She looked at it, puzzled. Poole’s Bar and Inn.
“This is a place where we can meet. I often hang out there and when I want to get away…” He winked at her. “They have rooms upstairs. Call my cell.” He bustled towards the door.
What a player. Well, it wasn’t his home address, but between there and The Silver Spoon, he could be found. Kitt yawned. What was taking so long? She wished Pamela and Dan would show up so she could take Rob’s car back. A smile crossed her lips. She’d be smarter than he was. She’d take the key out of the ignition and up to his condo. A familiar twitching sent ripples of desire through her personal parts. She wanted Rob. He could explain about Suzette, Kitt was sure.
The door opened with a whoosh and Dan walked in. The band was packing up their instruments and the tavern was half empty. Oh, no. He beat Pamela and missed Jason. And they’d all kept her waiting to go to Rob. She’d never been good at handling delays. This kind of work could be frustrating.
Spotting Kitt right away, Dan strode towards her table. He wasn’t going to be happy.
“Another one?” Ginni appeared, a smile on her face. “You should get a revolving chair.” As Dan sat down, the waitress spoke to him. “And what will this gentleman have?”
“Coffee. Black,” Dan said.
“That’s no fun,” Ginni teased, but he nodded curtly and she left.
Dan sat down and his cell rang. “Hello. Pamela. You’re what? Are you crazy? Turn around now and come back here.”
He talked a few more minutes, then slammed his phone down on the table. “Stupid ass woman is following Terewski on a country road. She arrived here as he was leaving and he accused her of stalking. She told him she just wanted to talk. He gave in and he’s leading the way to some quiet little bar he knows.”
Dan shrugged but Kitt could tell he was still concerned and so was she.
“She said not to worry. They’ll work things out and I should send her the bill. She sent us on a wild goose chase, but I’ll charge her for the time wasted and the gas.” He patted Kitt’s shoulder. “Sorry, kid, but it happens. Are you okay with driving home alone?”
“Sure.” He sat on the edge of his chair like he was ready to bolt, and Kitt waved him on.
“Cheer up. It’s always possible they’ll feud, he’ll take off, and she’ll reopen the case. If not, I’ll come up with another one for you.”
This meant she could head out to Rob’s, and while she wanted to go, she felt terribly let down. Her case was a dud? That sucked.
“If Pamela gets murdered, it’s not our fault,” he said, clasping his hands on the table. “I have no idea where to catch up with her. If I did, we could show up there and do some surveillance to make sure she’s safe.”
“Wait! I think I may know where they’re headed.” Kitt’s hand shook as she laid the card Jason gave her on the table. Dipping in her bra, she and pulled out the torn napkin he’d given her earlier. “And if you need to get hold of him, here’s his cell number.”
“Hey, you’re okay, kid. You work fast.” Jumping up, he patted Kitt on the back. “Want to follow me or ride along?”
“You mean…?”
“This is your case. I’m not cutting you out now.”
Kitt’s blood ran hot. The thrill of the chase. “I’ll follow.” In Rob’s Vette. With luck, he’d still be waiting when she and Dan had wrapped everything up. She smiled as she grabbed her handbag and pulled out his keys.
Rob had waited as long as his nerves could stand and Kitt hadn’t shown up yet. He called her cell and she didn’t answer. He phoned her aunt to see if she’d come home. “I’m sorry, Sugar,” he said when she got all flustered. “I know she left your house with me but we had an argument. Sort of. I’m sure she’s all right. Don’t worry. I’ll find her.”
But how was he going to do that?
Damn. Suzette was growing impossible. He had to find another job.
Rob drove the limo over the speed limit back to The Silver Spoon. Only one car was in the lot. A tiny fire engine red convertible. Had a drunk gotten a ride home and left it? Or was someone still there? The lights were dimmed inside the tavern. He walked slowly up to the door. This was obviously a waste of time since his car wasn’t here. Where could Kitt have gone? The door opened just as he reached it.
“Ahh!” The woman inside screamed. She was shaking all over. “Who are you? What do you want?”
“It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you. I was looking for a friend of mine.”
“He’s…or she’s…not here. Go away. We are closed. I was just leaving.”
“Lana? Are you Lana, the owner? Do you know where your boyfriend went?”
She took a big step backward. “Do you? He should have been here to help close. He always is.” She folded her arms.
“He was here when I left. So was my girlfriend. She was supposed to come to my place and she hasn’t shown up. That’s why I came back.”
“Were they together?” Lana narrowed her eyes and fisted her hands at her sides.
“No. He was sitting at the bar. Alone.”
“But? I hear a ‘but’ in your voice.”
“He’d been sitting with my girlfriend when I came in and he left to sit with another woman at the bar. I left with that woman and I had a feeling he’d hit on Kitt again when we were gone.”
“The two-timing bastard. I had to leave for a couple of days, and I was uneasy about going, but I wanted to put him to a test. One I hoped he’d pass. However…I’ve always heard if you give a crook enough rope, he’ll hang himself and I guess that’s true.” She swiped away a tear. “I knew he left another woman to be with me. So I shouldn’t be surprised. But we had such a good time together…we went gambling for a few days and then we took a cruise.
“Wait a minute. You left with the other woman and your girlfriend stayed here?” Lana shook her head. “Are all men crazy?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ve got all night.” She motioned Rob inside. “Have a drink with me?”
“I ought to be going. I have to find Kitt.” But, remembering he should tell Lana what Kitt said about Jay, Rob stepped through the door.
“My lord,” Lana said when she saw him in the light. “You look like Jay.”
“So I’ve heard, and it makes me glad I shaved my head.” And she looked somewhat like the picture over the bar. Rob took out his cell phone. “I’ll take a Bud. There’s something you should probably know.”
Lana poured herself a drink with a double shot of vodka and carried it over to one of the tables. The one where Kitt had been sitting if Rob remembered correctly. As she sat down, a cocktail napkin blew off on the floor. He picked it up and Lana took it out of his hand. She smoothed it out with angry strokes of her hand. “The waitress should have gotten this when she cleaned off the table.”
Rob shrugged, sorry he hadn’t left it lay. It was only half a napkin.
“Whoa. Look at this.” She pointed to an imprint on the torn paper. “It’s Jay’s phone number. He wrote it on here, tore it off and gave it to someone.” She looked like she was going to cry. “I should kill the sonofabitch. He said he loved me.” She downed half her drink in one gulp. “Now what were you going to tell me?”
“I’m not positive it was him…”
Lana slammed down her glass. “Let me decide that. I need to know.”
Kitt pulled Rob’s Vette up beside Dan’s SUV. A black Porsche was parked in the shadows alongside Poole’s next to a beige Cadillac. Her phone vibrated again and she paused a second to answer. She had the sound turned off but someone…probably Rob…kept calling. “’Lo?” she said.
“Where in the hell are you?” Rob demanded.
“Who’s that I hear talking?” she asked. “I hear a female voice in the background. Is Suzette with you?”
He told her he’d taken her home, come back to The Silver Spoon looking for Kitt, and Lana was on her phone chewing Jay a new asshole.
“If she wants to do it in
person, tell her he’s at Poole’s Bar and Tavern.” Kitt rattled off the address. “Look, I have to go. I’ll come to your place when I’m through. Go home and wait for me.”
“I can’t do—“
Kitt hung up and smiled. Rob wouldn’t be alone with Lana for long. She looked at her watch. How long would it take him to get here? Would she arrive first or Rob?
Dan was standing on a water spigot looking in the window of Poole’s. “They’re sitting in a booth holding hands across the table. I rang her phone and asked if she was all right. She looked at the identifier and put it back in her bag. So, it looks like our work is done.”
“Let’s keep an eye out a little longer,” Kitt said. “We need to make sure.”
Dan shrugged and surrendered his place on the hydrant. Kitt took over. It was a good thing the window sill was wide enough to hang onto.
“I know it’s hard to have a case peter out,” Dan said. “But it happens. If he was going to kill her, he’d have taken her up to a room by now. Or murdered her in the parking lot without ever going inside.”
“He moved over and they’re sitting together now. The room may come next,” Kitt said, chuckling. It was a ten minute drive if you hurried and she was sure Lana would set a new speed record.
“Ready to go yet?” Dan asked a few minutes later.
Kitt heard a car on the road. “Just a minute or two longer.” If she couldn’t arrest Jason Terewski, seeing him get his comeuppance would make a happy ending for her case.
She looked over her shoulder when she heard the squeal of tires. A tiny red sports car wheeled into the lot. A dark-haired woman jumped out and ran for the building. Kitt looked in the window and saw that Jason and Pamela were gone. There was only one door so they must have taken the stairs.
“What’s happening?” Dan demanded.
Another squeal of tires and Kitt, smiling, jumped down. Lana’s car made better time than the limo. She’d have been disappointed if Rob hadn’t come too.
“That was Jason’s girlfriend, and he and his ex are getting a room.”
“What in the hell are you doing?” Rob grabbed Kitt by the shoulders. “Tell me.” He shook her.
Bang. A gun went off inside Poole’s. Kitt pulled away. “I’ve got to go, Rob.”
Dan was already running. Kitt followed close on his heels. Rob nearly ran over the top of the two of them. “Are you two crazy? Call 911!” he shouted.
“I’ll do it,” the desk clerk called. “The shot must have come from room 202.”
“Stay back, Kitt. I’ll go in.” Dan held up a hand to stop her.
The door to room 202 opened and Jason Terewski stepped out, blood oozing from his naked shoulder. “Idiot woman,” he mumbled, his face contorted in pain.
He still had his pants on, Kitt noted. If he hadn’t, it’s likely he’d have gotten shot somewhere else. Through the open door, Lana could be seen sitting in a chair, the gun in her hand pointed at Pamela who cowered on the bed in a lacy black slip.
“Let me have that,” Dan said, holding out his hand. “Please. You haven’t killed anyone, yet.”
“I’ll stay until help arrives in case I’m needed. Then we’re going home. You’ve got a lot of explaining to do,” Rob said, slipping his arm around Kitt’s shoulders.
Terewski sat on the floor outside the door, dripping blood. “Here.” Kitt handed him his shirt. “Tie this around your arm to stop the bleeding.”
“Kitt. Really? What are you doing here?”
“Playing detective.” She winked at Rob, whose mouth hung open in horror, seeing her bending over the victim. “Kitt. Get away from him.”
“Actually, I’m not playing.” She showed both men her ID.
“Women. You can’t trust any of them,” Jason muttered.
He was shivering, perhaps in shock and she draped his dress jacket across his bare chest. As she did it, a red carnation fell in his lap.
“What was that broad who was with him tonight?” he nodded towards Rob, “up to?”
“You’ll have to ask him,” Kitt said, looking at Rob. When he didn’t speak up, Kitt spoke to Jason again. “You might not be able to keep that date with her tomorrow night,” she said softly so that the two women didn’t hear.
“I don’t give a damn. I’ve about had my fill of crazy women.” He picked up the flower and crushed it in his fist.
“Does that mean you’re going to give back all that you’ve stolen from them?” She dropped the Poole’s business card beside him. “I won’t be needing this.”
“You. Dammit. You used that against me to cause all this.”
Kitt stood tall and smiled. She’d scored well on her first case. But now, she’d have to deal with Rob.
Chapter Eight
Rob felt guilty dragging a confession out of Kitt about her deception when he hadn’t been honest himself.
“A detective? So that’s why you were so eager to go to The Silver Spoon. He shook his head. “It explains a lot. Cheap fuel when you didn’t have your car. And so on. But why in hell’s name do you want to do that kind of work?”
“It’s exciting. I wasn’t cut out to be a librarian.”
“You think?” They were back at his condo and he’d decided talking had to precede lovemaking. She’d scared the hell out of him. He couldn’t have her risking her beautiful neck chasing criminals. He had to persuade her to give up her job. “I could have told you that years ago.”
“So what do you think I was meant to do?” Kitt wound her arms around his neck and looked up at him through lowered lashes, a half-smile on her delectable lips.
“Let me provide your thrills.” He folded her close to him. “It would be a lot safer.”
“That sounds good.” She nuzzled his neck.
“You’re an imp, trying to distract me.” He kissed her on the temple. “Are you listening? You could have been shot tonight.”
“Show me what you think I was meant to do.” She blew in his ear.
“Gladly.” Rob took Kitt’s lips hungrily. His hands roaming her body, his passion building to an incredible level, he pulled her low-cut top over her head and dropped it on the living room floor. He gasped when he saw the pale skin of her delectable breasts peeking through a lacy black bra. Her nipples strained at the fragile material and he rubbed their hard tips between his fingers. Kitt dropped her head back, her lips parted and her breath becoming shortened. He lowered his mouth to suck those hardened lace-covered peaks. Then reaching around Kitt, he unhooked the strapless bra and let it fall.
“Your breasts are beautiful,” he said, filling his hands with them. “I want to see the rest of you. Get down.” The carpet was soft and his penis throbbed with desire. He fastened his mouth on her nipples again, sucking hard and she knelt slowly so that he wouldn’t let go. On their knees facing one another, Rob felt as if he was worshiping Kitt. He’d waited his whole life for moments like this.
She fumbled the zipper on her shorts and he released her reddened nipples. “Did I hurt you?” he asked, knowing that even if he had, she’d loved it. The colour rode high on her cheeks. Her eyes were glazed.
Kitt shook her head and smiled. Rising, she slid her shorts down and stepped out of them. Seductively wiggling her hips, she twirled the brief garment in the air, and let them fly.
Rob, who was undressing while he watched, chuckled at her stripper act, but seeing Kitt standing there in a lacy thong, he couldn’t wait any longer. “Get down here, you naughty woman. I want to feel your pussy and see if it’s ready for me.”
Kitt lay down, her arms raised over her head on the floor behind her, legs spread.
Rob stood over her, naked with his erect cock displayed. She licked her lips and lifted her arms towards him. He knelt and she took his penis in her hands and stroked the length of it, then raising her head, she took the crown into her mouth. Rob closed his eyes in ecstasy. “Kitt,” he whispered, palming her wet pussy, I’ve always dreamed of this. But wait…”
She squirmed un
der his touch, sucking his hardened rod greedily, as if she didn’t want to let go. But he wanted to give her pleasure as well.
Shifting his body so they were in a sixty-nine position, Rob tore off her thong. The swift motion and the ripping sound of the lace sent a tremor through her. He kneaded her mound and she shivered, but she quickly found his dick and resumed her voracious sucking. He took her clit between his teeth and nibbled gently. Kitt moaned and missed a beat in delighting his penis. He inserted two fingers in her vagina and her juices ran freer. “I’m not going to last much longer, sweetheart. Here goes the real thing…”
He plunged his tongue inside her love hole and began to mouth-fuck her. She took his cock deeper inside her mouth. It was hot and soft inside there and Rob pumped in and out while running his hard tongue over her clit.
She dug her fingers into his hot flesh and trembled. She was coming and now he could let loose. Her juices flowed into his mouth and he sucked them down his throat. He was about to lose it. His cum shot out and Kitt held on, the swallowing motion intensifying his orgasm. They were both racked with tremors. Delicious, exhilarating, heavenly climaxes.
And to think she’d called her aunt said she was spending the night. Rob Harrison had died and gone to heaven and they could do it all over again. And again. Later.
“I love your hard body,” Kitt said when they were showering together.
“You love my hard what?” Rob teased, pressing it against her.
“I can’t believe our first time was this afternoon. It seems like ages ago.”
“A lot’s happened today,” Rob said, tilting her chin to look into her eyes. “Did I prove that you weren’t meant to be a librarian or a detective? You were meant to make love with me.”
Kitt arrived home at nine o’clock in the morning. Jonesy was out sweeping her front steps when Rob let Kitt out of his Vette. Aunt Sugar was peeking out the living room curtains. Rob hit his ahooga horn and Jonesy shook her broom at him. He’d put the top down for their drive and Kitt heard him laugh. She’d called her aunt from her cell on the way to Rob’s last night and told her she was safe but staying over. Kitt could almost see her smiling at the other end of the line.
Bad Boy, Back in Town Page 10
