Dispatch answered back. “We’ve got two other officers en route, one seventy-eight. Please stand by.”
“Ten four.”
Dad was talking to Luke but kept looking at me, obviously confused.
“One seventy-eight. Dispatch, please advise when Officer Ricks has returned.”
“Ten four, one seventy-eight.”
“Mike?”
My father’s confused voice drew my gaze in his direction.
“Yeah?”
“Who in the hell are you talking to, son? There aren’t any other cops here!”
I stared at him for a moment until I realized why he’d been so confused. “Dad, I was talking to dispatch.”
His eyes widened, and he looked around. “Are they around? I don’t see anyone but you, me, and Luke here.”
Pointing to the earpiece in my ear and the mic attached to the right shoulder of my shirt, I laughed. When my father had retired from the force a number of years ago, he had been a detective and not on patrol. He had refused to step on board with any new technology, one of the reasons he retired early. Things were changing too fast for him—his words, not mine.
My father shook his head in disbelief. “Dear Lord, help us all. The police have all kinds of fancy equipment now.”
I couldn’t help but laugh harder. Luke agreed with Dad on the fancy equipment.
Dispatch came over my earpiece, advising me that Bill had returned. It was time to get Dad off the streets of Salem and go catch up with my girl.
“Dad, I need to head home to change and meet up with Sydney to get Mom.”
“Next time you’re in town, Dex, stop on by and get a cut.” Luke said.
Dad reached out to shake Luke’s hand. “I will for sure, Luke. Nice meeting you.”
“Have a good one, Luke!” I called out as I got back into my patrol car.
By the time I got to the station, filled Bill in on the morning, and swung by the house to change, it was after two. I texted Sydney to let her know Dad and I were on our way over to her place to pick her up.
“How serious are things with Sydney?”
I pulled up to Sydney’s house and turned to stare at my father. “I’ve been with you for half the day, and you pick now to ask me about Sydney? When we’re sitting in front of her house?”
He shrugged. “You’re different with her. That’s all.”
Smiling, I glanced over to her front door. “I am different. She makes me feel… I don’t know. Whole?” I looked back at him. “If that is the right word to use.”
My father smiled at me. “Yes, that’s a good word to describe how loving someone makes you feel.”
I pulled in a deep breath. “We just met. I’m not sure I’m ready to use that word yet. But I honestly can’t even imagine ever looking at another woman.”
With a lighthearted chuckle, he put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Son, when the moment is right, you’ll know when to say it.”
Sydney came out of her house, locked the door, and quickly made her way to my car. She climbed into the back seat and gave me the most beautiful smile. My heart felt like it stopped for a moment.
“Hey, did you boys have fun this morning?”
My father huffed. “If you call being told to go sit in the patrol car six times fun.”
“Why did you tell your dad to go sit in the car?” Sydney asked.
I pulled out and started toward Jaho Coffee and Tea, where the Red Hat Society was having their afternoon tea. “I’m pretty sure the department would frown upon a retired Boston detective assisting me.”
Sydney giggled in the back seat.
Soon, Dad and Sydney were talking about all Dad’s favorite places in Boston. I couldn’t help but wonder if she noticed how many were bars.
“We’re here,” I said, pulling into the parking lot.
“I hope she had fun. She was looking forward to it,” Sydney said. Dad offered his hand to Sydney as she got out of the car. They walked up to Jaho’s, Dad arm in arm with my girlfriend.
Sydney glanced at me over her shoulder and winked.
With a smile, I said, “Looks like you’ve captured the hearts of two Murphy men.”
Her teeth dug into her lower lip before she broke out into beautiful laughter.
I am head over heels in love with this woman. Is it too soon to be feeling this way?
When we walked into the coffee and tea shop, Janice pointed toward the private room. “They’re all in there, having a good ol’ time.” She indicated a trayful of empty wine bottles.
After doing a quick count, I looked at Sydney. “Six bottles of wine?”
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
Dad walked up to the counter to order himself a coffee. “You kids want anything?”
“No thanks, Dad.”
“No thank you, Dex.”
I slipped my hand into Sydney’s, and we walked toward the private room. As we got closer, we could hear laughter.
“They must be having fun!” Sydney chuckled.
Before we reached the doorway, I heard my mother.
“Mike thought he took the panties without me noticing.”
Sydney and I froze in our tracks.
More laughter.
I looked down at Sydney. Her smile turned into a look of pure horror.
“I let him think he got one past me—didn’t want to hurt his little detective feelings.”
A roar of laughter filled the room.
“Oh. My. Gosh,” Sydney whispered.
“Little detective feelings?” I huffed.
The next thing I knew, Sydney hit me in the stomach.
“Oomph!” I gasped.
“Still got it, do ya? She knew the panties were gone!”
I shrugged.
“Paula, I’m so glad you’re moving back to Boston. You need to make more trips up here,” one of the women said.
Now it was my turn to be shocked. “Wait. What?”
“Your mom is moving back to Boston?”
“That’s news to me!”
“Well, it makes it more convenient for Dex and I. Phone sex just isn’t cutting it anymore.”
I felt a wave of nausea hit me when I realized what she had said.
“Did your mom just say—”
My hand came up to cover Sydney’s mouth.
“Don’t repeat it. Please, for the love of all things. Don’t. Repeat it.”
She snickered, pushing my hand away. “Oh, come on! It’s precious!”
I curled my lip up at her.
“It’s not only because of Dex that I’m considering moving back. I have a feeling I’m going to have a new grandbaby in the near future.”
Everyone in the room gasped. And next to me, so did Sydney.
“Not so precious anymore, is she?” I whispered.
“When are they going back to Boston? We need to get her out of Salem before the whole town thinks I’m pregnant!” Sydney said, horrified.
“What’s going on?” Dad asked, causing us to jump.
“Are you and Mom having sex?” I asked, a little louder than I would have liked.
Without missing a beat, my father said, “Yes.”
I stared at him while Sydney rushed into the room to retrieve my very tipsy mother.
“I’m telling Darrin and Karen!”
My father threw back his head and laughed. “What? You’re telling on us? So what if we’re having sex? We have been for over thirty years.”
I covered my ears. “I’m not ready for this! I’m not ready!”
Sydney came out with my mother. Mom’s arm was draped around Sydney, and she was talking about some gemstone for fertility she found out about.
“Good God, she’s trashed! Let’s get her home,” I said, taking her from Sydney.
By the time we got back to my house, Mom had passed out in the back seat. But not before we had to hear about the best sexual positions to use to get pregnant. And she was considerate enough to share that she�
�d tested each of them when she’d been attempting to get pregnant with Darrin.
My father had mastered the art of tuning out my mother. I, on the other hand, had not learned that skill yet. I made a mental note to ask him how he did it.
Once Mom was in bed and Dad was settled in the living room chair with a beer and ESPN, I ran up to my room and packed a bag.
When I walked down the stairs, Maggie Maye was snuggled up on my father’s lap.
“Dad, I’m going to go over to Sydney’s for a bit. We have a bit of… research to do on a project we’re working on.”
He lifted his hand. “Sure, son. Call it what you like. We won’t wait up for you. Just remember, we’re leaving early in the morning.”
“I’ll be here. Mags, come on, girl.”
My dog lifted her head and looked at me like I had gone insane.
“She’s fine staying here with me. I’ll make sure she eats and goes outside. Go enjoy yourself, stay the night, Mike. We don’t need to be babysat.”
I didn’t want to admit that my feelings had been hurt because my dog picked my father over me. It was probably better this way. Sydney and I could stay in bed the rest of the afternoon and all night if we wanted to.
“Sounds good, Dad. Thanks. There’s plenty of food in the refrigerator. Maggie Maye eats around six.”
“I got it. Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on your mother.”
“I’ll call you in a few hours.”
“Sounds good.”
Throwing my duffel bag over my shoulder, I headed out the front door and made my way to Sydney’s house.
“Officer Murphy! Are you heading to the gym?” Mrs. Nelson asked as she sat on her front porch.
With a smile, I waved. “Something like that,” I replied.
“Good for you! Enjoy yourself!”
“I will. Have a good afternoon.”
“You, too!”
When I knocked on Sydney’s door, I was ready to get lost in her for the rest of the afternoon.
She greeted me with a sexy smile when she answered her door.
“Miss me already?” Sydney asked, inviting me in and shutting the door.
The moment it shut, I had her against it, my hands finding their way up her shirt and pinching her nipples.
“Mike,” she gasped.
“Syd, I want you.”
I lifted her, and she wrapped her legs around my body.
“Where’s Maggie Maye?”
“Dad’s watching her.”
A smile lit up Sydney’s face. She must have been reading my mind.
“What are you waiting for, Officer Murphy?”
I carried Sydney up the steps, two at a time. Neither of us wanted slow. I needed her. Wanted her like I had never wanted any other woman.
With fumbling hands, we quickly undressed each other. Sydney sat down on her bed and scooted back, begging me with her eyes to hurry.
I put a knee on the bed and stopped in my tracks.
“What? What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Condom. I need a condom.”
Sydney narrowed her eyes at me. “If you say you forgot them—”
“They’re in my bag. Be right back!”
I quickly made my way out of the room, raced down the steps, grabbed my bag, and got back upstairs in record time.
“Good thing I run every day!” I took a condom out and joined Sydney by the bed.
“Let me,” she said, eying my cock with hungry eyes.
I handed it to her and stood perfectly still as she ripped it open and ever so slowly rolled it on.
“Syd, are you trying to make me come?”
Her eyes lifted, and she met my gaze. She pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth and moved to the middle of the bed. I followed her.
I moved over her body, and she opened her legs so I could settle between them. Framing her face with my hands, I looked into those beautiful blue eyes.
For a few moments, neither of us said a word. Inch by inch, I slowly started to work my way into her. When I was fully seated, Sydney closed her eyes and let out a breathy sigh.
“Syd.”
Her eyes opened.
“I’m falling in love with you.”
When her eyes widened, I wasn’t sure if it was shock, excitement, or fear that I saw.
Before she had a chance to speak, I kissed her and then slowly made love to her. The way her fingers intertwined in my hair and her legs wrapped around me, drawing me deeper to her—it all felt so right. I didn’t need to hear the words yet. I had probably said them too soon. All I knew was it had felt like the right time.
Mike
After seeing my parents off to Boston, Sydney and I both headed to work. The rest of the week had been a giant clusterfuck. Sydney had an increase in emergencies, with two calling her into the clinic in the middle of the night. She’d had to euthanize the two dogs that had cancer. On Monday, we attended Vickie’s memorial service, which had been emotionally draining on everyone.
Doug had kept me busy with the missing evidence in Vickie’s case as well as a burglary that had happened late Monday night. I jumped in and worked alongside the lead detective on the case. That meant I was working longer hours and hadn’t gotten to see Sydney but three times all week. By Friday morning, I was ready for a break. Sydney had cleared her schedule for the day, and I’d taken the entire weekend off, including Friday.
“I think I have everything. I can’t wait to see this house. Do you think we’ll find anything?” Sydney asked, putting her bag in the back of the car.
“I’m not sure. It could be a dead end.”
Sydney drew in a deep breath. “I think we’re going to find something, Mike. I feel it.”
I placed my hand on the side of her face; my thumb rubbed gently over her soft skin. “I do too, baby.”
Three hours later, we were pulling into the driveway of the Cape Cod–style house we had rented through Airbnb. We got out of the car and Sydney glanced around, smiling. Kids were playing across the street and we could smell the fresh ocean water. Provincetown had a charm that would never get old, and of course it was loaded with history. Another plus.
Once we brought our things inside, I called the owners of the house on Commercial Street.
“Hi, Tim, this is Officer Mike Murphy. We spoke a week or so ago and I mentioned my girlfriend and I are huge history buffs.”
“Yes! Mike, so good to hear from you. Are we still on for the tour this afternoon?” The man’s voice sounded like that of an older gentleman.
“We most certainly are. I can’t tell you how excited my girlfriend is to see the house. Thank you so much for allowing us to invade your home like this.”
“Nonsense, we don’t mind at all. We’re still on for noon?”
“Yes, if that still works for you.”
“It does. See you both soon, Mike.”
“See you then.”
I hit End on the phone and tossed it onto the bed. I took out my laptop and typed in the address of the house once more. From the information I’d been able to gather, when they did the restoration of the house, they had found many artifacts from over the years that had fallen between floorboards or been hidden behind shelves. There was a good chance we might see something but an even better chance we wouldn’t.
“Okay, I’m ready to go,” Sydney said, walking out of the bedroom dressed in a long, blue sundress. It felt like she had stolen the air from the room. Her hair was pulled up into a soft bun on top of her head. It wasn’t one of those perfect, tight buns some women wore. There were a few loose strands that looked as if they were floating around her face, framing her beauty.
“You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her. “Ready to go on an adventure?”
Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “Yes. I’m feeling so lost and confused by all of this. I have no idea what we’re looking for, but I have a gut feeling there is more to this stor
y.”
I nodded. “I agree; there has to be more. My guess is we are looking for another symbol. Either the one on the coin, or the Truth-seekers symbol. Keep your eyes open.”
“Will do, Officer Murphy.”
Sydney and I ended up walking to 72 Commercial Street since it was such a beautiful day and only a block away. Cape Cod–style homes lined the street, giving the feeling of a small, oceanfront town.
Before we even had a chance to knock, the door flew open. An older couple stood there, huge smiles on their faces.
“You must be Mike and Sydney!” Tim said, ushering us into the house.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Sydney looking around the room. She was attempting to take everything in.
“Thanks again for welcoming us into your home. This house is so beautiful,” Sydney said.
“It is. We’ve loved being here.”
I followed Tim and his wife, Sue, into the living area. “You did an extensive remodeling, I read.”
“Yes, we did. We took great care to restore the house exactly the way it was built. Even greater care when we stumbled across little hidden gems. Like these tiles we found in the floorboards. The floorboards, if you can believe that! They are all hand painted.”
Sydney and I stepped closer to the fireplace and looked at the tiles. Most of them were paintings of ships. One caught my eye, and I leaned in closer.
“Is this a painting of the Boston Tea Party?” I asked.
“Good eye there, Mike. Not surprised with you being a history lover.”
I smiled at the older man.
“We found this one separate from the others. It was wrapped up in a linen cloth along with a silver spoon. The name R. Collins was written on a piece of paper that was tucked between the two items.”
Studying the painting, I tried to recall where I had seen it before. Is it a painting that Paul Revere had done?
I looked over at the couple. “Where in the house was it found?”
“There was a trapdoor in the kitchen that led down to a root cellar. It was hidden in an old wooden box that had been tucked up in the ceiling beams. We only found it because we’d taken each floor plank out to inspect all the beams in the house. Some needed replacing,” Tim said.
“This might be a strange question, but was there a symbol on the beam?” Sydney asked.
Dangerous Temptations Page 17