Cam couldn’t believe how nicely the Jag handled. The steering was buttery smooth and the response immediate. She’d have to reevaluate her thoughts on how much money that you had to spend on a vehicle.
“You like this car?” Sonya asked, watching the look on Cam’s face.
“It beats my bike!” Cam laughed. “I’m surprised you don’t drive more. I’d be in it every chance I got, if it were mine.”
“You wouldn’t say that if you had to pay for the gas and repairs.” Sonya smiled. “Why don’t you leave me at the front door of the hospital? You can park the car in the garage and meet me up in Nick’s room. I want to stop at the gift shop on my way up.”
Cam steered the car to the front entrance of the hospital.
“All right,” Cam agreed. “I’ll park it next to good, new cars so it won’t get bumped into.
Sonya chuckled. “Thanks,” she said as she opened the car door. “See you in a minute.”
Cam watched her walk up the short walkway and through the revolving door.
Now that I know it was Jack Weston, she thought, I’ve got to have Dickie put someone on him to find out where they’re having this pseudo-coke made. That’s the only question I still haven’t gotten answered. And that was the one I was put here to find out about! She went through it all in her mind.
She pulled the car into the garage and up the first ramp where she found a parking space. It was a good thing it was still early in the afternoon or this garage would be full and she’d have to drive to the top of the five-story garage to find a space.
Taking her cell phone out of her jacket pocket, she dialed the number that was always imbedded in her mind.
In answer to the crisp “hello?” which came after the second ring, she said, “I’ve only got a minute but I have some information.”
“All right, sweetie,” Maggie answered. “What is it?”
“Have Dickie check on Jack Weston, Bradford’s assistant. He’s the one I heard ordering Pei’s death. I also have the feeling he’ll lead us to whoever is cooking the new dope.”
Maggie hesitated as she wrote this down on her note pad. “Anything else?”
“I’ve got a whole lot more. We just talked to Alan in Miami. Bradford’s been making enemies in the Brazilian cartel, so Dickie can expect a lot of activity in that area.”
“Where are you now?” Maggie asked.
“I’m in the hospital parking garage. We’re just checking on Nick, then we may be going back to the restaurant. Why?”
“I just sent Pauly there. I thought you’d be at the hospital. He showed up and is looking for you.”
“Where’s he been?” Cam asked, excited that her friend was back.
“His father’s been sick; he had a stroke. Pauly had left messages but you didn’t get them. He’d left them with Roger…” Maggie hesitated. “That was Roger’s body they found in the park yesterday.”
“Roger? Pauly’s Roger?” Cam couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“Yes, sweetie. Pauly’s all broken up about it. He needs to connect with you.”
“I understand. I’ll look for him. I’ll be here at the hospital or at the restaurant.”
“All right. Be careful.”
Cam flipped her phone shut. Roger on drugs? Dead? She couldn’t believe it.
What a week this has been! She’d been shot at, poisoned, and almost drowned in the harbor. She’d had to kill someone, witness someone shot before her eyes, and now her best friend’s lover had been killed. When would this stop?
Cam got out of the car and made sure it was locked tight. She turned back and looked at the car. It was a beautiful royal blue. Sonya looked good in it and now Cam had a new appreciation of luxury sports cars. Maybe Maggie had been right. She should treat herself to something like this. She’d earned it.
From the second level of the garage, she could walk across the pedestrian bridge directly into the hospital, so Cameron walked up the ramp and through the exit to the bridge. It was just across from the elevators, so it was just a few moments before the elevator opened on Nick’s floor.
* * * *
Maggie didn’t recognized the phone number. Who’d be calling her private number?
“Bonjour, Maggie,” answered the question.
“Michael! It’s good to hear from you. Where are you? I didn’t recognize the number.” She smiled as she settled back into her chair.
“I am in Vancouver presenting workshops. This is my hotel phone. I’ve been here for three weeks. The RCMP is taking a look at my proposal and I may be presenting these all across the country.”
“That’s wonderful, Michael! I’m so glad for you. If I remember correctly, you’ve been working on the plans for a few years now.” Maggie was very proud of her friend. She knew Michael was working on plans to teach self-defense to women and children and have it incorporated into the school systems.
“Oui.” Michael beamed. “I am very happy that they are accepted. It will be more work for me, but now the youngsters will have better physical education.”
“That’s wonderful. We should have that here in the States. It might stop some kids from turning to drugs.”
“Oui. I believe so as well.” There was a brief pause. “Is Cameron all right? I haven’t been able to get hold of her. Is she still on assignment?”
“She’s fine; she was here yesterday.” Why make Michael worry? “But she’s very busy. This assignment is lasting a little longer then we had hoped it would. She’s been trying to get hold of you, too. I think she’s left two or three messages.” Maggie was a little confused.
“Mais non, Maggie,” Michael exclaimed. “I have not gotten messages. Did she leave them here?”
“No,” Maggie answered. “She left them with…uh…Clare, I believe. I don’t think she knew you were away.”
Michael mumbled several obscenities. “I told Clare specifically that if Cameron called, to give her this hotel number. I hope she’s given Jean-Rene that message, too.”
“Does Clare live with you?” Maggie asked guardedly.
“Oh non! Of course not. Is that what Cameron thinks?” Michael was disturbed.
“That’s what Clare told her,” Maggie confirmed. “Cameron doesn’t know just what to think about it.”
“No, Maggie. I would never have someone living with me while I have a relationship with Cameron. I am not a nun, but I won’t have someone move into my house. Clare was just house-sitting while I’ve been gone.” Michael was quite concerned. “I think I have been away too long. Clare has not been doing what I asked of her. Now I have to assure Cameron that Clare is not my lover.” Michael took a deep breath. “And if Clare thinks she is or will be, she’s in for a rude awakening. Clare was a trick, a one-night stand, nothing more.”
Maggie took a deep breath. “Cameron will be glad to hear that.”
“Maggie, please, will you do me a big favor?” Michael asked.
“Of course, sweetie,” Maggie replied. “What do you need?”
“Call me at home as soon as Cameron is off assignment. I want to come there and make sure Clare has not caused her despair,” Michael pleaded.
“Yes, definitely, Michael. Do you want me to reassure her when we talk next?”
“Tell her I love her and I will be there as soon as she is free,” Michael requested.
“Of course,” Maggie replied.
“I must go back to Montreal and kick Clare out of my house as soon as I can get a flight,” Michael averred. “She has not done what she said she would. I hope that there is nothing else wrong there.”
“Can’t your brother just stop by and see if everything’s all right?” Maggie suggested.
“A very good idea. But I want to speak with Clare myself. She must know that there will never be anything between us.”
“I’ll just tell Cameron that there’s been a major misunderstanding. I know she trusts you. She does get a bit paranoid when she’s on assignment, though,” Maggie laughed. “I think Charlie’s rules make her unsure of everyone.”
“Oui.” Michael sighed and chuckled for the first time in the phone call. “Charlie’s rules are meant to make you look over your shoulder.”
“Very true,” Maggie concurred.
“Well, I have to go and call the airlines and try to get a flight out tomorrow or the next day. This shouldn’t have happened. Now I must rectify it,” Michael said seriously.
“Don’t worry about Cameron,” Maggie assured her. “Things will be fine. I’ll let her know you called.”
“Thank you, Maggie. Bonjour. Je t’aime.”
“Love you, too, sweetie. This will all be cleared up.”
* * * *
“There she is!” Cam heard as she came off the elevator.
She looked up. Deputy Police Commissioner Walter Palent and Sonya were waiting for her.
“What’s up?” Cam asked as she walked over to them. Why was Commissioner Palent here? Was someone being arrested?
“Why don’t we go over here where we’ll be out of the way? I wouldn’t want to disturb Nick,” Palent suggested smoothly. “I just found out some very interesting information and I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d rather tell it to.” He steered Cam over to a hallway behind the nurse’s station. “And you, my dear, will be more than interested to hear this,” he told Sonya.
“I’m sorry, Commissioner,” Sonya stated flatly. Her tone sounded aggravated. She didn’t want to have to play Twenty Questions. “I’d like to get to see my brother today.”
“Well, I think you’ll be more interested in this.” Palent looked like he was the proverbial cat that swallowed the canary; he couldn’t be more pleased with himself.
“Then what is it? I don’t have all day to play games.” Sonya was clearly annoyed.
Palent slipped into his official persona as he stared into Sonya’s eyes. “Well, I have this friend in Washington. He works at the Department of Justice. He’s an accountant. Actually, he’s in the payroll office. And he usually keeps an eye on names of those being paid from Baltimore accounts. He keeps us very well-informed. He usually knows who’s working where. That way we know who to look out for. That’s how we traced down that DEA agent who worked here about a year ago. I think you remember that guy. Dealy was his name, I think.” He stopped and glanced over at Cam, then back to Sonya.
“Does this story have a meaning?” Sonya harumphed.
“Oh, yes,” Palent answered.
Cam shifted her weight. Something was wrong here. Something was very wrong.
“You see…he’s been watching this account that’s paid from the Baltimore account to a bank in Boston. Money is paid to it every month, just like clockwork. But there’s no name on it, you understand, just numbers, so he had no idea whose account it was. He’s been watching it for more than about five years, an undercover agent, being paid out of Baltimore. Until just last month…” He turned and stared at Cam. “When money was transferred to another account in Boston. To a fund for a little boy named Tommy Nelson. And I wouldn’t even think of reaching for my gun if I were you, Ms. Andrews. Jack Weston is right behind you and he’s already got his gun in his hand.” His voice made the transition without so much as a change in tone.
“What is this?” Sonya asked. She looked over at Jack who suddenly appeared in the door to Nick’s room. She could see the look on Cam’s face. Cam was frozen in place. Only her eyes moved and they were sending out a message of sheer terror.
“Well, Ms. Hernandez,” Palent said as he turned back to her. “It had everyone stumped until we did more investigation of the Nelson family. It seems little Tommy’s father, George Nelson, went to Boston University…” Palent was enjoying drawing this out. “Where he shared an apartment with a boy named Bennett Andrews…which leads us right to…?” He turned and stared at Cam.
“Cameron?” Sonya gasped, her eyes wide. Cam could see the information turning over in Sonya’s head. She remained silent, not moving a muscle, yet feeling Jack’s presence behind her. She could even hear his breathing, he was so close.
“Is this true?” Sonya said softly between clenched teeth, taking a step toward Cam. Every muscle in her body was tense.
Cam didn’t answer.
Sonya stared into her eyes. She was flushed with anger.
Cam stared back.
Sonya hauled off and slapped Cam across the face, as hard as she could. Cam fell back from the force of the blow, only stopped from falling by Jack’s presence behind her. Jack pushed Cam back onto her feet and she could feel him taking her gun out of her belt holster. She rubbed the spot where Sonya hit her but didn’t take her eyes off of Sonya’s.
“What are you going to do with her?” Sonya asked, not able to control her anger.
“I thought you’d like a voice in that decision.” Palent smiled.
“Just get her out of my sight,” Sonya seethed.
“Patterson Park?” Jack suggested from behind Cam.
“No,” Sonya said firmly. Her eyes had taken on a look of dementia. “Patterson’s for your everyday form of scum. Take her somewhere where she can die…slowly…and never be found.”
Cam’s heart was beating wildly. Her breath was shallow and forced. Was this the way it was going to end? Had her good deed turned around on her? She looked from Sonya to Palent and back. With Jack’s hand clasped tightly around her arm and his gun pressing into her back, she began to estimate how much it would take to get out of this.
“I think I know a place like that.” Weston’s grip on Cam’s arm cut off the flow of blood. “We’ll take care of her. Do you want to kiss her good-bye?”
Sonya shot Weston a look of sheer hatred, then turned and stomped away.