Two Lies and a Spy by Kat Carlton

that.”
    Luke stares from me to Rita and back. He takes a deep breath. “Why don’t you start from the beginning?”
    I summarize what’s going on as best I can, while he listens.
    “Your parents work for the Agency?” he asks.
    “Yes. And they’re not in human resources or accounting, if you know what I mean.”
    He nods. “Wow. I had no idea. My dad never told me. But then, he wouldn’t.” He laces his fingers behind his neck and stretches out his shoulders, still trying to absorb this information.
    I nod. “And so—I really hate to ask you this—but I need your help.”
    “Of course,” Luke says. He’s such a good guy. “Whatcan I do?”
    I swallow hard. “Rita and I need access to your dad’s work laptop.”
    Luke’s expression changes from good-natured and helpful to stunned and wary. “You have got to be kidding me.”
    “I wish.” I stand my ground, even though I’d love to tell him that it’s all a big joke.
    “Kari—” He drags a hand down his face and laughs without humor. “You know I can’t do that.”
    “Why not?” Rita demands.
    “My dad’s the freakin’ director! I can’t just hand over his laptop to two girls who happen to attend the same school as me.”
    “We know exactly who your dad is. That’s why we need your help,” Rita explains to him, as if he’s a two-year-old—and not a very bright one.
    “This isn’t like hacking someone’s Facebook page, Rita. We’re talking about national security here.” He uses the same tone with her.
    “Exactly,” I chime in. “My parents have worked for the Agency for twenty years. They’re loyal employees, and they need help now that they’re in trouble.”
    Luke nods. “Great. So let’s go talk to my dad, and he will work through official channels to help them.”
    It sounds logical and reasonable—I have to admit that. But too many things aren’t adding up. “No. Mitch has been with the Agency for almost as long as my parents have, and he’s the one who tried to kidnap me and Charlie. The last thing I want is for Mitch or his buddyGary Whatever to know where I am or what my movements are.”
    “So we tell my dad to keep things quiet,” Luke says.
    “I think it’s a bad idea,” Rita declares. “What if he only tells one person, and that employee is the very one who’s not trustworthy?”
    “Luke, my parents’ lives could be at stake.” I hate the pleading note that enters my voice, but I can’t seem to suppress it.
    He closes his eyes. “You’re asking me to break into a government database.”
    “No,” Rita corrects him. “We’re asking you for thirty minutes alone with your dad’s laptop. You won’t have anything to do with the security breach.”
    “Except engineering the opportunity,” Luke says.
    I can see guilt eating him up at the very idea. He opens his eyes but sets his jaw and flattens his lips. I’m afraid he’s about to say no. I wince.
    But before he can say anything, a completely unwelcome, hateful, British voice joins the conversation. “Oh, come, Lucas. You won’t find a prettier reason anywhere to throw your pops under a bus.”
    Rita shrieks.
    I almost come out of my skin.
    And even Luke takes a step backward as Evan appears out of thin air. “Where the hell did you come from, dude?”
    “Ah.” Evan smirks and holds up an index finger. “First rule of a sneak attack: Be sneaky.” He looks at each of our faces briefly, and then his gaze returns to mine. “You lookas if you bit into a thundercloud, love. Indigestion?”
    “Evan, what are you doing here?” I snap.
    “Just happened to be in the neighborhood.”
    “Right. And you just happened to be at the Starbucks in Union Station too.”
    He looks at me with an expression of kindly tolerance. “Second rule of a sneak attack, Kari my love: Perform surveillance upon other sneaky persons before sneaking up on them.”
    “How did you recognize me?” I am annoyed beyond reason.
    He grins a predatory male grin. “Would