He shook his head no, and then leaned over and kissed her good night. This time his tongue traced the soft fullness of her lips and explored the recesses of her mouth. He broke the kiss and moved his mouth along her jawline, to her neck, and down to her shoulder. Unable to resist, he cupped her breasts, stroking them.
The suit he had on wasn’t helping his situation at all. His erection was pulsating inside his pants and making it painful to move. He barely knew this woman and he wanted her badly.
“I’d love to come in, but I don’t think I’d be able to leave,” he said hoarsely.
“Why?”
“Because I want you so badly.” Hell, he didn’t know if he could even hold his erection long enough for her to be ready to take it, not to mention he didn’t have any condoms with him. It had been years since he felt anything this passionate, and a couple of years since he’d had sex.
* * * *
Char knew that men loved her breasts, but most of the time she didn’t feel a thing when men touched her or fondled her. But this was different. Her breasts surged at the intimacy of Vincent’s touch. She wanted more from him, and she brought her hand up gently to his chest and his neck and pulled him closer to her.
Suddenly, a door slammed and she heard people talking. They were going down the hallway to the door that led to the parking lot.
Vincent jerked up at the noise and then looked down at Char and gave her a thin smile. “I should be going. I’ve got to get up at three tomorrow morning to go to work. Thanks again for a great evening.”
“Sure. Thank you for taking me. It’s not every day I get to meet a star.” She smiled at him, trying to hide her disappointment. She was so drugged by his kisses she couldn’t think fast enough to figure out something to do that would bring them together again. She so wanted to see him again.
She turned and put the key in her door and walked in and closed it. She leaned against the door, her heart fluttering.
Chapter 6
Char arrived at her office Monday morning about 10:00. She put on her reading glasses and started to put together what she called “the buyer’s packet” for Mr. Shafer. Half an hour later, the receptionist called her, saying that her scheduled appointment was there.
She walked up to the counter. “Hello, Mr. Shafer. Come on back.” Char smiled at him as she opened the gate.
“Good morning, Ms. Johnson,” he said as he followed Char back to her cubicle.
“Have a seat. I just need a moment and then we can leave.”
“Okay.”
Mike came into the office and walked by Char as he made his way to his cubicle. She glanced up at him as he walked by.
“I wonder, Ms. Johnson, do you always approach people who are looking at real estate for sale in magazines?” Mr. Shafer asked.
Char looked up at him and smiled. “Yes, I do. I find that method very helpful in coming up with buyers and sellers.”
“How often do they respond to you as I did?” Mr. Shafer asked. He seem impressed with her work ethic.
“Most of the time they respond favorably. Sometimes the person looking at the magazine is just looking to see if their house is listed, but most of the time the viewers are looking for a house.”
As they got ready to leave, Char looked over at Mike in his cubicle. She wondered if he’d been listening to their conversation about how she got her clients.
* * * *
Mike glanced up at Char and Mr. Shafer as they got up and left. He kept quiet so he could listen to their conversation. He had wondered how she came up with her customers because when assignments were given, she was never in the office. Not that the boss didn’t give her assignments, but he usually had to call her to come in and get it.
Mike didn’t know how many houses she had listed and how many potential buyers she had, and it bothered him a great deal. He needed to know what she had coming up for the next month so he could determine if he was ahead of her or not.
Mike kind of liked Char. He wished they didn’t have this competition between them to outsell each other. He really needed this job because no one else would hire him. He had gotten involved in a real estate scam a few years ago that cost him his job, and his reputation. Most realtors didn’t want to hire him even after he explained his side of what happened. He had done some unscrupulous things, but he was not a criminal.
He thought Char was attractive and had a beautiful chest on her, but she had brushed him aside every time he tried to flirt with her or ask her out. He wondered if she’d gotten laid lately, because she seem so tense and irritated at him and the guys.
She had denied doing anything with his papers, and he wasn’t sure if he could believe her or not. If he could get close to her and find out what kind of person she really was, he could gauge whether or not she was capable of messing with his work.
* * * *
Char and Mr. Shafer arrived at the Sedewick’s house a few minutes before eleven. As they walked to the door Char glanced around the property. She noticed a great improvement in the surroundings. The yard has been mowed, the overgrowth had been cut back, the junk cars were gone, and even the little bit of siding that was around the front door was cleaned. She was impressed that they had done all this cleaning over the weekend and gotten the house looking decent.
Char pulled out the key to the house, unlocked the door, and they went inside. “Right this way.”
She led Mr. Shafer on a tour of the house and showed him the basement, then they went outside and walked around the property.
“What are the covenants regarding building a pole barn out back?” Mr. Shafer asked.
“I’m not sure, but we can go across the street and see if Mr. Carter is home. He’s the president of the homeowners’ association and will know what requirements there are...if there are any.”
Mr. Shafer stood looking at the backyard. “Okay, that would be good. If I can’t build a pole barn, then I can’t really make an offer on the house. I do woodworking, and I’m looking to have a workshop to do my woodworking in. What is the asking price?”
“They’re asking eighty thousand,” Char answered.
“You are right, Ms. Johnson, that this is probably just what I need and want. Let me think about this for a few days and get back with you. Plus, I’d like to talk to the president of the homeowners’ association as you indicated we should do. Would it be okay if I schedule an appointment with you to bring my significant other over to see the house?”
“Certainly.”
“I want my girlfriend to look at it and see what she thinks about it.”
“That’s a good idea, especially if you two are planning a future together.”
Char and Mr. Shafer walked across the street to Vincent’s house, and went up the steps to the front door. “He’s got a nice house,” Mr. Shafer commented.
“Yeah, and it’s even nicer inside.” Char rang the doorbell, and a few minutes later Vincent opened the door. He had a small smile on his lips when he saw her.
“Hi, Char,” Vincent said.
“Hi, Vincent. This is Mr. Shafer, and he’s interested in the house across the street. I’m sorry, but I left the copy of the covenants at the office and he had some questions to ask before he considers making an offer on the house.”
Vincent unlocked the screen door and opened it. “Sure, come on in.”
“Mr. Shafer, this is Vincent Carter,” Char introduced.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Carter,” Mr. Shafer said, holding out his hand to shake with Vincent.
“Likewise.” Vincent shook Mr. Shafer’s hand. “What can I help you with today?”
“I’m looking for property with a large backyard because I’d like to build a forty-two foot pole barn in the back. I was wondering if this would be allowed, and if there are any covenant rules I’d have to follow.”
“Yes, you can build an out building if it’s approved by the architecture committee. The requirements are that all construction should be of brick, wood, stone, or
glass. No paint, only natural colors of stain, green and browns, and natural wood sidings and no aluminum roofs.”
“And how would one go about getting the building approved by the architecture committee?” Mr. Shafer asked.
While Mr. Shafer and Vincent talked, Char was absentmindedly petting one of Vincent’s cats that had perched itself on the back of the chair near the foyer area. The other cat jumped up and wanted to be petted too, so Char pet that one as well. Soon, both cats were purring loudly and taking turns walking around in circles on the back of the chair as Char stroked their beautiful coats.
Vincent’s gaze went from Mr. Shafer to Char, watching her pet the cats, and then back to Mr. Shafer. “You would send in your floor plan, what you are building, the dimensions, and the colors. They will review it and let you know if it’s approved or not.”
“Do they approve most of the requests for stuff like this?”
“We haven’t had a request for a pole barn in a while, but the few that we have had were approved. I have to ask though, what do you intend to use the pole barn for?”
“I do woodworking as a hobby, and I intend to do my woodworking in it.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem then. We don’t want someone opening a business in the area because these are all residential properties.” Vincent smiled slightly.
After chatting more with Vincent, Mr. Shafer and Char got ready to leave. Mr. Shafer walked out to the car, and Char stayed back for a few minutes. “I was wondering, Vincent, um, if you’d like to come over to my place for dinner one night.” Char looked up at him, half expecting him to decline and come up with a reason why he couldn’t come.
* * * *
Vincent thought about her request for a few minutes. I shouldn’t get involved with this woman. But he loved the feeling of her lips on his, and he loved the feel of her. He could feel himself getting aroused just looking at her now.
“When?” he asked.
Char seemed surprise with his answer. “Oh, um...let’s see. How about Wednesday night, six o’clock?”
“Okay. Would you like me to bring anything?” Vincent asked. Why couldn’t you just walk away from this and tell her you’re not interested? he mused. Probably because you don’t want to walk away from her and you’re very interested.
“No, I don’t think so. Do you like roast pork?”
“Yes, I do,” he replied with a thin smile.
“Okay then, that’s what we’ll have.” She flashed Vincent a wide, happy smile.
“I’ll see you at six on Wednesday then.” Vincent’s smile widened as he saw her beautiful white teeth.
As Char opened the screen door to step outside, a shrill voice came from the kitchen.
“Oh, Vinnie. Vinnie, where are you?”
Char stepped outside the door, holding it open while looking into the kitchen where the voice had come from.
Vincent turned to see his ex-wife walking from the kitchen into the living room. He was speechless. What the hell was she doing in his home?
He turned back to Char, who was still staring at the woman. “I will see you Wednesday night, Char,” Vincent said reassuringly.
Char looked at the blonde and then at Vincent. “Um, yeah, sure,” she said as she slowly turned and walked away.
* * * *
Char drove Mr. Shafer back to the office. Fortunately for Char, Mr. Shafer talked the entire way, but she wasn’t really paying any attention to him. She was stunned by the beautiful woman that was in Vincent’s house. He said he was single. Did I just make a fool of myself and should I have done this?
The blonde was the perfect height for Vincent, and her creamy, tanned skin and his dark brown skin would make a beautiful contrast. Unlike Char’s skin, with its ruby skin tone that burned easily in the sun.
Should she call him and cancel the dinner? What was it she was feeling? Jealousy? She hardly knew the man, and he could certainly see and entertain anyone he wanted.
Char was sitting at her cubicle, adding information into the database, when her cellphone rang. “Char Johnson speaking,” she answered.
“Yes, Ms. Johnson, this is Sheriff Turner. I need to ask you to come down to the sheriff’s department to answer some more questions.”
“Couldn’t I just answer your questions over the phone?” Char asked, almost irritated. She really didn’t have time to run down there and sit for hours, being interrogated.
“No, we need to do this formally. We are on the hunt for as much information as we can find to help us solve this case.”
“What time did you want me to come?”
“As soon as possible. Right now would be best,” Sheriff Turner said.
“Okay, I’ll be there shortly.”
Char grabbed her briefcase and put her papers in it, shut down her computer, and left for the day. She drove downtown to the sheriff’s department. She walked in the building and up to the counter.
“Can I help you, ma’am?” the young deputy asked.
“Yes, I’m here to see Sheriff Turner.”
“I’ll let him know you’re here. Your name is...”
“Char Johnson.”
The deputy picked up the phone and made a call. “Sheriff, Char Johnson is here to see you.” After a moment’s pause, he said, “Yes, sir.” He hung up the phone and told Char, “He’ll be right out.”
“Okay, thank you.”
Sheriff Turner came out and greeted Char. “Thank you for coming in, Ms. Johnson. Please, come on back to my office.”
Char walked alongside Sheriff Turner to his office.
“Have a seat.” He gestured at the chair next to the deputy that had been with him on Wednesday when they’d responded to her call about the body. This time she noted that the deputy’s name was Patrick Carter, and she wondered if he was Vincent and Rosie’s brother.
Char sat down in the seat.
“Ms. Johnson, we have been able to determine through autopsy that the victim is a male, and he died from a gunshot wound in the back of the head. So, the suspicious death has turned into a murder investigation. He had a cellphone in his pocket. We did a search on the phone and discovered that he had your phone number on his contact list.”
Char looked up, startled. She was on his contact list? Well, he could have been wanting to find out about the house and came across her name, right?
“We were able to get a match on one of his fingerprints, and it appears the victim’s name is Dennis Harrison.”
Char’s eyes opened wide. What was Dennis doing here in New Mexico? Char was starting to get nervous.
“Do you know a Dennis Harrison?” the sheriff asked pointedly.
“Yes, I know a Dennis Harrison from Ann Arbor, Michigan,” Char answered, barely audible.
“How do you know him?” the sheriff asked.
“I was in a relationship with him seven years ago,” Char continued to answer quietly.
“What happened to that relationship?”
“I ended it because he had a drug problem.”
“You recognized him when you found his body at the crime scene, didn’t you?” the sheriff asked.
“No, I didn’t. At least, not initially. I thought the man looked familiar, but the body was so decomposed that I couldn’t really tell, and it stunk so badly I had to get out of the house.”
“You don’t know why he was here in New Mexico?” Deputy Carter asked.
“No, I don’t. Has someone notified his family in Michigan?” Char was concerned about his parents, who were elderly.
“Yes, we have the police going there to notify the family.”
“Ms. Johnson, we’re going to be searching through his cellphone records. If you two have been in touch with each other, it will show up on these records. Are you sure you want to say for certain that you have had no contact with the victim?” Sheriff Turner narrowed his eyes at Char and frowned.
“Sheriff, I haven’t talked to Dennis in seven years. I have had no contact with him. I don’t know why
he was here in New Mexico. I do know that he had a serious drug problem.”
“Were you ever into drugs?” Deputy Carter asked.
“No, I was never into drugs,” Char answered truthfully.
“Tell me how you met Dennis and how he took the breakup,” the sheriff said. Char could feel him watching her every movement.
“I met Dennis after I got out of college and started working at my first real estate job. He was interested in selling his house and I listed it for him. We had a year-long affair, and then I started noticing mood behaviors that I didn’t like and discovered he was doing illegal drugs, and he was selling them too. I wanted no part of that, so I ended it with him. He took it hard, but after a few weeks, he realized he wasn’t going to win me back so he stopped calling me and coming to my place.”
“Has he ever tried to contact you in the years since your break-up with him?” Deputy Carter asked.
Char looked at him from the side and noted that his features were very similar to Vincent’s. “No, I haven’t heard from him since we broke up. Did he have traces of drugs in his body?” Char wondered if he had overdosed.
“We are having toxicology work done on him and will know in a few weeks if he had any drugs in him. Why do you ask?”
“I just wondered if he might have met his demise through a drug deal gone bad,” Char explained.
“That very well could be the case.” Sheriff Turner’s eyes were enigmatic and bore right into hers.
After going around a few more times with the sheriff, he let her go and Deputy Carter walked her out to the lobby. “Can I ask you something?” She looked up at the deputy.
He looked down at her with an eyebrow lifted.
“Are you related to Vincent Carter and Rosie Mueller?”
“Yes, they’re my brother and sister. How do you know them?”
“I went to the wedding of Jennifer Summers and Jake Ackerson last Saturday with Vincent, and I met Rosie and Debbie there.”
Jarillo Sunset Page 7
