Cameron Andrews Box Set

Chapter 6-1

Chapter 6The flight to San Juan out of Baltimore-Washington International was on time leaving the gate but before they were in the air, even before they’d taxied very far, Cameron saw the difference. She had never flown first class before, always thought that the difference in price wasn’t worth the difference in seating, but she was amazed at the contrast from coach to first class. Not only were the seats wider, but there was more leg room and the food service much more personal. Before they were even in the air, the waitress had taken her order and brought her scotch and soda on a small tray with a linen napkin, rather than pouring from a pushcart parked in the aisle. Now that they were in the air, Cam stretched back and looked at Maggie, who was engrossed in a magazine in the seat next to her. She’d never seen Maggie in such casual attire before. To see her in the tan walking shorts and brightly colored shirt, you could believe that she was off to the Caribbean for a nice vacation. She looked like the average tourist who had enough money to fly first class. Cam never failed to be amazed at how Maggie always looked so fresh and neat. There was never a wrinkle in her clothes, not a hair out of place, not so much as a smudge on her shoe. This woman had class.

“Nervous?” Maggie asked, without looking up.

“Some,” was Cam’s answer. In the slacks and shirt Maggie had picked out for her, she, too, would be easily mistaken for a vacationer off for a few weeks in the tropics.

Maggie looked at her. A smile formed on her lips. “Relax. No, it won’t be easy, but you’ll do fine.”

Cam smiled in gratitude for the reassurance.

“I guess it’s just not knowing what to expect.”

Maggie nodded her understanding. “You will do well. It will be a little different from what you’ve been doing with Wendell but there won’t be anything you can’t handle. Now relax.”

Cam took another sip of her drink and stretched back to look out the window at the white fluffy clouds that flew by. This might be the last chance she had to just relax and enjoy her freedom. Doubts had been creeping into her mind since that night at the safe house. Could she really do what she’d convinced everyone else she could? Oh well, she had to trust Maggie and Craig not to let her get killed. They knew what they were doing. Didn’t they?

Cam must have dozed off because the next thing she knew, Maggie was gently shaking her arm and telling her to put her seatback up to prepare for landing. Out the window, Cam could see the bright sun light shining off aquamarine water as they descended on approach to the island of Puerto Rico. Although the light was sharp, from the angle of the sun, Cam could see it was late in the day. She hoped they were close to their destination, wherever that might be. Her stomach was beginning to feel empty. Had she slept through whatever they had served for lunch? Oh well, if she’d slept that hard, it was because she’d needed it and besides, airplane food had never been that satisfying. There’d probably be some good food here on the island.

The landing was smooth. A quick taxi to the gates and they were exiting the plane. As they stepped onto the docking ramp, Cam felt the oppressive heat and humidity. What a difference from the chilly early spring in Baltimore. She was glad that she only wore the light cotton shirt and slacks.

After they had retrieved their luggage from the carousel, Maggie pointed to a local driver who stood just beyond the passenger area holding a card that read “Thomason.”

“There’s our ride.”

After a brief word with the driver, who directed another man to take their luggage outside, they were led to the small grey car that took them less than a mile to the other side of the airport to a private hanger marked Aérea Rica. Several small private planes were parked on the tarmac. As Maggie and Cam got out of the car, two people, a grey-haired man that Cam judged to be in his mid to late forties and a very tall woman, who looked not much older than Cam, stood up from the chairs in the small waiting room.

“Charlie! So good to see you again,” Maggie greeted the man, giving him a warm friendly hug. “And you must be Michael,” she extended her hand to the woman, who took it in both of hers. “It’s so good to finally meet you. Charlie has told me so much about you. This is Cameron,” she introduced Cam who shook hands first with Charlie, whose hand was wide and strong, then with Michael.

The electricity of Michael’s touch ran through her. Michael’s broad smile and her strong grasp almost turned Cam to jelly.

Michael pushed her shoulder length, sandy-colored hair back behind her ear and looked down at Cam. “I am very happy to meet you. I know we will work nicely together.”

Cam’s breath stopped as she heard the heavy French Canadian accent spoken in a deep, rich alto voice. What a gorgeous sound! And what a handsome woman. Cam hadn’t expected this. From what she’d heard about this woman, who held so many titles in martial arts, she’d expected a shorter, more compactly built, masculine looking woman; not this tall, elegant one who could easily be a model in a high fashion magazine. Even in her flat sandals she was almost six feet tall. A woman of that height could have been gangly, awkward in her movements, but Michael’s movements were strong and fluid. Not afraid of the space they’d take up.

“Were your flights alright? Have you been waiting long?” Maggie asked before Cam could formulate a response to Michael’s comment. Cam had to concentrate to let go of Michael’s hand.

“Mais, oui.” Michael turned her attention back to Maggie. “The flight was fine, merci. I’ve only been here for about twenty minutes.”

“I flew in last night.” Charlie smiled. “Thought I’d go into old San Juan and get a good meal. I love Puerto Rican cooking. Nothing like it. The shrimp is the best in the world. And arroz con gandules…I love the way that sounds.” He lowered his voice conspiratorially. “So much nicer than saying rice with pigeon peas.”

“Maybe I will stop and try some on the way back. You know we can’t get really good shrimp in Montreal,” Michael added.

Maggie noticed that the pilot was waiting a few feet away. “Come on, troops. I think our flight is ready,” she said.

“Oui, allez. Let’s go,” Michael smiled. She wound her arm through Charlie’s and leaned toward him as they sauntered toward the waiting plane.

“You’ll have to give me directions to your favorite restaurant,” Cam heard as they walked away. “Is this the one you talked about…?”

Cam took a deep breath as she observed the way Michael held Charlie’s arm. A straight woman, she thought as she prepared to follow them toward the small twin-engine prop plane. Just as well. This is no time to develop a crush. Self-consciously, she wiped her hand on her slacks, then picked up her carry-on and followed Maggie.

* * * *

There were sandwiches and cookies waiting for them on the plane which could have held eighteen or twenty people instead of only the four of them and the pilot and co-pilot. The flight from San Juan lasted almost two hours and Cam felt the plane bank into turns several times so it was impossible to determine which direction they had come and exactly how far. For all she knew, they were still in Puerto Rico, or even back on one of the Keys, but from the heat that still radiated from the land at nine o’clock at night, Cam ventured that they were farther south than that. During the flight, Michael had been congenial, talking to both Cam and Maggie, but mainly to Charlie. It seemed that they were very good friends, perhaps lovers?

On the plane, Cam had been completely mesmerized by Michael’s hands: the long slender fingers, the strong palms. She’d found herself staring at Michael several times and had to force herself to look away. Michael’s long, muscular legs, bare and smooth beneath her flowing cotton skirt, were also engrossing as they stretched out into the aisle. Cam realized she was sweating quite heavily. Was it really that hot in the plane? She consciously took her eyes away from the graceful arch of the foot that slowly dangled the beige sandal rhythmically back and forth as Michael talked. Would this flight never end? Was this what she had to contend with for the next three weeks?

It was dark by the time they arrived at the small private airfield. When they landed, there was one car parked at the airstrip. Only one person waited for them there: a young, thin, black man who looked Caribbean. He immediately loaded their luggage into the waiting car, then handed the keys to Charlie. That was the last Cam saw of him. Charlie drove them a short ways to a large beach house. They could hear the roar of the plane taking off again as they got out of the car.

The bedrooms were on the second floor of the main house. Each had a private bath very much like any hotel room and, to Cam’s delight, a firm, king sized bed. The wall farthest away from the door was covered with drapes. She carefully pulled the drapes aside, then opened the sliding glass door behind them and walked out onto a wooden balcony. A stretch of sand was dimly lit by some small lamps along a walkway below. From there, she could make out the movement of the ocean waves and heard them beat against the beach. Down the beach, she could see other buildings in the dim moonlight but couldn’t see what they were. Stairs led down from the balcony to the walkway, but Cam decided to wait until morning to explore. She turned back into her room and closed the door and drapes behind her.

It took her several minutes to drift off, the excitement of this adventure made it hard for her to clear her mind long enough to fall sleep. And she kept thinking about Michael. Her mind kept reverting to a fantasy of how those hands would feel caressing her, how Michael’s full lips would feel against hers…It was not the way she usually reacted to someone new. Especially a business associate! Damn!

* * * *

The next morning, Cam discovered a magnificent view of the long white sand beach and the rolling waves of the clear, bright blue-green ocean. Walking out onto the deck, she could see that the five structures along the beach were small cabins, although their purpose was unclear. They could be storage sheds or separate living quarters but their windows were blocked and the sand around them seemed undisturbed by traffic.

Other than the cabins, there was just fine white sand, a few tall palm trees and clear blue sea as far as you could look. The sun bathed everything in a golden glow and was starting to heat the moist air already, even at that early hour. If she’d had more time, Cam would have walked along the beach but her watch told her she’d better hurry or she’d be late for her first meeting.

After a quick breakfast of fruit and cereal that had been set out for her on the table in the kitchen, Cameron went to join the other three in the living room.

As Cam entered, Maggie looked up from the clip board she’d been reading from. She smiled warmly at Cam. Both Charlie and Michael echoed her “Good Morning” from where they sat next to each other on the sofa.

“Did you sleep well?” Maggie asked as Cam slid into the big overstuffed chair. It reminded her of her chair at home and immediately made her feel comfortable and a little more secure.

Cam smiled. “Very well, thanks. Are you discussing my future?”

Maggie nodded with a smile. “Yes. Strategy. Are you ready to begin?”

“If I said no?” Cam asked.

“Then we could all go home,” Charlie grinned, “Or back to San Juan for shrimp.” He smiled at Michael who gave his arm a gentle shove.

Oh, God, thought Cam, it looks like they really are lovers. I wonder how long they’ve known each other. She looked back at Maggie’s waiting face. “I’m ready. Throw it at me.”