search for them?"
There was a wistful expression in the reporter's eyes.
"No. After my brother died, I thought I might go looking for them but then I reminded myself that our parents had left us in a Dumpster―like trash."
"Someone found you in a Dumpster?"
"Most people think my low voice is sexy, husky. It's actually that way because my esophagus was damaged from exposure and infection."
Jasi was mortified. "And your parents?"
Cameron took a long sip of her cappuccino before answering. "The records are sealed―airtight. Our birth parents made sure we couldn't find them."
"How'd your brother die?"
"He drowned. Just before our twelfth birthday."
Jasi's curiosity was piqued. "You were twins?"
"Yeah. Fraternal twins, not identical. They separated us when we were about nine. But I was the lucky one. The Prescott's adopted me after I turned ten."
Cameron tugged at her sleeve in an effort to cover two small scars on her right arm. When she caught Jasi watching her, she shrugged. "Childhood injury."
An awkward silence announced the end of their meeting, but Jasi was reluctant to leave. Cameron had asked her about friendship. If Jasi had been honest, she would have told her that friends were very hard to keep in her line of business.
The reporter rose quickly. "Thanks for meeting me, Agent McLellan. I look forward to hearing from you. Especially if the Premier is involved."
"You'll be the first to know," Jasi promised, following Cameron to the street.
Overhead, dark clouds had taken the sun hostage. The wind was gathering and passers-by glanced uneasily at the ominous sky. A blast of air whipped down the street, scattering papers against the buildings.
Time to get back before the storm hit.
"Do you need a ride anywhere?" Cameron asked.
"No thanks. The hotel isn't far and I want to clear my head. Uh, Cameron…thanks for the info on Baker."
"Any time, Agent McLellan."
The reporter climbed into a metallic blue Daytona and gunned the engine.
On impulse, Jasi leaned into the passenger window.
"Cut the Agent McLellan crap and call me Jasi . After all, we're going to be working together on this Baker lead."
"Sure thing, Jasi."
Cameron Prescott waved goodbye, then slipped into the evening traffic and sped away in a cloud of dust.
Jasi released a weary sigh.
Didn't the woman know there were laws against speeding?
Jasi was across the street from the Prestige Inn when the storm clouds ripped open. The rain was torrential and bone-chilling. Scrambling for the glass door of the hotel, she drew a sigh of relief as the automated system kicked in. The door opened so slowly that if she had been running any faster, she would have slammed right into it.
In the elevator, she resisted the urge to make a face at a sales executive who peered down her nose in obvious disapproval of the soaked clothes and waterlogged hair. Instead, Jasi kept replaying her conversation with Cameron.
Baker's connection with Charlotte Foreman was impossible to ignore. But why would he have killed her? Getting rid of his drunken, incompetent father made perfect sense, but a past foster mother…and an innocent child?
Jasi thought about Cameron. Having a reporter along for the ride could make the investigation easier. Often they could get inside―where the CFBI couldn't go without search warrants and formal charges. Cameron had offered her services as a reporter but Jasi suspected that an offer of friendship had also been made. She somehow sensed that Cameron was in need of a friend…just as much as she was.
She sighed heavily, thinking of the few friends she had.
There was Natassia and Ben, of course. But other than that…
There was something very likeable about Cameron Prescott. Maybe her honesty―something rare in a reporter.
Whatever it was, Jasi liked her. And that led to two problems.
Making friends was not her forte.
And keeping them was next to impossible.
11
After a quick lunch, Natassia flopped on the bed and
There was a wistful expression in the reporter's eyes.
"No. After my brother died, I thought I might go looking for them but then I reminded myself that our parents had left us in a Dumpster―like trash."
"Someone found you in a Dumpster?"
"Most people think my low voice is sexy, husky. It's actually that way because my esophagus was damaged from exposure and infection."
Jasi was mortified. "And your parents?"
Cameron took a long sip of her cappuccino before answering. "The records are sealed―airtight. Our birth parents made sure we couldn't find them."
"How'd your brother die?"
"He drowned. Just before our twelfth birthday."
Jasi's curiosity was piqued. "You were twins?"
"Yeah. Fraternal twins, not identical. They separated us when we were about nine. But I was the lucky one. The Prescott's adopted me after I turned ten."
Cameron tugged at her sleeve in an effort to cover two small scars on her right arm. When she caught Jasi watching her, she shrugged. "Childhood injury."
An awkward silence announced the end of their meeting, but Jasi was reluctant to leave. Cameron had asked her about friendship. If Jasi had been honest, she would have told her that friends were very hard to keep in her line of business.
The reporter rose quickly. "Thanks for meeting me, Agent McLellan. I look forward to hearing from you. Especially if the Premier is involved."
"You'll be the first to know," Jasi promised, following Cameron to the street.
Overhead, dark clouds had taken the sun hostage. The wind was gathering and passers-by glanced uneasily at the ominous sky. A blast of air whipped down the street, scattering papers against the buildings.
Time to get back before the storm hit.
"Do you need a ride anywhere?" Cameron asked.
"No thanks. The hotel isn't far and I want to clear my head. Uh, Cameron…thanks for the info on Baker."
"Any time, Agent McLellan."
The reporter climbed into a metallic blue Daytona and gunned the engine.
On impulse, Jasi leaned into the passenger window.
"Cut the Agent McLellan crap and call me Jasi . After all, we're going to be working together on this Baker lead."
"Sure thing, Jasi."
Cameron Prescott waved goodbye, then slipped into the evening traffic and sped away in a cloud of dust.
Jasi released a weary sigh.
Didn't the woman know there were laws against speeding?
Jasi was across the street from the Prestige Inn when the storm clouds ripped open. The rain was torrential and bone-chilling. Scrambling for the glass door of the hotel, she drew a sigh of relief as the automated system kicked in. The door opened so slowly that if she had been running any faster, she would have slammed right into it.
In the elevator, she resisted the urge to make a face at a sales executive who peered down her nose in obvious disapproval of the soaked clothes and waterlogged hair. Instead, Jasi kept replaying her conversation with Cameron.
Baker's connection with Charlotte Foreman was impossible to ignore. But why would he have killed her? Getting rid of his drunken, incompetent father made perfect sense, but a past foster mother…and an innocent child?
Jasi thought about Cameron. Having a reporter along for the ride could make the investigation easier. Often they could get inside―where the CFBI couldn't go without search warrants and formal charges. Cameron had offered her services as a reporter but Jasi suspected that an offer of friendship had also been made. She somehow sensed that Cameron was in need of a friend…just as much as she was.
She sighed heavily, thinking of the few friends she had.
There was Natassia and Ben, of course. But other than that…
There was something very likeable about Cameron Prescott. Maybe her honesty―something rare in a reporter.
Whatever it was, Jasi liked her. And that led to two problems.
Making friends was not her forte.
And keeping them was next to impossible.
11
After a quick lunch, Natassia flopped on the bed and
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