The End of Lies: The Single Lady Spy 4 (The Single Lady Spy Series) Read online

  The End of Lies

  The Single Lady Spy Series

  Tara Brown

  The Single Lady Spy Series

  Book Four

  The End of Lies

  By Tara Brown

  Copyright 2018 Tara Brown

  This is a work of fiction.

  All names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  Text Copyright © 2018 Tara Brown.

  This work is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This work may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the express written consent of the publisher.

  Published by Tara Brown.

  Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. No alteration of content is permitted.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  Cover Art by Dark Tree Designs.

  Edited by Andrea Burns.

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN - 9781726658546

  http://TaraBrown22.blogspot.com

  Contents

  Other books by Tara Brown

  Foreword

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Epilogue

  The End

  This Was Never About Me Anyway

  Afterword

  Untitled

  About the Author

  Other books by Tara Brown

  The Serendipity Series

  Fling Club

  He Loves You Not

  Blood and Bone

  Blood and Bone

  Sin and Swoon

  Soul and Blade

  The Puck Buddies Series

  Puck Buddies

  Roommates

  Bed Buddies

  Baby Daddies – coming soon

  The Single Lady Spy Series

  The End of Me

  The End of Games

  The End of Tomorrow

  The End of Lies

  The Lonely Duet

  The Lonely

  LOST BOY

  The Roses

  Cursed

  Bane

  Hyde

  Witch

  Death

  Blackwater

  Midnight Coven

  Redeemers

  Betrayers

  The Royals Series

  A Royal Pain

  A Royal Affair– coming soon

  A Royal Wedding– coming soon

  Crimson Cove Mysteries

  Pretty Girls Die First

  The Little Crimson Lies

  When The Lights Fade

  The Born Series

  Born

  Born to Fight

  Reborn

  The Light Series

  The Light of the World

  The Four Horsemen

  The End of Days

  The Last City of Men Series

  Imaginations

  Duplicities

  Reparations– coming soon

  The Blood Trail Chronicles

  Vengeance

  Vanquished

  Valiant– coming soon

  The Seventh Day Series

  The Seventh Day

  The Last Hour

  The Earth’s End– coming soon

  Standalone novels

  Castaways

  My Side

  The Long Way Home

  First Kiss

  Sunder

  In the Fading Light

  For Love or Money

  Lost in La La Land

  Erotica

  Sinderella

  Beauty’s Beast

  The Club

  This book is dedicated to the Polaris Project. Thank you for being the North Star in the darkest times.

  For more information on how you can help end human trafficking and modern slavery visit - https://polarisproject.org

  Foreword

  Sex assault and human trafficking are not tropes or themes I use lightly or take as a something to fill pages. They are close to my heart and subjects I always try to bring awareness to. I wrote a poem in honor of the victims of such crimes. It’s at the end of the story. Not everyone likes poetry. So I won’t force it on you.

  Cheers,

  Tara

  Prologue

  September 2013

  The explosion still rang in my head, even when the news had moved on to stories of the crashing markets and the hundreds of vastly important people who had died, casualties that would affect the economy. How would we recover as a world from such losses?

  They didn't mention the one name that should’ve been on the list of dead.

  A name they wouldn't know.

  A name I would never forget.

  The rest of the people who had died in the explosion could all burn.

  I didn't care.

  I was stuck on the one name they failed to say, reliving fractions of memories melding together to create a story, possibly one that hadn’t happened.

  Every single image flashed behind my eyes, reminiscences I wasn't sure were accurate. I couldn't trust my brain.

  Reliving an entire lifetime, which in reality was only months long, was excruciating. My mind found ways to twist and turn the tiniest of seconds, the quickest of looks, the softest of whispers. It found a way to make him more than he was.

  I’d nearly sainted him in his death.

  One thing was certain though, he haunted me.

  He’d found a way to stay behind, no doubt dodging his date with destiny and the hellfire he’d totally earned.

  I’d seen him multiple times, passing a doorway or staring from a window. But like the ghostly vision he was, he vanished by the time I got there.

  A teary smile cracked across my face at the thought of him running hell, because of course that was the only way he would endure the heat.

  But no, he wasn't there.

  He was here.

  Haunting me.

  Dead and not.

  Dead.

  Thinking that word felt wrong.

  How could something so strong and colossal die?

  But he had.

  He had died by our hand.

  Our bomb.

  Our plan.

  There was no recovering from this.

  The ice in my veins no longer chilled me. The cold was a welcome reprieve to the fiery pain I’d endured.

  Two losses in one day, one second, one breath.

  There was no recovering from this.

  1

  Cold hard truths

  May 2013

  “Ralph!” Jules shouted gleefully. Her footsteps echoed slapping sounds across the huge courtyard of the manor as she rushed to the cat.
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  Servario’s manor home was so large I’d lost my children in it three times in the weeks we’d stayed here.

  “Uncle Fitz! You got him!” Jules grabbed the cat carrier from Fitz and placed it down roughly, something Ralph would not likely thank her for. She pulled the fluffy animal from the carrier and held him tight. It was the struggle snuggle of his life.

  The cat obliged but gave me the warning look; undoubtedly we were counting down to the moment the fur flew and the child cried.

  “Okay, let me see him.” I hurried over, taking my chubby cat in my arms and sniffing his fur. “I’ve missed you,” I whispered to him.

  “Did you bring Penny too?” Jules asked Fitz about the horse he’d given her.

  “No, honey. I couldn't fit her on the plane. But I did make sure she was doing well at the boarding stables. She sends her regards and wishes she were on this journey with us.” Fitz grinned at her but his eyes darted to me, telling me something wasn't right. Something that would need to be discussed privately.

  “Why don't you take Ralph in and show him where the food is going to be and set up his litter box?” I handed him to Jules.

  “Why do I hafta do it?”

  “Because pets are a responsibility, missy. Move it!” I folded my arms and gave the mom look. The one where I arched one eyebrow more than the other and side-glanced silent threats.

  “Fine. But this isn’t fair. Mitch never has to do anything.” She stomped off.

  “Life’s hard.” I rolled my eyes and headed in the opposite direction, past Fitz, forcing him to turn and walk with me.

  “Yes, I can’t imagine being a little kid living with three maids, a groundskeeper, and a butler.” He chuckled.

  “I don't know how we will ever go back to normal,” I lamented.

  “Evie, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but there is no normal, kid.”

  “I’m starting to see that.” I hugged myself tighter. “What was the other thing? The look?”

  “Well, our house in Canada has been ransacked. They’re clearly searching for us.”

  “God, even Canada isn’t safe?”

  “Apparently not. Though the good thing is we’re still undetected in England. No one seems to know we’re here.” Fitz shrugged, satisfied with that.

  “Do you think it’s Saransk, and he’s figured out it was me who took down his daughter?” The thought made me want to panic but until we had proof, there was no point.

  “I don't know. It’s possible, there could’ve been cameras we didn't find or ways of figuring out it was you who took down the brothel. A mole perhaps.”

  “But that’s why we do everything so under the radar. The brothel sting was serious need to know, so any moles wouldn't be able to alert Saransk.”

  “Which means we need to get rid of him. ASAP. If it is him, he’s better connected than we were prepared for.” Fitz sounded tired. “I checked in with Coop. He’s busy making it appear as though he’s working a completely different case, trying to lead any moles watching us away. So we might be able to fly under the radar long enough to finish this and end the target on our backs.”

  “That’s hopeful.” I didn't want to believe it, but there really was no other option. The choices were: stress out until I couldn't even function, or live with the hand we’d been dealt and hope hiding here at Servario’s mystery mansion was enough. Neither was amazing but it could’ve been worse.

  It could always be worse.

  If Saransk found out who I was or found my children, it would be much worse.

  “I’m going to lie down. Tell your mother I’m back, please.” Fitz leaned in and kissed my cheek, leaving the lingering scent of his aftershave in the soft breeze.

  “Will do.” I watched him amble away, wondering how hard it was, being a hidden asset all these years. Fitz, Mom, and Dad had been in the game a lifetime now. I wondered about the cost on the soul and happiness. They did seem rather tired.

  Not having the time to ponder that, I turned and went back to the office where Jack currently lived.

  Opening the door to the dark room made me cringe.

  It was every mother’s worst nightmare.

  Weird smells.

  Dank odors.

  Lack of air circulation.

  Sort of like dust, stinky unwashed feet, and a combination of foods at different stages of decay blending to make the smell all teenagers seemed to thrive in. Particularly boys.

  Jack’s bloodshot eyes didn't lift from the computer screens, but he nodded his head, acknowledging my arrival. “Evie.”

  He was typing faster than I ever thought possible, his gaze flickering between three massive screens.

  On the other side of the room, facing him, was a wall of small TVs all flashing images from facial recognition software linked to different CCTV networks he’d connected to. Next to them were three smaller TVs monitoring Coop, our other new job. We watched his back and the activity around him. Everywhere Coop went, facial recognition caught him on camera and patched the information to these TVs. It was like being there for him but not. If it was an emergency, we could get in contact with him. Otherwise, our orders were to wait here for Jack to crack the code on the bots while we came up with a plan for the destruction of the Burrow and the Organization.

  Luce glanced up at me, her eyes bloodshot as well. “Oh thank God. My turn to go outside?” She struggled to get out of her chair.

  She stood tall, stretching and moaning, her shirt lifting a little to reveal some of her abs. Jack’s eyes and typing paused as he focused on her for a moment, one she didn't notice. His eyes stayed on her stomach, his brow knit, and he gulped. It took a moment before he went back to the rapid typing, but his gaze didn't lock on the computers again. It flickered from them to her.

  She was oblivious. Her stare met mine and she grinned. “I’m going for a swim.”

  “Tell Mom Fitz is back, please. And take Mitch with you. He needs fresh air. Servario had every new gaming system delivered days ago, and I don't think he’s left the room since.”

  “Reminds me of someone else.” Luce eyed Jack whose cheeks flushed in the bright light of the computer screens.

  “This is actually my job. It’s not like I’m playing the early release of The Last of Us.” He sounded bitter.

  “That’s what Mitch is playing. He can't believe Mom's mystery friend got it a month early for him.”

  “Of course he can’t,” Jack seethed.

  “Anyway. I’ll be back in a few hours to relieve you.” Luce left the room, closing the door softly.

  “Still nothing?” I asked Jack quietly, not wanting Luce to hear.

  “She hates me. I don't know how to fix this.”

  “Yeah, me either. I’ll keep thinking on it.” I nestled into the warm chair Luce had left me. My eyes narrowed in on Coop sitting at a desk typing, much like Jack was. “Anything exciting happen?” I asked him about Coop.

  “Nope. He’s got to be bored. Weeks of updating criminal and political profiles in the database would probably kill me.” His voice trailed off as if he was detached from his thought process. “But I think he needed a couple of weeks away.”

  The comment stung just enough to end the conversation, though I wasn't certain that was what Jack intended. He wasn't cruel, he was indifferent, which could also be painful to anyone on the receiving end. I turned back to Coop and started to watch his six.

  On the screen he scowled, maybe concentrating, but then his lips lifted into a grin.

  Seeing him on a screen was akin to watching a TV show. He was beautiful enough to be an actor.

  “He looks good. Happier,” I noted quietly, maybe to myself. It was a vast improvement compared to when his sister died. He was a wreck just weeks ago.

  “Yeah, he seems almost back to normal. Been posting jokes to our safe profiles for days. Lighthearted ones too. It’s weird but I’m relieved. I was sure her death would be the end of his sanity.”

  “How long is he staying there?�
�� I’d assumed he would be back by now.

  “Not sure. He keeps delaying. It was two weeks, then three. Now it’s been a month and he’s delayed again.”

  We missed him but watching Coop’s eyes sparkle again as they lifted from the screen, focusing on something out of the camera’s viewpoint, was worth his not being here.

  “If our house in Canada was ransacked, what are the odds that it’s Saransk who knows who I am and is hunting for me?” I asked offhandedly.

  “Fair to good. There’s always a chance in everything.”

  “I need to take out Saransk, sooner than later. We need to start preparing for that.”

  “I’ll add it to the list of shit I’m trying to accomplish this week,” he said dryly.

  “Smart ass.” I lifted a middle finger into the air and focused on Coop’s smile, noting it had shifted, softening as he stared into the distance. I was just about to change the angle when a female walked into view. She had on black tight-fitting dress pants, ugly square-shaped shoes, a pale blue blouse, and her shiny blonde hair was spun up in a struggle bun. She glimpsed back and smiled at someone behind her.