Fragmented

by Colleen Connally

  “Because it’s an investigation. I had to make sure where she stood. Why do you care?” Brophy stared at Darren for his response. “You wanted to lock her up a couple of days ago. She’s getting to you.”

  The look Darren gave Brophy bore straight through him, giving him the answer he had already guessed.

  “My God, Darren. She is, isn’t she? Look, Darren, I realize that you said you knew her before this case broke, but I didn’t realize how well you knew her.” He reached in his pocket. Pulling out the picture, he handed it to Darren. “Dr. Halliday even warned me about you as a possible suspect. Nevy took a picture of your car. This could come back at you. What the hell are you thinking?”

  “I have never tried to hide the fact I knew her. It was once before any of this exploded,” Darren said, aggravated.

  “Once? Nevy saw you kissing her in your car the morning of the murder. Do you deny that?” Brophy shot back at him. “I saw your number on her phone numerous times. You’ve been calling her. Have you been checking in with her?”

  “I haven’t crossed any lines, Brophy, if that’s what you’re asking.”

  “It won’t be me asking,” Brophy said abruptly. “Look, Darren, take yourself off this case before it backfires on you. I’ll handle it. Trust me.”

  Brophy eyed his brother-in-law carefully. His job was reading people. He said his piece. He could say no more.

  Ignoring Brophy’s insinuation, Darren asked, “What do you think we should do with our Miss Quinn?”

  “Well, ADA Kennedy,” Brophy said stiffly. “My professional opinion, is, that if we want to keep her alive, we need to move her to a place we can protect her, and put that plan you guys hatched up into action. I’ll touch base with Centrello and Dunn.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Cameron searched in her closet. It had to be here somewhere. Damn, I don’t have time for this. She grabbed her gym bag at the bottom of the closet. It would have to do. She stared briefly at her wardrobe. How could she pick what she needed? She didn’t know how long she would be gone. She grabbed a pair of jeans. She pulled out drawers for sweats and scrubs. Now all she needed was her sneakers.

  She could feel her legs shake. She couldn’t give in to her swelling fear. She had to fight away the utter panic within her. What the hell was happening to her? Over a month ago, she had a simple, quiet life—boring maybe—but she had been in control of it. She had lost that control.

  “Are you okay? Do you need any help?”

  She turned abruptly. Greg stood in her doorway, concern on his face and in his voice. She smiled at him. “Yes. Of course. It’s just...”

  “That you don’t need to go,” Karl said, stomping into her bedroom. “You don’t have to. Stay here. Greg and I can rotate watching you. I don’t like it. I don’t trust them. They don’t have a clue what they are dealing with. So how are they going to protect you?”

  She continued packing, folding her jeans. “That’s exactly why I have to do what they want. We don’t know. It wouldn’t be fair to you guys.”

  She reached over and caressed Greg’s cheek in a soothing manner. Worry ran deep in his eyes.

  “I could take time off. I could take you to my grandparent’s farm out past Northampton. It’s quiet. No one could find you there. You’d be safe. I would take care of you.”

  She hugged her friend tightly. She released him. “I wish I could, Greg. That’s so sweet, but I can’t ask you to do that. It could put you guys in danger. You’re right, Karl; they don’t know what they are dealing with. I don’t understand any of this. I don’t know how I’m involved or why.”

  Panic surged within her again.

  Karl stepped toward her. “You haven’t done anything wrong.” He reached over and stroked her hair. “Take a deep breath. It probably doesn’t have anything to do with you. The guy is probably playing a game. Sending the police on a wild goose chase. We’ll be laughing about this next week.” He winked at her and smiled. “It will all work out.”

  A subtle knock on her bedroom door startled Cameron. She jumped. Looking back, she saw Darren. He squeezed his lips tightly, eyeing her two roommates.

  “Excuse me, Cameron, we need to be leaving. It’s getting late,” he said stoically.

  “Hold on a second,” Karl interjected. “You didn’t tell me he was taking you. Why in the world would an ADA become involved to this extent in taking care of a potential witness?”

  “Didn’t realize I needed your permission, Mr. Neslund,” Darren said with disdain, vaguely hiding his contempt, but not his impatience. “Is this all you have?”

  She nodded slightly. He picked up her gym bag and threw the strap over his shoulder. He slipped his arm around Cameron’s waist. Not waiting for a protest, she felt his hand press her forward. He led Cameron out of her apartment.

  A uniformed patrolman followed behind his car. She had been in it before but she hadn’t paid attention. For some reason tonight, she was struck by the interior: clean, and quite immaculate. He’s a perfectionist, she surmised without question. We would have never worked.

  “You didn’t have to be rude to my friends, you know. They are worried.”

  He said nothing, keeping his eyes straight ahead. Irritated, she didn’t let go.

  “You don’t like them? Trust them?”

  “Do I have to? At this moment, I wouldn’t trust anyone if I were you. Exactly how well do you know them?”

  “Karl and I have been friends since grade school. He saw me through my mother’s death and three years ago came to my rescue, of sorts.”

  “When your fiancé broke up with you?”

  She hesitated. The realization he knew every aspect of her life swept through her. She didn’t like the feeling or appreciate it. “It’s none of your business.”

  “Unless it’s relevant to the case. Unfortunately, until we discover your link to this killer, everything about your life and love life is relevant.”

  “I don’t think so. It has to be some kook…” Her voice trailed off. She watched him shake his head. “What? What do you know that I’m completely in the dark about?”

  “You really want to know what I see?”

  Her chest heaved with every breath she took. On the point of exhaustion, she was tired of dealing with her life.

  “With all your great knowledge about my life, go ahead.” Her voice cracked with undertones.

  “For starters, you claim you have a platonic relationship with your roommates?”

  “Do you think I lied?”

  “You’ve never had a relationship beyond friendship with Karl?” He stopped at a red light. He turned to her to see her eyes, which burned. Her temper flared.

  “No, never. Why can’t you accept that some people can just be friends?”

  He laughed. “If you haven’t, it’s not because he hasn’t wanted to make it more.”

  “You’re crazy. Karl’s that way with every woman he’s ever met. Karl has never hidden that fact from anyone. Besides, Greg is the only one to have asked me out, and that was only because he felt I needed to get out after my break-up with Matthew.”

  “Did you go?”

  “No. He was only trying to be a good friend. Greg is the sweetest person I know. I could tell he wanted it to be more, but I headed him off. Greg backed off. I told him it would ruin our friendship and we lived together. He’s got such a tender heart. He’s not one to play with his emotions. He would give a stranger the shirt off his back if they needed it, without question.”

  “What about Matthew?”

  “Why are you asking me this? I know you’ve talked with him. I’m surprised he didn’t give you the intimate details of our relationship. He didn’t, did he…?” Cameron studied his face. “Oh, my God, he did.”

  Her pride bruised. She became quiet when he took a left into a hotel’s parking lot. It wasn’t the Parkview, far from it, but she didn’t care. Frustration played against her emotions.

  Flames ignited when she thought of being used a
s a pawn. She watched Darren grab his phone, dismissing her while he talked to heaven knows who. She simmered while she waited.

  He placed his phone down. Turning to her, he said, “It’ll take a few minutes. Then I’ll take you in.”

  “You know, Darren, I have made a mistake. I want to go home,” she said. She looked around the hotel’s parking lot, never feeling as alone as she did in this minute.

  “You misunderstand, Cameron. You don’t have a choice here. If you stay at your apartment, go home, go anywhere, the killer will be lurking. Do you want to put your family in danger? We may not know much, but Cameron, he wants you. He’s not going to stop until he succeeds or we stop him.”

  “I’ve already heard this argument today,” she stated before an unexpected wave of tears began to fall, turning into sobs. She tried to stop. She couldn’t contain them. She didn’t see his arms go around her. She only knew that when he pulled her to his strong shoulder that for the first time in a long time, she felt safe.

  Her tears fell on his suit coat. He let her cry for a time and then he gently pulled her back. He softly wiped away her tears and slid his hand to the back of her neck, pulling her to him.

  Without warning, he kissed her. His lips were warm, his arms strong…safe. He made her forget everything in his embrace. He reawakened the feeling of that night when it was only the two of them…the feeling she had tried so desperately to deny. To her dismay, he released her.

  She opened her eyes to find him staring at her.

  “Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

  “Better.”

  He stroked her cheek. “You need to trust me, Cameron. Your friend was right in his assessment. This isn’t my usual manner in handling cases. I don’t get this involved. I’m way beyond that with you. It’s time I acknowledged it.”

  She didn’t really understand what he was trying to tell her, but she didn’t argue. His phone rang. He leaned back in his seat.

  “It’s ready. Are you?”

  She wanted to say no. She wanted to stay with him. Instead, she nodded.

  “I’m just a phone call away. Cameron, my God, I wish with everything in me these were different circumstances, but know you aren’t alone in this.” He caressed her cheek again. “If you need me for anything, I’ll be there.”

  * * * *

  Brophy slid to the edge of the bed. One o’clock in the morning. He had no desire to wake his companion. From the caller ID, he would be making a subtle exit. He glanced over at the woman lying by his side. He had known Regina for well over five years.

  She had credited him with rescuing her from an abusive husband and putting her life back on track. He had helped find living arrangements for her and her four kids. Brophy hadn’t called their dalliance an affair, more of an arrangement…a sexual solace that was beneficial to both partners.

  He pulled the covers over her naked back. Not a bad body for forty-three and four kids. She could do a lot better than me. She said she understood his situation. At times, months would go by, but she never refused him when he called. A twinge of guilt would surface if he thought about it. So he didn’t.

  Within minutes, he pulled his car out on Storrow Drive. He clicked Return Call on his phone. “Dunn, I’m on my way. What’s up?”

  “Took him a couple of days, but he took the bait. He’s online now with our agent. He thinks he’s talking to the girl. He seems concerned about her. Says he knows she’s upset. He wants to come and rescue her. Brophy, he knows the hotel. He knows the room number. We can’t take a chance. Go get her. We have everything else in place.”

  The auto body shop lead went nowhere. The car was paid with cash and instructions left in the car. The cell phone also was a dead end. A burner. That left them once again with only the girl as a link. Brophy wasn’t sold on the idea—dangling the girl as bait.

  He understood the precautions taken…he had helped make them. The FBI had even tagged the girl in case the unthinkable happened and their plan failed. They would have her location at all times.

  Brophy drove down to the Baldore Hotel, near Faneuil Hall, parking at the service entrance out back on the loading dock and waited for word. He didn’t have to wait long. The back door opened and two agents shuttled the girl into his car.

  “Have the decoy set up. The girl’s good to go.”

  The door slammed shut.

  “Clear.” The words transmitted over the radio echoed in the car.

  “Would anyone like to tell me what’s going on?” Cameron asked.

  He glanced over. From the look of her, she had been woken out of a dead sleep. She had on only a pair of flannel pajamas; her feet were bare in a pair of slippers. Someone must have given up their jacket. It was wrapped around her shoulders, three times too big for her.

  He made a left turn at Faneuil Hall Marketplace and then an immediate right. He kept looking in his rearview mirror.

  He gave no answer to her question. His concentration lay on delivering her to her new destination. He drove along toward Boston Harbor, pulling down to Rowes Wharf. Turning into a garage, he showed his badge. They had been expecting him. The arm of the garage gate lifted.

  From the corner of his eye, he saw her shivering. It wasn’t from the cold. The heat was turned up all the way. She hadn’t a clue what was happening. He wasn’t going to try to start to explain. He would leave that job to Darren as soon as he delivered her safely.

  He pulled up to the garage elevator. Darren stood, waiting. The girl looked puzzled as Darren opened the door. He had hold of Cameron’s elbow, lifting her outward.

  “Park and come on up. I’ll get her upstairs.”

  Brophy nodded. He watched while the two disappeared into the elevator. He had a knot in his stomach. An ominous feeling seeped into him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that they were playing with fire.

  * * * *

  Cameron rode up in the elevator without a word. Her heart pounded rapidly. She didn’t look at Darren and he didn’t invite a conversation. Feeling was once again returning to her feet. She wiggled her toes. The moment the agent woke her, she had been hustled out of the room so quickly she left behind everything—shoes, clothes, jacket—except her purse. It had been shoved in her hands. She seemed to remember a jacket being placed over her shoulders.

  The elevator clicked, reaching their destination. She didn’t even notice which floor they exited onto, but she recognized the place. Darren unlocked the door, leading her into his condo. She stared at Darren. This was his home…they had brought her to Darren’s home.

  “Are you okay?” he asked finally. She swung around, facing him. He continued. “Of course you’re not. Make yourself at home. I need to talk with Brophy.”

  “That’s it!” she began. “Brush me off into the other room. What the hell is going on?”

  “They didn’t tell you?”

  She shook her head. He swallowed hard. He, too, had been woken. He rubbed his forehead. “A threat came in. He knew the hotel, your room number. We had no choice and no time to plan differently.”

  “To your home?”

  He gave a slight shrug. “I…offered. It seemed the logical course of action. This place is a fortress and easy to stakeout. Remember, I promised you that you’d be safe.”

  He looked down at her. “There’s a throw over the couch, if you want to warm up. Give us a minute. I promise I’ll go over everything as soon as I talk with Brophy.”

  * * * *

  “You sure you’re okay with this?” Brophy asked, glancing back over his shoulder. The girl lay curled up on the couch. She looked small and defenseless.

  “Don’t have a choice, the way I see it. I promised her she would be safe.”

  “Yeah. And nothing has happened yet. We could find another hotel. Take her down to the station. Seems strange you would offer your place. Can’t recall you ever offering before tonight.” Sarcasm oozed out of his words. “Not personal, bro?”

  Darren shook his head. “Don’t have to go there. I w
ithdrew myself from the case today. I told my boss, but it doesn’t mean I can’t offer my home to her. I want her safe. Don’t go off on me. I have backed off. I even told Dunn my whole story. He knows I care about Cameron. He believes Cameron will feel safe here, at least for the time being. Hopefully, you guys can catch the sonofabitch soon.”

  “I’m not going to go off on you. I said that you shouldn’t be on the case. There is a difference. Matter of fact, it’s nice to see you’re human, feel something for once.” He sighed heavily, turning back to the matter at hand. “Any more news?”

  Darren nodded. “Dunn called. Said it looks like the guy hacked into the hotel computers. Figured out which hotel we used by the way it was handled on the reservations. Dunn even suspects the guy can tap into the hotel’s security systems. There’s a possibility he was able to use their security cameras against us. If that’s the case, then our little diversion might not have worked. He may know we moved her.”

  “Then it is probably best to keep her here for the time being. Centrello has two details watching your entrances and one outside your door.”

  “You can stay on the couch if you want. I’ll put Cameron in the guest room,” Darren said. “I’ll get you a pillow and blanket and settle Cameron in. We can ask Cameron if she feels comfortable with the arrangements.”

  Brophy watched Cameron’s expression as the two walked over to explain the situation. Her eyes never left Darren’s face. Darren sat down by her, explaining the options they could line up. He could have been explaining that jumping from the top of the building would be the best course of action. This girl wasn’t going to go against anything Darren said.

  “The decision is yours. It’s late. Sleep here tonight and decide in the morning. What time is it, Broph?”

  “One forty-five,” he said blandly.

  “I don’t care,” she said in almost a whisper. “My bag and clothes.”

  “I can have it brought over in the morning,” Brophy said. “If you can make it through the night?”

  She nodded.

  “I’ll show you to your room. It has its own bathroom. If you need anything, just ask.” Darren walked her back to the room. Brophy watched him return to the room with the pillow and blanket. Darren dropped them on the couch.