“You know the other reason I know you’re a liar?” Keen tapped his tablet a few times and then turned it. On the screen were columns, photos and notes in tiny font. “This.”
She leaned forward and squinted to read the screen. At first, she couldn’t make sense of the information. It wasn’t until she read the labels on the far left that she started to piece it together.
DNA? Fingerprints? This was the evidence processed from the mine. She glanced at Keen who seemed decidedly smug and then returned her attention to the test results. Her gaze slid down to the final section where the findings were summarized.
Unknown female DNA sample shows 35delG causing congenital and complete hearing loss.
There is a 24% DNA match between unknown female sample and known male ID D1311545 a/k/a Flint. Kinship Category: Granddaughter.
There is a 21% DNA match between unknown female sample and known male sample from decedent ID A7131429 a/k/a Devious. Kinship Category: Niece.
There is a 54% DNA match between decedent A7131429 a/k/a Devious and decedent A7131421 a/k/a Crow. Kinship Category: Brother.
She reread the sentences four times before lifting her gaze to Keen’s face. Bewildered, she pointed to the column for the unknown female and then tapped her chest. “Me?” she mouthed.
“Yes.”
Forgetting that he couldn’t read sign language, she hastily signed. “Who is Crow?”
Keen shook his head and mocked her hand movements. “I don’t understand that shit.”
Shoving down her fury at his rude remark, she stabbed the keyboard. “Who is Crow?”
“Your father,” Keen stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Your father and Devious were brothers. Your father,” he turned the tablet and double-tapped a new folder, “was a Splinter.”
Maisie stared in shock at the images of her father as a young man in various operations. Someone had taken up close images of him building bombs, firing weapons, standing over dying men with a gun pointed at their heads to finish them off. Sickened, she looked away. She didn’t want it to be true, but there was proof right in front of her.
“I guess the poison apple didn’t fall far from the terrorist tree,” Keen remarked cruelly. “You are the perfect spy. A sweet little honey pot with those big eyes and that pretty face,” he said, leering at her in a way that made her feel nervous. “I’m not surprised they chose you to tend Terror. He was weak, hurt and vulnerable, and you walked in that room looking like a little slice of heaven. Made him feel bad for you because you’re deaf. Made him feel protective over you because everyone else in the mine called you names and made fun of you. And now look at you! You weaseled your way into his heart and right onto this ship where your terrorist scum family wanted. How long before you betray Terror like you betrayed Devious?”
“I am not a spy!” She reared back at his ugly insinuation. “I did not betray Devious!”
“Then who did?” he demanded, slapping the table so hard their tablets rattled.
“The doctor,” she answered. “I think.”
Keen sat back. “What doctor?”
“The old man,” she clarified. “He came to drop off supplies and treat some of the Splinter operatives who had been wounded in a job off-planet. After he left, they took Devious from the canteen. Not long after that, they came for me.”
Keen seemed skeptical but picked up his tablet anyway. He tapped and scrolled until he found what he wanted. “Is the doctor in one of these photos?”
She glanced at the two rows of photographs on the screen. They were all older men in their uniforms. She zeroed in on the man in question and held up four fingers to indicate his position in the lineup.
Keen glanced over his shoulder at the man with the crossed arms and nodded. He turned his attention back to her. “Let’s go back to the beginning...”
Exhausted and still bewildered by the DNA test results, Maisie slumped forward and rested her arms on the table. Is this ever going to end?
Chapter Ten
Arms crossed in front of his chest, Terror stood at the rear of the observation room, his back against the wall and his fingertips biting into his sides so hard he was certain there would be marks later. He focused on Maisie as she answered the questions lobbed at her by Keen. The pleasant male voice reading out her answers unsettled him. It was one of those moments when he realized just how