| |
In the morning, Sady flopped out of bed with a groan when she heard a cheerful voice over the loudspeaker welcoming everyone to a beautiful morning at Camp Shaw. She shook Amanda, who didn't move, but snarled, "When I get my gun I'm blasting every damn loudspeaker in this camp!"
"You'd better get up," Sady warned. "Maybe they have real breakfast food, and if not, maybe the Army men will share."
"I am getting up," Amanda said from her prone, unmoving position. "Give me a little boost, will you?"
Five minutes later, Sady was sweating heavily, but Amanda was on her feet. Sady had to help her dress because Amanda couldn't bend. "Quit laughing," Amanda told her.
Sady snickered and asked, "What are you going to do when you need the commode?"
Amanda's eyes took on a mean look. "What do you think? I'm gonna get help from the commander because if I sit down I'm not gonna make it back up on my own!"
They both walked stiffly to the door, and Sady commented, "Well, I hope someone notices that we're standing at attention. I also hope they can help us when it comes time to move from that position."
"Good morning, ladies," someone called to them. Amanda snarled, and Sady couldn't turn to see who it was. She raised her hand to wave.
"I hope you gave a greeting worthy of occasion," Amanda said sourly. "Those punishment racks should be put on a list of government banned methods of torture. Ooh, there's Stubbles. Tell him to stop and wait for us, or I won't make it up those stairs."
"Hey, Stubbles," Sady called across the camp. Matt stopped but didn't turn right away. When he did, he had a brow lifted. "Yeah, you. Get over here and make yourself useful," she snapped, adopting Amanda's tone, as she bit back a smile at the look on his face.
He slowly shuffled over. "There's two of you now?"
"Shut up, and get me up those stairs," Amanda demanded. She turned to Sady. "I get to go first because it's gonna take me longer to figure out how to bend my arm and get the fork to my mouth."
"Just go at it like you usually do," Matt suggested. "Pretend it's a trough."
"When I'm done using you, I'm killing you and leaving you hanging from a blown to hell loudspeaker pole," Amanda glared, while Sady covered her mouth. She added, "I hear you laughing, bunkie. Don't think I won't hoist your celery stick body up that pole too!"
Sady waited outside while Matt helped Amanda into the mess hall. When he returned she was leaning against the handrail, trying to appear nonchalant. "You can't move, can you?" Matt asked with a twinkle in his blue eyes.
She shook her head and held out her hand so he could help her up the stairs. "Are you sure you don't want one of your Army buddies to help you?" he asked, with a touch of sarcasm. For an answer, she stopped and turned her head to kiss him on the cheek.
"That's the best I can do for now," she smiled. "I'm temporarily stuck in the shape of the bunk... or the plank, or whatever it is. Bedrock? And I think Amanda might be in a permanent position."
"You're not mad anymore?" he asked.
She paused and said, "You're gonna have to move around to the front so I can hug you, because I can't turn." When he did so, she wrapped her arms around him with a groan of pain.
He laughed and said, "That didn't sound like passion."
"Oh, lord," Sady moaned. "It was pure pain. Except I think I'm stuck like this."
"I could get used to this position," he teased.
She pulled her head back just enough so he could see the smile in her brown eyes. "There are no rewards in this position, Matt. Not until I can soak for a week, have several good back massages, a real mattress..." She sighed and moaned again. "I might not survive boot camp."
"Hell, that makes two of us," he muttered.
"Three, counting Amanda," she reminded him.
"She's on her own," he said with a grin. "Have you forgiven me enough to partner up with me today?" Sady clamped down hard to keep the bubble of rising laughter from exploding. Obviously he hadn't looked at the schedule. The shooting range was the one place he insisted he'd never take her again. She gave him a sweet smile and nodded.
"Good," he replied. "I think it's gonna take all three Army men to keep Amanda in any position, so Harry can team up with Aaron. Melody seems to be fine on her own."
"Then I guess it's settled," Sady said with a delighted grin. She lost her sense of humor at the food line. "What's this?"
He handed her a tray. "This is your breakfast."
"Oh, no. We haven't started that survival mission yet, have we? These look like survival rations. The food is about as appetizing as the décor!" The dining hall was like the other buildings, bare wood, with uncomfortable wood furniture. Sady didn't think having stuffed animals hanging on the walls would do much for her digestion... or appetite. She turned to Matt. "How am I supposed to eat when everything on the wall is staring at me? I think the eyes are meant to appear as though they're following people, so they get nervous and eat less. I bet Wallie serves a lot of leftovers!" Matt chuckled at her paranoid rant.
Sady looked over to where Amanda seated herself on a wooden bench and stared at the items on her tray. "I think Amanda's going to cry," she said in a shocked tone. She looked down. "And I'm going to join her!"
Matt grinned and took her tray. "Follow me Sassafras. Our fearless leader- which is Harry- laid down the law to CJ and Wallie. If they expect you two to stay and help, they have to make a few compromises. Come on."
"Really, Matt? Now? Is this one of those 'wink-wink' compromises Wallie told us they allow for certain guests? Because I'm just not in the mood."
"Sandy-Sue you have a dirty and suspicious mind," he accused. "I like that!" Then he got serious. "In the main office kitchen there's a real breakfast made with real food. Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Did you say real food?" Sady asked, her eyes darting around the room to make sure no one else heard. "Get out of my way, before I run you over."
"What about Amanda?" he asked her fleeing back.
"She's on her own," Sady yelled.
By the time Matt got a complaining Amanda to the kitchen Sady made a good dent in the real food. She gave Amanda a guilty look, but continued to cram food into her already full mouth. Amanda turned to Matt. "If I find out you told anyone else about this, I'll torture you before I kill you. Now give me some real food, then you can help me sit, otherwise my beanpole bunkie will eat it all!"
Matt chuckled at the women eating like they'd been on a strict diet for a week and were now allowed to enjoy anything they desired. He reached for a piece of toast and Amanda smacked his hand while Sady growled. "Please?" he asked. The women exchanged a look, and Sady tossed him her crusts. "Thanks a lot," he told her.
Sady's eye twitched, and with her mouth full, she mumbled, "Then give them back." Crumbs spewed across the table when she spoke, and she wasn't even embarrassed. Matt tossed her the crusts, snagged a piece of toast, and ran.
"He knows we can't catch him," Amanda huffed. "I'm tempted to report a theft."
Sady grinned. "No need. I'll get even with him today. He offered to be my training partner, on the shooting range."
Amanda whooped. "Serves him right. Maybe we should have offered him some scrambled eggs." She saw Sady's look and said hastily, "Just kidding." Then she rolled her eyes. Sady was a terrible shot, no matter how much she practiced. When he took Sady, Matt always returned from the shooting range with a red face and a cloud of blue words blowing from his mouth.
"I'm going to see if I can convince Melody to join us," Sady said. "I'd like to dig some personal information out of her. CJ and Wallie are looking deeper into her background. Hopefully, they have something for us to work with."
A short while later Harry, CJ, Wallie, and Matt joined the women in the kitchen. CJ flopped a folder onto the table. "You were right," she told Sady. "Melody has an identical twin sister, Melanie. Unless we see them both, we can't prove that they are both here, but it raises suspicion, doesn't it?"
"If I had to guess I'd say it's Melanie out on the course with us," Sady commented. At the questioning looks, she explained. "Just the way she moved and walked was different than the woman at the bar. When you spend a lifetime practicing little movements and motions, it's not so hard to spot the differences. Melanie has a longer stride, more confident, and athletic. Her movements are bolder, and forceful. Melody's movements at the bar last night were very delicate and ladylike. She makes her appearances at society functions, so she moves in a very different way. She's not going to take a big stride in a formfitting dress. Even her hand gestures were slower, more deliberate. Plus, I noticed when she reached up to touch an earring her hands weren't red or blistered. For a society woman, one day at this place would show on her hands."
"Well, what's their game then?" Harry asked. "Especially now that Seth's dead. Do you think Melody had her sister kill Seth, and they're staying around to throw off suspicion?"
CJ rubbed her forehead. "It's starting to look that way, isn't it? I'd still like to pin this on the Army guys, but they don't have a motive for killing Seth. Getting even with Wallie, maybe, but killing a stranger to accomplish that? I don't buy it."
"Has anyone looked deeper into Aaron's background?" Matt asked. Everyone laughed, and he asked, "Well, have you? Just because he seems incapable, doesn't mean he isn't fooling the lot of us."
CJ glared at Matt and made a note on a pad of paper.
"How about our mystery guest and assistant?" Amanda asked.
Wallie's face turned purple. "Absolutely not! I won't even dignify that suggestion with another thought."
"Well, I guess it's the twins and Aaron then," Harry said. "I'm pairing up with Aaron today, so I'll see if I can get any background on him."
Sady raised her hand. "I'll see if Melody wants to join us." Matt scowled, and she smiled. "You know we're on the shooting range today, right?" His face turned purple, and he stomped out. Sady's smile brightened the room. "I'll take that as a no. Wish him luck because he'll need it!" She giggled as she rose to follow Matt out the door.
To Matt's relief, and Sady's disappointment, Melody turned down their request to partner up. As Sady repeatedly missed her target, Matt began to rethink his decision. Melody could not only hit the target sheet, she could hit the bull's eye.
Amanda glowed at her station. She was a good shot and her Army buddy was generous with his compliments. With a sigh, Matt turned back when Sady grabbed his arm in excitement and pointed. He inspected her target but saw no holes so he shrugged. She gave him a disgusted look and pointed again. He began laughing when he saw the trough her bullet plowed through the dirt in front of the target. But it was centered in the lane. He lifted her ear protection and said, "You'd be great if we were doing torpedo practice. Try for the target." She gave him a dirty look for his lack of appreciation and turned back for more practice.
At the end of the period, Matt sat a dejected man. Amanda waltzed by and scolded him. "It's not her fault you didn't pass the shooting challenge."
Matt looked up in amazement. "Not her fault? How do you figure that? Even your warped mind can't possibly imagine that it was my shooting that killed this thing! I aced it, but I still have to run a mile."
"You didn't read the schedule, therefore it's your fault because you asked her- remember? Have fun on your little trot. I'm going for something cold and refreshing."
Matt earned the pity of the Army men and Aaron. He scored higher than any of them but Sady's was the worst in camp history.
"At least you had a pretty lady for a partner," Aaron offered consolingly. He turned and said, "No offense, Harry. You're a good shot too." Harry just grinned and patted Matt on the shoulder as he passed.
The hair on the back of Matt's neck stood up when he heard fast little elf-like footsteps with a voice that could smash gravel scream, "On your feet, Morrow! Get that loser ass of yours off the bench and don't show it until you've run a mile."
"Well, are you ready, Sady?" Matt asked in an uptight voice.
Sady gave him an innocent look. "Ready? For what?"
His brows dropped along with his countenance. He turned to CJ, and she shrugged. Sady waved and blew him a kiss. "I'll get even with you," he warned before heading out for his punishment. Sady and CJ had a good laugh. Then CJ remembered where she was and wiped the smile from her face.
"Paintball war games after lunch," she told Sady.
Sady batted her lashes. "I can't wait," she said with a silly grin. She hoped Matt had some tricks up his sleeve or he was going to be running another mile after the war games, Sady was sure. Poor Matt. Oh, well, a man can't have everything... or can he? Sady's mind was awhirl, and she didn't even notice she went through the mess line at lunch. Amanda had to drag her to the kitchen.
"Has this place sent you over the edge?" she asked Sady. Turning to CJ and Harry, she continued, "I warned you! City girls DO NOT enroll in boot camp either, right Sady? Sady?"
Sady gave her a preoccupied smile and Amanda rolled her eyes. "She's probably worrying about Stubble's revenge," she chuckled.
"Isn't Matt back from his run yet?" Harry asked, concerned.
"He's still cooling off in the shower," CJ told them. "He's used up all the hot water and there's still steam rising from the building."
"Amanda, will you trade partners with me for the afternoon?" Sady asked.
"Uh, huh. I told you," Amanda said confidently. "She's afraid he's gonna have to run another mile after the war games and will be mad at her." She agreed to help Sady. "Sure, I'll keep Blue Eyes in line for you. Just make sure you tell Chuck that it was your idea because I have a feeling he's going to be running tonight."
Sady thanked her and silently finished her lunch. When Matt came in to eat, they told him of the change in plans. He went into orbit. "And this helps me how?" he scowled.
"Uh, Sady can't shoot," Amanda reminded him.
"Yeah, but she's not a floating turkey in a duck shooting gallery," Matt complained.
"One more comment like that and I'm gonna lower my weapon first thing and surrender," Amanda threatened. "Now do you have something else to say about me?"
Harry placed his hand over Matt's open mouth and diplomatically said, "You move very quickly and gracefully, Amanda. Now he needs to eat, so why don't you ladies leave and let him have some peace?"
Amanda gave him a scheming look as she left, and Sady just waved and went to find her new partner, Chuck.
After gearing up for the paintball war games, Sady got an odd feeling. Everyone looked eerily the same even though their heights and weights varied. Even the mystery guest suited up for the game. Just before CJ blew the whistle to start the event, Sady waved her over and had a quick chat with her. CJ shrugged and nodded, then blew her whistle. Sady couldn't help but laugh as CJ took the first paintball shot. She looked at her camo pants. "That's your only warning, Meadows," she hollered through her loudspeaker. The teams scrambled, running for cover and looking for good places to ambush the other teams. It was a huge area and guaranteed to keep them busy for a long time.
When the other teams ran, Sady and Chuck quietly followed CJ out of the pen. At CJ's look of uncertainty, Sady said, "Listen, we're only testing a theory, not accusing anyone. I need Chuck because he knows the camera angles." CJ nodded her approval, then left to oversee the mayhem in the war games pen.
Sady and Chuck removed their gear. "I hope you don't mind missing the game," she told him.
He laughed and confessed he and his Army buddies had already helped themselves to the facility last week for a round of every man for himself. "So what are we doing?" he asked. "And why do I get the feeling that this isn't an officially sanctioned program?"
Sady admitted sheepishly, "If you haven't guessed that some of us aren't here for the fun of it, then you really aren't Army intelligence." He smiled at that, so she continued. "We're doing an unofficial look into the murder of Representative Mills. We have a few leads, but there's a theory I'd like to check, and none of my team is qualified."
"We're sneaking through the camp, aren’t we?" he asked with a gleam in his eye. "This will be fun. Where do we start?"
"Well, the feds have done a thorough perimeter search, and other than the spot where we slipped out the other night, it's tight and undisturbed. I think the person who murdered Seth was already in camp that night, but knew how to outsmart the cameras. You guys figured it out, so it's not impossible."
"Little lady, am I going to find a pair of handcuffs waiting at the end of this mission?" he asked sternly.
"Oh, no! I don't think you or your friends did it- no motive," she replied earnestly. "I mean it, Chuck. The only reason I chose you, and not Tom or Robbie, is because you were Amanda's partner and we needed to trade. I need your help to see if it's possible to get past the cameras undetected and move toward the spot they found the body. I'm asking for your help."
"Okay. We never tried to beat the cameras to get farther into the compound. Our aim was getting out,” he grinned. “Where do you want to start?"
"It doesn't matter, because I want routes from each of the buildings checked," she told him.
"How are you going to know if you're successful? We can’t prove anything if the murderer has access to the video and deletes our findings. Or do you have someone in the guard shack monitoring the video?"
Sady shook her head. "The fewer the people who know, the better. CJ radioed the guard in the shack that we are running a security check to look for weak points, which is basically true. Plus, Amanda has a computer genius neighbor who's already in the system and watching everything the cameras see."
"You're going to blow our path to sneak out, aren't you?" he asked.
She chuckled. "I'm afraid that one's left the barn, Chuck. The feds found it, and Wallie wasn't happy. He's with them right now trying to explain how it happened... and when. I want to learn if there are other blind spots that will allow a person to sneak from the main area to the back of the compound where Seth was found. We already know it’s possible to get from the bunkhouses to the front of the property. So let’s check the other direction."
She handed him an earpiece and popped one into her own ear. "Hey, Joey, can you hear me?"
"Hi Sady. I not only hear you, I see you. You're looking good! Of course, not as good as Amanda..."
Chuck bugged his eyes, and Sady whispered, "It's a long story."
"Too long if you ask me," Joey said. "Sady, can't you convince her to say yes?"
"Uh, Joey, say hello to Chuck. I'm sure you see him too... standing right next to me... listening to everything we say."
"Hey, Chuck. I'm Joey, Amanda's fiancée. Is she behaving?"
Chuck looked uncertain, and Sady said, "Don't worry, Chuck. Amanda never behaves, and Joey knows that. Joey, stop trying to scare poor Chuck! He's doing us a favor, so don't chase him off."
"I'm following your lead," she told Chuck.
They spent the next hour avoiding cameras and attempting to reach a point where they could move about the compound without video detection. They worked it from each guest bunkhouse, and each time they failed. At the last guest bunk, Joey said, "Sorry, guys, but Chuck just stepped into camera range. I think your theory is a bust, Sady. I'm sorry. Unless you adjust the cameras, it won’t work."
She let out a deep sigh. "That's okay, Joey. Like you said, it was just a theory." She sat down dejectedly on steps of the mess hall while Chuck surveyed the area.
"Don't disconnect," Chuck told Joey. Sady looked at him curiously. "There's two buildings we haven't checked."
Sady's brows went up. "You're joking!"
Chuck shook his head. "Follow me." As they walked, he gave instructions to Joey. "We haven't mapped escape routes from these buildings for obvious reasons," he said. "We'll start at the front door of each one. Tell us when we come into range, and direct us if you can so we can avoid the cameras. If that doesn't work we'll try different starting points."
Nearly two hours later a jubilant Sady hugged Chuck and congratulated Joey. "It doesn't give us any answers," Chuck reminded her.
"No, but it's a fresh lead... or two."
"Are we set?" Joey asked Sady.
"As long as you've got a copy of it, we're good. Thanks, Joey!"
"Make sure you tell Amanda..." Sady pulled her ear piece and shoved it into her pocket. Chuck didn't, then his face turned red, and he pulled his ear piece quickly.
"Why didn't you warn me?" he asked, shocked.
"I did. You didn't listen," she teased. "Now, the question is- who had the best motive to kill Seth Mills?"