JUST ONCE(3)
Author: Blake Pierce

 

But she didn't know if Ethan could hear her. He gave no sign that he'd heard her, and Cami realized, traumatized, that he'd already passed out.

 

"Please Ethan, be okay!"

 

She glanced up again to see that the gunman had disappeared. That lurking shadow was gone. As headlights swerved into the street, Cami took a gamble that she’d be safe now. She leaped out from the cars, waving to the ambulance, directing it in, knowing that every moment now counted. The ambulance screeched to a halt, and two paramedics rushed over. Looking at their faces as they examined him, she saw their expressions were grim and serious.

 

"Do you know what happened?" one of them asked her.

 

"We were walking down the street. I don't know who it was or why, but someone shot at us and they hit him."

 

"What about you? Are you okay? Not hurt?"

 

"I'm fine. But will he be? Do you think he'll pull through?" Tears flooded her eyes.

 

The medics were already loading him in the ambulance.

 

"We'll rush him to the ICU. Let's hope he'll be okay."

 

Even the medic didn't sound too optimistic, Cami realized. This was not just serious but critical.

 

She had no idea why this had happened. But what she did know was that her own actions had caused this. She'd asked Ethan to come with her on this mission and then things had suddenly unraveled. He'd agreed because there was a spark between them, and they were starting to date.

 

He'd thought it would be an adventure, and now his life hung in the balance. She felt the harsh weight of guilt, pressing down on her shoulders.

 

As the ambulance pulled away, speeding to the hospital, Cami felt sick with despair. She’d done what she could to get him help, but now, she had no idea whether Ethan, the man who’d captured her heart, would live or die.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER TWO

 

 

 

 

 

Cami had been in FBI Agent Connor's office several times in the past. The first time, she'd been pulled in as a criminal who'd hacked the FBI's website. She’d agreed to help with cases that needed IT expertise, in exchange for the FBI dropping the hacking charges against her that would have ended up in a criminal conviction and a long jail sentence.

 

The next few occasions she’d sat there, it had been preparing for cases, as part of her deal with the FBI.

 

But this was the first time she'd been sitting here for a debriefing after a crime committed against an FBI agent, even though it was after hours and off duty.

 

She was seated in between Special Agent Connor, and his boss who headed up the FBI Boston office, Special Agent Fraser. Ethan’s shooting was being taken all the way. They wanted answers, and the truth.

 

It chilled her to look at how serious Connor's face was. And Cami wasn’t looking forward to giving answers. It would be traumatic for her to relive this again. It had happened the day before yesterday. Now, it was Sunday morning. Ethan was still in the hospital, on life support, condition critical. And Connor was interrogating her.

 

"Why were you there?" Connor’s strong, heavy-jawed face looked harsher than usual. For once, his brown hair, with threads of gray, looked mussed, as if he'd run his fingers anxiously through it.

 

Cami agonized over how to answer this. Because it was complicated. Very, very complicated.

 

Telling Connor the truth would land her in serious trouble. If she admitted that she'd been tracking Liam Treverton, the ex-FBI agent who had botched her sister Jenna's missing person case six years ago, there was a strong chance Connor would contact Liam.

 

And if he contacted Liam, then Liam might tell him that a week ago, he’d had a strange break-in where someone hacked his smart front door, got inside his house, and stole his laptop.

 

Connor would put two and two together. Without a doubt, he'd do that. What happened next would go very badly for Cami. It would land her in huge trouble with Connor and his boss, Fraser. And it might also allow Liam to learn who she was. If he heard the name Cami Lark he would instantly connect it with Jenna Lark.

 

Ethan’s reaction when he’d seen Liam had convinced her that this man was dangerous. So then, not only would Cami be in trouble, but she’d also be in serious danger, because Liam would be looking to stop her, and maybe also for payback. Especially when he realized that she was Jenna’s sister.

 

The shooter hadn't been Liam himself, that, Cami was sure of. But the timing was way too much of a coincidence. The gunman had to be connected with Liam. Liam had seen Ethan at the bar, and sent someone after him. That was how Cami interpreted the horrors of Friday night.

 

"We were in a bar," Cami admitted, in a halting voice.

 

"The bar down the road from the crime scene?"

 

"Yes, that one."

 

"That's not a good place. Ethan knows that. We've had issues there before. Bad things happening."

 

"We had been walking nearby. We were in the moment," Cami said haltingly. "And then, when we were inside, Ethan grabbed me and said we should go. I don't know why. Maybe he realized where we were, or he saw someone?"

 

She thought it was best to keep it vague, even though not telling the truth was twisting a tight knot of guilt inside her. She felt wretched about it, but had no choice. That was, basically, what had happened, if you left out her part in it.

 

“Did Ethan tell you that?” Fraser asked.

 

Cami shook her head.

 

"You didn't see who it was?" Fraser pressured her, clearly wanting more detail.

 

Cami shook her head. "I wasn't aware of anyone threatening him. I was just taking in the ambiance, and wondering if it was a good idea to have a drink there."

 

Connor frowned, and shrinking inside, Cami realized he didn't believe her.

 

"Cami, I have to tell you," he said, his tone weary, "I'm starting to wonder if you're trying to hide something."

 

Cami felt like she'd been slapped. "Do you really think I'm hiding something?"

 

"This does not sound convincing," he barked. "There must have been a reason for you going there. I know the both of you. You don't randomly stroll into dives like that. Why were you there?"

 

His voice lashed her. She cringed at the accusation in his tone.

 

"It was a spur of the moment thing. It was my idea to go there. I suggested it when I saw the place."