A Hunted Man (The Men of Halfway House) (35 page)

Rick immediately recovered and threw a punch, which landed on Hunter's cheek. The fucker was not slowing down in spite of a broken nose and Hunter couldn't keep this up much longer. Joe pulled his way up the steps and reached for the gun.

"Police, don't move!" Two men dressed in black, wearing vests, guns aimed, appeared from the side of the house.

About fucking time
.

His heart raced and his breathing was labored.

Hunter heard a gunshot from inside. His head whipped around, and he launched back into the house, leaving the officers to handle the two men.

He bolted inside then froze when he saw Mel on the ground, dead. Her face was covered in blood, but the blood spilling from the side of her temple seemed to have been what finished her off.

Aidan stood by Cam and reached for the gun he held, still aimed at where Mel would have been standing. He noticed Aidan grabbed the gun by the barrel.
It's not hot.
Hunter released a sigh of relief. Cam would have battled with himself if he had taken the shot, regardless of the circumstances.

"It's okay, Cam, just let it go," Aidan coaxed as he held the gun shaking in Cam's grip.

"Cam," Hunter said, in a soft tone.

Cam was dazed, non-responsive. His cut arms were held straight out, holding the gun to aim at a target that was no longer there.

"Cam," he said in a stronger tone. He neared Cam as panic began to set in. He looked at Aidan who still held his hand firmly on the gun's barrel.

Finally, Cameron looked over to him, and when their eyes made contact, Cam's body became limp. Aidan took the gun from his hands as Cam fell to his knees.

Hunter rushed over to him on the floor and raised his bound hands around Cam to hold him. He released a breath he hadn't realized had been stuck in his throat. "I told you I was coming back for you," he said softly, rocking Cam in an embrace.

Aidan came up behind Cam with a knife and freed Hunter of the tape bindings.

Cam slowly raised his arms up Hunter's back. He lifted his head until their eyes met. Cam's voice shook. "When I heard that shot again—"

"I'm fine," Hunter said with a smile. "We're fine."

"I couldn't do it. I couldn't shoot," he said weakly.

"'Cause you're not a murderer."

"But she—"

"She was unarmed."

Hunter released Cam of the embrace and cupped his face. He had a lost, distant look in his eyes. His face was bruised and blood oozed through his hair. The white of one of his eyes was red, either from a hit or from broken vessels from forced pressure, he didn't know and couldn't bring his mind to think of it.

"Why couldn't I do it? I did it before."

"What happened ten years ago was different. Accident or self-defense, at this point, it doesn't matter. If you were a murderer, you could have easily pulled the trigger without thinking about it."

Hunter watched the play of emotions cross Cam's face. Finally, their gazes met. A youthful innocence made its way to the surface of those brilliant blue eyes.

"Say it," Hunter said.

Cam immediately threw his arms over Hunter's shoulders and held him tightly.

"You need to say it, Cam." Hunter winced when his shoulder throbbed.

"I'm not a murderer," he whispered.

Hunter smiled, released Cam, and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "No, you're not."

Cam looked at Hunter's shoulder and his eyes darted back to Hunter's. "You were shot."

"Grazed, big difference. It just burns a little bit. Are you okay?"

"I've got a headache," he said quietly, resting his head on Hunter's uninjured shoulder.

Hunter wasn't exactly sure what the hell had happened, but he didn't care right now as long as Cam was okay. Cam's voice was scratchy, and it cut in and out while talking. Exhaustion trickled into Hunter's body; he was just too damn tired to think right now and there was no way in hell he was going to admit he was getting too old for this shit.

Hunter wrapped his arms around Cam and helped him stand. He held him close, both for his own comfort and for Cam's support, while Aidan searched the house.

"If you ever argue about being my hero again, I'll kick your ass," Cam said, muffled against Hunter's chest.

Hunter chuckled. Every muscle in his body ached. "Right now, I don't think I'd argue about anything. I just want to soak for a bit, grab some painkillers, and sleep for a few days."

"Sign me up for that."

Hunter smiled and softly rubbed Cam's back.

"Is this over now?" Cam asked, looking up at him.

"I sure as hell hope so. I don't think I can handle a sequel."

Cam kissed him and rested his head on Hunter's shoulder again.

"Nice work in there, sir," Aidan said, pointing to the bedroom.

Hunter smiled.

Cam looked up at him, questioning. "Why is it okay for him to call
you
that?"

"Because I know he's not imaging me naked when he says it."

"Oh yeah." Cam smiled.

"I so didn't need to hear that," Aidan commented and shook his head as he continued to write notes on his pad.

Two scene investigators walked in through the front door with their gear in hand. Aidan briefed them on the crime scene and directed them to the other areas. Two medics arrived at the scene and were immediately dispersed, one stayed with them and the other went into the bedroom.

"I can get your statements tomorrow on what happened here tonight. This is going to take me a few hours, considering the mess in the room. You guys have somewhere else to go? This house is a crime scene now so you can't stay here this weekend."

"I'm not giving up my weekend with you," Cam firmly told Hunter as the medic checked the cuts on his arms.

Hunter smiled. "Yeah, I've got a place I can go. I'll call Matt and let him know to avoid any problems."

"Good. Do you need anything from the room?"

"Cam's bag, it's on the couch in there."

Aidan nodded and disappeared from the room.

"How do you feel about meeting my dad?" Hunter asked.

"Is he anything like you?"

"Worse."

Cam smiled. "Then I'd love to meet him."

* * * *

Cam patiently waited as Hunter used his key to unlock the door.

"Get in here," Hunter's father said, jumping up from the couch. He shuffled them inside his home. "What in the hell happened? Are you okay?"

"Hey, Dad. Yeah, we're fine."

"You look like shit."

Cameron chuckled.

"You must be Cameron, the young man who is driving my son to talk to his father about bunnies."

"What?" Cameron burst into laughter then immediately winced and wrapped his arms around himself as a jab of pain hit him. "Sorry. It's nice to meet you. Um, bunnies?"

Hunter waved him off. "Don't ask. This is my dad, Thomas Donovan. Dad, you're sure it's okay for us to stay here tonight?"

Hunter's father looked at him with a smirk. "I already told you over the phone. You know you've got a room set up for you here whenever you want. Besides, you guys already look like you've gotten the crap beat out of you so I figure any moaning will be out of sheer pain."

Cameron snickered as Hunter's face burned with embarrassment.

"Fuck," Hunter groaned.

"I seriously doubt that's going to happen in your condition."

"Dad!" Hunter snapped before storming out of the room with Cam's duffle bag.

Cameron and Thomas laughed in unison then looked over at each other.

"It's too much fun to mess with him. I can't resist," Thomas said.

"I usually get him worked up about his age," Cam said with a grin.

Thomas laughed. "He told me a while ago you called him sir."

"Still do."

Hunter's father shook his head. "I like you. I think you'll do just fine with him."

"Thanks," Cam said quietly. "I hope so."

Hunter reentered the room and glared at them.

"Don't give me that look," Thomas said and waved his hand in a shooing motion. "It won't work on me."

"It damn sure works on me," Cam said in a hoarse voice, which immediately caught Hunter's attention.

"That's my cue to go back to bed. You know where the sheets and towels are. Goodnight," Hunter's father said before leaving the room with a wave good-bye.

Hunter remained staring at Cam, never breaking eye contact, as he stalked toward him.

Cameron's skin tingled in anticipation of Hunter's touch. Hunter's gaze roamed Cam's face with unmistakable desire in their depths. Cam swallowed hard when the warmth of Hunter's body neared him. Cam closed his eyes as Hunter inched forward.

He placed a gentle peck on Cam's lips.

Cameron opened his eyes. "That's it? I know you've got more than that in you."

A slow, seductive grin spread across Hunter's face. "That's all you're getting while we're in my dad's house," he said on a whisper, brushing his lips against Cam's.

"Evil," Cam responded on a groan as he licked Hunter's lips, hoping to entice him.

Hunter gave him another quick peck then retreated. "C'mon, I've got a tub ready for us to soak in for a while." He tugged Cameron flush against his body.

He laughed as he wrapped his arms around Hunter. "I promise to behave as long as you stay this close to me."

Hunter smiled. "As if you had a choice this weekend."

Cameron buried his head at the side of Hunter's neck as he tightened his hold. It was a choice he was willing to forgo for more than just this weekend.

Hunter reached for the source of the annoying buzzing.

"Morning," Hunter grumbled into the cell phone without reading the display.

"Rise and shine," Aidan said. "Is the old fart tired this morning?"

"I'm going to kick your ass," he mumbled into the phone, in far more pain than he had been in quite a long time. He felt every muscle in his body down to his toes. He refused to lift his head but extended his arm and found that he was alone in bed.

"When are you guys coming in to give your statements? I'd like to start trying to get this wrapped up sometime soon and actually get some sleep."

Hunter looked over to the clock on the table and saw it was almost eleven in the morning as he stretched his arms. "Shit, man. Sorry, I didn't realize the time."

"It's fine, I've been busy as hell."

Hunter sat up and heard laughter coming from the kitchen. He smiled, glad to hear Cam and his dad getting along.

"What have you got?"

"As expected, the guys aren't talking."

"I figured."

"I'm going to poke the bear here, get things moving along."

Hunter rubbed his face then winced when he hit a bruise. "Let me guess, Cam's father?"

"I don't have a choice, man. At least we'll get some direction on the link through him."

"Yeah, I know," Hunter said with a sigh. He knew this wouldn't sit well with Cam. "I'm assuming you're going to want to get his sister's statement as well?"

"Yup. I need the address."

"I'll text you the information when we hang up," Hunter said on a yawn. "We need to control what info's getting out there about last night. Once Mackler or the mayor hear about it—"

"I'm way ahead of you. The few guys I had last night were part of my team so I know we can cap some of the grapevine chatter. I'm channeling all communications and case work through a very tight network until we can figure out who's with them. I've already informed the chief that some of the cops from the halfway house break-in were dirty and he's looking into everyone who was there. He's fuming, man."

"I can imagine." Hunter sighed. "Harry was pissed at that meeting in our office."

"He's having a field day flexing his authority. He said some of the shit made sense now about searches getting thrown out and other screwy shit with evidence."

"Yeah, as they say, hindsight's 20/20," Hunter said as he rubbed his face again.

"Dude, stop beating yourself up. You didn't know about Mel. When are you coming in?"

"As soon as I get out of bed and eat something."

"Harry called the police commissioner in the middle of the night."

"That couldn't have gone well," Hunter said with a chuckle.

"No kidding. The commissioner was pissed about getting the call but even more so after being told he had some dirty cops. So they're working together on rearranging a few teams and getting the story straight for the media."

"Dude, how much caffeine have you had today? You're so damn wired you're tiring me out already," Hunter commented.

"We've also got—"

"Aidan," Hunter said calmly. He knew his friend well enough to know when he was in crisis mode and dealing with the fear of losing someone. He'd seen it firsthand.

"What?" Aidan said in an icy tone.

"I'm sorry."

Aidan remained quiet on the line. The only evidence of him still on the phone was his controlled intake and exhale. "You ever scare me like that again and I'm going to skin you alive. You got it?"

"We wouldn't have gotten out of there had you not shown up. Thank you."

"You would have figured out a way, you always do."