Read Online Imposter by Chanda Stafford - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Chanda Stafford
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black tunic, paired incongruously with billowing cream pants, stretches across her chest.
“Why?” My hand hovers over a bright green head of lettuce. Freshly washed, it glistens in the sunlight streaming through the tall windows on either side of the long stainless steel counter. “I didn’t think we were going anywhere until right before Socrates gives his speech.”
“There’s been a slight change of plans.” A grim smile plays across her face.
Now she’s piqued my interest. “So we’re not going to the Smith?”
“No. Not yet, anyway.”
“Then where are we going?” Why do I have to drag every tidbit of information out of her?
“To see an old friend.” At my continued silence, she shrugs. “It’s all Socrates’s idea. I told him it would end in disaster, but he wouldn’t listen to me.”
I tighten my hand on the knife until my knuckles turn white and slice the blade cleanly through a chunk of lettuce. “Then why are we going?”
“I’m sure Socrates has his reasons for risking his own neck. Your goal is to keep this trip from costing him it.”
“So you think someone is going to try and hurt him?”
Eliot nods and leans back against the counter. “It’s a distinct possibility. I have a prior engagement that I can’t break or I’d also accompany you.” She pauses and assesses me. What is she searching for? My level of dedication to my job? I’m not going to let anything happen to her precious Socrates. “I’m sure you’ve heard rumors about how unpredictable Carroll can be, right?”
I stare at the lettuce lying in a heap on the cutting board to avoid her probing gaze. “I might have heard a thing or two.”
“Then you understand how important it is for Socrates to have protection at all times, correct?”
“Why don’t you hire some protection? They’d be much better trained than me.”
Eliot shakes her head. “We want to be discreet. Carroll might take it a bit personally too, if we show up with a dozen armed guards.”
I turn away and run my blade through the lettuce again, reducing it to fine, shredded greens. Even as the seconds stretch between us, I know she hasn’t left.
“Look,” she says. “I know you don’t like this situation any more than I do. If it were my choice, I would have left you at the Smith. But right now, this is where we are, and we have to make the best of the situation.”
I spin around, rage consuming me before I can tamp it down. “The best of the situation? Socrates murdered Mira and I’m stuck here, pretending she was—”
“Your assignment.” Eliot glares at me, daring me to deny it.
My jaw drops open. “You knew?”
“Of course I knew.” She chuckles. “Don’t act so shocked. Did you really think I didn’t know you were a Lifer?”
“Then why am I still here? Shouldn’t I have been arrested?”
“Because I saved your life. The police were about to make an example out of you, but I prevented that by requesting your service.”
Understanding claws its way to the surface. “So it wasn’t because of the promise I made to Mira?”
When Eliot doesn’t respond, I fill in the spaces for what she leaves out. “Socrates didn’t want me to come either, did he?”
“He couldn’t care less,” she scoffs. “You think it matters to Soc that you’re here? He doesn’t need you when he has me.”
Even though what she says is true, her words still sting. “Why did you save my life, then?”
Eliot threads her fingers together. “Maybe I’m just a sentimental old fool. That girl cared for you; that’s enough for me.”
“Does Socrates know about my ties to the rebels?”
“No. Nor does he know about your fiancée or your unborn child.”
The knife slips from my hand and clatters onto the counter. “You know about Evie, too?”
“Of course. It’s not exactly a secret.”
As the blood drains from my face, my hands start to shake so badly that I can’t pick up the knife. I just stare at it, not trusting
“Why?” My hand hovers over a bright green head of lettuce. Freshly washed, it glistens in the sunlight streaming through the tall windows on either side of the long stainless steel counter. “I didn’t think we were going anywhere until right before Socrates gives his speech.”
“There’s been a slight change of plans.” A grim smile plays across her face.
Now she’s piqued my interest. “So we’re not going to the Smith?”
“No. Not yet, anyway.”
“Then where are we going?” Why do I have to drag every tidbit of information out of her?
“To see an old friend.” At my continued silence, she shrugs. “It’s all Socrates’s idea. I told him it would end in disaster, but he wouldn’t listen to me.”
I tighten my hand on the knife until my knuckles turn white and slice the blade cleanly through a chunk of lettuce. “Then why are we going?”
“I’m sure Socrates has his reasons for risking his own neck. Your goal is to keep this trip from costing him it.”
“So you think someone is going to try and hurt him?”
Eliot nods and leans back against the counter. “It’s a distinct possibility. I have a prior engagement that I can’t break or I’d also accompany you.” She pauses and assesses me. What is she searching for? My level of dedication to my job? I’m not going to let anything happen to her precious Socrates. “I’m sure you’ve heard rumors about how unpredictable Carroll can be, right?”
I stare at the lettuce lying in a heap on the cutting board to avoid her probing gaze. “I might have heard a thing or two.”
“Then you understand how important it is for Socrates to have protection at all times, correct?”
“Why don’t you hire some protection? They’d be much better trained than me.”
Eliot shakes her head. “We want to be discreet. Carroll might take it a bit personally too, if we show up with a dozen armed guards.”
I turn away and run my blade through the lettuce again, reducing it to fine, shredded greens. Even as the seconds stretch between us, I know she hasn’t left.
“Look,” she says. “I know you don’t like this situation any more than I do. If it were my choice, I would have left you at the Smith. But right now, this is where we are, and we have to make the best of the situation.”
I spin around, rage consuming me before I can tamp it down. “The best of the situation? Socrates murdered Mira and I’m stuck here, pretending she was—”
“Your assignment.” Eliot glares at me, daring me to deny it.
My jaw drops open. “You knew?”
“Of course I knew.” She chuckles. “Don’t act so shocked. Did you really think I didn’t know you were a Lifer?”
“Then why am I still here? Shouldn’t I have been arrested?”
“Because I saved your life. The police were about to make an example out of you, but I prevented that by requesting your service.”
Understanding claws its way to the surface. “So it wasn’t because of the promise I made to Mira?”
When Eliot doesn’t respond, I fill in the spaces for what she leaves out. “Socrates didn’t want me to come either, did he?”
“He couldn’t care less,” she scoffs. “You think it matters to Soc that you’re here? He doesn’t need you when he has me.”
Even though what she says is true, her words still sting. “Why did you save my life, then?”
Eliot threads her fingers together. “Maybe I’m just a sentimental old fool. That girl cared for you; that’s enough for me.”
“Does Socrates know about my ties to the rebels?”
“No. Nor does he know about your fiancée or your unborn child.”
The knife slips from my hand and clatters onto the counter. “You know about Evie, too?”
“Of course. It’s not exactly a secret.”
As the blood drains from my face, my hands start to shake so badly that I can’t pick up the knife. I just stare at it, not trusting
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