Truth or Lies? by A. Gomez (book club recommendations txt) 📗

“What does that have to do with you leaving me for Ginger?” I glared at him.

“The DEA said if I didn’t help them then they would get you and your department to help them and I wasn’t about to let that happen. I didn’t want you anywhere near this kind of danger, so you see, I had no choice.” He took me by the shoulders, turning me slightly toward him, “I was supposed to develop a relationship with Ginger, gain her trust, just enough to where she would bring me into this hell and then get them the proof they needed.” He was gazing at me intently, his body tense. “Don’t you see, Isabel? I never wanted to leave you! I never wanted Ginger! I was and still am in love with you. It killed me to let you think that all I wanted was sex. And then I saw you with Rockwall… and that was it for me. Once I got the DEA some of what they needed, I told them I was out. I had to try to win you back. I had to ask for forgiveness and a second chance. But then this happened,” he sighed. “So much for keeping you out of harm’s way,” he scoffed. He continued his pseudo examination of me. I opened my mouth, stuck out my tongue, he looked into my ears, he poked and prodded all over my abdomen and limbs.

I sat there, blinking at him, my temper beginning to boil and bubble. “David, do I look stupid? Or like some meek and weak helpless maiden in distress that always needs a man to save her?” I kept my voice low and even.

He stopped his examination. “What? No, of course not.”

“Then why on God’s green Earth, wouldn’t you just trust me with the truth?” I said matter-of-factly, blinking at him.

“Because, Isabel, if Ginger would’ve had the slightest doubt in her mind about my feelings for you then my leaving you would’ve been all for nothing. I only agreed because you were the DEA’s second choice to help them. I couldn’t… I wouldn’t let that happen,” he said vehemently.

“Well, David, then you’re a real good actor because your public displays of affection with Ginger were outstanding,” I said with indignation. “So much so that I can’t one hundred percent believe that this wasn’t a pleasurable experience for you. I believe you are helping the DEA and I also believe they wanted my help, but I don’t completely believe that being without me and being with Ginger was torture for you. You didn’t have to say yes. They weren’t forcing you. And if they would’ve ever approached me, which we will never know now, what made you think I would’ve agreed to help them?” I closed my eyes, sighing, “You made your choice, David, and it wasn’t me. Now that there’s another man that wants to be with me, that’s when you decide you want me.”

David stood up and walked to his medical bag. He let his head hang. He was rubbing his forehead, pressing his lips in a thin line. “I’m so sorry, Isabel. I never meant to hurt you.” He paused. “Are you all right? Has he hurt you?”

“No, he’s been weirdly pleasant. I think I’m his human Barbie doll, though. He likes to put me in nice dresses and has me wear them to dinner with him.” I paused. “I’ve been sold, you know… to the highest bidder. I didn’t ask for how much… I didn’t want to know.”

“I know,” David answered, turning to gaze at me. “Rockwall is the one who bought you with Ricky’s help.”

I felt a slight twinge of excitement. “Josh? You’ve talked to Josh? Wait. He bought me? With Ricky’s help?” I was confused. “You and he are talking to each other? I don’t understand.”

“You may know Ricky as Chex?”

“Oh, yes, I remember him. I never got a chance to talk to him, although I did meet him.”

“Like I said… I’m helping the DEA and he’s FBI and Ricky’s been helping these girls get out for some time now, so once Davis told Rockwall what happened, it only made sense to work together since we’re all after the same bad guy.”

I supposed I shouldn’t have been too surprised. Josh was the tech brains on the case… and Chang did place me on some strange website for special clients with deep pockets. It made sense that Josh would be able to find me online.

“But what makes Chang think Josh actually has that kind of money? Or that it’s not the FBI?” I wondered.

“With the help of your father, the FBI was able to acquire the money Josh bid for you, so it is actual money. Ricky helped us by showing us where you and all the girls were being held, and since it’s all through a website, Josh was able to be someone else and hide who he really is. Chang doesn’t suspect a thing. We’re just waiting for Chang to accept the bid and as soon as he has the money in his account the DEA and FBI can move in.”

“Oh,” is all I could say, still shocked to hear that David and Josh were working together. “What about Conny? Where is he in all this?”

“FBI director Tim Conny is dead,” David said flatly. “He was shot and killed by one of Chang’s men the day Chang had you kidnapped.”

I covered my mouth in horror. I remembered seeing Conny on the floor, not moving. I remembered jumping over the man I shot when I was trying to get away. How could I forget?

36

There was a knock on the door and then Chang walked in. He saw David putting his things away in the bag he brought and then eyed me suspiciously. I stared back at him