Marked for Murder

by Donna Raider

  “Why don’t you try making an appointment to interview her one-on-one?” Her cameraman was trying to calm her. He had seen the destruction she could cause when she decided to ruin someone. She was a good newswoman, but she was ruthless and sometime unfair.

  “I’ll have my secretary call her secretary,” Riley huffed.

  “Why don’t you call her yourself?” Herb suggested. “I understand she’s very accessible. Or are you afraid the famous Rabbit charm won’t work on her?”

  Riley glared at him as she dialed the priest’s phone number. “Mika Cross,” Mika answered. Riley was startled that Mika had answered the phone herself.

  “Uh, um, this is Riley Rabbit.”

  “Yes, Miss Rabbit,” Mika’s voice took on a cautious tone, “what can I do for you?”

  “I wondered if I might schedule an interview with you?” Riley held her breath, expecting Mika to refuse.

  “I’m certain that can be arranged,” Mika answered. “Although I rarely give interviews. The bishop usually speaks for the diocese. You may have questions to which I won’t know the answer.”

  This woman speaks like an English professor, Riley thought.

  “I want to discuss the Catholic Murders,” Riley blurted out.

  “Detective Carlie Carlyle is probably more informed on that subject than I,” Mika said honestly.

  “Yes, well, she won’t give me an interview.” Riley wondered why she was being so honest with the priest. “I know you are very busy. All I need is an hour.”

  “When would you like to do the interview?” Mika asked. “Let me just say that I am unavailable from noon until two every day.”

  “How about tomorrow morning at ten?” Riley suggested. “May I bring my cameraman?”

  “Of course you may bring your cameraman. An hour, let me see.” Riley could hear the priest tapping the keys on her computer, checking her calendar. “Two fifteen tomorrow afternoon would be better,” Mika answered. “My children have a school play in the morning. I’m not certain when it will be over.”

  “Two fifteen tomorrow is great.” Riley almost laughed. “See you then.”

  “I did it! I did it!” Riley was elated. “She’s giving us an hour, tomorrow at two fifteen. She said you could come too.”

  Riley wondered what standing appointment the priest had every day around noon. Probably a lunch date.

  ##

  Mika dialed Carlie’s number.

  “Detective Carlyle,” she barked. “How many souls can I help you save today, Priest?”

  “Possibly just my own,” Mika joked back with her. “Riley Rabbit wants to interview me tomorrow about the Catholic Murders.”

  “That can’t be good.” Carlie became serious. “What can I do?”

  “Be there,” Mika said emphatically.

  “Why don’t we include your gorgeous wife?” Carlie suggested.

  “Why drag Leah into this?” Mika frowned.

  “One of the tricks of the news media is to throw one off guard.” Carlie sounded very knowledgeable. “She will show up early with a cameraman, possibly two, and try to befuddle you before the interview. Let’s turn the tables on her. I have turned down numerous interviews with her, and of course, Leah never gives an interview. So let’s shake up her cat box before she gets a chance to play mind games with us.”

  “I don’t know. Leah and I try to downplay the fact that we’re married to each other,” Mika said quietly. “Let me discuss this with her. I will let you know sometime this afternoon, if that’s okay.”

  “Sure,” Carlie agreed. “We don’t have to allude to the fact that Leah is your wife. I will simply say she’s riding with me for the series and you asked me to swing by to help with the interview. Believe me, having all three of us in the same interview will overwhelm Miss Rabbit.”

  “Seriously?” Mika laughed. “Is that her real name?”

  “Really is.” Carlie chuckled. “Born and raised in Chickasha, Oklahoma, by Roberta and Clyde Rabbit.”

  ##

  Mika lay on the sofa. Leah was on top of her. Both were trying to slow the beating of their hearts. Leah slowly stretched her body like a svelte, black panther. The length of her body reached from Mika’s chin to her feet. Mika loved the feel of Leah flexing taut, powerful muscles against hers. “Careful, unless you want more.” Mika’s voice was still hoarse with her desire for her wife.

  Leah slowly inched her way up Mika’s body until her lips were touching Mika’s. “What do you think?”

  ##

  For the second time in two hours, Leah stretched against Mika. A knock at her door dragged them back to earth. “Fifteen minutes, Miss Redman.”

  Leah moaned softly as Mika moved to a sitting position, still holding her in her arms. “That was awesome,” Mika mumbled against her lips.

  “Um,” Leah purred, “but way too short.” She stood and quickly dressed them both.

  “Are you ever going to put my collar on correctly?” Mika caught Leah in her arms, reluctant to let her go.

  “That’s how I know I’m the one who dressed you,” Leah teased. “Heaven help you if I ever find you freshly dressed correctly. I’ll know some other woman did it.”

  “No chance of that,” Mika muttered against her lips as she kissed her one last time. “I need to talk with you. I will be visiting your set soon.”

  “Hurry,” she whispered as Mika disappeared.

  Mika casually strolled onto the set of Marked for Murder. “Would it be possible for me to see my wife?” she asked Stiles. “I only need a minute.”

  “Take all the time you need,” Stiles growled. “We have to reshoot this scene.”

  “Mika,” Detective Carlyle called to her. “Did you come to ask her to join us tomorrow?”

  “No.” Mika smiled. “I came to see if she thought it was a good idea.”

  “So whipped.” Carlie shook her head sadly as if she had diagnosed the woman with a terminal disease.

  “Every night, Detective, every night.” Mika fell back on a response she had used to shut up another law enforcement officer years ago. It worked. She knocked on her wife’s door.

  “Come in,” Leah called. Haley was putting on her makeup.

  “I swear, if I didn’t know for sure you were in here alone,” Haley complained, “I’d think you had participated in a threesome. I have never seen anyone mess up makeup so badly in two hours. You must nap on your face.”

  “Oh, but what a beautiful face,” Mika said, voicing the words Carlie was thinking. “May I?” She raised a questioning eyebrow toward Haley as she leaned down to kiss her wife.

  “Why not?” Haley huffed. “It looks like everyone else on the set did.”

  “What?” Mika gasped, as if shocked.

  “Calm down, killer.” Haley laughed. “That was just a figure of speech. We all know you’re the only one who gets to kiss her.”

  Mika nodded and took a seat in front of her wife. “Detective Carlyle and I need your input on something.” Her blue eyes sparkled as she watched her wife’s face.

  “It surely must be important, if you need my input.” Leah pretended to blush shyly.

  “Your wife has agreed to a TV interview with Madam Barracuda tomorrow,” Carlie stepped in.

  “Hardly a barracuda.” Mika laughed. “More like a squirrel.”

  “What on earth are you two going on about?” Leah asked.

  “The TV anchor Riley Rabbit.” Haley chuckled. “Everyone in the business calls her Madam Barracuda. She will eat you alive, Mika.”

  “That settles it.” Leah scowled. “I will definitely be there. No one is going to eat my wife but…Oh, this is coming out so wrong.”

  ##

  As Carlie had warned, Riley and her crew of two cameramen arrived fifteen minutes early. Mika watched for them and rushed from the building to greet them.

  “May I help you carry anything?” she offered.

  Surprised that the priest had come to welcome them, Riley simply shook her head. />
  Mika held open the door and allowed the news crew to enter the building ahead of her. She hurried to catch up with Riley as they approached her office. She put her hand on the door handle and turned to speak to Riley before entering her office.

  “I wanted to make certain you received accurate answers to your questions.” Mika beamed like a little girl who had done something good. “So I invited Detective Carlyle to join us.”

  Mika opened her door and ushered the news crew inside. She made introductions while Riley barked instructions to her cameramen. Mika took her place behind her desk as Carlie and Leah sat beside each other on the sofa.

  “Please, have a seat.” Mika motioned to an overstuffed armchair halfway between her and the two women. She waited until Riley sat down then took her own chair.

  “Detective Carlyle.” Mika smiled. “Miss Rabbit wants to discuss the Catholic Murders.”

  Rylie was flustered. She had never had so many celebrities in one interview in her career.

  “Leah Redman.” The seasoned television reporter was reduced to an adoring fan. “I love your work. You are without a doubt the most expressive actress in front of any camera.”

  “Thank you.” Leah ducked her head slightly.

  “I loved the Christmas episode with Trey Slater. That was the most…”

  “Yes, yes, we all know about the kiss and how great it was,” Carlie growled. “Miss Redman is riding with me today to observe for the series. We don’t have much time, so let’s get on with your interview.”

  “Um, oh, yes,” Riley stuttered.

  “Of course, the death most recent in everyone’s mind is the loss of Archbishop Pelosi,” Riley said seriously. “I believe that has been reclassified from accidental death to homicide.”

  Carlie wondered where she had gotten her information. The department was keeping the homicide investigation under wraps for the time being.

  “We’re looking into all aspects of the case,” Carlie hedged. “It does appear there may have been foul play. We’re not certain yet.”

  “This diocese has been the center of a great deal of drama lately.” Riley turned her glare on Mika. “A priest living with a prostitute. A pedophile priest raping and murdering a six-year-old boy.” She shuffled her notes. “I believe that priest committed suicide while in the hospital.”

  Mika nodded.

  “The bishop’s wife accidentally drove her car off the road and into the bay, drowning,” Riley went on. “Another Priest, a Father Clinton, disappeared, and last, but certainly not least, the archbishop’s death. Five deaths in a few months. I want to hear from you, Priest Mika Cross. How do you explain the crime rate in your church?”

  As the trio watched, dark mascara began to run from Riley’s eye, down her cheek.

  “Oh, dear.” Leah gasped as if something terrible had happened. Pulling a tissue from her purse, she walked to Riley and leaned down to blot her cheek, providing the woman a clear view of her ample breasts. “I hate it when my mascara runs.” She spent an inordinate amount of time pretending to clean the newswoman’s face.

  Riley sat stupefied. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from the actress’s perfect breasts. The closeness of Leah Redman was intoxicating—the scent of her, the softness of her hands on Riley’s face.

  “There, that’s much better.” The beautiful actress smiled knowingly. She stared into Riley’s eyes. A seductive smile curved her gorgeous lips. Her gaze held Riley’s. A small sliver of drool oozed from the corner of Rabbit’s mouth. After several minutes, Riley yanked her gaze away from the mesmerizing darkness of Leah Redman’s glorious brown eyes.

  “I…I…excuse me.” The newswoman fled the room, looking for anywhere that would allow her to escape the visions of her and Leah Redman that were raging in her head.

  She thanked the gods when she spotted a door marked Women. She wet several paper towels and carefully blotted her face to remove some of the heat that seemed to be accumulating there. Oh, dear God, she thought. What have I done? I drooled over Leah Redman. How can I face the trio in that room? She sincerely hoped her cameramen hadn’t videoed her humiliating exhibition of lust. Still, those perfect breasts… She pushed the thoughts from her mind.

  Straightening her skirt, Rylie walked back into the hallway. She checked her wristwatch. Thirty minutes had passed since the interview began. She had to hurry. She had some hard-hitting questions for Priest Mika.

  “Are you all right, dear?” Leah took her arm and led her back to her chair. “Mika got you a glass of water.”

  Riley took the water thankfully. Her throat was so dry, she was certain she couldn’t talk. She drank the water then handed the glass back to Leah. The actress slowly wrapped her fingers around Riley’s as she accepted the empty glass. Riley held on to the glass, reluctant to relinquish the feeling of Leah’s touch.

  “The glass, dear.” Leah smiled. “I’ll put it away for you.”

  “Thank you,” Riley choked. She cleared her throat, trying to find a smidgen of moisture for her parched tongue. She nervously shuffled her notes, like an amateur reporter on her first interview. She glanced at her watch. She had twenty minutes left.

  “You asked me how I explained the crime rate.” Mika smiled.

  Riley was thankful the priest had picked up the interview.

  “I think Detective Carlyle is better suited to answer that question,” Mika said, nodding toward Carlie.

  Carlie launched into a discussion of the crime rate in New York and the population of the city. She then pointed out the number of Catholics served by the diocese, stating that statistically speaking, crime rate was very low among Catholics compared to the rate among the overall population.

  Riley tried unsuccessfully to interrupt the detective as she droned on about the New York crime rate and national statistics. Will this interview ever be over? Riley thought.

  “Mika, your next appointment is here,” the secretary announced over the intercom, just as she had been instructed.

  “I’m afraid we have run out of time.” Mika rose and walked toward Riley. “We appreciate you taking the time to visit with us. I hope you got what you needed.”

  The cameramen packed their gear and headed for their van. They were whispering among themselves about their boss’s meltdown. Riley stood, visiting with Leah. Mika cupped Riley’s elbow and led her out the door of her office. She felt a warm peacefulness settle over her. All anxiety was gone. She was at peace with the world. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so happy. Mika escorted her all the way to her van and stood watching the vehicle drive out of sight.

  You are so bad, she thought to her wife. Can we go home, right now?

  Of course, darling. Leah grinned at her mischievously as she entered her office. Are you going to chastise me?

  A surge of hot, molten desire swept through Mika’s body. Her need for Leah almost brought her to her knees. Chastise you! What a wonderful idea. Mika grinned, raising her eyebrows.

  “What did I miss?” Carlie looked back and forth between the actress and her wife. Before anyone could answer, Carlie’s phone rang. “I’m on my way,” she growled. “Coming, Leah?”

  “I’ll take her home.” Mika smiled happily. “I’m finished for the day.”

  Of course you will, you lucky bastard, Carlie thought as she recognized the look in both their eyes.

  Mika closed and locked the door to her office after Carlie left. Without a word, she took her wife into her arms and kissed her. It was a slow, decimating kiss, destroying any thought of anything but making love to each other. She whirled them to their bedroom and quickly banished their clothes.

  Mika rose above her, resting her elbows on either side of Leah’s head. “You were bad to that poor girl.” She grinned approvingly. Blood dripped from Mika’s lip where Leah had bitten her during their lovemaking. It landed on Leah’s lips. She licked the red liquid from her lips then pulled Mika down to her, sucking her lip into her mouth.

  “I should be treated accordingl
y for my bad deeds,” Leah murmured against Mika’s lips.

  “My thoughts exactly,” Mika whispered as she brought her tongue into play to defend her battered lip. Mika kissed her way down Leah’s neck, lingering at the soft indention at the base of her throat. She moaned softly. Mika’s warm, soft lips toyed with Leah’s breasts as her tongue teased them mercilessly. Her breath began to come in short, agonizing pants as Leah fought to move Mika where she needed her. Caressing her breasts, Mika kissed her way down to her navel. Leah whimpered then began to beg. Mika had never heard such a magnificent creature beg so beautifully.

  “Punish me,” she pleaded. “Make me beg you to stop.”

  “Would you?” Mika asked as she sank deep into the softness of her.

  “Never!” Leah screamed. The sheer power of Mika caused feelings of joy and wonder in Leah as she screamed for more. “Love me,” Leah pleaded. “Love me all night.”

  ##

  The early rays of the sun played with Leah’s beautiful face as they danced across her eyelids. She stirred in Mika’s arms, shifting her head from Mika’s shoulder to her breast.

  “Are you okay?” Mika asked softly.

  “Oh, yes, darling.” Her lazy smile vanquished any concern Mika had. “Although I was very, very bad. I’m not sure my punishment fit the crime.”

  “What was the crime?” Mika teased, certain Leah would not even remember.

  “Um,” she purred. “You know.”

  Mika laughed. “You are insatiable.”

  “And what are you going to do about it?” Leah giggled, snuggling deeper into her arms.

  “Spend all eternity trying to satisfy you,” Mika vowed.

  “In that case, I might just keep you.” Leah laughed. Her golden laughter was deep and sensuous, promising delights of which most lovers only dreamed.

  Mika kissed her deeply, pouring all her love into her. “But right now, it’s Saturday morning, and I believe we have a dozen children waiting to spend the day with us.”

  “Just lie with me a little while longer,” Leah whispered, her soft, warm lips teasing Mika’s ear.