IF: Nowhere To Run (Camryn Morgan Series Book 1)

by Anjallia T. Chase

  * * *

  "You!" Camryn said.

  * * *

  "You called my sweet." Momma Pow said.

  * * *

  "I didn't call you. Are you doing this? Making everyone...stop?" Camryn said.

  * * *

  "Untrained you will continue to do things sporadic.”Momma Pow said.

  * * *

  "Me?" Camryn said.

  * * *

  "You." Momma Pow said.

  * * *

  Camryn check various faces of the people. No one appears aware of her conversation with Momma Pow.

  * * *

  "You called me...not by phone but you called." Momma Pow said.

  * * *

  "Momma Pow. You're going to help me figure this out. And you will help me explain this...whatever it's called to Wesley." Camryn said.

  * * *

  "It's my honor to help you find your way. People call us witches but that's incorrect. It's a word people use to describe things they don't understand. I don't embrace labels. This isn't making potions and casting spells... This is learning a new language combined with physics. This is working with your higher power, guides, angels, and saints. This is clearing out the clutter of religion and talks of going to hell. I don't doubt the existence of a higher power. I doubt another human telling me it's this way or go to hell---literally. This is embracing all aspects of yourself appreciating yourself and learning to love yourself fully." Momma Pow said. She smiled.

  * * *

  Camryn had similar feelings. She's always told when she expresses the difference of opinion as her being prideful or willful which of course leads back to going to hell. If you had a stronger walk you wouldn't have doubts. The translation I've been having those doubts as well but don't say anything. You made me feel uncomfortable so you're going to hell. Phew! I'm safe again.

  * * *

  "So what do you call yourself?" Camryn said.

  * * *

  "I'm a Spiritual Warrior." Momma Pow said.

  * * *

  "How much is this going to cost me to work with a Spiritual Warrior?" Camryn said.

  * * *

  "You have the money. The initial session is free it will be an honor to be one of your instructors. We'll start with the basics protection and what you're anxious to start going into the past for answers." Momma Pow said.

  * * *

  "That sounds like witchcraft." Camryn said.

  * * *

  "Camryn yoga, dancing, singing, drinking wine, using incense, having sex with your spouse and enjoying it. All these things have been labeled evil. You'll have to resolve that issue for yourself." Momma Pow said.

  * * *

  "When will everyone start moving again?" Camryn said.

  * * *

  "As soon as you decide to let them go." Momma Pow said.

  * * *

  Camryn scans the crowd. Wesley’s keeping an eye on her. She finds his protectiveness sweet. Camryn is relieved he's not moving, for now, she doesn't need to explain this...matter.

  * * *

  "I'm going to the bathroom first." Camryn said. She went into the men's restroom.

  * * *

  Wesley doesn't move. He waits...so far no one is moving. He hears the toilet flushing. Camryn comes out of the men's bathroom wiping her hands on a few paper towels. Momma Pow, of course, is gone. Camryn thinks to herself.

  * * *

  She inhales.

  * * *

  She exhales.

  * * *

  No one moves.

  * * *

  Camryn is annoyed that old buzzard left her to figure this out. She freezes a room full of people every day so why not leave her alone to figure this shit out. Everyone return to your activities. She thought. The music starts again and people begin moving.

  * * *

  Whoa! Wesley thinks. He doesn't understand what the hell happened. Wesley loses the man from the hospital in the crowd. Wesley scrutinizing the room. He's captain observation so he knows something afoot. Camryn thinks.

  Wesley checking for anyone being surprised. If he didn't stop perhaps someone else didn't either. He detected no one being too casual or stunned. A few people pointed at Camryn so Wesley knew it was time to leave. Fucking tourist!

  Tobias shifts through resumes. Jensen Grimsby...he’s reading that name six times now. He can't keep his mind on business after overhearing his reviews.

  * * *

  "Katrina and I have the same issue for different reasons." Miyu stated. "Many guys are uncomfortable with our careers...Katrina is a Spiritual Coach and I'm a Sex Surrogate and Therapist." Miyu said.

  * * *

  "Many men are afraid I'm rating them for being a shallow and Miyu...my god...they are afraid you're rating them as a lover." Katrina said.

  * * *

  "Or they think I'm going to be a freak."Miyu said. "I suspect it's the latter with Tobias and that's why he asked me out." Miyu said.

  * * *

  "What!" Camryn and Shelby said.

  * * *

  "Tobias West ask you out?" Camryn said.

  * * *

  "Yes. So did Costa." Miyu stated.

  * * *

  "Stupid Costa asshole." Camryn said.

  * * *

  "Tobias does realize you're older than 25 right?" Shelby said.

  * * *

  "He's one of those?" Katrina said.

  * * *

  "Yes, he is." Shelby said.

  * * *

  "I said no. He kept tilting that stupid watch in my face. I guess I was supposed to be impressed." Miyu said.

  * * *

  "He can't tell time with it." Camryn laughs.

  * * *

  "He can't?" Katrina said.

  * * *

  "He's looking at his cell phone for the time. He spent $20K for a status symbol." Shelby said.

  * * *

  "Guys like him say he doesn't date women closer to his age because were a drag. The reality is he's immature and can't impress us with his car or $20 thousand dollar watch." Miyu said.

  * * *

  "Some woman older than us would be impressed." Shelby said.

  * * *

  "He's the weekend guy or the fling before the serious relationship." Miyu said.

  * * *

  "He would totally disagree with that...he believes he's quite the catch." Camryn said.

  * * *

  They all laugh.

  * * *

  They laughed! He is a catch. He's 45 years old, all his hair, flat stomach...he's training for a triathlon. He’s hot. He is a successful business a business that grossed over $2 billion last year! He is a catch. He is! The judgment right there all four between 30 - 40 years old and judging him! That's why he dates younger women...none of that biological clock crap and other boring stuff women in that age group complain about.

  * * *

  Weekend guy! The nerve...Shelby's fiancé is slick Ric. Camryn's ...Wesley's cool he is a boy scout. He would bet a year salary that Katrina and Miyu are experts at running off guys. The weekend guy... Tobias wishes he never overheard the conversation. He wishes it didn't bother him.

  * * *

  The more Tobias stews over the conversation the more agitated he becomes. Tobias closes his office door. He uses a prepaid cell and sends texts to three reporters tipping them off to Camryn's location.

  * * *

  He regrets the action moments later.

  She resembles her sister Shirley. It's weird having a daughter in the world he's never meet. Gabriel saw her once laying in her crib screaming. The 15-year-old boy envisioned that's what his life would be like. No sleep. No money. No prom. No high school graduation. He always smells like baby poop. He could envision nothing but doom being a father. He had a pen in hand to sign his parental rights away before the lawyer had the form out. The law in most states he had no rights to waive. He heard stories about kids suing the dad for child support so signed away those rights. His parents gladl
y signed the document as well.

  * * *

  He was devastated when he discovered he was one of six boys Kara had sex with he thought he was special. They all thought that. Two of the other boys told him he was lucky he got her pregnant. Lucky? How is that luck?

  * * *

  The day he went into the mediation hearing Kara is wearing a huge engagement ring. She already moved on. She's on trial for statutory rape each boy is a 10 -20 years in prison but she sat in court looking beautiful without a concern in the world. Her nonchalant attitude enraged him.

  * * *

  He's falling apart. His parents broke up. He attempted suicide three times and she sits in court wearing her designer clothes with another sucker waiting for her. She had her teaching licenses revoked. She had to register as a sex offender. All the other cases were dismissed due to a lack of evidence. Kara's legal team made it sound like Kara was the victim versus being the assailant.

  * * *

  It was outrageous!

  * * *

  She got 10 years, served in a low-security prison and released for good behavior. Seriously! Good behavior! Her victims were boys which she didn't have access to so she behaved. Her father's money and influence resulted her cushy deal.

  * * *

  He killed her and her spineless husband when he found out they were taking in foster children. The first male foster child was arriving in a matter of days into her manicured clutches. A pervert is a pervert regardless how well dressed she is.

  * * *

  He wishes he had left him alone.

  * * *

  Camryn seems to be the best parts. He wants to meet her. She's probably experiencing similar things Shirley experienced. Does she understand what it is? Shirley went into the realm of too spiritual. She believed her ability would protect her from everything. Gabriel wishes Shirley had continued on her treatments. He'll never understand why she believed she could cure the tumor with her abilities? It was nonsense and she was wrong.

  * * *

  Shirley was the only family he had. Well...Camryn but what is he supposed to say to her? She may not be aware she's adopted. He killed her birth mother. He's out of prison. A 50-year-old man with a GED driving a fork lift roommates with another convict. It's not the stuff of dreams.

  * * *

  He can provide answers about a few things. Maybe if he approaches her specifically clarifying things...she might agree to a cup of coffee with him. Perhaps water or soda something that won't send him to the ER if she throws it in his face.

  * * *

  Gabriel realizes his timing sucks. She'll probably think he's another asshole wanting the story. Her face is a similar sweet face like his sister. Gabriel concludes it's time he stopped talking about going to culinary school and finally enroll. He'll figure out the money. At least he could tell Camryn he's training to be a chef.

  Eugene unlocks his mother's apartment. She hasn't used the $150 he deposits into her account. The apartment stinks. On the table is old Chinese take-out. He's miffed. Alison dismissed his recruit. Telling him to concentrate on his training and worry about recruiting later. They have a mission. They need soldiers. His friend is a soldier.

  * * *

  "He would be a danger to this mission. Finding angry people is easy. Finding mission oriented angry people is the challenge. Your friend is just angry." Alison said.

  * * *

  Eugene understands this is a process. He understands that Alison is crafting this process. He felt powerful when he killed Larry. He believes her slowing him down is due to how he panicked after killing Larry. It was his first kill. It was unplanned and he was unprepared...but the next time.

  * * *

  "Mom! It's Eugene. It stinks in here! Mom!" Eugene shouted.

  * * *

  He endured Camryn's action figure calling himself Wesley...now this. From what Alison said about her sister this Wesley asshole isn't a surprise that Camryn dragged him along. He was glad Camryn was sick and they needed to leave. He asked Claudia and Alison if they slipped something into Camryn's drink and both denied it.

  * * *

  "We got lucky." Alison said.

  * * *

  Eugene finds Martha. Her eyes protrude, skin is colored grey, black, and some areas green. She has a needle in her arm. Eugene stops himself from removing it. He backs out of the room. The rotting smell isn't old food it's his mother. He closes the apartment door. He chews on his thumb while he waits for police to arrive.

  He’s been expecting to find her dead.

  Shelby left Moses with Kevin while she and Katrina work through Anna's storage vault. She uncovers the man in the painting Camryn told her about. Today he's facing them with a slight smile on his face. Katrina takes a few photos of the painting to search online for its history.

  * * *

  He giggles.

  * * *

  "What do we call you?" Shelby asked him.

  * * *

  "Ethan. Ask Camryn she knows the name." He smiles. He winks.

  * * *

  "Anna was a busy girl. She kept records expect for… this painting" Katrina said.

  * * *

  "Katrina... does Shelby know about Minerva or Billy?" Ethan said.

  * * *

  "Obviously with the art people ...Ethan can't be around." Shelby said.

  * * *

  "Shelby do you want to tell Katrina the real reason you decided to delay your wedding to her brother...ah, Richard he's been a bad bad boy." Ethan chuckles.

  * * *

  "The trunk?" Katrina said.

  * * *

  "Yes, we'll do it together." Shelby said.

  * * *

  The women pick up the painting careful to touch only the frame with their gloved hands. Shelby had prepared the trunk. It would be easier to vacuum the salt out the trunk than having this creepy painting on the back seat. Katrina stumbles seeing Billy's face in the painting. She knew it was a trick being played by the thing calling itself Ethan but Billy's face... Shelby covered the painting with the sheet and fastened a large cross to it. Shelby locks the trunk and the women go back into the vault.

  * * *

  "Are you okay?" Shelby said to Katrina.

  * * *

  "What demon are we dealing with?" Katrina said.

  * * *

  "I don't know yet. I doubt its name is Ethan. Camryn told me her mother Gloria tangled with a demon named Ethan when she was in college. I think this one is fucking with us." Shelby said.

  * * *

  "That’s what they do. I know Billy is dead. He tortured me and Richard when we were kids. Did he tell you?" Katrina said.

  * * *

  "Yes, he did. I can recruit someone from my Shaman circle if this is too intense for you." Shelby said.

  * * *

  "No. I will help you. This thing's trapped mischief is all it can do. So let's get this shit sold and figure out what to do with that painting." Katrina said.

  * * *

  "The cleaners are at the house so it will be ready for the real estate showing." Shelby said.

  * * *

  "You're a good sister in law." Katrina said.

  * * *

  Shelby smiles. "Thank you. It's easy to love Camryn. Wesley dated such a variety of women I wasn't sure who he would come up with. Thankfully it's someone that I like." Shelby said.

  * * *

  "Martin's wife." Katrina said.

  * * *

  "God. Yea I was talking to my Mom about it. She was worried at first because Camryn doesn't have any family and family important to Hunter's. "Shelby said.

  * * *

  "She must have been worried about Richard too." Katrina said.

  * * *

  "She was...is...I told her I needed a partner that understands my work. Richard doesn't eye fuck other women when we're together. I was worried about that cupcake working for him. You know what... he's a grown man. Me worrying will not change anything. He's responsible for his actions.
I'm responsible for mine. "Shelby said.