Randi couldn’t make it back to her room fast enough. She’d known it was a mistake to go anywhere with Wyatt alone. He was dangerous and cunning. More than she’d ever realized. When he’d suggested the hike down the cliff, her life flashed before her eyes. She’d been foolish to even get out of the Jeep. Yet, she’d wanted answers and needed to get close to him to get them.
Now she had no answers and felt guilty for not making any progress. Kevin could tell her what he needed, but acting on it wasn’t easy. Wyatt had his own agenda—to rekindle whatever he’d had with Maggie years ago. The way he looked at her, his voice when he spoke, was all to seduce her. One problem, I’m not Maggie. We have no history. And we have no future.
Randi wasn’t the type of person who could pretend to be interested in someone just to obtain information. The opportunity was there. Wyatt had opened the door, and she could have given in to what he was offering and gained his trust. She could use that to her benefit. Use. That’s such an ugly word. People use people every day. I’m not one of those people.
It wasn’t as though she wouldn’t enjoy what he was offering, because her body reacted as though it’d never been touched before. A simple kiss from him ignited an unexpected desire in her. It took everything to pull away and not melt deep into him, open up, and explore. She wanted to taste him, wanted him to lay her on the grass, and kiss her until she couldn’t remember who she was.
That was the problem. Randi knew all too well who she wasn’t. Wyatt didn’t want her. He wanted Maggie. Who could blame him? She’d been the fun and exciting sister. I was always in her shadow. He would’ve never noticed me if he hadn’t thought I was Maggie.
No matter how sweet his touch and kisses were, the knowledge that he thought she was Maggie hurt like hell.
It made no sense that any of this should come into play. She’d lost count of the many reasons she couldn’t get personally involved with Wyatt. It was good that he seemed angry with her and practically kicked her out of his Jeep. It might be wise if they never saw each other again. Mark and Kevin were two very resourceful individuals. Randi couldn’t believe they needed her to obtain information they couldn’t get themselves.
Randi was just about to call Kevin when her phone beeped announcing a text. Speaking of the devil.
“Found only one picture.”
She opened the photo and saw Maggie lovingly staring into the eyes of Nate. That made no sense. Why would she do that if she was in love with Wyatt? She adored Wyatt. Told me he was the one. No way would she ever have looked at another man, never mind his brother.
Then the pieces started falling into place. Maggie only called him McVeigh. She’d never said which one. When Wyatt approached her so warmly, Randi assumed he was the one. Was it Nate all this time? Kevin had told her Nate lived in Florida. He never said exactly where, but it sure was closer than where Wyatt lived.
Randi needed to know for sure. Not for any reason that Kevin or Mark could ever relate to. This was a sister thing. She wanted to hear the stories from when he was dating Maggie. She wanted to reminisce on happy times with someone who might miss her just as much as she did. If what Maggie told her was true, then Nate was that person.
“Call now!” Randi texted Kevin.
Instantly her phone rang. She wasn’t sure what she was going to ask, but she needed to bounce a few things off someone. Randi wished she had a woman’s perspective. Unfortunately, the only people who knew the truth about her were men. They conveniently were able to remove any emotional aspects to the situation.
“I need everything you can find out about Nate. Past and present.”
“I thought you were looking for information regarding Wyatt,” Kevin said.
“That picture you sent me isn’t Wyatt. It’s his brother Nate.”
“Wow, she got …”
“Don’t.” She could guess he was about to utter a stupid remark. Randi wasn’t going to hear any trash talk about her sister. Just like you would’ve defended me, Sis.
“Easy. I wasn’t about to say whatever you think I was going to. If I did, I’d have to sleep with one eye open for a month ’cause Marina wouldn’t tolerate it,” Kevin said, laughing lightly.
“Sorry. I guess I’m sensitive when it comes to Maggie.”
“She was your sister. You should be protective. Hell, if anyone ever spoke shit about my kid sister, Casey, I’d kick their ass.”
Randi appreciated Kevin trying. He was missing the mark, but it was more than she expected. “Kevin, what I don’t understand is why did Nate go along with Wyatt? I said I was Wyatt’s girlfriend, and he never corrected that. Is it possible that he and Maggie weren’t as close as I believed they were?”
There was a pause on the line, and she knew Kevin was struggling for an answer. That meant he agreed.
“My question would be why Nate was there at all. He wasn’t at the funeral from what you said. So why did he show up later?”
“I don’t know. Wyatt kind of surprised me with that too.”
She could hear the clicking of the keyboard as Kevin did some research. “Looks like he flew in the morning after the funeral. Last minute booking. Also flew back out that same day. What happened when you met him?”
Randi wasn’t really paying much attention to him. At that time she was concerned with Wyatt. Now she realized her mistake. I should’ve been watching them both.
“I guess he was playing the game with his brother. Neither of them really asked me anything too personal that only Maggie would know. Nate easily could’ve brought up something about their time dating, and I would’ve choked. He would’ve known right away something was wrong.”
“Unless, he knew without asking,” Kevin said plainly.
“Kevin, Maggie and I are identical twins.”
“Maybe someone in love can see what no one else can. Just a theory but, damn, it sounds good. Shit, I hope that isn’t a side effect from the vaccine?”
“What isn’t?”
“Thinking like a woman.”
Randi burst out laughing. “The world should be so lucky.” Although she was teasing him, what he said made perfect sense. Nate knew she wasn’t Maggie. That meant Wyatt knew it too. So today when he kissed her, touched her, it had nothing to do with Maggie.
That should’ve made her feel slightly better, but it only brought on an entirely different question. Who do they think I am, and why not say something? It led back to the question of who knew Maggie was in North Carolina in that lab. Maybe it wasn’t Nate, but could it have been Wyatt? Was he angry at Maggie for dumping his brother? He would have inside connections, just like Mark.
She didn’t want to believe either of them could be involved. Nate because he meant everything to Maggie and Wyatt because he . . . just couldn’t have hurt her sister. Not the way I feel when I’m with you. You’re not that type of person.
“Kevin, where is Mark?” Something told her he wasn’t overseas as she’d first thought.
He didn’t answer.
“Do you trust me or not?”
“I can’t tell you where he is. Let’s just say he’s looking for something.”
“Or someone?”
“You need to stay where you are. Be ready to move because, if he’s right, he might need backup he can trust.”
You mean me? “What about his team?”
“Like I said, he’ll need you.”
Randi felt her gut sink. Was Kevin saying Mark was questioning the loyalty of his own team? Certainly, after everything they’d been through together, nothing could break that bond. Yet, she knew someone had informed JT about the safe house and then set up the hit in Providence. And how would they have found where we’d taken Marina? That lab was top secret.
If Mark was questioning who he could trust, he was setting a trap. Why didn’t he tell her? She’d have helped him any way he asked. Maybe because he’s not so sure I can be trusted either. After all, I’ve been lying for six years. And still haven’t told him everything. I wouldn’t trust me either.
“I’m here if you guys need me.” She meant that but wasn’t going to hold her breath, waiting for the call.
“Thanks.”
“Tell Marina I was asking about her. When all the dust settles, and you’ve been cleared for contact again, I’d like to see her.”
Randi had kept her distance from people for so long but had connected with Marina while she was under her protection.
“I’m sure she’d like that too. Remember she’s been locked up here with only me for weeks.”
“Poor woman,” Randi teased. Yet, she wished she had what Marina had. A man who loves me so much, he’d do anything to protect me. She didn’t want him to pick up on her emotions any more than he already had. “Call me when you have what I need on Nate.”
“Roger.”
Putting the phone down on the bed beside her, she closed her eyes and pictured her dear sister. Maggie, what am I supposed to do? I can’t tell Nate that you died. If he loved you so much, I don’t want to see that pain.
Tears streamed down her face as she rolled over and hugged the pillow, burying her face in it. It’s bad enough to see my own.
Wyatt had dropped her off at the hotel and wasn’t going to follow her inside. There was a shitload of stuff he’d wanted to say, but none he could voice. He was pissed off that she could so causally assume Maggie’s identity and not seem to be troubled by it at all.
He did everything he could to get a reaction from her. Even though she was pretending not to want him, her body was telling him she did. I don’t even know who the fuck you are. Yet, he was the one who initiated it.
Now alone, he could finally retrieve the numerous missed calls. They were all from Nate. Not surprising as he’d told him he better keep him up to date with everything he found out. I’m a hard ass like that, but I get results.
Wyatt totally ignored the voice mail and decided to dial Nate directly.
“What did you find?”
“Exactly what I told you in the voice mail. Oh wait, let me guess, you deleted them without listening.”
He didn’t miss the sarcasm in Nate’s voice. That didn’t mean he was going to waste his time addressing it either. Wyatt was filled with discontent on many levels, and he wanted to snap someone’s head off. Even yours, so watch your step.
Wyatt didn’t want to admit she was getting to him. He’d never had an issue with separating business and pleasure. I’m not about to start now.
“Nate, I …”
“Got it. Where do you want me to start? What I found out about what happened in Providence, or what I found out about our impostor?”
He wanted to reach through the phone and pull the information from Nate. He wanted to hear every single thing about her, but he needed to remember why he was in Hawaii in the first place. Johnson. “Talk about the shooting.”
“Well as we suspected, Johnson was there. The DNA confirmed that. A high-level government official obtained all the forensic data and replaced it with their own.”
A sweeper team was rarely used in the US but was very common overseas when needed to cover up a special operation. Still, no official documentation was logged anywhere. Not even a sealed file. That’s not protocol. “How did you get this info?”
“Not being law enforcement has its perks. Bribery doesn’t seem such a dirty word. Of course, you just paid a shit load of money for what I’m about to tell you.”
He had no patience for Nate. Thankfully Nate already knew it.
“Looks like the four guys that were killed were part of a terrorist group that was linked to the two guys killed in Savannah, Georgia a while back. Guess who lives in Savannah?”
“Collins.”
“Bingo. And it seems Mark’s brother, Kevin, was the pilot of the second chopper too. Seems that family is getting around and doing so under the radar of both law enforcement and the US military. How is that possible?”
Wyatt wasn’t sure. It would take someone very high on the chain to give Collins the leeway he’d had. Or he’s working totally outside of the law, and that’s dangerous.
Although both men were well-trained in combat, those odds weren’t in their favor. “Was there anyone else there besides Kevin and Lionel?”
“Two sets of footprints headed in the direction of the first chopper. Both were identified as belonging to women.”
“You think Maggie or whatever her name is, was there?”
“I know it for a fact. My source pulled footage from a celebration the town has each month in Providence. Kevin was there with a woman, her name not yet located. But the one with Lionel was our mystery girl.”
With Lionel? “You mean she was?”
“No. They were acting as a protection detail from what I could tell on the footage. Even Kevin seemed to be on high alert. The only one who didn’t seem tense was the woman with him.”
More pieces to a puzzle but none connected except Mark Collins. “I need to see everything you have. Email it to me.”
“You’ve got it.”
“Now tell me about her.” He made sure his voice was monotone.
“It’s not what you think. Not sure it makes it any better. She’s Maggie’s sister, Mirranda Graham.”
“Her sister?”
“Yes. Identical sister. I did some digging, and Mirranda died in a drowning accident six years ago.”
“So why do you think this is her?”
“I don’t think it. I know it. She is not Maggie. Why she is pretending to be is your job to find out.”
“I need you here.”
“Wyatt, I can do a lot of things, but I’m too close to this. Seeing her is like . . . seeing a ghost. I’ve got your back if you need me, but this is yours to handle.”
He knew he was asking more than he should, especially from family. That didn’t change the fact someone had to confront Mirranda and get some answers. What Nate wasn’t taking into consideration was the connection with Collins. Was Mark aware she wasn’t Maggie? If so, why’d he have her so close to his kid brother? And was she the reason Johnson got killed? Maggie was a Marine. I have no idea what the hell Mirranda is. Besides a liar.
“I’ll get the answers on this side. You find out who was with Kevin. My gut is telling me she is the missing piece to what went down,” Wyatt barked into the phone as though he was back in the Army, addressing his old team.
“Wyatt, don’t be too hard on her.”
“Why?”
“Because if I’m right, the woman who truly died six years ago was Maggie. Mirranda was everything to Maggie. No matter what you think might be going on, she’d never have hurt her sister.”
Wyatt could hear his brother pleading on Mirranda’s behalf. Obviously, Nate’s judgment was clouded by his old feelings for Maggie. It was going to be all on him to figure this shit out. “Just get me the files and let me do my job.”
He hung up the phone, tossed it onto the passenger’s seat, and headed back to the hotel. Before talking to Nate, he’d wanted distance. Now he wanted to look into her eyes and ask some fucking serious questions. You think I made you uncomfortable earlier. Just wait, Mirranda. You haven’t seen anything yet.