Cam shook her head. “Not with me.”
Laurie pouted.
Cam took a step back as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Want to try smoking this?” Laurie asked as she reached into her dresser and produced a pipe. “I’ve got all sorts of stuff, three pipes…”
“No. Inhaling it works fine for me. Smoking this shit will get you up into next year.”
“But it’s so much faster,” Laurie said. “And I got some rocks, too. Not as many as you bought but I’ve got some. I’ll share them with you.”
“No, keep the rocks for yourself. I’ve got enough.” Cam took a deep breath. Getting out of this was harder than she’d thought.
“Look,” Cam continued, “I appreciate the attention, but it’s not going to happen between us.”
“If I tell Neil you broke my heart, Preston will never sell to you again,” Laurie threatened.
“I’ve never had problems finding drugs. I’ll have to find somewhere else.”
“There isn’t anywhere else around here.”
“Then I’ll have to go back to Montreal.”
“Come on, Cameron,” Laurie wheedled. “Just once? You might like it.”
“No doubt I would, but it won’t happen.”
“Another time?” Laurie asked.
“No. I’m sorry.”
Laurie took a deep breath. She looked like she wanted to cry. “Well, it was worth the try.” She muttered softly but frowned. “Do you want some more coke?”
“No, but it was good. Where does he get it?”
“Billy drives over to somewhere near Burlington, I think.”
“That’s quite a ways.”
“He only goes every other week. Are you sure you don’t want some more?”
“No, Honey. I have my own at home and I should be going there now.”
Laurie glanced at her bed, then up at Cam hopefully. “Are you sure you won’t reconsider?”
Cam shook her head.
“At least stay until everyone else leaves or goes to bed? Please, don’t embarrass me. Everyone thinks I’m scoring with you.”
“But, you aren’t.”
“Let’s keep that our secret. Please? Everyone was pushing me on, saying I couldn’t do you. They don’t have to know they’re right.”
“Tell them I was a lousy fuck and you couldn’t stand it,” Cam suggested.
Laurie laughed. “No one would believe me. They all expect you to be spectacular.”
Cam took a deep breath and looked at her watch. It was after midnight. Good thing she’d called Michael. “I’ll stay one hour only.”
Laurie plopped down on the bed. “All right.” She sighed. Then she had thought. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” Cam replied.
“How did you get that scar on your shoulder?”
Cam sighed. “It was my first year on the force,” she explained. “My partner Greg and I were patrolling the streets of our precinct…” She’d never forget that afternoon.
“I pulled into the parking lot,” she explained to Laurie, “and found a space right in front of a donut shop. Greg and I’d decided to both go in and get a cup of coffee. I had just gotten out of the cruiser and was putting the keys in my pocket when something hit me in my shoulder and slammed me back into the car.”
I’m shot! I realized as I slid to the pavement. I heard another gunshot and the windshield of the patrol car shattered.
“Stay down!” I heard Greg yell as I started to struggle to my feet. I didn’t need to be told twice. My shoulder hurt worse than anything I had ever thought possible. I let myself fall back to the pavement. I could hear Greg on the radio, calling for back-up. The one thing I heard most was “Code ten-twenty-three! Officer down. Shots fired! Code ten-twenty-three!”
I was face down on the pavement. I realized I was losing blood but I struggled to remain conscious. I knew Greg would have things under control soon.
I heard women screaming and several more shots fired. I turned my head as best I could and saw, under the car, that Greg was hunkered down on the other side, beside the front tire. I watched as Greg crept back and peered under the car. When he saw me looking at him, he breathed a sigh of relief and gave me a thumbs-up.
“Take it easy, kid. Help will be here in a minute,” he said, just loud enough for me to hear him.
I tried to move my arm to motion to him, but pain shot through my shoulder. I couldn’t move it. I ended up nodding. Greg moved forward and returned to watch the front door of the donut shop.
I turned my head back to my right side when I heard shuffling on the pavement. I could see that someone was creeping along the other side of the car next to us on the left. I watched as a man was slowly working his way along the car from the sidewalk out toward the street. I could tell it was a man from the size and look of his sneakers. Suddenly, he reached down to get his balance. He had a gun in his hand. I immediately knew what had happened: the perpetrator had come out of the store without Greg seeing him. Greg was still watching from behind the front bumper and the gunman was steadily moving to get around behind him. I had to do something. But what? I couldn’t get up or roll over. My right arm seemed to be the only thing I could move.
I reached down to my hip and unsnapped my gun. It was heavier than I remembered. I brought it up and pointed it toward the rear of the car that the perpetrator was creeping around. He may be sneaking up on Greg, but he’d have to go past me, first. I was on the pavement between the two cars.
I watched him as he slowly crept around the other car, until he emerged into the opening between the cars.
“Drop the gun!” I shouted. Surprised that I was conscious, he turned and looked at me. In a split second, it was over. He pointed his gun at me and we both pulled the trigger. I only remember the sound of the tire next to my head wheezing air as I lost consciousness.”
“Good heaven!” Laurie sighed. “What happened to him?”
“That was my first kill,” Cam told her.
“But you were shot!” Laurie exclaimed.
Cam nodded. “Those things happen.”
“How badly were you hurt?” Laurie asked.
“Not nearly as bad as I could have been. An inch to the left or up and I’d have lost my shoulder. An inch to the right or down and I’d probably be dead.”
“Oh, Cam!” she groaned. “Is that why you quit the force?”
“No. I got kicked off for stealing that stuff.” She gesture of the pack of coke. “That’s what I sold to that undercover cop.”
“That was really unlucky,” Laurie said.
Cam looked at her and laughed. “Unlucky? Downright stupid.” She sat down in the chair next to the bed, Like tonight. I should just walk out of here.
“Didn’t you like being a law officer?
“I liked the job, but the pay sucked. That’s why I had that little side business.”
That was what she and Maggie had decided to say when they planned this whole thing ten years ago. Well, it had worked then…
“Okay,” Cam said. “You know about me. Tell me something bout Laurie.”
“Well,” said Laurie as she settled back onto the bed, “I grew up and went to school right here in Magog. I’ve been working at Le Crash for a year and a half. That’s about it. I’ve been into Vermont but that’s as far as I’ve ever traveled.”
“You went to school here?”
Laurie nodded. “Centre D’Education Des Adultes, here in Magog. I never wanted to go to university.
“And your family?”
“My folks are divorced. I have a stepsister who’s ten. I’ve been on my own since I graduated.”
“How do you know Neil and Billy?”
“Billy is my cousin. He and Neil have been friends in they were little. When Neil got the job with Preston, he rented this place and Billy moved in. Then I came along a few years later. That’s about it. Did you grow up in Baltimore?”
“No, I moved there wi
th a lover who was doing her residency at a hospital there.”
“Is that the lover you have now?”
“No, we broke up a long time ago.”
* * * *
About an hour later, Cam walked downstairs softly. The lights were very dim and only one couple was asleep on the couch. Another guy was sleeping in the chair but there was no one else around. She let herself out of the house and got into her car.
Her mind was going crazy. Not only was she thinking about Laurie and how to keep her away from any busts that were going to go down, but the thought of her shooting and why she moved to Baltimore also brought memories of Dr. Karen Amos; the beautiful blond doctor that she had lived with for four years. Karen had been on duty in the E.R. when they had brought her in that day.
That had been the first time she’d been shot. It was the second time Cam had taken a bullet that sent Karen over the edge. They had split up and hadn’t talked to each other since.
* * * *
“I found some interesting information, last night,” Cam told Jean-René, when she called him the next morning. “It seems that the place I’ve been buying from is the only game in town. I guess he distributes to all the other dealers in Magog.”
“Then, if we stop him, we close the door,” Jean-René said.
“Until someone else comes along. And, I got the name of the guy who’s cooking the meth.”
“Really?”
“It’s someone named Ken. I figure he’s been cooking it for quite a while but it wasn’t as good as the stuff those boys were making. I guess they were taking his market. I’ll have to check into that.”
“Do you think he was the one who killed those boys?”
“It seems like a good possibility. If someone’s stealing your market, murder is the fastest way to stop it.”
“C’est vrai.”
“At least we have a lead now. I’ll work on it.”
“Any idea how long it will take?”
“No more than two weeks I should think.”
“That’s great, Cam,” Jean-René said as he took a deep breath, “I can’t believe you found all that this soon. We’ve been working on it for more than two years. I think your cover story is absolutely fantastic.”
“It does open a lot of doors.”
“So, what’s the plan now?”
“I’m going to buy some more stuff in a few days. I really established my presence last night, so it shouldn’t be hard.”
“All right,” Jean-René agreed. “Let me know.”
Chapter 13
Cam was curled up on the couch in front of the fireplace when Michael walked in the door that night. She immediately walked over to Cam and planted a big kiss on her lips.
“Je t’aime, cherie,” she said. “How did your day go?”
“I did absolutely nothing today,” Cam said. “I figured last night was enough for a while.”
“What time did you get in?” she asked.
“Just before two, I think.”
“You should have woken me.”
“You looked too comfortable.”
They laughed at each other.
“How was your quickie?”
Cam’s eyes rose to the ceiling. “I knew I shouldn’t have gone there. She tried everything she could think of to get me into her bed. I finally had to tell her that I didn’t do vanilla sex and she wasn’t ready for the hard stuff.”
Michael laughed at her.
“But, at least I learned some things. They were talking about the three boys we discovered, but they didn’t know where they were found. I guess Carver’s keeping a tight lid on that, thank God.”
“That’s good to know.”
“And I found out that someone named Ken had meth ready as soon as the kids disappeared.”
“Wow,” Michael sighed. “That’s quite a coincidence.”
“That’s what I thought. I’ll have to find out who this Ken is. It might lead to a lot more.”
They both thought about that for a moment.
“Have you heard from your little bartender today?”
Cam shook her head. “I didn’t give her my number.” She grinned. “I figured if I want to see her again, I’ll know where she is.”
“Then, I am proud of you, cherie.”
Michael leaned down and gave her a big kiss.
“Have you eaten?”
Cam shook her head.
“Neither have I,” Michael said. “Let’s go to that pizza place in Magog. It’s open late. It’ll save us both having to cook and clean up.”
“It’ll save you from cooking and me from cleaning up,” Cam corrected her with a broad smile.
Michael grinned back at her. “That is what I meant. Pizza is the best alternative.”
“That’s the best suggestion I’ve heard today.”
“And afterwards, we can come back here and you can show me how well you learned what I taught you last week.” The look in her eyes told Cam everything. Cam and Michael always played with the fact that Michael had more experience with sex in the Leather Community.
“Is this a final?” Cam asked.
“Mais, non, cherie. There is so much more after that. Now, come. We’ll take your car.” She held her hand out to help Cam up.
* * * *
Two people were sitting in the car at the pizza place when they saw two women walk in.
“That’s the woman I told you about last week,” Ted told his girlfriend. “She’s the one who’s up here hiding from someone or something. Rosie gave her Preston’s address.”
“Then why is she hanging out with a Mountie?” Rhonda asked.
“A Mountie? Are you sure?” Ted asked.
“Look at her! There aren’t that many blonds that are that tall. Of course I’m sure. I’ve seen her every day for the past two weeks.”
“Shit. I wonder if she knows.”
“Or is she pulling something?”
“I doubt it, but I’ll have to check. I read all about her on the internet; she has quite record. I should probably check again.”
“Well, let’s get this pizza home before it gets cold.”
“Okay. I can check on her tomorrow.” He threw the car into gear.
* * * *
The Pizza Palace was almost empty when they got in there. There were six cars in the parking lot but only three tables were full.
What do you want on it?” Michael asked.
“Mushrooms and whatever else you want.”
Michael stepped up to the counter and ordered a large supreme with extra mushrooms.
“I worked hard today,” she said with a smile as she turned back to Cam. “I needed meat as well as mushrooms.”
“I worked hard, too,” Cam defended herself.
“Sleep is not a physical labor,” Michael threw back at her.
“I didn’t just sleep!”
“Then what did you do?”
“I thought. And I planned.”
“Ah, the hard part,” Michael said with a smirk. “You’re going to have to do more work in the near future if you want to have money in your pocket,”
“I have money. I’m not worried.”
“Good! Then you can pay for the pizza!”
“But you asked me to come with you. I didn’t suggest it.”
“You could have said no.”
“Then, I’ll go home.”
They looked at each other and laughed. It was good not to have to be serious for once.
Michael sat down across from Cam. “I can’t wait to get home,” she whispered.
“Why?”
Michael sat back, her eyes wide. “Why do you think?”
“Then we could have stayed there and not wasted all this time and gas.”
Michael shook her head. “No. I want you to have energy. You need protein and vitamins.”
“For what?” Cam asked, as if she didn’t know.
“We’ll have to see as soon as we get the pizza.”
“Are
we eating it here or taking it with us?”
“Well, if we eat it on the drive back, that would save us a lot of time and energy.”
“Really?”
Michael nodded. They looked at each other and chuckled.
* * * *
The pizza was completely finished by the time they got home. Michael tossed the box into the fireplace to be used as kindling for the next fire. Cam locked the back door and stood looking at her. Michael walked around to the back of the couch and held her hand out to Cam.
“I have been waiting for tonight all day,” she whispered.
“Me, too,” Cam replied. “It was hard today. I wanted you right beside me since I woke this morning. It was sad that you were asleep when I got in last night.”
“You really should have woken me.” Michael gave a small smile. “When I left this morning, I almost woke you.”
“You should have.”
Michael laughed. “And be an hour late for work?”
“Just an hour?” Cam grinned.
“Well…maybe two or three,” Michael decided. She wrapped her arms around Cam and drew her into a tight embrace. Her lips settled on Cam’s and in very few seconds fell into a deep kiss. Her tongue found its way between Cam’s teeth and started an exploration as if she’d never been there before. When they finally parted they were both out of breath.
“And you really didn’t fuck your little bartender?”
Cam shook her head.
“Then I believe you deserve a reward,” she whispered as she unzipped Cam’s fly, popped the button, and pushed her jeans and panties to the floor.
“Here?” Cam asked.
“Yes. I’m not sure I can wait to get you upstairs. I want you so damned badly.”
She drew Cam into her arms again and bent down to nibble on her neck.
Cam’s arms came around her as her hands reached up under Michael’s shirt.
Michael pushed her arms down. “Non, cherie. You must concentrate on what I’m doing to you. I want your focus to be on my hands, not what yours are doing.”
She brought her lips to Cam’s as her hands started rubbing up and down Cam’s body. They stopped at Cam’s nipples and twisted and turned them several times, then continued downward until she felt a ripple of pleasure going across Cam’s belly.
Bodies Out Back Page 10
