Honor Under Siege

“Blair isnt in danger if Im not with her. Diane swung her legs of the

bed and jumped to her feet. “Il leave now.

Cam rose and caught Dianes shoulders as she rushed toward the closet.

“No. Youre staying with us.

Diane spun around to face Cam and tried to push her away. “Let

me go.

“Diane. Cam ignored the screaming pain in her shoulder as Diane

fought her. “Youre not alone. And neither is she.

“Oh, Diane gasped, tears fil ing her eyes. “Im so

frightened.

Cam gathered her close, stroking Dianes hair as Diane buried her face

against her shoulder. “Its going to be okay.

After a moment of silent sobs, Diane leaned away from Cam and

brushed at her cheeks. Shakily, she said, “Ive always wondered what it

would feel like for you to hold me.

“Overrated,

probably.

Diane

smiled.

“No.

Cam eased her grip and stepped back. “If she cal s you, tell her

Ill bring you to her. Tell hertell her to go to the first place she

and I met.

“Why? Why would you do that? It has to be breaking some

kind of rule or other.

“There are no rules anymore,

Diane. “I trust you.

“Thank you.

Diane wrapped her arms around herself. “Oh God, what if

she doesnt call me? What if she doesnt trust me?

Cam paused at the door. “If she risked exposure today to see

you, shell cal , and soon. Give her my message. And then come

and get me.

* * * * *

“Do you really think Valeries going to call her? Blair asked

after

Cam described the conversation.

“I do. Probably tonight. Cam unzipped her jeans and pushed

them down over her hips, letting them fall to the floor. She sat

on the side of the bed and unbuttoned her shirt. Blair, in a

threadbare T- shirt, was already under the covers.

“If she does, youre not going, Blair said, lifting the sheets.

Cam slipped underneath with a sigh. Turning onto her uninjured

left side, she pil owed her head against her bent arm and

smiled tiredly at Blair. “Lets get some sleep, baby.

Blair caressed Cams cheek. “Yes. You need it. And youre still

not going out if she calls.

“I

love

you.

“I love you too. And youre still not

going.

“If I dont, Diane is either going to try to get to her herself,

or Valeries going to risk another rendezvous with Diane. Either

way, theyll both be vulnerable if Valerie is a target.

“I hate it when youre reasonable.

Cam smiled. “I know. I do it just to make you

crazy.

Blair kissed her. “Its working. She slid an arm beneath

Cams shoulder and drew her closer, pil owing Cams head

against her breast. “How are you feeling?

“Not that bad. The ibuprofen final y kicked

in. “Why cant Valerie come here?

“Because youre here, Cam mumbled. “Too hard to secure.

“Why cant she come to Whitley Point?

“What? Cam said, her mind fuzzy with near

sleep.

“You said yourself Whitley Point is going to be far easier

to

defend.

Blair waited in the silence, caressing Cams neck and

shoulders. Eventual y when she realized Cam was asleep, she

turned off the light and closed her eyes. She drifted on the

border between sleep and consciousness, some part of her

needing to feel Cam in her arms, to know that she was safe. A

knock sounded on the door, and she reluctantly slid from bed,

uncertain how long shed been asleep. When Cam did not

wake up, Blair knew just how much the accident had taken out

of her. She crossed the room stealthily and opened the door a

crack.

“Im sorry, Diane whispered from the hall. “Im sorry, but I need

to talk to Cam.

* * * * *

“Scotch, please, Cam said as she eased onto a stool at the far

end of the highly-polished mahogany bar in the nearly deserted

Four Seasons Hotel lounge, just before 1:00 a.m. She was as

certain as she could be that she hadnt been followed.

Assuming that someone was watching her building, she had

left by the rear service doors and walked to the nearest

Metro stop. En route, shed checked careful y for a tail and saw

no indication of one, but while she waited for her drink, she

scanned the room.

At first glance, the area appeared secure. Three business

types, two men and a woman, sat around a cocktail table

near the windows discussing market shares and margins just

loudly enough for her to catch snippets of their conversation. A

lone man in a rumpled suit talked on a cell phone while he

peered at a laptop computer and tapped frantical y on the

keyboard with his free

hand. A fortyish woman in jeans and a sweater sat hunched at

the opposite end of the bar, scribbling in a notebook and

sipping absently from a glass of white wine.

Cam, intending to appear like a late-night business traveler,

had dressed in a cotton shirt and lightweight wool trousers

beneath a casual leather jacket and had exchanged her usual