Murder at the Con: a novella

by Riley Adair Garret

  Landry’s voice dropped an octave. “Let’s start with a dance and see where that takes us.” She held out her hand.

  Quinn took her hand but slid past her and led her onto the dance floor. She pulled Landry’s arm up and over her head, twirling her in a circle before gathering her in her arms.

  Landry found, to her utter shock, that she did not mind Quinn taking control. She slipped easily into her arms as they swayed to the song. The light musky scent of Quinn’s perfume went straight to her libido. She pulled Quinn closer, loving the feel of her soft, yet firm body against hers. She ran a hand up Quinn’s arm and cupped the back of her neck, the silky strands of hair slipping easily through her fingers. Quinn’s other arm shifted against her back and Landry felt a hand slide down her hip and over her ass. Every ounce of blood raced to her groin and she sucked in a quick breath. Jesus! She’d never been this turned on by a simple dance. She knew what she would have done if she had any other woman in her arms, but right here, right now, she was not sure of anything.

  Quinn pulled her closer and whispered in her ear. “This is the last song, you know.”

  Landry leaned back slightly to read Quinn’s eyes. “Meaning?”

  “Meaning, we could take this business meeting elsewhere.”

  Landry’s breath caught, and a rush zipped down her spine. “Uh, yes. I mean, we do need to finish our business discussion don’t we?”

  Quinn smiled and took her hand. “Let’s get out of here.” She let go of Landry’s hand when they entered the hall. “I don’t want to compromise your reputation.”

  Landry laughed. “Too late.”

  “It’s never too late.” Quinn pushed the elevator button. “What floor?” she asked when the doors opened.

  “Sixth.”

  They rode to the sixth floor in silence. Although Quinn seemed quite relaxed, Landry hoped her tension wasn’t noticeable. When the doors opened on her floor Quinn followed Landry to her room. After Landry opened the door, Quinn followed her inside and made sure the security lock was in place.

  “You seem uncomfortable,” Quinn said. “Are you okay with this?”

  Landry sauntered over and put her hands around Quinn’s waist. “To be truthful…I’m a bit nervous.”

  Quinn’s voice dropped into a deep, sexy timbre. “You have done this before,” she teased.

  Landry chuckled. “Oh, yeah, but never with someone who…”

  “Who what?”

  Landry pushed back enough to look into Quinn’s eyes. “I feel there’s some kind of connection between us. I mean…” She shook her head. “I don’t know what I mean.”

  “Wow,” Quinn whispered. “I didn’t want to say anything, but I felt the same way from the moment I saw you in the lobby.”

  “From the moment you looked right through me.” Landry pulled her closer. Their lips met in a soft kiss. Then another. Landry’s pulse pounded as their tongues dueled. At any other time she would have had Quinn’s shirt off and be working on the zipper to her pants, but Quinn’s kiss was something she wanted to savor. Her lips were full and soft, and Landry couldn’t seem to get enough of them. The next time she came up for air she was shocked to find her shirt open and her bra dangling free. When had Quinn accomplished that? She shrugged them both off and dropped them to the floor.

  “You’re beautiful,” Quinn whispered. She cupped Landry’s jaw and kissed her again.

  The urge to take control and undress Quinn was there, pushing at Landry’s consciousness, but there didn’t seem to be the urgency she normally felt at this stage. She bowed her back when Quinn’s hand brushed against her breast, and sucked in a breath when Quinn’s fingers captured a nipple. She moaned against Quinn’s lips. The link between her nipples and her clit seemed to be a straight line and her hips jerked as Quinn played with her.

  Quinn flicked the button open on Landry’s pants and slid the zipper down just as quickly. “Can you kick out of your shoes?”

  The deep timbre of Quinn’s voice sent a shiver down her spine and Landry had her shoes off before she finished asking. She reached for the waistband of her jeans only to be stopped by Quinn’s hands. “Let me.” Quinn pushed her jeans a few inches down and stopped. She put her hands back on Landry’s breasts, tweaking her nipples.

  Jesus! Hurry! Landry wanted to cry it out loud but endured the glorious torture. Her hips began moving of their own accord, seeking the satisfaction that was being withheld. She gripped Quinn’s hips, afraid she’d fall down. Quinn pushed her pants down another few inches, taking her underwear along as well. Her thatch was just beginning to show and Landry prayed she wouldn’t stop, but she did.

  Quinn fingered the short hair, barely touching her. “Nice,” she whispered.

  She lowered her pants until they were at knee level. “Spread your legs and keep these pants right where they are.” She looked into Landry’s eyes. “Okay?”

  Landry nodded and shifted her feet until the jeans were tight around her knees. Her breathing was a series of quick gasps, her body quivering in anticipation as she waited. She had a strangle hold on Quinn’s hips now. She would fall down, she was sure of it.

  Quinn returned to her breasts and Landry groaned. Hurry! Throwing her head back, arms stiff and legs wide, she looked to be offering everything she had to Quinn.

  “You are perfect.” Quinn covered a breast with her mouth and gripped Landry’s ass. When her teeth closed around a nipple Landry cried out. Quinn held her with one arm around her back, and with her mouth still at her breast she trailed the other hand down her flat stomach and through the warm wet tangle of hair to her center.

  Landry’s stomach quivered and her hips jerked so hard at the first touch between her legs she nearly drove Quinn’s fingers into her. She wanted Quinn to have her, to take her, to do anything she wanted to her. “I’m going to come if you touch me,” she warned in a rasp.

  “No, you’re not. Keep your legs apart.” Quinn’s fingers slid easily through her wetness, back and forth. “So wet,” she murmured. She teased around Landry’s clit, massaging her outer lips slowly. “May I go inside?”

  “God, yes!” The words were barely out of Landry’s mouth before she was filled. Unable to breathe for a second she desperately gulped for a breath and began moving on Quinn’s hand, rocking faster and faster, and within half a minute Landry was jerking and shuddering as her orgasm overtook her.

  When she was limp and clinging to Quinn with boneless lassitude, Quinn picked her up and laid her on the bed. While she recovered, Quinn took her time undressing, letting Landry watch each piece of clothing fall to the floor until she stood stark naked in front of her. Landry reached for her and Quinn climbed on the bed to straddle her hips. She held herself up, giving Landry room to touch her. When they were both breathing heavily again Quinn repositioned herself between Landry’s legs.

  “No, let me,” Landry protested.

  “I’m not done with you,” Quinn murmured. “I need to taste you.” She spread Landry open and ran a flat tongue along her length. “Just like that.” She licked with a flat tongue, probed inside with a pointed tongue, and finally settled over Landry’s clit to suck her.

  Landry shattered into a million pieces. When she finally recovered, she drew in a deep breath and flipped them, claiming the top position. She was used to wild, urgent sex, and she enjoyed it. However, this connection she felt with Quinn was more than that. It was spiritual. She wanted to slow things down, live in the moment, and revel in it. It was time to take control.

  “Let’s slow things down, tiger,” Landry said, kissing her gently again and again.

  Quinn groaned beneath her. “Any way you want,” she said, but pulled Landry closer and kissed her deeply.

  Landry pulled away. “Now, now…I’m setting the pace this time.”

  Quinn let out a small whine.

  Landry nipped Quinn’s jaw bone lightly, trailing her lips up her cheek and catching her cheekbone with her bottom teeth. “You have a beautiful face.” Sh
e found Quinn’s ear with her mouth and traced the soft flesh with her tongue. Quinn trembled beneath her. Realizing it was one of Quinn’s erogenous zones she made the most of it, sucking her lobe and inserting her hot, wet tongue into her ear making Quinn crazy. Moving her lips to Quinn’s neck she sucked gently while skimming her hand over Quinn’s breast, whimpering at its softness. She was so fucking hot! Landry wasn’t sure she could take it slow. She lifted herself staring at Quinn’s white naked breasts before she covered one with her mouth, savoring its suppleness between her lips, tracing her taut nipple with her tongue, squeezing it gently with her hand. A rush of complete satisfaction enveloped her as she watched a flush of pink rise from Quinn’s chest to her cheeks.

  Rolling them onto their sides, she slid her hands over Quinn’s firm back. Squeezing their bodies tighter and cupping Quinn’s ass, Landry slid hot flesh against hot flesh. Their breathing was ragged. Her clit throbbed painfully. This woman was hot, but she was way more than that. She kissed Quinn several more times each one becoming more urgent. Revisiting Quinn’s breasts she licked each with her tongue then kissed her smooth abs down to her navel. Landry stopped a moment to appreciate this beautiful, intelligent, strong woman, who lay naked before her.

  As Landry explored her belly button, licking and sucking, Quinn tried pushing her head down between her legs. Landry gave way. Moving down, she covered Quinn with her hot mouth and probed her with her tongue. She sucked and licked relentlessly. When she felt Quinn wrap her legs around her back and raise her center to match the strokes of her tongue, she plunged her thumb into her.

  “Oh God, oh God, I’m going to scream.” Quinn rocked her head back and forth on the bed mumbling incoherently. She gripped Landry’s arms so tight Landry felt finger nails piercing her skin. As she felt Quinn tighten around her thumb she pumped harder while tonguing her clit rhythmically, until Quinn screamed out in release.

  “Holy fuck,” Quinn mumbled a few minutes later as she lay breathless wrapped up in Landry’s arms. “Wow,” she whispered.

  “Yeah,” Landry agreed, with a light laugh. “Me, too.”

  Quinn stroked her hand lazily up and down Landry’s stomach. “We fit pretty well together.”

  “We do, Detective Quinn. We certainly do.”

  Quinn laughed. “I think maybe you should start calling me by my first name.”

  “What is it?”

  “Ellery.”

  “You’re kidding, right? Ellery Quinn?”

  “Shut up. I’ve heard it all before.” Quinn laughed.

  Landry hugged her. “I wouldn’t dream of making fun of your name Ms. Ellery Queen.”

  “Liar.” Quinn pinched her on the side and Landry yelped a laugh.

  They lay in silence for a while until Landry’s curiosity got the best of her. “So, Detective Ellery Quinn, do you have any suspects?”

  Quinn sighed. “There are so many people and so few clues. Everyone claims to have loved Eileen.”

  “Everybody? I think you must be missing something.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “It seems to me that Genny and Sharon had a bone to pick with her.”

  “I heard about an argument at one of the panels, is there something else I should know?”

  “The four of us were in the elevator when the two of them accused Eileen of sleeping with someone to get that job at The Sapphic Muse. I had to step in on both occasions.”

  “Hmm…so there was an argument about her job at The Sapphic Muse, and an argument about her review.”

  Landry could tell Ellery was contemplating the new information and what effect it had on the investigation. After they lay quietly for a few moments Landry spoke again. “What was it about Hemlock that you wanted to ask me earlier tonight?”

  “I wanted to know anything you can tell me.”

  “Okay…well…” Landry sat up and began reciting everything as if she were giving a fifth grade book report. “Believe it or not, Hemlock grows everywhere and it grows rampant. It was brought over to the United States from Europe for decorative purposes. It’s an attractive flower that looks like Queen Anne’s lace, but it is also easily mistaken for carrot root, anise, and fennel. It’s been known to spread to gardens and has been unsuspectingly cooked and ingested causing death. Every part of the plant is poisonous to people and animals. It’s most toxic in the spring, and eaten raw, not so poisonous if cooked or boiled. Even if it’s been pulled out of the ground it remains toxic for up to three years.” She gave Quinn a small squeeze and kissed her on the forehead. “Anything else you would like to know?”

  “Wow, you know a lot about it. Are you sure you didn’t do it?”

  They both laughed.

  “No. I actually liked Eileen. She really was a sweet person. Her murder makes no sense.”

  “So, how would you poison someone with it?”

  “Normally, people get poisoned by eating it, but it can also be toxic when handled…” Landry lost her focus when she felt Quinn nibbling on her ear. “Ahhh, that’s making me horny again.”

  “I know. I just thought I would return the favor.”

  Quinn slid on top of Landry and kissed her. “You realize I should leave?”

  “Stay. You can leave early in the morning, instead.” Landry held her tight so she couldn’t get up.

  “Now that’s an offer I can’t refuse.”

  Chapter Seven

  Saturday

  Early the next morning Quinn was in the office reviewing Eileen’s financials. It was hard to keep her mind on work. The image of Landry lying in bed when she left kept flashing through her mind. She seemed so contented, warm, and vulnerable. Quinn shook her head and refocused. There seemed nothing out of the ordinary regarding Eileen’s finances. No extraordinarily large deposits, nothing that couldn’t be traced back to her employment, and there were definitely no deposits from Equality Books.

  However, her call to The Sapphic Muse turned up some interesting information. Apparently, two other candidates for the position were also attending the conference, Sharon Sumptner and Sally Sandow, providing another motive for both of them. Time to do more interviews, but before Quinn could leave, her captain sauntered over.

  “Hey, Quinn, taking the morning off from guarding the island of Lesbos?”

  The phrase kiss my ass jumped to her lips but she refrained from putting it into words. “Taking care of paper work. You know, the crap you love so much?”

  “I’d love it more if I could write you up for insubordination again…and you’re getting close.”

  Quinn ignored his comment. “Things are moving along nicely, sir. I’m heading back to the island right now.”

  “Good. Keep me posted.”

  “Yes, sir.” Quinn turned and headed for the exit. Asshole!

  Once at the hotel, Quinn sat in her car for a moment. She glanced over at her overnight bag, packed in hopes she might be staying with Landry again. She hadn’t been looking for a relationship…but they say they pop up when you least expect it, and Landry was far more than she could have ever expected. She tried hiding her grin as she disembarked and headed for the Mahogany room.

  Genny greeted her from behind the registration table. “Good Morning, Officer Quinn.”

  “Good Morning, Genny.” Quinn knew from the conversation yesterday that she was either Genny or Sharon, so she took a stab. “It is Genny, right?” she asked as she looked for her name badge.

  “Yes.”

  So, Genny is the one with the long dark hair. That means Sharon has the mole. “I’m glad we ran into each other, Genny. You just happen to be next on my interview list.”

  “Perfect timing, then. I’m done here.” She looked over Quinn’s shoulder at Bambi, her replacement.

  Quinn followed her gaze. “Hi, Bambi. You looked like you had a great time at karaoke last night.”

  Bambi flushed. “Looks like you had a good time yourself.” She winked.

  Quinn cleared her throat. “Genny, if you would plea
se meet me at the interview table ASAP, I would appreciate it.”

  Genny nodded. “I’m ready. Lead the way.”

  As they settled at the table, Quinn pulled out her pad and started a new page. “Where were you when Eileen was killed?”

  She thought for a moment. “Sharon and I were both in line at the buffet.”

  “Are you two together?”

  “Together?”

  “Partners?”

  “Oh, no.” She blushed. “We’re just good friends. We’re rooming together.”

  “Did you hear or see anything out of the ordinary?”

  “Like what? Everything seemed fine until I heard someone yell ‘Call 911’ then I looked over and saw Eileen on the floor.”

  “Did you walk by her table on the way to the buffet?”

  “We really had no choice. You had to the way the room was set up. That was really the only path.”

  “Was she at the table when you walked by?”

  “I can’t remember.” She thought for a moment. “She may have been. I think she was.”

  “Do you remember if they were serving Mango juice that morning?”

  “Is that the thick orange stuff?”

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” Quinn wrote in her notebook. “How did Sharon react when Eileen was hired for the reviewer position instead of her?” She watched Genny for a reaction.

  “Oh, she was really mad at first, but she’s okay with it now.”

  “How mad was she?”

  “Well, I was actually there when she received the email. We were supposed to watch a movie, but she was so angry she threw the DVD across the room and it cracked.”

  “She has a really bad temper then?”

  “Yeah, she flies off the handle from time to time, but she gets over it quickly.”

  Quinn looked at her for a long moment. “So…you think she’s over it?”

  “Oh, sure.”

  “I heard there was an exchange in the elevator.”

  “Oh, sometimes Sharon just can’t help herself. It was just a snarky comment. She really didn’t mean anything by it.”

  Quinn nodded. “Okay, thank you for your help, Genny. I may have to speak to you again.” She watched as Genny walked away. Dragging out her list, she looked up Sally’s number and punched it into her phone.