by B. L. Mooney
He nodded his head. “I know, son. He was reaching for the gun when it went off.”
“What the fuck is the problem then?” I was enraged and ecstatic at the same time. We had the evidence to clear her, but she still wasn’t being cleared.
“One could argue that he held his hand up to protect himself from the shot, as well.”
“Not from that angle.” I pounded my fingers to the photo a few times. “That angle right there tells me his thumb was straight up and down, reaching for the gun. It wasn’t sideways to protect himself.”
“I agree. I told you McCoy is going to try to make a name for himself and use this case to do it. I’m pressing to close it, but it isn’t just up to me.”
“Deb will talk to whomever it’s up to. You know she will.”
“Yes, but if she walks out as she did on me, it may not be good for her. She’ll need to stay strong and focused. Her attitude will not do her any favors in that interview.”
“I can talk to her.”
“Just let me handle this. Stay close to her and watch out for McCoy and that older woman.” He walked over to a couple of files. “We’ve been using Kelly to intercept her mail. She put her in charge of it, so we don’t need a warrant, but anything which looks remotely like a threat, we check out.”
He opened the file and turned it to me. There were photos of Craig in a casket and more letters like the ones she’d been receiving before.
“What the fuck is all this?”
“I believe the woman who has been standing out in front of her store is behind this. I just can’t find out who she is since she’s no longer around.”
“About Kelly, McCoy knows her from somewhere. It won’t be long until he pieces it together.”
“Do you think Deb will keep her in the store if you tell her we put her there?”
“I don’t know. What I do know is she’s going to be pissed at me.” I leaned over and tapped the digital recorder. “What’s on this?”
“McCoy’s interview with Deb.” He nodded. “Go ahead and listen to it, but you’ve never seen this room or heard that recording. Is that understood?”
“Yeah, Dad.”
He slapped my back and gripped my shoulder. “The department lost a great officer when you quit. You picked up everything you needed to in here.”
“Dad—”
He held his hand up. “I know. It isn’t for you.”
It wasn’t quite the acceptance I had hoped for, but he was coming around. I would take what he was willing to give. I looked back at the table with the recorder and sat down. I needed to find out what set McCoy off and made him go after Deb. I pressed play.
I’d been neglecting my own dream while chasing after Deb. It was time I started to get back into it. After I finished up with my father, I headed straight for the restaurant. I picked up the sanding pole and started smoothing out the drywall seams again.
“Hey, you’re going to sand right through the drywall if you keep that up.” Blake hadn’t been around much, so I was surprised to see him.
“My dad called you.”
He shrugged. “He said you looked a little upset when you left.”
“So you decided to come and check on me now?”
“Whoa.” He held his hands up. “I’m your friend.”
I stopped sanding and looked at him. “Really? I haven’t heard from you or seen you in weeks.”
“Dude, you’re the one who’s been busy.” He motioned around the room. “You’ve got this and Deb taking over your life. How am I supposed to compete with that?”
“You don’t have to compete. You can be a part of it.”
“I’m sorry if on my day off I don’t want to come over and sand drywall all day. Consider me the worst friend in the fucking world for wanting to relax.”
I sighed and went back to sanding. “I think she lied to me.”
“Why don’t you just ask her?” He picked up another pole and added sandpaper to the head. “If I think Maria’s hiding something, I just come out and ask her.”
“Hiding is different than lying.” I stopped sanding and looked at him. “I think she lied to me, but I don’t know if she knows it.”
He shook his head. “Wait, what? You’re not making any sense.”
“I listened to the interview and some things just don’t add up.” I went back to sanding.
“Do you think she’s guilty now?”
“No, not about the shooting. Stuff about her past.”
“Look, it isn’t that complicated. You call her over and ask her. If you feel lied to, you have the right to clear it up.”
“Yeah, I know. I just don’t know if I want the answer.”
The shower felt good on my sore muscles. I worked longer than I ever planned to on the drywall. The guys weren’t going to have much to do when they came back. I’d need to get the paint picked up sooner than I anticipated. Only problem was, I hadn’t decided what color yet.
I wrapped a towel around my waist and grabbed another for my hair, padding out to the kitchen as I ran the towel over my head to see what leftovers I had for dinner. I didn’t really want to cook a meal; I just wanted to go to bed. The towel hung around my shoulders as I started looking through the containers. Nothing looked good to me.
I hung my head and closed the refrigerator door when there was a knock on the front door. Deb was waving when I checked the peephole. I closed my eyes and sighed. I opened the door and turned back to the kitchen before she came in. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do yet.
“Okay.” She eased in and closed the door but soon picked up her pace and followed me. “What happened? I thought you would’ve come back over to tell me what you found out.”
“I got busy.”
“Did something happen?”
I continued to look through the contents of my leftover stash as I spoke. “Do you trust me, Deb?”
“Of course, I do.”
I stood up and turned around, closing the refrigerator door again. “When did you start to trust me?”
“I think I always have somewhat or I never would’ve come up here. Where is this coming from? You obviously don’t trust me now.”
“I thought we shared something special. I thought.” I sighed and looked at her. “I don’t know what to think.”
“Well, honestly, now I don’t know, either.” She crossed her arms. “Did you see something to shake your trust in me today? Did your dad say something to cause you to start doubting me?”
“No. I don’t doubt you, Deb. I’m just wondering if you really trust me.”
“I think I trust you more than anyone.”
I shook my head and walked to the bedroom. The towel kept slipping and I was getting tired of adjusting it. I needed to get dressed. Deb followed me.
“Now you’re just walking away?”
“No, I’m getting dressed.”
I pulled my dresser drawer open as she sat on the foot of the bed. She leaned forward and put her head in her hands. I looked through my drawer and came across something I had forgotten was in there.
“I’m not sure what happened, but I wish you would talk to me.”
I looked at the silver looking back at me and glanced to Deb. She was still sitting with her face in her hands. I picked it up and turned, placing my hands behind my back.
“Undress.”
She sat up and looked at me. “You tell me you’re having trouble trusting me and you want me to undress?”
I shook my head. “No. The problem is I don’t feel you trust me. I think you’re still protecting yourself from me, and I don’t want you to do that anymore.”
“And undressing will stop that?”
“It’s a start. Please, undress.”
She stood up and shook her head. I thought she was going to leave when she let out an exasperated sigh and slapped her hands on her legs, but she didn’t. She started to take her clothes off. Just the idea of what I was possibly going to do to her was making me hard. It
was too much for the towel and fell around my feet.
She turned to the sound and looked down. She stepped out of her last piece of clothing and threw it at my feet. “Is this how you want me?” She motioned wide with her arms and turned in a circle.
My dick throbbed for her. “Almost.”
“I don’t have anything else to take off.”
“Get on the bed.” She looked at the bed and back to me. She started to pull the comforter down and I stopped her. “Leave it.”
She sighed and got on top of it. “I’m not sure what’s gotten into you tonight, but do you plan on bossing me around all night?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes got wide before she shook her head. I thought she was going to protest, but she didn’t. The next part was going to be hard. I walked over to the closet, still hiding what I had in my hand. I tossed a tie to her.
“Cover your eyes.”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“You heard me. I don’t want you to see what I’m doing to your body. I want you to trust me and just feel it.”
She rolled her eyes. “So, this is a trust thing. If I refuse, I don’t trust you.” She shook her head and lifted the tie to her eyes, but put it back down. “Tell me what brought this on. I deserve to know what I’m being tested for.”
“I wouldn’t call it a—”
“It’s a test, Mick. I’m not saying I won’t do it, but I want to know why before I go through with it.”
“You said you never had sex in a car before us.”
She tilted her head to the side. “That’s the truth. Why do you doubt that?”
“I listened to your interview with McCoy today.” I looked down and then to the side. It was hard to look her in the eye. I didn’t want to see the look when she realized I caught on. I needed to push through it, though. “You told me you’d never had sex in a car, but you told him the first time you had sex with Craig was in the parking lot when you picked him up.”
She looked up and closed her eyes. She didn’t open them when she nodded and wrapped the tie around her head. I was expecting a response. I didn’t know what response I was going to get, but I didn’t expect that one.
“You’re not going to say anything?”
“No.” She adjusted the tie. “I understand what your concern is and I will address it, but it will be after I do this. What’s my next assignment?”
“Get further up the bed and lie down on the pillow. Get comfortable and grab the headboard. Don’t move until I tell you that you can.”
She did exactly as I asked without question. I walked closer to the bed and looked at her beautiful body lying before me. I looked up to her hands, gripping the bars on the headboard, then glanced at the handcuffs in my hand and sighed. She was going to hate me for this.
I could hear him rustling around me. It was infuriating and thrilling at the same time. I could hear him getting closer and felt my breathing increase. It was more exciting than I ever imagined.
It bothered me that he didn’t just ask about the parking lot comment. He should’ve if he trusted me. Sex in a parking lot does not mean sex in a car, but he heard what he wanted to hear with that information.
I felt the bed dip and I held my breath. He was inches from touching me and I couldn’t wait. I wasn’t sure what he was doing, but he was taking his time and it was starting to drive me crazy.
His hand brushed my arm near my wrist. The small contact sent shivers down my spine. Everything was much more intense when you didn’t know where or when it was coming. I felt something cold on both my wrists and started to jerk when I heard the sound of the handcuffs clicking. I never wanted to hear that sound again.
“Mick! Let me go!” I fought the handcuffs and cried out in pain. “This isn’t funny!”
He tucked something between the handcuffs and my wrists to ease the biting. It felt better, but I didn’t want them on at all.
“I’m not kidding, Mick!”
He lay down on his side as close as he could to me and whispered. “I love you. Just remember it’s me and I love you.”
He started kissing my shoulder as I still fought the handcuffs. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and tried to imagine what he was doing to me. I tried to concentrate on that and let go of the feeling around my wrists. It wasn’t an easy thing to do. I told him I trusted him, so I needed to lie back and do exactly that.
Once I relaxed, he started kissing lower down my body. He took his time with each breast, each nipple and teased them until I ached for more. His fingers tickled my sides as he kissed my belly and continued to slide further down.
He wasn’t going as fast as my body needed him to. I wanted to rub my legs together, but he was lying on top of them and I couldn’t move.
I felt my legs part as he slid even further down and cried out when he kissed the inside of my leg instead of where I needed him to most. He was torturing me. He ignored my outburst, but I could feel his smile when he moved to the other leg.
He kissed, licked, or massaged each inch of me, except for where my body was screaming for him to. My breasts were only touched at the beginning of his slow, torturous way of pleasuring my body. He would cup them occasionally, but he never touched my nipples again.
My body throbbed for him, for his touch. I wasn’t above begging. “Mick, please touch me.”
I turned my head to the sound of his voice as he whispered in my ear. “I am touching you.” His hand skimmed my hip with feather-light touches. He was driving me mad.
I tried to move my hips when his hand slid down to the inside of my thigh, but he held steady. I was growing more frustrated. “Mick.”
He cupped me but wouldn’t give me the direct contact I needed with his fingers. I tried to move my hips, but he held them down. “Be patient and trust me.”
He moved and was no longer lying next to my side. The blindfold was starting to annoy me since I couldn’t see or feel him anymore. As long as I felt him, I knew he was still with me. He must have sensed my concern.
“I love you, Deb. I’m not going anywhere.”
He was further away from me, but he still sounded close. I felt his hands cup the back of my knees and I bent them as he directed. He spread me and backed up. It was a very vulnerable position, one I’d never been in before. To be open and bare, no matter how much you trusted the person in front of you, was uncomfortable and humiliating.
But with Mick, I found myself spreading my legs further for his inspection. I wanted to show him, and myself, that I trusted him with everything—even the most intimate parts of me.
I cried out in pleasure when his tongue made contact with my clit. I wanted to buck my hips but he held me down, continuing his slow torture on my body. I wasn’t used to slow with him and I wasn’t used to tenderness with anyone. Not even Al.
I gripped the bars I was handcuffed to when he entered two fingers. His fingers curled up and found the spot, which drove me crazy. It was intense and I held my breath. He wasn’t thrusting as he normally would, but it was just as powerful, if not more so.
The buildup was quick and strong. I didn’t have time to say anything before I felt my body tremble. I arched my back and gave in to one of the best orgasms I’d ever had.
My arms were aching, but I didn’t mind. I collapsed back down to the bed and tried to catch my breath. It was taken from me again when I felt Mick enter me. His arms were placed underneath me and his hands slid up my back as he lay on top of me.
His hips moved, but they still weren’t the thrusts I was used to. It was slow and deep. I felt everything as he moved inside me. I felt so much more than the physical act he was doing. I felt the love he had for me as his arms were wrapped around me, cradling my body.
I was grateful for the blindfold at that moment because it soaked up the tears. One arm slid out from under me and I felt him shift to the side. After he came back there was a click and my arms fell to the bed. I didn’t give him time to unlock the other handcuff. I wrapped my arms around
him and kissed him.
He kissed me back as he slid the tie off my eyes. I wrapped my legs around him as he picked up speed. I’d never felt closer to anyone, but I still wasn’t close enough. I needed to become part of him.
“Love me, Mick.”
He continued to move his hips, but he held my head and made me look into his eyes. We continued that way for a few moments until he finally whispered, “With everything I have.”
We kissed again and picked up the pace. It wasn’t the frenzied sex we’d had so often, but it was, in some ways, even more satisfying. It was much more than just a physical satisfaction. It was as if he were piecing together all parts of me. The broken pieces were mended, the missing pieces were found, and the hidden pieces were uncovered. I finally felt whole. I finally felt accepted.
He put his forehead to mine. “I’m sorry. I can’t hold out much longer. I want this night to go on forever.”
I squeezed my walls around him and whispered, “It’s okay.”
He put his hand between us and started to circle my clit with his thumb while I tilted my head back and he kissed my neck. His thumb started to move faster as he placed his forehead on my shoulder. I clawed at his back as another orgasm came to life.
“Mick! Don’t stop!” I reached back up to the bars and thrust my hips with him. I didn’t want it to end, but I knew it had to. I arched my back and let it consume me.
A few more thrusts from Mick allowed him to find his release. He lay down on top of me as I wrapped my arms around him. The only sound in the room was our breathing. I wanted nothing to ever disturb that peaceful moment.
My body was sore, especially my arms, when I woke up the next morning. We both were exhausted and soon fell asleep after we made love. I loved waking up with his arms around me, but what seemed beautiful in the dark of night had a different feel in the morning light.
I believed Mick loved me. There was no question about that. It was the fact he didn’t trust me enough to talk to me about what was bothering him that I couldn’t get past. Would that be a constant thing in my life moving forward? Would I have to take tests periodically as he saw fit?
