Cameron's Quest

by Cameron's Quest [Evernight] (mobi)

  “Twenty years ago you were still married to Angela.”

  “Ugh! Don’t remind me. That woman cured me of commitment real fast. I couldn’t make money fast enough to suit her. That broker from Toronto showing up to take her off my hands was a blessing.”

  “From Toronto? How did they meet?” Lacey asked.

  “Angela worked at a bank in Fort Macleod. She met him there. When he breezed into town, she gaffled onto him faster than a rodeo rider ropes a steer.”

  “That must’ve been a difficult time for you,” Lacey said.

  “At first. She’d left me with a pile of debt that took years to repay. But her leaving saved me the trouble of moving out. I still have the house Papa left me, so it all worked out for the good.”

  “Scotty’s aiming to be Fort Macleod’s resident grumpy bachelor.”

  “No way, Cam. I’m not grumpy. I just call ’em as I see ’em these days.”

  The house phone rang and Cam glanced at his watch to see that it was only 6:15 in the morning. “This can’t be good news,” he said as he pushed to his feet. All of a sudden, he felt every one of his forty-eight years.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Hello.”

  “Hi, Cam. This is Michael. If Scott is within hearing distance, be extremely careful what you say.”

  “What’s up? It’s not like you to call so early.”

  “Just wanted to give you a heads-up. I’m on my way to an early morning meeting arranged by Police Commissioner Faulkins. Forensics sent the evidence reports directly to her, thinking I was too close to the case to be objective.”

  Cam heard his sigh loud and clear and an uncomfortable lump formed in the pit of his stomach. “I see.”

  “Maybe they’re right, but I am doing my job.”

  “I know you are. What’s this about?”

  “That’s just it, Cam. I don’t know, but it must be damaging to you or my team wouldn’t have gone over my head like this.”

  “So what do you want me to do?”

  “I’d like to tell you to get the hell out of Dodge until I can nail this bastard, but that would only make you appear guilty and they’d close the case. All I can say is prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I had hoped that guy trying to break in would throw some doubt on the suspicions regarding you. I’ll be in touch.”

  “Will do.” The line went dead and Cam stared at the receiver for a brief moment before he replaced it in the cradle.

  “Who was that, honey?”

  Cam thought fast, knowing Scott would be hanging on his every word. He trusted the man, but he didn’t want Michael to get in trouble for calling. “Lucas. The old coot has messed up the ranch accounts again.”

  “Old coot indeed. Aren’t you guys about the same age?” Scott asked with a twinkle in his eye.

  “Yes, but he’s the oldest, so he’s the old coot and I’m the charmer.”

  “Why was he calling so early?” Lacey asked. “Does he need your help?”

  “Yep. Asked me to go over the entries and find his mistake. Want to come along and visit with Winnie while I do? We can run into town for grub before we come back.”

  “Sure, but what about breakfast?”

  “Winnie was cooking it as we spoke.” Cam grinned at her, a forced grin to add accountability to his lie. Correction—lies. They didn’t sit well with him, but it was for a good reason. He needed Michael on this case.

  “Should I wake the girls?”

  “Pardon me for butting in, but I’ve been cooking for myself for a lot of years. I’ll make sure they get a good breakfast,” said Scott.

  Cam hid his smile and didn’t dare look at Lacey for fear he’d burst out laughing. “Thanks, Scott. They can cook but I’m sure they’ll appreciate the effort. Just make sure you put on a fresh pot of coffee when you hear them coming.”

  “Can do. I hate to even file police reports, but it’s part of the job description, so I’m with Lucas on the paperwork. When in doubt, call in the big guns.”

  Cam winced at his choice of words but nodded in agreement as he held out a hand to assist Lacey. “Then we’ll be off. See you later.” They went to the front entry, donned their winter gear, and within five minutes, he was driving away with Lacey beside him.

  “Okay, Cam. Where are we going? Was that Michael on the phone?”

  His white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel lessened at hearing the understanding in her voice. He was relieved at not having to explain his lie. “Yes, it was Michael.” He relayed the conversation and she sat in silence, not saying a word. “Are you mad at me for lying? I didn’t want to get Michael in trouble for calling.”

  “Of course I’m not mad. I’m just trying to figure out what to do.”

  He reached out a hand and held one of hers in his. “There’s nothing we can do. Michael has to do his job. I’m not running. Like he said, it would only make me appear guilty.”

  “We could hop a plane to Ireland and come back when this is settled.”

  “Oh, how I wish it was that easy.”

  Cam headed for Lucas and Winnie’s spread, just in case Scott got suspicious and called in for a drive-by. He pulled into his brother’s driveway, relieved to see lights on, adding more credibility to his lies. He braked to a stop beside the house, killed the engine, and turned to face Lacey. “If I leave and all this stops, Michael may never find the killer. As much as I’d love to go away with you, leaving would condemn me. It’s a murder charge, Lacey. They’d find me and bring me back. We have to trust the system. Understand?”

  “Yes, but I don’t have to like it.”

  “Come on. We’ll visit with Lucas and Winnie, try to figure this out. I’ve kept him up-to-date on the case, so he might have a thought or two on it. If nothing else, we can stock up on groceries while we’re gone.”

  “Okay.”

  She reached to open her door, but he pulled her back for a swift kiss.

  “What was that for?” she asked, smiling.

  He loved to see that beautiful smile. There hadn’t been much to smile about since they’d arrived. “For believing in me. Now let’s go see about breakfast.”

  ****

  Winnie was just as bubbly and caring as she’d been at their first meeting, welcoming them both with open arms. “Come in out of the cold. Have a seat. I’m just cooking breakfast. Have you eaten?”

  “Nope, had a hankering for your culinary delights this morning,” said Cam as he ushered Lacey inside and sat at the table. “Where’s that brother of mine?”

  “Right behind you,” Lucas said as he entered the kitchen. “I figured you might show up this mornin’ after the way Michael took off out of here.”

  “Yeah, he called and I didn’t know where else to go.”

  Lucas sat across from him and Winnie served coffee all around. “So yer here. Tell me what’s up.”

  Once again, Cam relayed his conversation with Michael. “Lucas, can you think of anyone who’d have it in for me this bad?”

  “Not a soul, bro.” Lucas ran an agitated hand through his hair. “Now me, I’ve pissed off a lot of people in my time. But you? Hell, no. Pardon the language, ladies.”

  “Forgiven…this time,” said Winnie, shaking a spatula at him from her position by the stove.

  Lacey offered a weak smile and nodded acknowledgement.

  “I’ve wracked my brain going over the past and nothing stands out. Nothing. This whole setup is unbelievable.”

  “That’s one word for it,” said Winnie. “There’s not a more honest and gentle man on the face of this earth.”

  “Hey, now,” said Lucas.

  “And you know it for a fact, Lucas. You were always the troublemaker. And Cam has bailed out your hide more than once.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m the sinner. He’s the saint. I’ve got it.”

  “And I’ve always loved the bad boys.” Winnie winked at him, causing a reddish stain to appear on his cheeks.

  Lucas averted his gaze to ask, “Are they s
ure it’s a man, Cam? No offense, but a miffed woman can get a mite crazy.”

  “Rena’s sure. That’s good enough for me. And there haven’t been that many women. The ones I did date knew the score going in.”

  “Harrumph! Knowin’ and hopin’ are two different things. But if Rena’s sure it’s a man, then I’d trust her instincts. That’s one smart little filly.”

  “Yes, she is, and she’s seen this guy twice now.”

  “What good are her visions if she can’t see his face?” Lucas asked.

  “One sighting was a vision of him walking away. The second time she actually saw him at the patio door wearing a ski mask. It scared her half to death.”

  “So she’d have some idea of his build, his height and weight at least.”

  Cam sat up straighter in his chair. “Now there’s something we haven’t discussed. I’m surprised Michael didn’t question her on it. Thanks, Lucas.”

  Lacey heard the thread of hope in his voice and hoped it didn’t lead to more disappointment. “I wish I knew what evidence they’d recovered.”

  Lucas tipped up his mug and finished his coffee. “Yeah, Michael was mighty steamed when he left here. Talked about reprimandin’ someone for goin’ over his head.”

  “He’d calmed down about that by the time he called me. Even admitted that he might be too close to the case to do a proper job of it.”

  “Hogwash! That boy will do the honorable thing, no matter where the evidence leads.”

  Winnie turned from the stove with two filled plates, placing one in front of Cam and passing one to Lacey.

  “Thank you, Winnie,” said Lacey.

  “Smells delicious,” Cam said.

  “You’re more than welcome. Lucas, do you think someone might have been disgruntled with Michael? What better way to get back at him than to attack his family?” asked Winnie.

  “Now there’s a thought,” Lucas said, smiling up at his wife.

  “Could they be doing all this to get him fired? After all, he came home and stepped right into the top position at the precinct. Someone could’ve wanted, even expected that position.”

  Lucas and Cam both stared at her as if struck dumb.

  Lacey thought her query valid. “You might have a point there, Winnie. What if Cam isn’t the target, just the means to an end?”

  “Well, that sure as shootin’ puts a whole new spin on things, Winnie, my love. We need to talk to Michael.” Lucas reached for the phone.

  Cam shook his head. “Not now. He’s in a meeting. He’ll call when he can. If I’m not home, he has my cell number.”

  Winnie set two more plates on the table for herself and Lucas. “Dig in while it’s hot.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” said Cam, smiling as he picked up his fork.

  He ate with more gusto than Lacey had witnessed in days. She couldn’t blame him. At least they had probable cause for another avenue of investigation. She only hoped it was enough.

  ****

  Cam’s cell phone never rang once all the while they were gone. Lacey had stalled in the grocery store, checking labels and comparing prices. Anything to delay their return. She even talked him into stopping at the café for a cup of tea and a snack. She wasn’t in the least hungry. She just wanted to spend a little extra time with him.

  If he wasn’t such an honorable man, they could’ve been on a flight to Ireland by now. Instead, they pulled up to the house and parked beside Michael’s police cruiser.

  “I hope his being here is good news.”

  Lacey reached for Cam’s hand where it rested on the gearshift and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Sure you don’t want to change your mind and fly away with me?” Her voice was choked with emotion…with fear for Cam, for herself, for the girls, and for their future. They were finally a family. Surely, the so-called evidence wouldn’t take him away from them. He was innocent!

  His eyes were dull, emotionless, as he glanced her way. She’d never seen him appear so bleak and withdrawn, as if he was already putting up walls, shutting her out, giving in to his fate.

  “There’s nothing I’d love more.”

  “Then let’s go. Now. Please.”

  “I’m innocent, Lacey. I am not running away from this. Let’s go see what he found out.”

  She unbuckled her seatbelt and straddled the gearshift to snuggle into his warmth. “I love you, Cameron.”

  “And I love you, Lacey. Always have. Always will.”

  He hugged her so tight she thought he’d never let go, but he did.

  “Ready to go in?”

  She nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

  He opened the door and helped her down from his side. Then he reached into the back for the bags of groceries, passing her thee lightest ones. Side by side, they walked the narrow path to the front door. Lacey was hard-pressed to hold back tears. She had a very bad feeling about all this—felt as if she was escorting him to his doom, and hated every step that took them closer.

  As they approached the door, it opened, and there stood Michael. His grim countenance said it all as he reached to help Cam with the bags.

  Chapter Sixteen

  As he stepped inside, another vehicle drew to a halt in front of the house. Cam turned to see Blake Northrup, Luke’s friend, step down from the cab of his pickup and stride toward them at a fast clip.

  “We need to talk,” he said, including all of them in that one statement.

  “Come on in,” Cam replied. “The more the merrier.”

  “Is there some place we can talk privately?” Blake asked.

  “Are you here in an official capacity, Blake?” asked Michael.

  “Yes, but I’m also a family friend, as you well know.”

  “We can talk in the living room. I have no secrets from my family,” said Cam.

  Blake took off his coat and hung it on the coat rack. “All right. Let’s get to it.”

  “We have to put the groceries away first. Perishables,” said Lacey in a tone that brooked no argument. She grabbed a couple of bags and headed for the kitchen. The men followed suit. Soon the girls joined them and Lynne, being ever the practical one, put on a pot of coffee.

  “Where’s Scott?” asked Blake. “I was told he was here.”

  “And I was told to replace him. He’s already left,” Michael answered.

  Blake nodded. “Good. What we discuss here today will remain between us. Agreed?”

  Silence reigned as everyone nodded his or her affirmation.

  The groceries stored away, they ended up sitting around the kitchen table, sipping their coffees as if this was just a regular visit. Cam waited for the axe to drop.

  Blake was the first one to break the tense silence. He set his cup down and glanced at Michael. “First off, I’d like to commend you on leading the investigation, even though all the evidence pointed to Cam. It couldn’t have been easy.”

  Michael nodded. “Thanks, Blake, and no, it hasn’t been easy.”

  “The commissioner called me this morning and filled me in on what’s been going on. Of course, I knew most of it already, thanks to Luke.” Blake turned his gaze on Cam next. “She asked me to stop by the office and go over case files and evidence, which I’ve done.”

  “Okay,” Cam said.

  “The DNA results came back. This is privileged information, but I’m sharing it with you so you know what you’re up against. The DNA results tested positive for a male Manning. Nine markers out of ten.”

  Cam’s anger zoomed to the surface. “There are only three males in this family that are true Mannings. Am I supposed to suspect my brother or my nephew of setting me up? No way. I’ll go down for it if you need a scapegoat, but you’d better have them run those tests again.”

  “It’s already being done,” Blake assured him, “but we need to keep our wits about us. I told the commissioner that I can and will personally vouch for all three of you. And, Michael, it wasn’t my intention to step on your toes, but she appointed me lead investigator in this
case going forward. I’ll work with you to find the truth. Are you okay with that?”

  “With or without you, I won’t stop until I find the truth. So I’ve been demoted?”

  “No, just as it pertains to this case. My position as lead is more in the line of an official consultant capacity. Think of it as protecting your integrity among those we work with. I have no intention of returning to the department full-time, but for this case, I’ve made an exception.”

  “Then thank you, Blake. It’s good to have you on board,” Michael said.

  Blake took out a notebook and pen and opened it to a clean page. “Lacey, is there a chance someone followed you from Ireland? A previous beau that you’d rejected or one who still had hopes of winning your affections?”

  Lacey smiled. “We own and run a bistro in Ireland. The customers flirt with all of us, but we’ve never taken them seriously.”

  “So there’s not likely to be anyone charging over here to make trouble for Cam?”

  “I wouldn’t think so.”

  “Okay, then. Lacey, if you and the girls feel uncomfortable at any time, please feel free to leave the room. The questions I’ll be asking Cam next concern previous lovers and are very personal.”

  Cam snorted a laugh. “There’s not much to tell, but if Lacey wants to stay, that’s fine with me.”

  “Be that as it may, I have no desire to hear of your conquests,” she said as she pushed to her feet. “Come with me, girls. You don’t need to hear this either.”

  “Geesh! We always miss the juicy parts,” said Rena good-naturedly as the girls rose to follow their mother.

  “This isn’t a gossip session at a garden party, Rena. Behave,” admonished Lynne.

  “Sorry, Daddy. This is all so unreal. I guess I forgot for a moment why they’re here,” she said, nodding toward Blake and Michael.

  “I’ll be fine,” Cam said, patting the hand Rena had lain on his shoulder. “The truth will be found. I’ve no doubt about that.”

  Rena leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek and then turned to Michael. “I still want to touch some stuff and see what happens.”