Page 57 of Catch Him
“Take me out physically? I was an armed cop,” she said, insulted he made that sound easy.
“Take you out physically,” he repeated, “or see if I could talk my way out of it. I dialed the security company, so you would see it was the last number dialed, hung up and waited for you on the steps. I knew it wasn’t going to be an issue for me. I knew all the answers to the security questions because, as you’ve determined, my sister was married to that asshole.”
“Okay,” Sinead prodded. “Why is a stupid picture of you so damn important he had to keep it in a safe and you felt you needed to steal it back?”
He paused, as if searching for the words.
“Tell her, Declan. All of it. It’s the only way she’ll believe you.”
They both turned their heads in the direction of Mary. Once again Sinead was struck by how similar they looked. How crazy it was that she didn’t see that in the picture Huntley kept of them in his bedroom.
Mary was as beautiful as Declan was handsome. If only on a much smaller scale. Sinead had felt like an Amazon woman when she first shook hands with the tiny blonde.
“I figured it was safe to come down, and I wanted to make sure she at least stayed to listen to you,” Mary said, walking over to the bar. “I’m thinking drinks for everyone?”
“Only if she promises not to hurl this one at my head,” Declan said.
“I can’t make that promise,” Sinead stated.
Mary chuckled. “I think I like her, Dec.”
“Yes, everyone seems to love Sinead. Anyway, the reason that particular picture is important is because it’s the only photo of me that exists.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“It’s the truth.”
“Uh, hello. You showed me ID that night, remember?”
Declan dipped his head. “Sorry. It’s the only picture of me that existed outside of my control.”
“Okay,” Sinead said suspiciously. “Go on.”
“A little over a year ago, I had recently come back from an… assignment only to find out that my dear sister was getting married. I met the bastard one day before the wedding, and unfortunately didn’t have the sense to stop it then, even though I knew she was making a horrible mistake. Therefore, disturbed as I was by the shocking turn of events, I got flat on my ass drunk at the reception and let that picture happen. A full on face shot. I had no idea it existed, as I didn’t spend a lot of time perusing my sister’s wedding album.”
Mary brought the drinks over on a tray and Sinead reached for hers.
“How many times do I have to tell you—he was different back then,” Mary said defensively.
“Um, one million and it still won’t matter. The next man you marry is one hundred percent going to be vetted and approved by me.”
“Wait a minute, Mary,” Sinead interjected. “You mean a man charmed you, swept you off your feet and then it turned out it was all a lie? You’re right—what a scumbag you hooked up with.”
Mary turned back to her brother. “Okay, I really like her.” She took her drink and sat across from them in a large sprawling chair.
“Okay. Why can’t there be any pictures of you?” Sinead asked Declan.
“Let’s just say I have a unique job. And the way I’m able to execute certain… tasks is because no one can pick me up through facial recognition programs. Because no one knows what I, that being a person with a reputation in the world theater, look like.”
“You understand how ridiculous this all sounds.”
Declan shrugged.
Sinead got up and started pacing. Thinking about what she knew. Thinking about everything he’d told her.
“Who is Garrett Huntley, beyond being a scumbag?”
“He’s a lawyer,” Mary answered. “He works for his father’s very high end, very unlawful I’ve since learned, law firm which specializes in international law.”
