Captured Innocence (CSA Case Files) (3 page)

“They didn’t say,” Beverly said.  She took the ginger ale that Russell had placed on the counter.
  She looked over her shoulder, obviously not wanting to miss what was happening in the play area.  “The most popular vendor that Joel uses is Incandesce, and that’s located in the warehouse district.  I think the majority of the members have bought from there.”

“Now that is one redhead I’d like to
have kneel before me,” Kyle said, turning around on his stool to witness the flogging scene. 

Connor knew he’d lost all of them
.  Their attention had been dragged away, but he was pleased with the information he’d gathered.  Maybe the killer had purchased the rope from one of the club’s vendors, although more than likely, whoever it was had bought it online.  Connor wondered if Jax had come up with anything.

Connor joined the crowd, twisting
on his stool to watch the scene unfold.  Beverly made her way back to her attentive gang of male submissives.  Jax was still in his seat, with the same three subs kneeling on pillows in front of him.  They met each other’s gaze and Connor knew immediately that his best friend had some information.  They would play the evening out and debrief one another later.  Connor switched his attention to the Dom wielding the flogger.

The leather strands of the purple implement glided through the air.  They rained down over the submissive
’s curved ass, which was a lovely shade of pink.  Connor knew the duo.  Flint and Shelley.  She was his permanent submissive and they usually played here once a month.  Shelley was bound to the St. Andrew’s cross with her brown hair in a French braid, pulled over her shoulder to expose her back.  He could see a glistening layer of sweat on her skin as well as the dripping moisture on her inner thighs when she gyrated her hips.  Shelley was enjoying herself immensely.

“Kyle,” Connor said, trying to garner the other Dom’s attention.
  Something wasn’t adding up with his previous ginger statement.  “That’s Shelley.  She’s always been a brunette, not a redhead.”

“I wasn’
t referring to Shelley,” Kyle said, not taking his attention away from the scene.  “I was talking about Lauren Bailey, the owner of Incandesce.  She’s one hot little ginger, if you know what I mean.”

Connor nodded, thinking over what he’d learned this evening.  The police were just gathering evidence against Terry at this point.  If Terry had purchased the type of rope used to tie up Marilyn, that was just a nail in his coffin.  It was obvious from the statements that Kyle, Russell, and Bev contributed to their theory that Terry was a jealous husband who resented that his wife was playing with other men. 

Tomorrow was Sunday, but Connor would make a trip to Incandesce and browse their inventory.  If this Lauren Bailey was there, then the better it was for him to throw a few questions her way.  They needed access to her client list, so Connor made a mental note to have Taryn hack into the store’s computer system.  The police would have it by tomorrow anyway.  He wondered what the other team members were turning up in their search for Marilyn’s murder.  The twenty-four hour mark was approaching and so far, they had nothing substantial.

Chapter Three

Lauren stood with her hands on her hips, surveying the vast amount of
deliveries that had arrived yesterday.  It was Sunday morning and the last thing she wanted to do was unpack, categorize, and restock all of the various implements within, because the precious jewels alone would take her the rest of the day.  Each cut had a pile of paperwork describing the stones’ quantity, condition, and quality.  Hanging her head, she recognized that she was just plain old tired.  All she did was work, and lately she’d been restless and not sleeping.  A visit to her sister’s place in Florida was starting to look good by comparison.

The bell rang above the door in the shop and she was grateful for the
distraction.  Lauren had spent the last hour debating with the police in regards to giving out her client list until the warrant they’d produced had left her no ability to refuse them.  A murder had taken place a couple of night ago.  Due to her connection with the BDSM community, they apparently thought the murderer had purchased some items from her.  She had arrived at the tipping point where her online business was enough to support her.  Leaving this city was starting to sound better and better.

Walking through the
makeshift curtain, Lauren scanned the shop to see a man in his mid-thirties.  He was idly tracing his finger along the outline of each of the clit clamps that were lined up in a display case sitting on the glass countertop.  They were her standard base models that were undecorated — a blank canvas if you will.  A part of her didn’t want the specialized order that he was probably here for.  Knowing that was not like her at all, Lauren promised herself that she’d call her sister to say she was coming for a visit immediately following this transaction.

Something about
this man’s bearing drew her to step closer.  He was dressed in jeans that fit his form in a way she could appreciate, accompanied by a brown bomber jacket adorned with unit patches from what appeared to be a military background.  He was a good six inches taller than her five-foot-six-inch frame.  His stance clearly stated he was a dominant alpha male.  Taking a brief moment to shake off the previous melancholy that had settled over her, Lauren stepped around the counter and cleared her throat.

He turned his head in her direction and
she lost her breath.  The blue of his eyes were like the most pristine blue tourmaline stones found only in Brazil.  His gaze cut through her like the razor thin blade in the machine she used to resize the stones she handled. Remembering she could never be with a man who needed so much control, she brought her hands up and closed her fingers around her watch to remind herself of why.  Immediately, the inferno was extinguished and she felt more grounded.

“May I help you?”
Lauren asked, grateful her voice came out smooth and didn’t betray the confusion within her.  She dealt with many Dominants in her business, so what was it about this man’s demeanor that affected her in such a carnal manner?

“I
’m just browsing.” 

He turned to face her full on and Lauren tightened her grip on her watch. 
The man’s jet-black hair was closely cropped on the sides, yet long enough on top that it fell over his forehead.  His skin seemed sun-kissed, but his color was obviously from his heritage.  Maybe a mixture of Cuban and Caucasian?  He had a square jaw, probably matching his personality, and he hadn’t shaved this morning.  Why that made him more sexually appealing, she didn’t know.  His lips were full and she finally noticed that they were moving. 

“…
town.  I was at Masters last night and overheard them mention your store.  My name’s Connor Ortega.  I seemed to have missed your vendor table at the club, although I’m usually there during play hours only.”

Lauren just bet he was.  Connor
Ortega seemed to be the type of man who worked hard and played hard.  The exact kind she stayed away from, although he was the precise type she would have gone for had she still been the naïve girl she once was in her early twenties.  When he stepped forward and held out his hand, she had no choice but to reciprocate.  Releasing her watch slowly, she slid her hand into his and ignored the way his warmth seemed to seep into her skin through the electric contact of his grip.   

“Lauren Bailey.”  The second he released her hand, she stepped back.  “Are you looking for anything in particular?”

“Not really,” Connor said, although his eyes said something different.  She retreated around the counter.  “I’m meeting a friend for lunch and had some extra time to kill.”

“Well, please look around.  If I can be of any help, let me know.”

Lauren gave him a strained smile and hoped it didn’t show.  As he went back to perusing the items in the various display cabinets, she leaned up against the stool that she always kept behind the counter pretending to look at a clipboard listing the shipment she needed to go through today.  There was an underlying sensual impression that he seemed to leave in his wake.  Feeling her irritation grow at the irrational emotions she was experiencing, Lauren put it down to the hectic afternoon she still had ahead of her.

The bell above the shop
door rang once more.  Lauren looked up to see one of the two police detectives from earlier walk through the door.  A slight throbbing developed in her forehead.  She watched as he gave an evaluating glance toward Connor, but continued to amble up to the counter.  She had a feeling the rouge on his cheeks wasn’t just due to the cold outside.  His midsection had an extra layer it shouldn’t and she wondered how far he’d walked to get here.

“Detective Hagen,” Lauren replied, trying not to glance Connor’s way to see what he was looking at.
  As soon as she was able to get both of these men out of her shop, she’d close early and head back to her apartment.  “Was there something else you needed?  I gave you my client list as you compelled me to do.”

“
We appreciate your cooperation.”  Detective Hagen lowered his voice as he leaned closer to the counter.  It was obvious that he didn’t want Connor to hear what he was saying.  “Do you still keep track of those orders by client name, even if they pay cash?  The items you sell seem very specialized.”

“
Not always,” Lauren replied honestly.  She’d already answered their questions regarding Terry Sweeney.  He wasn’t a client of hers, although the wife had purchased a few things on her own.  Her death was a tragedy and she hoped that if the husband did do it, that he paid dearly for his crime.  In her experience, most predators escaped their sentence.  “If a customer comes into the store and buys an item that I have in stock, then I ring up the purchase as is.  I went over this with you earlier, Detective.”

“And you’re positive that Terry Sweeney was not one of those cash purchases?
”  Detective Hagen reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a long piece of paper.  “Do you have a security camera installed here?”

“
Yes, but only on a twenty-four hour loop,” Lauren answered.  Now she understood why he’d come back.  She was betting that the detective had put in for a warrant, but what she was about to say was going to disappoint him.  “The majority of my business is through the local clubs and online.  My actual store hours are so minimal that it doesn’t require me to have a more thorough security system.  The camera you see in the corner was installed by the previous owner.  It’s not going to have what you’re looking for in its recently recorded memory.”

“What about your inventory?  Where is that kept?”

“Half here and half at my residence,” Lauren answered, noticing that Connor had made his way over to the restraints.  Her stomach twisted.  “If I need to cut stones, I have to do that here.  I have a one-micron particulate ventilation system in back that takes out the fine particles in the air.  If I have easier projects that I can do by hand, I tend to do those at my apartment.  And before you ask, the answer is no.  There is nothing missing in my inventory.  If you could be more specific about what you’re looking for, I might be able to assist you more than I have.  Maybe there are some types of jewels or implements that you have an interest in?”

“I see that you’re closed tomorrow.  Is there a number I can reach you at?  I’ll need you to look at some photos and help identify specific items
as yours or possibly a competitor’s.”

“Let me write down my cell phone number,” Lauren said, grabbing a
scrap piece of paper underneath the counter.  Snatching up a pen next to the register, she scribbled her information.  “If it’s something I made, I’ll know instantly by looking at it.”

“
I’ll be in touch, Ms. Bailey,” Detective Hagen said, turning on his heel and walking out.

Silence seemed to descend over the
small shop.  Lauren clicked the pen a few times before realizing it echoed through the air.  She couldn’t explain why she felt so apprehensive with Connor Ortega, but knew she didn’t like it.  Today was just one of those days.  If she didn’t spend so little time here, she would have had a sound system installed for at least some background music.

“I heard what happened to Marilyn
Sweeney,” Connor said, startling her.  He turned and walked to the counter.  A pair of silver, white fur-lined cuffs that she’d decorated with emerald accents was in his hands.  Why did those cuffs suddenly look so small?  “All the members of Masters could talk about last night was her murder.  I still can’t get over that they think Terry murdered her.  From what I saw between them in the past, they had certain arrangements within their relationship that allowed her to play with others.  I’m sure with the business you’re in, that you knew them both.”

“
It’s hard for me to believe, too,” Lauren replied.  She was glad to have something to talk about instead of thinking about what his hands could do with those cuffs.  Did that make her a bad person to want to talk about a murder instead of the sexual feelings he was stirring within her?  “I met Terry at a few of my vendor shows at Joel’s club, but he never bought anything.  He seemed nice enough, but for the police to have arrested him there had to be evidence, right?”

Connor shrugged and held up the cuffs.  “So what exactly is it that you do?  I was under the impression that you sold rope and other items.”

“I take hand-crafted implements from some of the well-known high-end suppliers and add an elegant touch,” Lauren explained.  She held out her hands for the cuffs.  She was grateful when he dropped them in her hands without touching her.  “See these emerald accents?  There are matching ankle cuffs, as well as a collar with larger stones.  These are silver.  I can produce them in white gold and yellow gold with various size settings for larger cut jewels.  I also provide them in animal friendly versions, as well as any specific fur you desire.  Some of my wealthier clients ask that nipple clamps and a clit clamp be assembled with the same jewels to complement the look.  If you’d like to give your submissive a gift, I take special orders.”

“I don’t currently have a sub,” Connor responded, his blue eyes zeroing in on hers.  She resisted the urge to
swallow and looked back down at the cuffs in her hand.  She laid them gently on the counter and then crossed her arms over her disobedient nipples.  Why had she even mentioned him having a submissive?  “I assume you live the lifestyle?”

“
No.”  Lauren gave her standard answer with a small smile.  She was used to people judging her.  “I don’t actually.  The lifestyle really isn’t for me.  I’m just a businesswoman who saw an opportunity to sell my art.  It just happened to be alternative toys, collars, and implements.”

“Really?”

Her smile slipped as Connor’s tone indicated that he didn’t quite believe her. Lauren pushed off of the stool in what she hoped didn’t come across as her being rattled.  She didn’t like the feeling of intrusion — it was as if he was reading her like a book.  She ignored his implied question, and walked over to the large display case she had set up on the left side of the store.  This conversation needed to be switched back to business.

“These are some of the clamps that I’ve a
ttached to chains,” Lauren said.  She was grateful that her voice remained steady.  She motioned over the glass with her hand at the variety of specialized items.  She stood looking down at one of her favorite pieces.  A clit clamp adorned with chocolate diamonds that were attached with white gold Figaro links to two matching nipple clamps.  Different sized chocolate diamonds were situated in settings artfully spaced along each chain’s length.  Her nipples throbbed just thinking on how they would feel pinched between the pads.  It was something that she would never allow herself to experience.  She really needed Connor to leave. “As you can see, depending on the jewels, I have interwoven them between the lengths of chain.  I have some brochures that you can take with you, should you decide to order something in the future.”

“So you don’t sell rope?” Connor asked, stepping beside her to look down inside the case.

“Uh, no,” Lauren replied, wishing that he’d stayed where he was.  She could actually feel his heat assaulting her body. It made her realize that she’d been keeping too much to herself lately.  She’d look at her orders this evening and free up some time in order to go and visit her sister.  Feeling better, she turned her head and met his gaze.  “No rope.  I know of some good websites if you’re interested in a specific silk.”

“No, thank you. 
I appreciate you taking the time to show me some of your inventory,” Connor replied, the side of his mouth lifting up in a smile. She maintained eye contact, refusing to look down.  “I better head out if I’m going to meet my friend on time.”