by Daniel Gage
But something kept her going, and it was more than professional pride. And if she took a second to think about it, to stop running so hard, she might realize what it is.
Or find out there wasn’t anything else besides pride, and that she should quit.
A buzz shook her from her thoughts, and she realized her phone was ringing. It was her office.
“Agent Jennings,” she answered.
“Agent, it’s Colton,” he said. “I’ve got a lead on someone with a birthmark, and I can’t reach Agent Sapien. What should I do?”
“I’ll take it,” Emma said. “Give me the details.”
“It’s up in Boston,” he replied. “I’ll send the intel in a text. Should I still tell Agent Sapien? Have him meet you there?”
“Where is Michael?” Emma said. Her voice betrayed a slight hint of concern, and it surprised her. “It’s not like him to not answer his phone.”
“He said something about a family member in the hospital,” Colton said. “Want me to reach him?”
Emma found that odd, as Michael hadn’t mentioned anything about someone in the hospital. As a matter of fact, he didn’t talk much about his personal life. But she didn’t give him much of a chance, either, always turning down his offers. Maybe he didn’t want to date or sleep with her, but instead only wanted to talk.
“I’ll handle this one alone,” Emma said. “Don’t tell him where I’m going. I’ll update him. Let him take care of his family.”
“Will do, Agent Jennings. Drive safe.”
“Thanks,” she said, and ended the call.
She pressed the button to start her car, and the vehicle greeted her arrival.
“Boston, and automatic driving,” Emma said after the car asked her destination.
It was late in the day, and she would have to plan lodging. She had a duffel bag in the trunk with spare toiletries, as it was fairly common for her job to carry her out of town suddenly. Michael kept a similar bag, but his seemed to get more use. Emma didn’t have to ask him to know his nights away from his home weren’t always work related.
As the car started their path, she gave it a new command.
“Manual,” she said, and suddenly, the car surrendered control into her hands.
Boston was a long drive, and it was too long for her to be alone with her thoughts with nothing to do.
CHAPTER 5
Cam had never been one to commit good deeds, so he wasn’t used to the praise and comments that followed.
“Save anyone up there today, Cam?” one of his fellow construction workers asked.
“Naw, but I heard he was running up and down the building. Said the elevator was so 2020,” another poked, which was accompanied by another round of laughter.
All Cam could do was grin. He didn’t know how to react, and to be honest, in a way, he didn’t like it.
But in all the other ways, he loved it. It felt good to have done something that benefited someone else besides himself. And that the construction company bought new mag boots was more than he could have hoped for.
Henry’s boots were still out for diagnostics, but the word around the site was that the magnetic sensors stopped working. The boots didn’t realize the other wasn’t on metal, so the connection didn’t establish. A few guys said they had seen it before, and each time, it had cost someone their life.
But Cam realized what it really meant. They made shit wages, so they were regarded as shit, all the way down to their lives. The company only reacted because they feared a lawsuit, of that everyone was certain.
That fact made it that much more difficult for Cam to get up and come here, even though the revelation only came a few days ago. But it’s what he had to do to keep food in his stomach and a roof over his head.
At least, for now.
As he was walking off the site and away from his coworkers’ comments, he became aware of Lloyd falling into step beside him.
“You still in?” he asked under his breath.
“Yeah,” Cam replied.
“Good,” Lloyd said. He slapped Cam on the shoulder as he moved past the man. “I’ll see you in a few hours. Don’t be late.”
As the two parted ways, Cam couldn’t help but grin.
He shouldn’t have to work this job much longer at all if things went as Lloyd promised.
**********
As he made his way from the hover station back to his apartment, the bitter cold of the Boston night had already started to set in. The lack of clouds meant there was nothing left to keep in what little warmth the sun had managed to provide, and that the roads would quickly turn to ice.
It indicated that driving tonight could be risky, especially at high speeds. Cam would have to be careful, or risk his life and limb for the second time this week.
The thought made his pulse race. The thrill of the crime, of the chase, he accepted it was what he lived for. He’d never be rich, or make a real difference, despite saving Henry’s life.
He opened the door to his apartment building, the walls only providing relief from the breeze. But Cam’s breath was visible when he exhaled, and he doubted the owner had any plans to fix the heating. It didn’t matter, he was only stopping in to change his clothes and grab some supplies.
But as soon as Cam reached his floor, he froze in his tracks.
“Ma?” he finally managed to say.
His mother was sitting in her wheelchair right outside his apartment, shivering. She was in what looked to be her pajamas, with a thin crocheted blanket covering her lap. Her eyes were staring off down the hall, focused on nothing, seeing nothing.
“Ma, what … what are you doing here?” he asked, dashing to her side.
She continued to stare, not registering that her son was kneeling next to her.
“You having a spell, Ma?” Cam asked. He reached up and touched her cheek, which was freezing to the touch. He almost pulled away, but she responded to his warmth, a slight groan escaping her throat.
Cam stood and unlocked his door, then got behind the wheelchair. “Come on, let’s get you warm. I’ve got to call your sister.”
He wheeled his mother inside, where a bit more heat awaited. After locking her chair, Cam cranked up his tiny apartment’s heater, and grabbed the blankets from his bed. He wrapped them tightly around her, making sure she was nice and snug.
“I’ll make some tea,” he said once he was convinced she was warming up.
After setting a pot on the stove, Cam pulled his cellphone from his pocket and found his aunt’s number. He almost hit send, but then looked to his mom.
She didn’t need to hear this.
He stepped into his room and closed the door, then dialed the call. It went to voicemail.
“Aunt Nell,” Cam said, his voice instantly harsh. “Not sure where you are, but I just got home to find my ma dumped in front of my apartment, freezing her ass off. I don’t appreciate you just leaving her here. If you need me to watch her, just call me. Hell, call me anyways, we need to talk. She could have died out there.”
He hadn’t intended to rip her a new one over voicemail, but it just sort of happened. All the anger and resentment he kept bottled up for abandoning his mother in the hands of his aunt was coming back to the surface, and Cam didn’t bother trying to control it.
He went back to his contacts and found the one for his cousin, Blake. If anyone knew where his Aunt Nell was, he would.
The call connected after two rings.
“Cam,” Blake answered smugly, “I’m surprised it took you this long.”
Cam wasn’t sure when he started to pace, but the comment from his cousin made him stop in his tracks. “What do you mean? Where’s Aunt Nell and Uncle Tom? Why was my mom ditched outside my door?”
“Dad got arrested a few months back,” Blake said nonchalantly, as if it was common knowledge. “Mom is in rehab.”
“Again?” Cam asked. “But Aunt Nell was supposed to be watching my ma. What was she doing outside my apartment?”
>
There was a pause on the phone before Blake replied.
“I left her there.”
“You what?” Every muscle in Cam’s body tensed, and the only reason he didn’t throw his phone was because he needed answers more than he wanted to break something. “What the fuck did you do that for? When I got home, she was freezing!”
“Well, I didn’t know when you would be home,” Blake said.
“You could have called! What if I didn’t come home after work? What if…”
Cam let his voice trail off. If he hadn’t come home before the job with Lloyd, he wouldn’t have found his mom until the early morning. Which would have been too late.
“I didn’t know if you could take calls at work,” Blake said, his tone defensive to hide the weak excuse. “I’m guessing she’s okay? So what’s the problem?”
“The problem?” Cam asked. “The problem is that Aunt Nell is her court-appointed caretaker. The problem is, I just started a job a few weeks back and can’t watch her during the day.”
“A new job, huh?” Blake said. “Congratulations, you’ve finally joined society.”
“You condescending ass,” Cam snarled. “You know I need this. What am I supposed to do? And you left my mom in the freezing-ass cold!”
“What’s your job, Cam? Janitor? Construction worker?” Blake asked. “My job is more important. I can’t spend time watching your mom.”
“You piece of—”
Before Cam could finish his insult, the line beeped disconnected.
“Motherfucker,” Cam whispered.
He had no idea how he was supposed to take care of his mom. Loving her wasn’t the problem; he loved her more than anyone else. Despite her injuries, and dementia setting in, the two were as close as any mother and son.
But she needed constant attention. She couldn’t feed herself, nor could she tend to other natural bodily functions. That’s what made his aunt perfect; she was retired while her husband worked. But drug use in her youth was common knowledge, and this wasn’t the first time she’d relapsed. However, those times, Cam was at least warned that he had to care for his mother.
Now he couldn’t even go work that job with Lloyd.
“Ah, shit,” Cam swore as he turned his phone back on and dialed Lloyd.
“Yeah?” Lloyd said after three rings.
“It’s Cam. Listen, I can’t make it tonight.”
“What the hell?” Lloyd asked. “I was counting on your help.”
“Sorry,” Cam sighed heavily. “My mom stopped by unexpectedly.”
“So?” Lloyd asked. “You gave me your word.”
“I know,” Cam said. He resumed his pacing as a different anxiety set in. Lloyd had the type of connections that could make things miserable for Cam if he pissed him off. “But she’s wheelchair bound. I can’t leave her unattended. My cousin left her to freeze in my hallway.”
“Oh, shit,” Lloyd said, his voice significantly calmer. “That’s messed up. She okay?”
“Warming her up,” Cam said. He peeked out his bedroom door. His mother hadn’t so much as twitched. “Got some tea brewing. Listen, man, I owe you my cut next run, and I’ll pay for the key codes. But I can’t leave my mom.”
“I can’t say I’m pleased to hear you say that,” Lloyd said. “But the offer is appreciated. And that’s fucked about your mom. All right, offer accepted. You owe me, Cam. Those key codes are getting expensive; the security firms are getting wise to our contacts.”
“You bet,” Cam said before he ended the call.
He left his room and went to the boiling pot of water on his stove. Cam killed the heat and removed the pot, then produced two cups and bags of tea from his cupboard. He filled the cups and began steeping the bags.
Cam moved to his mom and placed his hand on his cheek. She already felt warmer.
“How are you doing, Ma?” he asked, kneeling beside her.
Her eyes still weren’t focusing. The cold may have messed with her mind, or at least wiped out whatever energy she had.
Cam pulled over one of his foldout chairs that was in front of his small TV and sat by his mom, taking her hand in his.
“It’s okay, Ma,” he said. “I’m here. I’ll take care of you.”
CHAPTER 6
Cam awoke with a start, almost falling out of his chair. He had fallen asleep next to his mother, who was now resting calmly in her wheelchair. Their tea still sat on the counter, and after Cam tested one with his finger, he realized they were room temperature.
It was still dark out, and after checking his phone, Cam was relieved to see he wasn’t running late for work. But he had to find someone to take care of his mom while he was out today. He’d have to hope one of his friendlier neighbors was available, and awake.
As quietly as possible, he showered and dressed. By the time he was done, he estimated he had about an hour to find someone to watch his mom before he needed to get to the hover.
Cam stepped quietly into the living room, hoping not to wake her as he left. But she was already stirring, soft murmurs breaking through her dry lips.
“Ma, you okay?” Cam asked softly, kneeling by her chair.
“Cam?” she managed to say¸ her voice wobbly and fatigued. “Is that you?”
“Yeah, it’s me,” he said. A smile gently creased his face. “How are you feeling?”
“I didn’t know you were coming to visit,” she said. Her head slowly rolled to look at her son. “Nell didn’t say anything.”
“Ma, do you remember anything from yesterday? Like traveling, or Nell going to … on vacation?” Cam asked. She never reacted well when Aunt Nell went to rehab; it seemed to control a special place in her mind that dementia couldn’t penetrate.
“I … Cam, where are we?” she asked, looking around. “This place looks awful.”
“This is my apartment,” Cam said. He didn’t take the comment personally, as his home really was run-down and pathetic. “You’ll be staying with me for a bit. I’ve got to go to work. I’m just going to find someone who can watch you while I’m out.”
His mom’s shaky hand reached up and softly touched his face as a gentle smile creased her face.
“You have a job?” she asked, a hint of joy in her voice. “A real job?”
“Yeah, a real job,” Cam said, closing his eyes in shame. He hadn’t held down steady work for more than a few months at a time, and his construction job had been his longest running gig yet. And had he gone with Lloyd last night, all that would have been in jeopardy.
Instead, he was kneeling next to his mom, and she was heaping praise on him for the first time in years.
“I’m so proud of you,” she said, her smile as wide as she could manage. “My boy, finally growing up.”
“Ma, I’m thirty-six,” Cam said. “I’ve been grown up for a while now.”
“I’ll be okay,” she said. “Go work. I’ll be fine.”
He stood and kissed her gently on the top of her head.
“I’ll find someone to check in on you. I’ll be home this evening.”
With that, he left, glancing back one last time.
**********
Moments when his mother was lucid were rare, and he hated leaving her alone. But without another place for her to stay, it was even more important for him to work a regular job. It was one thing to take care of himself; cheap noodles and dollar soap was more than enough.
But his mom required medicine, and not being able to walk was a huge detriment. Everything she needed cost money, but more importantly, it meant he would have to walk the straight and narrow. Even though he owed Lloyd a debt, Cam knew he had to be careful. Maybe pick up extra shifts to pay him for the broken promise, instead of risking jail time.
He walked carefully down the hallway, gently rapping on the doors of neighbors he felt comfortable asking for their help. Only a few fit the bill, but no one was answering.
It didn’t surprise Cam that they didn’t open their doors, especially this e
arly in the morning. There was a general lack of trust in this neighborhood, and it could as easily have been a junkie or potential home invader knocking at this hour. Sure, someone who meant harm might just kick in their door, but many of these buildings were old and had metal doors; a standard breaking and entering wasn’t an easy task.
However, after a few floors and no one answering, he began to question whether or not he should go to work. Cam couldn’t leave his mom alone that long, not for a full shift. He doubted his mom could even get her own water from the tap.
“Hey, Cam, you’re up early,” a familiar voice purred. “Looking for company?”
Bambi had just walked up the stairs to the landing and was leaning against the wall in a way that showed off her curves and other assets. Cam wondered if she did that on purpose, or if it was simply an acquired habit.
“No, but I am glad to see you,” Cam said. “Could you do me a favor?”
Her eyebrow raised, but Cam couldn’t tell if it was curiosity or suspicion. He reasoned it was probably both.
“I need help with my ma,” Cam pleaded. He didn’t bother to hide the desperation in his voice. There wasn’t much point in pride, at least right now. “She was left here by my cousin last night, and I have to get to my job—”
“Yeah, I can watch her,” Bambi said, cutting him off. “What’s she got?”
“Wheelchair,” Cam said. “A bit of dementia. Just say you’re my girlfriend, and she’ll be tickled for most of the day. The rest of it, she’ll sleep.”
“Sounds like how my grandma was, when I was younger,” Bambi said. She had a genuine smile on her face. It wasn’t one Cam was used to, as she typically had a flirty demeanor. This time, she seemed like a regular person. “Should be okay. But you’ll owe me, sugar.”
“I know. I get paid Friday.”
“Never said it was money you owed,” Bambi said. Within less than a minute, she was back to flirting.
Cam’s eyebrows went up at what she implied. He always took her playful banter as a part of who she was and what she did for a living, but it seemed she wanted more. He’d have to process that thought later.
