She headed outside, breathing in the fresh air, feeling glad to be alive after what had played out in those offices.
“We’ve got to go back to headquarters now and complete the paperwork. It shouldn’t take too long. Then I can give you a ride home. You good with that?” Connor asked.
“Thanks,” Cami said. “I’d appreciate that a lot.”
“And there hasn’t been much time for a square meal today. If you like, we could stop on the way. Grab something. Pizza, burger? I can’t take you back half starved,” Connor emphasized as they got into the car.
“Pizza sounds amazing.” Cami was suddenly realizing how hungry she was. Now that the tension and the danger were over, her stomach was growling for food.
Pizza with Connor, discussing the case, talking about the steps they’d taken to catch the killer, and coming down from the tension of the day, sounded like a great way to end it. It seemed like something she could get used to.
But first, she reminded herself, she needed to figure out who the people were who were operating in the background. Who'd killed Ethan? Who was responsible for taking Jenna? Who'd hidden the case file?
One person had the answers.
Liam Treverton.
And Cami decided that very soon, she was going to go and confront him and demand the truth.
EPILOGUE
Cami checked her phone. Her fingers were cold, her stomach filled with butterflies as she waited, lurking in the darkened area, behind a tree.
"I've seen him,"she messaged Kieran.
"Be careful,"the answer came back.“I’m five minutes away in the car. If anything goes wrong, I’m coming straight there.”
For the past couple of days, she'd been keeping tabs on Liam, looking for an opportunity where she could confront him alone, and she'd found what she hoped was the right moment.
He went running three days a week in the evenings after work. She'd watched him and tracked his phone, and he always did the same four-mile route, which circled a park.
Today, she was waiting for him in the park.
She was communicating with Kieran, and they'd spent a few hours together planning this, but after what had happened the last time, she'd told him she wanted to go on her own. Kieran was already in enough potential danger, and she didn't want to add to it.
But he'd insisted that she keep her phone open, so he could hear what was said. Now, it was time, and Cami dialed his number and then put the phone away, so that Liam wouldn't see it.
She just wanted answers, and now, she might just get them. Here he came, a tall, lean, fit man, running strongly in the dim light of the park, his breath steaming in the air.
Cami stepped out. Her heart was racing. She was so scared that adrenaline was prickling her skin, but she wasn't ducking out of this or turning back. She was going to get the truth, whatever it cost her.
"Liam!" she called.
She had her hair tied back and a baseball cap low over her face, turning her into an anonymous nobody, if anyone else was looking. But he'd have to know who she was. She couldn’t hide it from him.
He stopped in surprise, breathing hard, turning to her. "Were you calling me?" he asked. He paused, and now sounding suspicious, continued, "Who are you?"
"Cami Lark," she said and saw recognition flare instantly in his eyes.
"Before you do anything," she added hurriedly, "my phone is open. Someone's listening to this, and they know where I am."
His shoulders were heaving. He stood about two yards away, watching her closely, but he didn't look like he was going to attack her or turn violent.
"You investigated my sister Jenna's case," she said. "It seemed like you did everything right to start with, but the case went cold. And then, after I saw you in a bar the other night, my friend Ethan was killed. That's what I'm here for now. You need to give me answers, because if you don't, I'm going to make big trouble for you."
He was intelligent. His gaze darted to and fro as he connected the dots.
"I guess you got hold of my laptop," he said.