Angel Fire

Chapter Twenty-Four

Cameron had just opened a beer and sat down in the lawn chair when she saw a flash of their truck through the trees. She turned back to the opened door of the motorhome. “They’re here,” she called.

“Try to be nice,” Andrea said from the doorway.

Cameron smiled. “Me?”

“Yes, you. I know you have questions for Sam, but let it go. It’s over with.”

Cameron nodded. Yes, she had questions. But it didn’t really matter any longer. Angel was in custody. Tori and Sam would be heading back to Dallas, and she and Andrea would head north to Colorado. Angel would already be back in Santa Fe by morning. Over and done with. But the nagging questions she had kept bouncing around in her head.

Something wasn’t right. As she’d said, it was too easy. Angel wouldn’t go down without a fight. Angel wouldn’t simply drive up to a checkpoint and essentially turn himself in. There had to be a reason. Every move Angel made, there had to be a reason for it. And she wanted to get Sam off by herself, away from Tori and Andrea, and get her feelings on it. But really, she should do what Andrea said. Let it go. They would enjoy the rest of the day, visit a little, drink a few beers and share an early dinner. Then tomorrow, they would go their separate ways and chalk this up as another mission completed.

If only it were that easy.

“I hope we’re not too early,” Sam said as she got out of the truck.

“No. Right on time,” Cameron said as she held up her beer. “First one.”

Tori came out holding up a six-pack. “We stopped at that little grocery store. Didn’t know what kind you drank, so I got what we like,” she said as she pulled two from the pack, handing one to Sam.

Cameron stood and took the beer from her. “I’ll put it in the fridge,” she said. “Sit down.”

“Does Andrea need help with anything?” Sam asked.

“No, we picked up some steaks. I think she’s got potatoes in the oven,” she said.

Andrea met her at the door and took the beer from her. “Go visit,” she said. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

Cameron returned to her chair, her gaze going to first Tori, then Sam. There seemed to be a little tension between them. She wished Andrea would hurry. She’d never been good with small talk.

“So…hell of a vacation, huh?”

“Oh, yeah. Ranks right up there with the best,” Tori said dryly, then turned to Sam. “Remind me to tell Casey ‘no’ the next time she invites us somewhere.”

Sam smiled at her. “She was only trying to get us away from Dallas for a while,” she said.

“Let’s try the beach next time.”

Cameron laughed with them. “Casey’s partner, Leslie…I guess she recovered okay?”

Sam nodded. “Yes. I talked to Leslie earlier. She seems fine. She’s going to take a few days off before she goes back to work though.”

“Good.” Cameron looked over at Tori. “Why FBI?” Tori raised her eyebrows and Cameron clarified. “Your best friends are with Homicide. You were a detective there too. You don’t seem FBI material.”

Sam laughed at that, and Tori scowled at Cameron. “Oh? And like you are?”

“No offense,” Cameron said. “Just…you don’t appear to put up with bullshit.” Cameron glanced up as Andrea joined them. “I don’t either. If I was stuck in an office having to follow goddamn protocol all the time, I’d shoot myself.”

Tori nodded. “Yeah, I hate that part of it.” She looked over at Sam. “Actually, I hate pretty much all of it.”

“You do?” Sam asked. “I thought you loved it.”

“No. It was a change I needed at the time, that’s all. Like Cameron said, bullshit and politics.”

“A large police force like Dallas, you wouldn’t think it would be much different,” Andrea said as she joined the conversation. “I used to work for LAPD. I remember well the bullshit and politics there.”

“There’s some, yeah,” Tori said. “But for the most part, our lieutenant dealt with that.” Tori looked at Sam. “I miss it. I miss the team.”

Sam reached over and grabbed her hand. “So go back.”

Tori nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it.”

Cameron watched as their eyes met, and she saw a gentle look pass between them.

“I think that would be wonderful,” Sam said as she squeezed her hand again. “Casey would love it.” Then Sam laughed. “I wonder how much trouble you two could get into.”

“Tori told me that you and she started out as partners on the force,” Andrea said.

“We did.” Sam nodded. “She was mean and bossy, and I’m pretty sure I called her a bully at some point.”

Andrea laughed. “I called Cameron a bully too. Among other things.”

Cameron looked at Tori with raised eyebrows. “Do you have any idea what they’re talking about?”

“Not a clue,” Tori said with a shake of her head.

“Tori hated partners,” Sam continued. “I think she was trying to run me off.”

Cameron’s phone interrupted their conversation, and she glanced at Andrea. “Murdock again? I thought he was going to spare us for a while.” She stood and pulled her phone out of her pocket. “Excuse me,” she said to Tori and Sam as she walked away before answering.

“Are you on the road yet?” he asked.

“No. Actually, we have company,” she said, tossing a quick glance over her shoulder. “Andrea thought an early dinner with Agent Hunter and Kennedy would be appropriate,” she said. “They’re heading out tomorrow too.”

He sighed. “Change of plans,” he said, and she recognized the weariness in his voice.

“What’s up?”

“Angel.”

Cameron frowned. “What about him?”

“He escaped. Took out eight goddamn men.”

“What the hell?”

“They were on their way to Santa Fe. Four marshals in a sheriff’s department van with him. Two deputies and our two agents were following behind in an unmarked car. They radioed in that they were stopping. They were on Highway 285,” he said.

“Why stopping?”

“He was taking them to the location of the money. That’s the last communication. When they didn’t show in Santa Fe, well…”

“Are you kidding me?”

“I wish I was. This all went down about two hours ago,” he said. “Details are still coming in.”

Cameron ran a hand through her hair, then looked over at their guests. They were still chatting with Andrea. “So we’re back on the case?”

“I don’t know who the hell has jurisdiction right now,” Murdock said. “Sheriff’s departments in two different counties are working it, U.S. marshals are working it. I’ve got orders to send a team back in. It’s not going to be pretty. Too many agencies have a stake in it now. We’re going to be tripping all over ourselves,” he said.

“So cooperation will be at a minimum? What about the Albuquerque office?”

“It’s personal for them now too, but they’ve been told to back off. He’s ex-military. You’ve got a history with him. You’ve been on the case since the beginning. I’m trying to pull some strings so you can take the lead on this, but hell, Cameron, you know how it is. The locals want their hand in it too.”

“In other words, Angel won’t be taken alive,” she said.

“Not if they get to him before we do.”

“Is that such a bad thing, Murdock? How many has he killed?”

“Too damn many. They’re running his photo all over the news, they tell me. You’ll have people seeing him in every corner, every store, every damn gas station,” he said.

“Okay. Well, let me break up our dinner party. And I was looking forward to steaks too,” she said.

“Sorry,” he said. “Get out to the scene as soon as you can. Not sure what you could find that hasn’t already been gone over. The rest of your team is coming in tonight.”

She frowned. “What team?”

“Reynolds.”

“Reynolds? What the hell are you bringing in Reynolds for?”

“Because he’s got a computer geek that you can use and he and his team are in between assignments.” He paused. “Besides, one of the agents that was killed—Humphrey—he and Reynolds have a history.”

“And you think that’s a good thing?”

“Sometimes when things are personal, there’s a little more urgency.”

Cameron frowned. “Are you suggesting that I wasn’t urgent enough on this?”

“I’m suggesting no such thing, Agent Ross. I’m disappointed we didn’t get our hands on him before the locals did, that’s all. And what’s wrong with Reynolds? I thought you and he worked great together out in the desert.”

“After I got him to loosen up a little, yeah. But I know how to use my goddamn computers, Murdock. I really don’t need Reynolds and his team on this.”

“I need you out in the field, Cameron. Let Rowan do his thing on the computers. Oh, and brief Agent Hunter. She stays on with you too.”

Cameron walked around the side of the motorhome, shaking her head. “No way. We don’t get along well enough for this. She’s…temperamental,” she said. “I don’t need her.”

“You might. Reynolds’ team is thin, just Eric and Rowan. With Rowan’s nose buried in your computers, you might need another body. Hunter stays on. I’ve already cleared it.” He laughed lightly. “Try to play nice with everybody, Cameron.”

“Yeah, yeah. And what about Kennedy?”

“Before you cut her loose, make sure you get everything you need from her regarding Angel. Reynolds and his team are on their way. They’ll meet you in Taos. You can decide if you want to move your operation to Santa Fe or not. Check your email. I’ll send all the specifics.”

He disconnected before she could protest any further, and she blew out her breath before pocketing her phone. Great. Just great. Stuck here again with Hunter.

She walked back around to where the others were. Andrea’s eyes flew to hers, eyebrows raised.

“Yeah,” she said. “Change of plans.” She looked at Sam. “Angel has escaped.”

Sam’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but it was Tori who spoke.

“That son of a bitch,” Tori murmured.

“Yeah. Murdock says you’re to stay and work this with us.”

Tori let out a long breath. “Great,” she said dryly.

“Yeah. That was pretty much my sentiment too.”