Captured Innocence (CSA Case Files) (24 page)

Without a word,
Morrison headed to his vehicle.  The veins at his temples were bulging, but his silence meant that he knew Crest was right.  The charges would be dropped within the hour.  They remained silent as they watched him head to his unmarked vehicle parked in the road.

“
That went better than expected,” Jax said, looking past all of them to the house.  “Self-inflicted or attempted murder?”

“
He was shot point blank in the chest upon answering the door,” Crest said, brushing past them to walk up the drive.  “Neighbor to your left was in his garage, getting ready to shovel his driveway when he saw a black SUV pull up. Mr. Nichols thought it was odd, considering the man walked through the snow to gain access to the porch.”

“Black SUV?” Connor asked, his thought directly zeroing in on the description.  “Did he get a license plate number?”

“No,” Crest replied.  “And I already know what you’re thinking.  I don’t believe in coincidences either.  I’ve already put in some calls and I’ll have someone on Lauren Bailey within the hour.  They’ll be discreet and she won’t even know they are there.”

Connor hammered down his immediate instinct to call Lauren and make sure she was all right, but knew he needed to focus on what was in front of him.  Crest said he would have someone watch over her and he trusted that.  Still, he didn’t feel comfortable not being the one to watch her back.  He rolled his shoulder, already tightening with tension.

“Within a minute, Nichols said he heard a shot,” Crest said, continuing even though he had to know that what he said affected Connor’s mental state.  “He yelled out that he was calling the police when the man ran for his vehicle and drove off.”

“Any description?”  Jax asked, stepping onto the porch.

“None,” Crest replied.  “Said the suspect was too far away.”

“Where do you want us to start?” Jax asked, looking behind them when an engine revved.  Kevin had arrived. 

“Kevin is going to take the house and search it from top to bottom.  Obviously, Terry knew something that made the killer come after him.  We need to know what it is.  Maybe Morrison missed something the first time this house was a crime scene.  I’m heading to the hospital,” Crest said.  Connor knew that he’d try to question Terry as soon as he came through surgery…provided he made it.  “We’re officially on the case, but I still want you two undercover.  Make it known that since you two socialize within the community you have nothing to do with the case.  Conflict of interest and all that bullshit.”

“Do we have full control?”  Jax asked.

“Yes.  So I want everyone formally interviewed that you feel has a connection to Marilyn and Terry Sweeney.  Kevin can initiate it.  Get Ethan up to date, but remain in the background.  I want alibies, starting with Joel Summit.”

“Joel?” Connor asked, not surprised in the least, but wondering if Crest knew something that they didn’t. 

“Taryn pulled up Terry’s last call,” Crest said, waving for Kevin to get his ass up to the house.  “Eleven thirty-nine last night, Terry called Joel Summit.  I want to know why.”

* * * *

Things weren’t going as planned.  He paced back and forth in the random parking lot, ignoring the cold.  It didn’t faze him.  Nothing did.  He took a drag on his cigarette and held it in his lungs.  Fuck.  He’d been impulsive and made a mistake this morning.  It wouldn’t happen again.

The nicotine rushed through his blood, calming him like it usually did.  He needed something stronger, but that would be his reward for taking care of what needed to be done.  It was time to clean up his mess.  Loose ends had to be clipped and he knew just who to start with. 

Chapter Twenty-Four

“Our weekend together does not constitute you telling me what to do in my business life,” Lauren said, making her anger known.  “I get a lot of specialized orders when I attend Masters’ social hour.  I missed the previous month, and I don’t intend to miss tonight.”

“I’m not telling you what to do with your company,
Red,” Connor said, his voice practically vibrating her phone.  “This is about your safety, which damn well is my business.  And you’re the one who said you could probably make a decent living just doing online orders.  What is so hard about taking my advice?”

Lauren
had come home early to have a bite to eat and change before heading to Masters.  Social hour began at six o’clock and she wanted to arrive a half hour early to set up.  This week had passed by agonizingly slow.  She’d only heard from Connor once and that was mid-week.  Apparently, the case had heated up with Terry’s shooting…or else he was using that as an excuse.  The thought stung.  She wasn’t sure how he felt about their weekend, but right now didn’t have the time to focus on it.  She needed to leave.

“
Because it’s not advice if you’re ordering me to do something.  Connor, I have to go.  I’m late as it is.”  Lauren walked to the side table by the door and fished her keys out of her purse.  “Casual, remember?  My safety is my concern and everything has been fine.  No SUV sighting, no break-ins, and no attempted muggings.  Go work your case and call me when it’s over.”

Lauren disconnected the call, ignoring
the fact that her fingers were trembling.  She wasn’t going to deny that it stung when she didn’t hear from him until Wednesday night.  Some sort of depression had settled over her after he left on Monday morning and she wasn’t sure what it was.

By the time he’d called, Lauren pretty much had it figured out on her own.  The trust that she’d placed in him to conduct those scenes had shifted something inside of her. 
Connor made her realize that she could have a man in the lifestyle, regardless of her fear of bondage.  She was pretty damn sure he didn’t want to hear that though.  He was dead set on keeping this casual.  The question was, was she?

Her phone rang again, but she ignored it.  Grabbing her jacket and slinging her purse over her shoulder, she headed out the door.  Using the key, she ensured the deadbolt clicked into place.  Lauren thought that she was free and clear when she heard the chain on Ms. Finch’s door slide against the metal.  Damn it.

“I thought that was you,” Ms. Finch said after having opened the door.  “Are you heading out with your nice young man?”

“No, Ms. Finch,” Lauren answered, pasting a smile on her face.  “I have a showing for my jewelry.”

Her neighbor had no idea that the gems she used were for kink related items and Lauren thought it best to keep that under wraps.  Ms. Finch just assumed that the stones she worked with were for necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.  It was best not to give the woman a heart attack before her time.

“You be careful, dear,” Ms. Finch said, looking up and down the hallway.  “I keep thinking someone is roaming the hallways, but every time I look out my peephole, no one is there.”

“Maybe it’s Ms. Trimino sneaking her cat in and out.”  Lauren chuckled when Ms. Finch’s face lit up at the thought.  “Now you be nice.  If it wasn’t for Ms. Trimino, that cat wouldn’t have a place to live.”

“But it’s against the bylaws,” Ms. Finch said, her eyes twinkling.  “Maybe if I can prove she’s harboring an animal, she’ll tell me the recipe for her peach cobbler.”

“It’s not nice to blackmail, either.”  Lauren started to walk down the hallway.  “Behave while I’m gone.”

She made it to the elevator and looked back.  Ms. Finch had gone back into her
apartment and the corridor was empty.  She hit the down button, ignoring the vibration of her phone.  Connor could call and text all he wanted, but it wouldn’t change the fact that she was going to the social hour. 

* * * *

“Damn it,” Connor said, tossing his cell phone on his desk.

“You should know better than to get involved with redheads,” Jax said, putting his feet up on Connor’s desk.  He’d snagged the chair while Connor had gotten coffee earlier and had yet to leave.

“Are you shitting me?” Connor asked, tossing Jax an irritated look.  “You’re the one who pushed the damn issue.  Don’t you have work to do?”

“Yes, he does,” Crest answered.  Connor turned to see that he was motioning everyone to the table that was situated between the cubicles.  Ethan was out, Kevin was on the phone, and Taryn was walking down the hallway with Jessie.  Jax dropped his legs and rolled Connor’s chair closer.  Once everyone was in place, Crest leaned his hands on the surface.  “Updates.”

“Ethan has officially interviewed every member of Masters and Whip,” Connor said, filling in for his teammate.  “He also was able to reach Greg Winters by phone.  There are five people at Masters who have no alibi and seven people from Whip.  As we all know, Joel said that Terry had left him a message to call him back.  Terry was shot before Joel could and states he has no idea why.”

“Do you believe him?
  Does Kevin?” Crest asked, looking between Connor and Jax.

“At this point, we
don’t know,” Connor answered.  “If it weren’t for his relationship with Gerry and these play parties they throw, I’d say yes.  But until Jax can get in there…”

“SITREP is on your desk,” Jessie said, leaning up against the back of Taryn’s cubicle. 
“Ethan also just informed me that he’s following up on an interview that marked Nick Klaus as a Dom who is well experienced in the art of shibari.  He apparently moved here around four months ago.”

“You two know him?” Crest asked, directing his question toward Connor and Jax.

“Never met him and never heard of him,” Connor replied, looking at Jax who was shaking his head.  “Did Ethan say which club he was a member of?”

“He’s not,” Jessie answered.  There was a subtle confidence in her stance that had never been there before.  Connor looked sideways at Crest, watching as his superior stood straight and crossed his arms.  Apparently Crest sensed it too.  “He’s a regular at Gerry’s private play parties.”

No one said anything, as Jessie’s casual use of Gerry Mason’s first name rang a little too personal.  She didn’t even blink.  Neither did Crest.  The tension mounted until Kevin hung up and joined the meeting.

“So, what’d I miss?”

“Fill you in later, buddy,” Connor murmured, slapping him on the back.  “Taryn, did you confirm that we received everything from Detective Hagen?”

“Yes, everything is in order. 
From my contact at the lab, the DNA results should be in soon as well.”  Taryn pushed her black-rimmed glasses up on her nose and shot Crest a wry smile.  “Apparently Crest has some pull there, too.”

“How’s Terry doing?” Kevin asked
, crossing his arms.  He was larger than Connor and Jax, having been a country boy before joining the Marines.  His shoulders were broad from working the land and he’d kept it that way, his muscular frame having come in handy in the service.  “Has he awakened?”

“No,” Crest said, shaking his head.
  It was easy to see that the man was exhausted.  “His father has pretty much camped out in the hospital room and I’ve been spending as much time as I can with him.”

Kevin had found nothing in the house that gave them any information on who
might have been responsible for shooting Terry or murdering Marilyn.  Taryn had both of their phone records…legally…and there was nothing out of the ordinary before or after Marilyn’s death.  She had been given access to their computer but had come up with nil.  They were still coming up empty.

The only solid leads they had were the private parties being hosted by Joel and Gerry and the fact that someone thought Lauren knew something.  The second lead couldn’t be proven
.

“
Connor and Jax, look over the list of members that have no alibi.  Make sure you have contact with them this weekend.  Taryn, I want a background check on Nick Klaus first thing Monday morning.  Kevin, keep scouring Marilyn and Terry’s personal life.  Something has to be there.  Jessie, I want to see you in my office.”

Connor winced, feeling compassion for the girl.  He was starting to get the feeling that Crest had been keeping his distance due to her age, but if Jessie was dabbling in the lifestyle…

“Crest, are we going to meet this new guy you hired?” Jax asked before everyone disbanded.  “You said he’s been keeping an eye on Lauren Bailey.”

“You’ll meet him soon enough,” Crest said, turning and walking away. 

Crest didn’t stop to see if Jessie was following behind.  Connor saw her roll her eyes and the action reminded him of Lauren, who was hankering for a spanking if she didn’t answer his next call.  All he’d asked of her was to cancel her vending table tonight at social hour.  She was well aware of his ongoing case and it was a double-edged sword.  One, she could let something slip that he was working undercover and blow things wide open.  He and Jax wouldn’t get anyone to talk then.  Two, it was for her own safety.

“
Have you swung by to check on her?” Jax asked, using his boots to roll himself back.  “We had some late nights at the club this week.”

Connor didn’t answer right away.  Yes, he’d gone to the club Tuesday and Thursday night
.  He’d even forced himself to do a light caning scene with a submissive that was a bit of a masochist, although it didn’t extend beyond that.  He didn’t want to examine why he felt guilt over that.  He was undercover, to an extent, and the members would have thought it odd had he not played.  There were only so many times a Dom could go and not scene without it looking as if something was amiss.  The scene he’d done hadn’t even been in a sexual context, yet all he kept thinking about was Lauren.

“A couple times,” Connor admitted, reaching for his jacket.  He tugged and then yanked it out from underneath Jax’s back.  “Whoever the guy is that Crest hired, he’s good.  I didn’t detect his presence at all.”

“Either that, or he’s slacking and not watching her the way he should be,” Jax said, standing and walking around the side of the cubicle.  Connor looked after him in disbelief.  Like that’s what he needed to hear.  Jax returned, his coat in hand.  “I take it we’re heading to social hour?”

“You’re an ass.”