Read Body of Lies for Free Online

came to him seeking advice or counsel or even invited him for the occasional beer unless they wanted something. He didn’t mind having his niece stay with him, but he resented the cursory explanation given him, as if his understanding was unimportant as long as he did as asked.
    Just to be perverse, he asked, “What sixteen-year-old girl does get along with her mother?”
    Adam’s lips compressed, about the only sign of irritation Adam ever showed. “If you’re going to say no, say it already.”
    â€œOf course she can stay with me. What kind of a man do you think I am?” He regretted the question even before he’d finished asking it. He already knew what kind of man his brother thought he was, and Adam didn’t approve. Neither did Jonathan, for that matter. The two of them were like bookends, each vying for the honor of Mr. Stoic for whatever the current year happened to be. Or Jonathan had been part of that competition until he’d met Dana. Zach hadn’t seen enough of Jonathan since then to gauge if his opinion had changed toward his middle brother. Adam’s obviously hadn’t.
    Zach sighed. “I just figured World War Three had to be going on here if you were willing to entrust your oldest child to me.”
    â€œThings have been a bit strained, lately.”
    Even that little bit of an admission surprised Zach. As far as he knew, Adam didn’t confide anything to anyone except God. “I’m sorry to hear that,” Zach said and meant it.
    Adam shook his head, as if to clear Zach’s words from it. “It’s only for a couple of weeks.”
    â€œAs long as we understand I’m probably not going to be around much. I’m working a new case and—”
    Adam held up a hand to forestall him. “As long as we understand none of your women are to come anywhere near my child.”
    Zach almost laughed. Adam made it sound as if he were keeping some sort of harem in his apartment. He didn’t. There hadn’t been a female in his apartment aside from the cleaning lady since before his divorce became final last year. Hell, he hadn’t even bothered to tell Adam that Sherry had finally gotten around to divorcing him after all these years. Good God, he was just as bad as the rest of them.
    Disgusted with himself and the conversation, he stood. “I have something to take care of tonight. I’ll pick Stevie up tomorrow after work, if that’s okay with you.”
    â€œThat’s fine.” Adam rose to his feet and extended his hand. “Thanks.”
    Rather than shake his hand, Zach deposited his empty glass in it. “See you tomorrow.”
    For one bare moment, he contemplated telling his brother where he was heading. Like him, both of his brothers were cops. Both of them knew of Sammy; both of them had heard him speak of Alex. But this was his burden. He left with the weight of it fully on his shoulders.

Five
    She had known he would seek her out, so it didn’t surprise her to find him on the other side of her front door. But why did he have to choose here instead of her office, impersonal territory that held no memories for either of them? She could have handled it there, much more easily.
    Once he hadn’t appeared at her office, she’d assumed he’d show up the next day. Otherwise she would have prepared herself both mentally and physically for his arrival. She’d have put on something slightly less revealing and vulnerability-inducing than a pale peach robe with nothing but a pair of fuzzy slippers underneath it. Part of her wanted to escape to her bedroom to put on something more appropriate before she opened the door to him. She had no idea if he’d wait that long, and she wanted this over.
    She took one last look through the peephole, steeling herself for the encounter that was to come. She might not have changed much, but he had. Thirteen years ago, he’d been a young man just