"We are following them. Keep us posted," she said coldly and hung up not waiting for a response.
Cameron gave her an approving nod. "He still having no luck with the audio?"
"No," she said with a shake of her head. "McDonald's? Do you suppose it may mean something to them? Or to him?"
"In what way?"
"I don't know. Maybe their first date was at the aquarium and they came to McDonald's after that. Or some stupid crap like that."
Cameron was quiet for a minute as he considered her words.
"No, I doubt it. It had something to do with that call. Jimmy said they immediately began moving after that call."
"You really think they met with someone?"
Cameron nodded.
"Julie and Jason?"
"No," he said without hesitation. "We were maybe ten minutes behind them at the most. If they had met up I don't imagine it would have been that short of a meeting. I also don't think they would have done it at a McDonald's. I don't know what the hell that was. All I know is that I don't like it. Not one bit."
"Do you think they know they are being followed?"
Cameron shook his head no. "They've made no erratic moves. They have not been speeding or ducking off the highway. No, I don't think they suspect they are being followed."
They lapsed into silence as they continued to trail Paige and Nathan. The trip back to Newport was uneventful. After they got off the Newport Bridge they followed them into a Walmart parking lot. Cameron debated following them into the store, but decide to hold tight. When five minutes stretched into ten he began to reconsider and was just getting ready to get out of the car when Linda spotted them exiting the store. Paige was holding a plastic bag in her left hand.
"What do you think is in the bag?"
Cameron shrugged. He wished he knew, but at this point he figured it was anyone's guess. Nothing was making sense.
"McDonald's? Walmart? What the hell are they up to?"
Linda knew he didn't really expect her to answer, but she racked her brain just the same looking for a solution.
The sun was low in the sky and dusk was upon them when they followed the couple from Walmart back to their hotel.
"Are you sure we shouldn't just go up to their room and take them out right now?"
He looked over at Linda. "I'll tell you, I am sorely tempted to do just that. I want this done with. However, today's little trip has me more convinced than ever that there are others involved in this whole mess. I need to know who those loose ends are so I can take care of them once and for all."
"Do you think they are in for the night?"
Cameron scratched under his nose, considering. "I just don't know."
She heard the uncertainty in his voice and resisted the urge to sigh. She knew exactly what his words meant. They were in for a very long night. All thought of another night in the luxurious bed back at the hotel drifted away. She settled back in her seat and turned up the heat as the sun set and the evening turned cold.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
Paige left the bags she'd been carrying by the door, then dropped onto the bed and let out a loud sigh.
"Tired?" Nathan asked.
"So beyond tired. I feel drained all the way down to my toes. What has it been, only two days?"
Nathan picked up the bags she'd dropped and carried them over to his bed.
"No, seriously. How long has it been? It feels like we have been going nonstop for weeks. I really have completely lost all track of time. It's like being locked on a roller coaster that never ends. I just want the ride to stop and I want to get off."
Nathan sat down next to her. She sat up and leaned against him and he wrapped his arms around her.
"We are going to get through this."
"How do I have the memories of a dead woman? How did your wife have those same memories?"
"I don't have the answers, but hopefully we are about to find out."
"I'm afraid," she whispered.
"I know. So am I."
Nathan kissed her on the head and then got up. He picked up his laptop bag and pulled out his computer.
"C...can we wait, just a little while?"
He nodded and placed the computer on the nightstand.
"Do you want to get something to eat first?"
"Are you hungry?"
He shook his head no.
"Good, neither am I. In fact, I'm regretting those french fries."
"Okay, then we skip dinner. How about we get these set up," he said dumping the contents from the bags onto the bed.
She picked up one of the disposable cell phones and began working on opening the packaging. Nathan began working on another, but neither made any progress.
"I hate these things."
"Phones?"
Paige laughed. "No, this stupid plastic packaging. At home I'd use a nail file or something to puncture it."