Vicious Lies (Lies 1)

I book more commercial and private flights on my own.

I book bus tickets.

I rent cars.

I rent yachts.

I spend more money in a single hour than most people do in a lifetime, arranging dozens of leads that Langston will be forced to check up on.

And then I call Tiffany.

“Liesel! I’m so glad you called, it’s been too long.”

I love her enthusiasm. She’s a struggling actress I met at the beauty salon years ago, and she’s always looking to pick up extra money. Plus, she has a very particular skillset that has come in handy a handful of times before.

She’s not a great actress, but she’s good enough to play me when she needs to. It helps, that with the right makeup, she looks exactly like me. That’s her real skillset—doing makeup. I’ve tried to convince her to become a makeup artist, but she’s always resisted.

“Can you meet me at the salon tomorrow? I need someone to help me with my makeup,” I ask, providing our shared clue that I will be needing her services as discreetly as possible.

“Absolutely.”

I pull Tiffany into the bathroom of the salon before we have our hair done.

“You have a job for me?” Tiffany asks with hope.

I look her up and down. She’s skinnier than the last time I saw her. Her hair is a disheveled mess.

“Yes, I do.”

She lights up with a bright smile.

“I need you to take a one week trip as me; I’ll pay for everything.”

“Where to?”

“Where would you like to go?”

“Paris!”

I laugh. “Paris it is then. If you want to check out London, Rome, Barcelona, or any other city while you’re in Europe, go for it. I’ll pay you a hundred grand in addition to the trip expenses.”

“Oh my god, that’s too much to just take a vacation.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Will I be in danger?”

I shake my head. “The man who is after me won’t hurt me. And he will have no reason to harm you either.” At least, I don’t think Langston will hurt me.

“But we have to make the switch right now. We have to change clothes, you have to drive my car with my cell phone and credit cards to the airport right now, and I’ll have to go back to your place.”

She frowns. “Um…you don’t want to go back to my place.”

“Why?”

“Because my place is a closet with a door that doesn’t lock, cockroaches, and no hot water.”

I smile. “That’s perfect.”