Amy Atwell - Lying Eyes

Following her mom’s death nearly eight years ago, Iris had looked at her father not with the eyes of a daughter, but from the mature perspective of her then-twenty years. She still saw the charm, faded now to a devilish twinkling in his eye, but she wasn’t fooled by it anymore. Cosmo did what he wanted to do, a selfish, self-promoting con man always out to make a buck and impress the world.

It would be just like him to have harbored two other families and divided himself among them. Resentment simmered within her, but she tempered it with the knowledge that she’d always expected something like this from her father. Still, expecting it and living it were two different things.

The door opened without a warning knock, and a male uniformed officer ushered in a younger woman-tall, lithe, blonde, striking in an angelic way-the polar opposite to Cosmo’s short, stocky build. Maybe Justin Hunter had been pulling her leg.

The young woman’s gaze roved around the small room and settled on her. Coming forward, the woman smiled nervously. “I suppose it’s all right for us to talk while we wait. I’m Allie Fortune.”

Momentarily stunned by the familiar golden eyes, eyes that looked exactly like her father’s, Iris could do nothing but swallow. “I’m Iris,” she finally managed to say.

Allie paced the small room, giving wide berth to Iris’s corner. “This is so nerve-wracking. Almost makes me wish I smoked or something, you know?”

“Yes.”

“My daddy disappeared last night, and I’m supposed to review some photos.” She drew to a halt, her short skirt swishing across her long legs. “Why are you here?”

Iris leaned against the two-way glass. “Same exact reason.”

“Really?” The incredulity in Allie’s voice might have been comic except it seemed sincere. “How weird is that?”

“Plenty weird.” Her fingers itched to wring Hunter’s neck.

Perfect timing. Hunter opened the door to usher in another young woman-this one about Iris’s size but with olive skin, yards of black curls and a mutinous expression that immediately raised Iris’s sympathy.

His gaze swept over all three of the women. Iris knew the look-he was appraising them, measuring their value independently and collectively. The same type of look a buyer gave cases of jewelry at her shop.

Loosening his tie, he made a quick introduction. “Corazon, this is Allie and Iris.”

The brunette nodded but made no effort to smile or shake hands. She withdrew to the farthest corner of the room.

Still leaning against the mirror, Iris aimed her question straight at the detective who’d screwed up her day. “Do they know?”

Before he could respond, Corazon interrupted. “He’s told me his theories, but I think he’s mistaken.”

Allie looked from person to person. “What are you talking about?”

Iris felt a pang of empathy for the girl.

“Do you want to tell her, or should I?” Justin asked.

“It’s your party,” Iris said.

“All right, then, ladies, let me make full introductions. Iris Fortune, meet Alberta Fortune and Corazon Fortune. Your father Cosmo was married to all three of your mothers.”

Corazon shook her head vehemently, her curls tossing in the darkened corner. “I still say it’s impossible. Look how close we are in age-how could he do such a thing?”

Amazed that anyone who knew Cosmo could defend him, Iris laughed out loud. “Easy. It’s called bigamy.”

Corazon stared at her, and Iris felt the prick of daggers tipped with bitterness and anger.

“Oh.” Little more than a soft gasp, the single syllable pulled her attention to Allie, whose eyes were brimming with moisture. “Then we’re sisters. I have sisters.” The blonde grinned.

Sisters. Iris shared a common bond with these two women. They’d all been betrayed by Cosmo. Peachy.

“I still say it’s a mistake,” Corazon told the detective. “These are lies to get us to reveal information to you.”

“Information about what? About your father’s dealings?” Justin asked, suddenly alert.

“Dealings?” Allie’s nose scrunched up as cute as a bunny’s. “He was a magician.”

“And a gambler, a cardsharp, a con man, a liar-” Iris ticked them off with her fingers. “And apparently, a womanizer.”

Corazon’s eyes flared with heat. “My father was no liar or cheat.”

“Really?” Iris raised an eyebrow, feeling more righteous than intimidated by the brunette. “Maybe you’re lucky-maybe your mother cheated on Cosmo.”

The brunette’s olive skin paled. “Leave my mother out of this. The love they had was real, not some cheap imitation.”

Before Iris could spit out her comeback, a shrill whistle cut through the room. She winced and looked to Hunter, but he stood with his hands over his ears.

To her surprise, the delicate Allie lowered her fingers from her lips. “Sorry about that, but throwing insults won’t get us anywhere. It’s pretty obvious both of you were happy being an only child.” The blonde gave a heartbreaking smile. “But I love knowing I have sisters. I hope we’ll get to know each other, but for now, we should focus on Daddy.”

“Daddy?” Corazon’s incredulous tone nearly made Iris laugh. This whole situation was absurd.

“Daddy doesn’t need any help from anyone,” Iris said flatly.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Hunter scratch his ear, a wry grin twisting his lips. “I’m not so sure of that,” he said. “We think Cosmo got involved in some kind of deal-something shady-and now someone’s out to kill him. He may be running scared.”

A tremor coursed up Iris’s spine as she remembered the sexy con man who’d whispered about ten million in gems. Then there’d been the call from her security company. But if Cosmo had been in serious trouble, surely he would have left her a message? He’d known he could count on her, right?

She remained mute, unwilling to share her suspicions. Noticing Corazon’s lips pressed together in a stubborn line, Iris wondered whether the brunette was also holding her cards closely to her vest.

Apparently, secrets were a Fortune family trademark.

“I’m sorry this has come as a shock to all of you, but we sincerely want to help your father.” Hunter retrieved a stack of papers from the small table near the door and handed a packet to each of the women. “These are some highlights from the background check we did on Cosmo. It’s how we traced the three of you. It would help us if you’d each review this and see if there are any pertinent details we’ve missed, anything at all that might give us a clue as to where he could be hiding.”

Silence hung about the room as they all looked at each other until, finally, Hunter chuckled sheepishly. “Look, I can’t force information out of you. I’m just asking. I’ll step out of the room for a few minutes, give you ladies a chance to talk in private.”

“Like you won’t be listening at the keyhole?” Corazon’s head tilted, weighted down by sarcasm. Against her will, Iris found herself rooting for the brunette.

“I won’t need to.” Justin backed up and opened the door. “We’re recording everything you say.” He stepped out, and the door snapped shut behind him.

If anything, the tension in the room increased. Apparently, silence could be measured in decibel levels. Right now, it was deafening.

“This is a travesty,” Iris said.

“A curse,” Corazon muttered.

Allie continued smiling. “It’s a blessing, and one day, you’ll both see it.” Without another word, the blonde began to peruse the pages in her hand.

God forbid. Iris looked to Corazon, and discovered she was also reading. Despite the needles of fear pricking her, Iris focused on the document. What could be more shocking than learning Cosmo had two other daughters?