My Spy 6: Private Eye

Black & White

I debate whether or not to tell Momma what I just saw. I want to call Ryan immediately, but I also want a moment to dissect what just happened. If I bolt out of here, my mother will call Ryan and I won't get the moment I so desperately need. I decide to confide in her and I hope it doesn't blow up in my face. 

"I just..." I start, as she stares at me with concern. "I...I just got a text." I reach for my phone and my stomach clenches when I see the texts again. I look to her but before I hand her the phone, I say, "I know for a fact this isn't what it looks like. My question is why she's trying so hard to make it look like it is...that."

My mother takes my phone and I watch her expression change from concerned to horrified. With wide eyes she looks between me and the photos, "That's not..." She shakes her head, "Is that Whitney Carmichael?" All I can do is nod before she adds, "If this was any other female I would be furious but...this is Whitney. I don't trust what this looks like at all."

I nod, "Yeah. I know Ryan was working on something that was connected to the Carmichaels but...it doesn't explain this?"

"Well what did he find out?" She snaps, but I start pacing as I throw my hands up. 

"I haven't a damn clue! He's kept me out of work for once. All I know is LulaBelle hired him for something and somehow the Carmichaels are connected and he doesn't even know that I know that much," I tell her and I have to put my hand on my chest to try and calm my breathing. 

"Well now, I don't understand this whole set of blackmail photos. You can see his hand on her, he's pushing her away," She tells me and I stop spiraling to look at her. 

"What?" I ask and she spins the phone toward me. She zooms in on the kissing picture and I was too busy looking at their lips to notice his hand placement. He has a hand on her shoulder and his neck is ever so slightly pulling back. At first glance, I wouldn't have noticed but now analyzing his body language, I can see he's pulling away and not leaning toward her. I sigh out some of my nervous energy but then she says, "But you can't zoom in on newspaper pictures if she were to send these over to Dash."

I frown, "These would hardly make the actual paper but she would definitely send these into his gossip blog."

"I still don't understand the purpose of taking these. Why would Ryan meet her at a hotel and what does he know?" She asks with a shake of her head. That's the million-dollar question. Why go through the trouble of setting this all up? She then adds, "Now, I know Ryan wouldn't throw his marriage away for Whitney bloomin' Carmichael, but if these get out, there will definitely be another scandal."

"Well thank you for giving him the benefit of the doubt," I tell her and I genuinely mean it. I couldn't endure another war with my mother. 

"I know you are because we are both aware that he is very much obsessed with you. Anyone that knows Ryan, knows he wouldn't cheat on you. I can for a fact say that," she tells me and I nod. Ryan would keep secrets from me, and clearly even meet up with my sworn enemy, but he wouldn't cheat on his pregnant wife. 

After letting me spin out for a few more moments she asks, "What are you going to do?"

"I will make myself sick if I don't talk to him. I can't wait until his stupid draft is over this afternoon. I won't be able to focus on anything until I get answers." I snatch my phone off the counter and stride out the back screen door. My stomach is in my throat as I stand on the patio to call him, but his phone goes straight to voicemail. I then try Austin and get the same answer. I know Theo's house is tucked away into a secluded area and that service can be spotty. My hands are shaking and I know I can't wait for him to come pick me up. That could mean hours of waiting. I whip the door back open and stride into the hallway as I yell to my mother, "I am borrowing your car! I need to see Ryan." She comes jogging in behind me and as I snatch her keys off the foyer table she says, "You're not supposed to leave here missy."