Shattered Shield: Cole Cameron Thriller Series Book 1 Page 7

  Hernandez reluctantly nodded acceptance of the task and jotted down a few notes.

  “Hey, I’m feeling like the girl at the prom that nobody wants to dance with,” Hannah joked.

  Before Cameron could respond, Amy smirked, “I doubt that.”

  Cameron tilted his head to give Amy a look and then back to Hannah, “Since your Director offered full resources, can you get us a private FBI jet to Los Angeles?”

  “Right on!” Albright showed his youthful enthusiasm.

  “You expect a lot from a first date, don’t you?” Hannah jabbed.

  “Only from the Prom Queen,” Cameron tossed back immediately regretting his words knowing that he was probably violating some PC policy.

  ✽✽✽

  Los Angeles, CA

  The red sun was setting over Los Angeles as the team disembarked from the small jet on the Santa Monica airport runway. The Prom Queen had delivered the goods. They were able to avoid the larger airports of LAX or John Wayne airport.

  Cameron stuck his head through the door appreciating the native palm trees and red sunset sky. He stood at the door and took a deep breath to take in the setting.

  “Looking for air you can chew?” Hernandez mumbled as he tried to squeeze past him in the doorway.

  They were arriving later than Cameron had hoped. The procurement processes of red tape and Hernandez had cost them valuable time having to return home and pack for the trip. But eventually they were airborne, and the flight over had given them some time to review intelligence reports, confirm the meeting with Roslin executives, and become better acquainted.

  Cameron stepped off the plane with pretty much the same opinion of the team members that he had before the trip. He chuckled as the small-framed Hernandez struggled to come off the plane with his over-packed luggage.

  An FBI field agent was waiting for them with an oversized SUV. The team loaded their gear and drove to a hotel near the airport. Hernandez sat in the very back seat, perched like a dog excited for a trip. Cameron riding in the passenger seat in front gazed out the window looking for signs of changes to the LA scene, Amy slouched behind him.

  “Miss your old stomping grounds?”

  “No. Actually, I thought this is nothing like the place I grew up; everything has changed. And my last four years here we had moved the firm to Ventura County and lived up in Thousand Oaks.”

  Cameron thought of Grace. He had wanted to wait for more privacy but didn’t feel as if he could afford to wait any longer. He texted her from his cell phone.

  Grace, I’m in LA on a job. I was hoping maybe to meet with you while I’m here. I’m probably only here for a couple of days. Please call me on my cell.

  In the hotel lobby at the Marriott, Hernandez was securing the assistance of a bellhop while the rest of the team made their way to the elevator. They all looked exhausted except Albright; the wiry young chemist had slept half of the ride.

  “So, what are we doing tonight?” He asked in a chipper tone.

  “We?” Hannah questioned rhetorically. “This part of ‘we’ is getting some dinner and then sleep.”

  “The hotel restaurant looks pretty good. You guys want to meet down there about 8:30?” Amy asked as the elevator ascended.

  Everyone agreed except Cameron.

  “I’ll skip this one tonight. I’m sorry, I need to take care of a couple of things. We start at 7:30 tomorrow morning.”

  It was quiet as the door to the elevator opened.

  “Room 715, this is me, see you in the morning, Cole,” Amy said dragging her luggage in the room.

  Hannah pushed her room key into the slot to room 716 across the hall. She turned to Cameron and offered a smile. It was a smile that seemed to ignite something in him. Every time he saw it was like the striking of a small match, producing a tiny fire of passion that burned for a few brief seconds.

  Albright ducked into room 720 and Hernandez had 722. Cameron’s was further down the hall, 727. Inside the room, Cameron made another attempt to call Grace and then another message for Grant. He was getting nowhere.

  He threw off his shirt and was debating on room service or going out when he heard a knock at the door. He peered through the spyglass expecting to see Hernandez with more paperwork to complete. But it was Amy.

  He threw his shirt back on and opened the door; aware she was still wearing her same clothes from earlier but had freshened up.

  “Hey Amy,” Cameron said awkwardly while holding the door open.

  “I just wanted to make sure everything is alright. You sure you don’t want to join us for dinner?”

  Amy seemed genuinely concerned, and since she was the closest thing to a friend Cameron had, he divulged his final settlement and that he was hoping to get Grace to let him keep the house instead of selling it.

  “She wants me to sign the offer on the house. Something just doesn’t feel right. Maybe things are changing you know.” He shared he was hoping to see her while he was here in LA.

  “Well, if you don’t hear from her tonight, come on down and join us for dinner. I’ll get an extra seat just in case.”

  “Thanks, Amy.”

  Just then the ding of the elevator was heard as the bellhop pushed the cart loaded with luggage down the hallway toward Hernandez’ room. Amy and Cameron looked at each other and laughed before slipping back into their rooms.

  Cameron left one more message for Grace, telling her where he was staying and then jumped in the shower. Later, he dressed in black slacks and a dark striped shirt. He pulled out his sports coat laid it across the bed and waited for a call.

  Meanwhile, in room 716, Hannah was prepping in the mirror when Amy came over. She had texted asking if she could borrow her hair iron. Hannah let her in while she was finishing up. The girls shared the mirror doing their make-up and enjoying a few laughs.

  The mirror reflected a softer more feminine side of Hannah as she wore a black dress cut moderately low in front and higher up the leg than she would typically wear on the job. The stone hanging from her silver necklace gave an occasional glitter as it reflected the lights to the mirror.

  “So, do you have a thing for Cole?” Hannah asked catching Amy by surprise.

  “What? No. I’ve got a boyfriend, thank you very much. It’s not like that. He’s just one of the few guys I care about.”

  “And he’s divorced?” Hannah asked.

  “Yeah, I think they’re finalizing the settlement. I guess his ex is out here. I think she moved out here about a year ago. His daughter is here too, a sophomore at UCLA. But Cole is really a great guy. I hope it works out for him.”

  “I’m sure you do,” Hannah said, applying her lipstick.

  “Yeah right, I’ve seen the way you look at him,” Amy said pointing at Hannah with her eyeliner.

  “Well, he is handsome, but I never mix work and pleasure.”

  “Then I guess the black dress is for Hernandez?” Amy joked as she left Hannah’s room.

  Cameron sat on the edge of the bed looking for a return call from Grace or Grant. He looked at the clock on the nightstand. 8:45. His stomach demanded attention. What the hell. He thought as he decided to join the group for dinner.

  Cameron adjusted his coat sleeve as he walked from the lobby into the hotel’s restaurant. The tables were neatly arranged with elegant candles and centerpieces. Maroon napkins with silver rings accented the white table clothes. The warm lighting and the pleasant aroma were inviting.

  Cameron felt somewhat embarrassed for arriving so late, having earlier rejecting the offer. He surveyed the dining tables and noticed the group with an empty seat between Hannah and Amy.

  “Hey, here comes the boss,” Albright said causing Amy to turn around and smile.

  “Great you’re here. Join us.”

  “I apologize for being so late,” Cameron offered. “I was hoping for some other plans to work out tonight, but they never materialized. Thank you for saving me a seat. Have you ordered?”

  “Yes, we
just did,” Hannah replied as she sipped a glass of red wine.

  Cameron caught the waiter’s attention and placed his order.

  The group enjoyed their conversation, each sharing funny stories about their early days on the job. The laughter and wine served Cameron well making his heart seem lighter. It was the most social enjoyment he had experienced in some time. It was as if he had stumbled onto an oasis in the desert.

  Cameron was especially growing fond of Titan Shield’s youngest member, Jason Albright. He loved Albright’s humor and youthful energy. Hernandez remained an enigma, and Amy just grew sweeter. But it was Hannah, who like the wine he drank, intoxicated him.

  As the server removed the dinner plates, Hannah turned her seat toward Cameron. She crossed her legs that were now next to his, revealing her smooth thighs. He turned toward her, and the two seemed to have locked in on each other, shutting out the conversation of the rest of the group.

  She shared her story with him. How she had grown up in a small town, joined the FBI after obtaining a degree in Criminology and how the job had impacted her life.

  “OK, enough about me, what’s your story?” she asked.

  Cameron felt like he was on a date. Her attractiveness mesmerized him. His sheepish grin revealed the haunting spell she had cast on him. Just as he started to share particles of his life with her, he felt a tug on the arm of his sports coat.

  “Is that Grace?” Amy asked, pointing through the entrance of the restaurant to the hotel’s main lobby. She had recognized her from the photos on his desk.

  Cameron excused himself and Hannah produced a reluctant smile, then gazed out the window into the night-lights. Cameron hurried to catch Grace. She looked as if she was about to leave. It had been so long since he had seen her. She was wearing a white skirt and a bright pink top that accentuated her blond hair and hazel eyes.

  “Grace,” Cameron chirped.

  Grace forced a smile as he approached to hug her, but it felt awkward to him.

  “I was just leaving you a note because they had tried your room, but you weren’t in.”

  “Yeah, we were just having dinner,” Cameron pointed with his head. Grace looked at the table. The entire group was looking at the two of them.

  “Why don’t we go up to my room?”

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Grace said nervously.

  “What? Come on let’s go.” Cameron took Grace by the arm, and she quickly pulled away“Cole, I came here to get you to sign this power of attorney paperwork so I can handle the sale of the house since you’re not responding to my emails.” They stepped toward the sitting area of the lobby to give some distance from the desk clerk, but both remained standing.

  “I know, Grace, but I thought we could talk about things. I’ve been thinking. You know things are changing at work. I can feel it. Perhaps there is way,” Cameron stopped himself.

  “Look, I came here to give you this.” She said extending the envelope with the POA document. “Cole, it’s what we agreed to, and you owe me that. Please just sign the paperwork and send them back so we can both move on. I can’t do this anymore.”

  He sat on a couch in the lobby holding the envelope.

  “I don’t know what you want from me,” Cameron said shaking his head in frustration.

  “I came here to get closure, Cole. That’s why I came here.”

  “The house is the last thing I have. I love that house. Why are you insisting on selling it? I’ll give you half the market value. I mean, when Jess visits…”

  “Jess loves it here in California; you’re going to have a hard time getting her to want to stay very long in that house.”

  “What?”

  Grace looked toward the table of Cole’s colleagues.

  “We’re not getting any younger, Cole. We’ve got to move on with our lives!”

  Cameron just put his head down not knowing how to reason with the woman. After a pause, Grace took her purse and straightened her skirt.

  “Try to see Jessica while you’re here.”

  She had evaporated, like a fog that lifted, leaving a clear view. It was now black and white, in plain sight, leaving an unavoidable reality. Cameron recognized the finality in Grace’s voice. She was determined to make him move on from the house he had built like they had moved on from each other.

  CHAPTER 8

  Los Angeles, CA

  Cameron struggled to pull himself out of bed as the alarm clock annoyingly pierced the silence of the room, jarring his weary senses a second time. The first was resolved with the snooze button. Traveling east to west was usually easy for the early rising Cameron, but the previous night had been a restless one in which his thoughts raced around in his head like race cars repetitively circling the track.

  At this point, he had just enough time to get a short workout in and clean up before meeting with the team. He willed his body into submission, donning black shorts and a gray tee shirt, for a quick trip to the fitness room.

  The wall-mounted television in the fitness room of the Marriott hotel was dialed into a local news station, reporting on the weather and various other regional issues. To Cameron’s liking, another exerciser adjusted the channel to a national news broadcaster that was reporting on the bombing in Tucson.

  Cameron paused in between sets on the weight machine to listen to the scattered details. He recognized the images shown. The FBI was working to identify the ‘post-blast’ crime scene. Their efforts would help determine the bomb’s signature, confirming what Cameron already knew; it was the work of the AIJB.

  Once the newscast shifted to other stories, Cameron found his mind sorting scattered thoughts. As he progressed through his lifting routine, his random thoughts moved in rhythm with his pushing and breathing. Where is Grant? How can I keep this up? This job? Hannah? He dwelled on that thought remembering their dinner from the previous evening.

  With each repetition on the machine, his exertion provided a release of stress. Finished, he said to himself, as the sound of the weight’s plates clanked for the last time.

  As Cameron exited the elevator on the seventh floor, he had a brief exchange with Hernandez who was going for breakfast, already dressed in a dark blue pinstripe suit.

  “Half an hour?” Cameron said, gently reminding Hernandez of the team’s scheduled rendezvous in the lobby.

  “I’ll be ready. I have to have a solid breakfast for the medication I take.” Hernandez explained and then diverted Cameron’s concern. “It’s your Boy Wonder that you need to be concerned about.”

  Cameron proceeded to Albright’s room and knocked on the door. After a few loud knocks, Albright appeared in his boxers and a tee shirt, apparently awakened by Cameron’s banging. His hair was pointed in all directions as he held the door open with some difficulty. His eyes were squinting from the brightness of the lights in the hallway. His room was still dark with the curtains drawn.

  “Jason, you have to get ready, man. We start in half an hour.”

  “Sorry, man. Just a little wiped out. Hannah dragged me out last night, and then Hernandez snored so loud I heard him through that stupid shared door. I mean, I had to stuff towels and everything.” Albright recognized Cameron was growing impatient, “No worries, I’ll be ready.”

  As the door closed, Cameron looked at room 716 down the hall. Hannah going out last night surprised him. He returned to his room and before long was ready to meet the team in the lobby. His cell phone rang in the elevator on the way down. The caller ID was blocked, Cameron answered anyway.

  “This is Cameron.” But there was no reply. Maybe it’s the elevator. He thought.

  “Hello,” He tried again, just as he exited into the lobby, only to hear a click from the other end. His curious expression must have seemed odd to the team that already gathered with one exception, young Jason Albright.

  “Good morning, guys,” Cameron warmly began as he looked for eye contact with the group standing in the lobby. Hernandez hardly looked up as he worked
with his cell phone. Hannah didn’t even smile or respond, and eye contact was impossible for Cameron. She hid her eyes behind her large dark sunglasses. Was she hiding red, bloodshot eyes from her late night or was she putting up a guard against him? Cameron reasoned that it could be a little of both. Amy was the only one to offer an actual verbal response.

  “We’ll give Jason a couple of minutes,” Cameron suggested.

  “I’ll get him,” the defunct Hannah finally spoke, feeling responsible for his delay. She walked a few feet away and texted him on her cell phone.

  “He’s coming now.”

  Hernandez never lifted his head from his cell phone but growled in disapproval. Cameron stepped toward the desk clerk, handed him a large express delivery envelope, and asked if he could make sure it was picked up by the carrier.

  “Any word from Tucson on the post-blast investigation?” Cameron asked Hannah, testing her emotional state more than anything else.

  “No, I’ll be sure to let you know something as soon as I do,” Hannah responded in a slightly curt fashion.

  OK, now I know something’s wrong with her. Cameron thought.

  Albright stumbled from the elevator with his shirt still untucked. The group’s response to Albright was almost comical to Cameron; Hannah shook her head, Amy raised her eyebrows, and Hernandez heaved a sigh of disgust. Cameron on the other hand, laughed with “Gee-whiz” as they left the hotel.

  The FBI had left Hannah with the keys to the SUV. She looked at Cameron as they approached the vehicle, still wearing her sunglasses in the dark parking garage.

  “Since you know the area, do you want to drive?”

  Cameron was taking the keys when the compliance conscientious Hernandez reminded the group that only an employee of the FBI could drive the vehicle.

  “Oh, darn,” Cameron muttered sarcastically handing the keys back to Hannah.

  “Sh….”

  Hannah held back her frustration as she grabbed the keys. But Cameron took delight in her disgruntlement and found her even more irresistible, smiling at her as he climbed into the SUV on the passenger side to navigate.