The Caspian Wine Mystery/Suspense/Thriller Series

by Maggie Thom

  “What happened? What’s going on?” Graham squatted so they were eye to eye and gently pulled her toward him.

  She wanted to resist but couldn’t find the strength. “Nothing,” she whispered as she pressed her face into the V of his neck.

  He held her tenderly, one hand cradling her head and the other rubbing her back in reassuring circles. The tension finally eased from her shoulders but the chill that had invaded her core remained. She pushed away, leaning back against the seat.

  “I don’t know what’s happening. I just know I’m scared.”

  “Talk to me.”

  “Bobbie’s acting suspiciously. And someone’s at my house. She tried to muffle the mouthpiece but I heard her tell someone that she’d find me. Why would she say that? Who was she talking to? I thought I was safe there.”

  “Let’s go inside and see what we can find out.”

  It took several minutes for him to convince her but finally she acquiesced. She had no plans. For the first time she felt completely lost.

  After carrying Chance up the long stairway and settling him into the bed in his office for an overdue nap, Graham logged onto his computer. Tarin sat beside Chance and lovingly brushed back his fine, sandy blonde hair. The careful way Graham had carried him, like he was his own precious son, was something she’d never forget.

  “What’s Bobbie’s last name?”

  “Benson.”

  He asked her for more information about her friend. As she answered, she felt as though she was betraying a confidence, but the disconcerting call she’d had with her hung over her like a cloud. After the first few questions, she had no problem giving him all he needed.

  “Did you know your friend doesn’t work?”

  “Yeah, I knew that. She looks after her mom who lives in the same neighborhood.”

  “No. Actually her address is... in Leaside.”

  “Impossible, that’s an expensive neighborhood. She can’t afford that.”

  Graham was silent for so long that curiosity got the best of her. She made her way behind his desk where she peered over his shoulder. A recent picture of Bobbie was open on one screen, the address of an expensive house on another, and her bank account data on a third.

  Tarin blinked a few times as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. Graham showed her property ownership records; she had acquired two houses, one she was sharing with Tarin and a million dollar property her mom was living in.

  “It can’t be true. Where’d she get that kind of money? Could her sister have had life insurance?”

  “It appears she’s getting a yearly salary.”

  “From whom? For what?”

  “I’d have to do more digging.”

  “I’m going out there.”

  “Not without me you’re not.”

  “Fine. Let’s go.” She stopped, barely taking one step before stopping to observe Chance sleeping. To protect him, she couldn’t be dragging him around town.

  “I have a suggestion but you might not like it.”

  Twenty minutes later they were on their way to check out Bobbie’s other residence. She pressed her hand to her belly in an effort to quell the queasiness and focus on what they were doing. Every time she thought of leaving Chance behind, she wanted to heave. Graham squeezed her hand as though he knew what she was thinking. She had to trust someone, not that her judgment had been any good in that department.

  “He’ll be fine. He’ll probably sleep the whole time we’re gone. Bill won’t let anyone near your son. He’s a gentle soul. And the place has a good security system.”

  She nodded but thought she needed her head examined. She’d left her son with someone who reminded her of a homeless man. Nervous laughter bubbled inside her but she tamped it down, concerned if it escaped Graham would think she was nuts. Her fingers pressed against the tender spot on her forehead. Maybe that incident had done more damage than she’d first thought. The memory brought back all that had happened in recent days. Her stomach convulsed and her throat compacted. She closed her eyes and tried to push away her thoughts and the gut-wrenching feeling that had taken hold of her.

  They came to a stop across the street from a three-story Tudor-style house with expansive, immaculate gardens. Bobbie wasn’t and never had been earning that kind of money. There was no way she owned it.

  “I’ll be right back,” Graham said.

  “Wait. Where are you going?”

  “I’m just going to see if anyone is there. Stay here.”

  She watched as he walked down the block and disappeared around the corner. Tapping her fingers against her thighs, she was almost ready to follow him when she spotted him sticking his head out the front door, waving at her. She hurried toward him and followed him into the house.

  “Are you nuts?”

  “Yes. Now see if you can find some clues as to who owns this place.”

  The living room with closed French doors sat off to her right. Alongside a set of stairs, leading upwards, was a hallway that led to the back of the house, to what looked like the kitchen. To the left was a closed door. Graham turned the gilded knob, revealing a huge oak desk.

  Tarin moved toward it, pausing only when several family pictures arranged on a wall unit behind it caught her attention. She gasped as she picked up the first one within reach. It was a faded picture of her and Bobbie in school. She used to have the same one but had no idea where it had gone over the years. In the middle of the shelf was a recent picture of Bobbie, her mom and niece, obviously professionally photographed. They were all smiling and looking happy. The diamond teardrop necklace Bobbie was wearing caught her attention. Tarin hadn’t seen it since her dad had given it to her for her sixteenth birthday. She’d been sure it had been lost.

  Sitting behind the desk, she opened the laptop. A short time later she had figured out Bobbie’s password; what she called her when they were twelve—y2ktarin. The name had come about because of her fascination with computers and the Y2K scare, where everyone was sure with the approaching millennium computers were going to crash. Tarin had been convinced they would die out after that. So Bobbie had dubbed her y2k Tarin.

  “We’ve got to go. Come on.”

  “Just give me a sec.”

  “Now... Now... Now... Someone just pulled up.”

  “I’m hurrying.”

  “It’s an older woman. She’s out of the car and on her way to the door. She looks pissed.”

  Tarin slammed shut the laptop and followed Graham out the back door.

  “Did you close the office door?”

  “Yes.”

  “Everything’s the way we found it, right?”

  Tarin gave a barely perceptible nod. She pretended to be cautiously looking around to avoid the questioning look in his eye. The small picture she’d taken probably wouldn’t be noticed.

  “I don’t understand. Why would she lie to me?”

  “Hey. Don’t think about it, I know it sucks. How do you know her?”

  “We met in first grade and we became instant friends. We went through so much together. I don’t know what I’d have done without her. Why?”

  Graham pulled the car over.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Giving you a shoulder to cry on.” He turned and took her into his arms.

  She tried so hard not to let him in but she was alone and didn’t know who was trying to hurt her. All she knew was that Graham, a virtual stranger, had treated her better than her family and friends had. That alone opened the floodgates.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Graham took a long deep swallow of his beer as he stared out at the blackness. On one hand, he was relieved not to have a starry, moonlit night but on the other, he didn’t want any surprises. Guy was in place watching for anyone who didn’t belong in the area; he’d offered, refusing to hire anyone else. Not many people knew Graham’s home address and he liked to keep it that way. According to Guy he had the place fortified enough that Fort Knox had a thing or
two to learn from him.

  The softest of sounds made him turn his head. The light from the kitchen backlit Tarin causing her to appear ethereal. As though being reeled in by an invisible thread, he walked toward her. At one point, she looked like she was going to bolt but she didn’t. The only sign that she was uncomfortable was the stiffening of her body, making her appear like a statue. As he came closer, he reached up and brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek. She held his gaze for the longest time before she gently nuzzled his hand.

  He cupped her face as he lowered his lips to hers. Her arms lifted and molded their way around him, pulling him in tight. He took that as a sign, a good one. He lifted her up and almost stopped to grin as she wrapped her legs around his waist. The hallway was short and wide and didn’t hinder his movement at all. But the heat they were generating made him weak in the knees and he had to stop to lean against the wall. Their lips remained fused as he finally stumbled into the bedroom and although he’d planned on setting her down gently, they crashed onto the bed. He barely managed to flip out his arm to keep from landing heavily on her.

  She was making the cutest mewling sound he’d ever heard. Pulling back slightly despite her protest, he watched her until her darkened, kittenish eyes opened and told him all he needed to know. Her hands caressed him under his t-shirt, raking her nails down over his hard abs one minute and clutching him to her the next. To make it easier for her he pulled his top over his head. She bit her lip as her eyes drank in every last bit of his chest. That look alone damn near sent him over the top.

  His lips brushed against hers just before he flipped over, placing her on top.

  “Eeee.”

  He loved her little squeal. His hands reached under her blouse so he could stroke her skin.

  “Ohhh.” She placed her fingers on his forearms. He held still watching her, letting her decide where this was going. She squeezed her eyes tight for the longest moment before she took a deep breath and sat up. He let his arms drop to his sides. Her gaze locked onto his as she slowly reached for the top button. It felt like forever before she managed to finally undo it. The teasing was almost sending him over the top. She’d undo it, pull back her blouse a bit and then slide the button back through. When she finally got to the third one and was flashing him some pink lace, he wanted to rip the blouse from her body. But he didn’t; he could tell how much she was enjoying the control she had. His fingers curled into the bed sheets. That’s when she upped the torture.

  Her hips started undulating against his raging erection. Not able to take anymore, he pulled her down to him. How they ever managed to get all their clothes off he wasn’t sure, because neither one of them could keep their hands off the other’s body.

  When he finally had her naked he took a moment to drink in her perfection. “You’re so beautiful.”

  Her happy smile dimmed a bit and she dropped her gaze down to look at his chest.

  He tipped her chin up with his index finger. He searched her eyes. “I’m not sure why that bothers you because you are. Very. Inside and out. You’re an amazing woman. And I don’t have to tell you what you do to me.” He arched his hips slightly letting her feel the full length of him.

  Her teeth nibbled at her lower lip as her eyes darkened.

  “I don’t sleep with a lot of women if that’s what you’re thinking. Or that it’s a line. It’s not. I’ve been fighting my attraction to you since day one.” Realizing that talking never really made a difference, he let his actions speak for him. He pulled her down to him and kissed her deeply and fully, letting her know she was the only woman he was interested in. And she was in charge.

  There were times he wasn’t sure if he was going to survive his decision to let her control their lovemaking. She was a natural born tease. And he loved every minute of it.

  ~~~~

  Tarin lifted her head to look down at the man that might have stolen something from her. Only he didn’t know it and she had freely given it. She didn’t believe in love or at least she hadn’t. Now she wasn’t sure. She only knew this man who didn’t trust her may have every right to hate her. And now she’d complicated it by jumping into bed with him. She’d only wanted to feel something real for a change.

  Slowly getting up, she tiptoed from his bedroom. Her jacket was tossed over the arm of the sofa. She picked it up and pulled out her cell phone and dialed.

  “Hello.” The groggy answer was almost enough to get her to hang up.

  “Hi Bobbie.”

  “Tarin.”

  “I want answers. I’ve known you all my life.”

  “You know.”

  “I know. But I want to hear it from you. I need to hear you tell me that you screwed me over.”

  “I didn’t, it’s not—”

  Unable to listen to the sobs that choked her voice, Tarin hung up but that didn’t stop the contact. Ten texts came in, in rapid succession, each one apologizing and begging to explain. She texted her back, a time and a place to meet, then shut off her phone.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  The early morning sky was awakening beneath a sliver of sunlight but phantoms still danced in the shadows. Though major objects—houses, trees, vehicles—were easy to make out, undulating silhouettes were not. It was beautiful and yet, eerie; alluring and mysterious.

  Graham peered out the window, his eyes roaming as he pressed the cell phone to his ear.

  “Nothing out of the ordinary out here.”

  “Go home. I’ve got it from here. Thanks Guy. Please apologize to Bailey.”

  “Who do you think kept me company?”

  The guilt of having Guy sit out there all night tripled. “Hey, I’ll make it up to you guys.”

  “No need. It’s what I do for a living. Remember?”

  “Yeah but—”

  “Graham, stop. You did a lot for me when I needed it. Now it’s my—our turn. No payback ever,” Bailey said.

  He dropped his head against the wall and pressed his fingers against the bridge of his nose. Guy was damn lucky. A soft sound drew his attention across the room. Tarin was curled up in his bed watching him. Everything about the scene in front of him looked right, felt right.

  “Graham, you there?”

  “Uh. Yeah sorry. Just got distracted.”

  “How’s Tarin holding up?”

  He grinned. “Just fine.” It must have come out a whole lot deeper and sexier than he’d intended, because Bailey and Guy started laughing.

  “Got it. Take care of her. We’ll see you later. Watch your back; we’re still not sure she doesn’t have a role in all this.”

  Tarin climbed out of bed and began a slow, gentle stretch. He couldn’t take his mind off her or concentrate on anything else.

  “Uh-huh.”

  “We’ll stick around for another half hour.”

  He heard Guy’s words but their meaning didn’t register as he made a move to hang up. Their soft chuckling was brief as he clicked off his phone, setting it on the dresser beside him. He strode toward her, not stopping until he was mere inches away. She smiled, grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him back onto the bed. Then she climbed over top of him, slowly sliding her way up his body.

  There’s something else I should be doing. It wasn’t more than a fleeting thought that came and went so fast it hardly registered.

  ~~~~

  She awoke with a start. At first she was disoriented, unsure where she was. But then she moved and a slight ache permeated her body reminding her of the previous night. It was so vivid in her mind that she couldn’t help but blush—not only at the memory of what they’d done but the memory of what she’d done. Not wanting guilt or remorse to settle in, which brought back memories of the week she’d lost, she pushed herself upright.’

  Chance giggled, reminding her of the sound that had awakened her. The warmth of his beautiful voice washed over her but also compelled her to investigate what had him so happy. She slipped on her lingerie and pulled on one of Graham’s t-shi
rts that hid her to mid-thigh. Strolling into the kitchen she couldn’t help but laugh. Two happy but filthy faces turned to look at her. One expression quickly slid into guilty.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Momma. Momma.” Chance reached out one hand toward her.

  She walked over to him and touched his nose. “I don’t think so, big guy. Not until we wash—” She looked at Graham for clarification.

  “Breakfast. Superman style.”

  She shrugged, unsure what that meant. “Breakfast, Superman style, off your face.” He seemed fine with that and settled back into Graham’s arms.

  To show her what they had been doing, Graham peeled another banana. Chance grabbed it in his tiny fist, squeezing it to mush and dropping half. Graham caught what he lost. Chance then shoved what he could into his face. Then he reached for more and shoved his next fistful at Graham to eat but most went on his face.

  She started to giggle as she watched how seriously her son took his job of eating and sharing his banana. Then Graham squirted chocolate syrup on the next piece and she watched in horror as they walked toward her.

  “Mommy. Eat.” His tiny fist was outstretched toward her with a yellowy glob with chocolate drippings.

  Her hand shot out to stop them as she stumbled backward to get away. Graham quickly grasped her wrist, stopping her retreat. Before she could react, Chance was shoving his mush on her forehead. Laughing, she reached up to wipe it off but the look in Graham’s eyes stilled her. She watched mesmerized as he leaned forward and licked it off. A shiver of excitement shook her to her core.

  “Eat.”

  It was Chance’s insistence and giggle that brought her back to the present. Stepping back, she reached for him. “Let’s go wash up.”

  “No.” He leaned back against the strong chest she’d been cuddling a few hours before. He looked like he could take on the world. She knew how he felt.

  “I, well Guy and I, have to go out and talk with Dorothea later but you’ll be safe here.”

  “Oh, is something up?”

  Graham shoved his hand through his hair. “It would appear she might be thinking of selling.”

  It took all her willpower to force her knees not to buckle. “She’s going to get rid of the winery?”