'I have to. You must know that,' Cam responded.
'Can't you wait? If you inform the White House, this will be all over the news tomorrow. I'll never have another moments peace.'
Cam looked at her across the table. There was something close to pleading in her eyes. She looked over to Mac.
'Could give us a minute here?' Cam asked.
Mac looked as if he wanted to protest, but after a second he stepped out into the hall.
'This is serious. I can't keep something like this from my superiors.'
Blair laughed in disbelief. 'Don't tell me you're worried about being reprimanded.'
'That's not the issue. If this escalates, I may need more help. I'm not willing to jeopardize your safety to protect your privacy.'
'We're not talking about myprivacy . We're talking about my private life, and that's what I don't want on the 6 o'clock news.'
'Is it really the news you're worried about?'
'Perhaps it isn't. But in the end it's all the same.'
Cam shook her head. 'Even if I thought it was possible, I wouldn't do it. You haven't exactly made it easy for us to protect you. I simply can't trust you.'
'And if you could? If I promised to follow the letter of the law? Would that buy me a few days?'
Cam walked to the windows overlooking Central Park. The decision should have been simple. Protocol demanded that at the first sign of any threat she intensify the security measures around the subject. Not notifying her superiors would certainly place her own position in jeopardy. On the other hand, this was the first time she had even the hint of cooperation from Blair Powell. She would need that corporation if she were to have any chance at all of containing the situation. That made tactical sense, and at least for the moment she had plenty of manpower to stay within the margin of safety. From 20 stories up she watched the horse and buggies winding their way through the lamplit streets of the park. Across the room Blair remained silent, but Cam could feel her gaze on her back. More than that, she could remember the look in her eyes. Blair had been vulnerable, and for a moment, afraid. Cam tried to pretend that didn't affect her decision.
'I'll keep it quiet for now, assuming there are no further threats. At the next sign of contact, I'll have to advise the chief of staff.'
Blair relaxed perceptibly. 'You've got a deal. Thank you.'
Cam turned from the window, her hands deep in her pockets. She leaned one shoulder against the wall, watching Blair intently. She'd been up all night the previous evening, chasing Blair and then chasing away Blair's ghost with sex. She was weary, and she still had hours of work to do.
'You have any idea who might be doing this?' she asked Blair.
'Why should I?' Blair responded, surprised and defensive.
'Someone who might have approached you - at the gym, the gallery, maybe in a bar?'
'No, no one.'
'Someone you spent the night with?'
Blair returned Cam's gaze steadily, her face expressionless. 'Most of the women I go home with have no idea who I am. If they know anything at all, they know me by Allison.'
'Your mother's maiden name,' Cam observed. 'And what abouttheir names? Can you give me any kind of list, any addresses?'
'Not unless you think the names 'baby, honey, and sweetheart' will do you any good,' Blair responded acerbically.
'What about someone you've seen more regularly?'
'There hasn't been anyone,' Blair stated flatly.
Cam ran a hand through her hair and sighed involuntarily. She hoped there might be a lead among Blair's sexual liaisons. If the stalker were indeed completely anonymous, unknown to Blair in any capacity, it would only be through luck that they would catch him, or her.
'All right then, when Mac gets back, I'll need you to look at the security tapes with us. Perhaps you'll recognize someone going in or out of the building.'
Blair nodded assent. She felt like she'd been up for 48 hours, and looking at Cameron, she could tell that she was exhausted, too. Cam's usually pristine suit was rumpled, and she had dark circles under her eyes. Blair had a sudden urge to brush the tousled hair back from her forehead. She had an even more disturbing desire to slip the suit jacket off Cam's shoulders and guide her toward the couch. The next moment she saw herself unbuttoning Cam's shirt. She stood abruptly, forcing the images from her mind.
'I'm going to take a nap if you're going to have me up the rest of the night,' Blair said curtly.
Cam glanced at her stiff back as Blair crossed the room and slammed the bedroom door behind her. She slumped down on the couch tiredly, allowing herself a few moments of rest before the long night began. The next thing she knew there was a knock at the door, and movement in the room. She opened her eyes to see Blair about to open the door.
Cam was across the room before Blair could turn the knob. Grasping her forearm, Cam said sharply, 'Letme do that.'
Blair looked at Cam in surprise. The security chief had her gun drawn, and the look on her face was intent. For the first time, Blair appreciated the severity of the situation. She also understood that Cameron Roberts was completely serious about protecting her. She remembered the angry red scar on Cameron's thigh, a lingering
