Jack’s eyes darted unconsciously to the cell phone in his hand, and Cam saw what he’d been missing allalong.
They were in Emmett Shaw’s plane, with Emmett Shaw’s assistant. “Uncle Shaw,” he breathed. “Not possible. He loved mydad.”
Jack nodded. “He did. Killed him to do it, but your dad had made his bed.” Jackshrugged.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean? What did Dad ever do to Uncle Shaw that could possibly have led to this?” Cam fought to keep his temper in check, but how dare this man talk so casually about ending his parents’lives?
“The usual.” Jack shrugged. “Screwed him over. Left him hanging in the wind. Your dad made it clear he couldn’t betrusted.”
“You’re wrong,” Cam argued. “Dad was totallytrustworthy.”
Jack shook his head with mock regret, then smiled. “You still think your dad was a saint. It’s socute. Probably better you die thinking that way,huh?”
The shadow was still standing in the doorway, and Cam wondered for a second if it could be Uncle…no. Emmett Shaw wasnothis uncle, and it couldn’t be Emmett out there, or he doubted Jack would have spoken so frankly. If it was someone who could help Cam and Damon, he had to get them in the proper position and somehow neutralize Jack’s gun. Whether Cam made it off the plane or not, he needed to make certain Emmett Shaw wouldpay.
He forced himself to shrug and look unconcerned. “Maybe we won’t die todayanyway.”
Jack smiled and turned the gun so it pointed directly at Cam. “I think it’s up to me though, isn’tit?”
“Well, Damon’s flying the plane,” Cam said. “Who knows where we’ll endup?”
“Nah,” Jack said, but his eyelid flickered. “He inputted the coordinates for a small airport outside of Miami, just as I told himto.”
“He can’t change them in flight?” Cam asked innocently. He was pretty sure Damon could, and probablywould.“You’d know better thanme.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed as he realized the flaw in his plan. He glanced back at the cockpit and his breathing hitched. “You’re just trying to get me to leave you here while I go see to Damon,” heaccused.
Cam’s eyes widened. “Of course not. What couldIdo? I don’t have aweapon.”
Just as he’d hoped, Jack looked more suspicious than ever. “Get up,” he commanded. “We can both go sit in thecockpit.”
Cam stood slowly and pretended reluctance. “I could just stayhere…”
“Get your ass over here,” Jack said, rising to his feet and backing up, leaving plenty of room for Cam to precede him. Cam stepped forward, until he was blocking Jack’s view of the cockpit. He turned his head to glare at Jackandget a direct line of sight into the tiny bedroom in the rear of the plane. He caught the faintest glimpse of a man - average height, short dark hair - before Jack barked at him to getmoving.
Cam’s stomach plummeted. Was that Cain Shaw? Had he been involved in this plot the whole time? Was he working with his father and Jack? Suddenly, being trapped in a cockpit with Damon and this madman didn’t seem like any sort of a decentplan.
“I was just messing with you,” Cam said nervously. “Damon wouldn’t play games like that, not with me onboard.”
“Too late for second guessing,” Jack sneered. “Move yourass.”
Cam didn’t have to feign his reluctance as he walked the short distance into thecockpit.
“Sit,” Jack said, gesturing towards the copilot’s seat. Cam glanced out the window, but there was nothing to see except unrelenting blue - clear blue sky over a darker blue ocean, no land anywhere in sight. He swallowed hard, felt his stomach lurch, but he didn’t have time for a panic attack right then. Death was a lot more certain than a planecrash.
Damon glanced over as Cam sat down and stared at him, but unlike his brother, Damon couldn’t relay messages to Cam with just his eyes. Cam had no idea what Damon was trying to tellhim.
“I’m sorry,” Cam said instead. If it hadn’t been for Cam, Damon wouldn’t have been on the plane afterall.
Damon lifted his chin, an acknowledgment. But he said, “I didn’t do it for you, Seaver. I did it for Cort. He lovesyou.”
“Shut up,” Jack said, motioning with his gun. He glanced at the instrumentation and must have somehow determined that they were still on the correct course, because his posture relaxed. “Not a word from either ofyou.”
But Cam was done following orders. If he was going to die, there were things he needed to sayfirst.
“It’s not like that for him,” he explained to Damon. “Cort… we… I don’t know what we could have had, but he wasn’t there yet. It’s okay, though. I know he cared, and he knows how I felt.” He dug into his pocket and retrieved Cort’squarter.
“Hey! Keep your hands where I can see them,” Jack said, but he relaxed when Cam displayed the simple coin in hishand.
