Taste (Take It Off #9)(24)
Author: Cambria Hebert

I had to lie.

“No, Mom,” I said, my voice hoarse. “I have no idea what it could mean.”

“So odd,” Mom said. She didn’t question me at all.

Not like the people here. The people I was allowed to tell the truth. They didn’t believe me. Mom would. Only I wasn’t allowed to tell her. I wasn’t allowed to have her support.

Like intense acid reflux, anger burned through my chest and up my esophagus. This had to stop.

“I’ll see you soon,” I said and then disconnected the phone.

I glanced up at Walsh, my eyes hard. “Tell me what you know.”

I saw the excuse forming in his eyes, the half explanation he was going to try and spoon-feed me and expect me to accept.

Yeah, no.

I stood up from the chair. I didn’t care I wasn’t an impressive, intimidating size. It didn’t matter. I was a mother. A mother whose child was being threatened. That alone could match the strength and size of a giant.

“You want to think I’m guilty?” I spat. “Fine.” Walsh’s eyes widened. “You don’t want me to cook anything. No problem. You want to fire me when all this is over? That’s fine, too. But,” I said, hard, staring him down. “You will not keep this from me. You will not tell me only what you want me to know. My son is being threatened, and I expect you to be one hundred percent honest with me. So help me God, if you don’t, I’ll go to the press.”

“I’ll throw you in jail,” Walsh countered, clearly not liking my ultimatum.

Spencer stepped up beside me.

“You won’t,” I said. “Because then your bait will be off the table.”

Walsh studied me for long moments. I was aware of Spencer standing by, ready to jump to my defense.

But I didn’t need him to defend me. I could defend myself.

Walsh sighed and slapped a folder onto his desk. “Our guys apprehended the kid who took Jack. They left him by a security guard and then made sure he was found. Jack never would have made it out of that building without being intercepted.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, incredulous. “You mean to tell me your guys watched my son be taken from his grandmother and they didn’t do anything until he was two stories up?”

“Our presence needs to stay hidden,” Walsh retorted.

“My son’s life is at risk!” I yelled.

Spencer dropped an arm over my shoulders, and I stiffened. “What happened, Walsh?” he asked.

“We have the kid in custody. Our guys took him immediately, then hung around to make sure Jack was safe. He’s being questioned now.”

“So you have the man plotting against the president?” I asked.

Walsh shook his head. “No, this is some kid. Barely eighteen. He says he was paid to play a prank.”

“Kidnapping is not a prank,” Spencer growled.

“Kid says he never planned to leave the building with Jack. He says he was paid to just walk the kid around, give the grandma a little scare.”

“Who in the hell would agree to that!” I burst out.

“An idiot,” Walsh said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We’re going to throw the book at him.”

I snorted. No punishment would be good enough.

“Who hired him?” Spencer asked. I could practically hear the wheels turning in his head.

“We’re trying to get the information out of him now. He doesn’t seem to know very much.”

I laughed hollowly. “I’m going home,” I declared, stepping away from Spencer. “I don’t care if it’s not my normal time.”

Walsh nodded. “There is something we need to discuss first.”

“What?” I asked, desperate to get out of here.

“I think we need to consider a change in plans.”

Spencer nodded like he already knew what Walsh was going to say.

“What kind of change?” I asked.

“I think it’s time we send Jack away.”

13

They were toying with me.

Preying on my weakest spot.

The stunt at the aquarium proved they were getting anxious and tired of waiting. They told me to do what they wanted quickly, and I hadn’t.

My son paid the price.

I had only one choice.

I had to send Jack away.

I didn’t want to. It was the last thing on Earth I wanted, but his life was more important than my wants. I’d never been away from him for more than one night, and the thought of it literally gave me hives.

I told myself to get over it, that I could bring him back the minute—no, the second—this was over.

There was only one problem.

I didn’t know where to send him.

It seemed like sending him to visit family or close friends was the obvious answer, but it wouldn’t necessarily hide him. He needed to go where no one would look, where no one would even think to look.

The Secret Service, I think, finally saw the situation for what it was: me being threatened and blackmailed to do something I would never do. The atmosphere in the office where we sat was subdued, and the faint odor of suspicion that seemed to waft off all of them (except Spencer) was gone.

They were currently suggesting where to send Jack and my mother. I didn’t like any of their places.

“I know somewhere,” Spencer said, his expression thoughtful.

“Where?” I asked.

He shook his head. “It would be better if you didn’t know.”

I made a strangled sound. “You expect me to send my mother and my son away for safety and not know where they will be?” He was crazy.

Spencer speared me with somber amber-colored eyes. “Do you trust me?”

I took my time answering because this was a moment when I needed to be one hundred percent certain. His gaze never wavered; the sincerity in his face never slipped.

The thing was I didn’t really need time to come up with the answer to his question. I knew it immediately. What I needed time for was actually admitting the truth out loud.

“Yes,” I said finally.

He smiled deeply, two lickable dimples appearing in his cheeks. “They will be safe. I promise you.”

“Okay.”

Spencer looked at Walsh. “I’ll set it up.”

Walsh regarded Spencer for a moment. “Yeah. Set it up.”

Spencer stood. “I guess this means since I’m needed here, my assignment tonight is going to be covered by someone else?”

Walsh cleared his throat and glanced at me.

Apparently, the assignment and reason Spence couldn’t be around tonight was a busy job to keep him away from me.