Shadows Amongst Light (The Spy Who Loves Me)

by Eason, Mary

At those devastating words I feared the worse. That the man I thought I knew better than myself sometimes, the one that I’d told so many secrets to was the one who had betrayed me and my country.

  “We have to get you and Ben out of here as soon as possible.”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you, Davis.”

  “Cameron, this is what Noah wanted.”

  “What do you mean what Noah wanted? Where’s Noah? What have you done to him?”

  “Cameron, for God’s sake, listen to me. Noah isn’t coming. He can’t...”

  I reached for the gun then, taking Davis by surprise. I knew that he wasn’t so sure I wouldn’t use it on him. I saw it all there in his eyes.

  “Now, I’ll ask you again Davis. Tell me what you know about Noah.”

  For a long moment, we faced each other across my tiny office space. The flat toneless sound of my voice letting him know that I was deadly serious.

  And then Davis started to laugh.

  “You won’t shoot me, Cameron. You may want to pretend that what you felt for me meant nothing now, but I know different. I still remember the time we spent together.”

  I crossed the room to where he stood, pointing the gun mere inches from his face.

  “Whatever you think was happening between us Davis, wasn’t. And whatever you think you know about me has changed as well. When it comes to protecting my family, I wouldn’t think twice.”

  I saw a dozen different emotions cross his face at that moment. But he believed me.

  “Noah sent me here to help you. That’s all that I can tell you so don’t bother asking anything else. I’ve already said more than I should. Now, would you put that thing away?” Davis sounded as confident as ever, but his eyes never left the gun in my hand until I lowered it to my side.

  “Look Cameron, if I wanted you dead or if I wanted information from you don’t you think that I would have killed you or tried to get it from you all those years ago? That’s not the case. Think about it.”

  I watched him closely with resentment knowing full well that Davis wasn’t going to tell me anything else. But he was right. Davis wasn’t my enemy. At least not as far as betraying me.

  But he was dangerous to me. I’d come close to falling in love with him once. I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to resist again.

  “Was it you, Davis? Were you the one watching me the other day?”

  “What are you talking about Cameron? Someone was watching you? When?”

  “I thought it was you? The other day, out on the range across from the house. There was someone watching Ben and I. I thought that it was just a hiker at first but here you are? Do you really expect me to believe that it wasn’t you watching us Davis? What kind of idiot do you take me for anyway? That was two days ago. And now you show up here, out of the blue after five years? Tell me the truth, Davis! If your reasons for being here are as stellar as you’d like me to believe, why didn’t you just show yourself? You knew I would be worried?”

  “Cameron, it wasn’t me. I’m telling you the truth. I just hope we’re not too late. Clearly someone knows about you and Noah’s connection to The Organization. Someone who wants to use you for their own gain. Cameron, don’t you see? You’re not safe here anymore. You or the boy. Noah knew that. He must have known someone would come looking for you both. Let me help you Cameron? I’m only here to help.”

  “Oh really? Well I’m sorry Davis, but I don’t trust you or Noah or anyone else connected to The Organization anymore. So you tell me why should I listen to you, Davis?

  “If not for your own safety, then think about the boy?”

  “Leave my son out of this Davis. He’s nothing to you.”

  I caught Davis’s eyes go to the small picture of Ben that hung on the wall.

  “He looks just like his father, doesn’t he? Until this moment, I was hoping...I guess I was hoping that he would not. “Why, were you thinking you could just slip right in to the role of father in his eyes? You can forget that Davis. Ben adores his father.” I said walking past him to the kitchen. Not quite trusting what Davis was telling me enough to put the gun down.

  “Cameron, you know that’s not the case. It’s just that Noah never said a word about the child until he asked me to come to you.”

  Davis came a little too close to the truth and it must have shown in my face.

  “He’s not sure the child is his? Noah believes the boy might be mine. But you’ve told him that there wasn’t anything between us, haven’t you?”

  I could not answer that, but Davis took my silence all the answer he needed.

  “Of course I told him. I’m not talking to you about my son or about Noah, Davis so just drop it.”

  I poured my fifth cup of coffee and forced myself to ask him if he wanted any.

  Davis poured the coffee into the cup I handed to him and leaned against the counter watching me.

  “So Noah believes there was something...physical between us?”

  “Yes...even though I‘ve told him the truth. He didn’t believe me.”

  “So why doesn’t he believe Ben is his son? It is obvious. The boy’s a spitting image of Noah.”

  “Yes. You never answered my question, Davis. How do you know Noah? As far as I was aware of, you two are on opposite sides of the game. Now you tell me that is not the case. How do you know my husband?”

  I saw Davis’s reaction to my reference to Noah. He hated knowing I still loved Noah.

  “He was your husband when I was here with you before. That’s didn’t change anything that we felt for each other, did it?”

  “I thought he was dead, Davis.”

  “No... You didn’t. You knew in your heart that he was alive. You believed he’d left you. In fact, he had. If you hadn’t gotten in touch with him, he would never have come back to you. You would have been left all alone to raise the boy.”

  “How did you know about that?” I asked more frightened than I’d ever been before.

  “I told you I know everything. Everything about you. About Noah. About your son.”

  “Noah told you?” I whispered not really asking the question. I think I knew what the answer was.

  “No, Cameron. You’re wrong, it wasn’t Noah,” Davis said, his eyes trying to relay a message to me. I hate to admit it took me a little while to catch his meaning. Then I understood.

  I’d thought through the years that this house represented security for us. That I was far removed from my past here in my tiny little mountain community but I’d been wrong. Noah and I had believed The Organization had simply forgotten about us, but nothing could be further from the truth. The Organization never let’s go.

  I walked past him out the door to the side of the house and waited for Davis to follow me.

  “The house is bugged? Are you telling me that someone has been listening in to every single private moment of our lives here?”

  “Yes,” Davis answered so slowly that I had a feeling there was much more that he would have liked to say.

  “The Organization. Adam--right? It’s The Organization, isn’t it?” At s silence I snapped. “Answer me Davis!”

  “It’s not as simple as all that and before you ask, no I can’t tell you anymore. I’ve said too much as it is. You just have to trust me.”

  My mind raced through the possibilities coming back to the one connection I could think of. My brother. The man that I’d kept in touch only on a few separate occasions, all without Noah’s knowledge. The one that I’d read all those terrible things about. The one who was responsible for my parents losing their lives.

  I didn’t realize that Davis had moved closer to me, until he touched my face, his earnest eyes searching mine.

  “Cameron, I’d never hurt you. You’ve got to believe that. But I need you to trust me.” To that I could only laugh.

  “Trust you? You’ve just given me all the more proof why I shouldn’t. You’re tied into The Organization and it’s clear that their not the good guys anymore. If the
y ever were.”

  “Cameron, this isn’t a game. You can’t win, here,” he told me talking me by the arms and shaking me hard. “Let me help you get away to someplace safe. I can protect you and the boy.”

  “I can take care of my son, Davis. I don’t need you or Noah to do that. Did you forget that I used to work for the same creeps that you do? I can take care of Ben.”

  “Can you Cameron? I wonder? You’ve been away from the game for a long time. You’ve gotten soft.”

  “Soft? I could have killed you, Davis. I won’t hesitate to do so now if you do anything to hurt Ben. Don’t underestimate me, Davis. I’m not the helpless woman you believed me to be back then. Mess with Ben and you’ll find out just how capable I am.”

  “Cameron, I’m not here to fight with you. I’m here to take you both someplace safe.”

  “I can do that on my own, Davis. And I don’t run the risk that you will let your little friends know where we’re going.”

  “So you won’t leave?”

  “No, I’m not leaving with you, Davis. I don’t trust you.”

  “Fine then we’ll just stay here together.”

  “No--we won’t. You can’t stay here, Davis.”

  “Why not.”

  “Because I don’t want you here when Ben wakes up?”

  “Why not? Afraid he might ask questions?”

  “I’m not talking about this with you anymore, Davis. You can’t stay here.”

  “And I’m telling you Cameron, I’m not going anywhere. Understood.”

  We stared at each other for what seemed like forever before I finally accept that I couldn’t get rid of him.

  “Fine, do whatever you like,” I told him pulling out of his grasp to walk past him inside the house.

  “Cameron,” Davis caught up with me in the kitchen and leaned against the door.

  “Just tell him I’m a friend of Noah’s. That’s true enough. Tell him his father asked me to stay with you both for a while—until he returns. Ben will understand. He’ll be okay.”

  “Will he? What if Noah doesn’t return? What then? What am I supposed to tell my son about his father?”

  “Noah’s crazy about you, Cameron. Even I could see that. Although I’m surprised that he didn’t confront me when he found out about us. Noah’s a good man, Cameron I know you don’t understand why he left, but you have to know it was important. He would never have left you both otherwise.”

  As desperately as I wanted to believe those words, I couldn’t.

  “Really? Didn’t you just tell me that he never wanted to come back to me in the first place? Sorry, Davis--I’m not buying it. Noah left because he missed the game. The action. He was sick and tired of being on the sidelines.”

  “You’re wrong. So wrong. I just hope someday you’ll understand why he did what he did. But until then, can you tell me where I can spend the night? I know,” he said at my angry expression. “I wasn’t going to suggest with you, although that was what I was hoping Cameron. I won’t try to deny it. Just show me to a bed and tell me what you want me to say to Ben. I’ll do whatever you want. But know this, Cameron. I’m not leaving until I know it’s time for me to go. Until things are safe. So don’t even try to get rid of me because it won’t work. I suggest you think of a good excuse that Ben will buy as to why I’m here.”

  I let go of the breath I’d been holding onto so angrily and walked past my office to the small guestroom that was filled with junk. Noah and I had used it to put Ben’s old baby things in. The bed was loaded down with clothes and toys. I dumped them all off the bed in one swoop of my arm and pointed to the closet down the hallway.

  “There are clean sheets there. Help yourself. I’m going to bed.”

  I walked past Davis ignoring the sound of his laughter, still holding my gun. In my bedroom, I sank down to the bed and gave way to the fear that was virtually coursing through my body.

  I tried to stop my shivering and my tears but it was a long time before I could compose myself enough to think.

  I was exhausted. As much from the past week of sleepless nights, spent pouring over documents on Noah’s computer and hacking into Matt’s, as from doing verbal battle with Davis.

  The facts swam round in my head, but no matter how hard I tried to make sense of them, I was too exhausted to think clearly.

  I took the gun, tucked it up under my pillow, and lay down of the bed fully clothed.

  I believed Davis when he said that he meant me no harm, but I didn’t know who the enemy was anymore or who had ordered that Noah and I be watched. Was it Adam? Was it Matt or someone else? Who was the mole that Adam and Noah were tracking? Who was watching us?

  I considered my options and knew that Davis was right, at least in part. I needed to get away from this house as soon as possible. My son and I were in danger here. Our safety had been compromised.

  We needed to leave as quickly as possible, but I needed to come up with a workable plan to get away from Davis and The Organization. I needed to think clearly enough to figure out who was the real danger. I couldn’t just run away without some idea of where I was going and how I could get word back to Noah.

  Were we really going to be safe anywhere until this whole thing was played out? Until the mole’s identity was revealed? Certainly too many people knew about this place to remain here.

  My first instinct was to leave the country entirely but I’d need to get Ben a passport and anyone looking for us, however discreetly would be sent a red flag, once the application was submitted unless I went through the black market?

  Several times of the past few years, Noah and I had talked about taking Ben to see his home state of Alaska.

  Of course, with a little checking, anyone looking for us could find out which town Noah was originally from. But no, one except for Noah and myself knew about the small little village that he had visited once before but that we’d both thought sounded like the perfect place to live if we ever grew tired of our life in Colorado.

  I would wait for just the right opportunity, when Davis was sleeping and then I would take my son and run.

  I could only pray that Noah hadn’t forgotten the plans we’d made together. That he would remember and know where to look for us when he found out we were gone.

  I awoke the following morning just before dawn. The air around me felt heavy with the scent of Rain. I could see distant lightning flashing as I set up in bed still fully dressed.

  Then I remembered Davis’s return and I was afraid for my son. I reached for the gun and ran to Ben’s room where I found him still sleeping peacefully in his bed.

  I went downstairs and searched the rooms only to find the house was still quiet. I quietly went to the guestroom that Davis slept in and locked the door.

  I hadn’t even considered how he’d gotten there last night I’d been so shocked to see him standing in my office. But thinking back now I didn’t remember hearing a car’s engine.

  Out here on the side of the mountain, noises could be heard literally from miles away. Davis would have had to walk up on foot. He hadn’t brought anything with him other than what I had to suspect would be some type of a weapon. Davis’s weapon of choice was a Glock. I hadn’t seen it but I knew somewhere on his body he’d have it.

  There would be little time to waste before Davis awoke and discovered what I was up to. I needed to work fast. I checked on Ben one more time, and found my son sound asleep. Before I closed his door, I put the walkie-talkie next to his bed with a note explaining that I’d gone for a walk but that he was not to leave his room until he reached me or I returned.

  I walked the two-mile downhill trek to the edge of the property where I found Davis’s car parked behind a clump of Aspen trees. The car was locked but luckily, I’d anticipated this.

  I took out the slim case that held the tools of the trade for the professional locksmith and within five minutes, I was in the car.

  A quick toss of the car didn’t provide anything of any real use. I p
opped the trunk and found Davis’s overnight bag and computer, which I removed them from the car and made my way back. I was counting on the computer for the information I needed as to how Davis knew Noah and whose side he was actually working for. First, there was something else I needed to do before Davis awoke.

  I started with the phone lines, and found much to my surprise all the clues I hadn’t picked up on. I was being watched.

  How long I wondered had the device been planted there.

  Since Noah had returned, perhaps longer? Since Davis was last here? Since I’d bought the house? If that were the case then someone would have had to know about my plans. Known that I was coming here? I’d done everything that I’d been taught to cover up my tracks so how could that be.

  After the phone lines were secure, I did a check around the house and found numerous other listening devices. Someone was keeping track of our every move.

  I’d started scanning the computer for possible spy devices when I heard Davis hit the locked door hard.

  I was down the hall and unlocking the door before he could wake my son.

  “Cameron, what do you think you’re doing Cameron locking me inside like that?”

  “Taking care of business, that’s what. There’s no way I trust you alone in my home with my child while I’m away.”

  “I take it you found my car? Where’s my bag?”

  “You’ll get it when I’m sure there’s nothing in there I need. In the meantime, I’d suggest you get dressed before Ben wakes up. And if he asks, you’re just a friend of his father’s here to keep us company until Noah returns. Oh, and by the way, Rock is working on a computer project. That’s all you know. If you give my son any indication of anything else then I’ll follow through with my threat last night. Don’t interfere with my son Davis.”

  “Whatever you say Cameron, but you know as well as I do that you’re not going to be able to keep up this front for long. He’ll figure out something’s wrong soon enough. What are you going to tell him then?”

  “That’s not your concern, Davis. I’ll take care of my son. You worry about your own hide.”

  “Wow, I’m impressed. I don’t remember you ever sounding quite so tough, little girl. Motherhood definitely agrees with you.”