Flashback by Justine Davis (classic reads .txt) 📕

Amsterdam, in an area that is an absolute zoo and freak show where people sell their freedom and self-respect for cash,” Sam continued. “And then Elle nearly gets blown up while retrieving the man you two want to question—”

“We didn’t know that was going to happen,” Allison objected.

“—and now, after she’s risked her life to help me do a task I still don’t even know the reason for,” Sam said, “you’ve turned her away like you don’t trust her. You bet I’m angry.”

“There’s a reason for our not including Elle at the moment,” Alex assured her.

“Oh, really?” Sam stared at her friend. She couldn’t remember ever being so pissed at Alex. Or any of the Cassandras, for that matter. “Maybe you’d like to share that reason with me.”

“I can’t at the moment.”

Abruptly Sam stood to leave. “Then I can’t stay.” She turned and headed for the door. She was so mad she was shaking. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been this near to being out of control. The realization scared her. Without control she was a victim, and victims had to go along with whatever happened to them. She’d learned that growing up in foster homes.

“Sam,” Alex called. “Please don’t leave.”

Pausing at the door, Sam turned to face the other two women. “You’ve known me for a long time. Both of you. I’ve never asked for much. From either of you. Or from anyone. I gave you help on this without ever asking why or what it was about. Elle gave me the same thing. Simply because we’re family. Something I thought you of all people would understand. You told me there was a possibility that what we were doing had something to do with my parents.”

Alex fixed her with her open, honest gaze. There wasn’t a hint of deceit in her blue eyes. “This is about your parents, Sam. That’s why this is so hard. The answers you want are complicated. We’re still dealing with them ourselves. Please be a little more patient.”

“Why couldn’t Elle be here?” Sam asked. “My mother and father were her parents, too. That’s what this is about, right? My parents?”

“Yes,” Alex said, “and no.”

Sam blew out an angry breath.

“I told you it was complicated,” Alex said.

“You’re aware that your mission was initiated by Alex’s recent investigation into my mother’s death,” Allison said calmly.

For the first time, Sam saw that Allison looked frayed around the edges.

“We sifted through a lot of old evidence while looking for Marion’s murderer,” Alex said. “We also turned up several e-mail communications from someone who only signed the messages ‘A.’ Most of those communications were fragmented and hidden in code we believe Marion created herself. We have been able to decipher some of them, but not all.”

“I’m still working on it,” Allison said. “But it seems my mother was even more clever than I had known.”

Curiosity nibbled at Sam’s anger. Mysteries had always appealed to her.

“My mother was being blackmailed,” Allison said. “Part of those blackmail threats included you.”

Coming Next Month

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