Captured Innocence (CSA Case Files) (13 page)

“Vaguely,” Terry said.  A small smile crossed his lips, although sorrow seemed to have overcome him.  “When Marilyn and I did go together, we liked to use the time to play instead of socialize.”

“There is one thing that stood out this past weekend.  When Connor and I were at Whip, I noticed similar clamps to those that Marilyn wore on a submissive.  We have no idea if it means anything,” Jax said, still weaving his pen, “but considering Marilyn had them on at the time of her murder, we’re not discounting anything.  Joel Summit was the one to order the nipple clamps for this particular sub.”

“I’m sure Crest told you, Terry,” Connor said, knowing that now was the time that he should bring up Lauren, “but the vendor that Marilyn purchased her collar and clamps from experienced an attempted mugging.  At this time, we don’t know if there’s a connection, but we’re
obviously not ruling it out.  I have a list of clients who made similar purchases — not just Joel.  Between all of us, we have a lot of leads that we’re following up on.”

“Can’t you bring Joel in for questioning?” Terry asked, sitting straighter.  They’d given him hope and now he was grabbing onto
it with both hands.  Connor started to doubt if giving him so much information was wise, but he was technically their client.  He just hoped that Terry didn’t run off half-cocked and do something stupid.  “I mean, Joel’s name is connected with both the party and the jewelry.  What are you waiting for?”

“Terry, the police are the official investigators,” Crest said, rubbing his chin.  “We are working for you, but the best way for us to gather information is from the inside.  If we pull Joel in now, he’ll only lawyer up.  He doesn’t have to answer any of our questions.”

“What if I —”

Crest immediately shut Terry down, warning him of the dangers of doing so.  Connor knew it had to be hard for Terry to sit on the sidelines and let everyone else ask
the questions and do their job.  If he started to go out there and ask inquiries, all he’d do is scare off the suspect and make the trails of evidence disappear.

“I get it,” Terry said, a spark of anger shining through.  That wasn’t a bad thing.  It would carry him through the hard time ahead.  “I’ll let you handle it.”

Crest wrapped up the meeting, but Connor saw his veiled signal indicating he should stay.  One by one, they all filed out of the conference room with the exception of him, Crest, and Terry. 

“Terry, if you could wait for me in my office I would appreciate it,” Crest said, gathering his papers. 

“Sure,” Terry said, reaching over the table and offering his hand.  “Connor, thank you.  She was…everything to me.”

Connor retur
ned his handshake and waited until he’d left the room before turning to Crest.  His irritation instantly spiked, knowing what Crest was going to say before the words ever left his mouth.  What irked him the most was that Crest had every right to ask.

“Is Lauren Bailey going to be an issue?”

“No,” Connor replied, looking Crest in the eye and being as honest as he could.  “We’re involved, but I can keep things separate.  It’s nothing serious.”

“
Whether or not it’s serious isn’t in question.”  Crest put his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels.  “Any involvement can compromise your behavior on this case.”

Connor refrained from saying that this case
was
personal and that Crest’s personal interests already affected the case, but knew that wouldn’t get him anywhere.  He just needed to work Lauren out of his system.  Once he got his fill, he’d be able to walk away.

“I’ll keep things separate,
Top.”

“See that you do,” Crest said, turning to walk away.

“Question for you, though,” Connor said, waiting for his superior to turn around.  “Did you know that Terry was into drugs?”

“Does it make a difference to this case?”

Connor studied him, seeing his jaw had squared with tension.  Did it alter their investigation?  No, he thought, it didn’t.  His gut instinct still told him that Terry Sweeney was innocent.  However, he wouldn’t want Terry operating on him in a surgery room.

“
If he wants us to solve this case, he needs to come clean with us with regards to every aspect of his life,” Connor said, knowing he wasn’t saying anything that Crest didn’t know.  He still needed to say it.  They were a team and had each other’s back.  “Let me know what else creeps up.”

Crest nodded and walked out the door.  Connor remained behind, gathering up
his pen and notepad that he’d review in detail.  His day was cut out for him, reading and examining everything he’d been given.  Thoughts of a certain ginger wouldn’t leave him though, and as he stared at the list she’d given him, he knew the day was going to be a long one.

Chapter Fourteen

Lauren knew that she should head to the shop to cut some stones, but after
everything that had happened over the weekend, couldn’t bring herself to do it.  She was mentally and physically tired.  She’d stayed in her apartment instead, pondering the note Connor had left.  He mentioned that he’d be stopping by around six o’clock this evening and that he’d love to take her to dinner.  Technically, they hadn’t even had a date before they’d had sex, so he did have a point.  Though, that point would be invalid if she chose not to see him again.  She wondered if the dull ache in her head was due to her recent concussion or the seesaw that her mind was obviously on.

“The sex is great.”

There.  She said that out loud to her empty kitchen and nothing burned to the ground.  Her gaze flicked to the chicken in the oven to confirm that fact before returning to her problem at hand.  Connor had shown restraint in his dominant tendencies, although the underlying assertiveness was there.  She’d handled it and found that her body responded to him. 

“That’s because you know that if you could get past your phobia, you’d be living the lifestyle.” 
Oh, my God
. “I’m having a conversation with myself.”

She needed wine. 
She needed fortitude.  What happened to the strong-willed businesswoman who showed no weakness? 

Lauren made her way to the refrigerator and opened the door.  Her wine preferences ran toward
the sweet and sparkling, so she only bought red Moscato.  Pulling out a bottle, she then grabbed a wine glass on her way to where she kept her corkscrew in one of the middle drawers.

If she were to categorize the issues at hand, similar to that of making decisions regarding her business, then maybe she’d come to a conclusion.  She
slipped the cork out of the bottle.  In the plus category, she filed the following — she felt attracted to Connor, all he wanted was something casual, and he was willing to keep it vanilla.  In the negative column — would he be able to conceal his dominant tendencies until their affair was over, would it stay casual, and most importantly, would she be able to keep herself from wanting more and eventually ruining whatever relationship they had, similar to what she had done with Phil?  Lauren poured a healthy amount of wine, not even close to figuring out what she should do.

A knock sounded throughout the apartment.  She made her way to the door, wine glass in hand, and looked through the peephole.  Connor’s blue eyes stared back at her in approval.  Okay, so maybe she’d just let things go and see what happened.  That’s what nature did.  Lauren swung open the door.

“Hi.”

“Hi, yourself.”  Connor smiled and when she backed up, he entered.  “
I’m glad that you’re checking to see who’s at the door before you answer it.”

Lauren realized then that she’d forgotten to tell him about the SUV that had been sitting across from the shop yesterday, but didn’t want to start off their evening on such a disturbing note.  She’d tell him a little later.  Closing the door, she faced him.

“Instead of going out, I marinated some chicken and roasted potatoes.  I thought —”

Lauren had
been about to cross the room to the kitchen when his hand wrapped around her upper body.  She gasped and instinctively held up her glass to prevent her wine from spilling.  Within seconds, she forgot about the wine as his lips met hers with hunger.  While his right hand remained on her arm, his left came up and his fingers tangled in her curls.  He grabbed hold and tilted her head for a better angle.  He consumed her, tasting every crevice of her mouth.  By the time he was done, her lips were swollen and she was gasping for breath.

“Wine lips,” Connor
murmured, releasing her.  “You taste good.”

Lauren didn’t know what to say to that, so she remained silent and
turned to head back into the kitchen.  She didn’t have anything for him to drink, other than the wine, so she busied herself with pouring another glass while he removed his jacket and hung it on her coat rack near the door.

Connor must have gone home to change at some point.  He was wearing darker jeans and a dark blue pullover shirt with long sleeves.  She noted the absence of a bag and wondered if he was planning on leaving after dinner. 

“You’re awfully quiet,” Connor said, walking up to the island and taking a seat on one of the stools. 

“I’ll be honest here,” Lauren replied, sliding the wine
glass his way, “I’m not sure how to proceed right now.  I hadn’t exactly planned this.  I’m not even sure we should continue what we’ve started.”

Connor didn’t say anything as he picked up his glass and took a drink.  She couldn’t help but notice the way his lips formed over the
rim.  As the liquid slipped past and into his mouth, the visual caused heat to flash over her body.  She lifted her eyes to his and wondered what he was thinking.

“Tell me about yourself,” Connor finally said, breaking the silence.  He softly placed the glass back on the counter.  “Are you from the city?”

Lauren took a deep breath.  She could make small talk.  Leaning over the counter, she rested herself on her elbows while keeping her glass between her fingers. 

“My sister and I grew up in Woodbury,” Lauren said.  “When she married and moved to Florida, I stayed here and decided it would be easier to live in the city.  My business grew at a rapid pace, so I thought it best.”

“Do your parents still live there?”

“No,” Lauren said, shaking her head.  She did smile, childhood memories resurfacing.  “They were older when they had us and both passed away years ago.  Dad had a heart attack and Mom became aimless after that.  She suffered a stroke a year after
he died and was never quite the same.  Sue flew back home when it was mom’s time to go.”

“I’m sorry,” Connor said
, reaching out and brushing his fingers against hers.  She could hear the sincerity in his voice and it made her want to ask about his family, but he continued.  “Are you and your sister close?  I know that Ms. Finch pops in once in a while, but you don’t seem to have many friends…and I don’t mean that as an insult, just an inquiry.”

“Yes,
my sister and I are very close.”  Lauren liked that he kept his hand on hers, so she didn’t move.  “As for friends, a few are still around from high school and college, but I don’t see them often.  I video conference with my sister all the time.  She’s my best friend, so seeing and talking to her over the computer makes it seem likes she’s actually here.  She’s constantly trying to get me to move down with her, but it just never seems like the right time.  I have a solid business here, although my online sales have tripled.  I might just end up closing the shop.”

“What made you get into specializing in BDSM equipment?”

“Before I answer that, I think it’s only fair I get to ask you some questions,” Lauren said, aware of the fact that once talk turned to the lifestyle, he might have more personal questions for her than she was willing to answer at the moment.  “Your father called yesterday.  Does he live in town?”

“
No.  He lives in New Jersey,” Connor said, his finger making designs on the back of her hand.  She found it hard to concentrate, but all of a sudden felt the need to know more about him.  “He emigrated from Cuba when he was a teenager.  He worked through high school and found that he was good with his hands.  He owns a garage and has such a loyal customer base he was able to survive the economic crisis we’ve been having.”

“Do you see him often?” Lauren found herself fascin
ated by his facial expressions as he spoke of his dad.  He radiated affection.

“Not as much as I’d like to,” Connor replied with a soft smile.  “I get out to the east coast maybe three times a year and in between cases or
government contracts.”

“What about your mother?” Lauren asked and then wished she hadn’t.  His smile disappeared and his face became like stone.  Connor withdrew his hand and sat up straighter, taking a drink of wine.
  Her skin now felt chilled.  “I’m sorry.  If that’s a bad topic, I —”

“She left,” Connor replied, his tone short.  “
Marinated chicken?  That sounds good.”

He removed himself from the stool
and walked around the island.  Opening the oven a crack, Connor inhaled deeply and moaned in appreciation.  It was obvious that he was dramatizing his reaction, but Lauren went along with it.

“It should be done, if you want to take it out of the oven,” Lauren said, moving to the cabinet where her dishes were.  “I’ll set the table.”

“Do you like to cook?”

Lauren
permitted the change of subject, wanting the playful Connor back.  While they each did their duties, they kept the conversation light.  It wasn’t until she’d refilled their glasses and they had situated themselves at her small table that the topic turned to his case.

“You were right about the list,” Connor said, using his knife to cut into the chicken.  “I looked at the items ordered and a lot of your clientele like rubies cut in different styles to accentuate the leather, clamps, or chains they choose.”

“It’s a pretty gem,” Lauren said, pulling a small potato off of her fork. She chewed and swallowed before continuing. “As I said before, there is nothing out of the ordinary with any of my orders.  Joel is a nice guy, along with most of my clients.”

“Are there some customers that make you uncomfortable?”  Connor studied her, but she had to smile when
he took a bite of her chicken and moaned in appreciation.  “This is damn good.”

“Thank you,” Lauren said with a laugh, liking the fact that he was relaxed again.  She made a mental note to never bring up his mother, although that didn’t diminish her curiosity about a woman who could leave a family.  Were there extenuating circumstances?  “Um, customers.  Let’s see.  There is a man who doesn’t play at the clubs
that comes in at least once a quarter and orders various implements.  He’s obsessed with butt plugs.”

“Really?” Connor said, smiling.  Lauren rolled her eyes.  “In what way?”

“The base of certain plugs can be adorned with jewels.  He happens to like that design and has a huge collection.”  Lauren started in on her chicken.  “I’m assuming he allows the subs to keep them since he continually places orders.”

“Why don’t you think it’s for one particular sub?” Connor asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I… well, that’s a lot of plugs for one person,” Lauren said, returning his look.

Connor laughed and shook his head, as if she were missing part of the picture.  She mentally shrugged.  They continued talking until something he said sparked a memory.

“Say that again,” Lauren said, tilting her head.  Why had his comment given her pause?  “About color.”

“Which part?” Connor asked, a sly grin on his face.  “The part where I think emeralds
complement your eyes or that fact that certain shades of stones can bring out the radiance in a woman?”

“A Domme said the same thing to me around a month ago,” Lauren
replied, trying to think back.  She waved her fork, as if by doing so she could conjure the image. “She was gliding her hands over a chain inlaid with various stones and said those words.”

“Do you remember who?” Connor asked, placing his fork on the plate and reaching for his wine.  “At your shop or at one of your booths?”

“I was at Masters and it was a larger woman who had a penchant for black latex.”  Lauren could picture the woman in her head but was coming up blank with a name.

“Mistress Beverly?”

* * * *

Connor tensed, waiting for Lauren’s answer.  He thought back to his conversation with Russell, Kyle, and Bev.  She exhibited her normal behavior and he couldn’t think of anything said or done that would indicate otherwise.

“No,” Lauren said, shaking her head.  She placed her fork down as well.  “This woman was thinner and had shorter hair, although similar in color.”

Connor went back to eating, looking at his plate as if it would summon up a picture.  Three women came to mind, but two of them were into men.  Only one was into both women and men who might say something along those lines.  In which case, it shouldn’t concern the case.

“Mistress Vivien?”

“No,” Lauren said, taking up his cue and finishing what was left of her potatoes.  “Wait!  I remember her name.  It was Donna.”

Connor stopped chewing.  He couldn’t picture Mistress Donna saying something like that.  She wasn’t into women
and certainly wasn’t the poetic type to speak of shades and radiance.  It was probably nothing, but he’d still look into it.

“You know, I keep meaning to ask you,” Connor said, finishing the last bite on his plate.  Pushing the dish aside, he realized that
it was the first home cooked meal he’d had in months.  She was a damned good cook.  “Why did you come home early yesterday?”

“I had wanted to mail those packages and had left without them,” Lauren repli
ed, toying with what was left of her chicken.  Connor waited for her to look up at him.  There was something she wasn’t telling him.  “I will admit that when I left the store, there was a black SUV sitting across the street that made me slightly uneasy.  I think there was someone sitting inside, but I couldn’t be sure.  It drove off.  When I arrived and saw my door unlocked…”