CHAPTER ONE

Website where all photos of all outfits mentioned is on my profile. I'm not that horrible…here you all go

"What the fuck!" Both Clay and Jax's voice make me lift my head the confusion in their vocal tones enough to make me wonder what's going on.

Looking over Al's shoulder it takes several seconds before I realise that I'm not looking at a ghost, or a mirage. "Cam? Cammy?"

Al spins around her eyes like saucers in her face when she sees Cam standing just inside the front door, Happy to her left. "What's going on? Who died?"

"You did." I manage to say getting control of my muscles and crossing the room to her, wrapping my arms around her neck. Al comes up on the other side of me and wraps her arms over mine around Cam's shoulders while she looks between us confused.

"Can someone tell me what's going on?"

I shake my head against her cheek a few tears still silently sliding down my face.

Jax clears his throat "Before we explain anything Cam you need to ring your dad and let him know that you're fine."

Cam raises an eyebrow but pulls out of our arms grabbing her phone out of her pocket "Okay, why am I ringing him at 1 in the morning New York time?"

Clay clears his throat "Because if you don't he's going to get a phone call from the Charming PD telling him that you're dead."

Cam stifles a gasp and pulls her phone from her pocket, ringing her father "Daddy, sorry to ring so early in the morning but I needed to tell you that I'm fine, something happened here and you're going to get a phone call saying different but I fine. I'll see you next week when I get home." She pauses for several seconds "Okay Daddy, I love you too."

Cam hangs up the phone and puts it back in her pocket "Right, tell me what the fuck is going on before I freak out even more."

Clay leans back in the arm chair, folding his hands over his chest and waiting while we all take seats again. Grabbing Cam's arm I drag her to the couch and sit her in the middle, Al and I taking the seats on either side of her. Jax sits on the arm of the couch beside me, his arm resting on my shoulder while Juice and Happy both bring chairs from the dining room and sit on them.

"I only know what Unser told me, which wasn't much. There was an explosion at the Ramada. Sarah's name was on the register and there was a female body found in the room."

"Fuck." Cam whispers quietly looking between Al and I "I haven't been back to the hotel since I came back to town. Friday night I was at the clubhouse with you guys. Last night I was Al most of the night. I wanted to see a Californian sunset before I left again so Hap took me up into the hills last night; we've only just come back."

Al shakes her head "We have been back to the hotel; we were there yesterday briefly to get the rest of my stuff."

Cam nods "That's right. We left your key card at the office when we left."

"But how did you know to come here?" Al asks with a confused tone.

Happy looks at Clay "We came past the Ramada on the way back into town, Cam was going to crash for a few hours but the place was a smoking wreck. We went to the clubhouse but there wasn't anyone there, we decided here was the next logical choice."

Clay shrugs "Makes sense, Al wasn't at the clubhouse and with Abel coming home today she knew someone would be here..."

Cam clears her throat "What happened?"

I squeeze her hand tightly, my knuckles turning white "David came in and told me that the room had exploded and they found a females body in there. I assumed it was you." I blink a few times and twist my head to look at Jax "Can you ring him and let him know it's not Cam, that way he doesn't waste his time."

Jax frowns but pulls his phone out of his pocket dialling the police station. The ½ dozen words he spits out at David are said through clenched teeth "Wasn't Cam, don't know who it was."

Cam holds mine and Al's hands tightly while she listens to what happened, her face paling when she realises that if it hadn't have been for her midnight ride she could have been in that room. "But who was it?"

Jax shrugs "Your guess is as good as ours. Hale clammed up before he could tell us anything else. What did the hotel look like?" He aims his question at Happy who frowns.

"The right side of it was still burning. The whole left side's gone. The only part that was still standing was the manager's office, only cause it's detached from the rooms. Couldn't tell shit about what happened or where it originated from, but whatever it was it burnt hot and fast."

Juice runs his hand over the sides of his shaved head "I'll see what we can find out."

Jax shakes his head "Cam's okay, what's the most important to for everyone to go get some sleep. The kid's coming home today and even though we're not having the party for a week Sarah does expect you all here for a family dinner at 7."

Clay chuckles shaking his head at Jax "Yeah I've heard all about it today. Your mother went completely nuts trying to get everything sorted for this dinner." Clay glances around the room "You gonna have enough chairs?"

I shake my head "Nope, but Miles knows to bring some from TM."

Aiming a look at Cam "You stay there." Getting to my feet I hug Clay tightly "Gem will be fine. She's done 99% of the organising for this dinner and the two parties I've given her free reign over I had hoped would sooth some ruffled feathers but obviously not?"

Clay shakes his head "Pumpkin it's gonna take more than a coupla parties for Gem to get over missing her son's wedding. I think letting her plan the delayed reception here is helping, she's turned into a drill sergeant over that, but you know Gemma. It'll take her a while to get over it completely."

I nod and walk him to the door "I know Uncle Clay; I'm fully expecting to be in the dog box for a while longer."

Clay laughs as he hugs me tightly "The fact that I took off without telling her what the fuck was happening means I'll be joining you in that dog box pumpkin."

The phone inside rings at that moment and I roll my eyes at Clay "Wanna take bets on who that is?"

He shakes his head pushing me back inside "Go let her know I'm on my way."

Jax has already snatched up the phone before I make in inside, sliding one arm around his waist I pull the phone from his hand "Hey Gem, he's on his way. He'll tell you when he gets there. See you later, love you."

I hang up the phone and drop it back on the cradle standing in the warmth of Jax's arms for a minute "Today is going to be a long day."

Jax nods and hums in agreement "Let's go get some answers Darlin'. I think someone owes you some."