Chapter 12 #3
“Fair. But then it was late. You were asleep. I didn’t want to—”
“You didn’t want to face the consequences,” Daphne said.
“No. I didn’t. Because I knew that…that you’d react like this.”
She blinked at him. “This is my fault?”
“No—but—Daphne, can’t see you, even for a moment, that maybe there is a little gray here? That maybe this world isn’t black and white—”
“Oh no. You’re pulling a James Reece on me. You’re trying to justify—”
“No.” But his hand went around the back of his neck. “Just…maybe, okay? Maybe you have to do bad things for the sake of good—”
“No. No. Never.”
He flinched. Then nodded. “Okay. Yeah. I understand. Rules keep us safe.”
“Yes,” she said. “They do.”
“And that’s why I didn’t tell you. Because…I didn’t want to lose you.”
The words hung there. Raw. Honest. Too late.
“Yeah, well, you never had me,” Daphne said quietly. “Because I fell for a lie.”
He sighed. “Not a lie. Just…not the whole truth.”
She pursed her lips and nodded.
“Daphne. Everything else was real.” Asher’s voice was desperate now. Urgent. “The coffee. The mornings. The—everything except the cover story was real. I wasn’t lying about how I felt. About caring about you. About—”
“Stop.” Daphne’s voice cracked. Shoot, she might be about to cry. “Just stop.”
She headed toward the door.
“Daphne, please—”
She ignored him. Just headed for the stairs. Willed herself not to run.
But yeah, she took the steps two at a time. Bypassed the bedroom where Destiny slept and headed straight for the bathroom.
Nearly slammed the door, shaking.
Everything else was real.
She wanted to put her hands over her ears, like she might be twelve.
Instead, she picked up her phone, still shaking.
Three rings. Then, “Kumar.”
“He lied.”
“Daphne?”
“Agent Morrison is the mole. And I didn’t see it.”
“What happened?”
She drew in a breath. Turned to look out the window, at the mountains, at Asher’s beautiful ranch.
It occurred to her that she didn’t know him at all, really. “He’s been undercover this entire time—”
“We knew that—”
“No. Not just running informants. Undercover. Part of the syndicate operation. Giving them tips. He told them the date of Martha’s trial. The transfer details came from the mole.”
Silence. Then, “Explain.”
So Daphne did. Told Caroline everything. About Asher’s undercover operation. About Patterson knowing and not telling her. About the safe-house breaches and the staged death and Roger potentially trying to contact Draven, except not Roger but Asher.
She kept it professional. Just reported the facts.
But Caroline heard it anyway. Heard the pain underneath.
“I’m pulling you out,” Caroline said. Voice firm. “This operation was compromised from the start. Patterson should have disclosed the undercover status. This is unacceptable.”
Daphne sank onto the edge of the tub. “I’m not leaving the witnesses. Not until they’re safe.”
“When’s the trial?”
“Four days. In four days, I need you solid.”
“Right. Okay. I’ll send Dani Kim and a team for backup. Give me a couple hours. Can you hold position until then?”
“Yes.”
“And Morrison?”
Daphne’s jaw clenched. “What about him?”
“Can you work with him?”
“I’m not letting him out of my sight until this is over.
Not for one second. He’s compromised. He’s potentially a security risk.
And I don’t trust him. But…” She sighed.
“He did risk his life, more than once, to protect…Destiny and Roger.” And her, but she wouldn’t say it.
“So, yes, I think he’ll stay the course. ”
Oh no, she might be at it again. Wanting to trust him more than she should.
“Okay,” Caroline said. And then her voice softened, just slightly. “Help is on the way. I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have been put in this position. Patterson will be dealt with. Morrison will be dealt with. And you—you did the right thing calling me.”
“Thank you.”
Daphne hung up. Stared at the phone.
Two hours. She could survive two hours.
And in four days, this would be over. Roger and Destiny would testify. The case would close. She’d go back to her life.
And Asher Morrison would become just another person who’d proven trust was a luxury she couldn’t afford.
Daphne wiped her eyes. Straightened her shoulders. Pulled herself together.
Then she took out her weapon, checked the magazine. Listened to the metallic click-click-click as she pressed each round down with her thumb. Chambered a round.
She opened the door. Went downstairs.
Asher was in the kitchen, standing where she’d left him.
She walked past him. Didn’t look at him. Didn’t speak. She headed to the living room. Asher appeared in the doorway. “Daph—”
“Don’t.” She shook her head. “Don’t talk to me. Don’t explain. Don’t apologize. Just—don’t.” She finally looked at him. Let him see the emptiness in her eyes. “You don’t get to call me Daph anymore. You don’t get to act like we’re partners. Or anything else.”
Pain flashed across his face. “Understood,” he said quietly. “Agent Cross.”
She swallowed, lifted her chin, and then slowly pointed her Glock at him. “Now. Give me your weapon.”