Page 74 of The Saint

She faced Camden, eyes begging for assistance. He’d never seen someone want to disappear so badly before. All he could do was lift his chin and silently tell her to soldier on.

Amelia refocused on Esme. “I had no idea the CIA dabbled in…” She gestured vaguely. “This isn’t what I thought I was here to find out. And…” She swallowed hard. “I’m not sure how Hailey and Jonathan’s, er…private timewill help me find out where Hailey is now.” Amelia squeezed her eyes shut. “God, I don’t want her mortified when I bring her home.”

“Is that what you’re doing? Bringing her home?” Esme cocked her head. “Beth didn’t share your end goal.”

Of course Beth hadn’t. That explained why Esme was talking in circles.

Amelia sobered. “Why do you think I’m here?”

“To find her remains. Proof of death.”

Esme’s candor landed like a sucker punch on Amelia so hard that it sucked the air out ofhislungs. He would’ve done anything to absorb the hit, anything to lessen the emotional roller coaster that Amelia had been thrown onto without benefit of a safety harness. Esme hadn’t spoken in an unkind manner, but she could have softened the damn blow.

“I don’t think you can help me.” Amelia popped up. Her matter-of-fact demeanor was yet another loop of the roller coaster. She was pulling the emergency exit switch and needed to eject. “Cam, you ready?”

Fuck.They had heard all that and hadn’t learned any actionable details. Beth had sent them to Esme for a reason. They didn’t know why. Leaving would be shortsighted. His jaw flexed, but he didn’t stand. They’d already done the hard part. Amelia had to stomach the rest of the conversation to get what she wanted.

“Cam?” she tried again.

“Give it a second.”

Amelia shot daggers at him as though he was a traitor.

“Sit.” Esme redirected Amelia into her chair with a confident wave of her wrist.

Amelia didn’t while silently pleading for him to take her side. Camden didn’t want to tell her to stay. He needed her to come to that realization on her own—or walk out on her own. He couldn’t be the reason for her regret.

“You need a moment to process your thoughts,” Esme tried. “That’s fair. Don’t make any decisions until your mind has settled.”

“Stop telling me what to do,” she snapped. “Because I don’t know what to do with any of this.”

“Then don’t make a decision until you do.”

Amelia squeezed her eyes tight. Her lips pressed together. She almost looked like she was screaming inwardly and settling her mind simultaneously. Finally, she dropped onto the chair and perched on its cushion. She released a heavy breath. Camden hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath too. She’d made the right decision. All he could do was support her along this hellacious ride.

“I don’t know what to do with this,” Amelia whispered. “I don’t know if I even believe you.”

“Understandable.” Esme steepled her fingers together. “I can make two promises: First, I’ll be up front with you. I won’t sugarcoat conversations, but I won’t dole out more than you can handle.”

Camden bet that meant personally and professionally. He chewed the inside of one cheek to keep his attention on the here and now and not the places he and Amelia could explore in Esme’s club.

“Second, I don’t have a reason to lie. You want to know about Hailey. I have no reason to hide the truth.”

“But if you did have a reason to lie?” Amelia’s eyebrows arched. “You would?”

“The important point is that I don’t.”

The side of Amelia’s lip curled with disgust. “Got it. You’re unfiltered and won’t lie unless it suits you. Okay, then.”

Esme moistened her bottom lip and tempered her severe posture. “Amelia, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you still had hope. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Again, Esme, the queen of emotionless barbs, didn’t sound as though she were trying to hurt Amelia, but her apology lacked even an ounce of compassion.

Amelia pressed fingers to her temples. “So. Many. People. Have lied to me. I’ve been living in this nightmare, and I don’t know who to listen to or believe.”

“You believe Camden.” Esme gestured at him. “You trust him.” Esme’s smooth voice could pull the truth from a charlatan without breaking a sweat. “Correct?”

A pause hung in the room. Concern suddenly needled his insides as if a porcupine had taken up residence in his chest. If Amelia didn’t agree, that would cut deeply. He didn’t know when Amelia’s opinion of him had reached that level of importance. Her approval was paramount.

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