“Good morning, Ms. McMasters,” Andrews said, breaking into her thoughts.
“Mr. Andrews.” She gave him a nod and waited for him to order coffee and breakfast before speaking. “I’ve gone over your proposal, as well as some other information on your company, and I’m going to have to decline the offer.”
She was not about to work for Marie. No doubt once she was in California, Marie would arrive and put moves on her. She might even slip something in her drink and render her incapable of preventing something distasteful from happening.
That act would more than likely be filmed and sent to Chloe. And Darice would kill Marie with her bare hands for hurting Chloe like that.
“I don’t understand,” he said with a frown. “What information?”
“Marie St. Claire is part owner of your company?”
“A small and silent part,” he said. “Well, she handles the manufacturing contracts as her father before her did. However, she’s not involved per se.”
“That’s involvement enough,” Darice told him.
“Marie was one of the people who recommended you,” he said, puzzled. “What—is there bad blood between you two?
“Enough,” she said deciding not to hash this out. It would serve no purpose. Marie’s sexuality was really nothing in this day and age, except to a few bigots who seemed to believe what two consenting adults did behind closed doors should be regulated.
He sighed. “Listen, I know you don’t want to shoot in Cali and that’s fine. We can do that here, but I need you on this project.”
“I’m really not up to it,” she said, closing her planner. Marie’s being part owner was enough to make her back off.
“You’re the best, and with the company’s recent problems, I need someone who’s respected connected with this shoot.”
“I’m sure you do, but that’s not going to be me.” Darice rose. “Good luck, Mr. Andrews.”
Darice strode away, not so much worried about her reputation as she was about whatever plan Marie had in hiring her.
Chapter Fourteen
“What happened? Why did she leave so soon?” Marie demanded in hushed tones as soon as Darice was gone. She’d watched the conversation from her table and it had been clear that he hadn’t done half enough to keep Darice on board.
He sighed. “Though I just found out this morning, she obviously already knew something.”
“What are you talking about?” Marie demanded.
“The model Frankl took the nude pictures of, her parents have gone public,” he said.
“Frankl was killed two days ago,” Marie muttered. “My PR team is handling that.”
“Haven’t your sales dropped?” he demanded as the waiter arrived to pour his coffee.
The man poured her a cup as well after turning over the cup Darice had left untouched.
“Some,” she retorted after the waiter left. “But not enough to cry over.” Marie took a sip of the hot brew. “Why did she back out?”
“You,” he told her coldly. “You’re going to ruin my company.”
“It’s part mine,” she snapped. “I can do with it what I damn well like, so get used to it.”
“We’ll see about that,” Andrews muttered.
“Try to grow a spine now, and I’ll crush it,” she hissed. “Get her back no matter what you have to offer her.”
Marie still believed everyone had a price. Since Chloe was part of what was keeping Darice away from the job, then she needed to give her a reason to leave town.
Marie plucked her phone from her handbag and sent a message and smiled.
“What’s so amusing?” Andrews demanded.
“I think all of our problems are about to be solved.”
****
“Hey, Chloe,” Justine Driver said into her ear, her voice tired but warm.
“Justine!” she exclaimed. “How are you?”
Justine laughed. “I’m even better now,” she said. “My meeting’s been postponed for a day so I was wondering if you wanted to hang out?”
“I would love to.”
“Great. Can you meet me for lunch in say twenty? I heard this place called The Garten had good food.”
“I can meet you there,” Chloe said. “Do you need a place to stay tonight?” She was excited about having her sister here even for one day. It had been a long time since she’d connected with her family.
“No. I’m not imposing. Besides, the company’s picking up the tab at the hotel,” Justine replied. “I’ll wait for you there.”
“See you soon, sis,” she said and ended the call. Chloe leaped up from the chair in Darice’s office where she was working and dashed into the den where Slate and Cattail were playing cards.
“What’s up?” Cattail asked blandly without looking up.
“My sister wants me to meet her for lunch. Can you two not sit with us?”
“As long as we can sit near you, it’ll be fine,” Cattail replied. “Where are we going?”
“The Garten.”
“I’ll call ahead and get us tables,” Cattail said. “Might not happen though.”
“I’ll appreciate you trying,” Chloe assured her.
She was changed and ready to go in five minutes. The restaurant was nearly packed with the lunch time crowd, but Chloe found her sister seated at a table talking to Darice. With a surprised look she made her way over.
“Darice what—how did you know?”
“Cattail called,” Darice said rising and moving to pull out the third chair at the table for her.
Out of the corner of her eye, Chloe noticed Cattail and Slate took chairs at a table directly behind them in the light and airy restaurant.
“Cattail?” Justine asked looking from one to the other. “Is that a real person?”
“I’m glad to see you, Jus.” Chloe hugged her sister and then moved to take the chair Darice pulled out for her, but she kissed her first, caressing her cheek.
“Wow,” Justine said. “I was not expecting that. Mom said you’d met someone, but—just wow.”
“You knew I was a lesbian, Jus. Don’t act so surprised.”
“No, I knew. I just didn’t—I thought you were going through some crazy phase, trying to find yourself.” Her sister’s blue eyes were their father’s as they stared back at her. Justine had their mother’s blonde hair and stunning good looks.
“You look great,” Chloe said and threw Darice a look. Justine wouldn’t let this go, and their peaceful visit could turn into anything but.
A waitress came to take their orders before Justine could reply.
“Avoiding the subject isn’t going to stop me from talking about it,” Justine told her evenly. “I mean, that you’re trying tells me you aren’t comfortable with who you are.”
“I’m fine with who I am,” Chloe replied. “I love Darice, and we’re getting married because I said yes.” She put her hand on the table to show off the ring Darice had given her.
Justine’s jaw dropped. “Uh? That is some serious ice! Wow. So, you’re marrying her for her money.”
Darice laughed, and Chloe colored, cheeks flaming at her big sister’s insensitivity.
“I’ve wondered about that myself,” Darice said as she slung her arm over the back of Chloe’s chair. “There is a bit of an age difference, so I figure as long as Chloe holds up her end of the bargain, it’s all good.”
“Darice!” Chloe gasped.
“What’s her end of the bargain?” Justine asked, leaning towards them eyes narrowed.
“You know. She keeps adoring me with those big chocolate eyes, she puts out on a regular basis, she obeys, and she carries our child,” Darice said so casually Chloe had to stare at her to see if she meant it. “I plan to keep her home where she belongs once she’s had that first one.”
“You sound like a Neanderthal,” Justine muttered.
Chloe snickered at the humor in Darice’s eyes. She knew her well enough to know she would never attempt to make her giv
e up her career any more than she’d force her to have sex.
The obey, thing well, she could see that. Darice liked being in charge, and she didn’t have any problems with that.
“Darice, you’re incorrigible,” Chloe said reaching over to rest her hand on Darice’s thigh. “I want you to be my maid of honor, Justine. The wedding is going to be small. No more than fifty people.”
“Darice’s family isn’t coming?”
“I don’t have any blood relations, but I have some sisters who’ll be there,” Darice answered. “Why? Your family is fifty alone?”
“No,” Chloe said shaking her head. “Not even close.”
“Many of them are going to not only be appalled, but aren’t even going to show up,” Justine commented. “We all thought you’d grown out of this. Why do you think I’m even here? Mom ordered me to come find out if it was true.”
“This is why I left home,” Chloe said in an irritated tone. “I wanted to live my life without foolish indulgence as if I’m a child.”
“You’re our baby,” Justine said. “You can get away with things I can’t, and we’ll all support you no matter what the rest of the family says. But you have to admit it’s crazy, marrying another woman.”
“Justine, this isn’t some here-today-gone-tomorrow phase. Unless Darice walks away from me, it’s a done deal.”
“It’ll be a mistake,” Justine said sadly. “Just because you have the legal right to get married doesn’t mean you should.”
“It’s my mistake to make,” Chloe said angrily, and Darice squeezed her hand before bringing it to her lips and kissing her knuckles.
Damn, the visit with her parents was going to be a long one if her mother thought anything like Justine … and she usually did.
After they finished lunch, Darice paid, waving off Justine’s offer to split it with her.
“That ring has to have you in debt,” Justine said after they were out in the parking lot.
Darice laughed. “I do okay,” Darice said. “Besides, the light in Chloe’s pretty eyes over that ring, was enough to make me glad I chose it.”
“How long have you even been dating?”
“A long time,” Chloe said. “So, you want to come back to the house for a while? We can just hang out.”
“I would love to,” Justine said, and Darice smirked before pulling Chloe against her side.
“She just wants to find out what kind of house I’m planning to keep you locked in.” She kissed Chloe’s ear, and Chloe’s eyes widened.
“No,” she protested. “You are so wrong.”
“No, I’m not,” Darice said. “I have to go, darlin’. See you later. It was nice meeting you, Justine. I’ve been looking forward to meeting Coe’s family. I hope I’ll be seeing you for dinner tonight.”
“You will,” Justine assured her with a slow nod as she shielded her eyes to look up at Darice.
“Later, honey.” Chloe kissed her and took her sister’s hand. “You took a cab, right?”
“Yeah.”
Slate opened the door of the SUV for them, and Justine gave her a curious look.
“What’s this all about?” Justine asked. “The woman doesn’t even allow you to drive.”
“My car’s in the shop,” she said quickly as she got in behind her sister.
“Uh-huh.”
“Shit,” Darice cursed, the sting of the words reaching her, causing Chloe’s stomach to tighten. “Cat.”
“Slate, move.”
Slate closed the door, and Chloe looked out of the window as Slate climbed behind the wheel and cranked the engine. She peeled out of the parking lot and Justine rolled into her.
“What is going on?” Justine demanded.
“Oh, uh, just an ex who’s been harassing me,” she said looking out the window to spy Darice running toward something she couldn’t see, and a flock of crows descending on her.
Chapter Fifteen
Cattail growled and batted at the birds. “Fuck,” she cried when she was swamped.
Darice ignored her for now, rubbing her hands together. Electricity flared on her fingertips, and she let fly, hitting the birds in quick succession. They flew around Cattail, hitting the ground one-by-one, becoming human after hitting the ground.
The other four who’d hung back flew away, but she fired on them, too, unsure of her range.
Two of the birds dipped and squawked. The other two doubled back to get beneath them to prevent them losing altitude.
“What the hell?” Cattail asked shock on her face.
“I guess they decided to launch an all-out offensive. With only four of them that we know of left, I suppose they’ll bring their A game next time.”
Cattail snorted. “Right. I’ll get a cab back to the house, but we’re definitely talking about this.”
“Forget the cab. Let’s go, and what are we talking about? You’re going to have Chloe’s back when they attack. Ace will have to send me at least four more people to take them out,” Darice said. “I want to take it to their nest.”
“Good call.”
They climbed into Darice’s car and got underway. She waited for Cattail to bring up the obvious.
“I didn’t know you threw electricity.”
“Very few do,” she commented.
“Does Ace and Devin?”
“Nope.”
“Zyra does though I’m guessing,” Cattail commented.
“She does,” she murmured. Zyra knew nearly everything about her as she was sure Ace and Devin knew nearly everything about each other. They’d been the first four of the unnamed agency that later brought in Cattail and Blade along with two others.
“That’s cool,” she said. “I’m a cat shifter with a long tail, that’s why they call me Cattail.”
“Good for you,” Darice said. “Is that why you’re so skinny?”
Cattail grunted.
“I just meant your metabolism must be great. You don’t see many fat cats.”
“Something like that,” Cattail said, and Darice smiled, thinking half of Mojo must be shifters.
Too many of them were unnaturally agile and fit. She had to work at it, but she didn’t mind. Chloe liked looking at her, and she loved the attention.
“Ace said one of the cops is in the wind and the other dead,” Cattail said after a few minutes of looking at her phone. “There was some DNA on the girl and it matched the chief of police.”
“He’s in the system?”
“Naw. He gives blood regularly and he had to submit DNA to be excluded from an incident involving him and four other cops some years ago,” Cattail told her. “It was a criminal case but they weren’t suspects.”
“Then why?”
“Some kind of accidental contamination of a crime scene.”
“The chief’s DNA came from the rape kit?” Darice asked.
“Yeah. The hair on her pubic area as well as the skin under her nails is also a match along with a drop of blood found on her chest. There were two other samples, and they’ll be tested against both cops.”
“I guess I have my confirmation.”
“Another thing,” Cattail said quietly. “Soil, grass and gravel samples prove the girl was raped and killed at another site and dumped back where she was found. The coroner said this girl was really handled bad, Darice.”
“Sick jerks.”
“Yeah. We got a copy of the first rape kit and there was no DNA,” Cattail said.
“Tomorrow’s the night, and I’m ready. Zy will be there for back-up.”
“Are you sure you can take this scum out at the Policeman’s Ball? Hell, I couldn’t do that shit, not from inside.”
She smiled as she pulled up to the curb. “Just take care of my woman.”
Cattail flashed her a smile. “Oh, I will. She’ll need consoling if you fuck up tomorrow.”
“Don’t count on it, cat,” she said, and Cattail flipped her off after climbing out.
Darice laughed. Yeah, she could pul
l it off. The trick wasn’t in where you executed the kill, but what you used to do it with. She had the perfect weapon.
****
Chloe enjoyed the afternoon with Justine. It had been so long since she and her sister had spent time together just hanging out. Moving out of her home town, a good four hours’ drive from family or a plane ride down had made it hard for them to get together, especially after Chloe started dating women.
She’d never thought this would be a real problem though.
“So, what does Darice do for a living? Is the house in both your names?”
“She’s a photographer with a few steady clients, why?”
“Can she afford this house and that ring?” Justine asked as they stood in the kitchen preparing dinner.
“I don’t know what her net worth is, Justine. I never asked, but her business seems solid.”
“What’s her last name, I’ll Google her,” she said and wiped her hands to pick up her cell phone.
“Why? That won’t change the fact I’m in love with her,” Chloe snapped.
“Humor me.”
“McMasters. The name of her business is Superfine Studio.” Chloe put the veggies her sister had cut into the pan and sautéd them while Justine leaned against the island.
She was selecting the wine when Justine let out an unintelligible sound.
“Wow, Darice is like almost a celebrity,” she said. “She does commercials, too?”
“Why?”
“She’s on this list of top ten entrepreneurs in the country. Her net worth is over three million according to this article. It says she won’t say how much exactly she’s worth, but it’s over three million. I can see why she bought you that ring.”
She didn’t know how much Darice was worth, but she’d never have guessed that much.
“She has several commercials to her credit, she’s worked with supermodels, cosmetics companies, and she’s shot two indie movies. Way to go, sis.”
Chloe didn’t know anything about the movies, but she supposed that had been before her. Darice traveled a lot when they were dating, but she’d stopped after they got serious.
Blood for Her Page 8
