[B.S. #2] Bound to Cyn (10 page)

Chase perked up from his slouch in his chair. “Well that’s good news. I don’t think I have to worry about the guy calling me and the one stalking the woman being connected. I was never in a cult. Couldn’t understand how some people would join a group and give up all their worldly goods. I for sure couldn’t. I like the comforts of life too much. Maybe the calls are really for James? We do have the same last name.”

Angel looked at Chase’s hopeful expression “I would like to tell you that you’re probably right, but you know any people connected with Carlos have to be smart. If they are calling you, I doubt they are making a mistake. You did make a tidy profit from buying the confiscated property and selling it to the developer before anyone else had a chance. And by the way, was that legal? You did have insider knowledge.”

“It was perfectly legal. Clay’s buddy in the FBI just gave me the heads up the day the property was put up for auction. Can I help it if I’m an early bird and got my hefty bid in first? I know the market and others would have tried to pick that property up at a discount. But I’m not that greedy. I paid a fair price for it. I made a good profit and the Feds got the proper money for it. So everyone was happy. It originally wasn’t Carlos anyway, so why would he be after me?”

“OK, I believe you, but remember that property was also hiding the two-million-dollar stash of his drugs that he lost. So maybe in Carlos’s mind, you ripped him off for the two million dollars and he wants it back now. I don’t know what we can do to protect you other than you working this case with us and keeping close at hand.”

Chase, his hopeful expression gone at Angel’s words, looked intently at his hands holding his coffee cup “Well, I do like the excitement of your work. But the more I work with you guys, the more I think it would be a good idea to take some training. After all, you guys got your training in the army. I just climbed the corporate ladder, which does not really equip a fellow for this line of work. What do you think? I could go someplace off the radar and train. Next time, I would be able to help you more and also protect myself. The investment business is getting to be a petty cutthroat business.”

I think that’s a great idea. With you gone and safe, we will be able to concentrate fully on the guy stalking the club. We’ll maybe even figure out Carlos’s involvement in this business and if it does concern you.

Angel turned to Brad and asked, “Brad, don’t you know a little place out of the country that Chase could go train and get up to speed?”

Do you mean Sam’s? I’m sure she could get him up to speed in a couple of months. Her place is protected like Fort Knox’s. No one would suspect him being there or be able to reach him. Sam will keep him safe. I think it’s a great idea,” Brad replied with a grin.

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Chase butted in on the conversation. “This Sam that you’re talking about is a woman. Even if she is an Amazon, I don’t think I like the thought of having a woman training me. Call me old-fashioned but I like my women soft and cuddly, not GI Janes.”

“Chase, you are not going there to be your usual charming self. You have to take this serious if you want to join us and train with the best. I think we are the best, but we don’t have the time to properly train you. Also, James might have a say in that, if we tried. This way you can just disappear on a holiday. That’s what we’ll tell James if he asks. You’ll be safe from whoever is bothering you and receive the best training outside of the army. And Sam’s is the best. After she left the army herself, she started her training facility. She only takes on the men or women recommended to her. As it is, we might have to do some fast talking to her. But being James’s brother, you might get a pass.” Angel wanted Chase to know this had to be a serious endeavor, not something to take lightly.

“OK, OK, if you say so, and I think it is best to keep James out of it. He has enough with Avery keeping him on his toes. But can you at least tell me more about this woman? You don’t have to worry about me bringing out the charm. If she’s an Amazon, they have never appealed to me.”

“Remember our story of being discharged from the army from faulty information and a woman getting shot? Well, that woman was Sam. She was on her own mission in the village at the time. She was screwed by the brass just like we were. Her mission was to get close to an informant living in the village. But that ended after she was shot by Brad. While on medical leave, the big brass decided that she had been careless and shouldn’t have gotten shot. I don’t know why they thought she would know we were in the area any more than we knew she was there, but she was discharged also. That day cost the army some of their best, just because a pencil-pushing higher up wouldn’t be man enough and admit to the fuck up.” Angel was getting angry just thinking about the injustice to the unit and Sam.

“OK. If Brad can arrange it, I will leave as soon as possible. I really would like to help you on this mission, but I think I can be more valuable if properly trained. Dad and James can’t know anything about it. My firm will be OK for a couple of months. I will leave my VP Charlie in charge and give her Grant’s contact only in case of an emergency. If that’s OK with Grant?” Chase looked around the table as he spoke.

Brad pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and in a couple of minutes he was speaking to the mysterious Sam. After the usual pleasantries were exchanged, he asked about her taking Chase on. He seemed to mention James’s name a lot, but finally he smiled and snapped the phone shut. “All set. You can leave anytime. Sam is looking forward to training you.” His eyes didn’t meet Chase’s. He just looked at Angel with a twinkle in his eyes.

“OK, I’ll leave you to plan. I will just go to my office and set things up for my time away and get packed. Where am I going anyway?” Chase asked of Brad.

“Don’t worry. I will arrange the jet to be ready in three hours. That should give you enough time. Sam will look after you. You’ll come back a new man and no one will ever know where you went, even you. Sam wants it that way,” Brad told him as he dialed their pilot to get the plane ready.

Chase got up from his seat, looked around at the guys and told them, “I wish I could stay and help, but good luck with the case.” Whistling, he left the office.

Angel and the guys just looked at each other and grinned. Chase didn’t know what awaited him on the other end of the plane ride. What they wouldn’t give to see his face when he got his first glimpse of Sam, all five-foot-two of her.

Angel wiped the grin off his face and picked up the picture of the man in front of him on the table. Looking at the face staring back, Angel wondered what his story was.

Chapter Twelve

They spent a couple of hours going over everything they knew and trying to get into the mind of the attacker at the club and then called it quits. Grant would go back to surveillance of the club parking lot from his office, and Brad was off to meet a new client. Angel had to get back in his leathers and be at the club before it opened.

Walking Angel to the elevator, Grant asked him, “Would you like me to check out Cinnamon’s background? I’m going to start digging more into the background of the female members for any connections and adding her to the list would be no problem.”

Angel told him “No, I’ll get to know her the old-fashioned way. Any woman who looks like Cinnamon can’t have many secrets. I should be able to pick up a few things without having to invading her privacy.” Grant nodded and took his leave.

Angel arrived at the club just in time to see a very agitated Lance, yelling at a car just pulling away. Angel glanced at the person in the car and caught a glimpse of Cinnamon, and she didn’t look happy. Hurrying up the steps to Lance, he asked him what the hell was going on.

“That’s a loaded question I can’t answer. I really don’t know. Let’s go into my office.” Turning, Lance grabbed the door to the club and jerked it open. Angel followed him past Bob into his office. Lance rounded his desk and flung himself into his leather chair and gave a loud sigh.

Angel took a seat across from him and waited while the man ran his hand though his hair and muttered to himself. Angel could see he was deeply disturbed with whatever had taken place between him and Cinnamon.

Finally, Lance sat up in his seat and stared at Angel. “I really don’t need this right now with Cinnamon. I don’t know what she’s thinking. Right now we need everyone on their toes, especially you with Clay being sidelined with Laura. I understand his choice, I would do the same. But the club’s very existence is in jeopardy. We have to find this guy. People are already starting to call and cancel scenes set up weeks ago. The ladies are getting too scared to come to the club.”

“We’ll deal with the guy, don’t worry. I want to know what happened between you and Cinnamon. I watched her fly out of the parking lot. I thought you were best friends. What happened? When I left her this morning, she didn’t mention anything bothering her.” Angel’s first concern was with Cinnamon.

“All I know is, I walked into her office shortly after she arrived. I was going to ask her to take inventory again, but she was on the phone talking to someone when I arrived. After she hung up the phone, she just started off into space. I waited a few minutes, but when she didn’t seem to acknowledge me standing there. I walked back to the door and slammed it. That got her attention. You would have thought she had been sleeping, she was so startled. Suddenly she just stood up, gathered her purse and coat, and said she was leaving. I grabbed her arm as she walked past me and I noticed an almost dazed look on her face. I asked her what was up. She just pulled her arm from my hold, looked up at me, and said she wasn’t staying in a place where they manhandled their workers. I followed her out to the parking lot to her car. She just turned back at me with this look on her face. I really can’t describe but it…I know it’s not a look I’ve seen Cinnamon have lately. She told me to leave her alone and jumped in her car. You saw the rest. I don’t know what to make of it. I didn’t manhandle her, and she is my friend and part-owner of the club. I have never referred to her as one of the workers here. I’m lost. Did anything happen between you two last night? I know you stayed the night at her house.”

“Nothing happened last night, except Chase came over and was talking about some strange phone calls he was having. We had a meeting today, and he has left the country on vacation while we sort this out. Come to think of it, she did act a bit strange this morning and dazed as you mentioned. She was in a hurry to get rid of me. I thought she just had a lot on her mind and wanted to discourage any talk of last night. I was going to question her more carefully today when I saw her. Maybe I should go after her and find out what’s up?” Angel rose from his chair, anxious to follow Cinnamon.

“Sit back down,” Lance told Angel. “I know how you feel. I want to follow her, too. But I think she’s safe until tonight and we have to concentrate on the club. The sooner we nab this guy, the more time we can spend on Cinnamon. You are the only one of the group that still has a cover here, so we have to continue. Grant sent me clearer shots of the guy and his name. I understand from Grant that it might be connected to your last job, the takedown of the drug lord.”

“We don’t know for sure yet,” Angel told him sitting down.

“I don’t think so. We are a BDSM club for God’s sake. I have never, nor would I ever have, any dealing with any drug lord. There has to be something else going on here. I looked at the man’s picture closely and I think I have seen him before, but not here at the club. It isn’t coming to me right now, but give me time. I will remember him. With his looks he can’t have been inside the club. He would have stood out and been shown the door by Bob, if not one of the Doms in this place.”

“I guess Grant didn’t tell you all that he found out. This guy in the picture was the second-in-command of a cult. The leader was some Ward Comming, who died recently in jail. Still, it doesn’t make sense him stalking this club.” Angel stopped as he could see Lance stiffen up and rise from his seat.

“Did you say Ward Comming and a cult? God, don’t let it be so.” Lance got up and was now pacing behind his desk. Grabbing chunks of his hair and pulling, he looked like a very disturbed man.

Seeing how agitated Lance was, Angel stood up from his chair and looked at him. “Does this information mean something to you? More than just some scumbag that’s preyed on people?”

Lance, not stopping with his pacing, turned to look at Angel. “It’s really not my story to tell, and I hope to God it has nothing to do with her. But this guy coming out of the woodwork, shortly after the Ward guy is killed, is just too much to be a coincidence.”

“Lance, spit it out. Does this have anything to do with Cinnamon? Come on, man, she is out there alone right now. If it has some connection that you know of, spill it. And sit down. You’re making me nervous and we have to think clearly.” Angel sat back down but kept his body forward in the chair, waiting for Lance to speak.

Lance resumed his seat and grabbed the phone. Picking it up, he pushed a button and spoke to someone first, then looked at Angel.

“I need a drink. I’ll explain, but I thought this part of her life was over and done with.” A knock on the door stopped his conversation. A pretty sub walked in, carrying a tray with two glasses and a bottle of Jack Daniels on it. Lance thanked her and poured himself a drink as he watched her close the door.

Lance took a large swallow of the liquor, that brought tears to his eyes, then he coughed and resumed the story.

“Cinnamon and I are friends from way back. We were both products of parents with too much money and no time for children. We lived a block away from each other and met when our nannies were in the park with us. We bonded right away.”

At Angel’s uptight look, Lance clarified, “I mean, we bonded as brother and sister. We both had so much in common, with our parents the way they were. We spent long summers playing in the park. We both went to strict boarding schools but got together a lot when we were kids.”