Behind the Lies (Montgomery Justice #2)(76)

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.