Out and Beyond

23

Prologue

Cameron steered the Jeep Wrangler into the truck stop and pulled up to a gas pump.

I gotta run into the ladies’ room before I explode, she told the guy riding in the passenger seat. She looked at her watch and reached back for her shoulder bag.

I’ll get the tank filled while you’re in there, Dave said to her as they both got out of the car.

I’ll be right back, Cam called back as she rushed into the main building of the truck stop.

Ten minutes later, Cam walked out of the ladies’ room and stopped at the front counter. The people in the store were all watching what was happening in the parking lot. She glanced outside. The entire parking lot was filled with police cars, their lights flashing. There had to be at least six of them.

She turned to the counter. The young man working there was intent on watching what was outside.

Excuse me…excuse me. She had a hard time getting his attention.

Yuh? He sort of turned to her but didn’t take his eyes off the outside. Finally, he turned. I’m sorry.

Can I have a pack of Marlboro Light 100s and one of those big chocolate chip cookies? she asked.

Uh, yuh…sure. He grabbed the cigarettes and the cookie and placed them on the counter in front of her. He paid attention long enough to take her ten and give her change.

What’s happening out there? she asked as he turned back to watch the police action. The flashing lights of the patrol cars were almost blinding.

Looks like a drug bust of some kind, he answered. He couldn’t take his eyes off what was happening out there.

Damn! she mumbled as she took a bite of her cookie. Let me have one of those lottery scratch-offs, too, she said as she put another dollar on the counter. It would buy her some time as she watched her traveling companion being frisked and questioned.

The clerk turned back and tore a ticket from the roll and set it in front of her. He was annoyed that she was disturbing him.

Cam took a coin that she’d just received as change and scratched off the lottery spots.

Nope, she laughed. I never have luck with these things.

Nah… the clerk said, still watching outside, as he took her card and tossed it in the trash, I thought it was all bogus until some women won $14,000 a few weeks ago.

Really? Cam asked as she, too, watched the action in the parking lot. Dave had his feet spread apart and was leaning forward, his hands on the hood of the car. One of the officers, dressed in a black jumpsuit with DEA written across the back in Day-Glo yellow, was asking him questions. Cam didn’t hear what he was asking but saw Dave shaking his head repeatedly. The trunk and back doors of the car were wide open as other police were investigating and inspecting what was in there.

I’d love to see what happens but I have to get going, she mumbled as she watched the police handcuff Dave.

She walked outside, still chewing the cookie, as she pulled her cellphone from her pocket. She went to the side of the building where she would be shielded behind the parked cars and pressed Blake’s number. She finished the cookie and lit a cigarette as she waited for him to answer.

We’ve got trouble. The police have arrested Dave and seized everything in the car, she whispered when Blake said hello.

"What?" he exploded.

We pulled into a truck stop and Dave was filling the tank. When I came out of the ladies’ room, the whole parking lot was teeming with cops. They took everything out of the car and are handcuffing Dave. There must be a dozen police here.

Where are you? he asked.

At the truck stop about a half hour southeast of Halfway on route I-70…at… she searched the parking lot, looking for a sign, Circle T Truck stop.

Blake let out a stream of expletives Cam hadn’t heard since she was in prison.

How do I get out of here? Blake better have a ride for me or I’ll call Maggie and let Blake’s team handle this alone.

I’ll think of something. Let me see who’s available to pick you up. Is there a restaurant or food place there?

Yes. There’s a diner.

Go camp out there like nothing’s happening and get yourself some dinner. What color are you wearing?

I’ve got on a light blue T-shirt.

I understand the women used to call you Harvard.

Yeah, she confirmed. It seemed so out of place in this conversation. Harvard…sort of. Actually, she’d gone to Radcliffe, but since it merged with Harvard there was no difference.

Whoever I send will find you and call you Harvard. That’s the key word.

Got it.

I’ll call you back. The phone went dead.

Cam clicked her phone off.

Fuck! Now I just have to stay out of sight until everyone leaves. And I’ve got to explain why I’m still here. She looked at her watch. It was 4:45. She walked back around to the front entrance of the store. As she pulled the door open, she looked into the eyes of one of the policemen standing outside the main door. Just for that split second she thought he recognized her. She averted her eyes slowly, turned, and nonchalantly walked back into the store, her phone to her ear.

Oh, all right. We can deal with it tomorrow…No, I’ll get something to eat here…I’ll be fine. See you later. She clicked the phone off. She’d spoken just loud enough for the store clerk to hear. Of course, there was no one on the other end of the line.

Cam chuckled and mentally shook her head. Watch yourself, Andrews, one of these days you’ll be doing something like this and the phone will actually ring! Then everything will blow up right in your face.

Before she could do or say anything else, two State Troopers entered the store. She concentrated on the different bags of chips as if trying to decide which to buy.

That was easier than I thought it would be, one of the men was saying. I thought there’d be more people running that route. The Captain expected at least two or three.

Especially with all the stuff he was carrying.

Probably thought one man driving alone wouldn’t be noticed.

Yeah, but I could have sworn there were two people in that car. They’re going to have to match up all the cars to the patrons. If someone doesn’t have a car, we’ve got the accomplice.

Yeah. You know, I hate it when the Feds run the bust. Everything has to be so precise. We could have been here fifteen or twenty minutes ago and be waiting when he drove in. But, no! Now we have to look for someone we’re not even sure exists.

Cam took a bag of corn chips to the counter, paid for them, and walked out into the parking lot toward the cars furthest away from the front door.

Damn! I’m happy they weren’t early. I was driving. I would have been arrested along with Dave and I will not go back to prison. If I get arrested again, this whole thing is down the tubes. Dickey can find someone else.

Turning to see if anyone was watching she slipped around the side of the building and then around back. There was a half dozen eighteen-wheelers parked back there with a handful of smaller trucks. Most of the cabs were empty with the truckers inside the restaurant getting a good meal so they could drive a few more hours.

Cam walked purposefully out toward the lot, flipping through her keys to make it look like she belonged there. She walked between two of the rigs that had empty cabs, then around the back of the farthest one. A patch of grass about four or five feet wide bordered the back lot, with bushes and trees beyond that. A small chain link fence also stretched across the back. There was one place where the fence was bent over. A truck must have backed up too far. She switched her phone from ring to vibrate, climbed over the broken fence, and slipped into the bushes. She worked her way farther into the overgrowth until she was in a place that was far enough away so she could slip down behind a tree if anyone came looking for her.

She looked down at her clothing. The light blue T-shirt had to go; it was too easily spotted through the foliage. The beige polo shirt that she’d stuffed into her shoulder bag would have to do. It was still a little damp from the sweat she had accumulated as she had worked to load the car. She had known that on such a hot summer day, it wouldn’t be pleasant for two sweaty people in a car. She pulled it over her head. If she kept low enough it wouldn’t be immediately seen.

She finally wove her way into a deeper part of the bushes. The leaves weren’t really wet, but they were damp. It had rained in the night. She flattened her shoulder bag and placed it on the ground to sit on. Best not to have a wet ass for the rest of the night. She sank down onto it beside a thick oak tree and watched the activity in the lot as the police inspected most of the vehicles. She was far enough behind the trees and bushes that if she didn’t move, she probably wouldn’t be seen…at least not right away.

Damn it. I could be out here for hours and hours. Should I call Maggie or Dickie or wait and see who Blake sends? What to do? I don’t want to be out here sitting in this shrubbery until dark. Nested into this dampness, I could develop arthritis. That would be all I need. Shit! Why the fuck am I thinking about arthritis? There’s so much more to worry about.

As she watched, two officers went from truck to truck, checking the cab doors to see if they were unlocked. They asked the two or three drivers who were in their rigs if they had seen anyone around. Those drivers agreeably offered to let the officers search their cabs. All of the other drivers were inside eating.

Her phone vibrated. When Cam mumbled Yeah, the voice on the other end said Erika was closest. She’ll be there in about an hour or two. Then the phone went dead.

Two hours? What to do until then? Would the police have left? Would her bag have leaked through? Would her jeans be wet? Damn! Why am I worrying about those things? Will I be arrested again?

She watched as four of the police cars left. Another one had already taken Dave to jail. A tow truck was hitching up the jeep to be towed away. That left only one car.

She looked at her watch. It was only 5:43. This might be a long night.

Chapter 1

Nine weeks earlier…

Cameron A. Andrews, ex-police detective slash ex-convict, walked out of the government office building and headed for the coffee shop on the next corner. It was a beautiful early summer day, but after the meeting she’d been to, it seemed cold and drab. Even knowing that Michael was waiting for her didn’t improve her mood.

At times like this, she rethought the whole plan again and again. Why had she ever let herself get into something like this? Alright, the first part had seemed logical, but she hadn’t even considered this part. Of course, if she hadn’t volunteered to continue, this part would never have happened.

She sighed. But she had volunteered…both times, so there was no one else to blame. She swept her hand quickly through her short dark hair; it was a habit she didn’t even realize she had.

She walked into the coffee shop and scanned the room. There was a table of four young adults, probably college students, and another of three businessmen in suits intent on a very serious discussion, their voices low. One of the men was being very expressive with his arm gestures. There were several booths with two or three occupants of varying sizes, ages, and colors, and in the very far corner, there was a beautiful blond with long flowing hair, reading a magazine, a large coffee cup on the table in front of her. As Cam watched, the blonde’s hand reached out and took the cup behind the magazine to take a sip. Cam strolled over to her, planted a quick kiss on her cheek, and slid into the bench across from her.

"Cherie! the blond exclaimed, her French Canadian accent deep and thick. How did