Page 54 of Filthy Liar
Cole doesn’t move. “You first.”
I don’t move either.
Jason growls at me, but gestures for Cole to relax. “Listen to her. This is obviously meant to get all of our backs up, and it worked. Let’s go upstairs.”
Wilson protests.
I ignore the sharp pain in my chest at realizing just how easily I was made the bad guy here.
“All of us,” Jason repeats. “Upstairs. Ellie, after you.”
“Oh no,” I drawl. “After you. I insist.”
They file onto the elevator, all except Cole, who insists on taking the stairs.
Heart in my throat, I join them in the elevator. Tag swipes his card, and up we go.
We all go into the boardroom, and I reluctantly set my Sig on the sideboard. Jason does the same with my Glock.
Cole refuses to disarm himself, but at least puts his pistol back in the holster he’d put on when we were “coming in hot”. Ten minutes ago, when I was still on their team and Jason was doing his utmost to protect me.
“Facts as I see them,” Jason starts. “This morning, Ellie and I both independently came to the same conclusion that she is most likely the target of the bad actor in all of this.”
At least he doesn’t see measthe bad actor, which is a relief.
“Last night,” he continues. “When I said, who would want to be out to get us…I should have asked, who would want to get Ellie. So…” He glances at his phone. “Melinda Boyko? Care to start listing your enemies?”
Relief is short-lived.
“Those page scans are a distraction,” I repeat. “I am a journalist.”
Jason kicks the chair beside him. “A lie of omission is still a filthy fucking lie,Melinda. Who the hell were youbeforeyou were a journalist?”
I take a deep breath. “I worked in the foreign service for a few years. That’s how I met Caroline.”
“Is that the first honest thing you’ve ever said to me?”
No. The first honest thing I ever said to him was way back when he thought I was his receptionist, and he fucked me in secret in the kitchenette whenever he had the chance. When I told him I needed him no matter how reckless, no matter how foolish it might be.
I needed him then, anyway. I don’t need him now. I can’t need him now.
I lift my jaw and glare at him.
“And when you worked in the foreign service? Were you trained by the CIA?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you leave the foreign service? That’s good cover.”
“They don’t like loudmouths.” I shrug. “I used the Dissent Channel one too many times.”
“You used the Dissent Channel.” He prowls toward me. “Spoke truth to power. That’s quite brave.”
I laugh. That’s such an idealized way to look at it, and I didn’t expect that kind of naivety from Jason. “Tell that to my career.”
“You were fired?”
“Encouraged to resign. There was no upward momentum for me.”
