Around the World in 80 Men Boxed Set 31-35 (16 page)

“
Friends? You became friends with my client?”
It didn't make sense, and she couldn't believe Tanner was going to
lie right to her face. She stood up from the chair and stomped into
the living room.

“
Yeah.” He knew he sounded ridiculous, but
it was also the truth. They had saved each others lives, and they had
indeed become, friends. “I sent him a card for his birthday,
I'm sure this is just a
thanks
in return.” He pointed at
the card that Morgan had picked back up.
Fuck.
He had no idea
how to explain any of it.

“
Friends.” Morgan repeated. “You just
go to pick up a bag, and decide to send him a birthday card? Tanner?”
More tears escaped her eyes. He nodded and she took her next move.
Her finger slid under the flap of the card, and in just a couple of
seconds, she had the card out of the envelope.

“
Morgan,” he spoke. It was too late. She
opened up the card, and several pictures fell to the floor. She bent
slowly and picked them up, staring at the first image as she stood
back up.

Her hands began to shake with nerves, or maybe anger,
and then she shook her head back and forth slowly. The first picture
showed Anthony in a hospital bed, wearing a white bandage around his
midsection and a smiling...Tanner on one side, and Elena on the
other. All three of them with their thumbs in the air, showing their
happiness. The second picture was of just Tanner and Anthony, and
Tanner was holding a small piece of metal, that showed what was left
from a single bullet between his forefinger and thumb. The third, and
last photo was of Tanner's
gift.
It was a small glass
enclosure, holding the bullet on display, with the inscription: The
Sky is Clear, across the front on a small silver oval. Morgan handed
the pictures over to Tanner, then carried the card with her over to
the couch. She wasn't even sure she could stand on her shaking knees
for a moment longer.

Her voice was filled with sadness as she began to speak.
“Thank you for the birthday gift. It will always be a reminder
that we survived. I couldn't have done it without you, and I will
forever be grateful.” There was more to the card, but Morgan's
eyes had become so blurred, she could no longer read the words. She
set the card down, then stood again. “You will tell me what the
fuck happened, right the fuck now.” Her sadness had turned to
anger quickly.

“
I...can't.”

Morgan nodded. “Fine. That's fine.” She
turned quickly, and ran as fast as her legs would carry her to the
bedroom and she had the few items she'd unpacked in her bags in
minutes. She was moving too quickly to think, and especially
couldn't hear the voice of reason, if there was one

As she put her last tee shirt into her bag, she saw
the phoenix on her wrist. “The sky is clear.” She huffed
loudly and pulled the entire bracelet off her wrist, and the ring
Finlay had given her, and put them down into her purse. They all lied
to her, and the realization was more painful than she could handle.

“
You don't have to leave, Morgan.” Tanner
came into the bedroom as she began dragging her bags across the
floor.

“
Yes. I do. You lied to me. You're lying to me
right now! I don't understand! After all I went through, and you
still think I can't handle whatever it is!” She didn't allow
him to respond. “I have to go.”

At that moment, she was still mentally behind her
physical moves. Did she really want to leave? She had no idea, but
her feet and her temper were making the decision for her.

Morgan pulled her bags out front, and in just a few
minutes after a quick call, a taxi pulled into the driveway. She
turned back to Tanner quickly, “whenever you decide to tell me
the truth, let me know.”

Morgan quickly had her bags in the car, and was in the
back seat before any further thoughts entered her mind. It was then,
several blocks from his house, that she finally caught up with her
actions.
Fuck! I'm not a child, Tanner! I can't do this...not now.
I need some time to......to... NOT THINK!

*****

Morgan brought her glass to her lips and sipped the
Moscato slowly. She had spent the rest of the week in Sydney, mostly
shopping, and Queen Victoria Building had proven to be her favorite
place for all of her therapeutic spending needs. She smiled down at
the three pink bags that occupied the chair beside her, and already
couldn't wait to find just the right outfit for her new shoes.

“Will there by anything else?” Her server
smiled and nodded at the near empty glass in Morgan's hand. Morgan
nodded and lifted it slightly. Yes, one more glass should complete
the most perfect shopping day.

She had been doing exactly what she wanted, to not
think. Her days were filled with a combination of shopping and food.
There was also quite a bit of sleeping involved as well, something
that she definitely didn't get enough of.

Her glass was quickly refilled, and Morgan checked her
phone as she leaned back in her chair. One more day, she thought, and
her work week would officially begin. “Hello, handsome.”
Gabriel's photo grew larger as her fingers moved across the screen.
She ignored the butterfly warning in her stomach, something she had
done all week, and smiled at the picture before closing it.
I'm
not afraid. This is my job, it's what I do.
She let out a long
breath, knowing deep in her heart that she was still on the road to
recovery.

“Talking to yourself?” Morgan's head jerked
in the direction of the voice to her side, and was shocked to see
John standing beside her table.

“Stalking me again?” She didn't really want
to know why he was there, in fact, it was clear that the man was just
shopping. John's smile made her feel at ease, and she moved her chair
over to allow him some room. She was comfortable in his presence,
especially since he had spent time with both she and Tanner. He had
turned out to be a very nice man, and she found that she actually
enjoyed his company.

“Not exactly.” He moved into the seat and
placed his bag on the chair with Morgan's items. “But if that's
what you want to call it for me to have lunch with a pretty girl,
then so be it.” John flagged down the server and had his meal
of fried fish ordered within seconds. “How was your week?”
He sipped his water as he waited, and watched several expressions
move across Morgan's face. She wasn't sure how to answer the
question, and he knew it. “That good, huh? Okay,” he sat
back as his wine was delivered, and replaced the water in his hand,
“spill it.” Morgan took a deep breath, half tempted to do
just that, but shook her head and smiled. No, she wouldn't tell the
man anything concerning her recent past, and she quickly brought her
own glass to her lips.

Two long sips later, she finally responded. “I,
uh.” Morgan's brows came together as she searched for the right
words. Finally, “I took some time off work, and I think I'm a
little spoiled. But... I'm going back tomorrow.” That, was the
truth. She stretched the
spoiled
part, since that was far from
what she had felt as she recuperated in Ohio, but the rest was
accurate.

“I see.” John took another sip and nodded.
Morgan braced herself for his next question, but he didn't ask what
she did for a living. “Are you going back to the States?”
They had discussed the fact that John had moved to America when he
was a teenager, but had kept a dual citizenship with Australia.
Home
at that point was wherever he happened to be, much like Morgan.

Morgan thought about lying again, but shook her head
back and forth. “No. Are you?” He shook his head in
return.

“
Nah. I think I'm going to head over to New Guinea
for a few days,” he told Morgan, then looked up at the server
who had just returned to the table. “I'll have your house salad
while I wait. And another one of these,” he added, holding his
glass up slightly.

“
New...New Guinea. You're going to New Guinea?”
Morgan tilted her head to the side as she asked.

“
Yeah, Port Moresby,” John answered. “What's
wrong with that?”

“
That's exactly where I'm going.”

“
No shit?” John smiled, and Morgan's heart
fluttered for the second time that hour. It was
almost
as if
he knew that's where she was going to be.
But that's not possible.
Morgan took another drink of wine. She knew it was possible. More
than possible. But John didn't seem like the type to throw her in a
cock fighting shed behind a strip club and....
stop it, Morgan. Not
everyone is trying to kill me. It's
just
a coincidence.

“
No shit,” Morgan finally answered.

Chapter Five

“
No, you've had all week. I have a six hour trip
ahead of me...I can't.” Morgan sat down in a small blue chair
and crossed one leg over the other.

“
Please, Morgan. I have to talk to you.”
Tanner took a drink of beer and set it on the counter before walking
out to the back yard.

“
Are you going to tell me everything?”
Morgan knew she couldn't go see him right then, but if he was ready
to tell her the truth, she had an hour before her flight and a little
time to listen.

“
I can't tell you
everything
, Morgan.”

“
Then we have nothing to talk about.” Morgan
hung up the phone as her eyes began to burn. She had no idea what
Tanner had gone through, or what he had sacrificed for her. All she
knew was that he was keeping secrets. Finlay was keeping secrets.
Even Anthony was keeping secrets. She had tried to call him, and
Elena said he was
out.
When Morgan had tried to get answers
from Elena, things got even more odd. “All I know is Anthony
was shot.” Morgan spoke quietly to herself. She didn't know who
he was shot by, why he was shot, or even Tanner's role in it all. She
also realized that Elena was keeping her in the dark as well as all
the others. She had put her bracelet back on that morning, and
grabbed the phoenix between her fingers. “Even you lied to me,
Fin.” Morgan's fingers went to the bridge of her nose as she
attempted to get her thoughts under control. It had been one hell of
a few months, and she knew that she had to continue to heal, or break
down completely. “No, I won't be broken.” She took a deep
breath, and let it out slowly as if to release all of her tension to
the air around her.

She finally brushed off all of her negative thoughts and
decided to grab some food before her flight. She was also close to
being strong enough to call Finlay and ask for answers, without her
mind forcing a whirlwind of emotions.
Just answers, that's all I
want. Not drama, Finlay.

“One gyro and soda, please.” Morgan stood
against the counter as she waited for her food, and slid her finger
over the contacts in her phone. So many names, so many beautiful
faces, but none made her smile like they usually did. She clicked
Finlay's name and closed her eyes briefly as she brought the phone to
her ear. The third ring ended and Finlay's voice directed her to
leave a message. Voice mail wasn't something that she was fond of,
but she took a deep breath and left a message anyway. With her head
bent, and her voice low, she spoke quickly into the phone.

“Don't give me the run-around. What happened to
Carlos, and how is Tanner involved? How is Anthony involved? Who all
knows the truth?” She took a quick breath before adding, “I
sure the hell don't know. And I'm beginning to think that I'm the
only one.” She pulled the phone down as her food was placed on
the counter, and the call was ended.

Morgan took her time eating. She actually took her time
with everything that week. Rushing, running late, worrying...she
wanted no part of that lifestyle as she enjoyed Sydney to the
fullest. She didn't know if she had found a pace to live her life, or
if she just needed time to enjoy the simple things, but it was
something that she was greatly enjoying. Her final hour had come to
an end, and she slowly stood as she looked toward the gate to board
her flight. At least, she thought, John wasn't on the same flight and
she was happy to have the last few hours before meeting her client
all to herself.

“Really? Now?” Morgan's phone sounded
loudly from her back pocket and she grabbed it quickly. It was
Finlay, and just as she was about to answer, the final call to board
had been announced. “I'll deal with you later.” She let
the call go to her own voice mail, then shoved it back into her
pocket. It wasn't until she was on the plane that she hid her phone
underneath her hair and listened to the message quickly before
turning it off.

Her heart pounded in her chest at the sound of his
voice. It was lower than usual, and he sounded tired. She immediately
wondered if something was wrong, but shook her thoughts as his words
continued.

Morgan... I'm sorry I doona have all the answers for
ye.
She closed her eyes as she heard him take a very deep breath,
and let it out in defeat.
Someone was hired to finish the job. I
spoke te Tanner before it happened. As far as Anthony, he wasna
involved. That's all I know, Love. That's all.
Morgan listened to
the message again, then turned off her phone to let it all sink in.

She knew that one of two scenarios were at play. Finlay
was lying to her, or Tanner and Anthony had a different situation
that had nothing to do with Carlos. “But if it had nothing to
do with Carlos, or me, then why the secrets?” That was the one
thought that kept her angry at all of them. “Wait!”
Morgan sat up straight in her seat and didn't care one bit that she
was talking only to herself. “How many more people are keeping
secrets from me?” Morgan looked around at the few faces that
turned in her direction. “Angel?” She leaned back hard
against her seat and squeezed her eyes shut. “Julianne?”
Her hands covered her eyes as she spoke again. “Felix?”
Her mind couldn't process the rest of her friends, the rest of the
missing story, and all she could do was take a deep breath and hope
that her mind could settle long enough to maintain mental peace.