by Reese, Jaime
"Since our meet, every other day after work, I'm usually there seven to nine or ten at the latest…and nothing. I noticed a few changes between my last two visits so I know something's going on. I figured I'd call you and find out if you could go on a stakeout with me. Nothing's official so I can't get one of the guys in on this."
They coordinated the time and place to meet then disconnected.
Hunter's mind wandered, thinking of Cam, hoping they were closer to wrapping this up. He absently spun the woven blue bracelet on his wrist Cam had given him during their first weekend. They had walked past a shop at Bayside housing handmade items. Cam grabbed the dark blue braided bracelet with small silver beads. Cam inspected it as if he were some expert on the material and asked the shop owner if it was waterproof.
"Yes. All bracelets are wax coated."
Cam nodded, paid the person, then turned to Hunter and yanked his wrist. Cam remained quiet while he tied the material, securing the bracelet.
"It's the dark color your eyes get when you tease me," Hunter commented with a smirk.
Cam looked up after the double knot was complete and still said nothing. He pulled Hunter down for a demanding, branding kiss in the middle of the aisle of shops. He then grabbed Hunter's hand and continued walking down past the kiosks, as if nothing had happened.
Hunter rubbed his face in frustration, trying to return his focus. The stress was getting to Cam and it was only a matter of time before the man's anxiety kicked in again. He was putting up a great front for Hunter, but every now and then, Hunter could see the cracks in the façade when the fear would make its way to the surface.
He gathered a few files and his briefcase then headed out of his office. "I'm off. Lunch then meeting with the mayor," he told Jessie as he passed his desk.
Jessie nodded.
"I might be a little late coming in tomorrow so if something comes up, just give me a call, okay?"
"Yes, boss," his assistant finished with a smile.
Finally, he was out of the office and smiling as he made his way to the diner for a little piece of heaven.
* * * *
Hunter stood in line and watched Cam tend to the few lingering post-lunchtime customers. Cam's smile came a little easier and his stance less guarded.
His body, although still lean, was tighter and a little broader from the yard work at the halfway house. A slight tan colored his skin now, the faint golden tone further accentuating the blue in his eyes and the white of his smile. His hair had a sprinkling of highlights as if the sun had kissed his head. Sunrises gave him hope, but they also seemed to awaken a natural physical beauty that had been hidden for far too long.
"How can I help you? Sir," Cam said when it was finally Hunter's turn at the register.
Hunter leaned over the counter. "You know that drives me nuts."
Cam smiled and grabbed Hunter's tie to pull him closer. "I know." After a quick peck, Cam released him.
Hunter reached over and rubbed Cam's stubble. "Are you letting this grow out?"
Cam shrugged. He looked away and scratched his growing scruff. "It makes me look older."
"Since when do you want to look older?"
Cam shrugged again and fidgeted with the receipts.
Realization finally hit Hunter. He grabbed Cam's chin and forced him to make eye contact. "Are you doing that for me?"
Cam's mouth narrowed and his brows lowered. "There's not much I can do for you. So if growing some hair on my face will make you feel a little less self-conscious, then I'll grow a full fucking beard if I have to."
Hunter stroked his thumb on Cam's cheek. "You do a lot for me whether you realize it or not." He leaned over the counter and whispered in Cam's ear, "I do love it when your stubble scrapes across my skin."
Cam closed his eyes and exhaled heavily. He opened his eyes and looked over to the other customers in the diner.
"Have you had lunch yet?"
"Not yet. I was waiting to see if you'd stop by. Let me go get Bill so I can take my break," Cam said before walking to the back.
Bill emerged within moments and waved at Hunter. "Why don't you boys take a break and have lunch in the back room. I think Julian is starting to go stir crazy here. He could use a few minutes."
"You sure it's okay, Bill? I don't want to—"
Hunter stopped when Bill placed a hand on his shoulder. "I've never seen Lucy happier or healthier than in these last few weeks since Cam's arrival. And that, to me, is worth any drama anyone brings into this diner. I hate that you guys are going through this, but I know that as long as you guys are here, we're fine. She feels as if she's got a house full of kids and that's something we couldn't have. Now, go relieve Julian then suck face for a bit with Cam so you both can go back to work with a smile."
Hunter rubbed his face to hide his embarrassment. "Bill, you're worse than my dad," he grumbled.
Bill beamed and, for the first time, pulled Hunter into an embrace. "You've just made my day, now go."
"Thanks," Hunter said before retreating to the back room.
After Julian left and Hunter was alone with Cam, they sat at the table and prepared to have lunch.
Cam sat up and reached for Hunter's tie.
"What are you doing?" Hunter asked.
"You look uncomfortable," Cam said as he loosened the knot. "I don't want you feeling that way around me."
Hunter watched him and tried to stop the smile from forming on his face. It was the little things Cam did that spoke volumes about his feelings, whether he realized it or not.
Cameron looked over to Hunter and reached for his soda. He grabbed the straw in his mouth and a smile escaped. Hunter couldn't resist and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. A chill traveled his body when he rubbed his face against Cam's stubble.
Cam snorted a laugh. "You're like a big cat."
"Hopefully you're a cat person." Hunter nuzzled him and kissed the sensitive skin below his ear.
Cam inhaled sharply. "I like cats and dogs. So feel free to rub, growl, bite…"
Hunter kissed a trail along Cam's throat. He bit across Cam's jawline and peppered kisses along the side of his neck.
"You need to stop," Cam said breathlessly.
Hunter withdrew. The want in Cam's eyes was mesmerizing. Hunter pressed his forehead to Cam's and stroked the back of his neck. "You're addictive."
"You're not helping."
Hunter straightened in his seat and clasped Cam's hand. He could forgo the nuzzling as long as he had some form of contact.
Julian poked his head in the back room when he returned from his sanity break then retreated to the front dining area.
They finished their lunch and cleaned up the back room table.
"I'm going with Aidan to check out the house for an all-nighter to see if anything comes up," Hunter said.
Cam nodded, his mood sobered. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.
"Don't be."
"I can't help it. Everyone's adjusting everything because of me…you, Julian, Lucy and Bill. I don't want to be a bother."
"You're not a bother. We care. That's why we're doing this."
Cam nodded again and didn't say another word.
Hunter looked at the wall clock. "I've got to go." He rose from his seat and pulled Cam to stand. "I've got a meeting with the mayor and I'm not sure how long it will run."
"Okay."
"I'll call you when I get out of there."
Cam nodded again and reached for Hunter. He rested his head on Hunter's shoulder and took a deep, shaky breath.
"It'll be over soon, okay. Just hang in there," he said, rubbing Cam's back, hoping to soothe him.
"Please be careful," Cam said.
Hunter separated from the embrace and stroked Cam's cheek. He hated seeing the distress in Cam's eyes. "You, too. And remember, don't go anywhere without Julian by your side, okay? I don't want anyone to have an opportunity to get to you."
He kissed Cam good-bye and left the diner, hoping tonig
ht's stakeout would be productive so Cam could finally move on from his nightmare.
* * * *
Hunter arrived at Mayor Frank Weston's office in the middle of the afternoon.
"Hi, Lydia, I'm here to see Frank," he said with a smile.
"He's in a meeting now but I believe he's wrapping it up." She picked up the phone to notify the mayor then hung up after a few seconds. "He'll be with you in a moment."
"Thanks."
He took a nostalgic walk around, looking at the various photos in the waiting area. Decades of history were framed on the walls, political figures shaking hands, front page news clippings of apprehended media-worthy criminals, building grand openings, and more. Hunter's chest swelled as he recalled some of the events and how proud he was to make a difference in his city. He circled the perimeter of the reception area as he waited, reliving the current history markers on the walls before ending up back by Lydia's desk. She diligently worked on the computer and answered the phones. Her inbox neatly stacked with documents, the stapler, sharpener, and pencil holder organized in a linear manner, the books sorted on the shelf, all of equal height in what seemed to be a progression—with the shorter books on the far right-hand side of the shelf, and the tallest on the far left.
He smiled as he thought of how organized she was—probably with a touch of OCD.
The smile slid from his face when he noticed the stack of red files neatly tucked upright against the tall books on the bottom shelf. His heart began to race, and he immediately looked up to Lydia with a questioning glare.
She looked at him at that very instant and gave him a knowing look. "Yes, Mr. Styles, I'll make sure to relay the message," she said, finishing the phone call.
He said nothing while he continued to look at the mayor's assistant.
"Things aren't always as they seem," she spoke quietly in a steady tone.
"I can see that. So it's you," he stated rather than asked.
She bowed her head subtly in agreement.
"Why?"
"Let's just say I don't always agree with everything I see and hear and this is my way of trying to change things."
"Why not just go to someone with everything you know?"
"It's a lot more complex. I don't know everyone who's involved, and I'm just one person with too much knowledge of things I've heard. Besides, I have an aversion to the thought of mysteriously disappearing and having everything swept under the rug."
He glared at her, firmly, and continued in the low tone to avoid anyone listening to their conversation. "The red files. Scapegoats?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Easy targets who wouldn't turn and seem to know tiny bits of information which, together, can add up," she responded quietly and quickly as she casually looked around to ensure their exchange remained private.
Hunter spotted a stack of the white envelopes with the blue stripe on the return address area on her desk, the same used to deliver Cam's file that day to his office. "Why not the red for that one? Why this?" he asked as he touched the envelope to clarify his question.
"That was for you. I didn't want to risk someone seeing the red and being alerted. If anyone is going to be able to do something with that particular one, it's you. I don't know much more than what was in there, but I do know that whatever it is he knows makes them very nervous. It's been quite a frenzy since they discovered his release."
"Why?"
"They didn't know he was out, and getting information on a current residence has not been easy through their regular channels. It was all very sudden to them and they don't like surprises. Seems it wasn't part of the plan to let him out."
"Out early?"
"At all."
Hunter's breath hitched. "They tried to…eliminate him while inside?"
"Eliminating him would have shown some level of mercy. They tried to break him, hoping he would do it himself, but he's apparently much more resilient than they had anticipated. From what I've gathered, it seems they have a team inside and throughout the system. So all the red files go back in and they will slowly begin to fade away."
"Why me? Why am I the one you knew would do something?" he asked hurriedly. The mayor would conclude his meeting at any moment.
"Because they talked about whether you needed to be watched as well so I knew you weren't part of this."
That raised Hunter's hackles more than they already were. "Are they watching?"
"Not closely," she responded. "They are listening to your office line. They've partially disregarded you as an overworked county employee."
"Good."
They feigned a conversation regarding one of the pictures on the wall when Frank emerged with another person from his office. "Hunter," Frank greeted loudly. "I'm so glad you're here."
Hunter shook his hand and plastered on his best fake smile. "Hello, Mayor Weston. I was told you wanted to meet with me."
"Yes, yes. Come on in. Lydia, please hold all my calls."
"Yes, sir," she responded as the door closed.
"Congratulations, I heard you had another win this morning in court." The mayor took his seat behind the desk and signaled Hunter to sit in one of the opposite chairs.
"Thank you, sir," he said as he sat. "So what brings me here today?"
"A man straight to the point, I like that," he responded with a boisterous laugh. "We need more straight shooters."
Hunter smiled at the irony. "I agree."
"Please, call me Frank."
"Very well, Frank," he emphasized the name.
"I wanted to talk to you about your future plans."
"Plans?"
"Yes, what are they? Do you wish to move up in the ranks or do you wish to transition over into a political role?"
"I've been a bit up to my eyeballs lately with work and haven't really thought much about it."
"Yes, we've noticed you've been putting in a lot of hours."
"We?"
"Of course. I've noticed because you've helped me bring down the crime numbers tremendously since the last election, Melanie raves about you all the time, and the judges"—he laughed—"man, they're happy when you walk into a courtroom because they know they've got a short case—quick and simple without all the courtroom smoke and mirrors. You go straight for the jugular and you end the cases quickly. They love the fact that they don't need to put in the extra hours to listen to the excess bullshit."
"Thank you."
"So, let's talk about your future."
"I'm assuming this has been on your mind more than mine at this point."
The mayor laughed. "See, straight for the jugular."
Hunter played along and laughed, sitting back in his chair and crossing his legs.
"Which would you prefer, state attorney or a councilman position?" he inquired.
So this is his way of buying me. Shit. "What about Melanie?"
Frank stood and walked over to his minibar to pour himself a drink. "Would you like one?" He pointed to the whiskey glass.
"No, thank you. I'm still on the clock."
The mayor laughed and shook his head. "Mel is a bulldog in the courtroom, and I don't want to lose that. But I'd like to have you in a more relevant position."
"I thought I helped you with the crime stats, that's not relevant?" he couldn't resist challenging.
The mayor laughed louder. "My goodness, it's no wonder you win cases. What I meant was, in a position where you could reap the rewards of your hard work. Just tell me which position appeals to you most, and I'll take care of the rest. It would be great to promote you as part of my team with the upcoming reelection."
"Can I think about it?" he asked. He didn't want either role, especially not with everything going on, but there was no way he was going to admit to that now and risk revealing himself.
"Sure! The sooner the better of course."
"Of course. Was that all, Frank?"
The mayor laughed again. "Anxious to get back to work, I see."
; "Always. Gotta work on keeping those crime stats down for you." He laughed, sick to his stomach at this point, but trying his best to maintain the façade of bullshit.
"Don't let me keep you. Let me know once you've made your decision. I'd love to have you move up in the ranks."
Hunter stood from his seat, ready to race out of the mayor's office. He extended his hand to Frank with a half smile. "Thank you."
The mayor gave his political picture smile and firmly shook his hand. "No, thank you for your hard work."
Hunter walked out of the mayor's office and closed the door. He took a deep breath and steeled himself before taking a step. He looked over at Lydia as he passed her desk.
"Be careful." She glanced at him, stacking the files in her inbox.
He casually nodded, acknowledging he had heard her concern, and then walked out to the hallway, avoiding contact with others.
Finally finding the men's room, he pushed inside and splashed some water on his face to try and cool the boiling heat from the anger slowly working its way to the surface. He dried his face then took a deep breath to steady himself. One of the reasons he had opted to branch into the field of law was to make a difference in his city, reduce crime, and hopefully make his town a safer place to live in. He couldn't believe he was now getting pulled into a circle dirtier than the streets that he tried so hard to clean up. He was disgusted and pissed at not having seen the bullshit that surrounded him and enraged that Cam was a target. There was no way he was going to wait and let this all play out anymore on their time table.
A straight shooter who went for the jugular? They had no fucking idea just how right they were.
"So, you and Cameron are a thing?" Aidan asked as they sat in his dark truck watching the house. After staring at the empty house for a few hours, it seemed inevitable the conversation would steer in this direction.
Hunter lowered his binoculars and looked at his friend. "Yeah," he responded with a smile.
"I'm assuming it's serious or headed in that direction."
Hunter nodded. "I'd like to think so."
"He looks like a good kid—"