Chapter 1: Cameron Reason

[The Devil Inside]

It has been raining for days. It is a fairly pleasant type of rain, the type that hits the ground in big fat plops. It is uncommonly warm this year, but the change is welcome.

Business has been a bit slow lately, it seems like the local wives already knew who their husbands were cheating on them with. Fortunately, there had been some break-ins at a the local private university, and they liked to remain discreet. You used the money from that one to pay your rent for four months.

Entering your apartment after a long day of pounding pavement, you see that you have some messages waiting on your answering machine.

[eijatriis]

He takes off the everpresent hat. Several of his old girlfriends claim that it was their idea, or even that they purchased it. One decided to take the hat with her in a fit of fury at what Cameron had done. The hat had long become, in Cameron's opinion, part of the image of Reasonable Investigations. The clients looked to expect him to be wearing it when they came to visit or check up on how their cases were going. In a bit of quick thinking, he decided to grab the cat that he had picked up for her from the animal shelter. So in what could have been considered a prisoner exchange in a bad movie, Cameron traded the cute cat for his investigator hat.
The hat seemed not to care as it slumped into its typical position on the rack.
The blinking light on the answering machine seemed to demand attention.
Cameron never cared for pushy machines, so he made his typical rounds of the apartment. Throwing some food in the fish tank after flipping the light on for them. The fish always seemed excited to see him, but he knew it was just because they expected to be fed.
He would have prefered to sit and take his shoes off. That glorious feeling of feet being freed from the confines of the shoes.
Yet he knew that at times, the dreaded machine gave him news that required he be off again before he had a chance to relax.
So with that balance between nervous excitement and dread, Cameron Reason, pushed the button to retrieve the messages.

[The Devil Inside]

Your finger presses the button down, shutting off the aggravating red light.

Your ears are greeted by the sounds of the crunch of someone chewing an apple, or something of the like.

From the bedroom of your apartment, you hear the sound of glass smashing, and a dull thud on the cheap carpeting. You hear a weak whimper.

[eijatriis]

My handgun, in order to avoid yet another run in with the police, lies safely atop the closet shelf in the room that the sounds come from. Again I intend to take the steps to get a concealed weapon permit. Granting I survive long enough to do so.

I look around and grab an aluminum flashlight. The weight of the 5 D-cell tooled aluminum feels heavy enough to give me a bit more confidence as I step toward the door. Out of habit, I adjust my hat so it sits just right. I approach the door, the flashlight held as a club rather than light throwing device.

[The Devil Inside]

You approach the doorway in your policeman stance, ready to let blows fall where they may. Slowly, you push the door open with your free hand, sweat beading on your forehead.

The sight that greets you actually makes you drop your flashlight.

Laying on the floor, surrounded by broken glass, is an infant. Rushing to the scene, you notice a brick attached to the child's foot by a short length of copper wiring. Tied to the brick is some paper, folded.

Inspecting the child, you see some bumps and superficial cuts...But the baby is in surprisingly good shape for having been thrown up through a 3rd story window.

Your cat meows loudly from the doorway you just passed through, startling you.

[eijatriis]

"Think you could train it to use the litter box?" I ask Samson, the large black Maine Coon cat.

I inspect the baby for any injuries as I unfasten the copper wire. After getting that settled, I look at the window and think about how I am going to deal with the busted window. I figure that having a baby thrown through a window HAS to be part of my tenant contract, so I hit the speed dial for the landlord. The tones sound as I recall that there is a note or at least a scrap of paper that needs looking at. I reach for the paper as the phone starts ringing. Just after the second ring, the baby decides it is time to let the entire planet know that it isn't happy.

[The Devil Inside]

The high pitched screeches from the baby going into your left ear, you get a busy signal from Mr. Catchum.

Placing the baby on your bed, you find no significant injury....."Odd," you think.

As you fumble to open the folded paper, the baby stops crying and actually gives a tiny smile.

Mr. Reason,
As a result of your incessant probing into affairs that do not concern you, I will be making myself known to you fairly soon.

sincerely,
HIM

As you stare, puzzled at what this is all about, the television in your bedroom snaps on.
The evening news is showing photographs that closely resemble the child on your bed, as an Amber Alert has been issued. Apparently, he (john malcolm is the baby's name) was snatched earlier this afternoon at a deli by a middle eastern man. a police sketch is briefly shown.

[eijatriis]

I smile and feel my mood pick up.

"I am so glad that I can get you back to your parents"

I switch the phone so I can get a tone and dial the extension of one of the officers I have some rapport with.

Regretfully, none of the female officers I know are on duty at the time. I realize that an officer is an officer, but...
I hang up before the call is picked up. I dial Rachel, one of the female officers that I have the home number to.

As the phone begins to ring, I look at the child and smile in relief. Relief that the child wasn't mine from one of the many .. well many times I couldn't keep my mind where it belonged.

[The Devil Inside]

"Hello?"

"Oh hello, Cameron! How are things?"
("No, Jimmy...It's Uncle Cameron...No Jimmy, he isn't staying the night.)

"That is....strange, Cameron."
("No Jimmy, he isnt bringing you another radio controlled car.")

"Should I radio a squad car over, or have you already called them?"
("WILL YOU KIDS SHUT THE HELL UP?!? I AM ON THE PHONE!!)

"Sorry about that...Wow. You are going to be a hero! Hope you are ready to have your face plastered all over the television for 15 minutes!"

"So....When can I expect another 'visit'?"

[eijatriis]

Nikki, you know I .. visit.. every chance I can get. Let me know when you have the time and YOU KNOW WHO will be busy enough to not do another surprise visit. I touch my chest remembering when her ex, another police officer from a different precinct came by. It wasn't until the next evening that a few fellows dressed in dark clothing decided that Cameron needed a lesson. Nothing was broken. No wounds were left, but they inflicted pain in a thorough and professional manner. Their only words were. "Once OURS... Always OURS."

Nikki doll, I need to see you, but we have to keep things from being so obvious. For the sake of the children. Cameron had really hoped to have something special with the girl, but the other man didn't want anyone else to have her. He didn't know the details of their breakup, but to her it was over, but to HIM, it wasn't.

Do we have to bring in the media? I am not so popular with some people these days.

[The Devil Inside]

There is a knock at your front door, and the sound of feet shuffling nervously.

[eijatriis]

I prop the child up with some pillows and blankets hoping it keeps it from rolling off the bed. I feel a bit like an ancient warrior brandishing a club as I carry the Mag light with me to the door.

I look through the wide angle viewer to see who is at the door.

[The Devil Inside]

from your vantage point, you see nobody...the hallway looks as if it is filled with thick smoke, and the scent of mint assaults your nose.

[eijatriis]

I start to think of what the worst case scenario could be, in order to build my confidence. I promptly stop thinking that way as the worst case scenario, regarding the way my life tends to flow, could be very bad indeed. So with little choice otherwise I throw open the door and stand confident as I proclaim.

Nice to see that you have finally arrived.

I stand ready with the large Mag light in hand, but trying to keep it from being as obvious a weapon as it is.

[The Devil Inside]

The odor of mint is nearly overpowering with the rush of air that enters your apartment.
You hear the sound of something rattling in your bathroom, quickly jerk your head around, and then turn back toward the hallway.

A flicker of movement catches your eye a bit further along the hall (you insisted on having an "end of the hallway apartment"), but nothing is there that you can see through the smoke.

Your mouth takes on a coppery taste, and the baby starts to scream loudly.

All the while, the scent of mint gets stronger and stronger, you can almost feel it on your skin.