Pride and Prostitution

by Penelope St James

  “Same way I know yours—I pay attention.”

  Renner was quiet for a moment as David kept pulling the reports. “Fine. What exactly are we looking for?”

  “I’m looking to see if Samson and the original prostitute have any connection. You need to buzz off, because if I’m wrong, I don’t want you loosing your shirt in this.”

  “No. Partners. Plus, I think your girl might have something.”

  David wanted to protest. He wanted to say that Gemma wasn’t his. If he were a sane person, actually thinking with all his brain cells, he would be processing her paperwork for assault against two federal agents. But he couldn’t. Their last kiss hadn’t felt like a goodbye. It’d felt like a declaration.

  At least to him. He was going to fight. He was going to be stronger, faster. Smart enough so that everyone got their happy ending.

  “Samson caught three rings before the girl was killed.” David scanned every detail looking for a link. “One flipped. Gave names. Our previous cases were on the list. But not Annie’s.”

  David leaned back and tried to think. All their links to the call girls came through Samson and they’d captured them, broken up the rings. Who benefited from that?

  “So this goes back further than the senator?” Renner asked.

  “Maybe. ”

  “How many rings are we talking about here?”

  “What?” David asked.

  “Your girl noticed Fuller’s necklace on the first victim. But I don’t think we’ve seen that particular necklace again, right?”

  David tried to remember. “Right. We had the black diamonds, the solitaires, and the stars, but the pink heart was only the first one.”

  “Have we ever seen another pink heart again?”

  “A few surveillance photos, but they weren’t the ones that Samson gave us information on.”

  “Maybe Gemma was right? Maybe we do need a female perspective every now and then. We might have picked up that the case before the senator was important.”

  “We haven’t determined that it was.”

  David looked at the arrest report again. Samson had done everything on this case. Which was strange in their line of work. There was a checks and balances that happened with partners, hence the reason they were paired. David frowned. It wasn’t like a single agent to take down a madam alone.

  “Do you think the ring broke up when the girl was killed and their madam arrested?”

  “This is a business. They probably found a new home. Or sold their lists and are sitting pretty.”

  He couldn’t see the connection yet. The madam gets arrested just before one of her girls gets killed. The feds are sent hunting around for other rings, but never go back to that one again.

  “Even over the phone I can hear you thinking, Hadley. Spill it.”

  David shook his head. “I’ve got no proof. I need a few minutes to process. Can you check on Gemma?”

  “After I do a little digging myself.”

  “For what?”

  “How long it actually takes for one person to drive from one side of the city to the other.”

  Renner hung up. David shook off his confusion and went back to searching for some missing information from one of Samson’s cases, for a personal connection between his boss and any of these rings.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Gemma rested her head on the metal table. The surface cooled her heated cheeks. The handcuffs were officially digging into her wrists and she was hungry. Her entire arm ached from the second assault on a federal agent in two days and she was getting that headache she got when she hadn’t had caffeine in six hours.

  She was fading. David had to figure it out. He just had to.

  Her stomach twisted. She wasn’t sure if it was another hunger pain, or her brain figuring out she had placed her freedom in the hands of a man who had thought she was a prostitute the night before. She had trusted someone with not only her life, but the life of her friend.

  She trusted him. And more important than all the legal matters and her freedom was the fact that she wanted him to save the day. She’d proven to herself she was strong enough to stand up to a tenacious federal agent, smart enough to figure out that an agent might be in on a prostitution ring, but it would be really nice to be able to turn around and have someone to share the victory with.

  She took in a deep breath and sat up. So, positive thoughts. David was going to get her out of this. He was going to find Annie before anyone hurt her. Gemma just needed to be patient.

  Right. She couldn’t lie to herself. Nothing short of a miracle was going to get her out of these cuffs by the end of the day.

  Her lawyer walked through the door and all thoughts of her getting to see her little bookshop went out the window.

  Her lawyer was twenty-six at best with dark circles under his eyes and the shaking hands of someone who’d had too much caffeine that day. His arms were filled with his briefcase, a stack of file folders and a fresh cup of coffee. “I’m Daniel Mason, Miss Howard. I’ll be representing you.”

  “Awesome.”

  He sat down across from her and the files dropped to the table. She couldn’t help but see her mug shot spread out with twelve others.

  “Do you understand the charges that have been brought against you?”

  “You mean that I punched an abusive federal agent? Yes.”

  “What?” he immediately reached out to get the files.

  While he was distracted, she took his coffee and popped off the top. She sighed. She guessed she was going to have to drink this one black. She took her first sip and the poor kid looked as though she’d stolen his favorite bike.

  He scanned through the files quickly. Gemma wasn’t sure what was on the arrest record, but his brows knitted closer and closer together.

  “Your criminal history report is blank. You don’t even live here.”

  “Nope.” She wrapped her hands around the warm cup and let it soothe her arm.

  “So how exactly did you end up punching a federal agent?”

  “They got the wrong girl.”

  Something sparked in this kid’s eyes that almost made him glow. He shoved the case files aside and pulled a legal pad and pen out of his case. “Can you give me a detailed account of your time in federal custody?”

  “You mean from yesterday morning?”

  “You’ve been in custody since yesterday morning?”

  The kid looked as though he’d just gotten that stolen bike back and was riding down the steepest hill in town. So she made him happy and told him the story of her time with the wonderful agents of the bureau.

  Thirty minutes into her retelling of the last twenty-four hours, Renner burst through the door. Gemma leapt to her feet. “Where is David?”

  “Going to find Annie.”

  “Seriously?” She wanted to hug him. She wanted to jump around with joy.

  Her lawyer and the handcuff still keeping her chained to the table stopped all that. “Um, excuse me, but my client isn’t going to answer any more questions for you.”

  Renner laughed. “She just needs to listen.” He sat on the corner of the table and she stood in front of him. “We’ve already pumped her for all the information we need.”

  Gemma gave Renner the deepest smirk she could muster through the excitement humming around her. “Is she okay?”

  “He hasn’t found her yet. You were right about Wickham though. He’s got something going on.”

  “He was setting you up?”

  “If he was, he was setting all of us up.”

  “So what’s the next move?”

  Renner looked back at the mirrored window. “David is trying to find Annie, but he doesn’t know where to look. Do you have any ideas?”

  Gemma tried to run her fingers through the hair falling in her eyes, but the handcuffs stopped her. “I don’t know. I don’t know this place like you guys do.”

  “But you know her. What would she need to feel safe? I mean, we’ve spotted
seven copies of her in various bars across town, but nothing so far.”

  Gemma looked down at the table. Seven copies? Why would Annie be sending out decoys of herself unless she was being hunted? Which technically she was, so why would the other girls go along with it?

  Her knees went weak as all the pieces fell into place. “Holy crap.” She fell into her seat.

  Annie needed to protect her girls, she’d said.

  Annie had to deal with an emergency, she’d said.

  Annie had an army of girls who looked just like her who would risk being picked up by the FBI while Annie investigated something.

  Annie was their madam.

  Not just a call girl, but the queen of the call girls.

  “Gemma? You okay?”

  She wasn’t. She thought she was going to throw up, if she had anything in her stomach to throw up. She needed to add that to the list of grievances that her lawyer was writing up.

  What if Samson figured that Annie was calling the shots and went after her with full force? He’d laid into Gemma pretty fiercely to get the information. And Gemma was nothing. What would he do to Annie?

  A slamming door made all of them jump. Through the glass on the window, Gemma swore she saw Samson’s high and tight haircut cut down the hallway.

  “Was that…” she breathed.

  “Shit. Think fast, kid. Samson’s on the warpath.”

  Gemma racked her brain. Where would Annie go when she was stressed out and needed to think? Annie so very rarely got stressed out.

  “In college, she used to go to the library and watch people think. She said there was strength in numbers.”

  “Are we thinking the New York Library? We can’t close down the library.”

  Gemma shook her head. “I don’t know. Anywhere she could watch people.”

  Renner nodded. “Okay.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “You stay here and I do everything in my power to back up David from here when the time comes.”

  “Aren’t you going to find him?”

  He pointed to his leg. “What am I supposed to do out in the field? Hobble someone to death?”

  “It’s a start. But don’t leave him alone.”

  “David’s a big boy. Of all of us, you should know that.”

  Gemma glared at him. “I’m getting tired of those jokes.”

  “I never will.” Renner smiled.

  She wanted to cross her arms over her chest but the handcuffs kept her hands next to the table. “There has to be something I can do.”

  “You staying safe is all he needs.”

  “What?” she snapped.

  Renner dropped his gaze to the floor.

  Son of a bitch. “Renner? What is it?”

  He clenched his jaw. He mumbled something under his breath.

  She punched him in the arm.

  “Ouch.” Renner grabbed his injured bicep.

  A painful reminder of Samson’s nose rang up through her wrist and forearm. She winced and shook the pain away. “Do I need to do it again?”

  Renner turned to the lawyer. “Can we add a third charge?”

  “Renner,” she hissed.

  “He told me to keep you safe,” Renner growled. “To do everything in my power to keep you safe and out of prison.”

  Wow. Her brain went a little blank for a moment. He really liked her. There wasn’t anything she could read differently into that sentiment.

  Gemma was glad the chair was there to catch her as her knees went weak. Not only did he like her, but he was really going out there alone to rescue her best friend.

  She found herself caught between elation and fear. He was out there on her behalf fighting her battles. What if he didn’t come back?

  Renner reached for his phone and hobbled for the door. “Stay in here. I think you’ve done enough for today.”

  “Don’t really have a choice.”

  “And try not to punch anyone.”

  * * * * *

  Someplace like a library where Annie could watch people. That was Renner’s big clue? In a city of nineteen million, that meant any corner in Manhattan.

  David took a deep breath. If only he could talk to Gemma. His gut told him they could figure this out together. He wanted to hear her voice again. Run his fingers down the length of her spine, feel her velvet skin beneath his. He wanted her. Every inch of her.

  He needed to get back to her, but that wasn’t likely unless he had Annie with him. Or another suspect. Or Samson—though he only had puzzle pieces that incriminated his boss but didn’t condemn him.

  He knew that Annie wouldn’t actually go to the library. The feds could be all over the New York Public Library in two shakes and there were cameras all over the place.

  So what did he know about Annie? He recited the facts.

  He knew that she liked pink.

  He knew that she had good taste in friends.

  He knew that she was working her own angle of the case. And that she had a thing for nice hotels.

  The Library Hotel on Madison. David passed it every day on his way to work. He’d always wanted to go there, pull one of its famous editions off the walls and read it over a strong drink, but he’d never had the time.

  Well, that was what Gemma had bought him with her freedom. A few delicate moments to discover the truth. It was a better option than just sitting in the back of his van.

  The mahogany bar was well lit and only half full in the early afternoon. A few tourists. A late lunch meeting. It didn’t have the swag of the Ritz, but it was welcoming.

  Across the bar was a bright-pink tracksuit. He stopped at the end of the counter. He was right. Annie was here. He’d actually found her. With Gemma’s help, of course.

  He walked across the room.

  The petite brunette looked up from her phone. Her blue eyes flicked from his face to his shoes and back to his red hair.

  “I was hoping they would send the handsome one.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “The underwear model. Blue eyes, jaw that could cut steel?”

  “What are you talking about, Annie?”

  Her confident face slid into a frown. “How did you know my name?”

  “David Hadley. I kicked in your door.”

  Annie’s eyes widened and her gaze darted to the main entrance and the emergency exit.

  “Gemma sent me to find you. Make sure that you were safe.”

  Annie huffed. “I’m fine. I called you guys to make a deal.”

  “What?” David pulled out the barstool next to her and sat down.

  “I called the FBI and said that I had intel on a corrupt agent.”

  David stomach leapt. This was what he needed. He could do everything. He could save Annie and possibly take out a double agent. “Did you tell them to meet you here?”

  “No, I said the hotel across the street. I’ve got a girl there to let me know if it’s okay.”

  David rubbed his jaw. “Are you okay giving me the information?”

  Annie studied his face. “Tell me why Gemma.”

  “What? You’ve admitted that you have intel about a corrupt agent, and you want me to talk about my love life?”

  “Ha, your love life. See, I know two things. Boys and business and I am very good at both of them. Now spill. If I like the story, I’ll let you have the scoop.”

  David let out a deep breath. This was Gemma’s best friend. The girl who she had risked her freedom for. He wasn’t going to spin her some tale.

  “I don’t know. She’s amazing. And beautiful. And funny, even when she hates me. And I’m better around her.”

  He looked up at Annie. She really was almost a bookend of Gemma, but the hair on the back of his head didn’t stand on end when he looked at her. His palms didn’t tingle for not touching her.

  She smiled. “Okay, Agent Hadley. Here’s the deal. Gemma walks. No charges. Nothing that will haunt her and you will call her after all this is over.”

  “Wha
t about you?”

  Annie shook her head. “You guys are going to love me so much after this you won’t charge me with anything. Can you make that deal?”

  David nodded. “Okay. Who is it?”

  “James Samson.”

  David couldn’t breathe. His tie was suddenly too tight.

  “You okay?”

  He nodded, but still pulled at the knot at his throat. “Gemma called it. Gemma knew, but I couldn’t find evidence.”

  A proud smile spread across Annie’s face. “Our girl is pretty sharp, but you, you just weren’t looking in the right place.”

  “I went through the case files, and the lists from the girls, and even dug into his personal back accounts. I couldn’t find anything.”

  “You didn’t buy the madam’s list two days before her girl was killed. She was more than willing to sell it and guess whose name was on it?”

  His boss. It would explain why he was so adamant about hunting down the rings. “But what about the murder? All the powers of the FBI couldn’t find a killer for that one.”

  She leaned against the bar. “Pretty sure that was a professional. Takes one to know one.”

  David chuckled. He knew he shouldn’t have. It wasn’t a topic that was funny, but there was something about Annie that put him at ease.

  But Annie’s smile faded. “I knew her.”

  “You did custom jewelry for the rings.”

  Annie scrunched her nose. “Did Gemma figure out that was my introduction?”

  “I’m pretty sure.”

  Annie shook her head. “I was going to tell her this weekend. I was almost out until Thursday night.”

  “What happened Thursday?” David asked.

  “A girl was attacked. Not one of mine, but when you’ve got the feds breathing down your neck, you’d be amazed at how close-knit a community we really are. The girl managed to snap this picture.” Annie flipped through her phone then handed it to David.

  It wasn’t a good picture, but the angle of the high and tight haircut was unmistakable.

  “Apparently he was doing a little freelancing. Trying to find who had the list.”

  “What about the murder though? You really think it was a hit man?”

  Annie sighed. “Don’t you think that a superior officer of the FBI would be able to copycat a professional hit? Know the procedures well enough to cover his tracks?”