“Your wife is a menace in the kitchen,” Barnes said. “It’s a good thing she’s hot because she’ll kill the first person she cooks for.”
“She cooked for me yesterday morning,” James said.
“The botulism should knock you down any minute then.”
“Go back to your story,” Jake said, stepping in smoothly before James lost his temper. “Did you sleep with her?”
“I’ve slept with most of them,” Barnes said. “Listen, we’re dealing with needy women who will do almost anything to get attention from a man. Julie took three different classes with me. I kind of jump from woman to woman each semester and try to hit them all at least three times. I figure they get their money’s worth then.”
“I’m going to throw up,” James said.
“Don’t get all high and mighty,” Barnes said. “We all have to do what we have to do.”
“When was the last time you slept with Julie?” Jake asked.
“Um … here’s the thing … when Ann asked me to dinner the night of that first class I already had plans with Julie,” Barnes said. “I thought I might have a chance to double dip – and I haven’t been able to do that in a long time – so I took Julie in the closet while Ann was waiting in the lobby and … well … you know.”
“I’m going to kill him,” James said, glancing at Jake.
Jake held his hand up to still him. “How was Julie when you left her?”
“She was fine,” Barnes said. “She was still in the closet trying to fix her hair and skirt. I told her I would call her later. I was just as surprised as anyone when I found out she died. I have no idea why she was on the campus so late that night.”
James rolled his neck, his mind busy. As much as he hated Barnes, he was having trouble believing the man was capable of murder. Some people are great actors. Barnes just put everything out there, not caring how much of a douche he was.
“You’re saying that you slept with Julie and she was murdered a few hours later and then you made out with Ann and wanted to sleep with her and she was murdered a few hours after that,” James said. “That’s the gist of it, right?”
“I think I’m cursed,” Barnes said. “People want me so much they’re killing off the competition.”
James and Jake exchanged a look.
“What do you think?” Jake asked finally.
“I think that someone is going after the women Barnes is linked to,” James said. “We’re missing the connection, though.”
“Who do you think it is?”
“It could be anyone, couldn’t it?” James turned back to Barnes. “We need a list of everyone you’ve slept with in the past year.”
“That’s going to be a long list,” Barnes said, puffing his chest out proudly.
“Sadly, you’ve still only got ten minutes tied up in all of the hookups combined,” James shot back. “Get moving. I want that list, and I want it now.” He turned to Jake. “We need to find out who he slept with that pissed someone off. Once we find that woman we’ll finally be able to get somewhere.”
Twenty-Three
“Have you found anything?” James asked, striding into his office and glancing over Jake’s shoulder as he worked on the laptop.
“This guy has gotten more tail than a feral cat in springtime,” Jake said.
“Your personality keeps getting louder and louder the more time you spend with my sister.”
“She’s a wonder.”
“You’re a sick pig, too,” James said. “Anything?”
“It’s a huge list,” Jake said. “I think we need to approach this in a different way.”
James waited.
“What was the name of the other guy?”
“What other guy?”
“The one who hit on Mandy right in front of you.”
James made a face. “Oh, him.”
“He was your primary suspect first,” Jake reminded him.
“Steven Balish,” James said. “We did kind of let him fall by the wayside when Barnes starting acting like a righteous douche.”
“I still can’t believe you left without hitting him.”
“I might go back.”
Jake grinned. “I’m going to run Steven Balish and see what women I can find in his background,” he said. “If we’re lucky we’ll be able to find someone who took Barnes’ cooking class.”
“What if we’re not lucky?”
“Then we’ve got a really long list to go through,” Jake said.
“Let’s get started then,” James said. “I want this thing settled. I’m not going to be able to relax until I’m sure Mandy is safe.”
“Why wouldn’t she be safe?” Jake asked. “She’s done with the class, isn’t she?”
The look that crossed James’ face was almost comical. “She’s still going.”
“Why?”
“Because she knows it bugs me.”
“Why really?”
“Because she doesn’t want to quit in the middle of the class,” James said. “Now that she’s finished two paintings she’s all about finishing things.”
“When is her next class?”
“Tonight.”
“Are you going to sit in the parking lot and watch her to make sure she gets to her car safely?”
“What kind of husband do you think I am?” James asked.
Jake waited, refusing to answer the question.
“I’m going to wait in the lobby just to be on the safe side,” James conceded.
“And there it is,” Jake said. “I’ll start the search on Balish. Why don’t you start at the bottom of Barnes’ sex list so we don’t overlap?”
“I can’t wait.”
“HOW was your weekend?” Marian asked, her eyes bright as she sidled up to Mandy.
“It was … a mixed bag,” Mandy replied carefully.
“Is that a sex thing?”
Mandy smiled. “No. James and I had a big fight on Friday so I got drunk with my best friend. Then I had a hangover all day Saturday.”
“Did you and James make up?”
“We did,” Mandy said.
“What did you do Sunday?”
“Um … we just hung around.” Mandy opted to leave out the sweaty and naughty bits from her retelling. “We cooked breakfast, and then we painted a little bit, and then we spent a couple hours in the pool … and hot tub … and on the pool table.”
“On the pool table?”
“I meant we played pool,” Mandy corrected.
“Yeah, I think you’re cleaning it up for my benefit,” Marian said. “Don’t do that, by the way. I like living vicariously through you.”
“I’m not sure how exciting my life is,” Mandy said. “In the grand scheme of things, my life is pretty boring.”
“I need to talk to you right now.”
Mandy jumped as Professor Barnes brushed past Marian and grabbed her arm. “Um … what?”
“I need to talk to you,” Barnes said. “It’s important.”
The inner danger alarm James started instilling in her the moment they started dating began to tick in the back of Mandy’s mind. “Isn’t class supposed to start in five minutes?”
“It can wait,” Barnes said.
“I … what do you want to talk about?”
“It’s private,” Barnes said, glancing at Marian. “We don’t need an audience.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“Just out in the lobby,” Barnes said, making a face. “Why are you acting like this?”
“Maybe because people keep dying on this campus,” Mandy replied.
“Oh, grow up,” Barnes snapped. “I don’t want to kill you. I just need to talk to you. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”
Mandy was still unsure. “I … .” She blew out a sigh. “Okay, but if you lay one finger on me, I’ll castrate you and then leave you to bleed to death. That’s before my husband gets his hands on you, by the way.”
“That’s exactly why I want to talk to you.
”
“ANYTHING?” James asked, looking up from his computer screen and focusing on Jake.
“I can’t find one tie between Steven Balish and Ben Barnes,” Jake said. “Balish has one sister, but she lives in Ohio. As far as I can tell she’s never been in one of Barnes’ class.”
“What about girlfriends?”
Jake shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. It looks like Balish had a girlfriend last year. Her name was Corinne Harper. They dated three months, but she was never one of Barnes’ students. Harper and Balish fall off each other’s radar pretty quickly and go in different directions. There’s nothing there.”
“Keep looking,” James instructed. “There has to be something … somewhere. If it’s not Balish, that means it had to be one of the two guys who were there before I arrived the night of the storm – and we have no idea who they are.”
“I don’t know what else to do,” Jake said, helpless.
“Try to figure something out,” James said. “I have ten minutes before I have to leave, and we need a break here.”
“WHAT do you want?” Mandy asked, glowering at Barnes as she kept at least two feet between them.
The lobby was empty – other than the two of them – and Mandy wasn’t especially happy to be stuck there with a man she didn’t fully trust.
“I want to talk to you about your husband,” Barnes said.
“What about him?”
“He’s a menace.”
“You’ll have to be more specific.” Mandy had no idea where Barnes was going with this conversation, but she was uneasy with his vitriol regarding James.
“He came to my house today,” Barnes said. “He had your little friend from the other night with him.”
“What friend? Ally?”
“Is that the hot brunette’s name?” Barnes tilted his head to the side. “That’s a hot name for a hot woman. Yeah, that fits.”
Mandy wrinkled her nose. “She’s spoken for.”
“Yeah, I know,” Barnes said, shaking himself out of his reverie and returning to the moment. “He was with your husband when he stopped by my house today.”
“Why would James stop by your house?”
“Why do you think?”
Mandy shrugged. “He probably thinks you’re a murderer,” she said, nonplussed. “Whoever killed Ann was here the night of the storm. That includes you.”
“Yes, he thinks I’m a murderer,” Barnes said. He thumped his chest. “Me!”
“Well, he obviously doesn’t still think you’re a murderer because, if he did, you’d either be dead or under surveillance,” Mandy said.
“Under surveillance? He can’t do that. He’s not a cop.”
“He’s a security expert,” Mandy said. “He runs surveillance on people all of the time. That’s what he does for a living.”
“He’s watching me?” Barnes glanced around the lobby, nervous. “Why would he be watching me?”
“I … .”
Barnes didn’t give Mandy a chance to answer. “You know, Mr. Muscles mentioned something about seeing me on a date Saturday night. He was watching me. He made fun of … I mean he seemed impressed with my sexual prowess. He must be a pervert to sit there and watch another man have sex – especially when someone does it as long and hard as I did.”
Mandy cocked an eyebrow, not sure which part of the statement bothered her most. She decided to dive right in. “Who is Mr. Muscles? Is that what you’re calling Jake?”
“That’s the hot brunette’s boyfriend, right?”
Mandy nodded.
“Then that’s him.”
“Okay,” Mandy said, tamping her irritation down. “Are you saying Jake followed you and watched you have sex? Why would he do that?”
“He claims it was because he thought I was going to murder her,” Barnes said. “I think he’s just a pervert, though.”
“How would he be able to see into your house and see you do it? Oh, wait, was this Saturday night? He told us he saw you having sex with a student in the cooking classroom. That’s gross, by the way. That’s not very sanitary.”
“Don’t be such a prude.”
“Why does everyone keep calling me that?”
It was a rhetorical question, but Barnes obviously didn’t realize that. “Because you’re hot … and in a dirty way. People look at you and expect you to be a freak in the bedroom.”
“You’re really disgusting.”
“Whatever,” Barnes said, rolling his eyes. “I’ve heard that enough for one day.”
“I still don’t understand why you pulled me out here,” Mandy said. “Shouldn’t we go back so you can start class?”
“Screw class,” Barnes said. “No one cares about that stupid class. The men are there to pick up the women, and the women are there to snag a man. The only one who actually cares about cooking is you – which I think means you’re probably bad in bed and you think this is the only way to hold onto your husband.”
Mandy smacked him across the face. Hard.
“What was that for?” Barnes grabbed his cheek.
“You’re a pig,” Mandy said.
“So what? I never said I wasn’t. There’s a reason I teach cooking at a community college. How many times do I have to tell you people that?”
“I’m so done with this class,” Mandy said, taking a step back. “I should have listened to James. Wow. I said it. I should’ve listened to my husband. He’s never going to let me live this down.
“He told me I didn’t need to take a cooking class and I got it in my head that I did,” she continued. “I thought it was going to make me a better wife. Of course, that was before I knew the professor was a skeevy pervert and I realized James wasn’t lying when he said he was perfectly happy with naked takeout.”
“Every man is happy with that, honey,” Barnes shot back.
“Shut your mouth,” Mandy snapped, wagging her finger in his face. “You are a sick man. I have no idea if you’re a murderer or not, but I’m betting you don’t have the stones to be one.”
“Do you want me to show you my stones?” Barnes asked, reaching for his belt. “I have huge stones!”
“If you undo your pants I’m going to call my husband,” Mandy threatened. “He’ll beat you to within an inch of your life.”
“I’ll scream and he’ll be arrested.”
“That won’t stop him … and he knows where you live.”
Barnes made a face, conflicted. “I don’t want any more trouble from your freaky husband. I don’t want any more trouble from you either, while we’re at it. I want you out of this class. You’re kicked out.”
“You can’t kick me out. I already quit.”
“I’m in charge,” Barnes said. “I say who quits and who is kicked out … and you’re kicked out.”
“Oh, just … bite me.”
“I would, but I hear you’re bad in bed,” Barnes said.
Mandy smacked him again, just because she could.
“If you hit me one more time I’m going to hit you back,” Barnes said.
“Go ahead,” Mandy replied. “I’m guessing you hit like a girl.”
“That did it!” Barnes put his hands to his hips. “I’m going to file a formal complaint in the registrar’s office and they’re going to send you a sternly-worded email, missy. What do you think of that?”
“I think you’re an idiot.”
Barnes was haughty. “That shows what you know,” he said. “Hundreds of people have told me that before you. It’s not like you’re the smart one who figured it out first.”
There was nothing Mandy could do but roll her eyes. “Listen, if it makes you feel better, you can kick me out of class. I’m going to go back and get my purse … and then I’m out of here.”
“Good,” Barnes said. “You’re a horrible cook anyway. I don’t want to be sued if you poison someone.”
“You’d better start running now,” Mandy said. “If you don’t shut your mouth I’m going to slap you ag
ain.”
“Like you could catch me,” Barnes hissed, although he warily took a step away from the feisty blonde. “I’m not scared of you.”
“Then you’re dumber than you look.”
“That’s not even possible.”
Twenty-Four
“I have to go,” James said, getting to his feet. “I should’ve left five minutes ago. I want to make sure I’m there when that class lets out. I don’t trust Barnes to leave Mandy alone.”
“Dude, I don’t think he’s a murderer,” Jake said. “He’s a pervert, there’s no doubt about that, but I don’t think he’s got the stomach to kill someone. Strangling a woman is one of those things that has to be done up close and personal. He’s too weak to do that.”
“You’re probably right,” James said. “That doesn’t mean Balish isn’t in that building, though.”
“I understand,” Jake said. “Text me when you have her … just so I know. Are you going to come back here?”
“No,” James said. “I’m going to take Mandy home and … spend some quality time with her.”
Jake pursed his lips to keep from laughing. “Do you really expect me to believe that?”
“Yes,” James said. “Just like I believe you’re going to go home and read a book with my sister.”
“Ah … gotcha,” Jake said. “Have a good night.”
“How long are you staying?”
“Just another half hour or so,” Jake said. “I want to finish my current search. We’ll hit it hard tomorrow.”
“I just need to convince Mandy to quit that class,” James said. “I wonder if I can bribe her.”
“Buy her a shark,” Jake suggested.
“If I thought that would work, I would,” James said. “I need to figure something out. I can’t go through another night worrying about her in that class.”
“You just don’t want to eat anything she cooks,” Jake said. “Ally told me what her soup looked like, by the way.”
“Mandy told me what her soup looked like, too,” James said. “The sad thing is, I probably would’ve eaten it.”
“Even though you knew it would make you sick?”
“Love is a funny thing,” James said. “Speaking of that … .”
The two men stilled when the bell jangled over the front door.
“I’ve got it,” Jake said, getting to his feet. “Don’t worry about it. Go to Mandy.”
Deadly Storm Page 18