Malicious Desires

by Maria Pease

  “So, what you’re telling me is that we’re at a standstill?” Frank said.

  “What I’m saying is that we need to hit this from another angle.”

  “Any ideas?”

  “I may have,” I said. And then to Alana, “ready to go?”

  “Where are you off to?” Frank asked.

  “We’re going to do some research. I’ll keep you posted.”

  I needed to find out who the woman was and discover why I recognized her. We jumped in the Jeep and headed back to the house with the red door. I wrote down the address then we were off to the city clerk’s office.

  “Sam, are you still mad at me?” Alana asked.

  “A little. Why?”

  “Because you haven’t said a word to me and I have no idea what we’re doing.”

  “Yeah. I’m sorry. I’ve got a lot on my mind. We’re going to find out who that house belongs to. That woman we saw there a few days ago looks really familiar.”

  “How do we find out?”

  “We’ll start with the city clerk records.” I parked and hopped out of the Jeep. “Let’s go take a look.”

  We logged onto the computer, and I entered in the address. When the record came up, I could hardly believe it.

  “Holy shit! That’s why she looks so familiar. She’s the CEO of Pinkay Cosmetics. She’s one of the most successful women entrepreneurs of the year, according to Forbes magazine.”

  “Are you sure it’s her?”

  “We’ll have to do some additional research, but how many women do you know named Chanel?”

  “You have a point.”

  “I’ll print this out, and we’ll head back to the office and do some more searching.”

  The sky continued to grow dark, and as we drove back down Ynez Road, raindrops bounced off the windshield. By the time we parked in the lot, rain was coming down in sheets. I folded the printout of the property record and handed it Alana, who was wearing my raincoat.

  “Tuck this in the pocket.”

  We ran up the steps and into the office. I was drenched. Alana, however, had been protected by my raincoat and looked better than ever.

  “You’re soaked. You should have worn the jacket,” she said.

  “It’s all good. I’ll dry off,” I told her.

  Frank poked his head around the corner. “Hey, Sam. Are you cold or just happy to see me?”

  “What do you think?”

  “Oh, you know what I think,” he said.

  I attempted to dry off with a paper towel, but my sweater and jeans were soaked through, not to mention my sneakers. I knew the sogginess would feel pretty uncomfortable if I didn’t get out of my wet clothes soon, but it would have to wait.

  “Frank, have you ever heard of Chanel Pinkay?”

  “Isn’t she the make-up lady?”

  “Actually, she’s the CEO of Pinkay Cosmetics, a billion-dollar cosmetics company.”

  “That’s what I said. What about her?”

  I gave him a mental eye roll. “We followed Wally and the teens to a house on Cabrillo Drive in Santiago Estates. Records show the house belongs to Chanel Pinkay.”

  “I’m not following, Sam.”

  “Don’t you find it odd that we followed Wally and the teens to a house she owns?”

  “Jesus! Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” I handed him the print-out.

  “Oh, shit! I hope she’s not mixed up in this.”

  “So…”

  “So, we have a job to do. Go do it!” he insisted, rubbing his forehead.

  I could see he was feeling tense about the possibility Chanel Pinkay might be involved in this case. After all, not only did she run a billion-dollar cosmetics company, she also donated a lot of money to the community. She was, in a sense, a celebrity. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I wasn’t about to start tip-toeing around anyone. I was determined to follow the evidence wherever it took me. End of story.

  I was feeling waterlogged and cold. “Alana, sit tight. I’ll be right back. I have to get out of these clothes.”

  Arriving home, I made a cup of tea and headed to the shower to see if I could get rid of the chill running through me. As the hot water covered me, I began to feel much better. I wrapped myself in a towel, dried my hair, freshened my make-up, and got dressed. I found my umbrella and raincoat stashed in the small coat closet downstairs and dialed the office.

  “Hey, Frank. I’m going to stop at Campini’s Deli. Do you and Alana want me to grab anything?”

  I waited while Frank asked Alana. We all had decided that hot meatball subs would hit the spot, especially with this weather.

  When I returned to the office, Frank and Alana retrieved their subs and headed toward the conference room, as I stood motionless.

  Frank turned to look at me. “Really, Sam?” He rolled his eyes.

  “I can’t do it, Frank. I’m losing my appetite just thinking about it.”

  “Geez, Sam. Eventually, you’re going to have to let it go.”

  Alana looked at us, completely confused.

  I turned and went to my desk.

  She shrugged and came over to sit next to me. “Should I ask?”

  “Don’t worry about it,” I said. The last thing I wanted was to tell her about Chuck’s game of hide the salami. If it was affecting me this badly, it could scar her for life.

  The hot meatball subs did not disappoint and finishing up, we all got back to work. To say I was curious about Chanel Pinkay would be an understatement. I unpacked my laptop so Alana could monitor the Facebook account.

  “Sam…” Alana’s voice quivered.

  I looked up, and her expression said it all. I quickly moved over to see what was going on. She pulled up one of Katy’s private messages. It was from Wally. “You bitch! Where were you today? You don’t think you can just stand me up, do you? I looked like a fool waiting there! Do you think you can play me? Is that the type of girl you are? You try to make guys look like losers then think there won’t be any consequences? You’d better watch yourself, bitch. I’ll be watching you. You’re going to pay.”

  “Uh, Frank? You need to see this,” I said.

  Frank stepped behind us and read the message. He looked at me and then at Alana before moving back to his desk. He leaned back in his chair and didn’t say anything for a full minute.

  “Okay. So, we have this guy upset. Let’s figure out how to use this to our advantage.”

  Alana stared at me, wide-eyed.

  I tried to ease her anxiety with a quick smile.

  “Let’s go,” I said, and then, “Frank, I’ll check in with you later.”

  We put on our coats, I grabbed the umbrella and my files, and we moved out to the Jeep as the rain slowed to a drizzle. I turned on the heat, and we pulled out onto Front Street and over the bridge to Santiago Estates. I eased off the gas, and we drove slowly down the tree-lined roads as the sun began to peek through the clouds.

  “Where are we going?” Alana asked.

  “We’re just driving. I’m thinking about how to respond to Wally. From his message, we know that he has a temper and if we respond the wrong way, he could stop communicating with Katy. We don’t want that, so it’s important that we think about this carefully before answering.”

  All at once, I had an idea. I grabbed my phone and dialed Jake’s number.

  “I need some help,” I explained to Jake what was going on and why I was hesitant to make a move without talking to someone who specialized in this type of situation.

  He agreed it was a delicate situation and told me he would make a few calls and get back to me right away.

  “What did he say?” Alana asked.

  “He’s making some calls. He’s going to see what he can do.”

  I drove aimlessly through the back roads of Temecula and thought about my cases. Alana looked out the window, and I could tell she was getting bored, but I needed to drive. It helped me to clear my head and see things differently. I was feeling stuck and
decided the best course of action was to go back to basics.

  “Let’s get back to the office, I have a few things to check out.”

  I drove slowly by Chanel Pinkay’s house just as she and the mystery man were getting into a large black limousine. I pulled over and waited as it moved past us and headed towards Temecula Parkway. All I could think about was how much I wanted to get into that house.

  “Sam?”

  “Give me a minute.”

  I got out and stared at the house, scanning the area for cameras and other security systems that might be in place. I spotted two cameras on the front of the house, an obvious deterrent for intrusion, but were there more? I imagined that someone like Chanel Pinkay would have the best security that money could buy. Although I desperately wanted to find out, I knew that Frank would have my ass, so I chose the good girl route and got back in the Jeep.

  Chapter 22

  As I searched online for everything I could find on Chanel Pinkay, Alana went to the conference room to study for an upcoming exam. Although Frank and I had encouraged her to head home, she said she wanted to stay. I knew she just didn’t want to miss anything in the event that there was some excitement.

  As Frank got up and announced he was heading home, I thought about how much happier he’d been lately. I liked seeing him this way and was really hoping it would last.

  “Got a hot date, Frank?”

  “I hope so,” he said, grinning. “Lock up on your way out. “

  My phone buzzed and I snatched it up. “Hey! What’s up?”

  Jake told me about Cookie Martinez, a behavior specialist for the FBI’s Crisis Negotiations Unit and one of his former instructors. Apparently, Cookie had just finished consulting on a case in DC and could fly out tomorrow to meet with us.

  “Are you sure it’s no trouble?” I asked.

  “Sam, he’ll know exactly how to handle this.”

  I wasn’t sure we needed such a heavy hitter, but Jake assured me he wanted to help, so who was I to turn away the FBI?

  That handled, I continued my research, turning my attention to a Forbes magazine article showcasing Chanel Pinkay. I was in awe of all she’d accomplished in her thirty-five years. She’d lost her mother, Catherine, to a freak accident when she was just thirteen and because they’d been so close, it had devastated her. Chanel’s father, Charles, had been a high profile, successful, and respected attorney, but with the loss of his wife, he became distant, and practically abandoned her by pawning her off on friends and acquaintances as he became more and more interested in women and booze. In spite of her struggles and after a long bout with depression, she graduated at the top of her class at Harvard Business School, earning her MBA.

  She’d received offers from the top businesses in the tech industry but had declined them all for her love of all things beauty related. Of course, everyone thought she was completely nuts giving up a six-figure salary even before graduation, but she hadn’t let anyone sway her. Her father had even gone so far as to fly her back to Las Vegas in an attempt to talk some sense into her. The way she told it, he’d never thought much of a woman’s ability to work in the business world and he’d declined to offer any financial assistance. According to the article, he’d made it very clear that when she failed, she’d be doing it alone.

  “Son of a bitch!” I muttered behind clenched teeth.

  Alana stuck her head out of the conference room. “Is everything okay?”

  “You know the blonde woman from the big house? She’s a badass!”

  “She doesn’t look so tough.”

  “I know, but she is. You should read this Forbes article. She built her business alone with no help from her rich daddy, either monetarily or emotionally, and with basically no support from anyone else either,” I said. Then, “do you want to get out of here?”

  “Sure.”

  The sun was just going down and there was a chill in the air, so I turned on the heat and let the Jeep warm up. “We’re going to stakeout Wally’s place… unless you don’t want to come.”

  “No, I want to come.” Her expression didn’t register excitement.

  As we drove out of the lot, a thought crossed my mind. Maybe all of this boredom would have her give up the idea of becoming a PI. Although our profession wasn’t for everyone, I wasn’t sure I wanted her to give it up. There was something about her. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I thought she’d be good at it.

  It was getting dark when we approached Wally’s house, and I noticed a stream of light coming from the slightly raised garage door. I pulled down the street and parked behind an old pickup truck, then pulled my small binoculars from the back seat and focused them on the garage door. The shadows told me there were at least two people and I wanted to know who they were. I handed the binoculars to Alana and quietly opened my door.

  “Sam, no!”

  “Stay here.” My tone left no room for debate.

  As I stood in the neighbor’s yard behind a dwarfed palm, I could hear music and the hollow sound of ping-pong balls moving back and forth.

  Suddenly, the music silenced and the garage door opened. I crouched behind the tree, my heart pounding. The garage went dark and an engine roared. The Ferrari backed out slowly.

  “Holy shit!” The car zoomed down the street and I ran back to the Jeep, hoping I didn’t lose them. “That’s Michael Carson!” I blurted as I started the Jeep. “Call Frank!”

  Alana fumbled in my bag for my cell and frantically punched numbers then put him on speaker.

  “This had better be important, Sam. You’re interrupting a romantic evening.”

  “We found Michael.”

  “Where are you?” His tone changed instantly.

  “We’re on Pechanga Parkway, on their tail.”

  “Don’t lose them! Let me know where you end up.”

  We followed as he turned into the casino hotel and stopped at the valet. Wally and Michael jumped out of the car, passed the keys to the attendant, and disappeared inside.

  I didn’t want to risk losing them, so I tossed my keys to the valet and rushed inside with Alana on my heels. I spotted them on the glass elevator and watched as it stopped on the top floor. “Let’s go.”

  Wally and Michael disappeared inside a suite just as we stepped out of another elevator.

  I dialed Frank. “We’re at the hotel. Top floor. It’s definitely Michael.”

  “Stay put. I’m on my way.”

  We moved around the corner and waited for Frank. I searched my bag for my small cosmetics mirror and used it to locate the suite door.

  Ten minutes later, Frank appeared with Monique in tow. “Where are they?”

  “In there.”

  “Both of them?”

  “Yes. They’ve been in there for about fifteen minutes.”

  “Sam, you saw Michael? You’re sure?”

  “Positive. It’s him.”

  “Good work.”

  “So, we can go in and get him, right?” Alana asked.

  “Not so fast, Alana,” Frank said.

  “Why not?”

  “We have to do this by the book,” Frank told her.

  She looked at me and I smiled, trying to reassure her this wasn’t over.

  “Okay, Frank. What’s the plan?” I asked.

  “We’d better keep watch so they don’t disappear. You and Alana stay here while we look into getting the room across the hall. We can set up surveillance and find out what the hell is going on.” Frank and Monique retreated to the elevator.

  In my mirror, I saw the suite door open and Wally move down the hall to the elevator, closing the distance to Frank and Monique. I held my breath, hoping Frank would think quickly.

  In an instant, Frank pulled Monique tightly into him and planted a lip-lock on her startled face. I could see her go from puzzled to understanding as she returned his embrace while Wally watched them, looking amused. He pushed the elevator button and as he waited, gawked as they fondled each other enthusiast
ically.

  “What a creep,” I muttered.

  “What’s going on?” Alana whispered.

  “You don’t want to know.”

  “Yes, I do!”

  I turned the mirror so she could see for herself.

  “Wow. They’re really going at it!”

  I retrieved the mirror and watched as Wally got into the elevator. Once he was safely inside, I walked towards them, chuckling. “What exactly are you doing?”

  “Staying out of sight,” Frank said.

  “But he stood right next to you, watching you make out,” I reminded them.

  “No, Sam. He wasn’t watching us. He was staring at Monique’s body. Believe me, he wouldn’t recognize us even if we came face-to-face.”

  I thought for a moment and realized he was right; Wally’s eyes hadn’t left Monique’s ass.

  When the elevator door opened, Frank and Monique disappeared.

  Chapter 23

  Frank’s text message was short and sweet. Sit tight. I turned to Alana. “We may as well get comfortable. This may take a while.”

  When I heard the ding of the elevator, I checked the hallway with my mirror. “Wally’s back,” I whispered.

  Several minutes later, Frank and Monique returned with a key to the suite across the hall. We quietly went inside and looked around.

  “This place is awesome!” Alana said, gazing out the window.

  The large suite was elegantly decorated in earth tones, with big comfortable couches, a large television set, a fully-stocked bar, and a marble fireplace. There were two master suites on each end of the living area that held king-sized beds, glass-enclosed showers and jacuzzi bathtubs with enough room for five. The suite also had a fully-stocked kitchenette and a refrigerator that held bottles of sparkling water and expensive champagne.

  “Don’t even think about it,” Frank said, as I closed the refrigerator door. “We get charged if anything is missing.”