The truth shamed him, yes, but it also freed him, made the air seem that much sweeter, the colors more vibrant. He had almost died, and he wasn’t going to waste any more time. Come tomorrow morning, he was going to reach out to her and, God willing, get his real life back, the one that had been stolen from him.

CHAPTER 26

CODY WAS STILL very much on Ellie’s mind as she woke up in the drowsy morning sunlight. She didn’t want to think about him, couldn’t stop thinking about him and their conversation from last night, Cody pretty much saying that if she gave up the undercover job, he’d be fine with it.

She’d never given up on anything in her life.

She felt bad for hustling him out of her room, but she needed to keep her head in the game.

Ellie got out of bed. It was half past seven, and she felt surprisingly refreshed and energized. She took a long shower, and by the time she finished she was no longer thinking about Cody.

It wasn’t much of an effort, either. Her need to solve the mystery of her brother far outweighed her feelings for Cody, or the nagging, guilty thoughts she had of him worrying about her and suffering from that worry.

Did that make her some sort of sociopath?

Make her, God forbid, in some way evil?

She didn’t want Cody to suffer, had, she reminded herself, given him an out last night when she told him he could see other people, as much as that would hurt her—and it would. But if she was being honest with herself, didn’t a part of her want him to say that yes, they should take a break? If they did, she wouldn’t have to worry about him. She could temporarily pack him up and put him away, examine Cody later, after she found her brother. That was far more important right now than Cody’s feelings.

And wasn’t that the definition of evil? Ignoring someone’s suffering for your own benefit? She did it with Cody, and now she was about to do it to someone else.

By the time she finished dressing, she was back to being Faye Simpson, back to business.

Ellie stood by the window, with its panoramic views of downtown Los Angeles and Southern California, the mountains and ocean, and called Frank. He had given her his private cell number, in the event of an emergency.

He picked up.

“It’s Faye.”

“Good morning, Faye.”

“Good morning.”

Ellie closed her eyes, and as she took in a deep breath she thought of Danny. Danny, dead and buried and all alone inside his casket. Danny, who had gone through an ugly, bitter divorce, his only salvation his dog, Boomer. The words spilled out of her.

“I was hoping we could talk,” Ellie said.

“We’re talking now.”

“I meant face-to-face.”

“Why?”

“That picture you showed me the night you took me to dinner.” Ellie was pleased at how confident she sounded. “I’ve come across some information I think you’ll be very interested to hear.”