Chapter Twenty-Nine
“Okay, time's up. We've got a shift change coming up, and you can't be here when that happens. No matter who you sweet-talked to get in here.”
That was guard number two. Holding open the door and barking the order at Beck, who looked like he was about to argue. And I wasn't sure if I wanted him to or not.
He must have thought better of arguing though as he slowly got to his feet. A curt nod in the direction of Mr Muscles, then he turned back to me.
“Think about what I've told you, Kimberly. I'll give you some time to think things through while I take care of some stuff, but then I'll be back. And we can talk. Okay?”
Staring up at him I nodded. Then watched him stride out of the room.
“You okay?”
My gaze flicked to Mr Muscles to check that he was in fact, speaking to me. His usual glare had been replaced with a look of almost concern. He was human after all then, I thought with a smirk. “Fine. Thanks.”
The door swung closed behind him and I slumped back against the chair. Beck wasn't married. And that was a lot of information he'd given me in a short space of time. But that was the piece that kept popping back into my head.
Beck wasn't married.
The relief of knowing that I hadn't slept with a married man was like a tidal wave. So, maybe he hadn't been a hundred percent honest with me. But like he'd said, he'd told me as much of the truth as he could.
Glancing at the empty tabletop, the image of his ID flashed through my mind's eye. If he worked for the government, then what exactly was he doing working at Cooper Garson? The only thing I could think was that he was undercover there, but why? Sitting at the kitchen table trying to make sense of everything Beck had told me, the murmur of voices from my guards grew louder. The door swung open and the woman I never thought I'd see again walked in.
“Mind if I join you?”
I shook my head as words escaped me. Not his wife, I reminded myself. Yet I still squirmed in my seat as she gracefully slipped into the chair Beck had vacated not ten minutes before.
“Sorry about the other night,” she said, as she scrutinised me.
Already uncomfortable in her presence, I wasn't sure how to reply so I just shrugged. And I didn't know why she was there. She smiled.
“It must have been quite a shock to think that Beck was married.”
My lips twisted to one side. “Yeah, you could say that.” She laughed and my eyebrows lifted.
“Sorry,” she said, holding a palm out towards me. “It's just the idea of me being married to Beck. I love the man like a brother, but he drives me bat shit crazy. Is driving me crazy with how many times he's mentioned you lately.”
I bristled at her words. Was she jealous?
“Don't get me wrong. I'm glad he's found someone…I'd rather not have to hear about it every time I see him, that's all.”
Beck talked about me? And with that thought, my shoulders dropped and I released the death grip my hands had on each other.
“It's been a long time since I've seen him this happy. He told you what happened…with his wife?”
What?
“I mean his widow. God, sorry that came out wrong. She died. Was killed and I'm sure Beck still blames himself for it.”
Once you're not at the office, it will be easier. I know our situation is complicated, but I'm trying to make it simple. The words Beck uttered and had me so confused over that morning when he talked about waiting made more sense. “How long ago?” Her gaze shifted to the ceiling.
“Almost six years ago now. It was before he joined us. He was still a copper then. Some nut job wanting payback for Beck putting him away.” Her gaze dropped to my face. “Don't worry. It's different now. And he'd never let anything happen to you.”
Because he worked undercover? “What is he undercover to do?” Her head tilted tumbling a strand of her dark fringe over one eye.
“He didn't tell you?”
I shook my head. “We had…other things to discuss.”
“He's on the case you nearly blew for us.”
What did I do? I opened my mouth but she didn't give me a chance to say anything.
“Your supervisor, Tony,” she sneered his name, “is involved in a money-laundering scam. But we're not after him. We want the boss behind the operation. Tony's just a small fish. But thanks to your call to Period Pieces you spooked them. Almost blew the whole case. And scared the crap out of Beck.” She glanced around.
I did the same, taking in the beige walls and pine cupboards. God, this place was depressing. Remembering how Beck had reacted when I told him about the phone call I'd made, I took a pained breath and closed my eyes. How was I supposed to know an innocent phone call would cause him so much trouble? Had I blown the case for them? Is that what Beck was off sorting out?
“Why did you think you ended up here?”
Her question brought me back to the dingy kitchen and I opened my eyes.
“We were meeting with them that evening at the restaurant. I thought Beck was going to have a heart attack when you showed up that night. Saved him having to get you out of there when you ran off though. Wasn't the best night.”
My eyes widened at that understatement. “Yeah. It was a real laugh a minute for me too.”
She gave me a half-hearted shrug. “I guess not. But here we are. And here you'll stay until the case is closed. And here I'll stay until the next shift takes over.”
Oh, my God. I could be here for months. “How long will that take?”
She shrugged again. “Hopefully not much longer.”
“Am I going to have to go into witness protection?” She snorted and I was glad one of us could find the situation amusing because I sure as hell didn't.
“You've been watching too many TV dramas. As far as Tony is aware, you know nothing. Just a temp who phoned in sick and won't be going back. And the guy you spoke to knows even less about you. Doesn't even know what you look like after your disappearing act at the restaurant. And the guy behind it all—the one we're after—doesn't even know you exist. You'll be fine. This…” She twirled a hand around the room. “This is Beck being overprotective and calling in a few favours. I get it. This is scary for you, but we're here to look after you. But believe me, if you hurt Beck…”
She didn't need to finish off her sentence. The glare she aimed at me said it all. But she tapped a finger on the table, staring at me until I nodded. Message received. Loud and clear. Flattening her palms on the table, she pushed herself up from the chair and stalked out of the kitchen.
When the door closed behind her, I slumped in my chair. When had my life become such a fuck up? Leaning forward, I rested my forehead on the cool wood. Elbows by my ears I crossed my arms over my head.
***
As I lay in bed that night, surrounded by the quiet and the dark, that question kept me awake. When had my life gone to shit? After my parents had died? No. It had been bad, but I'd been coping.
The day I found that birth certificate. Everything had changed after I'd found it. I hadn't even doubted for a second that it might be wrong. Two seconds to read the father's name and I'd questioned everything Vinnie had ever been to me.
Part of me wondered if I'd so easily believed Vinnie wasn't my biological dad just so I could find that man…So I would still have one parent alive. Even if I didn't know him. And how stupid was that?
Had doubted my mum. God…if she'd still been alive when I'd found it. I shuddered at the thought. And Beck. That moment on the plane—when he'd comforted me even though he didn't know me—I'd trusted him. Yet doubted him as soon as I'd been introduced to him at the office as Kyle. Jumped straight to the conclusion he was “cheating” on me when I saw him at the restaurant. And when Kath was introduced as Beck's wife? Okay, that one most people would have questioned when said wife was standing right in front of them not disputing it.
Trust was such an important issue to me yet…I hadn't trusted my family. Beck. Myself. I didn't trust myself. Rolling onto my side, I thumped the pillow. “Ugh. God.”
Didn't trust what was before my own eyes could be true. And I didn't know why. Had I been that way before I found the birth certificate? No, I didn't think so. Definitely not before my parents had died. I closed my eyes as they prickled with unshed tears. I'd got myself into this mess, so I refused to cry.
And once I escaped this house, it was about time I got myself out of it.