* * *
Joshua finds his car parked with a full tank of gas---which is odd because he had half a tank of gas before he left the office. He didn’t go to the gas station and odder his car has been cleaned. Joshua is on the verge of freaking out. The man hit him Josh expected to find a bruise on his face. No bruise just his reflection of him looking confused. He wasn't sure what the hell happened he knew it had something to do with Camryn. Now he wanted her the hell out of his life.
* * *
"It figures someone from Anna's family would be a freak." Joshua stated.
Richard woke to find Katrina sitting on the bed beside him. "Can I have coffee first?" He said.
* * *
"What did you do?" She said.
* * *
"Guess not." He grumbled. "What are you talking about?" He asked.
* * *
"You told Andrew where Camryn was." She stated.
* * *
"I'm ....testing a theory." He said.
* * *
"You sent an abusive boyfriend information on the girl that left him for some fucking test! What is this test if Andrew is a huge asshole with an over inflated view of himself test?" She asked.
* * *
“Someone attacks her that person gets fucked up.” Richard said.
* * *
"So?" Katrina asked.
* * *
"What's the problem? We've used these methods before?" He said.
* * *
"You're creepy lady friends Holly and Zeina where watching her. He showed up with a gun. Zeina and Holly found no traces of him in the house. They said the windows open and some dust come out of them. They think the dust was Andrew. She's different. We don't use same ole on her." Katrina said.
* * *
"Then how are we supposed to test her abilities without same ole? We have to walk into the coven with knowledge not guessing. She killed him?" He asked.
* * *
"She erased him.” Katrina said.
* * *
"Wait. You're chewing on my ass when there's only speculation on what happened?" Richard said. "Maybe he left?" He said.
* * *
"He’s going to get reported as a missing person. I’ve seen it. "She said.
* * *
"You thought you had an exclusive relationship with them?" She asked. Katrina rolled her eyes.
* * *
"No... I didn't realize they speak to you." Richard said.
* * *
"We can’t have the police sticking their noses into this." Katrina said.
* * *
"Let me worry about that detail." Richard said. He kisses Katrina's hand.
* * *
Katrina allows her concerns to be quieted for the moment.
Camryn been hours at the DMV showing paperwork and getting the car title into her name. She's exhausted did she sleep last night? She had this odd dream she killed Andrew. Camryn considers the idea and smiled.
* * *
Camryn wonders if she is being unfair to Alison. She ran away when she was 16. Who knows what all she experienced. She was a vicious kid. She doubts that's something someone 'out' grows.
* * *
Camryn using the time at the DMV to listen to a session from her 'releasing limits' program. Today's lesson uncovering and undoing patterns that limit a person. She's gotten used to keeping people at a distance that she wonders if she'll be ever able to make and keep close friends.
* * *
A man with a buzz cut sits across from Camryn. His tattoos of an arrow with roses climbing up his arm. The vines from the roses go up to his neck, he sits chewing on a straw staring at Camryn. She recognizes this type an aggressive anti-social personality someone angry at the world that decided everyone but himself is responsible for the shit in his life.
* * *
"Annabel Jackson, you're ...the cousin Camryn Morgan." He stated.
* * *
"I think you confused me with someone else." Camryn said.
* * *
The man chuckles. His eyes narrow. "I'm Anna's partner." He said.
* * *
"Partner?" Camryn said.
* * *
"Before you go down the road you're the wrong person yadda, yadda. Think about where we are a DMV in Denver and that's what 500 miles from Albuquerque. I want what's mine." He said.
* * *
He leans towards her holding out his cell phone. Camryn sees an email from Anna with her photo attached to the email chain.
* * *
"I'm Simon Portman her...partner. You're sitting on a pile of money and some of it belongs to me. Did you think that Anna would be able to blackmail all these people without help?" Simon asked.
* * *
He looks different with his clothes on Camryn thought. She remembers him from one of Anna’s sex videos.
* * *
"Mr. Portman, Did you do business under Simon Portman or a company name?" Camryn asked.
* * *
Simon smirks. "What. You think there some contract laying around?" He said.
* * *
"Some record of this alleged agreement…yes." Camryn said.
* * *
"You're about to fuck me over." Simon stated.
* * *
"Mr. Portman would you hand someone a pile of money because they said so?" Camryn asked.
* * *
"Fair enough. I will get what belongs to me." Simon stated.
* * *
He will get what’s coming to him all right. Camryn thought.
Camryn mused as Simon walks away. His flat britches the least he could have done is be eye candy since he's coming around to threaten her.
She remembers him ---who could forget images of a tattooed skin head giving and getting blow jobs from guys. Camryn sighs. She closes her eyes. Anna what the fuck! Camryn thinks.
Camryn seeks legal advice. She’s not getting into trouble for Anna.
* * *
She reached a buy- out price with Joshua, four million dollars transferred to her account within 72 hours and the final payment in three months of another four million. Camryn negotiated the best rate she could. Anna had been embezzling so she agreed to settle for less money as a buyout to the business.
* * *
How did a sex party work? Did they put on a song and after the song stopped they switched partners? She returns to the home office. She went through Anna's records on the computer system she found nothing about a Simon Portman.
* * *
She returns to the personal vault in Centennial. She is ready for the creepy painting. She places on gloves carefully moving the painting. She pours salt around it. She could only see the back of the man's head again. She places a blanket around the painting. She moves carefully around the painting--not to close. The circle of salt around it informs whatever she knows something isn't right with the painting.
* * *
Anna blackmailing people it doesn't surprise her someone gifted her a haunted painting. That painting Anna recorded no information! Camryn searched the documents and she found no initials or mention of a Simon Portman.
* * *
Anna stole from Joshua so why not this Simon. He gave an air of violence and contempt for humanity she didn't want him around her again. She needed to come up with a solution to deal with him. Is he the reason Anna planned to steal her identity?
* * *
Camryn received a notice in her mailbox. It's something from the insurance company.
* * *
Mint's brother needed a car. He had $5000 so Camryn sold him the Pilot. She is ready to put Anna's drama behind her.
* * *
Camryn got a surprise by the insurance check amount. Two million dollars! Simon is correct. Camryn is sitting on a pile of money.
* * *
She drove out of Denver back to Albuquerque so she could deposit the life insurance payout. She's gone from barely having $50 to $5000 with over six mil
lion dollars in her bank accounts. She's won the lottery! She went from no car, then two cars and now she's driving a Jag!
* * *
People who say money can't buy happiness haven't come across the correct amount. Camryn is happy with money.
* * *
The employees at the bank were kissing her butt! She told the personal banker she's working with a financial adviser and will work out her decisions with her. She needed the bank employees off her ass for the moment.
* * *
She came out of the bank her heart sank Camryn found Jensen standing on the sidewalk near her car.
* * *
"Nice car." He said.
* * *
"How did you find me?" She asked.
* * *
"I'm a cop. I find people. "Jensen said.
* * *
"Not well. What do you want?" Camryn said.
* * *
"Can we go somewhere and talk?" He said.
* * *
"Were talking now." She said.
* * *
"You have never been this rude to me before." He stated.
* * *
"Every private conversation we've ever had leads to some kind of bullshit. What is it?" She asked.
* * *
"Andrew was on his way to see you and no one's heard from him. “He said.
* * *
"Like I thought... bullshit." She said.
* * *
"Have you seen him?" He said.
* * *
Camryn removed her jacket and her sunglasses. "Any bruises?" She said.
* * *
"No. Only beauty." Jensen said. He wished he could get a smile out of her but angry Camryn is the representative today.
* * *
"If Andrew had gotten near me he would beat the shit out of me. So. No I haven't seen Andrew. "Camryn said.
* * *
"Camryn, I should have done more to help you." Jensen said.
* * *
"What do you mean more? You never helped me. Oh. You're not here to see if Andrew caught up to me. You're here to clear your conscious. You're a piece of shit. Feeling guilty…you should. But you are shit. Go to a priest, write it in a journal, go to hell and stay the away from me." Camryn stated. She drives away.
* * *
Jensen wanted to go after her and tell her he loves her but that won’t change a thing.
The coven members were silent.
“Loretta, Karen and Dolly, did you bitches think you could go behind my back and try to get me removed as Youn Pwisan (Powerful One)?" Minerva asked.
* * *
"Some of us believe...you’re not living up to the title." Karen stated.
* * *
"You've made promises to heal this coven from Abigail." Dolly said.
* * *
"No. I made promised to find Abigail bloodline and remove them. Abigail is not the only womb in this coven. It’s short sighted of you. "Minerva said.” I am the only one that calls assembly." She stated.
* * *
"We don't think you're doing a good job." Loretta said.
* * *
Many in the coven murmured in agreement.
* * *
"Show of hands please." Minerva said.
* * *
Loretta, Dolly, Karen and few other members raise their hands.
* * *
"So cleaning house of the wannabe's and the hell obsessed means nothing? There isn't one person in this room making less than $300 thousand a year because of me. I am here because I am powerful not because I made promises and bribed some of you fuckers. Oh I know the rumors about me barely holding power. “Minerva said.
* * *
The skin rips off Loretta and Dolly's bodies and the women collapse dead. Karen shrieks. She is covered in the women's blood. Many others in the coven scream a few fainted. Minerva grabs Karen by the hair.
* * *
"Shut up!" She said.
* * *
Karen stops screaming. Her face streaked from tears.
* * *
"Now, show of hands, who doesn't think I'm doing a good job?" Minerva said. As she predicted no one raised they're hand. "If any of you ever calls assembly or try to cast me out...you will join this skinless bitch pile. Do I make myself clear?" She said.
* * *
Everyone agreed.
* * *
"Good. I will see next week for our board meeting. "Minerva said. She smiled.
* * *
I should demonstrate power more often. She thought as she walks out of the room.
* * *
Zeina watches Minerva walk away. Rallying support to remove Minerva has just gotten harder.
Camryn drove to Austin the long way to go through Roswell. She went to a reformer Pilate's class and she took 10 minutes to stop coughing after exercises. She read online its called exercise induced asthma. She thought it meant she is in worse shape than she thought! Well, the three small rings of fat on her side spanning to her back must go. She's being vigilante on her travels to eat well. She's down to a size 18 and lost about 40-50 pounds so her plan is working.
* * *
A group of fireman wander around the grocery store. They were so enthralled in their bromance they neglected to see the women trying to get their attention. A good looking dark haired man with a cleft chin watches her.
* * *
She walks over to him and smiles. "Hello, I'm Megan. She said. What's your name?"
* * *
He smiles." I'm James. I shop here all the time and never seen you here before." He said.
* * *
Camryn looks at his lips while he spoke. "That sounds like a line James." She smiled.
* * *
He laughs and blushes, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to sound like that. I meant ... um." He said.
* * *
Camryn chuckles she's not sure maybe it is him being bashful or she is ready to try out various aspect of her personality.
* * *
"I'm in town for business. Dinner with me tonight?" She asked.
* * *
"Sure." He smiled.
Someone moved around Saul’s bedroom. He attempts to say something. The figures were dressed in camouflage he couldn't see their faces. One figure pulled down his pajamas and masturbates him. He makes gurgling sounds trying to protest. He didn't want to have sex with this person. His body betrays him. She jerks her hips until she came.
* * *
They flipped Saul on his stomach. A small grunt escapes him when the cold object is shoved into his anus. He hears laughter as he comes again. He guesses his prostate is being stimulated. As much as he's bragged he could keep it up all night...that isn't true.
* * *
Four hours later they leave.
Saul lays in bed. He couldn't wrap his mind around what happened to him. A note on his bed and it read "Triple S, we think you should change your name to Triple F because you're fucked. Love - your biggest fans.
James couldn't recall ever laughing this much with a woman. He is taken with "Megan".
* * *
"He's supposed to be this suave sophisticated spy and we never see James Bond at his own apartment. The guy is homeless he roams from one hotel to the next." James insisted.
* * *
Camryn didn't miss the irony of his words. The past few weeks basically what's she's been doing. "The idea is he lives this cool high octane live style, too cool to show things like him paying bills or changing the sheets on his bed." Camryn laughs.
IF: Nowhere To Run (Camryn Morgan Series Book 1) Page 10