Shadow lies, p.3
Shadow Lies, page 3
“She knows you. If you go see her, then you will know who she is as well.”
It all sounded logical when he said it, yet Kane couldn’t seem to wrap his head around it.
Finally, he nodded. “All right. Is she still with the abbot?”
He cringed at the thought.
The leader of the Shaolin monastery and temple ran the enterprise like a well-oiled machine. Somehow maintaining tradition while keeping pace with the modern world.
It was a challenging and full-time job. The one thing the man couldn’t do was waste time. Especially with women demanding to see a lowly student like him.
“The abbot left for a meeting at the temple, but she is waiting in the abbot’s office here. Yes.” With one sweep of an arm, he indicated the way down the hallway and Kane reluctantly complied and headed toward the abbot’s office.
He didn’t know what he expected to find, but it wasn’t what he saw when he walked into the room.
The abbot, thankfully, was absent just as his teacher had said, but the woman was there, seated facing away from him.
He still had no clue who she might be. All he could see was a wild fall of shoulder length dark curls… until she turned when he entered. Then he got his first glimpse of her bronze complexion punctuated by green eyes that seemed oddly familiar.
Why was she familiar? He didn’t know her. Did he?
Her gaze skimmed over his monk’s shirt and pants before settling back on his face.
She smiled. “This is a new look for you.”
“Do I know you?”
“You did. I guess I looked a little different back then. Braces. Braids. Usually trailing along somewhere behind Brittany. You didn’t notice me all that much.”
His eyes flew wide as realization hit. “Alexis.”
Her smile spread. “You do remember.”
His college girlfriend’s little sister. No wonder she looked familiar. He remembered but he still didn’t understand.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
She lifted one shoulder. “Eh, you know. I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I’d stop by.”
He shook his head, still confused and very aware that time was passing. He needed to get to the kitchen to help serve the evening meal. It was one of his duties and, guest or not, he couldn’t dump his chores on his brothers when they already had their own tasks.
But more questions nagged at him. More than he had time to ask now. He chose one. “How did you know I was here?”
“Easy.” She let out a short laugh. “It was in the Lee family Christmas letter.”
He huffed out a short, breathy laugh of his own. “Great.”
Letting out a sigh, he glanced at the doorway. His teacher hadn’t come inside but he had a feeling he wasn’t far.
He focused back on Alexis. “Wait here one second?”
“Sure.” She nodded.
Out in the hall, he found he was correct. The man hovered nearby.
“Shifu—” Kane cut himself off, wondering what exactly he wanted to ask.
What he needed to know was what he was going to do with Alexis now that she was here. He was at a loss.
As a SEAL, he used to be able to roll with changes. Pivot. Adapt. Think on his feet. But having his old life collide with his new one had thrown him. Trying to navigate the monks’ protocols as an outsider made things even harder.
What was the standard operating procedure for a female visitor at the monastery? In the Navy, SOP was clear cut. Here, there was a lot he was realizing he didn’t know.
“Brother, you should fill a bowl and bring your guest dinner. She can eat in the abbot’s office alone. You will serve your brothers, eat, and clean as usual. Then come back to join your friend until evening kung fu practice begins.” His teacher was calm and logical.
Kane was grateful for that. “Thank you, shifu. I will.”
He rushed back through the door to Alexis. “I’ll bring you dinner and then be back in forty minutes so we can talk.”
“Can’t you eat with me?” she asked.
He didn’t have to ask his teacher to be able to respond to that question. The answer was clear in the rules. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Because meals here are silent and you, as I remember, are not.” He smiled, remembering the chatterbox she’d been back when he’d known her when she was a young teen.
He saw her react to that statement but she didn’t argue. She always had amused him. Even back then. The memory just made him smile wider.
“Be back in a minute with your dinner. Then, after, we can visit and catch up,” he said as he headed for the door.
He found he was actually looking forward to the visit—to talking with Alexis. That seemed odd. He’d come here to get away from his past. And so he wouldn’t have to talk about it with anyone ever again.
Chapter Six
“Have you located Kane?” Charley’s voice purred over the phone pressed to Alexis’s ear.
“Yes.”
“And?” Charley prompted
“And he’ll be able to talk to me after he eats dinner.” Alexis swirled her spoon through the remainder of the vegetable soup in the plain, primitive, but practical bowl in front of her.
The food wasn’t bad. It wasn’t all that good either. She was more a burger and fries kind of girl. Watery soup that she suspected didn’t have even a hint of meat in it wasn’t going to satisfy her for very long.
She realized Charley had yet to respond. “Charley? Did I lose you?”
“No.”
“Oh. You didn’t say anything.”
“I was wondering why you weren’t eating with him.”
“Because monks can’t talk when they eat, apparently.”
“Is he a monk?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think so.” At least the teenage girl with a crush on him that still lived deep inside her hoped he wasn’t. “He was dressed like one though.”
And how the hell had he made that outfit look so damn sexy?
Shit. She shouldn’t be thinking things like that here. She glanced at the ceiling of the monastery office. It didn’t crack and fall on her so she hoped she hadn’t incurred the wrath of God—or Buddha—and it was okay.
Another moment of silence answered her. Charley was probably thinking the same thing she was. That there was no way Kane could accept her job offer if he was a legit monk.
The thought of Kane Lee actually being a monk had her heart breaking a little. There were too few smart, hot guys in the world as it was.
“Get back to me after you speak with him,” Charley said, breaking the moment of silence.
“Will do.”
“And Alexis, don’t leave there until you’ve exhausted every opportunity to convince him. I don’t care how long it takes…or what you have to do.”
Was Charley insinuating what Alexis thought she was? That she should seduce Kane to convince him?
Damn. Now the image of that was in her head and she liked it.
How far would she go? And exactly how far did Charley really expect her to go?
There was one thing she knew about Charley and that was that she was a control freak.
That was evidenced by the fact Alexis was currently wearing the outfit chosen and bought for her. And that she had a suitcase full of similar clothes, also chosen and purchased for her.
She’d never in her life owned a pair of wool tailored pants. She did now and was wearing the brown houndstooth bottoms with a black cashmere turtleneck and black heeled boots.
Alexis had been allowed bare minimum input during the makeover, which had turned out to be a whole reimagining of her. Inside and out, because there was no doubt when she was coiffed and dressed in what she guessed was Charley’s image, she felt differently on the inside too.
Professional. Confident. Determined.
Maybe that was the whole point. But her agreeing to dress differently didn’t mean she’d do everything Charley asked.
Before Charley said anymore, such as providing her with specific seduction instructions, Alexis said, “I’ll call you as soon as I’m done speaking with him.”
She disconnected, relieved to be done for now with the mystery woman who had too much control over her.
After putting the cell down, she concentrated back on the bowl and forced the last few sips of soup down her nerve-tightened throat.
Wasting food seemed like it would be not only rude to her hosts but also a sin around here so she did her best to finish. The only thing left was a bit of broth when Kane walked in.
He reached for the bowl. “Done?”
“Yes.”
Glancing down, he saw what remained in the bottom.
Without comment, he raised it to his lips and drained the remainder. Then he wiped the bowl, inside and out with the rag in his hand before placing it and the spoon to the side.
He folded the towel and placed it over the bowl before finally turning his attention to her.
Ritual. The word skidded into her mind. She suspected that were she to sneak into the main part of the monastery to observe the other monks, she’d witness them performing the same motions in the same exact way Kane had.
Was that what had drawn him here?
After years in the Navy where there was a proper way to do everything, did he crave a strictly regimented life?
Curious as she was, discovering why he was here wasn’t why Charley had sent her. Getting him to accept Charley’s job, whatever it was, was her goal.
As Kane watched her with eyes that spoke his confusion and curiosity, she said, “So, how are you?”
He tipped his head in the slightest nod. Almost a bow. “Well, thank you. And you?”
“Good, thanks.”
This awkward small talk was ridiculous and getting her nowhere. But she had to warm him up to the idea of talking to Charley. As she considered how to do that, monk Kane seemed to take a step back and cocky college Kane took a step forward.
Standing in front of her, he leaned against the desk.
Kane folded his arms across his chest and leveled a hard stare on her. “I have about twenty minutes before I have practice. So why don’t you tell me, Alexis, why are you really here?”
Apparently, she hadn’t charmed him with her quick wit, or wooed him with her new slick look. There wasn’t much left in her arsenal.
What there was, was the truth.
Drawing in a big breath, she began. “I was at work when my cell phone rang—”
“At work where?” he asked, interrupting her.
That was one question she wasn’t going to answer. Kane Lee did not need to know exactly how sucky her life was. “Uh, just a part time gig I picked up. It doesn’t matter. Anyway, the caller ID read unknown number. I answered it and it was some woman I didn’t know. She said her name was—”
“Charley,” he finished her sentence for her before letting out a huff.
“Do you know who she is?”
“No. But she called here too. What did she say to you?” Kane asked.
“She asked me about you.”
“About me?” His dark eyes widened. “What about me?”
“If I knew where you were.”
“So you told her?” Dark brows lifted high above his eyes.
“No. I mean I didn’t know then. I had to call my mother and ask if she’d heard from your parents lately. I figured they would know where you were.”
“Why would you do that? Go out of your way to find out where I was for a woman you admitted you didn’t even know?”
Because she paid me to, sounded like the worst possible excuse.
Alexis decided to cite the other reason for her diligence in finding Kane—the reason that didn’t make her look bad.
“Because she said she wanted to offer you a job.”
Kane drew in and let out a breath in one forceful huff. “Lexi, I appreciate you going so far out of your way to help me get a job, but you shouldn’t have. I don’t trust this Charley person and you shouldn’t either. And I’m definitely not interested in any offer she makes.”
“She just wants to talk to you. Discuss the details of the position.” She reached for her cell phone on the table. “I can call her and you two could—”
When his eyes narrowed to angry slits and his focus moved from the cell to her face, she stopped herself before she completed the sentence.
“You’re working for her,” he said with certainty.
“I, uh. No. Not—not really.”
He tipped his head to the side and looked almost amused. With his arms crossed over his chest and a don’t bullshit me expression on his face he looked more Navy SEAL than monk.
Then again, the monks here were different. According to the internet, the Shaolin monastery trained warrior monks. Maybe Charley was right when she said she wasn’t surprised Kane was here.
Still and silent, he stood and waited for her to explain herself. Although his stare broadcast his accusation clearly. Wordlessly.
It was the most uncomfortable silence she’d ever endured. She knew he wouldn’t end it. It had to be her.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I thought you might want the job.”
That piqued his interest. “You know what the job is?”
“No. She wouldn’t tell me. Do you?” she asked.
“No.”
“Then how do you know you don’t want it?”
He snorted out a laugh that was devoid of humor.
“I just know.” He shook his head. “You talk just like a spook. Maybe you should go into intelligence for a living instead of taking jobs from mysterious women calling from unknown numbers.”
Perhaps Charley had done too good of a job cleaning her up. She looked more like she worked for the CIA now than she had when she’d actually worked there.
“Uh, uhm—” she stuttered.
“Although maybe you’re already working for the spooks. DIA. NSA. CIA. Pick one of the three-letter organizations.”
She drew back at his uncannily accurate guess regarding what her career had been before it had imploded. How the hell had he known?
“Charley could be working for any one of them,” Kane concluded.
Was he right? Was Charley CIA? If so, she’d have access to Alexis’s records…
She didn’t have time to ponder that now. She had a large man sneering in front of her. A man she still had to convince to take this job. Or at least, Charley’s phone call.
“Kane—” The sound of a gong startled her. “What was that?”
“Warning gong. Practice is starting soon.”
“Practice?”
“Kung fu.”
“How long is this practice?” she asked.
“Until chanting begins. Then meditation. We rest at twenty-three hundred.”
She did the math to convert the military time before frowning. “Eleven p.m.?”
He nodded. “It will be dark soon. You need to go. Do you have transportation? Lodging?”
She was being dismissed.
“Yes.” Charley had arranged for everything for her with military precision—or that of an intelligence agency.
And Alexis had failed in her assignment for her. She couldn’t ask if she could stay so they could talk after his day was done. Not with his day ending so late.
These warrior monks were hard-core. She’d have to leave now and try again tomorrow. There was nothing else to do.
“Can I come back in the morning?” she asked.
He stared at her for so long she expected him to say no. Finally, he nodded. “Yes. But not in the morning. Come at twelve-thirty. We can talk during my break.”
“You get a break? I’m shocked,” she gasped, clutching her chest.
He actually let out a genuine laugh.
She liked the sound, so she continued, feigning horror as she said, “Oh, I’m sorry. Sarcasm is probably a sin for a Buddhist.”
His smile continued. “Actually, no. It’s not.”
“That is a shock.” She returned his smile, but as much as she’d like to stay, she knew she had to go and so did he. “All right. I’ll see you tomorrow.
“I’ll look forward to it,” he said.
“Sarcasm?” she asked, one brow cocked up.
“No.” His answer sounded sincere.
“Good.” Maybe she hadn’t failed yet after all.
That feeling of positivity lasted until she’d made it back to the hotel Charley had rented for her and picked up the cell phone the mysterious organization had provided.
She stared at it in her hand as the screen came to life and the logo appeared. A phoenix with an anchor and trident.
What did it mean? Hell if she knew. What she did know, or at least strongly suspect, was that they’d be tracking her movements with it.
They know she’d left the monastery and they’d be expecting a call, so she’d better make one.
With a sigh she hit the one and only contact in the phone. Charley.
The woman obviously had no life, as evidenced by her answering after the first ring. “Yes.”
“No.”
“Excuse me?” Charley said.
Alexis had thought she was being clever by answering Charley’s single word with one of her own. Judging by Charley’s tone, the woman didn’t agree.
“I’m going back tomorrow to try again. I need more time to talk to him.”
“Then why didn’t you stay longer today?”
She let out a lip-flapping breath. “Because he had to go to kung fu practice.”
Silence met that. Alexis couldn’t blame Charley for being perplexed. It sounded just as crazy to her now as it had when he’d first said it.
“Yes, I know. It sounds like bull, but he wasn’t lying to get rid of me. I hung around long enough to see them actually practicing.”
Dozens of them, all lined up with rigid precision.
They were all dressed alike, but she could spot Kane without any trouble. His height for one. His bulk for another.
Then there was the fact that she’d seen him so many times in her mind—in her dreams—during all those years she’d been in love with him while he’d dated her sister. She’d memorized his form. She’d know him anywhere, even now after all this time.
