Shestands up, like she’s too upset to remain seated, and then takes a few steps toward the side of the truck and away from me.Sheturns to face me, fists on her hips, swaying slightly with the movements of the truck. “Whatelse have you been lying to me about?”
“Nothingthat wasn’t required by my job to lie about.Ishouldn’t even be telling you all of this now.Thereare thingsIhaven’t been able to say because they’re classified, and thingsIcouldn’t say to protect you.”
“Toprotect me, huh?That’sa storyI’veheard before.”Shelooks toward the corner of the truck, butIdon’t think she’s looking at anything specifically.Shestays quiet for a long moment, probably working through the implications of allI’vetold her, whileItry to decipher the meaning behind her words.Thenshe meets my eyes again. “Youdon’t have a fiancée waiting for you at home?”
“What?No!”I’moffended for half a second that she’d even thinkImight be a cheater beforeIrealize that it’s because her old boyfriend,Dan, must’ve been cheating on her.Thejerk probably told her that he hid things from her to protect her, too, when he was really trying to protect himself.Nowonder she’s especially upset about lying.Andthe guy had a fiancée at the same time as he was datingMackenzie?IfIever meet him,Imight have some real trouble remaining civil.
“Nogambling problems?Hiddenaddictions?Skeletonsin your closet?”
“No, no, and no.”
“Noteven one dressed up pretty enough that people might not notice that it’s a skeleton?”
“Noskeletons of any kind, whatsoever.Literalor figurative.”Ipause. “Unlessyou count anatidaephobia.”Whenher eyebrows scrunch together,Ishrug and add, “Afear that a duck is watching me.Ihad a traumatic experience as a kid involving a duck and a peanut butter sandwich.ButIdon’t usually tell people about that.”
Shejust stares at me for a moment before a laugh escapes her and she puts a hand over her mouth like she’s attempting to keep it in.Thenshe just looks at me for a moment before she drops some of the tenseness in her shoulders and comes to take a seat again on the chest.Ican tell she’s still angry and a little wary.Iget it.
Shetakes a few long, slow breaths before she asks, “Doyou work for a government agency?”
“Yes,”Isay cautiously, finding myself so concerned about what emotions and thoughts she’s experiencing to be able to come up with a cover story on the fly.OrmaybeIam just unwilling to.
“Wow.Ididn’t think you’d actually answer that.Okay, then, do you try to discover the actions of bad guys?”
Anothercautious “Yes.”
“Soyou’re a spy.”
“I’man intelligence operative or a field operative.Ora covert operative.Nota spy.”
“Jace!”Charliehisses in my ear.
Mackenziefolds her arms and lifts one shoulder in a small shrug. “Ihate to break it to you, but you’re a spy.”
“I’mnot a spy.”
Mackenziestarts humming theMissionImpossibletheme song, andIrun a hand over my forehead and eyes asCharliesays in my ear, “Ican’t believe you just told her.”
Ican’t quite believe it myself.ButI’mthankful that she seems to want to lighten the mood a bit.Hopefully, that means she’ll be willing to forgive me for lying about the thingsIhad to lie about.Thetruck makes another sharp turn, andIput my arms out again to keep us from sliding.
“AreyouCIA?”
“No.”
“Andyou’re not lying to me?”
“Let’smake a deal.Ifthere’s somethingIcan’t tell you,Iwill just say, ‘It’sclassified.’Nolying.”
Shegives a quick nod. “Ilike that plan.Okay… what agency do you work for, then?”
Istay quiet for a moment, and then decide that after telling her so much, what’s the harm in telling a bit more?Wearen’t forbidden to tell anyone— it’s just a very bad idea in virtually every situation. “TheClandestineServicesAgency.TheCSA.”
Ina disbelieving and shocked voice,Charliesays, “Milesis going to freak out.Ledger, too.AndEmersonandBlakeandMom,” andIkind of wishIcould turn my earpiece off for a minute.
“That’snot a real agency,”Mackenziesays.
Ismile. “That’sexactly what we want you to think.”
CHAPTER27
