Face of Danger by Roxanne St. Claire Read Free Book Online Page B

thedog’s left front paw. “But you’re perfect to me. You be a good girl, little one. I’ll get you back soon.”
    As she handed the squirming dog over, Cara’s eyes filled. Vivi tried to take Stella, but she squiggled away.
    “Listen, Cara, I don’t think this is a smart plan. I should know where you—”
    “No!” Stella jumped at Cara’s sharp reprimand, but it wasn’t directed at the dog. “You listen to me”—Cara pointed a white-tipped talon at Vivi—“I’m not getting on that plane. And neither are any of the people who work for me. Except you, obviously.” She leaned across the space and put two hands on Vivi’s knees, getting very much in Vivi’s face. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not watching you.”
    An unexpected chill danced up Vivi’s spine. “Excuse me?”
    “Or listening to every word you say.”
    Vivi leaned away, eyes wide. “You’ll be spying on me?”
    “Did you forget the nondisclosure you signed?”
    “Of course not, but—”
    “Well, how else would I know you haven’t told anyone?”
    “You could trust me. With your life.”
    “I am trusting you with my life, but there will be law enforcement people and—others.”
    Vivi frowned. “I’m not going to lie to the police or FBI about who I am.”
    Cara’s teary eyes grew narrow and harsh. “You will tell no one or I will consider it a breach of the nondisclosure.”
    “Even the police? The FBI?” Vivi choked softly. “They’re on our side, Cara.”
    “No one is on our side, Vivi,” she said darkly. “I knowfrom experience that the police create the worst media leaks. The
worst
. They refuse to sign nondisclosures.”
    She blew out a sigh. “The pilots?”
    “No one,” Cara said. “There’s a private bedroom cabin in the back of the plane. You go straight there, and don’t come out. Believe me, no one asks questions when I want to be alone.”
    “And in Nantucket?” Vivi asked.
    “I told you my housekeeper, Mercedes, will be there to meet you,” Cara said. “She knows I’m sending a decoy. You can’t tell anyone else you aren’t me, and that is final. And believe me, I will know.”
    She’d be under constant observation. “I wish you trusted me.”
    “It’s not you I don’t trust. It’s them. The FBI, everyone.”
    “Have you talked to the FBI?”
    “Briefly,” she said. “After I won the Oscar.”
    “And?”
    “They’ll be around, but you’ll fool them.”
    Not all of them
. “What did they say?”
    “Just that they wanted to send someone to protect me, but I told them I already had private security.”
    The FBI might lurk, but they wouldn’t force their way onto the property. If they did, could she fool them? Only if whatever agents arrived didn’t know her. Would FBI agents on Nantucket work with the Boston office?
    With the ASAC of the Boston office? “Cara, I have contacts in the FBI—”
    “No one can know!”
    Joellen opened her eyes at the sound of Cara’s raised voice, yanking an earbud out. “What the fuck is going on?” she asked.
    “Vivi needs some acting lessons,” Cara said coolly. “She’s wondering what to do if the FBI recognizes her as an impostor.”
    Joellen’s blue eyes, small and close together, absolutely nothing like her sister’s, widened as she leaned forward. “You convince them they’re wrong.”
    Had Joellen had been following the conversation all along? “What if I can’t convince them? What if one of the agents knows me?”
    “Avoid that agent,” Cara said.
    “Or be ready to part with ten million dollars.” Joellen’s smile was smug.
    “One good look at me and—”
    Cara reached over and pulled netting down over Vivi’s face. “Don’t let them get a good look at you,” she said harshly. “And if they do, then your job is to do
whatever it takes
to convince
everyone
you are me. Whatever. Be creative, but get the job done. Clear?”
    Joellen dropped back on the seat and replaced her earbud as the car came to a