Covert Exposure, a Nick Spinelli Mystery

by Valerie J. Clarizio

  “I’ll get out of here so you can get some rest. I’ll be just down the hall if you need anything.”

  He got the same response. A nod.

  Spinelli left Shannon alone in the spare bedroom, closing the door behind him as he left. He made sure to lock both the front and back doors. He peeked through the living room blinds and stared out onto the street in front of his house looking for anything out of the ordinary. A hint of unease coiled around his chest at the thought of Loukas the Greek’s muscleman paying her a visit. He double-checked the front and back doors, making sure they were locked.

  He glanced through the blinds once again then he straightened them out and turned off the lights in the living room and kitchen. He stepped into the hallway and glanced to his left. He could see the light still shining under Shannon’s bedroom door. He turned and headed toward his bedroom.

  Spinelli pulled his Beretta 9mm from his holster and tucked it into the drawer of his nightstand along with his badge. He pulled his shirt over his head as he walked toward the master bathroom and flung it over the bedpost. He unbuttoned his jeans and kicked them off along the way as well.

  He couldn’t wait to climb into bed, he felt dead tired. As he brushed and flossed his teeth he thought about Jarrod’s apprehension as he and Walker and Marsh questioned him. He recalled how Jarrod intentionally seemed to avoid looking him in the eye as he spoke with him and how his left eye twitched uncontrollably. Deep down he knew whatever or whoever Jarrod was involved with scared him. The questions still remained, who’s involved and what’s it about?

  Spinelli flung the covers back on his bed and climbed between the crisp cool sheets. They felt good against his weary skin. He pulled the covers up around his neck and rolled onto his left side. He lay there staring at the backside of the door leading to the hallway. Spinelli wondered if Shannon was asleep, he speculated about what she wore when she slept, and he fantasized about what they would be doing if she were in his bed right now. He visualized her naked, her soft smooth silky white skin touching his. He imagined cupping her small round breasts in his hands and teasing her nipples with his thumb and forefinger, and then perhaps his mouth, he grew hot and hard at the thought. He envisioned entering her, knowing she would be soft as velvet. His fantasy felt so vivid he actually felt her warmth surrounding him.

  Eventually, Spinelli cleared his mind enough to drift off to sleep and he slept uninterrupted until he heard the shower running in his spare bathroom. He forced his still weary eyes open and glanced at the clock. “8:00 a.m. What is she doing up so early?” he whispered.

  He blew out a sigh, flung the covers back, and swung his tired legs over the side of the bed. He sat there thinking that he could really use a couple more hours of sleep, five to six hours just didn’t cut it for him. He forced himself off the bed and put on a pair of jeans. Barefoot and shirtless he wandered to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Needing a kick-start, he dumped four heaping scoops of coffee grounds into the filter rather than the usual three. The shower still ran.

  Spinelli wandered into his office and logged onto his computer, his normal Saturday routine. First things first, he would check his usual sports websites, then take in a little local and national news, and when fully awake he would do a little research on Loukas the Greek.

  As the computer booted up, he walked back to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. The shower still ran. He leaned against the kitchen counter and sipped on his coffee. He glanced up at the clock. It read 8:20. He knew from experience that his old water heater didn’t allow for a hot twenty minute shower. He’d been meaning to get a new water heater but hadn’t checked it off his list yet.

  A few more minutes passed and the shower still ran. A wave of concern rippled throughout his body. He set his coffee cup on the kitchen countertop and walked over to the bathroom door. Pressing his ear to the door, he could only hear the shower running. He knocked on the door but Shannon didn’t respond. His heart began to race. He debated barging into the bathroom to check on her. He knocked on the door again, and again no response. “Shannon, are you okay?” he asked, still no response.

  He opened the door and glanced in the direction of the tub to find the shower curtain pulled shut. “Shannon, are you okay? If you don’t answer I’m going to open the curtain.”

  Hearing no response, he flung the shower curtain back to find her sitting in the tub with her knees pulled to her chest and arms wrapped tightly around them. She’d pressed her face against the top of her knees and her long curly wet red hair clung to her legs and back.

  Spinelli reached into the shower and shut off the freezing cold water. The water stopped pelting her shivering body. He grabbed a towel and flung it over her shoulders. He used his hands to rub her shoulders and arms in an effort to warm her then he wrapped his hands around the upper part of her arms and lifted upward, but she didn’t budge. “Come on Sweetheart, let’s get you out of here, and warm you up.”

  Shannon lifted her head and looked at him. His heart nearly stopped at the sight of her red-stained eyes. He shifted his gaze from her eyes to her lips, which displayed the bluest color he’d ever seen on a person. He edged one of his arms under her knees and the other under her arms and lifted her cold wet body out of the tub. He carried her to his bedroom. He sat down on the edge of his bed with her on his lap and he pulled the heavy quilt from the bed and wrapped it around them.

  She rested her head on his shoulder and buried her face in the crook of his neck. He rubbed her arms, hands, and feet in an attempt to warm them. Her toes felt cold as ice cubes. After a few minutes, he could feel her frigid body start to warm and her shivering stopped.

  Spinelli lifted his hand and stroked her damp hair. “It’s okay, Sweetheart. Everything will be okay.”

  Shannon lifted her head and looked at him. “No, it won’t, that’s just it. They won’t let it end. I know these kinds of people. I see it every day at work. They won’t stop until they get what they want.”

  “Who and what are you talking about?”

  “I don’t know who for sure. I can only assume it’s the guy I saw in the elevator with Jarrod who called me.”

  “Someone called you, when?”

  “This morning on my cell. The call woke me up.”

  “What did he say?” Spinelli asked in a voice a bit more frantic than he’d wished.

  Shannon chewed on her lower lip for a moment. Her eyes flooded with tears.

  Spinelli calmed and softened his voice. “Sweetheart, I need to know what he said.”

  Shannon released her lips from her teeth. “He said as long as I keep my mouth shut no one around me will get hurt, including the three little red-headed boys in the photo on my bookshelf.”

  She paused and sucked her lips back into her mouth. Waves of tears fell from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

  “Is there more?”

  Shannon nodded and used the back of her hand to clear the tears from her cheeks then she released her lips from her teeth again. “He said that if I go to the police, I’ve seen my nephews for the last time.”

  Spinelli tightened his grip on her and held her until she stopped crying. He pressed his lips lightly to the top of her head then he scooted her off his lap and rose to his feet. “Why don’t you lie down and get some more rest.”

  “No, I’m okay. What are you going to do?” she asked as she placed the palms of her hands on the bed and started to lift herself up.

  Spinelli quickly rested his hand on her shoulder to ease her down. He squatted down and lifted her legs onto the bed, gently forcing her to lie down. He knelt next to the bed, reached up, and snugged the quilt around her neck. She looked like a curled-up mummy all snuggly wrapped.

  “You rest. I’m going to call Walker and Marsh and we’re going to figure this out,” Spinelli said and then he leaned over and pressed his lips lightly to her forehead. On his way out of the bedroom, he grabbed a T-shirt and flung it over his head.

  Chapter Eighteen

&nb
sp; While Shannon rested, Spinelli, Walker, and Marsh discussed their game plan. The plan was almost completely in order before Spinelli heard Shannon stirring about in the hall. Then her cell phone rang. He and the other two fixed their eyes on the phone on the kitchen countertop. He reached for the phone but Shannon appeared between him and Walker and snatched it up. She looked at the display and then looked at Spinelli. “It’s just Anna.”

  “Oh, okay,” he replied as if giving her permission to answer the call. “Hi, Anna...I’m sorry I forgot we planned on going. Can you hold on a second?” Shannon glanced at the three of them. “I’m just going to take this in the other room.”

  Spinelli nodded and she walked away. He stared after her. The sight of her wearing his red plaid robe caused his sexual juices to flow and beg for release.

  “Christ, she’s freaking hot when she’s not wearing those drab business suits,” Marsh commented as he stared after her with the look of a starving wolf.

  Spinelli’s jealousy took over and he stepped into Marsh’s sightline to block his view of her. Spinelli opened his mouth to speak but before a word could be released, Walker quickly stepped between Spinelli and Marsh. “Let’s go, Marsh. We’ve got work to do.”

  Walker and Marsh left and Spinelli went into his office to do a little internet research on Loukas the Greek. The thin walls of his old house allowed him to hear part of Shannon’s phone conversation. Hearing his name roll off her tongue sparked his interest so he stepped lightly over to the doorway of his office so he could hear her better. The hallway acoustics allowed him to hear nearly every word exchanged between Shannon and Anna.

  “Your voice sounds like it's echoing. Did you flip me on speaker?” Anna asked.

  “Yeah, I’m changing.”

  “What?”

  “I’m changing.”

  “I thought you weren’t home,” Anna replied.

  Spinelli waited out the long pause that followed Anna’s reply. He wondered how sweet little naïve Shannon would respond.

  As if a light bulb came on within her Anna ended the silence. “My God, you’re at his house aren’t you? Hot damn, it’s about freaking time.”

  “No, it’s not what you think. I’m not, we didn’t,” Shannon mumbled before Anna piped in again.

  “Hey, you don’t need to lie to me. You’re an adult. For God’s sake, it’s okay to have some fun. And come on, throw the old lady a bone here, just tell me one thing—is he as good as he looks?” Anna asked as she let out a girlish giggle.

  Spinelli continued to listen for Shannon’s response. He knew he shouldn’t eavesdrop but he just couldn’t help himself. And much to his surprise, her tongue loosened.

  “Okay, okay, if you must know, honestly I did not sleep with him.”

  “But you spent the night,” Anna interjected.

  Shannon snapped back, “Hey, if you want details don’t interrupt me.”

  “Okay, sorry.”

  “It’s a long story but we didn’t have sex. Though I must admit when I saw him this morning wearing just a pair of jeans and no shirt it took about every piece of strength I could muster not to jump his bones right then and there. What he did for that pair of jeans should be illegal.”

  “Christ, I can imagine,” Anna cut in.

  “Hey, stop interrupting.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Anyhow, you should see him without a shirt on, my God, I just wanted to take my hands and rub them over his washboard ripples they looked so firm and inviting. And when he looks at me with those dark charcoal eyes I nearly melt right there on the spot. Every intelligent thought in my head disappears and all I can think about is him taking me. I’ve never wanted, no needed, a man so bad in my life. It actually hurts.” Spinelli stood in the hallway dumbfounded and hard as a rock. An urgency for release flowed through him. He debated crashing through her bedroom door and taking her right where she stood.

  Anna’s voice interrupted his thoughts. “Shannon, why on earth are you on the phone telling me about this rather than in his bed?”

  “Well, I don’t want him to think I’m a slut or something. We hardly know each other, and what if he doesn’t feel as strongly for me as I do for him?”

  Anna chuckled. “Where do you come from? Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed how he looks at you. And for God’s sake, you’re the furthest thing from a slut I’ve ever seen. When was the last time you had sex?”

  Spinelli continued to listen, nearly bursting at the seams. “When?” Anna pressed.

  Shannon blew out a sigh. “It’s been so long I don’t remember.”

  “Shannon, you need to hang up this phone right now and go to him,” Anna said firmly and she disconnected the call so quickly once she made her demand Spinelli was sure it was so Shannon could not reply to her.

  “Thank you, Anna Fontaine,” Spinelli whispered to himself.

  Spinelli saw the door to Shannon’s room begin to open so he quickly retreated, back into his office and took a seat on his office chair. He faced the computer and began to click through some websites involving organized crime. Within seconds, he could feel the warmth of her body behind him. She leaned forward and looked at the computer screen, her soft milky white cheek just centimeters from his cheek.

  Spinelli flashed his eyes toward the clock on the bottom right-hand corner of his computer monitor. The time read 3:30. Their shift at the mall didn’t start until 5:00. He wished for more time.

  In one swift movement, he spun in his chair and swept her onto his lap. Her green eyes widened but she didn’t resist. He leaned his head forward and brushed his lips lightly across hers. His heart leaped into his throat. He hadn’t fully expected the incalculable depth of intensity that swept through his veins the second her soft moist lips touched his. He needed a second. He pulled his head back and looked at her, his stomach trembled. Never in his life had a woman had such an effect on him. He could hardly breathe and he hadn’t really even touched her yet. Her beauty mesmerized him. Her eyes darkened. She leaned forward and pressed her plump sweet lips to his again. She wrapped her arms around him and bound him closer. Her fingers wove through his hair. Every nerve ending in his body tingled and a rush of urgency flowed through him.

  Slowly, he demanded himself, but the intensity of her touch nearly drove him insane. He met her demand for more pulling her body even tighter to his. She parted her lips slightly to let his tongue pass through. He caressed her tongue with his, tasting her sweet flavor. His head spun and he fought for control, but lost. Raw need spurted through him at the speed of sound. He feasted on her mouth as if there were going to be no tomorrow.

  Shannon’s breath hitched and she pulled away from him and lifted herself from his lap. She stood before him wearing her soft short red velvet Santa helper outfit. Was that it, as far as this was going? Did his untamed urgency scare her? Desire and need filled him. He’d had a taste of her and desperately needed more. Her mouth, not a second ago cried for more. He slowly scanned her from top to bottom with his hungry eyes. He wondered what she wore under that sexy dress. He wondered if her bra and panties matched her conservative nature he’d often witnessed at work or if they validated the way he saw her in that sexy red dress.

  Spinelli looked up and caught her gaze. Her eyes spoke to him, telling him she wanted more. He leaned forward in his chair and placed his right hand slightly above and to the side of her left knee. Without breaking his gaze, he began to slowly slide his hand up her leg and under her dress. The furry white trim of her dress tickled his forearm. His hand paused at the top of her thigh-high silk stocking. His breath caught. Never did he imagine that her conservative nature would allow her to wear something so sexy. He figured her for a full pantyhose gal. He couldn’t help wonder what other surprises she held. The desire to know what kind of panties covered her sweet treasure unleashed the rabid beast within him again. He fought the beast, tucking the urgency aside. He wanted to take it slowly and savor every second of being with her, but her sheer sexiness made it di
fficult.

  Still, with his gaze fixed on her, he reached up with his other hand and slid it up her leg until it too rested at the top of her thigh-high silk stocking. He used his thumbs to flip the edge of her stocking over and began rolling it downward. She placed her hands on his shoulders for support, bent her knee, and lifted her leg so he could roll the stocking all the way down and completely off her foot. He tossed the stocking aside and reached for the other one using the same slow pace. He tossed that stocking aside.

  He quickened his pace just a bit as he reached up under her dress to quench his curiosity. His fingers tingled as he skimmed them over her soft smooth skin. His breath caught at the feel of the small patch of silky material that rested between his hand and heaven. His blood pounded in his ears.

  Shannon widened her stance and instinctively he placed his hand on her lower abdomen and gently slid it under the thin waistband of her panties. He caressed her with his fingers as he slid her skimpy red silk panties off her.

  He plunged his finger into her soft swollen wetness. Her breath hitched and she tightened her grip on his shoulders. He watched her as her eyes began to glaze over. She placed her hand over his and gave it a slight squeeze. She tore her gaze from his and flashed her eyes in the direction of his bedroom. “Nick, I want you in me.”

  The sound of his name rolling off her sweet tongue nearly drove him insane. Not once since they met did she call him by his first name. She always referred to him as Detective or Detective Spinelli, never Nick. In his mind, he begged her to say it again, and almost as if she’d heard him she leaned forward placing her mouth to his ear, and whispered, “Come with me, Nick.”

  She gave his hand a slight tug and he rose from his chair and followed her to his bedroom. She tugged at his shirt and slid her hands under it. She caressed his stomach. The feel of her small soft hands on his stomach felt like gold. His urgency grew. He pulled his shirt over his head and kicked off his jeans. He reached toward her and pulled her dress up over her head giving him a first-hand glance at her small partially covered round pale-skinned breasts. With one quick smooth motion of his thumb and forefinger, he undid the small single clasp that held her bra on and her breasts in place. The second the clasp came undone her perky breasts pushed the silky red material off to the sides and bounced slightly. He could hear her taut nipples begging for his mouth.