by Sims, R.
Dexter held up a hand and said, “Don’t touch that. Let’s keep this on a business level.”
Que threw up both hands, surrendering. “That’s the end of it for me.”
Dexter began sending an email to Dana. When he was done he dialed the number to Stan Ferguson’s office.
Que said, “I’m going in to get something to snack on. You want something?”
“Two of those small pecan pies and a fruit punch drink.” When Stan answered, Dexter said to him, “60/40, this is Dexter. I’m ten, fifteen minutes from your office. Do I come by?”
“Sure. I’ll be here for another hour.”
***
Laura Frey’s wireless laptop computer was on the floor in Reginald Macon’s bedroom, and she was lying across his bed staring at an image of Orin Baker. Even with the temple-faded small afro and the full beard, the 32-year-old black guy strongly resembled Dexter Parker.
Orin was the owner of a Corvette, and the address on his driver’s license put him in North Philadelphia. Laura knew that Fiona’s residence was in West Philadelphia, so Orin probably didn’t live with her. She tapped at a few keys and studied his rap sheet.
Orin had only one felony conviction, stemming from the time he’d beat up his mother’s boyfriend. He’d received probation after a guilty plea. Laura tapped at a few more keys, entered her agent identification number, and learned Orin’s employment history from an IRS database.
Orin had been a steel worker for seven of the past eight years but strangely had no record of employment last year. Laura smiled at her discovery.
Reginald entered the bedroom with a tray of food. “Take a break and eat something.” She said, “How about another round of steamy sex?”
***
Dexter stood at the door of a luxury room at the Inn of the Spanish Garden. He was well-dressed as usual but knew he wouldn’t be in his Italian clothes for much longer.
He knocked on the door and waited.
Dana Searing opened the door to her room wearing Aquazzura shoes, black stockings, a business skirt, a blouse, and a gold watch. She stepped aside and said, “Are you coming in?”
Dexter entered the elegant room and said, “I was expecting to see you wearing much less.”
“Well, I hope I didn’t ruin your day.” She closed the door then turned to face him.
“Why couldn’t you wear what I requested?” He looked around the room, admiring amenities such as fireplaces and deep soaking tubs. He could see that she had a table ready with wine and a bowl of grapes.
“You’ve learned how to get things the easy way, but you still have to work for some things.”
He said, “You like making things hard, don’t you?”
“Apparently, that’s what you want me to do tonight.” She heard her cell phone ringing. She walked off, headed for the bedroom area.
From behind, Dexter grabbed the bottom of her $319 skirt then quickly used two hands to rip it apart.
Dana gasped. Dexter had snatched her whole skirt off. She turned around and stood frozen in a silk thong. She said, “You have no damn patience, yet you claim you will have two hours of foreplay.”
He walked closer to her and forcefully reeled her in by her lower waist.
She relented and held his stare.
“I’m going for three hours of foreplay and ninety minutes of fulfillment.”
CHAPTER 56
At 2:09 am, Dana kissed Dexter’s lips then rested her head on his chest as he lay on his back, spent. Weak. She said, “You are very nasty.”
“Is that a problem?”
“Hell no. You make me feel young. Can we shower together?”
“Dana, in about twenty minutes I will be recharged. We can do this until the sun shows it face.”
“That’s out of the question. I’m sore, and I know I’ll feel worse later today.”
“I’ll go easier in round two.”
“I’m not changing my answer.”
“How about more foreplay until sunrise?”
“That’s fine but no…fulfillment.” She kissed his chest. “Did you have sex with Janet in Italy?”
“Do you really want to have that conversation?”
She said, “Yes. Please tell me. I’ll have to work with her soon, and I don’t want to feel ignorant around her.”
“I had sex with Janet three times in two days. We did as many positions as you and I did; we sixty-nined for forty minutes straight…Um, let’s see...”
Dana did not interrupt.
“There’s not a part of her body that I didn’t suck or lick, and I tried my best to put a baby in her. My record with her is sixty-eight minutes of sex, I think, and 127 minutes of foreplay. With you, I got fifty-seven minutes of sex and 182 minutes of foreplay. What else do you want to know? Oh, and I definitely tried to give you another baby. Anything else?”
She kept her head on his chest. “Are you going to have sex with her again?”
“I’m not answering that. Just tell me what you want from me, and I’ll tell you what I want.”
She said, “How many days of the week can you do what you just did to me?”
“Eleven. Dana, I get erections all throughout the day, every day. Been in prison too long, masturbating in the showers. That’s why it takes a while before I reach an orgasm.”
“I don’t want to compete with another woman, Dexter. Just give me at least two days a week like that, and come home to me every night. I’ll raise your child and you don’t have to marry me if you don’t want.”
“Dana, I’m no fool. Next week, you and Janet will be getting hundreds of thousands of dollars, and you’ll both be millionaires if I’m not convicted.”
“What’s your point?”
“You’ll both be wealthy women; neither of you will need me nor want me. You can find fifty younger, handsome men with my sexual drive and stamina.”
“Dexter, I didn’t have sex with you because you’re wealthy. I can’t speak for Janet, but I did it because you’re intelligent. I wish you weren’t a damn criminal. Still, you may be the smartest person I’ve ever met. Your mind turns me on. You’re handsome, well-built, and very equipped in the fulfillment department. But when you explained everything you’ve done to set up the investment scam and plant red herrings, I wanted to suck and fuck you that very day.”
He rubbed her back with one hand then moved it down to massage her ass. “Dana, damn near everything I do is misleading.”
“Including our sex?” She smiled.
“That was for real.”
CHAPTER 57
She was silent for a moment then said, “My husband’s leaving tomorrow. He wants $200,000 in cash and he’ll sign an agreement to leave me everything and never come back. The money clause won’t be in the agreement, and it’ll be paid under the table.”
“Who’s winning in that deal?”
“He is,” she said, “The house is far from paid off.”
Dexter asked, “He’s agreeing to an uncontested divorce?”
“Yes.”
“Give him some time. He’ll show up at your doorsteps when he’s blown most of the money and thinks you’ve had enough time to miss him.”
“I only want you, my daughter, and a new baby in my immediate life.”
“Why did you never have a baby by your husband?”
“He’s incapable due to a low sperm count, we believe, and he’s too proud to get help.”
“Oh. Did you ever want another child?”
“At least two more, but I stayed with Harold watching my clock wind down. Even when he started sleeping around and staying away from home for days at a time, I never slept around. This is the first time I’ve cheated on him, and we’ve been together for nine years, married for seven.”
Enough gripping Dana’s ass, Dexter’s erection was back. He lifted her head from his chest then craned his neck forward and kissed her. “I need to tell you something.”
“What is it?”
“Janet will be lea
d counsel; you’ll be co-counsel.”
She sucked on his bottom lip and said, “Only you can make those decisions. I’ll help in whatever way you want me to.”
“You don’t want to know why?”
“I already know why,” she said. “You knew she would be lead counsel when you retained us. You’re very intelligent, and I’m sure you don’t change your mind often.”
He sucked her right breast and nipple until she moaned sexually. “You’re very smart, too. Now, can I fulfill you again?”
“No, because you’re going to hurt me. I told you I’m sore.”
“I won’t bang up the goods this time, and you can stay on your back instead of forty other positions.”
She looked in his eyes and said, “Please don’t get convicted. I don’t care if you lose all the money you took; just come back home to me every day.”
“You sound as if you want to tell me that you love me, two weeks after meeting me.”
She repositioned herself on top of him then used one hand to push his erection inside her. “I do love you.” She leaned forward and lay on top of him. “Don’t move; let’s just fall asleep like this.”
“Why can’t we fall asleep in the sixty-nine position?”
“Because you said you wanted to fulfill me again. Your tongue and mouth make me have those funny convulsions, but I’ve done enough of that for one night.”
“If we fall asleep in the sixty-nine, I was thinking that that would help me fall in love with you faster.”
She pulled herself up then turned her body around to mount her pussy on his mouth.
CHAPTER 58
Shortly after showering, Dana got dressed in some lawyerly clothes that she’d brought for her weekend stay. Dexter got dressed in the same clothes he’d worn last night. He said, “We can save a lot of money if we keep using one toothbrush like that.”
“I told you I had another toothbrush in my overnight bag.”
“Yeah, but you said it after I started brushing with yours.”
She laughed. “Where are we having lunch?”
“You decide. I’m going down the hall to change.”
“Down the hall?”
“I have another room here in Que’s name.”
“When did that happen?” she said.
“Last night. That’s why I was a few minutes late.”
“Hey, why didn’t you bring me anything back from Italy?”
“Because airlines charge for extra luggage. I couldn’t afford it. Besides, I had a woman named Stephani Cerruti shop for you. You’ll have about $60,000 worth of Italian clothes and shoes arriving in the mail soon, and $8,000 worth of undergarments and bedroom clothes. Danielle will receive about $12,000 worth of shoes and clothes.”
“And just how does Stephani know our sizes?”
“I gave them to her. She’s a former model, thirty years old, and knows what’s in style. She lives in Italy but is from New York.”
“Two things: How did you know our sizes, and what’s your relationship with Stephani?”
“Danielle gave me your sizes. Besides, your body can’t be more than a half inch off from Janet’s. Both of you are built the same, height and all.”
“I don’t want to hear about Janet. When did you talk to Danielle?”
He said, “None of your business. We talk. We’re friends. I’ve called her at school twice and asked how she was doing.” Dana sat on the bed while he slipped on his shoes.
“Back to Stephani. She’s my fashion consultant. You’ll meet her Tuesday, along with several other workers of mine.”
Dana’s phone rang, and she picked it up from the nightstand. “Hello?”
“May I speak with Mrs. Dana Searing?”
“Speaking.”
“Mrs. Searing, this is Lorraine Tyler, publicist for Mr. Dexter Parker. Could you have him call me as soon as possible? I’d like to set up some media training for him, but the contact information he gave me isn’t useful.”
“I’ll do that as soon as he gets in touch with me,” Dana said. When she ended the call, she gave Dexter the message. Dexter was thinking about something.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.” He shook it off his mind.
She got up from the bed and hugged him. “Tell me.”
“I’ll be in jail soon, just like everyone else in this case. My bond will be very high, and the one person whom I was counting on to pay it, a well-known author with legitimate, unquestionable income, hates me right now.”
“Your professor, Dr. Mackie?”
“Yes.” He hugged Dana now.
“You’ve set up legitimate companies. Couldn’t one of them bail you out?”
“The Feds will investigate anybody or any company that touches my case. That’s why I didn’t want you and Janet to deposit the money I paid you, no records of large cash amounts.”
She said, “What about Sakan, the Nigerian bank president? He didn’t invest in the Herbyte, so it wouldn’t look bad if he paid the bail for you.”
“The Feds are already looking at his relationship to an executive at a Cayman bank.”
“So what do we do? You’ll need to be out on bail to finish everything up.”
“I’ll think of something.”
“So will I.” She squeezed him tighter.
CHAPTER 59
Laura arrived at Orin Baker’s house in North Philadelphia just as he was about to get in the driver’s seat of his Corvette. Orin watched the Dodge Magnum as it came to a stop, blocking his car in the driveway.
Laura got out and walked up the driveway. She wore plain clothes and an unzipped jacket. Underneath the jacket, part of her gun and holster was visible. She stopped a few feet from the black man and produced her credentials. “Mr. Orin Baker? I’m Agent Laura Frey, FBI. You mind if I ask you a few questions?”
“Woman, it’s Saturday. You picked the wrong day, month, and year.”
“I’d like to talk to you about your employment as Dexter Parker at a McDonald’s last year.”
“What?” He laughed. “I work at a steel company; I ain’t no McWorker.”
“You think if I use sworn statements from your former boss, Reginald Macon, and your former co-worker, Melissa Caveny, I could have you charged with ID fraud?”
He was about to respond but she cut him off.
“The IRS will pursue tax fraud, and I’ll have to count up all the checks you cashed in Dexter’s name. Check cashing fraud might be a State matter, though. None of these are hardcore felonies, but I just want to disrupt your life for maybe six, seven years.”
“What the fuck do you want from me?”
“I want the real Dexter Parker, and I want you to give me what I need to prove he’s trying to frame himself as a victim of identity fraud.”
He said, “What makes you think I know a Dexter Parker?”
“Mr. Baker, you put Special Agent Phillip Walters’ name on your job application. You wouldn’t be smart enough to know that that agent would be on the case. That was Dexter’s idea, his way of letting us know that he’s ten steps ahead of us.”
Orin said, “So how do I get you off my ass?”
“Can we go inside and talk?”
“Inside my house? Not even if it was raining pig piss out here.”
“Okay, let’s take a ride in my car,” she said.
“No good. We can ride around in my car.”
“Fine.” She used a key fob to lock her doors. “Let’s go.”
“Hold up. Anything I tell you is off the record, so I gotta check you for wires and recorders.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Well, your ass won’t be getting in my car. Get me a lawyer and a jury for those weak-ass charges.”
Laura pursed her lips, almost frowned, and said, “All right. Check me but get it over with quickly.”
Orin walked around her as she removed her Glock handgun and held it in her right hand and away from him. Laura knew she was ignoring polic
y and risking her job, but the risk could be worth more than the prize.
Orin frisked her upper body, even following the contours of her bra.”
“Watch it, Mr. Baker.”
“Fuck you mean? You could hide a wire anywhere.” He checked her pockets and retrieved a digital voice recorder.
“I’ll need that back when our little ride is over.”
He kept searching but found nothing else important. He said, “Get in. Let’s ride.”
CHAPTER 60
Laura sat in the passenger’s seat of the Corvette, her gun resting in its holster again. She said, “Just keep circling the block until you’re all talked out.”
Orin Baker said, “Woman, I’m not riding around in a fuckin circle. I’m going to pick up something to eat at McDonald’s, and not the one I used to work at. On the way back, I’m taking the scenic route. I got a lot to tell you.”
“So, you did work at the McDonald’s owned by Macon.”
He smiled then showed teeth. “You and your partner, Phillip, are slow as mud. First, let me get you to understand something. Those charges you threatened me with back there wouldn’t stand a chance in court. I want to talk to you. Hell, I was paid to talk to one of you. I’ve been paid a hundred stacks for being a McWorker for only ten months. Tax-free. I get another hundred stacks for having this conversation with you. That’s $200,000 for about a year worth of work. Easy work.”
Laura stared at him, knowing he was telling the truth. Dexter had struck again.
“Look, every lead you guys get belongs to Dexter Parker. He’s giving you whatever you’ll take. And you’re so desperate, you’ll take leads like this. Think about it: You tracked me down because of a fat white broad and a Corvette.”
“Does Dexter really believe he’s controlling our investigation?”
“Laura,” he said, as if he’d known her for years, “Melissa Caveny led you to me, right? Some bullshit about my car breaking down and her giving me a ride to Fiona’s place. That’s Dexter’s idea. The next time you talk to Melissa, she’s going to deny she ever told you anything. Yep, she got a hundred stacks, too. She’ll get another hundred when she goes into denial with you.” He smiled again.
