Page 22 of Just Hide

She needed to move first, and fast. And until then, Cami knew, she'd need to watch her back. She didn't know what this was about, but there were people who wanted to keep it secret at all costs. And it was likely some of them were within the FBI.

She needed to solve this case, as fast as she could, so that she could tackle this danger with everything she had. Tomorrow, at Gatherings, Cami hoped they would get a breakthrough, thanks to those all-important image records.

CHAPTER TWELVE

At seven-thirty the next morning, Cami was waiting near the main entrance of MIT, looking out for Connor's car. She couldn’t wait to get to this new lead. After all, both Antoinette and Rosalind had visited Gatherings more than once, and their facial images would be stored on the records. Then they could find out who had access to those records.

Cami felt excited that this might be a big step forward in the case.

When Connor arrived, and she got into the car, he was busy on a call.

"Yes," he was saying, “that's correct. We're warning all women on their own, in Boston, to be especially careful at this time. The killer so far seems to be targeting women of a certain appearance, and those women with dark, brunette hair and blue eyes should be especially alert and aware when leaving home or arriving home. If you suspect you are being followed, or you are at all worried, call your local police urgently."

Cami realized he was on the phone with the media and that he was issuing a warning to help keep other women safe. She felt glad about that.

"This is the hotline we're encouraging people to call with any information." Easing the car forward, waiting for the traffic light to change, Connor glanced down at his notepad before reading the number out. "Any leads, any information will be treated in confidence."

He waited.

"Yes, this is a top priority for us at this time," he said. "We're working on it as we speak, and we're assigning all possible resources to it." He paused. "Yes. I am aware it's creating a sense of fear within the Boston area, and this is exactly why we issued the cautionary message we did, last night, which I’m explaining to you now."

Last night? So, Connor had been working into the night after taking Cami home? He hadn't been resting quite as much as he'd advised her to do. Cami could see why, though. Public safety was a side of this case she could do nothing about. It was up to Connor to communicate with the media and protect the public as best as he could.

"People mustn’t panic but should stay alert and aware and follow all safety guidelines in the police memorandum."

He waited, listened. "Yes. You can call me at any time, but for updates on the case, it will be better to call the FBI media offices, as there may be more than one angle of investigation under way, and they can give you the complete picture."

He hung up the phone and sighed. "The media is all over this," he said. "I'm trying to make sure they know the facts and are able to warn people without creating a climate of fear."

Cami nodded, feeling her stomach twist, because what hope did anyone have if an unknown killer followed them into their house and overpowered them? Would a warning make any difference? Perhaps it might, she thought, if people looked over their shoulder in time. At least they could slam the door or scream.

"It's tough," he said. "But it's worth it if we can keep people safe."

"Is there pressure from your bosses also?" she asked, knowing that there was likely to be.

"Yes. I've already had three calls today and two last night from Fraser and others. And it's not even eight a.m. This is made worse by the fact that these are high-profile victims, who had big followings." He sighed. "We just have to do what we can. They didn't deserve this. Being high-profile doesn't matter to me. It's the fact that they were targeted at all that makes me want to go at this, without any sleep, without stopping, until we get this guy."

Cami nodded, understanding the pressure he was under. They pulled up outside the headquarters of Gatherings.

"Let's go do this," Connor said. "If we can find out who had access to the records, we'll be one step closer to solving this."

It might even be solved completely if this theory was right, Cami thought.

Gatherings was a four-story building, square in shape, with a massive footprint and a mirrored façade. Cami could see it must have been purpose built for accommodating large functions, and she was sure that the interior contained many large spaces and halls that could be used for expos or big events.

As they drove in, a security guard waved them into visitor's parking in the basement. From there, they took the elevator to the lobby. The moment they walked in, Cami could see the cameras. There were two trained on the elevators, two trained on the doors. And that was just the entrances to the admin offices. She could see this company had embraced technology and was using it to the fullest.

But had one rotten apple been misusing it here?

Connor strode up to the desk. "FBI here. We need to speak to your director, or your IT head. Either one will do. It's in connection with the serial murders, which you’ve probably heard about."

The receptionist, an efficient looking woman with graying hair, looked surprised.

"I have heard about them. But—you're here?" she asked.

"The two victims both attended this venue more than once in the past few weeks," Connor explained.

"I'll call Sandra Keyes, head of IT," she said. "Our directors are out this morning, so she'll be able to help you the quickest."

---