“Send her in,” he muttered, slowly hanging up.
“What’s the matter?” Jake smirked. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
The knock on the door did not give him a chance to comment.
“Come in,” Patrick said.
“Lieutenant Allison Barnes; United States Marine Corps,” Jake smiled to himself, watching as Patrick looked up at her.
“How’s this even possible?” he said in quiet frustration. “Your file says you’re dead.”
“Sorry sir, that’s classified.” Allison replied in a calm tone. “You’ll have to address my superiors.”
“Fair enough,” said Patrick as he nodded. “This man says you and the victim were in his bar last night. Is that true?”
“It is,” she affirmed. “They got into a fight. Commander Jensen was hurt; he was a little dizzy when I left him, but other than that, he was fine.”
“Where did you leave him?” Patrick inquired.
“Right outside his hotel room: ‘Aztec’ hotel is about two miles south of here,” Allison responded.
“Lieutenant, I trust you knew the Commander,” Patrick’s voice became steadier by the second. “Did he have any enemies? Who could have done this to him?”
“Yes, we go way back,” Allison admitted. “I have no idea, sir. This came as a shock to me. He was a good man.”
“You’re free to go, Isaacs,” Patrick said, returning his gaze to Jake. “Don’t leave town.”
“I wasn’t planning on it,” attempting to answer in a firm tone, relief flashing in his eyes as he rose from his seat. Jake walked out of the Sheriff’s office, but very soon, Allison’s voice forced him to stop.
“Jake, I really need to talk to you,” she said in a soft voice.
He groaned, looking down at her over his right shoulder. “I don’t want to hear about it.”
“It’s about Jensen,” Allison explained, strutting towards him. “I may have something by the end of the day.”
Jake shrugged. “Why would I even care?”
“You do remember his gambling problem, don’t you?” She wondered. “Rumor has it he owed money to some Boston-based loan shark. His name is Phil Duncan. My contact in the city says he’s lent a lot of money to people in the area, including local cops. I’ll have the list by tonight.”
“You know about…”
“Do I know about you and the deputy?” A sarcastic smile spread across her face. “Yes, I saw you with her earlier. Anyway, if you want to know more, here’s the address of my hotel.” She pulled a small, blue card out of her right pocket and handed it over to him. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Okay, some things just don’t make any sense. One: A loan shark would have someone beaten to death? No. It’s too personal. Two: Holly has a gambling problem? I don’t think so. If she did, she would be on Clay’s payroll. Three: Allison’s reaction. She seemed a little too cool; nothing like the woman who cried her eyes out last night. I need to see you, Holly. You’d better be honest with me.”
11
Jake and Holly had agreed to meet at his house after her shift, but he was too tense to even consider waiting for her. Eager to know whether she had a gambling issue or not, he would drive to the Sheriff’s station. In his mind, it wouldn’t be a problem for their relationship, as long as she had quit. Jake was an understanding man; he wouldn’t leave her for something like that, especially if she had managed to put it behind her. The possibility of Holly still gambling scared him, but what troubled him even more was Allison’s words of her borrowing money from a loan shark. If she had done such a thing, he would have to protect her. In spite of his negative thoughts however, Jake had not believed that she could be a gambler. Nothing in her behavior even suggested that.
His car was rolling to a halt, as she climbed down the stairs of the Sheriff’s station. As soon as their eyes met, her beautiful face was lit up with a broad, happy smile.
“Heeeey!” She sang. “What a nice surprise!”
“Hi,” he croaked. “Get in the car, will you?”
“Sure,” Holly chirped.
How am I going to ask her about this? “Hi honey, do you like poker: Blackjack; what about roulette?” Be careful, Jake. You don’t want to insult her.”
By the time he finished his thought, Holly was already leaning over him, seeking his lips. Torn by indecision, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
“You call that a kiss?!” She complained, playfully patting him on the shoulder.
“Sorry.” He heaved a long, deep sigh. “I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“Like what?” She asked, leaning back.
“Someone told me you like to gamble. Is that true?” His baritone was filled with tension, as he turned his head to the right to face her. Holly’s smile was wiped off her face. She leaned against her seat, running both hands through her hair. The silence was so thick he could cut it with a Bowie. For a moment, Jake feared the worst. This was not the reaction he expected.
“I was going to tell you about it.” She confessed, her sweet voice lowering to a harsh whisper.
“How bad is it?” He asked with a touch of sadness in his voice.
“It was pretty bad,” Holly clarified, returning her gaze to his face. “I quit, about five years ago.”
“Thank God…” Jake sighed in relief, tilting his head back.
“I’m sorry, baby,” she softly apologized, reaching her hand towards him. “I should have been honest with you.”
“It’s ok,” he assured her, taking her hand into his own. “Tell me more.”
“Oh, God…” Holly took a deep breath. “It started six years ago. My mom gave me two plane tickets to Vegas for my 21st birthday. I took my friend Cathy with me. I loved that rush. When we came back, I realized I missed it. I used to play for hours online. My folks found out when they saw my credit card bill. It was maxed out. They got desperate. My dad tried to sell his car, but no one would buy his old LeSabre. My cousin introduced me to some Phil Duncan, a loan shark in Boston.”
“Damn it!” Jake yelled, banging his other hand at the steering wheel. “What happened next?”
“I worked double shifts, I worked on my days off, but I was able to pay him off.” She spoke in sighs. “Of course, by the time I did, I had to pay an extra three thousand in interest, but that’s what you get when you borrow money from a loan shark.”
“That’s it?” He inquired with a hint of unease in his voice.
“Yeah; after I paid him off, I made a promise to myself: never to go near a casino or visit a betting webpage,” she emphatically stated. “I’ve been clean ever since then.”
“Good.” Jake gave her an appraising nod. Then, he picked up his cell phone and the hotel card from the dashboard.
“You have reached the ‘Aztec’ Hotel. How may I help you?”
“Hi. I need to talk to Allison Barnes: room 3002.”
“Yes, sir; Let me patch you through.”
“Allison!” Holly exclaimed. “Let me guess. She’s your source.”
“Hello?”
“Allie, it’s me. I’ll be in the lobby in fifteen; alright?”
“Okay. Bye.”
“She is my source,” Jake confirmed, tossing his cell phone up across the dashboard. “She says she has a list of all the people that prick’s lent money to.”
Holly raised her voice and then started questioning. “Hold on just a second. Allison? Really? The woman who lied to you, made you believe she’d been dead for the past three years? That Allison?”
“I didn’t believe her, Holly,” he murmured, while starting the engine. “I didn’t want to. But, she was right. And this has nothing to do with me.”
“On the contrary;” her firm tone forced his gaze away from the road. “This has everything to do with you. Can’t you see it? She’s digging up dirt on me to make herself look good.”
“Maybe,” Jake said with a nod. “But that doesn’t change the fact that you and Jensen borrowed mone
y from the same loan shark,” he added, looking at the road up ahead.
“Maybe?” she cried out in a voice full of frustration. “Is that all you have to say?”
“Stop worrying so much, Holly,” he said evenly in an attempt to calm her down. “I don’t care what she does. I’m not getting back together with her.”
“How long were you guys dating?” Holly asked, folding her arms across her chest.
“Ten years, give or take,” Jake responded sharply. “Why?”
“Exactly!” the frustration in her voice returned. “There’s just too much history between you two and she’s doing everything she can to win you over. Now do you understand why I’m so worried?”
“Not really,” Jake said, turning right and into the vast, hotel parking lot.
“I’ve seen it all before,” she sighed like a deflating balloon once more.
“I don’t care what you’ve seen,” he groaned, turning to her. The sad look in her eyes made him regret his tone. Jake leaned over her, a smile on his face, as Holly gazed deep into his eyes. “Look, if I wanted to get back together with her, I would have done it already, okay? I’m with you. Nothing can change that,” he whispered softly to her as he tucked tendrils of her hair behind her ear. The sweet smile that slowly formed on her face gave him the answer he needed. Holly cupped his cheek in her hand, tilting her head up. Running her thumb across his cheekbone, she closed her eyes and locked her lips with his. Her sweet, gentle kiss sent tingling sensations up and down his body. Jake reached down and found her free hand. He picked it slightly up and interlocked his fingers with hers, drowning in her intoxicating scent.
“I’m sorry, baby,” she whispered, planting a quick kiss on his chin. “Go.”
“I won’t be long.” He uttered, kissing her on the cheek. As much as he was annoyed by her insecurity, Jake couldn’t deny that part of him was enjoying it. It proved that Holly was scared of losing him.
“Women,” he thought to himself. “You tell them one thing and they choose to believe something different, just because someone else hurt them in the past. I’m not like your ex-boyfriends, Holly. It might take you a while, but you will see it in the end.”
12
Jake entered the imposing, well-lit building, with a heart filled with worry and a mind full of questions. He could not forget the seasoned Sheriff’s words about someone trying to pin a murder on him. At the same time, he was curious about Allison’s list. She was sitting at the table in the far right corner, facing the entrance and even waved at him.
“Good evening, my dear.” She smiled, rising to her full 5’7”, feminine stature. “Have a seat. Would you like something to drink?”
“I’m good, thanks,” he waved his hand in front of his face. “You mentioned a list this morning.”
“So we’re getting straight to the point, huh?” Her sweet smile turned into a bitter grimace. “I was hoping to chat. It’s been a while.”
“It’s not my fault,” Jake grumbled. “You chose this.”
“You’re still mad at me,” murmured Allison, while shaking her head. “I guess I can understand that.”
“The list, Allie,” he insisted, glaring at her, “while we’re still young.”
“Oh, very well,” she sighed, pulling a thick stack of paper out of her purse. “I’m sure you’ll find it very interesting.”
Jake snatched it away from her hand, eager to see for himself what she was on about. The list was in alphabetical order. He flipped through the pages, until he came across Holly’s name. There was a number in the column next to it, indicating that she still owed Duncan $4,300. He cast a sharp glance at Allison and then looked down at the paper, still very suspicious of her motives.
“Where did you get this?” He finally asked in a tone filled with disbelief.
“A friend of mine hacked into his computer.” She replied, the smug look on her face sending his pulse racing. But still, Jake would not express his emotions. They were in a public place and an argument between them would draw too much personal attention. Flipping back to the page that contained Jensen’s name, he discovered that the Navy Commander owed $74,800.
“Holy cow,” Jake whistled at the amount. “That’s a lot of money.”
“I can’t prove Duncan had Jensen killed yet, but he had motive. His business is a good place to start looking,” Allison remarked, raising her glass to her lips. “What do you think?”
“If a guy owed me seventy five grand, the last thing I’d want to do is kill him.” Jake’s voice was reeking with sarcasm. “Not to mention, beating someone to death feels just a little too personal. Thanks for this, Allie. Goodnight.”
“Okay, my head is spinning. Jensen owing Duncan a truckload of money isn’t much of a surprise. That guy was a degenerate gambler; but, Holly still owing more than $4,000? She said she paid him off. Damn it… What should I do; confront her again? I don’t have much of a choice, I don’t think. I have to ask her.”
The heavens opened up, as he made his way back to his car. While it rained around them, Jake didn’t even bother hiding the packet of papers and just gave it to Holly, keeping his mouth shut. Before long though, she burst into loud, hearty laughter, throwing her head back.
“Oh, my God…” she chuckled. “I need to thank her for this. It’s so funny.”
“Thank her?” He wondered, his baritone full of confusion.
“I’m sorry.” Holly bit her lower lip, in an attempt to stop laughing. “But this is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. Firstly, there are no file properties on any of these pages. There should be a file name and a date. They’ve been erased. In other words, whoever printed this didn’t want you to see either of those things. Secondly, how many loan sharks would keep such a thorough record of their clients on a computer? I mean, look at this. Names, addresses, phone numbers… Duncan’s too smart to store all this information on spreadsheets. If the police ever found this file, he’d go to jail for a long time. And thirdly; I still have his number.”
Holly took her cell phone out of the pocket of her coat and put the call on speaker.
“Goddamn…” a squeaky, male voice answered. “Hutchinson? Is that you?”
“Hi, Phil,” Holly spoke in a lazy tone. “How’s it going?”
“Oh, everything’s great, sugar. What’s the matter? I thought you said you’d quit.”
“I did. Listen; do you remember when I paid you off that little loan? Just a rough estimate will be fine.”
“Are you crazy?” Duncan’s voice became even more high-pitched. “It’s been a long time. Hell, I can’t even remember what I had for lunch today. Why are you asking?”
“I was just curious. Thanks.”
“Oh, man…” Jake whispered, covering his eyes with his hand as he leaned back against his seat. Once again, Allison had lied to him. Too guilt-ridden to speak, he wouldn’t break his silence.
“Now you know,” Holly said calmly. “I can’t believe that woman.”
“Nah, forget about her,” he urged, leaning forward. “We’ve wasted enough time here.”
“What a wonderful day:” said slowly, as a bitter smile formed on her face, and he drove off; “a dead Navy officer; you get questioned; feds camping at the station; and now this. It’s a nightmare; one big, ugly nightmare.”
“You’re right about that,” he agreed, as the rain pelted down around them. “It’s been pretty intense.”
“I think we can make it a little bit better.” Holly grinned, as her eyes sparkled with excitement. “Stop the car, will you? I have an idea.”
Understanding what she had in mind, Jake eased on the brakes. Bringing his SUV to a stop, he opened his door and stepped outside, as she did the same. In a split second, he felt cold, thick raindrops on his head. He moved around his car, settling his gaze on her. It was almost completely dark; the only light available was from the headlights. Holly opened her arms, as his slow footsteps brought him closer to her. Smiling into her eyes, he stopped in front
of her. Jake cupped her cheeks, as she snaked her arms around his back. Tilting his head down, he angled his lips, feeling the moisture of her cheeks in his palms. Their mouths joined in a long, tender kiss, as the rain poured down on them. His warm, full lips collected tiny raindrops, as he caressed her face. Jake’s hand slid up her cheek, as Holly interlocked her fingers behind his back. Threading his fingers through her wet hair, he let her scent flow through him, the hard rain audible over the sweet sounds of their kiss. He trapped her lower lip in between his and gently pulled it back, stroking the top of her head. Jake released it and leaned his forehead against hers, opening his eyes. Just like the other night, Holly’s lips were still trembling. This time though, they curled into a broad, blissful smile, as she slowly opened her eyes.
“Every time…” She said, quietly whispering; her breathing short.
“Every time,” he asked? His voice sounded deeper than usual.
“You leave me longing,” Holly replied, her soft words filling his ears, as a flash of lightning lit up the night.
“You too, baby,” Jake kissed her on the chin, “you, too.”
“Take me home, you big stud.” Her sweet voice made his heart pound in his chest. “I’ll show you a night you’ll never, ever forget.”
“Really?” He raised an eyebrow. “What’s on your mind?”
“Just drive us home,” she whispered with a mischievous look in her eyes as he caressed her cheek. “I’ll do the rest.”
13
Holly’s innuendo had triggered Jake’s imagination. He couldn’t wait to see what she meant. Still, despite his curiosity, he would not force the issue. Whatever his girlfriend had in mind sounded very promising and sexy; asking her about it would ruin the surprise.
“I can think of lots of things. Lingerie, dirty talking, role play… I like them all, but… does it matter? No. I get to spend the night with her. We could be hanging by a tree for all I care. Allison... The name of the woman I loved has become a synonym for deceit. I shouldn’t be surprised. She had no problem faking her death. Creating a bogus list is minor, compared to that.”
Filthy Desires: A Romantic Suspense Collection Page 115