Page 188 of What Started In Deception

“I don’t understand,” Will said next.

“As an agent, I worked on undercover operations. Earlier this summer, I was assigned to a new case—a quiet inquiry into some possible improprieties for the Department of Justice. There were questions about a specific politician having connections to organized crime. My job was to find out what was going on.”

Will nodded as he clenched his jaw.

“In order to make that happen,” Ty continued, “I needed some help. I needed a way in, so I could get close to the people whom I was investigating⁠—”

“So you went to my cousin,” Will interrupted, clearly connecting the dots.

Mac frowned again as she shook her head. “I’m not following this conversation.”

Will looked at his wife. “Ty was at the compound investigating my father. And me, I assume.”

Mac’s shocked gaze flew back to the screen. “Is that true?”

Ty nodded as Lydia did, watching as she struggled to keep her tears in check while she blinked rapidly and pressed her lips together. He gripped her clammy hand tighter in his, wanting to make all of this better for her. “The Boston field office had information that James and Will had been seen in the company of a man who had ties to the Giordano crime family. As a United States senator and with rumors of a possible presidential run on the horizon, it wasn’t a good look. Political corruption is a serious offense.”

Mac’s hot eyes landed on Lydia. “You helped the FBI investigate your cousin? My husband?”

Lydia nodded again as a tear trailed down her cheek. “I didn’t feel like I had much of a choice.”

“I didn’t give her a choice,” Ty admitted, wanting Mac’s anger directed toward him. “When I approached Lydia, I made it clear that she could either help me and we would control the narrative together or the FBI would find another way in, and she would be left in the dark about what was happening to her family.”

Mac’s frown was back as she looked at Lydia again. “Why didn’t you come to us?”

Lydia shook her head. “I couldn’t.”

“I told her I would arrest her for interference with a federal investigation if she told any of you what was going on,” Ty chimed in again.

Mac shook her head. “I liked you, Ty. I welcomed you into my home.”

He nodded. “I know. And I’m sorry.”

She huffed out a humorless laugh as she glared. “It’s not okay.”

He sighed, not loving anything about their current confess all. “What I’m hoping you can try to understand is that when I was given this assignment, I didn’t know you guys. You were members of the Monroe Political Dynasty. You were names in a dossier and pictures and news articles on the internet.”

Mac swiped at the tears that started trailing down her cheeks.

“But after Lydia agreed to help me, we started spending time together. A lot of time. She became important. All of you became important.”

Mac wiped at another tear. “So it’s real? Your relationship? Or it isn’t?”

He and Lydia looked at each other. “Pretending to be with Lydia was part of the investigation at first. Our ‘serious relationship’ was my ticket onto the compound, but somewhere along the way, it became one hundred percent real.”

“Here,” Will said, handing Mac a tissue.

“Thanks.” She took it and wiped at her nose.

“This case was like nothing I’d ever worked before,” Ty further explained. “Typically, when I would infiltrate and embed myself into a situation, I was taking down disgusting, dangerous criminals. But that wasn’t any of you. I fell in love with my cooperator, which is the cardinal sin of undercover work, and in the end, James did nothing wrong. Will did nothing wrong. Having a problem with gambling sure as hell isn’t a federal crime.”

Mac plucked up another tissue. “No, it’s not.”

“I promised Lyd that I would take care with all of you. That was one of her conditions for helping me. As information developed, it looked like the FBI was going to do Will dirty, so I did what I could to make sure that didn’t happen by calling in a favor to one of my friends at the DEA.”

Mac looked at Lydia. “You don’t seem to have much to say for yourself.”

Lydia shrugged as another tear escaped. “I can only say that I’m sorry.”