Behind the Mask Read online

  Savannah laughed. Nick was the last person you would ever suspect to be a Star Wars fan. She loved the fact there were many layers to Nick, and she wanted to explore all the layers, starting with the one under the tight-fitting, black T-shirt he was wearing.

  “All this training has made me hungry,” she told Nick as she leaned over and kissed his earlobe.

  “Hungry for what, Miss Savannah?” he asked in his best Southern drawl.

  “I think you know what I want from the menu,” she whispered into his ear as she continued to nibble on his earlobe.

  “Well, who am I to say no to that request?” He stood up and pulled Savannah to her feet.

  “Where to, my young Jedi?” Nick asked.

  “How about my dorm room? Haley is at the library and should be there for a couple more hours, so we have the place to ourselves.”

  Nick smiled his renegade smile.

  “Lead the way, girl!”

  Savannah opened the door to her dorm room. “After you,” she said, motioning for Nick to enter. She locked the door behind them.

  Nick pulled a condom out of his wallet and placed it on the nightstand. Laughing, they yanked off their shoes and socks. As soon as Nick touched her, Savannah could feel herself responding. How was it possible that this guy could cause her body to have such an instant reaction? With one hand, Nick removed the lightweight sweater Savannah was wearing, and with the other hand, he reached behind Savannah and unhooked her bra. She giggled and wondered how long it had taken him to master that skill.

  “Everyone needs a special talent,” Nick told her, as if he had read her mind.

  Savannah reached down and removed Nick’s snug-fitting T-shirt from his perfectly chiseled body. Removing his shirt was her favorite part of the undressing ritual. She loved the feel of his muscles under her hands. She breathed in his earthy scent and kissed his gorgeous chest. When she looked up, she saw Nick staring at her with his dark and dangerous eyes. How was it possible she knew so very little about this man, but she could love him so much?

  As they lay in bed, snuggled up tight, Savannah asked, “Where did you grow up?”

  “In a small town just outside of Portland. Why?”

  “You never talk about where you grew up or your family, and I was curious.”

  “Well don’t be, because it wasn’t anything too exciting,” he responded as he moved to get up from the bed.

  Savannah’s eyes and mouth must have displayed disappointment, because he laid back down. “I’m sorry. I don’t like talking about my family. It has nothing to do with the way I feel about you.”

  Savannah stared at the ceiling.

  “Pouting isn’t going to work.” She kept pouting.

  “Okay,” he said in an exasperated voice. “I have a younger brother named Randy, and I don’t get along with him or anyone in my family.”

  Savannah wanted more, but she was unsure whether to push for more information or just let it go for now. She decided to push just a little more. “What happened? Why don’t you get along with your family?”

  Nick let out a loud sigh. “It’s like what happened when you went back to South Carolina. My family doesn’t understand me. And worse, they don’t even try to understand me, so after a while, I gave up on them.”

  “Is that what’s going to happen between me and my family?” Savannah asked.

  “I hope not. I sincerely hope not. It depends on how closed-minded your family members are about your life choices. My family refused to accept my lifestyle, and every time I visited them, it was constant conflict. After a while, it wasn’t worth it to me to try anymore. I gave up and never looked back.”

  Savannah reached over and squeezed Nick’s hand. “I’m here for you, Nick, anytime you need me. I will always be here for you.”

  Nick leaned toward Savannah and brushed his lips across hers. “Thank you.”

  Someone knocked on the door.

  “Haley’s home,” Savannah said. “One minute, roomy,” she hollered.

  “Do you need me to come back?”

  “Nope, just need one minute,” Savannah yelled.

  Nick quickly threw on his clothes. Savannah put on her pink bathrobe—a gift from her mother. She opened the door, and in strolled a grinning Haley.

  “So what kind of dirty deeds were going on inside my dorm room while I was dutifully studying at the library all by my lonesome?” Haley asked.

  “Nick was helping me study,” Savannah replied with a faked innocence.

  “What was he helping you study? Anatomy?” teased Haley.

  They laughed, and Haley strolled over to the mini refrigerator and dug out three bottles of beer. “I could use a drink. What about you two?”

  “I’ll take a beer,” Nick replied.

  “I bet you worked up quite a thirst, young man,” Haley continued to tease.

  “That I did,” Nick responded.

  There was an easiness among the three of them that Savannah enjoyed. She was happy.

  * * * * *

  The next day, Savannah met Lexie on the Santa Monica Promenade for dinner and a movie. There was a crowd at the Real Food Daily, and they ended up waiting twenty minutes to get a table. Luckily they had plenty of time before the movie started. They walked next door to a little shop that carried crystals, candles, and other kinds of Zen ware.

  “Are you religious?” Savannah asked Lexie. “If that’s too personal, you don’t have to answer. You can tell me to mind my own business.” “I don’t mind answering,” Lexie stated. “I grew up in a religious family, but I’ve ventured away from organized religion over the years. I guess I would describe myself as more of a Buddhist. What about you?”

  “I was raised Presbyterian. I never gave much thought to other religions until I came to school out here and made friends with so many people from other religions and people who don’t believe in God at all. The girl who sits next to me in my History class is Hindu. She and I have lunch together some, and she’s told me all about her religion. I didn’t know the first thing about Hinduism until I met her.”

  “What about your roommate?” Lexie asked.

  “Haley and Nick are both atheists. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that at first, but now I’m okay with it.”

  “What about your family? Did they stroke out when you told them that Nick didn’t believe in God?”

  Savannah looked down at a candle she was contemplating buying. “I haven’t told them much about Nick. They’re so closed-minded about my life out here. They haven’t shown an interest in anything I’m doing, so I don’t feel I owe them any information about my relationship with Nick.”

  “I’m sorry, Savannah. I didn’t mean to be so nosy.”

  “That’s okay. You aren’t being nosy. Besides, I started this conversation by asking you first. It doesn’t bother me to talk about it.”

  “Okay, good, as long as I didn’t upset you. I don’t want to ruin our evening by bringing up a bad topic.”

  “Not at all. It actually helps to talk about it. You understand the Southern culture. Haley and Nick are nonchalant about blowing off family, but I have trouble closing the door on my family. Up until I came here, they had always been loving and supportive of me, and I can’t simply turn that off overnight. I think, given enough time, they’ll come around and understand my lifestyle choices. At least I hope they will.”

  “I’m sure they will. It might take them a little time to get used to everything, but I’m sure they’ll come around. They love you, and that hasn’t changed.”

  Savannah smiled. “Lexie, you’re the best! You always make me feel so much better.”

  “Can I ask you something?” Lexie asked.

  “Of course.”

  “What’s it like having a twin? I always thought it would be cool to have a twin.”

  Savannah sigh
ed. “Hunter and I don’t get along like most twins. When we were small, we were inseparable, but somewhere around middle school, he started acting like a jerk. I don’t know if it was his hormones or what. He started treating me like I’m younger than him, and it’s obvious that he’s Dad’s favorite.

  “That surprises me,” Lexie said. “I always thought twins stayed close their whole lives.”

  “I think most do. Hunter and I have completely different personalities.”

  Lexie looked at her watch. “Guess we better get back to the restaurant.”

  After dinner and a mediocre chick flick, they stopped for a dairy-free sorbet. The two finalized plans for a shopping excursion the next day.

  “See ya tomorrow,” Savannah yelled as they parted ways, going toward their respective cars.

  “I’ll pick you up tomorrow at your place. Feel free to invite Haley.”

  “Okay, I will.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Alexis

  “Okay ladies, I’m going to show you two newbies how to shop vintage style,” Haley announced. The three women were going on a shopping excursion.

  “What’s that mean?” Savannah asked.

  “We’re hitting the secondhand stores on Melrose Avenue,” Haley said. “Great clothing at rock-bottom prices.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Lexie said.

  “I’ve never been in a thrift store,” Savannah confessed.

  “Vintage store,” Haley corrected.

  “Okay, I’ve never been in a vintage store.”

  “I bought my prom dress in a second-hand store,” Lexie said. “My father lost his job my junior year, and I wanted to go to the prom. I saved up my money and found a pretty dress in the thrift store—sorry, vintage store. I was so proud of that dress.”

  Lexie had made up the prom dress story. She had learned in UC school that good anecdotes made the legend, and therefore the person, more believable. She was careful not to make up stories very often, though, because each was a new lie to remember.

  After a couple of hours of shopping, they decided to take a lunch break. Finding a vegan restaurant in LA was never a problem. If you threw a rock in any direction, you would hit a vegan restaurant. They sat down. Savannah looked through her backpack, admiring all of her newly acquired treasures.

  “This is so much fun,” she squealed. “I love vintage shopping.”

  “Me too,” Lexie added. “And thanks for showing us all of these great places, Haley.”

  “No problem, girls; it was my pleasure. By the way, thanks for driving, Lexie.”

  Lexie looked at Haley, then at Savannah. “You know, it’s been a long time since I’ve made any real friends,” Lexie said. “It’s nice to finally make some friends I can trust and be myself around.”

  “Why do you say that?” Haley asked.

  Before speaking, Lexie reminded herself to be careful and not come across as too pushy when gathering information from Haley. She and Savannah had a natural chemistry, but Haley was far more paranoid than Savannah. “It seems like nobody has ever understood me, and now I finally found people I can be friends with who don’t judge me.” Lexie swallowed hard.

  Haley narrowed her eyes at first but then smiled. “Well, I guess that’s what we’re all searching for,” she said.

  “How long have you been an activist, Haley?” Lexie asked.

  Haley briefly hesitated, as if trying to decide whether to discuss the subject with Lexie. “Since I was fourteen years old.”

  “Really? Wow! That’s awesome. How’d you get involved?” Lexie pressed.

  “An older boy in my high school was an anarchist, and I followed him around like a lost puppy. I though he was so cool, so I hung out with him and some of his friends. They were all involved in various kinds of activism, mostly environmental. The guy’s girlfriend was an animal rights activist, so she took me under her wing and taught me all about the movement and how to become vegan. The rest is history, I guess.”

  “That’s so cool,” Lexie told her. “Growing up in Alabama, I didn’t get a lot of encouragement from my family or friends. I wish I would have had like-minded people to hang out with and to learn from when I was younger. It’s nice that you’re helping Savannah.”

  Haley smiled. “If you ever need anything from me, just ask,” she told Lexie.

  “Thanks. That’s nice of you.”

  Lexie decided not to push the issue further. Her strides in winning over Haley today had been enough.

  The three new friends continued shopping until they were exhausted. Lexie dropped off Savannah and Haley and went home to her small apartment. She grabbed a diet soda and sat down to type her report. She stared at the computer screen. Usually words came easily, but tonight she felt out of sorts. She dialed Kate.

  “How’d the day go?” Kate asked.

  “We had a fantastic day. Haley came with us. We had coffee, shopped, stopped for lunch, and shopped again. Total girls day.”

  “Was Haley suspicious of you?”

  “No. She seemed more relaxed around me this time. We actually had a great time.”

  “Did you learn anything new?” Kate asked.

  “About what?”

  “Uh . . . about the case.”

  “No. Nothing worthy of a 302,” Lexie said.

  “All day and you didn’t come up with anything?”

  Lexie was startled. She had worked so hard that day. “Damn it, Kate. I was building rapport. Not everything has to be about gathering evidence.”

  “Okay, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong. Why?”

  “You sound strange, so spill it.”

  Lexie took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. “Kate, I don’t have any real friends.”

  “What are you talking about?” Kate asked.

  “I have closer friends in my undercover life than I do in my real life.”

  “I’m sure that’s not true. You’re lonely. That’s a side effect of working undercover.”

  “I’m serious. At lunch, we were talking about friendship and accepting people, and I realized that in the real world I have very few friends. I have plenty of acquaintances through work, but I don’t have anyone in New Orleans that I would actually call a close friend. And I definitely don’t have anything that would qualify as a romantic relationship.”

  “Listen to me,” Kate said. “You’re a deeply embedded undercover agent. The emotions you’re experiencing are normal. You’re relating to your subjects on a personal level, which is good, but that doesn’t mean your real life is shit.”

  “I didn’t say my real life was shit. I said I didn’t have any close personal friends in my real life. I’ve spent the last five years building my career, and I don’t have anything to show for it. No friends, no love life; hell, I don’t even have a dog.”

  Kate laughed.

  “It’s not funny,” Lexie said.

  “I’m not laughing at you, Lexie. You’re having identity conflict, and you can’t see how far you’ve come and how great you are. It’s normal.”

  “I guess all this sounds pretty pathetic.”

  “No,” Kate said. “Not at all. It’s something that we can deal with. Let’s talk about what you learned on your shopping extravaganza so we can decide what to put in your 302. You know how the brass likes to see paperwork.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Savannah

  In the car on the way to Phillip and Jeanette’s house for a New World Militia meeting, Savannah decided it was time to ask Nick and Haley about inviting Lexie to join their group.

  “I have something to ask you two,” Savannah started nervously.

  “What’s that?” Nick asked.

  Savannah bit her lip. “Can we ask Lexie to come with us to the next NWM meeting? I know we haven’t known her for very long, but she
’s really cool, and I think she would be a great addition to the group.”

  Nick, who was driving, sighed and glanced into the rearview mirror at Haley. “Savannah, you don’t know anything about the girl.”

  “Lexie and I have been spending quite a bit of time together, and I trust her.”

  Nick seemed irritated. “You trust her, huh? Do you trust her with your freedom? What about with my freedom or Haley’s freedom? Because that’s what you’re doing if you bring her into our core group. Do you know her well enough to be able to say she wouldn’t give us up if she were ever questioned by the police or by the FBI? Can you honestly say you trust her to that level this soon after meeting her?”

  Savannah rolled her eyes. “Jesus! I don’t know, Nick. How long does it take before you trust someone to that level? Haley, you’ve spent time with her. What do you think?”

  Haley took a deep breath before answering. “Well, she seems okay so far, but I think she needs more vetting before we invite her to a meeting. I’m not saying she won’t pass muster, but I think we need to do a little more digging into her background before we ask her to join us.”

  “How do we do that?” Savannah inquired.

  “We start by running her information through a few databases on the Internet to make sure she’s telling us the truth. If there are no red flags with her background, then maybe we’ll think about inviting her to a meeting. Is she on social media?”

  “She has a Facebook account. Why?”

  “I have a friend who has a good facial recognition program. I’ll have him run her photo through his database to see if she pops up as a cop or a police informant.”