by L. P. Dover
Drake loosened his tie and tossed it onto the floor. “Any preference?”
“A Riesling would be great if you have it.”
He winked. “Coming right up. Don’t go anywhere.” As soon as he left, I walked around the room. It was obviously the bedroom he shared with his wife. There were pictures of her and him everywhere, including their son who was the same age as me. Grabbing my phone, I sent Jason a quick text.
Me: I’m fine. About to slip him the meds.
Jason: Be careful. I’ll be close.
I put my phone away and waited for about twenty minutes before Drake entered the room. He sure took his precious time. “You were in luck, I had one bottle left. Not many of my guests prefer the Riesling.” He set the glasses down and opened the wine.
“What can I say? It’s been my favorite for years. Has everyone left?”
“Yep, and now we’re locked in tight for the evening.”
“Do you have security guards like Mr. Randall?”
He snorted and poured us both a glass of wine. “No. Personally, I think the putz has them to garner attention. Nobody ever threatens his life.”
I shrugged, accepting the glass he held out for me. “You never know.” His bedroom was enormous with a huge king size bed and sitting room. I ventured to the other side where there were pictures displayed over the fireplace mantle. Why the hell would anyone in Vegas want a fireplace in their bedroom? It was an inferno compared to Maine’s weather. I could lay out in the sun at fifty degrees and not break a chill.
Drake sidled up behind me and rubbed his hands down my arms. Instead of moving away like I wanted to, I pointed to the pictures.
“Where’s your wife?”
He cleared his throat. “She left this morning to go on one of her shopping binges in California.”
“And she doesn’t mind you sleeping around? Or is this our little secret?”
“What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her. Besides, she’s never here. Her and my son don’t get along.”
“Oh, I was assuming it was her son too.”
“No, he’s from my first marriage. I married Georgia about three years ago.”
“And you’re already cheating on her. How many times have you been married?”
Turning me around, he regarded me curiously. “You sure do ask a lot of questions. Are you nervous?”
Amused, I snorted and took a sip of wine. “On the contrary, Mr. Blackwell. I’m just not the type of girl to spread my legs without making you work for it.”
Licking his lips, his eyes turned dark. “Mmm, I like this game.” He unbuttoned his shirt and let it fall to the floor. “What do you want me to do first?”
His full wine glass was across the room on his dresser along with my purse. With the syringe in the palm of my hand, I side-stepped him and strutted over to his glass, swaying my hips the whole way. As fast as I could, I squirted the liquid into his wine, hiding the syringe behind my purse. I swished it around and carried it over to him.
“What I want you to do first is start off with a toast.” I handed him the wine, holding up my glass. “To a fun filled night we won’t forget.” Tapping my glass with his, he kept his eyes on me as he drank the full glass of wine. In the lab, it took five minutes for the sedative to work. Unfortunately, I had to get him on the bed before he passed out. He swayed on his feet and I quickly took his glass before he could shatter it on the floor. “I think someone had a little too much to drink tonight,” I teased.
Lifting his hand, he ran his fingers through my hair. “I’m just ready to get the party started. Ever since that first night I saw you, I’ve been dying to get your legs wrapped around me.”
I had four minutes left. I could see the numbers counting down in my mind. “Now’s your chance, big boy. Why don’t you get on the bed and let me do the rest of the work?” He fell down on the bed and chuckled as I unbuttoned his pants and pulled them off. His cock was rigid and pulsating just as I expected. All it would take is a simple touch and I’d have him ejaculating all over the place. If the world knew what I had concocted, it’d be a dangerous drug. I crawled up on the bed and laid beside him, running my fingers up and down his chest. His eyes started to roll back in his head and I smiled; it was almost time.
“You feel so good,” he mumbled, slurring the words.
Once his eyes fully closed, it was time for action. Taking his own hand, I placed it over his cock and he unknowingly gripped onto it, jacking himself off. Thank God for hallucinogens. “That’s right, baby. Do you feel me riding your cock? Am I tight enough for you?”
Drake mumbled something unintelligent and grunted when he ejaculated all over his stomach and chest. What would’ve been funny is if it shot up on his face. Deserves the fucker right. He was out for the count and there was nothing that was going to wake him up for at least five hours.
“When you wake up, you’re going to remember this night as the best sex you’ve ever had. I made you come no less than three times and I won’t walk right for a week.” Covering him up, I slid off the bed and tiptoed to my purse, making sure to tuck the syringe safely inside before leaving.
By the time I straightened my dress and turned out the light, Drake had begun to snore. Slipping out of the room, I took off down the hall, pulling the small flashlight out of my purse. I knew very well a killer wouldn’t just murder someone out in the open. They’d do it in a room with limited access.
However, everything about Drake didn’t scream ‘whore murderer’ to me. To be such an aggressive businessmen, he was actually passive, even before being drugged. Sometimes the killer could be someone you least expected, but I couldn’t see Drake being it at all. Pulling out my phone, I updated Jason.
Me: Blackwell is out. Searching his house.
Jason: How long?
Me: Out front in 15.
The house was quiet with no sound coming from anywhere as I descended the stairs. The lights were still on so I shut off my flashlight, hoping like hell there wasn’t anyone around. I checked the rooms, one by one, and nothing peculiar jumped out at me; at least, until I got to the kitchen. There was a door that had a set of wooden stairs, leading into the darkness.
Every time I watched scary movies, I would always scream at the people to stay away from the fucking basements. Unfortunately, I couldn’t. At least there was a light switch on the wall that illuminated everything. The walls were made of stone and by the smell of earth and dirt I knew I was going underground. The floor below was made of stone so when I got to the bottom, I took off my heels to keep them from clanking.
There were no light switches for the darkened hallway but when I took a step, the light above shone bright. Lights were aligned down the hallway and as I walked the rest of the way, they lit up ahead and turned off behind me. At the end, the room opened up to reveal ceiling to floor shelves filled with champagne, wine, and beer. My uncle would be in heaven if he could see the exuberant amounts of expensive wines. There were bottles that cost over five grand a piece. With the amount of money I made I could buy him any wine he wanted for the bed and breakfast.
Taking one last glance around, I walked back down the hall. There was nothing that made me believe anyone had been tortured or killed down there. I grabbed my heels and carried them up the steps, lightly shutting the door when I got out. My time was up and I knew it because my phone was buzzing incessantly in my purse. Rushing to the door, I quietly snuck out and saw Jason on the other side of the gate, leaning against his car. Thankfully, there was a button on my side of the gate that opened it.
“Find anything?”
We both got in the car and sped away. “Nothing except over a million dollars in champagne and wine in his cellar. It was a dream come true.”
“Is that the way to your heart?” he teased.
“Maybe my uncle’s, but you don’t swing that way. I’m sure if you ever met him he’d think you were the cutest thing.” He smiled, but I could tell he was on edge. “And no, I really didn’t find an
ything. I don’t think Drake’s our man. So now I have to find a way to get with Chazz and Mark.”
He growled low. “And those two are the ones I’m worried about.”
“What are we going to do now?”
Reaching for my hand, he clasped it tight. “Right now, we wait for the next game.”
“What about the woman who’s still missing? How are we going to find her?”
He glanced over at me, his eyes weary. “I honestly don’t know.”
A loud knock on the door woke us from our deep sleep. Jason grumbled under his breath and tightened his hold. “Whoever it is can go the fuck away. It’s not even morning yet.”
I rubbed my eyes and looked at the clock. “It’s ten o’clock,” I laughed. Then Jason’s phone started to ring, and when he didn’t pick up, mine started to howl. “I’m thinking I need to answer that.” I evidently didn’t get to it in time, as a text came through.
Ryan: Answer the fucking door!
“Holy shit balls, it’s the chief,” I grumbled. I didn’t have any clothes in Jason’s room so I jumped out of bed and grabbed a bathrobe. Jason threw on a pair of shorts and started for the door before I could join him. I tied the robe as fast as I could and rushed out, but Jason had already let Ryan in. His eyes went wide, glancing back and forth at us.
“Well . . . it seems like you two are getting along.”
Cheeks burning, I ran a hand through my hair, hoping I didn’t look like I stuck my finger in a light socket. “It took a while, but we worked everything out.”
Jason crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s with the visit? Did you find the missing woman?”
Ryan took a seat and sighed. “We did, but I also wanted to hear your progress. You two seem to be too busy lately to give me an update.”
Jason and I sat down on the couch, facing him. The last thing I wanted to hear was that the woman who went missing was found dead and mutilated. Instead, Jason answered him, “We’ve gotten close enough to Blackwell to check him out. Everything seems good with him. We have the other two left, but they shouldn’t be a problem.”
Ryan nodded. “Good.”
I spoke up next. “What about the woman? You said you found her. What happened?”
Throwing his hands in the air, he shook his head, chuckling. “She went off and got fucking married.”
Jason and I looked at each other and then back to him. “Married? So she’s alive?” I asked.
“Yep. Apparently, she met this guy at a casino and they tied the knot. Her fiancé back home found out and is on his way out here now. Big mess.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “At least she’s not dead.”
He chuckled. “Not yet, but her newfound husband might be once the fiancé comes into town.”
“But other than that, there’s no other missing women.”
“Right,” he said, nodding. “Not until someone tries to take you.”
“Are you sure you want to spend the day with Diane? You could stay here with me and we can . . .” Jason came up behind me and pressed his arousal into my back, making me giggle.
“I told her I’d see her today. I’ll be back this afternoon. Besides, maybe I can dig up more gossip. She’s been a big help without her even knowing.”
Tilting my head, he brushed my hair to the side and kissed my neck. “True. Just be careful. I might go downstairs and press my luck.”
Finishing the last touches of my makeup, I smiled at him through the mirror; his emerald green eyes stared back, making me shiver. I wanted to spend the day in bed with him, but our duties took precedence.
“Is it bad I feel guilty about taking everyone’s money the other night?”
He turned me to face him and I put my arms around his waist. “You shouldn’t. You deserve way more than what you got. You risk your life every day at work, I wouldn’t feel bad in the least. However, if you want to give me back what I put in that’s fine. I’m sure we can have ourselves a little bit of fun with it.”
“Oh yeah?” I said, lifting up on my toes. “It’s a date.” I looked down at my phone and realized I only had ten minutes before I needed to meet Diane in the lobby. “Yikes, gotta go.” He kissed me quickly and I slid on my sandals before heading to the door. It felt great to wear normal clothes for a change.
I looked back and he smiled. “Have fun, firecracker. Text me if you run into any problems. I’ll come save you.”
“What if you don’t know where I am?” I countered.
His grin grew wider and he winked. “I always know where you are.”
“Okay, stalker. Don’t make me have to get a restraining order.” I winked back and grabbed my purse. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Do you have your gun?”
I patted my purse. “It’s just like my Chapstick, I never leave home without it.”
Once out the door, I hurried to the elevator and checked my phone; I wasn’t late yet. When the doors opened, there Diane stood, dressed in a pair of khaki dress pants and a nice top. Even dressed like a normal person you could tell she was a woman of power. That was where I fooled people. Most wouldn’t believe I was an FBI agent or that I’d killed before. To them I was just an innocent looking redhead who wouldn’t harm a fly. Little did they know I’d squash any bug that came my way.
“Diane,” I called, waving.
She turned my way, her smile brightening. “Look at you! I like your top. I designed one almost similar. When we go to my shop I’ll let you pick one out. But I have to say, the green looks great with your hair.”
“Thanks. So what are we doing today?” I followed her outside to a shiny, silver Mercedes waiting by the door.
She put on her sunglasses and walked around to her side. “Get in and you’ll see.”
When I got in the car, it still smelled new. “New car?” I asked.
She laughed. “Not really. I just never drive it. William got it for me after I had my hysterectomy. He thought it would make me feel better.”
“And does it?”
“I don’t know yet. That’s what I’m going to figure out. You hungry?”
“Starved.” My stomach growled, proving my point.
“Great! There’s this small café I like to eat at. It’s nothing fancy, but on Mondays they make their broccoli and cheese quiche. It’s to die for.”
It only took about fifteen minutes to get there and when we walked in, the young hostess immediately sat us at a table in the back. “Do you and Mr. Randall always get special treatment everywhere you go?” I asked matter-of-factly.
She chuckled. “Only at the places we own, darling. I’m not one to like stomping on others just to get ahead. Sometimes we have to wait just like everyone else.”
I glanced around the café, at the quaint doilies and the shimmering crystal glasses. It reminded me so much of the restaurant we had at the bed and breakfast. “You own this place?”
“I do.”
“Wow,” I uttered in amazement. “You and Will own a lot. How did you get started?”
“Basically, I had money and William had brains. Before his company even got started, I had the clothing line that’s now extended to other cities and this restaurant. My family gave him some money to invest and he just kept earning it back. It amazes me how resourceful he is.”
The hostess came back, smiling cheerfully. “Have you had a chance to look over the menu?” she asked.
“I haven’t, but I heard the broccoli and cheese quiche is to die for. I’ll have that and a glass of iced tea, please.”
Giggling, she took my menu. “I see Mrs. Randall’s turning you over to the dark side. Once you’ve had our quiche you’ll come back for more.”
She strolled off and Diane smiled. “If you work for me, we can come here every Monday.”
“I sense you’re not going to give up easy, are you?”
Averting her gaze, her smile faded slightly. “I just think you owe it to yourself to explore other talents . . . safe ones.”
&nb
sp; “I’ll think about it.” It wasn’t exactly a lie because my real job was dangerous, but I had lots of other options to choose from in my field. With the way I was making money in Vegas, I could live off of that for a few years and not worry about a thing.
Once our food came, all talk ceased until we finished our lunch and headed out the door. I could tell Diane felt like she overstepped a boundary. If only she knew I wasn’t really a prostitute. “Do you still want to see my shop?” she asked.
“Of course. Let’s go. It’s fun hanging out with a woman. I’m so used to men.”
“Do you . . . um, do you ever sleep with women?” The thought alone made me burst out in laughter. I laughed so hard a tear slid down my cheek. “I take that as a no?” she said meekly.
“Not just no, but hell no. I don’t swing that way. Why do you ask?”
She shrugged. “Just curious. I know my sister’s girls get contracted out to both men and women, sometimes both of them at the same time. They have to be willing to sleep with whoever is presented to them.”
I shook my head. “Not me. I’m a one man kind of gal.”
“All the more reason for you to work for me. You wouldn’t have to worry about all of that. I’m sure Mr. Avery would love to keep you for himself.”
At least for now he wanted me all to himself, but as soon as the case was over we’d go our separate ways. I really didn’t want to think about that. “Jason and I live two separate lives. There’s no way it could work.”
“Will that bother you?”
We drove back down to the strip where a whole line of shops sat with hundreds of tourists walking around. I wanted to leave this place, but I couldn’t imagine not ever seeing Jason again. “Yes,” I answered truthfully, turning to look at her, “I’ll miss him.”
Smiling sadly, she parked her car and we got out. “Things always work out one way or another. It wasn’t easy at first with William, but we managed to get through.”
