Page 103 of Secrets Beneath the Waves
“I don’t know. I’ve caught him in a couple of lies.”
“Matthew is solid,” she said. “We trust him.”
“How do you know?” Ellie pressed.
“He passed my lie detector test,” Dad said confidently.
“Dad, I know how to pass a lie detector test. That doesn’t mean anything.”
“You don’t understand,” he countered. “My lie detector test is different. It’s foolproof. I sat a gun on the table next to the machine and told him I’d blow his brains out and throw his body out of an airplane, if he lied to me. Works every time.”
“I’m surprised anyone can even pass your test. I’m sure their blood pressure and pulse are through the roof. Isn’t that how you tell if someone is lying? If their vital signs change?”
“Nah. I look them in the eye. I usually know if they’re lying to me,” he said. “The point is, Matthew’s clean. You can trust him.”
“What did he lie to you about?” Mom asked.
“It’s not important.”
Ellie didn’t want to tell them anymore than necessary. She didn’t want him to get in trouble with her parents.
“Do you want to know Matthew’s credit score?” Dad asked.
“Save it for another time,” Ellie said.
“Luke’s credit score is the lowest. It’s —”
“I don’t need to know his credit score.”
“You do if you’re going to date him.”
“Dad!”
“By the way, how was your scuba diving date with Luke?” he asked casually.
Her stomach dropped. “How did you know about that?”
“It was on his calendar,” he said. “I told you I looked into them.”
Ellie’s mind raced. That piece of information sparked an unsettling thought. “Dad, how did you see his calendar?”
“It’s on his CIA computer.”
“Could someone else see it? Hack into it?”
“No one could hack into it. The server is secure.”
Ellie was disappointed that her theory was shot down that quickly.
“I suppose someone from the CIA could see it,” he added.
“Someone in our office?”
“Perhaps.”
Her mom’s voice turned serious. “Ellie, why are you asking this?”
She took a deep breath. “Because someone knew where I’d be today. They knew we were going scuba diving. And they sent men to kill me. I thought maybe Luke was the mole and set me up. Now I’m wondering if the mole saw it on his calendar and notified the three men to try and kill me.”
