'Is he escalating?' Cam questioned, her breath constricting in her chest. This was why she had been recalled. And if the task force had been ongoing for months, something had changed recently. She tried not to think about the fact that Blair had almost slipped their surveillance yesterday.
Doyle shuffled a few papers, looking annoyed. 'He was inactive for a period of time following the shooting last year. Of course every government agency including the Secret Service, FBI, and CIA were involved in the manhunt, and he didn't have much choice but to go under. He surfaced again three months ago.'
'Three months,' Cam repeated, her eyes boring into Doyle's. 'Threemonths and you're just advising her security detail now?'
'I knew,' Stuart Carlisle said, unable to completely conceal his discomfort. He wasn't about to explain that his decision to have the task force run out of New York, and by his people, had been overruled by the Security Chief. He was still bitter, but he had orders to follow too.
Cam turned to him, knowing better than to break rank in mixed company and question his judgment or his authority, but there was criticism in her eyes, and she knew Stuart saw it.
'The Secret Service isn't equipped to handle this kind of scenario,' Doyle said dismissively.
'We're on scene,' Cam retorted, 'and we're the ones who know the day to day situation best. A threat like this demands we increase our readiness level.' Everything about the way they guarded Blair needed to change.For god's sake, she'd been underprotected for months!
'We've had a presence,' Doyle snapped. 'We're more than capable of securing her.'
'Not the way we can,' Cam answered, still unable to believe that Stuart Carlisle had let this happen. But she couldn't back down, not when it was Blair's life at stake. 'We need to take the lead in this investigation.'
Doyle's color darkened as his lips curled slightly in derision. 'You people knew about him in the beginning and your security was so ineffective it almost got Egret killed. I don't think you're up to it.'
Cam's voice was cold, her words razor-edged. 'By excluding the Secret Service from your intelligence, you put Egret at severe risk. Unacceptable risk.Untenable risk.'
'Roberts,' Carlisle warned from beside her. She had effectively accused the FBI task force leader of endangering the life of the President's daughter, which at the very least constituted dereliction of duty, and according to strict interpretation, could be considered an indictable offense.
She continued as if her supervisor hadn't said anything. 'I want every piece of data, every transmission, every record, every projection and profile that you currently have. I want-'
'You'll get whatever I say -' Doyle began, leaning forward, the muscles in his formidable neck straining.
Cam stood quickly, placing her hands flat on the table, looking down at him. 'Every single word, Doyle, or I'll personally file a report citing your negligence and hand carry it to the Oval Office.'
Doyle came out of his chair faster than a man his size ought to be able to move. 'You threaten me, Roberts, and I'll find the dirt you think you've been able to hide and I'll bury you in it.'
Cam smiled faintly, her voice quiet but very clear. 'You don't know me very well if you think that will frighten me.'
Neither of them heard the door open behind them as they stared at each other, taking measure for the fight that was sure to come.
'From what I hear, you shouldn't even be on this detail,' Doyle said derisively. 'I'd like to know whose piss- poor excuse for a decision that was.'
'I assume that would be mine,' a deep male voice said calmly.
Cam straightened and turned toward the voice as the others hastened to stand for the President of the United States.
*
Eleven hours later she was back in NYC, having reviewed as much of the information regarding Lover Boy's recent activities as she could access through channels. She knew there was more, but it would take her a while to get at it. Now that she understood why she had been recalled from Florida, her work really began. But first there was personal business she needed to put to rest.
Cam stopped just inside the door and stared at Blair, who had clearly not been expecting her. She looked like she was dressed to go out, wearing a patterned silk blazer over a thin pale camisole and loose black trousers. Cam wondered fleetingly if she were meeting someone. She pushed that thought away, because she was in no position to change it.
'What is it?' Blair said, a quick surge of fear produced by the stony expression in Cam's eyes. 'What's happened?'
'Why didn't you tell me?' Cam said, her voice low and deadly. She was struggling so hard to contain her anger she could barely get the words out.
'I'm not sure what you mean,' she said, stalling, hoping that it wasn't what she thought. But she knew it was, it couldn't be anything else. She had hoped, with Cam out of NYC, away from her detail, she could keep it from her. Keep her out of it. Keep her safe.
'You let me make love to you, you let methat close, and you couldn't tell me that he was back?' Cam seethed, her apprehension for Blair's safety and her fury at being excluded both by Blair and the FBI nearly made her mad. 'How in God's name could youdo that? I thought -' she meant to say,I thought I meant more to you than that. I thought we had something.
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a second, and gathered her strength. This was not about her. Her relationship with Blair wasn't the issue anymore. She had to separate her personal feelings from what was happening now. The clear and present danger that Lover Boy presented to Blair was what mattered. Not how she felt, not her disappointment, nor her sense of betrayal. She concentrated on her duty, the one thing that always focused her, the one thing she always depended upon to drive the anger away.
She straightened with effort, working to hide her turmoil. She forced her fists to unclench and when she
