Chapter 10
CHAPTER 10
TODAY
O live pulled her knees to her chest as she sat on her window seat and stared outside at the city around her.
In order to sell her cover story, Aegis had provided a furnished apartment in the city for Olive to live in until this assignment was complete.
Sometimes all the details seemed like overkill. But specifics were important. If someone from her work stopped by, she needed to be able to sell the story she was Olive Whiten, a Harvard business major with a 4.0 GPA who’d also worked for several other of the nation’s biggest companies.
As she stared outside at the twinkling lights of the city, she couldn’t get her conversation with Jason out of her mind. What he’d said just didn’t make sense.
Why would her father tell Jason’s mom that Olive was pregnant? Why would Dad demand money in order to keep his silence? She’d always known he was secretive, but was he also deceptive and self-serving?
She wanted to believe his demands were part of some type of assignment he’d been on. But Olive couldn’t imagine any type of case where that kind of lie would be necessary.
Unless maybe he’d used that story as an excuse to cut ties with their Texas community. To give townspeople something to gossip about when her family left town, instead of spiking their curiosity.
Olive had developed a lot of questions about her family over the years, things that didn’t make sense.
Every time any confusion set in, she assumed her bewilderment was because of her father’s job. He had to carry so many secrets as part of his career.
But even with that explanation, there were things that still didn’t make sense.
What Jason had told her was the biggest one of them all.
If her dad had done that to Jason’s mom . . . then that sounded dirty. There was no way Olive could justify his actions.
Was there any reason for her to be okay with what he’d done? None that she could think of.
She glanced at her phone, contemplating her next actions.
There was only one person who might have the answers she needed. But if she asked this person for the truth and he told her, that would mean he’d been lying to her for eight years.
Olive almost didn’t want to know.
But that wasn’t who she was. She didn’t hide from the truth.
She shoved aside her hesitation and dialed his number.
Tom Greer answered on the first ring.
His voice jolted her to the past.
The FBI agent had taken her in when she had nowhere else to go. She’d only had one year until she could live independently as an adult at eighteen. She didn’t want to go into foster care.
After her family’s murder, the FBI had been asked to help. The Bureau had sent out two agents, Tom being one of them.
She and Tom had bonded over the course of the investigation. He’d been kind and patient. He’d offered quiet advice. He’d never seemed like he judged her.
Then Tom had asked Olive if she wanted to stay with him and his family.
Olive had said yes. It seemed better than any of the other alternatives. She had no extended family. Both her parents had been only children, and both sets of her grandparents had passed away before Olive even met them.
She’d never known what it was like to be doted on or adored by a grandparent.
But Tom and his wife, Jill, were kind people. They played by the rules and lived a quiet, simple life.
Olive had learned a lot through them. She’d learned about respect. About commitment. About what a stable life could look like.
For that, she owed them a lot.
Even after she’d graduated and moved out, Tom had continued to be a mentor to her. He knew she worked at Aegis and had even vetted the company for her.
“Ollie,” Tom started, his voice filling with warmth. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you.”
“I hope I’m not calling too late. That new grandbaby of yours isn’t over there and trying to fall asleep right now, is she?”
When she’d gone to live with Tom and Jill, their four children were already out of the house. Olive had gotten to know them—as well as she got to know anyone—and thought they were great. Three were now married with children.
“No, it’s just Jill and me tonight.” Tom paused. “I can tell you have something on your mind. What’s going on? Are you okay?”
Olive hesitated before deciding to dive in. She might as well pull off the Band-Aid and ask him the questions on her mind. “What did my dad do for the FBI?”
He paused again as if her question had taken him by surprise. “You know I can’t tell you that.”
“Is that because he never actually worked for the FBI?”
Another pause. “Ollie, you know your father was a very complicated man.”
“All these years I’ve tried to find out information. I’ve gone back to visit some of the places we lived. But no one has any answers, and I don’t have any relatives to question. But there’s something I’m missing. Don’t tell me I’m wrong. I know I’m not.”
“Ollie . . .”
“What is it? I can handle the truth.”
He paused again. “Where is this all coming from?”
Olive told him about her earlier conversation with Jason.
He let out a soft moan when she finished. “Ollie . . . this isn’t a conversation I want to have with you on the phone.”
“You live five hours away. I don’t want to wait until my current assignment is over to find out the truth. Why are you trying to protect me? Or is it my father’s reputation you’re trying to protect?”
“Are you sure you want the truth?” His question was asked quietly, thoughtfully—and maybe even with some caution.
She didn’t have to think about her answer. “I’m positive. I’ve wanted the truth for years.”
“You have to understand that there are certain things I’m not at liberty to say.”
The suspense was killing her. She’d rather deal with the truth than wrestle with the unknowns. “Tell me, Tom. Please. You’re the only person I truly trust. I hope I haven’t been wrong for all these years.”
“Ollie . . .” Hesitation marred his voice. “The truth is your dad never worked for the FBI.”
Her lungs froze. “What? That’s not what he told me.”
“He wasn’t always truthful.”
Olive’s thoughts continued to race. “How long have you known that? If that’s true, why did you lead me to believe that he did? You never corrected my assumptions.”
“There were rumors that he did work off the books for the FBI. I’ve been trying to uncover the truth myself for many years.”
Her temples began to pound. “You’re confusing me, Tom.”
“Your dad’s background is confusing, to say the least. But I believe your father’s real name was Walter Wiggle.”
“Walter Wiggle?” She practically spit the words out with a disbelieving laugh. “What do you mean that was his real name?”
“Are you sure you want to have this conversation over the phone?”
“I’m positive,” Olive answered quickly and without any doubts.
Tom blew out a breath. “The truth is your father was either an off-the-books government contractor . . . or one of the greatest con artists of all time.”