“You were never in combat. You didn’t serve in Iraq.” There was no need to hold back now. Shane wanted to spook the guy, get him to cough up some piece of intel that might make this entire case fall into place. Now he had doubts and gut feelings. Some evidence but not enough.
“I can see where you’d think that, but my files are confidential.” Tyler’s smile could only be described as smarmy. “You need specific access.”
Shane was done playing with this guy. “I have it.”
Some of the color drained from Tyler’s face.
“Tyler, the facts and times don’t line up. People you supposedly served with couldn’t identify you.” Makena delivered more of the information in a slightly less hostile tone.
Shane had no idea how she managed it. “The records don’t show what you think they show.”
Tyler shook his head. “You don’t understand how this works.”
“I’ve been researching for a year.” A thread of anger moved into Makena’s voice. “I think I do get it.”
“And I’m retired army, so I know I do,” Shane said. When all the life ran out of Tyler’s face, Shane knew they had him spinning and worrying. “I have contacts. I work for people with endless contacts.”
“I can bring you my file.”
The last desperate gasp of the lying man. “Oh, I looked at it. All fake.”
Tyler’s mouth dropped open in mock outrage. “That is not true.”
“I’m thinking you started the site to keep the upper hand. You got first crack at any research and could see if anyone was getting close to your lies.” It was the only answer that made sense, even though Shane wasn’t convinced it did.
“That’s ridiculous. Makena, tell him.” Tyler shot her a quick look. Then his gaze came back. His mouth fell even flatter. “You believe him?”
“You taught me to research. I researched your record.” She shook her head. “It does not check out.”
“This is him.” Tyler backed up until his ankle hit the door. He kept pointing at Shane and stumbling as he rushed to say whatever was going on in his head. “He wants you all to himself.”
She shrugged. “He has me.”
If he hadn’t loved her before, he would have right now. Shane decided to congratulate her later for that hit.
The outrage had Tyler sputtering. “I’m leaving.”
Shane didn’t argue. He’d be too busy packing and hauling Makena to another safe place to stay this afternoon to get sucked into Tyler’s strangeness. “Don’t you want to tell us why you came by for a visit?”
Tyler grabbed the doorknob. Wrapped his hands around it and held on. “You’ll be sorry.”
* * *
SHE NEEDED A BATH.
Today’s meeting with Tyler had done her in. Makena used to like him, respect him. Now she could barely tolerate standing in the same room with him.
The breadth of his actions hit her. This wasn’t a onetime thing or something that could be brushed aside, because it amounted to nothing. “He lied about all of it. Every last piece.”
“Yeah, I think so, too.” Shane exhaled as he looked out the window. Whatever he saw had his attention. She knew Tyler’s leaving kicked off that celebration.
“I know that doesn’t definitely make him a killer or the guy we’re after, but it taints everything.” She didn’t believe anything Tyler said now and wasn’t in the mood for excuses. They’d celebrated victories for the site, and now they all rang hollow.
“I’m sorry.” Shane put an arm around her and pulled her close. “All indications are he was average at everything he tried. Not a stellar student. Not much of an athlete. Not very popular. The type who tried to buy friends using the trust money he got when his wealthy parents died in a plane crash.” Shane whispered the words into her hair. “Pretending to be a hero might have been what he thought he needed to do to change his life.”
“But he’s such a loner. Lying about his life isn’t getting him anything.” She searched her memory but couldn’t think of a single time he’d used his tales to soak up attention or win over friends.
Shane winced. “Maybe he thought it would get him you.”
She couldn’t even process that. Refused to think about it. “I can’t believe I was so wrong. I thought I could read people.”
Questioning this led her to question so many other things. She wondered if she saw things as she wanted them to be. Maybe she painted her entire life with one broad brush.
“Don’t do that.” Shane’s voice stayed low and soothing. “Don’t take on any more guilt.”