Captured Innocence (CSA Case Files) (9 page)

Connor spotted Jax sitting on a couch, caressing the blonde’s hair as it draped over his knee.  They were talking in low tones and the background music prevented their voices from carrying.  Making his way over, he saw that Juliet was kneeling in the correct position on the floor.  Knowing he would have to do a light scene and thinking maybe this
was exactly what he needed, Connor couldn’t help but picture Lauren at her apartment drinking wine by herself.

“I’ve kept Juliet busy as she waited for you,” Jax said,
gesturing with his head. 

Connor looked down to see that her right hand was manipulating her clit.  Juices glistened on her inner thigh underneath the dim lighting from above.  There was no doubt she was a pretty young thing, but nowhere near carrying the class that Lauren did.  He clenched his teeth in irritation that she crossed his mind again.

“Did you make that phone call you needed to?” Jax asked, coming across as relaxed.  “I told Juliet that you’d probably get called into work, but not to worry.  I have plans for the two of these subs and as long as they behave, everyone will be satisfied before the lights go out.”

“
That’s what I was coming to tell you,” Connor said, taking the bait.  He wanted to check out that client list and also read over Gerry Mason’s statement.  Him leaving had nothing to do with Lauren.  “Juliet, I’m sure you’ll be fine in Master Jax’s care.  Be warned though, I hear he does a kick-ass fire play scene.”

Connor’s comment didn’t faze Jax in the least. 
It was obvious that his friend didn’t want to even acknowledge that he was acting out of character.  He wouldn’t push the issue because Jax knew that he had an open door policy.  When he wanted to talk, Connor would be there.

“Connor,” Jax called out, causing him to turn around.  “Check your text
s.”

He waited until he was out on the street before digging his phone out of his pocket and turning on the device.  Walking towards the underground garage where he’d parked, he wasn’t too worried about Jax finding a ride home.  Connor zipped up his jacket as the cold wind snapped around him.  His phone finally vibrated, indicating that it was ready to use. 

Connor slowed his stride, looking at the text that Jax had sent him.  His friend must have slipped out of the play area to send it.  Fuck. While he’d been talking and gathering information from Alex, Jax had been doing the same thing with those two submissives.  Apparently the blonde, Kimmie, had a pair of matching nipple clamps she wanted to try out with her outfit.  They were similarly adorned with rubies that Marilyn Sweeney had on at the time of her death.  Jax stated he tried to play it cool when she asked him if he would let her wear them and dropped them into his hand.  The man who gave them to her?  Joel Summit.

Chapter Nine

Connor
rubbed the grit out of his eyes and then stretched his tired muscles.  He’d been sitting at his desk for hours, watching his computer screen that Taryn had so graciously set up to monitor the lobby of Lauren’s apartment building before she left the office last night.  He’d stayed awake by reading Gerry’s statement, comparing the list he gave the police to that of the one Taryn had downloaded, and keeping an eye on the lobby for anyone who looked suspicious.  Unfortunately, there wasn’t a traffic camera near the alleyway where Lauren had been attacked.  Now that it was daytime and Ethan would be furtively checking in on Lauren, Connor needed sleep.

“Joel Summit purchased
similar clamps for another submissive?”

Connor looked up at Crest as he walked
toward Connor’s cubicle with his dress coat hung over his arm, a folder in one hand, and a coffee in the other.  He looked crisp, clean, and ready for anything.  Connor grimaced and leaned over his desk, shutting off his computer.  Lauren had left for her shop well over an hour before this, and he’d more or less been fighting sleep since.

“
Yes, and unless we reveal that we’re investigating Marilyn’s murder, we’re not getting answers as to why anytime soon — at least not from him.”  Connor ran a hand over his face, wondering if he should have one more cup of coffee to at least get him home.  He knew what Crest was going to say before he said it, so Connor beat him to it.  He knew what he had to do, but he didn’t have to like it.  “I’ll talk to Lauren later today and see if she received a customized order from Joel.”

Before Crest could respond, Jax strolled in with his black leather jacket
, matching gloves, and his favorite skullcap that covered his dirty-blonde hair.  His cheeks were red from the cold and it was obvious from the wet marks on his shoulders that the snow had started.  Connor glanced at Crest and wondered how in the hell the man had avoided the snow.  He was dry as a bone.

“For someone out so late, you sure do look damn good,” Connor replied, reconsidering his decision to head home.  Maybe he’d just catch a nap on the only couch in the office.  Jax could take up the legwork.  “Any more leads?”

“I always look good,” Jax replied, flashing a smile.  Connor could see he was back to his normal self.  He came to stand beside Crest.  He looked at Connor from head to toe.  “Unlike yourself.  You look like shit, boyo.”

“
I stayed up going over reports. Gerry left a few submissives off of the list that he gave the police.  I think we’re missing something very simple, but I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Isn’t it always simple?” Jax asked.  “Speaking of
leads, Joel wasn’t at the club the night Marilyn died.  Crest, are we getting overtime?  It is Sunday.”

“You’re salary,” Crest said, draping his dress coat over Taryn’s chair and taking a seat.  “Which can be cut
for missing a workday in these trying economic times.”

“Duly noted,” Jax said, shrugging out of his jacket.  “Which is why I’m a cut above the rest. 
As Connor already told you, Kimmie, one of the submissives at Whip requested that I apply a pair of custom nipple clamps during our scene.  They were infused with similar cut rubies that Marilyn had on her at the time of her death.  When I questioned her about them, she said they were a gift from Joel Summit.”

“Has she ever played at Masters?” Connor asked, not remember seeing Kimmie there, but again, he’d been MIA for a couple of months.

“No, she said it was at a private play party hosted by —”

“Gerry Mason,” Connor finished, reaching for the man’s statement on his desk.  “I’ve gone over his statement and
can’t get why he would lie about Marilyn being a member of Whip, or the other submissives for that matter.  But if Joel and Gerry aren’t the enemies they are portraying themselves to be, then maybe they have something in common after all?”

“It sounds like you have your work cut out for you,” Crest said, standing.  “Good
job.  Jax, since you’re in deep at both clubs, see how close you can get to Joel or Gerry.  Connor, get back in touch with Lauren and see what she has to say about Joel purchasing those clamps.  Maybe there is something to her attack.”

“Pussy.”

Connor shot Jax a dark look, not liking the judgment of his tone.  Before he could say anything, his cell phone vibrated.  It was somewhere on his desk, so after shuffling the files around, he found it. 

“What the hell would you have me do?  She turned Crest down and said no protection,” Connor replied to Jax’s insult.  “Hello?”

“Connor?  I, um, I need you.  I think.”

Lauren’s voice hit him
like a ton of bricks.  Connor glanced at his dark computer screen and then pulled his phone away from his ear to look at the display.  She was calling from her cell phone. 

“Lauren, are you all right?”

“Someone broke into my apartment.”  Connor could hear her shuffling some things around.  “I don’t think anything was taken, but I’m thinking maybe you and Mr. Crest were right.”

“Don’t touch anything,” Connor ordered, standing up and grabbing his bomber jacket off the back of his chair.  “I’ll be there in five minutes.”

“Need the police?”  Crest asked, pulling his cell phone out of his dress pants.

“Yes.”

“No.”

Connor looked at Jax,
questioning why the hell his friend would say no, when he didn’t have the facts.  He knew his friend well enough to know the gleam in his eye.  It was a mixture of pride and guilt that only Jax could pull off.  That’s when it hit him that Lauren’s break-in had nothing to do with the case and everything to do with Jax.

“What the hell did you do?”

“Something you didn’t, choir boy.”

“Jax,” Crest said, almost in a sigh, “my office.  Now.  Connor, let me know what Lauren says regarding her business with Joel.  Jax might have gone about it the wrong way, but I do think she
is a piece of this puzzle.  And make sure you apologize on behalf of CSA.”

Connor didn’t bother replying as he made his way to the door.  He knew he should be pissed as hell for what Jax did, scaring Lauren like that, but he was feeling anything but.  She called him.  When push came to shove and Lauren had felt threatened, it was him she reached out for.  He didn’t stop to analyze why he knew that wasn’t a good thing.  All he knew was that she needed him.

* * * *

Lauren stood with her hands on her hips and surveyed her living room.  Nothing was damaged, nothing was taken, and nothing seemed disturbed.  She’d left for her shop early, needing to do some invoicing, when she realized she’d left the specialized items at her apartment that needed to be shipped that day.  She’d been gone no more than an hour before returning home to find that her door was ajar. 

“I still think you didn’t lock up properly,
dear,” Ms. Finch said after sipping on her tea.  The older woman was currently sitting at Lauren’s small kitchenette.  “I would have heard if someone had been out in the hallway.”

“Not if they were trying to be quiet,” L
auren replied, holding back her exasperation.  She had no doubt that she’d locked her door, but Ms. Finch couldn’t let it go.  What would help the situation was if the older woman went back to her own apartment.  “Men who are experts at this can come and go without anyone knowing.”

“You mean a professional jewel thief?” Ms. Finch’s eyes widened in astonishment. 
She then lowered her voice as if they shared a secret.  “Have you checked your spare bedroom to make sure your inventory is still there?”

Lauren placed a hand on her forehead, hoping that would
prevent her from snapping at the older lady.  She swore that Ms. Finch had cameras in every apartment within the building.  She was a wealth of information and that’s what had Lauren uneasy.  If Ms. Finch didn’t hear any sounds from hallway as someone picked at her lock, that didn’t bode well for Lauren.  Nothing was missing, which meant the person didn’t find what they were looking for.  Her mind went to the black SUV that had been parked across the street from her shop this morning. 

“Lauren?”  A rap on her door came simultaneously.

She crossed her living room and opened the door.  Resisting the urge to lean against him like she did that night at the hospital, Lauren turned away.  Getting that false sense of security was the last thing she needed now.  She smothered a groan when Ms. Finch’s eyes sparkled at meeting someone new.

“Connor, this is Ms. Finch.  Ms. Finch, Connor
Ortega is a friend of mine.”

“
We’ve already met, dear,” Ms. Finch said in a higher pitched voice, holding out her right hand.  The teacup in her hand rattled on the saucer beneath it.

Lauren
had forgotten that they’d met the other night upon arriving home from the hospital.  She was impressed when Connor walked straight over to Ms. Finch and shook her hand.  If she wasn’t so worried about the break-in, she might have even enjoyed watching the older woman bat her eyelashes at him.  As it was, someone
had
broken in.  She just technically couldn’t prove it, which was why she’d called Connor.

“Ms. Finch,
have you been holding down the fort?” Connor asked.

“
I’m doing my best, young man,” Ms. Finch replied, leaning forward just a bit.

“I’m so glad you called me, honey,” Connor said, turning to her.  Before Lauren could ask what the hell he was doing and why he would say something like that, he walked over to her, leaned down to kiss her cheek, and whispered in her ear.  She barely heard him as her heart raced, causing a rushing sound to almost drown out his voice.  “Go along with me.”

Two things registered.  His warm lips were like satin against her cheek and his whispered words tickled her ear.  Lauren forced herself to look up into his blue eyes as he pulled away, and that’s when she truly realized that whatever physical attraction was between them wasn’t going away on its own. 

“
I had to stop by here on my way to work this morning because I’d left my cell phone in the bedroom,” Connor said, smiling.  Lauren tilted her head, thinking she had to have heard him wrong.  “I must not have locked up.  I’m so sorry you thought someone had broken in.”

“That explains why I didn’t hear anything,” Ms. Finch said, setting her teacup and saucer on the table.  She clapped her hands once as if she’d solved the case on her own.  Lauren continued to stare at Connor as if he’d lost his mind.  “I must have thought it was Lauren.  You see, I might be old, but I can hear the difference between a key in the door and someone
doing something that they shouldn’t.”

“I’m sure you can, Ms. Finch.”  Connor shrugged out of his jacket and walked back to the table to sling it across the back of a chair.  Lauren wasn’t sure exactly
what
she should do.  What game was he playing?  “Lauren so appreciates how you keep an eye on things, as do I.  The city isn’t the same as it used to be.”

His comment got Ms. Finch going and for five minutes, Lauren stood there listening
in disbelief as to how the older woman tried to be a good neighbor and watch out for things that seemed suspicious.  Connor joined Ms. Finch at the table, listening to how Mr. Oldstien in apartment 305 had dementia, a newly married couple had moved into 325, and that she was pretty sure that Alice Trimino was secretively harboring a cat.  Lauren wasn’t spared a bit, either, as Ms. Finch relayed how Rick Hastlen was still sore that she wouldn’t have dinner with him. 

“That just means I’m doubly honored that Lauren took a chance on me,” Connor said with a wink.  “Speaking of which, you wouldn’t mind leaving us alone for a moment before I have to return to work
, would you?”

“Of course not, dear,” Ms. Finch said, slowly rising from her chair.  Connor held out a hand to assist her and they gradually made their way to the front door.  “You have no idea what it does to my peace of mind, knowing that Lauren has such a strapping young man in her life to take care of her.”

Lauren couldn’t resist rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest.  Connor better have a damn good reason for lying to Ms. Finch and making it seem like they were in some type of relationship.  She didn’t even get to ream him out after they got to the door, because Connor followed Ms. Finch out into the hallway and made sure she made it safely in her apartment.  Lauren stayed where she was, tapping her foot and glaring at the doorway.  She should have called her sister when she’d had the chance.  He finally made an appearance and closed them inside.

“What the hell was that?
”

“It was the only way for me to cover
what one of my asinine partners did,” Connor said, walking toward her until they were a few feet away.  “Lauren, I can’t apologize enough.  Jax knew that Crest and I weren’t comfortable with leaving you here alone and took matters into his own hands.”

“
Seriously?” Lauren asked, throwing her hands up.  “He thought by staging a break-in, I would cave on you staying here?  That doesn’t make any sense.  Am I so important to this case that he would break the law?”

“Something like that,” Connor murmured, running a hand through his hair.  She ignored the sensual way it
lay on his forehead and instead noticed that he seemed exhausted. That didn’t stop him from asking more questions. “Joel Summit.  Did you sell a similar set of clamps to him like you did to Marilyn Sweeney?”