Page 30 of See You Again

“I don’t need to lie to get out of something I don’t want to do. I’ve found it’s best to be direct.”

Cami flinched back in the chair, his words finding their mark. She blinked slowly before coming to her feet.

A sliver of guilt sliced through him at the disappointment in her eyes. She couldn’t have honestly thought he’d agree. James had been clear. The other night was a onetime occurrence. It had to be.

“Can I ask that you at least don’t deny it if you are asked? That money can make a real difference in bringing Amy’s killer to justice.”

Her words were meant to shame him, and they worked.

James inclined his head. “For now.”

Cami stared at him for a second, and James wished he knew what she was thinking.

“You’ve changed.”

“I grew up.”

She shook her head. “That’s not it.”

James dragged a breath into his tight lungs as she pulled the door shut quietly behind her. He would have preferred that she slammed it. Raged at him. Anything but that sad, defeated look in her eyes where light usually shone.

He almost called out to her to come back. James wanted to tell her he would give her anything she wanted if it would bring her smile back. Instead, his hands balled into fists on top of his desk until he knew she was gone.

CHAPTER NINE

Cami lay her forehead against the steering wheel of her car. What was she going to do now? When Kip called that morning, he was thrilled at the prospect of having the infamous Blooms at his opening. She might not care about James’s last name, but Kip clearly did. Kip mentioned he had invited Luke and his movie star girlfriend as well. Would Luke expose her?

She would need to avoid getting near him. How was she going to explain to Kip why James wasn’t there? Could she claim he was sick? Cami lifted her head as hope stirred. James said he didn’t use social media, so it wasn’t likely he would post that he was out somewhere else, revealing her lie.

Cami scowled, remembering his superior tone when he told her he wasn’t online. The James she met in class had been quiet, taciturn, slow to open up. But once he did, he was funny and kind. He was her best friend. Today, she struggled to catch a glimpse of the boy she’d once known.

And I had sex with him!

She banged her head slowly on the steering wheel. They had been great orgasms, but James Bloom was not someone she needed in her life. This James was cold and uncaring, borderline rude.

How was she going to tell Madison that she’d potentially wrecked their business? It wasn’t just the risk of losing Kip’s money. That was bad enough. But if he or those society women retaliated by exposing her lie to the public, it wouldn’t just be humiliating. It could discredit her.

If she damaged the podcast, Cami would be devastated. It wasn’t the attention they were getting, though that part was nice. Helping find justice for victims and their families gave her a purpose, and it allowed Madison to set her own hours so that she was available for Jax.

Cami shook her head. She didn’t have time to worry about that right now. She had a lunch appointment with the detective assigned to Amy’s case.

She had spoken on the phone and exchanged emails with Detective Barlow for a couple of months, but today was the first time they would meet in person. At first, Detective Barlow, or Mark as he insisted she call him, had been resistant to sharing information with her and Madison.

Mark had only recently been assigned to the cold case, and she understood that he’d have to get permission from his department to take part in their show. Amy’s case had been shocking to her hometown of Wheaton, Georgia, as well as the university she’d attended in nearby Stoverton. There was a lot of local pressure on law enforcement to find a resolution.

Thankfully, both Mark and the sheriff were aware of the success that the Murder She Spoke podcast experienced on previous cases and agreed to cooperate. However, she was still waiting on her Freedom of Information request. Having actual sound bites from the police interviews would be fantastic, and she was dying to get her hands on the evidence reports.

Mark had called the week before to let her know he would be in town for a symposium and wanted to meet up to share some of his notes from the case.

Cami pulled into the downtown parking deck and hurried down the sidewalk until she reached the restaurant they’d agreed on, scanning the men standing there. When a man in jeans and a navy blazer over a golf shirt raised his hand in greeting, she was surprised.

On the phone, Detective Barlow’s voice was rough, and Cami had pictured a grizzled, older man. But in person, he appeared to be her age or at most mid-thirties, with a close buzz cut and kind brown eyes. He was shorter than James, but then again, most men were.

Damn it. Why am I thinking about him?

She flashed a grin at the Detective, banishing James from her mind. “It’s nice to finally meet you in person. I appreciate you taking the time to meet me today.”

Mark’s eyes scanned down her body, but his expression was unreadable. “Likewise,” he said with a southern drawl, as he held the door open for her. “Your podcast has created quite a stir in our area.”