Winds of Fire

by Kira Chase

  “Oh? Is it because of Becca's infatuation with him?”

  She lifted her shoulders slightly. “Probably. I'm not saying I wouldn't have been interested if he wasn't married, but he is. His advances turned me off. I may be called many things, but I will never get involved with a married man.”

  “How did you thwart his advances?”

  “I came right out and told him exactly how I felt. I didn't hold back. The only reason I think I wasn't terminated was because I believe he was afraid I'd file a complaint. He made up some lame excuse that he hadn't meant anything and was sorry if I interpreted it the wrong way.”

  “How does he treat you now?”

  “He's polite, but goes out of his way to have very little contact with me. He's very guarded around me.”

  “Do you know if he's made any improper advances to any other women in the company?”

  “No clue. If someone is having a fling with him, I'm sure they'd be very tight-lipped about it. And then, some of the women wouldn't care that he's married.” She bit her bottom lip. “The sad thing is his wife is one of the sweetest women I have ever met.” She paused. “She used to visit here regularly, but I haven't seen her in a while.”

  “Did Mrs. Longman ever personally visit Becca Manning's office?”

  “Once or twice, but they were very short visits. She just popped her head in and said hello.”

  “Did Becca ever have any visitors who weren't employees here that you know of?”

  Haley was thoughtful for a minute. “I remember, about six months after I began working here, a young attractive blonde showed up one day. I remember because she stopped at my desk, which is the one closest to Becca's office, and asked if Becca was in. I notified Becca, and when she came out of her office and saw the woman, she looked like she'd seen a ghost. She quickly ushered the woman into her office. Come to think of it, Becca's arguments with Mr. Longman didn't begin until after that woman arrived on the scene. She's been back several times since, but for the life of me I have no idea why.”

  “Do you think she was looking for employment? Possibly Mr. Longman set up an appointment for her. And if what you said about Becca's feelings toward him, possibly she was trying to thwart another attractive woman from catching his attention.”

  “I don't think so. She would have told me she was here for an appointment. I definitely know Becca wasn't thrilled seeing her. And why would she return several times in the last year and a half?” She looked pointedly at Frankie. “This doesn't sound like an interview about how wonderful it is to work here. What really gives?”

  Frankie pursed her lips. “I'm sorry that I've gotten off track. It's just that your account of Becca Manning's personal feelings toward Mr. Longman is so intriguing that I got caught up in it. Again, I apologize. I'll get the questioning back on track. Don't worry, though, because nothing you said will be in the article.”

  Haley grinned. “That's okay. For my portion of your article you can say how much I love it here and how wonderful everyone is...yada yada.” She leaned forward. “Deal?”

  Frankie returned her smile. “Deal.”

  “I have to admit that it does feel liberating getting all of this off my chest. But getting back to the blonde, I've always thought she had something on Becca and that's why she kept returning.”

  “Has she been here recently?”

  “Maybe a month ago or so. She had a baby with her this time, so she obviously has a significant other somewhere.”

  Frankie's heart began to pound. Could this be the connection Johanna and she were looking for? She had to keep her cool. She grew pensive as she looked at Haley. “Maybe she's a relative, then. Maybe one Becca doesn't want to involve herself with.”

  Haley screwed up her face. “I don't think so.” Her voice dropped to a low pitch. “Everyone who goes in or out of Becca's office has to pass by my desk. I told you mine is closest to Becca's office. Anyway, the day she brought the baby, I heard Becca shouting hysterically at her. Before when the woman visited, never a peep came from the office. The whole office heard Becca screaming. I'm assuming someone alerted Mr. Longman because a few minutes later he rushed into Becca's office. Obviously he couldn't calm her because her shrieking continued. I couldn't make out what she was saying, but it most likely had something to do with the baby. I felt so sorry for the poor little thing having to listen to that commotion. After about ten minutes things finally calmed down. Mr. Longman and the blonde with the baby exited the office.” She shook her head. “What was odd about the whole thing was that Mr. Longman was smiling as he left. I couldn't figure out why after what had just transpired. I was hoping that maybe Becca had finally been given her walking papers, but no such luck.”

  “That does seem strange,” Frankie agreed.

  “What's even stranger is the fact that Becca keeps getting away with her horrible treatment of people. Anyone else would be fired in a heartbeat. We have discussed it in the office and no one can understand it. There are a couple of women and one guy who have been here for years and they said it's almost as though Becca has a stake in the company and can't be terminated.” Haley's eyes narrowed.

  “There could be some truth in that. Otherwise what would be the connection?” Frankie asked.

  “Yes, but what is the connection? Becca has Mr. Longman by the balls. We were thinking that she has something on him. Whatever it is must be pretty damaging for him to allow her to stay. Don't you think?” she asked lifting an eyebrow.

  Chapter 10

  Frankie watched Haley and Mary, the woman Johanna had just interviewed, depart. She kept her eyes glued on the door assuming two more would immediately enter to take their place as had been the norm. She glanced at Johanna and shrugged. Five minutes later Johanna removed her reading glasses as she made her way to where Frankie sat drumming her fingertips impatiently on the tabletop.

  “Maybe no one else wants to be interviewed,” Johanna said and then frowned.

  Frankie looked pointedly at her. “I don't think so. Have you managed to get anything worthwhile?”

  “I did.” Johanna grinned. “And you?”

  “The last one had some very interesting facts.” Before she could say anything further, the door swung open and Jayne rushed in.

  Her expression was anything but friendly as she approached them. For a fleeting moment Frankie was afraid that one of the women had mentioned some of the inappropriate questions.

  “Sorry for the delay. The scheduling got mixed up and I'm trying to straighten it out,” Jayne explained.

  Frankie was relieved that it had nothing to do with them.

  “I hope this won't be an inconvenience,” Jayne continued.

  “Not at all,” Frankie quickly reassured her. “We can wait.”

  “Good.” Her face relaxed. “I have a few men who have agreed to the interview, but won't be available for an hour or so. But there should be a few more women in the meantime.” She glanced at the wall clock. “I have a meeting in a few minutes. If no one shows up in fifteen minutes, please go to the counter in the lobby and let them know. They'll be taking care of the scheduling.” She smiled. “I'm looking forward to my interview after my meeting. I should be finished in about an hour or so. I'll also have the agreement ready for your signatures.” She abruptly turned on her heel and was out the door before either of them could utter a response.

  “Perfect,” Frankie replied even though Jayne was long gone. She looked at Johanna. “Do you want to hang around?”

  “Do you think we'll get a chance to interview Becca Manning?”

  “I doubt it, but even if she did agree, she won't give us anything.”

  “You're itching to get out of here. Why?” Johanna asked.

  “I think I've got enough. And you said you have something. Let's not waste any more time here.”

  “Should we just leave? What will be our excuse?”

  “Why do we need one? Do you really want to interview Jayne and sign her agreement?” She pursed her l
ips.

  “No, but what do we do? Just walk out?”

  She nodded. “Do you have a better idea?”

  She shook her head. “What will we say if someone sees us leaving?”

  “I don't know. We'll wing it.” She shrugged. “Maybe no one will even notice. Let's not waste any more time discussing it. Someone could be headed here right now for an interview. The sooner we leave the better.”

  “Okay,” Johanna agreed. “Let's go.”

  “Let me just leave a note on the table that says we'll be right back just to be on the safe side.”

  After Frankie scribbled the note, they grabbed their bags and then Frankie opened the door and cautiously peered down the hallway. A couple of women had just turned the corner at the opposite end of the hallway. “Hurry,” she whispered to Johanna. “Those two might be headed here.”

  “You left a note,” Johanna said.

  “Right, but I don't feel like having to explain in person where we're going.”

  “Because you haven't figured that out yet.”

  Frankie chuckled. “You're right. We'll just pretend we didn't see them.” She tugged Johanna's arm. “At least I left them a note. Let's go.”

  Frankie closed the door behind them and without glancing back to see where the two women were, they quickly made their way to the end of the hall. They stopped and pretended to be chatting while Frankie glanced around the corner. She whispered close to Johanna's ear, “Let's be as quiet as possible. It looks like they're all busy and not paying attention to who's coming and going on the elevators. I doubt we'll even be noticed.” Her heart thudded as they quickly moved past the counter and to the elevator. She pushed the down button. A voice called out to them as the elevator doors opened, but she pretended not to hear. Only after they'd stepped inside the elevator and the door closed, did she exhale.

  “Jayne must not have gone to her meeting yet. That was close,” Johanna said.

  “I know. It gets the adrenalin pumping, doesn't it?” Frankie giggled.

  * * * *

  Frankie drained her glass of wine and then set the empty glass on the coffee table. “It sounds like we both got some interesting information.”

  Johanna stretched. “I've got to hand it to you—it was a good plan after all.” She rubbed her head. “I couldn't wait to get that wig off. Guess wigs aren't for me.”

  “Me either. Besides, I love your natural auburn hair so much better.”

  “Yeah, I prefer yours any day, too.” She checked the time. “I'm exhausted. We should try to get to bed a little earlier tonight, after I finish up a few things.” She stared at her computer screen. “I was just thinking. Thatcher never changes his routine. I wish we could link the connection between Kristin Robbins, Thatcher Longman, and Becca Manning. What are we not seeing?”

  Frankie tilted her head. “Well, we believe Thatcher is the father of Kristin's baby. That connects those two. But I can't figure how Becca fits into everything.”

  “And why he allows her to abuse her authority unless she does have something on him.”

  “Which we agree she most likely does. The connection that doesn't make sense is Kristin and the baby visiting Becca at Bronson Enterprises.” She exhaled loudly. “How the hell do they connect to Becca?”

  “Maybe Kristin found out that Becca and Thatcher are falsifying financial records and she wants a cut,” Johanna offered.

  She sighed softly. “Could be, but then why would Thatcher be so friendly with her? All I know is that he hasn't changed his after work schedule since we began tailing him.” She looked at Johanna. “I think we need to meet with Alec Oakman tomorrow and bring him up to speed on everything.”

  “I agree.” She flicked on the TV. “I want to catch the news before we go to bed. It'll be on in a couple of minutes.”

  “Okay.” Frankie settled back into the sofa and put her hands behind her head as a few commercials danced across the screen. “I would have given anything to see Jayne's reaction when we didn't return. She was itching to be interviewed.”

  Johanna giggled. “She must be livid.”

  Frankie smiled. “I'm sure she is. What do you think about getting a different car each night for our surveillance? I could talk to Jillian about it. Just to be on the safe side in case someone recognizes the car.” She turned her head in Johanna's direction. “You never know.”

  “That's a great idea. I never thought of that.” She glanced at her computer. “I've been trying to dig up something...anything on Becca Manning, but it's like the woman doesn't exist except for the brief write-up on the company website. How can you hide yourself completely in this day and age with the Internet?”

  “I don't know, but it only convinces me that she's hiding something that would destroy her if it became public knowledge.” Frankie's eyes drifted to the newscaster who'd just come on with a breaking story. She listened intently. “Another fire.”

  Johanna's eyes widened as she listened to the reporter. “Thank God no one was injured or any businesses damaged in this one. How many fires has this been, Frankie?”

  Frankie shook her head. “I don't know...too many and some repeats.” She removed her hands from behind her head and rubbed her jaw. “Tomorrow I think we should look up the dates and times of each fire.”

  “Do you want me to start tonight?” Johanna asked.

  “No, sweetie. You're exhausted. Why don't you jump in the shower and as soon as I take care of these wineglasses I'll join you,” she said with a sly wink.

  * * * *

  Johanna stripped off her clothes and then turned on the shower. She stretched luxuriously before stepping inside. The warm water soothed her aching body and relaxed her. It had been a long day and she longed for her bed. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, holding each one in before letting it out. She kept her eyes closed, tuning out the world around her.

  When Frankie's arms suddenly encircled her, Johanna smiled as she leaned back feeling Frankie's hard nipples pressing into her. Life was good, life was perfect.

  “Too tired for a little fun?” Frankie murmured.

  “Never,” Johanna replied huskily as Frankie slowly moved her hands over Johanna's thighs while softly kissing the back of her neck. “Mmm, that's nice.” The need for sleep rapidly disappeared as her body tingled under Frankie's touch. She grabbed Frankie's hands and tried to force them to her vagina.

  Frankie pulled away and lathered soap in her hands and then sensuously ran her hands over Johanna's body, taking her time until every inch of Johanna's flesh had been lathered.

  Johanna savored every touch as her body screamed with the tantalizing pleasure Frankie was causing. As Frankie expertly massaged Johanna's shoulders, any tension left in her body was now gone, replaced by raw hunger.

  When Frankie finished, she gently turned Johanna around and with one hand swept the damp hair away from Johanna's face and stared deep into her eyes.

  Johanna reached a hand out and stroked Frankie's cheek. She didn't know how it was possible, but every day her love for Frankie grew only stronger. They'd been through a lot together and she felt fortunate that together they'd managed to get through the bad times without weakening the tight bond that kept them cemented. They were not only partners, but soul mates. She savored every minute they were together.

  As she looked into Frankie's brown, penetrating eyes, she not only saw the love those eyes held for her, but more importantly felt that love. Frankie's hair was plastered to her face, but she appeared oblivious to it. Her eyes drifted to Johanna's full, slightly parted lips. Their lips met softly at first and as the kiss deepened, Johanna lost herself in the heat consuming her body. She pressed herself tightly to Frankie's body, nudging her toward the back wall of the shower as a gentle spray of warm water from the showerhead sprayed over their glistening bodies.

  Frankie grabbed Johanna's shoulders as Johanna dropped to her knees. Her grip tightened as Johanna's mouth moved between her thighs. After kissing Frankie's inner thighs,
she flicked her tongue back and forth teasing Frankie's clit.

  “You're driving me crazy, baby,” Frankie moaned.

  “That's my intention,” Johanna replied softly. “I love every inch of your beautiful body and want to savor every bit of it. I can't get enough of you.” She rose slowly.

  Frankie's body shook with desire. “I need you. I'm going to explode if you don't take me right now.”

  The desire in Frankie's eyes drove Johanna wild. She slipped a finger inside of her. Frankie shuddered as she rode Johanna's finger. Johanna kissed Frankie's neck and drew her breath in sharply when she felt Frankie's finger enter her. As the warm water continued to cascade over them, they brought each other to a needed release.

  Chapter 11

  Frankie walked into the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee. She settled herself at the kitchen counter. She looked up when Johanna entered the room carrying several sheets of copy paper in her hand.

  “Good morning, babe. You look chipper. What time did you get up?” She smiled brightly.

  “A couple of hours ago. I slept like a baby,” Johanna replied as she handed the papers to Frankie and bent for a quick kiss. “Read these while I fix some scrambled eggs.”

  “Need some help?”

  “No, thanks. I want you to carefully read these fire reports. There were more fires than we realized.”

  Frankie looked quizzically at her. “I can't figure out where you're getting all this energy this morning.”

  “As if you don't know,” she said and then grinned as she grabbed the eggs from the refrigerator. “Didn't you sleep well?”

  “I did. I only woke up when I realized you weren't next to me.”

  “I was anxious to print out the fire reports.” She took a whisk from a drawer and a bowl from a cabinet.

  “Did you read all of them?”

  “No, I skimmed through them. I'd like you to mark the fires that were set at the same locations we were at while I fix breakfast.” She paused. “The worst is the damage to the sporting goods store.”

  “We only tailed Thatcher Longman to a couple of those locations.”