"I could kiss you, Jimmy."
Linda frowned and shook her head.
"Just doing my job. Anything else you need boss?"
"Yeah, make sure any connections between us and that idiot at Ocean View disappear. I have no doubt she will try and turn on us. I don't want there to be a damn thing that makes the police even suspect that she may be telling the truth."
"If it's digital, then I can erase it. I can't do anything about physical records. Are there any?"
Cameron fell silent for a minute. He tapped the phone against his chin while he thought. "I don't think so. Nothing that would be attached to me anyway. Besides, none of that was in anyones real name anyway."
"Then consider any digital fingerprints wiped."
"I do need something else," Cameron said.
"Name it."
"I need you to see what you can do about tracking Julie."
"I'll get right on it."
"Get back to me when you have something."
Cameron ended the call. He closed his eyes and let out a loud sigh. He could feel some of the stress draining away. He took comfort in knowing that Jimmy was confident that Doris' call could not be traced back to him and in the fact that they now had a way of tracking Paige. He opened his eyes and looked over at Linda, who was eyeing him timidly. He gave her his best reassuring smile.
"Thank you," he said as he offered her the phone.
"I...I think you should hold on to it. Jimmy is going to be calling you back."
"Yes, of course. I am sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you, Linda."
She seemed to relax a bit at the sound of her name.
He reached over and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. He could feel she was still quite tense.
"You've been a tremendous help, Linda. I hope you know that. And I hope you know just how much I appreciate that. This entire situation has been very stressful and I will not forget what you've done or the loyalty you've shown me."
She shook her head as if to say it was nothing, but he reached out, gently touching her face and turned her head until she was looking at him.
"I mean it, Linda. I value your loyalty."
She blushed. She opened her mouth to respond, but her throat went dry and she couldn't make a sound. Her body was tingling all over at his touch. She told herself she was being completely foolish, that she was misinterpreting is words and actions again, but still she hoped.
He let go of her and leaned back in his seat and sighed once more.
"I think I am going to need a vacation when this is over," he said with a quiet laugh. "Perhaps I should join you in Hawaii."
Linda's face flushed and her entire body tingled again at his words.
"Well I guess I can think on that later. For now we need to get back on Paige's trail. Let's go see what we can find out from this Daniel Perry person."
Paige, Nathan, Julie, Jason, and now this Daniel person. There were way too many loose threads for Cameron's tastes. They needed to start cutting some of them away. In the next seat over, Linda didn't give a thought to any of those people, she was too busy daydreaming of Cameron and her on the beach in Hawaii.
CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
"Daddy what was that noise?" A girl came around the corner. She couldn't have been more than eight or nine. She looked very much like her sister, who was still giggling in her father's arms.
"Daddy went boom," the little girl laughed.
"I'm okay, Paige," the man said looking back at the approaching girl.
Paige and Nathan looked at each other.
"What happened?"
"Nothing, sweetheart. I just lost my balance. C...can you take your sister and go play upstairs for a little bit, while I talk to these nice people." He let go of the younger girl, who hopped up and down, looking at Nathan and Paige. She waved and they waved back.
"Hi. I'm Jenny. I'm three," she said while holding up four fingers.
Nathan bent down. "Wow, three. You are so big. That is a very pretty dress, Jenny."
"It was Paige's, but she's so big she can't wear it no more. That's what mommy says anyway."
"Well I think it looks wonderful on you."
The little girl practically beamed.
"Jenny, go with your sister please."
Jenny looked at her father on the floor behind her then back at Nathan and Paige. She waved again and then jumped over her father's leg and hopped over to her sister, who took her by the hand. The older girl looked at them, but said nothing, only pulled her sister along after her.
When they had gone, Nathan straightened up and offered a hand to Daniel. The man took it, but his eyes never left Paige.
"Mr. Perry," Nathan began, but Daniel waved a hand at him, silencing him.
He walked up to Paige until they were face to face.