight conquered fear. It overrode the usual lockdown that my brain bid. There was someone in my head, but it didn’t sound like me.

  Save her.

  I obeyed, picking up the gun, aiming it at Parker.

  “You will not take her from me.”

  He redirected his attention, his crude eyes meeting mine. “Oh, but I will. Just like I took the young female guardian from you by putting a bullet through her heart. She wasn’t your sister, you know. She was meant to be a decoy, and as it turned out, another ineffective layer of protection. It worked for a while, until the Order grew suspicious and tested her DNA.”

  Words from the old tome Will had given me bashed into my skull: unless his daughter acquires the throne as rightful Queen. It didn’t say one of his daughters, just his daughter. There had only ever been one.

  So many lies. Fury and hatred blasted through me, and my blood boiled with it.

  “She and your grannie were collateral damage,” Parker added. “You’re the one we want. I want. Joining the Order was the only way to get to you, to hurt him. What he and his brother did to my family was—”