House of Cards Read Free Page B

on the table and pushed the chair out beside Rae to rest her knee high boots on. “What do you want to know?”
    “Careful,” Carter warned.
    Jennifer threw him an annoyed look. “Really? She’s working for you now. You think hiding information from her is going to keep her on your team?” She crossed her long legs and turned to Rae. “Bethney and I met in Scotland. I was working undercover and she approached me. How she knew I worked for the Privy Council, I can’t tell you.”
    “She came to you?” When Jennifer nodded, Rae continued, “How old were you?”
    “I was seventeen. Same age as your mom.”
    “Same age as me.”
    The thin eyebrows went up again. “Really?” She waved a hand as if to dismiss Rae’s comment. “Bethney wanted to know more about the Privy Council. She and Simon were dating pretty seriously, and he hated the PC’s.”
    Rae interrupted, “What were you doing in Scotland?”
    “Spying on your mother.”
    “Jennifer!” Carter shook his head.
    “What? I was. It’s not some horrific secret. Bethney was dating the one person who everyone was terrified of. Why wouldn’t she be a person of interest?” She pointed her thumb at Rae. “The girl’s no dummy. She’s going to figure it out.”
    Rae sat back in her chair. “What did you find out?”
    “Your mother wanted to help the Privy Council. She understood that protecting the innocent was most important.”
    Protecting the innocent? Her mom loved her dad.
    “She shared Intel. She got close to Simon, worked with us when he went away, she was amazing. And her tatù…” Jennifer laughed at some private joke. “That girl had some serious talent.”
    Rae’s heart began racing when she considered the risk her mother had taken. If her dad had found out, what would he have done?
    Jennifer glanced away, staring intently at the wall. Rae sensed she was seeing her past. Her face softened, sorry tinted the corners of her eyes, a slow blink carefully erased the glimmer of tears that would never be allowed to fall. “I miss her. It’s never been the same.” The moment of vulnerability passed as quickly as it had come. Jennifer’s face locked away her emotion. “Then everything changed.”
    Rae leaned forward. “When?”
    “When she had you. She continued working while she was pregnant, but when you were born she changed her mind. She would share Intel but she wouldn’t leave your side. She refused to leave you alone with Simon.”
    Rae glanced back and forth between Jennifer and Carter. “You knew how dangerous he was, and you guys didn’t try to pull her out? You could have hid Mom and me. Put us in witness protection or something.”
    Jennifer snorted. “You think hiding would have saved your mom? Come on, kid. Simon would’ve found the right kind of tatù to track you two down. Then he’d have killed both of you.”
    “Enough!” Carter stood , snarling. The sudden outpouring of anger shocked Rae. Carter was almost always under control, but apparently while she had been carefully scrutinizing Jennifer’s every facial tick, Carter had been seething. He put his hand on Rae’s shoulder. It was a protective gesture. “Don’t blame her. She’s the victim.”
    “Victim?” Jennifer threw her head back and laughed. “Look at the girl! She has no bloody idea.”
    What the heck is she talking about? Rae shoved her chair back and stood. She met Jennifer’s gaze without blinking and then realized what leather-lady had insinuated. She spoke low and articulate, “I know who I am, and I know exactly what potential I have. If you can’t handle the fact that I’ll be stronger and better than you, then I suggest Headmaster Carter find me a new Botcher.”
    Jennifer slid off the table and stood inches away from Rae. With her boots she was about two inches taller . She bent slightly so they were eye level. “I can handle it – if you can, Dagonet.” She enunciated each syllable, using the pronunciation to remind Rae that she