The Mighty Quinns: Cameron (6 page)

Sofie shook her head and grabbed the thermos. “Put a shirt on. It’s chilly. I’ve got a jacket for you in the Jeep.” Then she pointed to his crotch. “Better zip up. You look like a pervert.”

He laughed then picked up his new hat from the table and followed her out of the trailer, working at the zipper as he walked. The Jeep was waiting, and she hopped behind the wheel and started it up. Seconds later, they were tearing down the road, a plume of dust spreading out behind them.

Sofie wasn’t sure where the day would lead, but she knew at the end of it, she and Cameron would be alone again, faced with the same choice they’d had last night. The morning air chilled her cheeks and she drew a deep breath. Perhaps tonight events would take an entirely different path.

“Are we going to get some breakfast at Millie’s? I’m really hungry.”

“We’ll get you something for the road. I don’t usually eat breakfast.”

By they time they got to town, the sun was well above the horizon. Vulture Creek was quiet except for the crowd of pickup trucks parked in front of the diner. Millie’s was always busy for breakfast. Sofie pulled up beside a battered red pickup and beeped her horn. A few minutes later, Jimmy stood next to the Jeep, his broad shoulders and raven hair instantly recognizable.

“Hey, Jimmy,” Sofie said. “Jimmy Chaca, this is Cameron Quinn. He’s going to be helping me out on this case. Cameron, this is Jimmy. What have you got?”

“There were some young kids in the bar last night from that dig over near the airstrip. They were talking about some meeting that their boss had a few days ago. Some older guy rolled into camp after midnight driving a blue Olds convertible. He left with a couple of wooden crates.”

“Dinosaur bones?”

He shook his head. “Nope. Seems they’re in charge of cataloging everything that comes out of the ground on that dig, and this wasn’t something they’d seen before.”

“Drugs,” she murmured. Sofie raked her hand through her hair. “I was wondering how he was coming up with all this money. I thought he was taking political bribes.”

“I also fixed a broken porch step over at the ranch and had a chance to go through Vivian’s purse. Her name is Vivian Armstrong, and she has an Arizona driver’s license and a Sedona address.”

“Armstrong? You’re sure?”

Jimmy nodded. “That’s what it said.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out two twenties, then pressed them into his palm. “Thanks,” she said. “Keep in touch.”

“Will do.” He glanced over at Cameron and nodded. “Watch her back.”

“I will,” Cameron said.

She watched as Jimmy walked away, then leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. She drew a deep breath of the chilly morning air. “This is not good,” she murmured.

“You think he’s involved in drug smuggling?” Cameron asked.

“I don’t know. But that’s not the worst of it. Vivian Armstrong. Armstrong is the maiden name of Stella Fredericks, Walter’s wife. I think he’s sleeping with his sister-in-law.”

“That’s not good,” Cameron said.

“This case just got way too complicated. How am I going to tell Stella about this?”

“Maybe your uncle should,” Cameron suggested.

Sofie shook her head. “Oh, no. He’ll leave it up to me. It’s a woman thing. And my mother. She’s going to be so upset.”

“Why? What does your mother have to do with this?”

“Stella is one of her best friends. They’ve known each other for years. She helped my mother get her gallery started.” Sofie cursed softly. “I hate when things get personal.”

“I’m sorry,” Cameron said.

“Why do men cheat? The world would be so much better if they just kept their pants on. But no, there’s always something new and better around the next corner. Some sweet young thing with brand-new boobs and a tight ass.”

“Not all men cheat,” Cameron said.

“Maybe not. But they probably think about it.” Sofie reached for the ignition. Where was a kiss when she really needed one? Right now, Sofie would enjoy any diversion from this uncomfortable turn of events. She glanced over at Cameron and weighed the consequences of indulging right there in the middle of Main Street.

“Sometimes, I really hate this job.”

4

T
HE
PARKING
LOT
OF
the Bunny Shack began to fill shortly after noon. The place was located on the highway between Vulture Creek and Holman, a single building amid the desert landscape.

They’d put the canvas top up on the Jeep for shade, and Sofie sat slouched in the passenger seat, fiddling with her cell phone. Cameron glanced over at her. Since her discussion with Jimmy Chaca that morning, she’d been quiet and distracted, receiving and sending texts for most of the morning.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn’t notice him watching. Cameron’s mind wandered back to their early-morning encounter in the Airstream. How much longer would it be before they woke up together?

It was hard to ignore the desire he felt for her. But it wasn’t just a physical attraction. He was curious about her, about the woman she was. He wanted to know everything about her—what made her laugh, what made her cry, what made her sigh with pleasure. But they’d been so busy with the case, they’d barely had time to talk about anything else.

After meeting Jimmy Chaca, they’d driven out to the airstrip to look around. She returned to Millie’s to ask the woman about the people from the dig and any suspicious behavior that might have been noted. Then they’d driven into Harmon to use the library Wi-Fi to do a search on the head of the dinosaur dig, Dr. Leonard Crowley.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Cameron asked.

She looked up. “What?”

“What’s with all the texts? Does it have something to do with the case? I’m your assistant investigator—I think you need to keep me informed.”

She blinked. “I’ve been talking with my brother Marco. The one in the DEA. I was asking him if anything had popped up on their radar with the dig near the airstrip.”

“And what did he say?”

“No,” Sofie replied. “Nothing.” She frowned. “I can see how it might work. With the airstrip about two miles away, they could fly the drugs in at night, move them over to the dig on ATVs and then just ship them out with whatever dinosaur bones they’ve found.”

“But what does Walter have to do with any of this?”

“That’s what I don’t get,” Sofie said. She twisted in her seat to face him. “If he’s involved in drug running, then this case is much more complicated than I thought. Maybe he found out about the operation and is shaking them down? Cheating on his wife is one thing, but there’s a whole other level of violence that comes along with drugs.”

“I can imagine,” Cameron said.

“No, you can’t. You have no idea how far these guys are willing to go to protect their territory. They wouldn’t think twice before shooting anyone who might get in their way.” She shook her head. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all.”

“I’m just going to go inside, sit down, have a little lunch and chat with a few of the patrons.”

“But don’t move too quickly.” Sofie handed him her cell phone. “If you can’t remember details, just excuse yourself to make a phone call and record them. Just push that button on the side. It’s all set up. And if an opening doesn’t present itself, then don’t force it. I don’t want you to—”

Cameron reached out and pressed his finger to her lips. “It’s no big deal. Don’t worry.”

She nodded, then pressed a wad of bills into his palm. “Tip the girls. Buy yourself some lunch. There’s enough there for one lap dance but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t enjoy it.”

Cameron looked down at the money and grinned. “I can hardly wait to tell my brothers about this,” he said. “They’re probably out there working some boring job for minimum wage, and I’m having lunch at the Bunny Shack.”

“Don’t get too excited,” she said.

“I’m sure I can control myself,” Cameron said.

Just then, Sofie straightened in her seat, her gaze fixed on the side-view mirror. “There he is. Blue Olds convertible.”

Cameron watched as Walter Fredericks parked his car in the first row, about ten yards from the front door. Though Cameron had studied the photo in Sofie’s file, the man who climbed out of the car was much smaller than he’d imagined. He was also older, his hair now completely gray instead of the salt-and-pepper of the photo.

“Just don’t be too eager. Just play it cool at first and—”

This time he decided to stop her advice with a kiss. He grabbed her face between his hands and pressed his lips to hers. Slowly, he softened the kiss until her lips parted beneath his. They’d become so familiar with each other that kissing was easy, almost instinctual. There was no hesitation, no clumsiness, only a simple expression of need.

But he knew it wouldn’t be long before the desire overwhelmed them. With Sofie’s mercurial nature, it might happen in an hour or sometime next month.

Strangely, that didn’t bother him. He knew it would be worth waiting for. He drew back and looked into her eyes. “This is so strange. I’m kissing you in the parking lot, and I’m about to go stuff dollar bills into other women’s G-strings.”

Sofie groaned, pushing him back. “Just act like you’re having fun.”

He nodded, then opened the door and stepped out of the Jeep. He glanced back once before walking inside, but he couldn’t see her through the sun’s reflection.

The Bunny Shack wasn’t quite what Cameron expected. The interior was shabby and worn and smelled of stale beer and cigarette smoke. The music blared out of speakers that were tinny and distorted. And the women, though not unattractive, plied their trade with a casual boredom that didn’t add much to the experience.

He scanned the room, a maze of elevated runways with bar stools lining the edges. Cameron settled in a few seats away from Walter Fredericks, then ordered a beer from a scantily clad waitress.

He wasn’t quite sure where to look. Everywhere he turned there was naked flesh, but it wasn’t the naked flesh he wanted to see. It was difficult for him to believe that any man found this atmosphere sexually arousing. He was more turned on by the scent of Sofie’s hair than the sight of a half-clad female writhing in front of him.

Cameron observed the dancers distractedly as he sipped his beer, his mind wandering to the woman waiting for him out in the parking lot. His mind substituted an image of Sofie, dressed in lingerie, her lithe body moving in front of him.

He watched out of the corner of his eye as another waitress delivered lunch to Fredericks and the older man took a huge bite of a burger. Food. The perfect conversation starter.

“How’s the food here?” Cameron asked. “Any good?”

Walter wiped his mouth with a paper napkin and nodded, still chewing. “It’s not bad,” he said, nodding. “Stick with the burgers and sandwiches. Everything else is pretty bland.”

“Thanks,” Cameron said. He took a sip of his beer. “Can’t go wrong with a cold beer and a little entertainment.”

“Nope, I’d have to agree with that,” Walter said.

“So, do you live here in town?” Cameron asked.

“Yeah, I’ve got a place nearby. But I spend most of my time in Albuquerque. Where are you from?”

Cameron slowly turned on his stool, bracing his arm on the edge of the bar. “Seattle. But I’m thinking of settling around here. I’m tired of the rain. You’ve got plenty of sun around here.”

“We do have that in abundance. So, are you looking to buy or rent a place?”

“I’m not really worried about buying somewhere to live right now. I’m just looking for some good investment opportunities.”

Walter stood up and moved over another seat, sliding his plate along the bar. “Well, now, you picked the right place. And I just happen to be a real-estate broker. I could show you some things.”

“I’m not just interested in real estate,” Cameron said. “I’m looking for anything that can make me some fast cash, if you know what I mean.”

“So, you’re willing to take some risk for a big reward?”

“Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m looking to do,” Cameron said.

For the next fifteen minutes, Walter regaled him with stories of his own investment schemes, ranging from golf courses to oil wells. Unfortunately, nothing the man mentioned came close to being illegal. Cameron decided to play hard to get, hoping that Walter might tempt him with something more interesting, but the older man obviously still had a few suspicions.

“You mentioned you were from Seattle. What do you do up there?”

“I design custom sailing yachts,” Cameron said.

That brought a look of surprise and Walter laughed. “If you’re looking for waterfront property, you won’t find it around here.”

Cameron laughed, then glanced down at his watch. “Oh, hell. I’ve got to go. I have an appointment with an agent here in town and—”

“Cancel it,” Walter said. “You’re not going to find anyone better than me. I’m plugged in. I know everyone in town.” He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a business card, then slid it along the bar to Cameron. “Give me a few days to set up some things. I’ll let you in on a deal or two that no one else has access to. Monday morning would be—”

“I’m really interested in looking this weekend,” Cameron said with a shrug.

Walter sat back and sighed. “Hey, I wish I could, but I’ve got plans.” He lowered his voice. “Truth is, my girlfriend is taking me to a spa in Taos for our anniversary. What the hell am I going to do at a spa?”

Cameron took a swig of his beer. “Hell if I know.”

“Well, you know how the ladies love their pampering. You married?”

Cameron shook his head. “I just like to look, not buy.”

“Smart man. You make all your own decisions. You don’t have to check with the little woman before you invest.”

“Well, Mr. Fredericks. Why don’t we plan on meeting here for lunch on Monday?” Cameron suggested. “And then we’ll get some business done.”

Walter held out his hand. “I don’t even know your name.”

“Cameron Quinn.” He finished the last of his beer then tossed a ten-dollar tip down next to the empty bottle. “I’ll be in touch,” he said as he pushed up from his stool.

He was almost to the door when Walter approached him from behind. “Hey, listen. I’m going to be at the Serenity Spa and Resort in Taos. What do you say I get you a room there for Saturday night—my treat—and we can find some time to talk business? You just enjoy yourself, have a seaweed wrap or a massage, play a round of golf, and then we can get together for drinks. You can even meet my Vivian. You’ll like her.”

“I don’t know,” Cameron said. “I’m really not much of a spa guy.”

“Most guys aren’t. But there’ll be plenty of good-looking women there, without their husbands, if you know what I mean. A guy like you is bound to get lucky.”

“I’ll think about it,” Cameron said.

“You do that!” Walter called.

Cameron strolled to the front doors and out into the afternoon sun, squinting against the light. Sofie was waiting in the far corner of the parking lot, sitting in the passenger seat of the Jeep, her eyes closed, the wires from her iPod dangling from her ears.

He slipped in behind the wheel. Startled, she sat up. “You’re back already?”

He turned the ignition and threw the Jeep into Reverse. “He invited me to the Serenity Spa in Taos. He and Vivian are leaving tonight. He said I should join them tomorrow night.”

“What? Join them? Like in—a threesome?”

“I don’t think so,” Cameron said, frowning. “Jeez, I hope that’s not what he meant. I just think he wants to throw some money around and impress me. He and Vivian are spending their anniversary there. And he doesn’t want to wait until Monday to talk business.” Cameron groaned. “He said I’d really like Vivian. Did that mean he planned to…share her?”

“Just drive,” Sofie said, pointing to the road. “I need some time to figure this all out.”

* * *

S
OFIE
SAT
AT
THE
small table inside the Airstream, picking at the remains of the take-out dinner they’d picked up from Millie’s. After Cameron’s visit to the Bunny Shack, they’d visited the county courthouse in Gallup to check on the deed to the ranch where Vivian was living.

To Sofie’s surprise, Vivian Armstrong was listed as the sole owner on the deed. Sofie knew that Vivian and Stella had money from their father’s estate, but why would a single woman choose to live out in the middle of nowhere? Vulture Creek was at least an hour outside of Albuquerque. Certainly she and Walter didn’t need that much distance to keep their affair a secret.

Sofie had never really understood the kind of woman who’d cede control of her life to a man. Even with Sam, she had made all her own decisions. Maybe that was why it hadn’t worked out. But it was hard to trust someone with her life, and her heart.

She glanced across the table at Cameron and smiled. They’d known each other for two days, and yet she sensed he was the trustworthy type, in every sense.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Cameron said.

She glanced up at him and smiled. “You did a good job today. I couldn’t have done what you did.”

“It was kind of fun. Pretending. It was a new challenge.”

“Sometimes I wonder if that might be what I need. A challenge.”

Cameron reached out and took her hand, weaving his fingers through hers. “Like what?”

“I don’t know. That’s the problem. So much of my life has been tied up with being a cop.” Sofie shook her head, then pushed to her feet. “I should do these dishes. Are you done eating?”

“Sofie, we can talk about this. I’m a good listener.”

“No, it’s just something I have to figure out on my own.” She picked up his plate and hers and carried them to the small sink.

“I really enjoyed today,” Cameron said.

“Even the naked girls?” she asked.

“No. I mean, they were friendly and they knew how to dance pretty well, for strippers that is. But I liked trying something new. For about fifteen minutes I felt like a private investigator.” He stood and finished clearing the table. “It’s strange,” Cameron continued. “When we were driving back here, I was thinking about what my grandfather had said, about trying out a different life. And I got to wondering what things would have been like if my parents hadn’t disappeared on that trip.”