Rafael pulled out one of the chairs and eyed it before uncertainly sitting. Dani placed the mug of tea before him and joined him at the table covered with crumbs. Rafael stared at the crumbs and food particles spattered on the table as if he were in a trance.
“You okay?”
“Yes, fine,” he mechanically replied then hesitated. “No. No, this is the dirtiest breakroom I’ve ever set foot in.”
“Yeah, some people are slobs,” she informed him then casually sipped her tea. “Housekeeping will clean it tonight.”
Rafael stared at a blob of mustard on the table. He suddenly jumped up from his chair, ran to the counter, and rummaged through the cupboards. She watched him with surprise.
“Rafael?”
He frantically tore through the cupboards. “I just have to wipe up that mustard.”
Several minutes later, Dani held her tea mug while standing alongside Janice and Abby in the breakroom doorway. All three women appeared speechless while watching Rafael scrubbing the kitchen counter like a madman. He’d already tackled the sink and the dirty dishes.
“He’s like a demon possessed,” Janice gasped.
“Strange and creepy,” Abby muttered.
“I don’t know,” Dani remarked while watching him with great interest then seductively ran her finger along the cleavage of her shirt. “For some reason, it’s kind of turning me on.”
Janice and Abby slowly turned their heads and looked at Dani, who lustfully continued to watch Rafael clean. Janice and Abby looked back at Rafael and appeared to reconsider.
“I wonder if he irons?” Janice questioned.
“The hell with that,” Abby cried out. “Does he do toilets?”
Chapter Twenty-four
Later that afternoon, Dani sat at her desk and casually flipped through a magazine while simultaneously ignoring the instant message flashing from Boyd on her screen.
Boyd IM: “Dani, are you there?”
Dani ignored the message even though she couldn’t quite get into the magazine either. She still wasn’t sure what she wanted to do about Boyd, but she wasn’t ready to talk to him just yet either. She saw Jade and Miller step out of the elevator into the corridor then enter the lobby through the glass doors. As they approached her desk, Dani quickly straightened, just about ready to jump out of her seat.
“Did you solve the case?”
“Not yet, Miss Phillips,” Miller replied as they paused before her desk. “We’d like to have another word with Greg.”
“His messages are going to voicemail,” she informed them, frowning her annoyance. “I’m not sure if he came back from lunch. I could check his office.”
“Mind if we join you?” Jade asked, coming across a lot sweeter than she actually was.
“No, of course not,” Dani replied while standing.
Jade and Miller followed her through cubicle square and toward Greg’s office halfway toward the back. They entered the office and found Rafael sitting behind the desk working on Greg’s computer. Jade and Dani were moderately surprised to see him there, although Miller was happily clueless. Rafael looked up and saw Jade, Miller, and Dani.
“If you’re looking for Greg, he hasn’t returned yet,” Rafael informed them.
Jade stared at him a moment then raised her brows. “And you are?”
“Rafael Quinn,” he replied and flashed a sly grin, playing the game.
“He’s our resident computer genius,” Dani informed them.
Rafael seemed surprised by the compliment, hid his smile, and then returned to the computer.
Dani fidgeted slightly. “He’s upgrading the firewalls after the, uh, incident.”
Jade shot a look at Rafael and became increasingly interested. “You’re in Greg’s computer?”
Rafael studied her and leaned forward across the desk as if sizing her up for the first time. “I’m sorry; you are--?”
“I’m Detective Wesson, and this is my partner, Detective Miller,” she informed him, continuing the con game as if they’d never met.
Miller gave Jade an odd look then looked back at Rafael with confusion. He refrained from commenting, rolled his eyes while frowning, and looked away with disinterest in their little game.
“Oh, well, in that case, yes,” Rafael announced while grinning as he straightened in the chair, “I’m in his computer.”
“Anything in there someone connected might be interested in?” she asked.
“Connected?” Rafael enquired with a look of surprise. “As in Mafia? To be honest, Detective, I haven’t noticed anything beyond game programs.”
Miller cast a look across the desk and picked up a matchbook laying on top. It contained the Club Zen logo. Miller showed Dani the matchbook.
“You know this place?”
“Oh, that’s the swank club on Fifth,” Dani informed him without hesitation.
“Cody Riley’s club?” Jade suddenly asked.
“Does Greg frequent that club?” Miller pressed.
“Yes, he goes there almost every Thursday night,” Dani casually informed them. “He took me a couple of times--” She hesitated and carefully considered her next comment. “Back when we sort of dated.”
Jade walked behind the desk and stood alongside Rafael’s chair to take a look at the computer screen. Rafael pretended to be working but instead pressed a button, pulling up a spreadsheet with large monetary amounts on it. Rafael glanced up at Jade as if secretly telling her something. She placed her hand on the back of his chair and nudged his shoulder so no one saw. Rafael clicked on another page. There were more large amounts with account numbers alongside them.
“Kind of strange that he goes to a swank club on Thursdays,” Miller remarked. “Most people go to those places when they have off the next day.”
“It’s pretty crowded on Thursdays,” Dani informed him. “There’s never any parking. He usually gets there by six. You know, for parking.”
Miller and Jade exchanged looks from across the desk.
Jade eyed Dani suspiciously. “That’s early to be at a club. Even for a great parking space.”
“There are a lot of people there, even at that early hour,” Dani replied.
Miller looked at Jade and cleverly raised his brows. “Feel like dancing tonight?”
She laughed softly while sweeping her eyes over him. “You won’t exactly blend, Miller.”
“I won’t have to,” he replied with little emotion. “You’re flying solo.”
Rafael cast a look at Jade with some concern. He obviously didn’t care for what was being suggested but was unable to comment on it.
Chapter Twenty-five
Jade and Miller walked in silence across the parking garage attached to the Virtual Play building. Miller looked at her several times, indicating there was something on his mind, but she wasn’t going to fish for information.
“Did you and your uncle have a falling-out?” he finally asked.
“No.”
Miller eyed her suspiciously. “So why did he act like he’d never met you?”
“He doesn’t like sharing his personal life at the office,” she replied then shook her head because it honestly made no sense to her either. “He has this paranoid delusion that nobody at work likes him.”
“It’s not a paranoid delusion,” Rafael announced from somewhere behind them, his voice echoing through the silent parking garage.
Both looked back as Rafael approached them from behind. He had a serious look on his face.
“They don’t like me,” he boldly announced.
“They don’t even know you,” Jade countered with irritation. “You shut them out. You’ve done that sort of thing your whole life.”
“Maybe I don’t want them to know me,” he retorted then appeared to consider his comment. “Dani invited me to take a break to have tea with her, and I ended up scrubbing down the entire breakroom.” He frowned at his own comment. “I even think I’m creepy and strange.”
Jade smiled
and linked onto Rafael’s arm as they walked. “You are creepy and strange, but that’s what I love about you.”
“That’s because you’re weird and scary,” Rafael muttered in response.
Miller glared at the two then rolled his eyes and shook his head. “You two are perfect for each other,” he announced. “A couple of loony tunes.”
§
It was three o’clock that afternoon and technically only two hours until quitting time, although most would hang around to nearly six o’clock anyway. Dani continued to flip through her magazine while still avoiding conversation with her internet boyfriend, Boyd. He’d given up for a while, but when she glanced at the computer screen, he’d returned for another attempt to get her to talk.
Boyd IM: “Didn’t mean to upset you. Please forgive me.”
She eyed the screen a moment longer then considered what she had been so mad about in the first place. She hated avoiding Boyd. Their conversations were the only thing she enjoyed in her boring life at the moment. She missed the connection, but she was still bothered by his reaction regarding meeting her. She reluctantly typed a response and hated herself for it.
Dani IM: “I forgive you.”
Larson entered the lobby and approached the desk while Dani quickly logged off. She straightened in her chair and looked at him, noting the stern expression on his face.
“Good afternoon, sir.”
“Good afternoon, Dani,” he replied, although he didn’t seem interested in small talk at the moment. Larson extended a memo to her. “Would you make copies of this and see that everyone gets one?” He stood proudly and surprised her with his next announcement. “Everyone is staying late tonight. I hired a safety specialist to come in and talk to all the employees. It’s mandatory, but everyone will get overtime pay as compensation.” He then hesitated and considered something else. “Also, we’ll need some sandwich trays for tonight. Have you seen Greg?”
“No, sir,” she replied. “I haven’t seen him since this morning. His cell phone keeps going to voicemail.”
“Try his home phone.”
Dani nodded then watched Larson leave the lobby through the glass doors and head for the elevator in the corridor across from her. She waited for him to get into the elevator going ‘up’ before logging back on her computer. At the same time, she picked up the phone and dialed Greg’s home phone number. As she typed into the computer, she listened to Greg’s home phone ring endlessly. She finished her message to Boyd.
Dani IM: “Working late tonight.”
Boyd IM: “????”
Dani IM: “Some safety meeting.”
Boyd IM: “Can’t make you stay late without 24-hour notice.”
Dani IM: “Yeah, but who’s going to remind Larson of that?”
Boyd IM: “Good point.”
She didn’t have any luck with Greg’s home phone number either and gave up when his voicemail picked up. When she looked back at her computer, Boyd sent another message.
Boyd IM: “If you really want to meet, we can get together.”
She couldn’t deny she was relieved to hear, or read, him say that. Unfortunately, she’d had a lot thrown at her that needed to be done immediately, and the masses wouldn’t be happy about it.
Dani IM: “I appreciate that. Can discuss more next week. Gotta hand out fliers. Talk to you later.”
Chapter Twenty-six
Despite the early hour, Club Zen was filled with well-dressed men and women drinking and dancing to the loud music in the dim lighting. Jade walked through the club in a short, revealing black dress. She wasn’t a fan of dressing trashy or wearing dresses at all, for that matter. High heels were among her most loathed article of clothing, and she never understood why any woman would want to strap her feet to the insane torture devices. With Miller’s two-minute warning before sending her undercover at the club, she was lucky she was able to borrow the dress off Lily on such short notice. She cased the club, finding the packed room not to her liking. She gently touched a concealed transmitter in her ear.
“Okay, Miller,” she announced, hoping he’d hear her over the loud music. “I’m here.”
“Reading you loud and clear,” came his response through the ear transmitter. “Damn that music is loud. How does your generation tolerate that noise?”
“Don’t ask me,” she remarked. “I’m an enigma in my own generation.”
“I’m parked out front,” Miller informed her. “Keep me posted.”
Jade headed toward the bar while looking around. A large bouncer stood near a door in the back, which she witnessed several people passing through in the short time she’d been in the club. There was obviously something else happening beyond that door that only a select few were allowed to partake.
“There’s a door to the back with a guard and lots of traffic,” she informed Miller.
“Any familiar faces?”
“No. None.”
Cody Riley walked through the club with his muscular counterpart, Bernard. Cody dressed the part of a wealthy businessman, but everyone knew he was in some way involved with the mob. How involved was the question. Jade had seen pictures of the notorious man, but this was the first time she’d seen him live and in person.
“I see Cody Riley and one of his goons,” she announced while attempting to hide that she was talking to herself.
“Tall Neanderthal type?” he responded over her ear transmitter.
“Yeah, that’s the one.”
“That’s Bernard,” Miller informed her. “Be careful. He’s all muscle and no brain. He’ll crush you like a toothpick.”
“Considering neither of them has ever seen me before, I should be okay,” she replied then drew a deep breath and sighed. “Time to make a few friends.”
“Shouldn’t be too difficult in that dress,” Miller teased over her ear transmitter.
She groaned softly. “Female friends,” Jade remarked. “I’m here to socialize not hookup.”
“You’re right,” he replied. “I can’t imagine you hooking up anyway.”
“How about some radio silence?” she muttered.
“Just shout if you need me,” Miller replied over her ear transmitter. “I’ll be napping in my car.”
Jade shook her head, happy the man in her ear wouldn’t comment in her ear all night. She approached a small group of young women close to her age who dressed similarly wearing sexy, revealing dresses. She’d be able to blend better with a group of women her own age, and it would look less suspicious. Unfortunately, Jade wasn’t part of that crowd and had nothing in common with that type of woman. She had to hope they were similar to her friend, Lily, and it would be enough to get her through the evening. While Jade made some new friends, Cody leaned against the bar and watched her with more than a passing interest. He nudged Bernard and indicated Jade with a slight nod.
“See that brunette in the black dress?” Cody announced while keeping his eyes glued on Jade.
“I see a dozen brunettes in black dresses,” Bernard remarked while scanning the dimly lit room. “Can you be a little more specific?”
“Standing with the three little skanklets,” he muttered while frowning.
Bernard again scanned the room and saw Jade with the three regular women. “Yeah, what about her?”
Cody grinned while taking in an eyeful of the young, attractive detective. “She’s a breath of fresh air in this place,” he announced. “Arrange for an introduction. I’d like to get to know that one a little better. She looks as if she has a brain in her head, despite the company she’s keeping.”
“Why would you want a smart woman when you can have your pick of clueless ones?” Bernard asked and leaned against the bar alongside him. “Smart ones are a lot of work.”
“As if you’d know,” Cody muttered and sipped his drink. “I want a woman who can challenge my intellect. Too much eye candy and I can almost feel my brain rotting in my skull.”
“Suit yourself,” Bernard replied with a dreary sig
h. He was about to cross the room when Jared approached and stopped the hulking man.
“Hold off on that hookup,” Jared remarked then glared at Cody and gave a slight nod in Jade’s direction. “Cody, I’d like you to meet Detective Jade Wesson, homicide division.”
Cody suddenly straightened and looked from Jade to Jared. He turned toward the bar and avoided looking at the attractive woman. Jared joined him at the bar and only briefly glanced at Jade, so she wouldn’t notice the attention she was drawing.
“No wonder Vahn was tightlipped about his interrogation,” Cody muttered. “I’ll bet he had a field day with that. What do you want to do about her?”
“Nothing,” Jared announced casually and turned toward the bar. “She’s not going to find anything we don’t want her to find. Just keep an eye on her.”
“Two minutes ago, I would have been thrilled to do that,” Cody remarked and frowned. “There should be a law against hot women working law enforcement.” He then sank into thought. “Detective Wesson. Wesson? Why does that sound so familiar?”
Jared grinned and slapped Cody on the back. “Probably because you killed her parents ten years ago.”
He suddenly eyed Jared, who just laughed and walked away. Cody glanced across the club and took in another eyeful of Jade.
“Not exactly a great icebreaker,” Cody muttered and shook his head. “So much for my plans for a romantic evening.”
Chapter Twenty-seven
Within an hour, Jade and the three women danced together while several men joined them. One man kept pulling Jade against him and attempted to feel her buttocks while they danced. She pushed him away several times while trying to keep from making a scene. She actually wanted to punch the man, but that wouldn’t bode well for her cover story. He still didn’t take the hint and grabbed her around the waist while dancing with her. She attempted to break free without causing a scene, but he wasn’t making it easy for her. The man suddenly released her and took a step back. Jade looked behind her to see what stopped the man in his tracks. Vahn stood behind her glaring at the horny young man.
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