by ANDREA SMITH
“Well, no. Actually he called while you were in the shower last evening, Lindsey. I didn’t see you before you left, but he had to fly to Charlotte on a late flight. Apparently there’s some trouble with the construction in Charlotte.”
“How long is he going to be there?”
“He said it might take up to a week or more to get it straightened out with the county inspection people.”
“Hmm,” she said, digging into her pancakes. I got the distinct impression that she wasn’t buying it either. It was uncanny how perceptive Lindsey was, even about the father she loved dearly. It made me wish I’d possessed the same gift at that age. Things might’ve been a whole lot different now.
She finished up her breakfast and got ready for work. She wished me a “Happy Birthday” again before she left, letting me know she would be home by six.
I’d just finished cleaning up after breakfast when my cell phone rang. The caller identification came across as “G-Man”?
“Hello?”
“Hey baby,” the soft, sexy voice said.
“Slate?”
“Who the fuck else would be calling you that?”
“Did you program your number into my cell phone?”
“Uhh, yeah. Is that a problem?”
“No,” I said with a laugh. “I just don’t remember you having access to it.”
“Baby, I can get access to about anything I want. Don’t you know that by now?”
I rolled my eyes, laughing at his cockiness.
“Hey,” I said, “thank you for the earrings. I found them this morning. I love them.”
“You’re welcome, babe. I thought they’d look great on you. Listen, this call is about business. The Intel that we received this morning confirmed the fact that Jack wasn’t on any flight to Charlotte. He was, however, booked on a flight from Indianapolis to Dallas, then a connection from Dallas to El Paso.”
“El Paso?”
“Yeah, it’s a border town. Most likely, he’s crossed over into Mexico.”
“I don’t understand. Jack has a passport. Why wouldn’t he simply fly into a city in Mexico?”
“Because babe, he’s there illegally and doesn’t want a record of it. He’s a fugitive from justice. There are outstanding warrants for him in the U.S. He got wind of it and booked. I need for you to meet me and Donovan at your bank. We need to check your accounts and, with your permission, it will be much quicker than getting a subpoena. Bring your identification and meet us there in thirty, got it?”
“Yeah, okay, Slate. See you then.”
Donovan and Slate were already there when I got to the bank. I knew Slate must have thought it strange that I couldn’t access my balances from the home computer. But there were two problems with that: Jack had taken the home computer out of the home, plus he’d changed passwords on the savings and checking accounts. I’d basically been using my debit card with no consideration given as to whether the charges would clear. They always did. Jack hadn’t wanted me poking around in our finances since my last run-in with him. I hadn’t pressed the issue for obvious reasons.
We immediately got with the branch manager and sat down to go over the balances in the joint accounts. Jack had cleaned the savings out, leaving a token $500 balance in it out of good faith. I would have had to sign something had he fully closed it out. Our checking account had a total of $5000 left in it.
Fucking rat bastard.
The branch manager printed out the detail on transactions for the past month when the majority of the withdrawals had been systematically processed. As near as I could tell at a glance, Jack had cleared out nearly a half-million dollars. We were broke. Correction: I was broke.
I was reeling as the reality of my situation sunk in. I was stunned, numb with the realization that Jack didn’t give a rat’s ass about Lindsey either. It was one thing for him to have no concern about me, but how could he have done this to his daughter?
“Hey, you okay babe?”
“Not really, Slate. I have to think about what I’m going to do. I need to let my parents in on this. My father is still the Chairman of the Board for Banion Pharmaceuticals. I have a responsibility to let him know that Jack has fled.”
I looked at Slate. He was without expression. I couldn’t understand how he managed that - it must be his gift.
“So then, you’re not going to tell me that I’m blowing anyone’s cover or compromising your investigation?”
He shook his head. “You do what you need to do, Sammie. We have operatives on the inside who have been cooperating. Your father may be aware of that, at this point. I agree that you need to let them know because financially, you need some help going forward.”
I was a bit taken aback by Slate’s attitude. I wasn’t running to Mommy and Daddy for financial support. I needed to let them know at least what I knew.
“Fine,” I said, turning from him and Donovan. “Keep me informed if any of your ‘operatives’ locate my rat bastard husband.”
I phoned my mother as soon as I got home. She wished me a happy birthday and mentioned going out to dinner. I asked if she and Daddy could have dinner here with Lindsey and me. There were things to discuss. She was a bit puzzled, but not enough to question me further. She said that they would be over around seven, which meant six-thirty.
When Lindsey came through the door at four-thirty, I knew that something was up. Our talk was going to begin immediately. I could see that she’d been crying. Her sadness had somehow morphed into anger at some point. Her anger was directed at me.
“How could you not tell me that something was going on with Daddy? I thought you and I had a better relationship than that, Mom,” she sputtered, her tears spilling down her cheeks.
“Oh Lindsey, sweetie,” I started, going to her and putting my arms around her. “I honestly didn’t know anything other than the fact that your father’s cell phone had been disconnected when you left for work this morning, I swear.”
“But Mom,” she wailed, “that’s something isn’t it? I mean that tells us that there’s something wrong somewhere, doesn’t it? I had to go into Banion and spend the better part of the afternoon being questioned by people I don’t even know.”
“Who questioned you?”
“Some detectives and special agents. I felt like I was under suspicion for something by the mere fact that I’m his daughter. What’s going on, Mom?”
I pulled Lindsey down to sit next to me on the sofa. I held her hands in mine.
“Listen to me,” I started calmly, “I’m not sure exactly what’s involved in all of this and that’s the truth. I was contacted by a couple of federal agents today as well. I was asked to allow them to check into our personal financial situation. Otherwise, they would have subpoenaed the information. According to the bank records, your father emptied our joint checking and savings accounts of about a half million dollars.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “A half million - I never realized Daddy made that kind of money.”
“He doesn’t,” I replied. “That’s why these agents are investigating the money trail to see where it originated. Honey, I first discovered something funny was going on in the savings account a few months back. Once your father realized that I’d accessed it, he changed the password on both accounts so that I had no access to the balances.”
“Why, Mom? Why would Daddy do that?”
“Sweetie,” I replied, “The authorities are pretty sure that your father has been conducting some illegal activities. The investigation’s still underway.”
She was sobbing now. All I could do was hold and comfort her.
“It makes sense now. There were all kinds of people in today. They were going over input and output records, taking inventory, checking disposal and scrap records. It was pure chaos at work. I can’t go back there, Mom. I feel ashamed because of Daddy. There’s someone else who didn’t show up today at Banion.”
“I’m going to g
uess it was Susan.”
“Yep,” she confirmed. “I bet she’s with Daddy.”
“I know, baby. I know.”
“What will Granddaddy say when he finds out?”
“I’m not sure, Lindsey. I’ve a feeling we’ll soon find out. They’re coming over here for dinner this evening.”
chapter 45
The visit with my parents had gone better than expected. I’d put together a quick dinner of broiled salmon and salads. No one was very hungry after the conversation got underway.
As it turned out, my father had been apprised of the suspicions a couple of months ago. He said the most difficult thing for him was maintaining a normal attitude and demeanor around Jack. That’s why they’d traveled so much during the spring.
When I informed my parents about Jack cleaning out our savings and checking, he’d wanted to rip his head off.
He explained to Lindsey and me that the Director of Security at Banion had been contacted by a federal task force unit once a connection had been made between the Outlaws Motorcycle Club and the distribution of unstamped pain tablets thought to have been produced at Banion.
My father knew of the outstanding warrants for Jack. He was also aware of the involvement of two chemists at Banion who were arrested today without incident. They were being questioned by federal agents and, hopefully, would provide more information in exchange for a plea deal.
Lindsey had become more upset as the realization settled in as to her father’s involvement and initiation of these criminal activities. My mother finally convinced her to come and spend a few days with them at their condo. She’d worried that I’d need her here. I told her I’d be fine, instructing her to relax and let Grandma spoil her.
My father insisted on having a locksmith change the locks on the doors. He had one come out immediately. He also arranged for a security system to be installed the following day. He was going to come out of retirement to run the operations at Banion until such time as the investigation was concluded and Jack’s position was filled.
“You know, Samantha,” he said, “You’re a major shareholder at Banion. If you have any financial concerns, you can always sell some of your shares back to me.”
“Thanks, Dad, I’ll keep that in mind. I need to get a handle on the finances. Jack has all of that information on his computer that he took. It’ll be like starting from scratch.”
“Nonsense,” he replied. “I’ll make any of the accountants at Banion available to sort this out for you. Just get copies of your bank statements and order a credit report. It won’t take long to figure out your debt to resource ratio.”
As they prepared to leave, my mother reached into her purse and pulled out a birthday card and handed it to me.
“I guess this hasn’t been the best of birthdays for you, has it Samantha?”
“Oh, I guess I’ve had better, Mom. Thank you,” I said, giving her a big hug and kiss.
“Where’s mine?”
“Thanks, Daddy.” He pulled me close to him in a firm hug.
“I’m so sorry, baby girl,” he whispered gruffly to me. “I made a terrible mistake. I’m so sorry.”
I felt tears well up immediately. That was so not my father to admit he’d ever made a mistake, much less apologize for one.
“I love you,” I said sniffling.
After they left, I turned the outside lights off. Better start conserving wherever possible, I thought. The money Jack left wouldn’t go far. At least Lindsey’s tuition had been paid for the first semester in the fall.
I opened the birthday card from my parents. A check floated out onto the floor. I picked it up and felt my eyes widen. They’d given me a check for twenty-five thousand dollars for my birthday.
I showered and climbed into my bed, exhausted from the day. I heard some rustling outside as the drapes billowed out from the terrace door. The room was dimly lit from the light filtering in from the lamp I’d left on in the family room.
My eyes immediately went to where the noise originated. There he was, dressed in his black garb.
My Slate.
We said nothing to one another. He undressed quickly and quietly, climbing into bed beside me. He removed my clothes even faster so that we had skin touching skin.
His lips were on my mouth; his tongue playfully dancing with mine. I fisted my hands in his thick hair, pulling his face closer to me; framing it with my fingers. His tongue traced a path down the column of my neck, finding my breasts and gently circling the nipples.
His hand moved between my legs; his fingers exploring the folds of my sex. He inserted a finger inside of me, gently pressing and tapping the magic spot that seemed to be made of nothing but nerve endings. I moaned with pleasure, my body moving against his.
Slate lifted me up, sliding underneath me so that I was now positioned on top of him. His hands braced on each of my hips, raising me up so that he could position me just above his erection.
I felt myself being lowered gently down upon him. I sucked in my breath as I felt the pleasurable fullness of Slate inside of me.
“Umm,” he moaned, as he started his rhythmic movements underneath me; raising me up and down with his hands at the speed and tempo he wanted.
I leaned forward a bit so that my breasts were brushing against his chest. My hands gripped his shoulders as the heat of our lovemaking increased.
He raised me up and down, up and down. My hips gyrated in a circular motion making sure the head of his beautiful cock was hitting my magic spot over and over again. My whimpers of pleasure were getting louder. His breathing was coming faster as he moaned my name.
“God, baby…”
We were there now; together our pleasure peaked as we spiraled into mutual orgasms that rocked our bodies as one. We came over and over again. I felt myself pulsate around him. He continued to groan in pleasure.
I collapsed against him, kissing his damp face and neck, his chin, his eyelids.
“I love you, Slate,” I whispered in his ear as I kissed him there, too.
“I know, baby,” he said. “I know.”
chapter 46
I was surprised when I awoke the following morning to find Slate sleeping next to me, his arm thrown across me like it was the most natural thing in the world for us.
In truth, it was the first time Slate and I’d ever actually slept together, other than the nap we had taken the day ‘Grant’ had been conceived.
I’d decided the name ‘Dalton ‘didn’t go that well with ‘Slater.’ Of course, I was presuming that Slate would want the baby to carry his last name, but we hadn’t actually discussed it. Grant Slater definitely sounder better than Dalton Slater.
I lifted Slate’s arm off of my belly so that I could scoot out from underneath it to go pee. He immediately woke up. I felt him haul me back as I tried to exit the bed.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Well, I kind of needed to relieve myself, if it’s all the same to you.”
“I don’t think so, baby. You know having a full bladder makes a woman’s orgasm about fifty times stronger?”
“Really?”
“Would I lie?”
“Prove it.”
Since we had fallen asleep naked, no time was wasted having to disrobe again. We each popped a mint into our mouth from the supply I kept on the nightstand and commenced devouring each other once again. Twenty minutes later, covered in sweat and winding down from the best freaking, mind-blowing orgasm in the history of womankind, I knew that Slate had made a believer out of me.
“Wow,” I said, still panting as I rolled over onto my back. I laid my wrist across my forehead as my heart rate slowly returned to normal.
“Didn’t I tell you?” he said with a cocky grin, his head perched up on an elbow staring down at me.
“You were so right,” I said, smiling up at him.
“Damn, I hope you didn’t wake Lindsey. You m
ade quite a racket with those lungs this morning.”
“Braggart,” I teased. “Actually, she’s staying with my parents for a few days. Everything with Jack has left her emotions raw. She’s had to face some cruel facts. It’s been hard on her.”
“How about you?”
“I didn’t have the emotional investment in him that Lindsey did. I knew what he was.”
“Did you ever love him?”
“I thought I did,” I replied, with a shrug. “I didn’t really know what love was, I guess.”
“And now?” he asked, watching me intently.
“And now I know what it is, Slate. I meant what I said last night. I love you. I understand if you don’t feel the same way about me. Does that have to affect the way I feel about you, though?”
He gave me a scowl as he raked his hands through his just ‘thoroughly-fucked’ hair.
“Christ, Sammie,” he said, “I mean, what the fuck? I know that you love me. You think I can’t tell by the way you treat me? You’re having my baby, for the love of Christ. Can’t you tell that this makes me so fucking happy?”
I nodded. “So, what’s your point?”
“What’s my point of what?”
“What’s the point that you’re attempting, but failing, to make, Slate?”
“I just think that you must know how I feel by the way that I treat you, alright?”
Where the hell is he coming from with this?
“Actually, I don’t.”
“You don’t what?”
“I don’t know how you feel about me.”
“Oh, Christ,” he said, totally uncomfortable with the conversation. “I think it’s pretty obvious, Samantha. Use your head.”
With that, he propelled himself off of the bed and swaggered into my bathroom to relieve himself. I managed to make it to the guest bathroom on the main floor without having pee running down my leg.
Thankfully, one of Jack’s tee shirts was hanging on the hook in there. I pulled it on over my head so I didn’t have to parade naked in front of Slate. I was starting to feel a tad self-conscious about my blooming belly.
