Chapter 16 Cami
CAMI
After retreating to the safety of the bedroom, I sat on the foot of the bed for a few minutes to collect myself.
What, exactly, had I just seen? Cybersecurity and bodyguards were one thing, but Kyle’s colleagues storming his house looked like a SWAT team.
He’d assured me he wasn’t in the FBI or on the police force, but from what I’d witnessed, he didn’t really work for a security company, either.
And I would never know the truth because I couldn’t ask him any questions. Great.
Ruminating over it didn’t make me feel any better, so I took a shower, dressed, and went to Bella’s room to let her out of her crate.
It was nearly seven thirty when we crept down the stairs.
Other than a few muffled voices coming from behind Kyle’s office door, the house was silent.
I breathed a sigh of relief when the pup and I entered the kitchen and didn’t run into any more armed men.
I clipped her leash on to her collar and took her to the back yard for a few minutes for her morning pee, then led her back inside. I fed her, and while she ate, I located cereal and fruit for myself, and poured a cup of coffee from the half empty pot.
“This isn’t the morning-after breakfast I envisioned,” I said to Bella. “How about you, girl?”
She lifted her eyes and swished her tail in response as she lapped up the last of her food.
I leaned forward over the kitchen counter so I could see down the hallway to the closed office door. “I think I’d like to eat outside. Would you care to join me?”
She followed me back to the deck. While she sniffed the grass and dirt, I popped open the umbrella over the outdoor dining table and settled in to enjoy the tranquility along with my breakfast. After that, I thumbed through email while I contemplated pouring a second cup of coffee.
My phone buzzed. Gina was calling. We’d been speaking on the phone every morning now that I hadn’t been in the office.
Each day, she kept me apprised of everything going on at the clinic, I evaded her questions about what was or wasn’t happening with Kyle, and by the end of the call we both felt better for having spent time with our best friend.
But this morning, I hesitated. I’d thought today of all days I would have so much to tell her.
Not details of last night, but the gist of it.
I knew she’d be thrilled for me. But this morning’s visitors had reminded me of how little I knew about a major part of Kyle’s life, his work.
And now I wasn’t sure whether I was thrilled for myself.
When the phone buzzed again, I answered it. I still didn’t know what to say to her, but she was my best friend. I’d figure it out. “Good morning, lovely lady.”
“Cami.” Her voice was soft, almost a sob.
I sat forward in my chair. Bella picked up on my anxiety and came over and plastered herself against my leg. “Gina, what’s wrong? Did Scott come back? Are you all right?” My heart pounded so hard in my chest, I could hear it in my ears. “Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine. Everyone is fine. But...” She hesitated and I waited, rubbing Bella’s head for emotional support. “I got into the clinic about five minutes ago,” she finally continued. “And I got a phone call from a reporter.”
“A news reporter? About what?”
“About the headline on today’s lead story they’re about to publish. He wanted to speak to you to get a comment.”
My shoulders tensed and a chill hit me. I shivered despite the heat and humidity. “Why would he want a comment from me?”
“Because the headline is Local Veterinarian Held for Questioning in Drug Smuggling Case.”
“What?!” I jumped to my feet. Bella jumped back. I knelt in front of her, apologizing as I rubbed her ears to calm her. “How do they know about that? And why are they making it sound so sordid? That wording makes it seem like I’m still in custody.”
“I have no idea how they know,” Gina said. “I didn’t tell anyone, I swear. And it’s not like the police have come back here looking for you.”
“The police.” I turned that over in my mind. “Do you think they leaked the story?”
“Why would they?” Gina asked. “If it’s some kind of ongoing investigation, why would the cops tip off the press?”
“I don’t know.” My stomach churned as another worry occurred to me. “Gina, do you think this will impact business?”
She sighed. “I didn’t want to mention this, but the staff have already been asking questions about you leaving so suddenly. Clients, too, but we’ve been telling them you’re on vacation. The staff knows better.”
I was terrible about taking vacations and usually spent weeks ahead of planned time off preparing my colleagues for my absence. This time, I’d only given a day’s notice.
“I considered telling them you’re sick,” Gina said.
“No, don’t lie to them, and don’t worry them. Just tell them I need time off to deal with an emergency.”
“And if anyone asks about the news story?”
In a small town like ours, it wasn’t a question of if, but of when, and my best guess on that was very soon.
I’d lay odds on it being before noon. On days like these, I hated being the boss, making these sink-or-swim decisions for the business.
“Tell them it’s a misunderstanding, a mischaracterization.
” I let out a worried sigh. “Do you think the reporter knows about Bella?”
“I don’t know,” Gina said. “He wouldn’t give me the details, and I tried. But I can watch for the story and let you know.”
“No, thank you. I’m setting a google alert on my phone as we speak.” Besides, I had a feeling Kyle and his team were being briefed on the details of it that very moment. “And I have to come back into the office. As soon as I can talk to Kyle about this—”
“Cami, don’t jeopardize your safety. We’ll figure it out on our end. You keep your head down and do what the hot hero tells you until the danger passes. Speaking of the hottie, I haven’t gotten my morning update on him.”
I rubbed my temples. It wasn’t even 8:00 a.m. and I’d been through the wringer. I couldn’t muster the energy to talk about Kyle, about our amazing time last night or my crushing doubts in the cold, harsh light of day. “How about I give you a double dose tomorrow, okay?”
I must have sounded terrible because Gina agreed immediately.
We said our goodbyes. I sat down cross-legged on the warm wooden boards of the deck.
Bella half climbed into my lap and we comforted each other.
Rescuing her and finding a forever home for her had been the only good things to come from this debacle.
Unless I counted Kyle and me, but I wasn’t sure I should anymore.
“You’re totally worth it, you sweet girl.”
A few minutes later, her tail thumped against the deck and I knew Kyle was heading our way. He approached the glass doors looking handsome as ever, now wearing black shorts and a light green tee shirt. He stepped outside, took one look at my face, and dropped to his haunches beside me.
“You heard about the news story.”
I shrugged. “I know about its existence, but not the details.
He laid his hand on top of mine.
“What do you know about it?” I asked.
“Nothing...”
“Nothing you can share.” I gently extricated my hand. “This is a threat to my business.”
“Cami, I’m sorry.”
“I have to go back to work,” I told him. “As soon as possible. Maybe today.”
“Please.” His urgent tone caught my attention. “Give us a few more days, at least through the weekend. If my team and I haven’t resolved this by Monday, I’ll figure out a way to make the clinic safe enough for you to go back to work.”
An image flashed into my mind of Kyle and his friends, armed and patrolling the premises. That would put the final nail in the clinic’s coffin. But he’d asked for a few more days, so I’d give him that and hope we could come up with a better solution.
“A few more days,” I agreed. “In the meantime, I know it’ll be difficult since we’re under the same roof, but let’s keep some distance from each other.”
“Cami...”
“Kyle, please. I need some time alone.”
That’s what I always needed when my life went to hell. To be alone. To sit with my own thoughts. To figure out how to solve my problems for myself because, although I’d forgotten it for a minute there, the reality was that no one else was coming to save me.