3. Playing Dead by Allison Brennan

Author:Allison Brennan [Brennan, Allison]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-08-10T12:13:38+00:00

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Two strong hands rested firmly on her shoulders. She glanced up and saw Mitch behind her. He hadn’t said anything since the Fed walked in, but his stalwart, quiet presence comforted her.

There was too much riding on this. She had to follow up on Frank Lowe and Taverton’s personal papers. She had to talk to Lowe’s former boss in Isleton.

Mitch said, “You need to back down. This is Claire’s home.” He squeezed her shoulders, and she leaned back against him. She was independent to a fault, she knew that, but having Mitch behind her—literally and figuratively—renewed her inner strength.

“Like I told you last night, Mr. Bianchi, aiding and abetting is a—”

“That’s enough!” Dave exclaimed.

Claire frowned at him. “Dave, I—”

“They’re playing you, Claire. Good cop, bad cop. Classic game.”

Claire didn’t know what Dave was talking about, but her head began to pound. “This isn’t a game. This is just the Feds going after my dad. We talked about this, and there’s—”

“No, Claire, it’s more than that.”

Mitch’s hands fell from her shoulders. She almost didn’t register it, until she felt chilled.

Her brain registered the deception before her heart felt it. Then, like a knife cutting through her skin, she bled inside.

She stared at Dave. Everyone was silent. She felt like a child, the last person in the room who still believed in Santa Claus, until his beard was pulled off.

“Agent Donovan, you need to leave,” she said, her voice shaky.

“We’ll talk tomorrow,” Donovan said, stepping back.

“Bianchi?” Dave said.

Mitch didn’t say anything.

“Or should I say Special Agent Bianchi?”

Claire faced Mitch. He stood only a foot behind her. Santa Claus wasn’t real. And neither was Mitch.

When she looked in Mitch’s eyes she knew Dave spoke the truth. The blood drained from her face and her heart emptied, leaving her with a sick, hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“Claire—” Mitch reached out to touch her face.

She turned from him, biting her cheek to keep from yelling or crying or coming out swinging. She wanted to do all three. Instead, she found her voice for one word.

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