Page 23 of Fool Me Once

He saw Leah tense. “Hasanyone told you, you’ve turned into a snob?”

He smiled. “Not to myface.”

She spun around on thesteps, and he noticed she didn’t touch a single banister. He was pretty sure hesaw a pile of human shit in the corner, so there was no way he was touchinganything. It had been a long time since he’d smelled this, and it wasn’t pleasant.

“Fine, you’re a snob,” shesaid.

“Okay, touch the wall orthe banister,” he said.

She glared at him. “Idon’t need the help.”

“Now who is the snob?”

She faced the front andbegan to walk upstairs. Leah was not willing to be talked out of finding thiswoman.

Many years ago, after hetook care of the cop, he asked Frank if he wanted to find this woman. Frank’sanswer had been no. He wanted nothing to do with the woman. He was finally outand free, and all he wanted to do was live his life. Cain wasn’t about to doanything to upset him.

Prison hadn’t been easyfor anyone. He knew it had been hard for Frank, who had to learn hard and fastto fight first. Frank was a big guy, but he was also not a violent man. Prisonhad to awaken that part of him. When he finally got him out, Frank asked him tonever put him in that position, and he never would.

Frank was a rare guy. Andhe knew he was not going to tell him about Cameron, unless she was a rare girl.She was currently living on the third floor of this crumbling building. Caindidn’t know how there were still tenants, or even how the building was stillstanding in its current state. He was pretty sure contractors and healthinspectors would have condemned the building by now.

They got to the thirdfloor, and the stench was quite bad. He also saw a pile of used diapers at theend of the hallway. Not good.

Leah got to the third dooralong. She screwed up the piece of paper in her grip and shrugged. “Apparently,this is it.”

“Before you knock on thatdoor, do you want to think twice about what you’re doing?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Look around you. What ifthis Cameron is bad news?”

“And what if she hasfallen on hard times?”

“I did not take you forbeing the sentimental type,” he said.

“I’m not beingsentimental. People go through rough patches, and I want to see for myself.Where is the harm?” She raised her fist and knocked on the door.

She stared at him and Cainsimply watched her. There was so much more to Leah than met the eye. He knewshe was going to come and find this woman, even if he did forbid it. She was alaw unto herself. This was one of the many reasons he needed to keep an eye onher.

She knocked again, andthey waited. Cain was about to tell her not to bother when they heard afeminine call from the other side.

The door opened, and abrunette stood on the other side. She was curvy and had a smile on her lips.

“Can I help you?” Cameronasked.

“Are you Cameron Pierce?”Cain asked.

“That depends on who isasking.”

He watched her tense up.

“You don’t know us, but wehave a mutual friend,” Cain said, taking the lead.

Cameron looked from him toLeah, then back again.

“I’ve not long been backto the city, so I don’t know you. I don’t know who we might have in common as afriend, but please leave.”

“Frank!” Leah spoke hisname loudly.

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