Buch lesen: «Identity: Undercover»
Max stared at her, his face sad. “I followed you to Australia, Callie. But you’d already left Sydney by the time I got there, and I couldn’t track you after that.”
“You followed me?” Shock held her immobile for several seconds. “Why?” she finally demanded.
“Because there are things I need to know, stuff we have to talk about.” His lips tightened to a thin, angry line at the shake of her head. “What?”
“I don’t want to talk about the past. Not ever again.” She turned away but his words stopped her.
“Well, I do. I need to know the truth, Callie. And you’re going to tell it to me. When I’m satisfied I know everything, then and only then will I send you off with those divorce papers you’re so anxious to file.”
Despite the blazing September sun and the protection of the cabin, Callie felt an icy breeze across her nerves.
Max could never know the truth. Never.
MILLS & BOON
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LOIS RICHER
Sneaking a flashlight under the blankets, hiding in a thicket of Caragana bushes where no one could see, pushing books into socks to take to camp—those are just some of the things Lois Richer freely admits to in her pursuit of the written word. “I’m a bookaholic. I can’t do without stories,” she confesses. “It’s always been that way.”
Lois Richer
Identity:
Undercover
You have seen me tossing and turning through the night. You have collected all my tears and preserved them in a bottle! You have recorded every one in your book…This one thing I know: God is for me!
—Psalms 56:8, 9b
This book is gratefully dedicated to those who
keep our countries safe, who stand at the entrance
of freedom and say, “I will lay down my life to
preserve you.” May we never fail them.
Dear Reader,
Hello there! Welcome back to Finders, Inc.
Secrets are funny things, aren’t they? Some are good—like Christmas secrets. And some can really drag you down, prevent you from living a full, rich life that shows the world your true colors. Callie’s secret forced her to live in fear and shame for many years, until she realized that God had already forgiven her. But that forgiveness wasn’t effective until she finally forgave herself.
I hope you’ll trust the God who loves you with your secret. I pray you’ll dig until you find His perfect peace, His joy unspeakable, His hope for you. Most of all, I pray you’ll experience His love—beyond measure, beyond understanding, beyond description.
Blessings to you, friend.
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
PROLOGUE
This above all—to thine own self be true.
—William Shakespeare
Ten years ago
The courtroom brimmed with reporters, all present to record every sordid detail they could glean about the ambassador’s daughter and her sad little tale.
Callie Merton took a deep breath, forced herself to walk calmly to the front of the room. Marie Antoinette going to the guillotine, that’s who she’d pretend to be.
She took the oath, sat down, faced straight ahead. Using every morsel of control she could scrounge, she answered the questions clearly and concisely, remembering the prosecutor’s advice to keep it short and simple.
“The man who gave you the drugs—do you see him in the courtroom today?”
“Yes.”
“Would you point to that person?”
She lifted her hand, aimed one finger. “That’s him.”
A rumble of whispers rippled through the audience.
“Let the record show that the witness has identified the defendant.”
There were more questions. Lots of them. Horrible, probing questions that left no tawdry point hidden. Clinging to her icy mantle of aloofness, Callie refused to be swayed.
At last she was released. Holding her head high, she stepped down, toward the man she’d accused. Every nerve in her body pulled taut in tense anticipation as she neared the place where he sat, the place she had to pass to get out of this room, away from the prying eyes.
She’d almost passed him when his voice, whisper-soft but brimming with menace, reached her.
“You’ll pay for this. No matter how long it takes, you’ll pay.”
Callie kept walking, down the long aisle, past the photographers with their whirring cameras, out of the building. Fifteen granite steps got her to the street level. From there it was a short dash to her car. Only when she was inside with the doors locked did she fill her lungs with a deep breath.
Then Callie drove as far and as fast as she dared. When she finally stopped running, she was on a ferry that would take her to the city of Victoria, British Columbia.
By then she’d left Marie Antoinette far behind, had turned into someone else, a gutsy young woman who didn’t live in fear but took on the next phase of her life with dignity and pride. One who accepted challenges as a way to prove she’d changed.
But that woman was a charade.
And every so often a voice from the past would whisper through her head reminding her that the real Callie Merton had gone undercover.
ONE
Present Day
“We have a mission for you, Callie.”
The owner of Finders Inc. had a reputation for directness. Callie met Shelby Kincaid-Austen’s scrutiny head-on and forced herself not to flinch at the flicker of compassion she glimpsed in the other woman’s eyes.
“Great. I was hoping you’d have something for me.” Since Shelby didn’t ask about the time she’d taken off, Callie allowed herself to relax just a little.
“I’m assuming you have no preference about location?”
“As long as it’s not Australia again. I’m really tired of the Outback, mate.”
“I’m sorry that one took so long.” Shelby nodded, but her face remained neutral. “I only agreed to assign it to you because you said you needed something that would keep you out of the country for a while.”
Callie noted Shelby’s pause, meant to allow her the opportunity to discuss what had happened to cause that request. Callie remained silent, unmoving. After a moment Shelby shrugged, continued.
“You’re one of the best locators we have so this assignment shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“None of them start out that way.” Callie leaned forward. “What should I know?”
“Finders Inc. has been hired to locate a man named Josiah Harpnell as quickly as we can. He’s the recipient of a substantial legacy. There are certain papers that require his signature—legal technicalities but necessary nonetheless. Though several messages have been forwarded to Mr. Harpnell’s last known address, he has not responded to any of them.”
“Messages—so you didn’t talk to him? I’m guessing that means he has no access to a phone. Any idea where he is now?”
“Alaska.”
“Well, that’s pinpointing it.” Callie grimaced. “From the front burner of the Outback to the freezer of Alaska. What more could a girl want?”
Quite a lot, actually. But since it was highly unlikely she’d ever get back the one thing she longed for, Callie focused on business and Shelby.
“I know it’s not much to go on. It’s a big area and our Intel is sketchy at best.”
“I’m listening.”
Shelby leaned her elbows on her desk, tented her fingers.
“From what we understand, Mr. Harpnell lives in the wilds, off the land—by choice. The last mailing address we had for him is in Ketchikan but his current physical location isn’t certain and you may need to change destinations along the way. If you can be ready in two days, I’ll arrange passage for you. A friend of mine is cruising up the coast and has agreed to take you.”
“Sail?” That was new.
“I’ll explain in a minute but let me say now that your journey north will give us time to update our information. Tomorrow you can visit the estate, learn exactly what’s at stake.”
Late September hardly seemed the time to sail north, though Callie suddenly remembered Max had once said sailing the Inside Passage in the fall was—
Like a shutter she clicked those thoughts out of her mind.
“What else?”
“I can’t tell you much more until research has finished their part. Once you’re in Ketchikan, you’ll be in a better position to decide the next step for yourself. The important thing is to find this man and get his signature on the documents.”
It sounded fairly straightforward. Callie nodded. “Okay, I’ll do it.”
“You may need some kind of cover story. I’d thought perhaps you could start out as if you’re a tourist, maybe an Aussie backpacker. You’ve picked up the accent like a native, better than anyone I’ve ever seen, so you should be able to ask a lot of questions about the area without being suspect.”
“If this Harpnell fellow isn’t there, you want me to keep following the trail, right?”
“It’s urgent that we locate him, Callie, and soon. If something should happen to him before the papers are signed, since he has no legal heir, the government will take over his estate. A lot of historical artifacts in that house will be sold off for a pittance.”
“Okay.”
Shelby stared at the file in her hand, then lifted her gaze to center on Callie.
“Understand that Harpnell doesn’t have to come back. Once the paperwork is in place, he can assign someone to look after things or dispose of them as he wishes. Apparently that’s what his half brother intended. He’s the one who left him the place and everything in it.”
“Is there a Mrs. Harpnell?”
“Josiah was married briefly many years ago but they divorced a year later. She had a child from an earlier marriage but Josiah never adopted him so the child has no legal standing with the courts as far as we know.”
“Okay.” Callie rose, grabbed her bag and headed for the door. “I’ll get down to the briefing room and take a look at the file. The estate info is in it?”
“All the details we have are there. There’s just one more thing.” Shelby’s voice brimmed with warning. “We have reason to believe that someone else knows about this inheritance and that they will make an attempt to somehow acquire it. You could experience some danger. Briefing will relate the problems two other agencies have experienced so far, but I’ll tell you this, there have been several unusual occurrences.”
Callie understood what she meant. Someone was trying to upset the apple cart. Money did that to people.
“That’s why you want your friend to get me up there via sailboat, I’m assuming.”
“Yes.” Shelby nodded, her expression serious. “Ordinarily we’d attempt to get his signature by mail, but that’s already been tried—and failed. Miserably. These problems are the reason we need you to hand carry the necessary documents and bring them back. As a notary you’re licensed to witness Mr. Harpnell’s signature, which will satisfy the legal requirements. That’s another reason why I chose you.”
“Okay.”
“We want those documents back here as soon as possible so we can file them with the court, Callie.”
“Why the rush?” she mused aloud. “There’s no time limit is there?”
Daniel McCullough, CEO of Finders Inc., shoved open Shelby’s door and stepped into the room, his smile huge.
“About time you got back to this country, kiddo.” He wrapped Callie in a bear hug, then tapped the end of her nose before grinning at Shelby. “I heard the last question—let me answer.” He turned back to Callie.
“Before the case was brought to our attention, the lawyers tried several other locators—with no success. In fact, several people were hurt in the process. They came to us because of our reputation for completing every case, and because time is running out. We must have the papers signed within two weeks, or the government becomes the administrator of the estate to dispose of at its discretion.”
“And you don’t think they’re up to it or what?” The inflection in Daniel’s voice told Callie the story was not complete.
“Let us just say we’ve learned that the person who would be handling this estate as the government’s representative has been approached to disperse the historical and very rare artifacts to purchasers who have no interest in preserving our country’s heritage.”
“Not only would that be a great loss,” Shelby added, “but it goes against everything the owner of the estate wanted, and that’s not even mentioning that the money would be wasted. The estate is quite large as you’ll see when you visit it. Management fees would eat it up.”
“Okay, then. Good to know.” Callie turned to leave. “I’ll get to work on Josiah’s background.”
“In a minute.”
The worry threading through Shelby’s voice drew her attention. She faced the other woman, schooling her features to conceal any emotion. She was good at that.
“I’m worried about you, Callie. You’re so thin and pale. You’re sure you want to do this?”
“I’m sure. And I’m fine. See you.” Callie walked out of Shelby’s office and found Daniel had followed her. He matched his step to hers.
“I wouldn’t say you look good, Callie, but you look better than the last time you were in.”
“So do you.” She tilted her head, winked. “Three months of marriage must agree with you. I hear Samantha turned down a promotion. She’s got to be really happy being your wife to willingly give up her dream job.”
“I hope she’s happy.” Daniel’s cheeks darkened in embarrassment. “But turning down that promotion was totally her choice. I won’t say I’m not glad, though. We never expected to start a family so soon after we married—we especially didn’t expect to parent twins—but we’re both glad about it.”
“Twins?” Callie grinned, delighted that the couple had been so blessed, though a little hidden nerve in her heart renewed its persistent throb.
“Sam says she’s had enough fieldwork for a while. She comes into the office to help with training but that will probably end in a few months. She’s already finding the pregnancy very tiring.” He paused, stopped Callie from entering the elevator by placing his hand on her wrist. His eyes darkened, grew sad. “I’m sorry if I’m hurting you by telling you this, Callie.”
“Of course you’re not hurting me. I’m happy for you both.” She smiled to show she meant it, shielding the ache she was afraid would never go away.
“Thank you.” But the question remained in his eyes.
“Look, Daniel, things happen, change. That’s the way life is. I really am happy for both of you.” She met his stare and held it, knowing he’d see beyond her mask if she let him. “Bad things happened, but I have to get on with living. This case will give me the perfect opportunity to start over.”
“I guess. If that’s what you want.” His amber eyes peered through the black-rimmed glasses, a reprimand lurking in their depths. “You do know Max has contacted me. Several times. I told him what you said, but I felt like a heel doing it.” He touched her arm. “You have to talk to him yourself, Callie.”
“We did talk. Too much.” She shook her head. “I don’t have anything to say that Max Chambers wants to hear. Anyway, it’s too late for talking. The past is over, finished.”
“Who are you trying to convince, sweetie? Me, or you?” Daniel bent, brushed her cheek with a brotherly kiss. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Keep depending on God. He’ll work it out.”
“Yeah.” Like God had done so much for her already. Callie reached up and hugged him. “That’s for you to pass on to Sam. Tell her—tell her to take care. And that I love her.”
“I will.” He stood watching as she stepped into the elevator, a frown disturbing his handsome features.
Well, why wouldn’t he frown? He and Max had been good friends. And she’d come between them.
Memories of that painful era threatened to burst through Callie’s fragile defenses and explode her thinly held self-control. Her defenses weren’t quite as strong as she wanted. Yet.
Determined no one would see her weaken, she stepped out of the elevator and slipped into a nearby ladies’ room where she splashed cold water on her face until she’d regained her composure. Once she was centered and in control again she made her way to the briefing room.
After absorbing a minutiae of details about Josiah Harpnell, Callie glanced up from her file, found Daniel lounging in the doorway, watching her.
“Well?”
“About what I expected. The estate is massive. Less detail on Josiah than usual, but then this case is different for Finders Inc., isn’t it?”
“Every case is different, but we usually have more to go on than what we’ve been able to give you.” He sank down onto a stool opposite her. “Callie, I have to tell Max something. He’s just called again, desperate to get in touch with you.”
And she knew exactly why.
“Maybe you don’t believe me but he’s out of his mind with worry, Callie. He cares about you.”
She couldn’t say anything, simply sat staring at her hands, waiting.
“He’s my friend, honey. Max is the closest thing I’ve had to a brother since Grant died.” His voice begged her to reconsider. “I can’t be your go-between anymore. I’ve got to tell him the truth. The two of you need to talk this out.”
Daniel didn’t know it but there was nothing for them to talk about. He wouldn’t understand that Max was only trying to do the right thing, to adhere to those principles he clung to so strongly. Daniel wouldn’t understand that she couldn’t bear to go back, to look into those eyes and see what lay there—the condemnation he never spoke of.
“Please, Callie. Just see him, let him know you’re all right.”
It was unavoidable and she knew it. The one last thing she had to do before the past was finally over, irrevocably finished.
“When do I ship out?” she whispered.
“Day after tomorrow, 7:00 a.m.”
“Fine. I’ll check out Josiah Harpnell’s estate tomorrow. You tell Max I’ll meet him at the Harbor Café at six-thirty the following morning.”
“I’ll tell him right away.” Daniel’s face beamed. “Thank you, Callie. I promise you won’t regret it.” He rose, turned to leave.
“There’s just one catch.”
Daniel froze, twisted to stare at her, a frown marring his thin face.
“After that it’s over. No more phone calls, no more contacting you about me, nothing.”
Daniel opened his mouth to protest but Callie held up a hand.
“I appreciate all you’ve tried to do, Daniel, but my marriage to Max is over. Those are my terms. If he’s there, I’ll know he accepts them. If he’s not, fine. The choice is up to him.”
While Daniel was still speechless, she gathered up her things, shoved them into her backpack and left the room, the building, to return to the small bleak square that now served as home base.
It was a good thing Shelby had assigned this mission. Otherwise Callie knew there would be little point to the rest of her life.
Someone was watching her.
Callie could feel the burn right through her windbreaker to the back of her neck. But no matter how closely she scrutinized the area, it was impossible to see exactly who it was.
The same thing had happened the day before when she’d visited the estate Josiah would inherit. Whoever it was knew how to keep a low profile.
Truthfully, she’d expected someone to take an interest in her appearance there. Finders already knew someone didn’t want Josiah gaining control of the estate. What they didn’t know was why.
But she’d find out. She always did. And maybe in the meantime she’d discover why they had followed her.
Callie glanced at her watch for the thousandth time and finally admitted what her brain didn’t want to accept.
Max wasn’t coming.
The knowledge burned a hole straight to her heart, but she ignored the pain, paid for her coffee and left the restaurant. As she rounded the corner and moved toward the craft that would transport her to Ketchikan, she had to sidestep a crowd.
Callie wove her way among the group of curious bystanders and fought to get a better look through the throng of shoulders and heads. What she saw made her gasp: four trim, elegant offshore cruisers still tied to the dock lay listing to the west, badly damaged and taking on water faster than it could be bailed out.
“What happened?” she asked the person beside her.
“Problems with the ferry,” he said. “Should never have come near those boats. Must have been something mechanical that made it veer so close. The captain did some very snappy maneuvering to get it docked but not before it scraped those four beauties. The repair bills are going to be astronomical.”
He was right. Even from this distance she could see that repairs to The Marguerite, her ride, were going to take a lot longer than a few hours. Farther down the dock one of the B.C. ferries lay battered and bruised, but securely tied in place.
Callie pulled out her cell phone to tell Shelby she was going to take the ferry to Ketchikan, but paused in the middle of dialing as she caught a fragment of the conversation nearby.
“The ferry’s out of service till the investigation’s complete,” she heard someone behind her grumble. “They say they can’t get a replacement here till late tonight.”
Callie snapped her phone closed, walked away from the mess as she tried to figure out her next move.
“Callie?”
It wasn’t the hand on her arm that made her freeze, it was the voice. Totally devoid of all the assurance Max Chambers’s firm tones had once boasted, his low utterance now sounded hesitant, unsure, as if he was afraid to talk to her. She turned, faced him, and wondered if it had been his eyes she’d felt watching her.
“You’re late.”
It wasn’t the best thing she could have said, but Callie was furious that he’d shown up now, after she’d shoved away hope and the past and begun to concentrate on her job.
“I’m sorry. There’s road construction everywhere. I got caught in a detour. I couldn’t help it.” His eyes—shimmers of dark green with flecks of seafoam, held hers for just an instant before he took in the scene. “What happened here?”
“A ferry hit some boats.” She moved her arm so his hand fell away. “I can’t talk to you now, Max. I’m on assignment. I’ve got to get up north.” She turned away, checked with operations at Finders, learned that flights into Ketchikan were sold out. Now what?
“Wherever you’re going, Callie, I’ll take you.”
“I’m sure you’ve got to go to work.”
“Nope.” He shook his head, his smile faintly mocking. “I sold the business, remember?”
“You sold Chambers and Son?” She could hardly believe it. “But it was the family business. It was your dream.”
He shook his head. “It was never mine. For a while I thought it was my job to keep the family business going but eventually Dad convinced me I needed to live my own dream.”
“Doing what?”
“Designing boats.” He grinned at her. “In a way I was already doing that, suggesting alterations and special orders for the clients. Now I plan it all into the original design. My design. Somebody else builds them.”
“Oh. I didn’t know.” This was a side of him she’d never seen. He looked at peace about his decision, relaxed, but in a different way than he’d looked at the publicity launches of his company’s sailboats. “I—I’ve been away.”
“I know. I’ve tried to reach you a hundred times to talk to you.” His face tightened. “I didn’t expect that when you finally contacted me it would be with divorce papers.”
Trust Max to get to the root of the problem without wasting time.
“We both know it’s over. Why prolong things? I spent a lot of time thinking about us on my last assignment.” She faced him, chin thrust out, shoulders back. “I’m not what you need or want, Max. I never liked posing for the cameras, being your photo-op partner. I ruin things, spoil your image. You yourself said I was bad for business.”
He winced at the reminder.
“I was mad. That hull cost—no!” He bit his lip, shook his head. “No. I’m not doing this again, Callie. I promised myself that when I finally got to talk to you it would not be about the past. Whatever was, was. We can’t change it. I’m more interested in the future.”
“We don’t have a future. That’s why I had those papers sent.” She glanced at her watch, grimaced. “This isn’t the place nor the time. I’ve got to find some way to get out of here.”
“I told you, I’ll take you.” He pushed his hands into the pockets of his perfectly pressed khaki pants. His white shirt lay open at the throat, displaying his tanned neck. Max was always tanned. He wore his navy jacket half-zipped in that usual carelessly elegant way that suited him so well. The hesitancy she’d thought she’d glimpsed at first was gone now. Everything about him screamed self-assured confidence.
Beside him Callie felt as she always had—underdressed, out of place, a mess. “You don’t know where I’m going,” she blurted out.
“Somewhere north,” he guessed. “I always sail north in the fall. You know that. I’ll drop you wherever you need to be.”
She said nothing, silently calculating her options—which took about two seconds.
“I’ll have to okay it with Daniel,” she told him.
Maybe she could ask for a replacement while she was at it, because she did not, under any circumstances, want to be stuck for hours on end, on a sailboat with Max Chambers—even one as deluxe as his Freedom. It was too dangerous.
“Finders doesn’t like exceptions to the rules. Daniel may not go for it.”
“I think he’ll approve of this.”
Implying that Max was the exception to Daniel’s rules. Hadn’t he always been?
“Go ahead. I’ll wait.”
Callie dialed, explained the situation, then cut short Daniel’s expressions of delight that she and Max would have time to talk on the voyage north.
“I’m just accepting passage,” she told him in a whisper. “There’s nothing more to it.” She clicked the phone closed.
If Max heard her, he gave no sign, simply stood waiting, watching.
“I supposed Freedom’s berthed in the usual place?” she asked, wishing they didn’t have to waste time driving to his marina.
“Freedom’s in dry dock. Repairs,” he said, answering her question before she could ask it. He pointed to a slip several hundred feet in the opposite direction. “That’s Hope. She’s fully loaded and ready for passage, if you are. I moor her here because it’s nearer the condo.”
That condo—it had been at the core of many of their disputes. Callie wanted to ask him what had happened to the house—the beautiful house she’d once called home, but she didn’t dare. The memories were too raw.
“Is there anything you need to do before we leave?” Max asked politely as they walked toward the sparkling white craft.
“No. I’m ready to go.” She followed him to the boat, waited while he boarded, then handed over her backpack before stepping onto the glossy deck.
“Welcome aboard.”
“She’s very beautiful, Max,” she murmured, taking in the highly polished wood, the lazy loungers, a table and chairs at the bow where two could share dinner under the stars. “When did you get her?”
“She was finished a month ago.” He began preparations for casting off. “Entirely my design.”
Callie had sailed with him enough to know the procedures but she’d never been any good at figuring out what he wanted her to do next so she sat at the front and waited for instructions.
None came. He probably figured she’d mess up or worse, ruin his perfect creation. That’s what Max loved most—perfection. It was also what she’d never been able to achieve.
While she sat remembering past days she’d spent sailing with him, the boat slipped from its berth and moved out of the harbor. The motor picked up speed as they began gliding over the water, following the coastline in an in-and-out pattern that Callie didn’t understand. But she had full confidence in Max. He’d grown up exploring these waters and even though the sails on this boat remained tied down, she knew he’d be gauging the wind, the current, the tides, choosing the perfect path to get them on their way.
Suddenly she realized that she hadn’t told him their destination. Callie rose, gingerly made her way up to the captain’s deck where Max stood, the wind dragging the walnut-colored strands of his hair off his face. His joy in the day was apparent.
“We’re heading for Ketchikan,” she told him.
“I know. Daniel told me.”
She couldn’t believe it.
“I forced it out of him when I talked to him yesterday,” Max admitted. “I couldn’t take not knowing anymore.”
“Why should you know?” Anger, icy and hot at the same time, rolled through her. “This is my job. I don’t know everything about your life.”
“You could. I’d gladly tell you anything you want to know if you’d ever ask.” He stared at her, his face sad. “I followed you to Australia, Callie. But you’d already left Sydney by the time I got there and I couldn’t track you after that.”
“You followed me?” Shock held her immobile for several seconds. “Why?” she finally demanded.
“Because there are things I need to know, stuff we have to talk about.” His lips tightened to a thin, angry line at the shake of her head. “What?”
“I don’t want to talk about the past, Max. Not ever again.” She turned away but his words stopped her.
“Well I do. And for as long as I’ve got you on my boat, we’re going to talk about it. I need to know the truth, Callie. And you’re going to tell it to me. When I’m satisfied I know everything, then and only then will I send you off with those divorce papers you’re so anxious to file.”
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