Page 10 of Pay Dirt

Chapter 5

Gwen thought was doing me a favor in trying to talk me out of going to Texas, but she wasn’t successful. I was going whether she liked it or not. That was why Nathan was standing in her living room and I was with her in the bedroom. She kept peeking out the door.

“What the hell were you thinking in bringing him here?” Gwen whispered.

“You’re the only that I trusted to transform me,” I answered over the sound of the hairdryer. My once-blonde tresses were now brown, similar to Gwen’s. “I forgot to ask, have you talked to Grams about Talia?”

Gwen worked as an agent forFairy Damn Godmother. They were like bodyguards when they needed to be, and Gwen was their resident chameleon. If anyone could change my appearance into something other than my everyday-Jane self, it would be her.

“Grams isn’t doing well. The doctors don’t want us to upset her, so we aren’t allowed to raise her blood pressure.”

“Not well?” I asked, peeking my head out. “Should I stay?”

“Personally, I think this is just another one of her ruses because she doesn’t want to have the difficult conversation about why she didn’t tell us Talia may still be alive.”

“Can’t say I blame her, that is if she knew anything about it. I’ll check in on her when I get back from helping the FBI.”

“Cassie, I know you can protect yourself. After all, I taught you. But don’t you think this is taking things a little too far? You aren’t FBI. And you’re walking straight to where this killer is. That’s not smart.”

“Cassie Bennett isn’t smart,” I answered as I stepped out of her bathroom. The red sundress hit mid-thigh. The wide-brimmed hat sat low on my head with my now brunette tresses curled beneath. The actress-sized sunglasses sat on my nose. “But my new identity is smart and daring. Wait, what’s my new name?”

Gwen rested her hands on her hips and whistled. “Damn, you look hot.”

I clapped my hands together in a giddy-schoolgirl kind of way when Gwen walked into the bathroom and came back out, holding bold red lipstick, a shade she knew I’d never wear. She shoved it into a purse I’d left on the bed.

“I wantyouto be smart.” She opened the bedroom door and exchanged my suitcase for one she already had packed in her closet. “In order for you to pull off being someone else, you have toplay the part.”

“Special Agent Nathan Murray, I’d like you to meet Cassie Newman.”

“Newman? Are you serious?” I asked.

Gwen chuckled.

“Cassie, you look different, and what’s wrong with Newman?” he asked, missing the inside joke.

A knock sounded on the door as I answered. “Newman is the last name of my first boyfriend.”

“She used to practice writing his name,” Gwen called out as she answered the door, returning moments later opening a brown envelope. She grinned as she handed me the documents. “Cassie Newman, you’re now unofficially official.”

“Newman,” I repeated, letting the name roll off my tongue, trying to get used to it. Cassie Newman. Not as exciting as James Bond, but it would do. I thumbed through the documents. There was a passport, a driver’s license, and a platinum credit card. I held it up.

Nathan shifted uncomfortably. “You know using forged paperwork is against the law without government approval.”

Gwen shrugged. “If it comes down to it and you need the approval. I can get it. But you’re going to need all the necessities to pull it off. Be sure to use it once or twice before you get there. You need to get used to signing your name. Stick as close to the truth as possibleso thatyou’ll remember the details. You two met while working a case. Cassie was attacked, and Nathan saved her.”

“Wait, he didn’t save me.”

“It’s true. I didn’t save her.”

Gwen sighed. “I know, but it’s more romantic that way, and it lends credibility to the idea of Cassie being an easy target.”

“And I’ll kick his ass.” I grinned.

“No, you’re not kicking ass. If there’s any ass-kicking to do, that’s my job,” Nathan said.

Gwen high-fived me in passing. We both knew who would be doing the deed. “I’ll have a car waiting to pick you up at the airport. The driver will give you everything else you need, Cassie, including a gun and some cash.”

“I hope you have a permit to carry a gun,” Nathan said.

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