Don't Back Down, page 9
“Yes, sir. My home is about two miles up.”
“Maybe your first meeting to square things away with Caldwell could be on your grounds? Caldwell will get directions from you and drive up to meet you at a date and time agreed upon between the two of you.”
“Yes, sir. Understood,” Cameron said.
“Thank you,” Howard said. “You have served your country proudly in the past, and we are well aware this is out of order to ask it of you again.”
“Not at all, sir,” Cameron said. “My people have lived on this mountain since the early 1800s. The fact that Jubilee has turned into a tourist attraction is probably responsible for attracting the people you’re looking for. I’ll do anything to help clean them out.”
“Then I’ll inform our agent, and thank you again.”
“Don’t thank me until they’re in your custody,” Cameron said.
The call ended, leaving Cameron in a state of disbelief. So Danny Biggers’s presence in Jubilee was not by chance after all. He’d come on someone else’s orders.
***
Rusty was already packed.
She’d kicked back in her recliner with the television on, absently scanning social media on her laptop while waiting for the national news.
When her cell phone rang, she quickly picked it up.
“Hello.”
“Agent Caldwell, I have the info you requested,” Howard said.
“Rusty, please,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am. But your request for info on Cameron Pope has shifted our plans somewhat.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I’m sending files and information. You’ll understand as you read. Just know that he has agreed to work with you. We believe his presence will be valuable in gaining you easy access to people and places. If there are locals aiding the trafficking ring, he’ll likely spot them before you do.”
Rusty groaned. “Why would you saddle me with a civilian?”
“He’s ex-Special Forces. His security clearance is on a level with mine. Read the file.”
Rusty blinked. “You’re kidding.”
“Not even a little bit,” Howard said. “He’s awaiting your contact. He knows the cover you’re going in under. What he doesn’t know is that you’re a female. I thought I’d save that surprise for you.”
Rusty rolled her eyes. “You are too kind.”
She could hear Howard chuckling as she disconnected. But now she was beyond interested to read Pope’s file. It also added an issue to her visit with the family. She had to figure out how to explain him to her aunt and uncle without raising eyebrows and questions she couldn’t answer.
Curious to see what Cameron Pope was about, Rusty went to her email, downloaded the files Howard sent, and then opened the first one. It was a general background check that didn’t raise any flags. And then she opened the file with his military record and the first thing she saw was his picture and she forgot to breathe.
Oh my God! It’s you! You did make it home.
Tears spiked. She inhaled slowly, her fingers trembling as she began to scroll through the pages, from his first tour through his second tour and everything in between. The redacted parts gave her chills. Those were the stuff spy movies were made of, and he’d survived them. And now he was back where he’d been born. It’s what she’d dreamed for him all these years.
According to what she’d just read, he wasn’t married and never had been. But that didn’t mean he didn’t have a significant other. The thought crossed her mind to call Agent Howard and tell him that she knew Cameron Pope, that they had history, but she didn’t. The fact that they did have a history could solidify their cover and go a long way in explaining them being together during her stay—but only if there was no one else in his bed.
She couldn’t imagine a man like him alone, and if there was a woman, she was going to have to face that, and the woman, and pretend their one night meant nothing, when in fact it had been everything.
She’d never been afraid of starting a new case before, but she was now.
What was their first face-to-face going to be like?
If he didn’t remember her, she would die where she stood.
***
Cameron’s night had been filled with anxiety and even a small measure of guilt, and he’d awakened to the same sense of dread. He was sickened by the thought of an active human-trafficking gang using Jubilee as their shopping ground, and had to accept that when the corporation went into the tourist trade, it made Jubilee a draw for this kind of crime.
They might never have known it was happening beneath their noses had it not been for Lili’s kidnapping. But now that he did, he took it as his duty to do what was asked of him to put the traffickers behind bars.
The first meeting with the federal agent would happen today, and the hours of waiting for his arrival made Cameron feel like he had felt on active duty when they were going out on patrol. The tension of not knowing what they would encounter. Would it be someone they could trust? And then accepting as they left camp they might not make it back.
Sunlight was coming through a crack in the curtains when he finally got up. His movement set Ghost in motion, which meant grabbing shoes and a sweatshirt to go with his pajama bottoms. He turned up the thermostat on their way up the hall, then let Ghost out the back door for his morning patrol.
Cameron stood out of the wind next to the house, watching Ghost marking his territory and sniffing around the yard, and when the hair rose on the back of the dog’s neck, Cameron knew he’d caught the scents of uninvited rabbits and raccoons and the occasional deer that had invaded his space as they’d slept.
Finally, the cold air ended Cameron’s patience. There would be no long morning runs until Ghost’s paw was healed, so he called him back inside, put out his food, then left him eating as he went into the living room to rekindle the fire.
He started the coffee maker, then headed for the bathroom to shave. He wasn’t sure if he’d healed enough to do this, but his whiskers were thick and they itched. And every time he looked at himself in the mirror, that dark growth of whiskers reminded him of missions he’d rather forget.
He started with the electric razor, set the guide to leave a shadow of beard in case there were scratches still in the process of healing, and it worked. In a few more days, he would be able to get a clean shave.
He showered quickly, then dressed in jeans and a red plaid flannel shirt before heading to the kitchen. One breakfast and two cups of coffee later, he began dusting the furniture, then cleaning and mopping the floors. By the time he was through, the house smelled like lemon oil and the floors were shining. After that, it was a matter of sitting and waiting for the federal agent to make contact, so he went to the office to work.
***
A car picked Rusty up at her home in Arlington just after daybreak and delivered her to the waiting chopper. She hadn’t slept enough last night to count, but when she had, she dreamed of her soldier.
Only now her soldier had a name.
Cameron Pope.
She liked the sound of it and how it felt rolling off her tongue. This was going to be the most momentous day of her life. Either it would be heaven or it would be hell, and in the midst of all this angst, she and Cameron Pope both had a job to do.
She took her seat and buckled in and, as always, said a prayer. Unknown territory was always a risk, and strangers only made it worse. Who to trust? Who might put a knife in her back? It appeared the Company decided to trust Cameron Pope, and she’d trusted him enough for one night to give away her heart. Piece of cake.
Many hours and multiple stops to refuel later, they were skimming over the stunning beauty of the Cumberland Mountains surrounding the town of Jubilee. From the air, the forest seemed impenetrable until they began their descent. It was then that she was able to see the road winding up the mountain—like a long black snake. But was it in search of prey, or looking for a place to hide?
She kept searching for signs of habitation as she gazed down into the treetops, looking for rooftops and chimneys. She did see occasional wisps of smoke rising above the treetops, but the forest was too dense and the population within it was too well hidden.
Knowing Cameron Pope was down there somewhere made her heart skip. She was physically closer to him now than she had been in five years, and still a bit shocked by the odds of this reunion.
She needed to contact him today and get him up to speed, then set up a time when they could begin some subtle investigations. But once she got to the penthouse it was going to be not only awkward but also impossible to turn around and walk out today. Her only option was to see Cameron first. She had his contact info in her phone, so as soon as the chopper set down, she sent him a text.
This is Caldwell. I’m on the ground. Text me directions to your residence. Touching base with you first.
By the time she got unloaded and retrieved her rental car, she had directions to his home. She sent him a thumbs-up emoji to indicate message received, then put his address in her GPS and started driving.
She was slightly surprised by the number of tourists in this obscure location at this time of year, but as she drove through the streets, seeing the charm of the little shops and the big music venues, she began to understand the draw.
People were everywhere and taking photos of everything. Posing in front of a blacksmith at his anvil and in front of carvings of black bears outside of restaurants and Native American regalia in the windows of other shops advertising handmade jewelry from early-day tribes that had once been in the surrounding areas. It was a feast for the eyes, and unfortunately an apparent resource for human traffickers.
As she started up the mountain, the frenetic pace from down below fell away. It became obvious how valuable privacy was to people here, and that the forest that appeared so wild and impenetrable from the air felt like a refuge.
She’d been driving for about fifteen minutes when her GPS suddenly signaled a left turn. She tightened her grip on the steering wheel as she made a quick left up a wooded drive and began watching for a house.
It was smoke rising from the chimney she saw first, then the chimney itself, then the shake-shingled roof of a sprawling single-story house with a covered porch that ran the length of the structure and a large carport on the nearest end. The forest-green Adirondack chairs spaced out along the porch were just begging for company, and the man of her dreams was just inside. It didn’t feel real.
Rusty pulled up and parked, thinking this place had everything a wounded soul needed to heal.
Peace. Solace. Shelter.
She pocketed her phone and keys and got out, then paused, overwhelmed by the moment. It felt like the hotel lobby and hiding behind the potted palm all over again. She couldn’t see him. But just like the last time, she felt him before he ever knew she was there.
***
Ghost heard the car and was on his feet and at the door before Cameron could get out of his chair, but he quickly followed. No need scaring off the fed with a yeti-sized dog before they ever said hello.
He paused at the door and laid a hand on the dog’s back.
“Ghost. Sit.”
Ghost sat, then looked up at Cameron, awaiting further orders.
Cameron opened the door and stepped out onto the porch, then stopped abruptly.
A woman! The fed was a woman!
He saw wild red curls flirting with the wind, and then her face. Stunned beyond the ability to speak, he could only watch as she began moving toward him. Then she paused, and when she stopped, he came off the porch and down the steps toward her in disbelief.
“You,” he whispered.
Rusty sighed. He remembered. “Hello, Soldier Boy. Long time no see.”
“Oh my God. Angel. How did you find me?”
She extended her hand. “Special Agent Rusty Caldwell. I believe you’re expecting me?”
He shook his head in disbelief. “Is there someone waiting for you back home?”
“I’ve been waiting for you,” Rusty said.
He groaned, and then swung her off her feet and into his arms, remembering everything. How they’d laughed. And talked. And how she felt against his body, and the deep moan in her throat when she came.
Her lips were cold against his mouth, and then they were warm and soft and inviting. She was water to a dying man, and he didn’t know how thirsty he’d been.
All of a sudden, there was a bump against Cameron’s leg, and he remembered Ghost. He buried his face against Rusty’s neck and then put her down.
The moment Rusty felt solid ground beneath her, she looked down, saw the dog and the bandage on his paw, and gasped. “Cameron! Your dog is immense! He’s so beautiful, but what happened to his paw?”
“He cut it on something when we were running Biggers down,” Cameron said.
Rusty’s eyes widened. “Right! He helped you find your niece.”
Cameron nodded. “This is Ghost. He came back with me from Iraq.” Then he knelt beside the dog. “Hey, buddy, this is my Angel. She’s yours to protect, like you protect Rachel and Lili, okay?”
“What do I do?” Rusty said.
“Just hold out your hand palm down and let him get your scent. If he licks it, you’re in.”
“And what if he doesn’t?” Rusty asked as she knelt, then held out her hand.
Ghost sniffed it, smelling Cameron on her, and the human scent that belonged to her, then ever so gently licked her skin and bumped the bottom of her palm with his nose.
Cameron laughed. “Damn. I might have known. He loves who I love, so he’s already courting your attention. That’s your permission to pet him.”
Rusty looked up. “Loves who you love?” she said, then slid her hand over the top of the dog’s head, rubbing gently between his ears. “Hello, beautiful. You are magnificent. I’m so pleased to meet you.”
Cameron was as surprised by what he’d said as she seemed to be, but he also wasn’t going to explain or deny it because it had felt right when he’d said it. Instead, he pulled her to her feet. “Okay, fine. Ghost adores you, now back to me. Come inside out of the cold.”
Rusty threw back her head and laughed. This was the man she remembered. Witty, sexy, and unfiltered. She walked into the cabin with Cameron’s arm around her and Ghost leading the way. It was the safest she’d felt in years.
“I can’t believe you’re really here,” Cameron said, and pulled her down onto the sofa beside him, while Ghost moved back to his bed.
Rusty nodded. “You’re surprised? Imagine my shock when Agent Howard sent me your files and I saw your picture. The first two things that went through my mind nearly put me off this case. I was afraid you wouldn’t remember who I was. Then if you did, afraid you already had someone special in your life.”
Cameron reached for her hand.
“The only woman in my bed is the Angel I dream about. I never imagined I would see you again, and yet I couldn’t let go of the memory. Do you… Did you ever…?”
Rusty shook her head. “I knew when I woke up in that bed alone the next morning that you’d ruined me for wanting another man. Then my life got crazy and a little too risky for personal relationships.”
Cameron frowned. “Since you’ve read my file, you know a whole lot more about me than I do you. Is all of your work undercover?”
She shrugged. “I go where I’m ordered. I was sent here on the pretense of recovering from a car wreck so I can investigate without raising suspicions, and that’s what my family believes. I am recovering, but it wasn’t from a car wreck. I made a jump over the side of a really big yacht into a moored speedboat two decks below while being shot at. I escaped, but I’m still recovering from the hard landing.”
Cameron went still, looking at her again as the stranger she really was. “What the hell were you doing?”
“Getting the goods on pirates killing rich people for their yachts. They were using the boats for everything from gunrunning to smuggling to drug runs in and out of the Bahamas. Let’s just say backup arrived in the nick of time.”
Cameron stared, listening to the nonchalant tone of her story but very aware of what she wasn’t saying, and watching the way the sunlight coming through the window had caught the fire in her hair. So she was as fierce in life as she was in bed.
“Then mission accomplished,” he said, and saw a flash of her relief in her eyes as she nodded.
“You’ll have to trust me on this case,” Rusty said.
He nodded. “I’m good at following orders.”
Rusty glanced at the time. “I have to get to the hotel now. My family is bound to have seen the chopper bringing me in. They know I’m renting a car. I don’t want them worrying before I even show up.” She leaned across the sofa, put her arms around his neck, and kissed him hard. “Damn, but I hate goodbyes. I need some time to settle in and check out some stuff. I’ll keep you abreast as I do what I need to do, then let’s meet somewhere in Jubilee as if by accident. We need to establish a history so no one thinks it’s strange when we start seeing the sights together.”
“I’d be more than happy to repeat what just happened in my front yard,” Cameron said.
Rusty grinned. “At least keep it within the limits of propriety.”
“Yes, ma’am. Duly noted.”
“Not ‘ma’am.’ Darling or sweetheart or just Rusty will suffice. I’ll tell Aunt Pat and Liz I want to see the sights and talk them into taking me to lunch somewhere. I’ll let you know where we’ll be, then you show up and play the surprise to the hilt. Our story can be our truth, that we met in the Hyatt Regency in Herndon, Virginia, when you were shipping out, and then we lost touch when we went our separate ways. And just so you know, I consider your sudden appearance back in my life as the gift it is.”
