Nobody's Hero by Liz Lee Page B

even though she wanted to scream, to rage.  
    The dog walker, Agent McBride, cleared his throat as he took a seat across from her. “I’m sure you have questions Ms. Crenshaw. We don’t have all the answers, but what we do know, we’ll share. If you’d like this to be private, I’m sure Mr. Sorenson will understand.”
    This time she did laugh. Obviously, this guy did not know Riley. Besides private was the last thing in the world she wanted. Because even though she hated it, she figured Riley was right about one thing. The secrets had to stop.  
    “I’ve decided privacy’s overrated. Besides, I’m sure Riley’s as interested in hearing this as I am.”
    The agents looked at each other then finally shrugged and sat across from her. Agent Conroy opened a brief case. He pulled out an envelope similar to the one that had been mailed to Riley and laid out four photos.  
    “Do either of these people look familiar?”
    Her breath caught as she looked at the photos. Younger versions of the people in the wedding photo Riley had shown her earlier. The man in the photo near her looked like he’d stepped off the cover of a Led Zeppelin album. The woman’s big hair and dress made her look like an extra in one of those 80s teen flicks. In the other two photos both were in full military regalia.
    “I,” she tried speaking, but her voice cracked, and she had to start over. “I don’t know these people.”
    The young agent looked at the dog walker, found the answer he sought in what she figured was some silent secret agent communication, then leaned forward, his face intense as he spoke. “Their names are Olivia and David Duncan.”
    She nodded, still not understanding. “They’re in a photo sent to Riley.”
    Both men seemed surprised, and Riley produced the photo, laid it next to the ones already on the table.
    “We’ll have to keep this. It’s not a photo we have on file.” McBride picked the print up, searched for identifying marks just as she had, then put it back on the table.
    She couldn’t stand this any more. “Who are they? What’s going on?”
    “The story we’re going to tell involves the Duncan’s, your family and you. When we’re done, if you have questions. We’ll answer what we can.” The older agent, McBride, sounded practically gleeful as he spoke.
    Callah wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the story. But she knew she had no choice. She needed to know who these people were. Her life might depend on it.

    Holy crap.  
    Riley looked at the smiling people in the photos from another lifetime and knew what the agent was going to say. He saw the train wreck coming and couldn’t do anything to stop it.
    Damn, this was going to hurt her. He grabbed her cold hand in his and waited for the agent to speak, for Callah to react.
    Agent Conroy pointed at the young man in the photo. “David Duncan was your natural father.” He pointed at the other photo. “Olivia, your mother.”
    Other than clenching his hand and letting out a slight gasp, Callah didn’t react at all, and Riley knew she didn’t believe it. Not yet. But she would soon. These agents had more proof than the mother and daughter’s uncanny resemblance.
    As the story unfolded, each layer revealed a darker secret. And he knew when it was over he didn’t have the capabilities to keep her safe, but he’d do his best because she needed him. Judging by what he’d seen of these agents so far, he was all she had.

    It felt like an out-of-body experience. Not that she’d ever had one. It was just so completely unreal. Callah sat in the cold room watching the cold men tell their cold story, let Riley hold her cold hands in his.
    She was there, but not. Somehow she was watching, listening, even reacting, but not really. Everything echoed. She locked her eyes on the photos on the table as Agent Conroy unraveled his outlandish story, and she let Riley hold her hand because obviously that’s what he needed to do. Whatever. She didn’t