Page 50 of Just Now

“You’re in danger!”

“What was that? I can’t hear what you’re saying. Listen, can you call back in two minutes and then I’ll be inside? This wind’s crazy and I’m carrying shopping bags.”

“No, wait!”

Cami heard the sound of a key in the lock. Then, a shrill, horrified scream.

And then the line went dead.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

“No!” Cami shouted the word aloud. Her worst fears had been realized. The warning had been too late. Vera Dann had arrived home, and from that scream, she was sure the killer had been waiting.

She needed to get to her! And fast!

Taking a deep breath she tried to quell the panic that was surging inside her. Calm thought would help her now.

First things first. Her address. Where was she?

Trying to stop her hands from shaking, Cami looked up the address. Vera Dann lived eight miles away, in a suburb to the north of the diner.

“Eight miles?” Cami said aloud, her voice shaking. It felt like an insurmountable distance to Vera’s house. And the killer wouldn’t keep her there. Most likely he would move fast, and right now, he would be taking her somewhere else.

She’d have to move fast, too, and the problem with that was Connor had gone to interview the missing employee, which she now knew was a dead end. Worse still, he’d gone in exactly the opposite direction. He’d headed out to the south of Boston, the outskirts of the city, and would take time to get back.

She couldn’t wait for him. She would have to act alone, but she needed a car, and also a means of tracking Vera.

“Her phone?” Cami muttered. “The call was cut off. But maybe the phone’s still on?”

She had to hope that the killer had left it on, that he hadn’t turned it off in the rush of doing everything else, that she had some time, at least, to follow it, because otherwise Vera would disappear.

“Please, let the phone be on, let it be on.”

She had an app that usually worked reliably to track phones, but it sometimes malfunctioned, and would only give a ping back if the phone was moving. Frantically, she entered the phone number into her tracking software and waited, glancing at the screen as she rushed out of the office to the reception area.

“Everything alright?” Gaynor asked, looking in concern at her visibly stressed demeanor.

“No, it’s not alright.” Cami took a deep breath, trying to come across as coherent despite the intense worry that filled her. “I need to use your car. Will that be possible?”

She waited, breathlessly, for him to reply, but with a thump of her heart, she realized it wasn’t going to be so easy.

“I’m afraid it’s already in use,” he said. “It’s on the road. My waiter took it just now to get some supplies from the warehouse. I guess he’ll be back in about ten minutes.” He looked at her face. “You can’t wait ten minutes, I can see that. I can see this is too important.”

“Could I use somebody else’s?” she asked. “I mean, I have a license, and I think I’m covered by FBI insurance?” She was hazy about how it all worked, but in the sheaf of documents that she’d signed when agreeing to help the FBI in exchange for them dropping the charges, there had been something about being covered while working on a case.

“Yes. Please, go ahead. Ask the other staff, and I’m sure that one of them will help,” he said. “If you need me to come and explain the situation, just ask.”

A welcoming shout from the entrance door distracted him.

“Evening, Mr. G! You still open?”

He hurried away to greet the couple who’d just arrived. “Yes, yes, we’re still open!” he said. “It’s late, but you’re welcome. Please, sit down.”

Cami looked around in a state of high anxiety. She met the eyes of the receptionist, who was staring at her with a worried look.

“Your car?” Cami asked. “Could I borrow your car?”

The woman hesitated, but Cami sensed that she was wavering. She wasn’t giving an outright no. She’d clearly sensed Cami’s stress, and wanted to help.

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