Dedicated

by Clara Jenkins

  When the plane touched back down in L.A., the police were there. They had many questions for Tyler. The building that had been marked for search and seizure wasn’t empty. The police found stolen goods and guns piled inside. Luckily Tyler hadn’t been anywhere near the building for months. His phone records were clear of suspicious calls. The police already knew about the break in and computer hacking. They were not arresting Tyler at this time. However, they wanted him to remain in town and available to them at all times. The police would be questioning the tech they had arrested about the stolen goods and the search and seizure order. No one in the police department had any connection with ordering the search and seizure.

  Tyler was sure he knew who was behind all of this. It had to be Nick. No one hated him more. Nick and Tyler had been a powerful duo. They had controlled a large portion of L.A. at one time. They handled stolen merchandise, drugs, and guns. Money rolled in. The best friends were on top of the world until Tyler discovered that Nick was double crossing him. An argument over the disappearance of a shipment of stolen goods ended in Nick shooting Tyler in the shoulder. The friendship ended. Tyler went legit and Nick went into a downward spiral. Tyler hoped to get revenge for the shooting by taking away Nick’s businesses one at a time. He hadn’t seen Nick in years. No one had. Nick controlled his dwindling empire online. Tyler guessed that his latest takeover had finally touched a nerve and brought out the fight in Nick. Maybe Tyler needed some help from Caleb after all. He wasn’t dumb enough to trust Caleb, but if he worked with him he could also keep an eye on him. Tyler believed in the saying ‘the enemy of your enemy is your friend’. He decided to put that theory to the test. He picked up the phone and called Caleb.

  Caleb saw Tyler’s number on his caller ID and silently cheered. He calmed himself down and answered, “Mr. Anderson, what can I do for you?”

  Tyler wasted no time and replied, “I’m calling in reference to your offer. Nick Malone has become a thorn in my side. I still cannot offer you a partnership; however, I am willing to hire you as a contract employee. You claimed to have information that would help me destroy Nick and I want it. I will pay you $2,500,000 for the information and another $2,500,000 if you succeed in helping me bring him down. Take it or leave it.”

  Caleb sneered as he said, “I’ll take it for now, but by the time this is over you’re going to be begging for a partnership. I’ll be at your office at 8 a.m. tomorrow. Don’t keep me waiting.” Caleb hung up before Tyler could reply.

  Tyler wasn’t happy with Caleb’s cocky attitude. He needed to make it clear to Caleb that he demanded respect from his employees. Tyler took out a tablet and jotted down the amendments he wanted put in Caleb’s contract. He took few chances in his business and Caleb was definitely a wild card.

  One of Caleb’s informants called to tell him that Karen had left for lunch alone. She was at a small bistro two blocks from Tyler’s building. Caleb decided that it was about time he made a new friend. He hurried to the bistro. Karen was easy to spot where she sat by the window reading a book. Caleb strolled to her table and asked, “Do you mind if I join you? I hate eating alone, but if you prefer to read I’ll understand.”

  Karen preferred to read and eat alone, however she sacrificed her privacy. She hoped to learn something that would help Tyler. She found Caleb to be very charming. He was a real gentleman. They discussed the weather, the city and Karen’s love of reading. Caleb commented, “I noticed you were reading a book about flipping houses. Is that a goal of yours or is it just an interesting topic?”

  Karen loved to talk about her dreams with anyone who was willing to listen. She enthusiastically replied, “I have always wanted to try it. I thought I might buy a small house for myself, fix it up, live there until I could afford something bigger, and then sell it. If I did well at fixing my own house up maybe I would feel confident enough to try flipping as a business. I know it’s a silly dream. I don’t have any experience.”

  Caleb smiled and patted Karen’s hand as he said, “No dream is silly. I can almost guarantee that you would be great at anything you tried. It looks like you do research and study the market. The hardest part is finding an honest contractor to work with.”

  Karen looked surprised as she asked, “Have you flipped houses? You sound as if you have.”

  Caleb knew he had her interest now. He stated, “I have flipped homes, buildings and businesses. I would be glad to share my expertise with you. I can even find you a contractor. I just want two things in return, your trust and a date.”

  Chapter 5

  Tyler was in the middle of a business conference when the police arrived. He feared they were there to arrest him. He asked Karen to supply everyone in the conference room with drinks and snacks while he talked to the police.

  The sergeant was there to talk about the computer tech who Tyler thought was his mole. The sergeant shocked Tyler when he said, “The man we arrested was not the one who broke into your office. Someone wanted it to appear that he was your perp. He really believed you had seen his resume and okayed it. In fact, you probably did. The background check we did using his fingerprints matched the one you had on file. So did the drug test. The only difference was his bio. He actually does have a wife and son. We have several eye witnesses proving he was at his son’s game that day. The real mole changed his bio so that it would look as if he was lying.”

  Tyler shook his head and answered, “I should have known it wouldn’t be that easy. He was too obvious of a choice. Nick is smarter than that. I guess I’m still looking for the insider. Did you find the maid? Was she at her son’s?”

  The sergeant’s face was sad when he said, “We found her body floating in the river this morning. Keep that to yourself for now. We haven’t notified her family yet. Be careful. Your mole is also our killer.”

  Tyler wasn’t sure what to think. Someone in his company committed murder. He felt responsible for the maid’s death. It was his job to keep his employees safe. Before he went back to the conference, Tyler wrote a personal check to the maid’s family for $1,000,000. He needed to go through all his employees files once again. Someone he trusted had betrayed him.

  Tyler was distracted during the rest of the conference. It was a good thing Karen provided in depth packets for each person. He used them to keep the meeting progressing. The conference ended with three possible deals. Tyler showed none of the joy he usually expressed. His mind was on the killer in his midst.

  Karen was disappointed in her evening with Tyler. She tried to talk to him about flipping houses the way she had with Caleb. Tyler just grunted and turned back to his computer. Karen discovered she was tired of coming in second to Tyler’s business. She wanted some attention to her dreams. She was an intelligent woman and needed that intelligence to be noticed. If Tyler wasn’t interested, she had another option. Karen went into the bathroom and called Caleb. She accepted his offer of a date.

  Caleb arrived at Tyler’s office at 7:58 a.m. It gave him two minutes to flirt with Karen before he entered Tyler’s private sanctum. He felt confident in his ability to continue fooling his old partner. Karen also bolstered his ego when she blew him a kiss as he opened Tyler’s door.

  Tyler spoke tersely as Caleb entered, “Take a seat. Here’s the contract. Sign it so we can get started.”

  Caleb sat down and crossed his legs. He leaned slowly back in the chair as if he had all day and then asked, “What’s the rush? Are you afraid I’ll back out and you’ll be left to deal with Nick alone? Does he scare you that much?”

  Tyler stared at Caleb, took a deep breath to calm his sudden anger and replied, “I am not now, nor have I ever been afraid of Nick. He is a sorry excuse for a business man. The only way he makes money is through theft, drugs and double dealings. All his legitimate businesses are bankrupt. Whether or not you back out of our deal is solely up to you. I’ll be fine either way. You’re the one who demanded this meeting start at exactly 8 a.m. It is now 8:05. I merely wanted to show my respect by being on
time. Clearly you don’t know the meaning of the word respect.”

  Caleb’s answering anger showed as he stated, “Respect is earned. I haven’t decided whether you have earned mine or not.” He grabbed the contract and signed it without having read it. That mistake made Tyler smile. He took the contract and put it in a desk drawer which he then locked.

  Tyler pushed a stack of documents toward Caleb. “This is everything I have on Nick Malone. It goes all the way back to our college years. Look it over. If you have something more than this, add it. If not, you can give me an opinion on where to go from here. In the meantime I will be questioning some of my employees in the conference room. If you need anything ask Karen.” He walked out leaving Caleb alone in his office.

  Caleb’s fingers were itching to search the room, but he knew this was clearly a test. He was sure the room had cameras and probably microphones. He resisted his urges, picked up the papers, and began to read. It was interesting to see his life works written down. It made Caleb long to have his daring deeds published. He wrote notes in the margins, clarifying some of the information. No one knew what had really happened in Nick’s life better than his alter ego, Caleb. It was almost funny.

  Chapter 6

  Tyler questioned six employees before he stopped for lunch. These were his longest standing, most trusted employees. He refused to believe any of them had betrayed him. None appeared the type to commit murder either. Yet Tyler knew that looks could be deceiving and anyone was capable of murder given the right circumstances. He went by his office and checked on Caleb’s progress. He found Karen had joined Caleb in reviewing the stack of papers. She had also ordered lunch. As Tyler quietly walked in, Caleb lifted Karen’s hand to his lips for a kiss and she tossed back her head as she laughed. Jealousy rose in Tyler and he snapped at Karen, “Take your lunch to your own desk. We have work to do in here. See that we are not disturbed. Order my usual lunch from the deli.”

  Karen turned her back to Tyler so he couldn’t see the tears in her eyes and quietly replied, “I already ordered your lunch. It is on your desk. You know where to find me if you need me or if you want to yell some more.” She left the room with a sob.

  “That’s no way to treat your lover. You hurt her deeply. She ordered your favorite lunch because she was worried about you. I asked for her help. I dropped two folders and needed her to show me which pages belonged in each,” stated Caleb.

  Tyler’s brain never made it past Caleb’s first statement. He gritted his teeth and asked, “Where did you get the idea that Karen and I are lovers? She is my personal assistant and a friend, no more than that.”

  Caleb laughed long and hard, “You truly think no one knows about the two of you. People are taking bets on how long the relationship will last. After the way you just treated her, I need to change my bet. Especially since she accepted a date for dinner tonight with me.”

  Tyler shook with anger and shouted at Caleb, “Get out! I’m done with you today. I have to be at a job site in the morning. We can resume this nonsense tomorrow afternoon.” Caleb continued to laugh as he left. He stopped at Karen’s desk and kissed the top of her head. Tyler clenched his fists and slammed his door. He wanted to apologize to Karen. He felt it would be best if he calmed down first. Why had she accepted a date with Caleb? How had everyone learned of the relationship? They were so careful. Maybe that was part of the problem. Karen was probably tired of hiding. Sadly, so was he. Tyler wasn’t ashamed of their relationship, he just honestly feared some enemy could use Karen to get to him. It was guaranteed that Nick would harm her if he knew. Tyler had to keep that from happening. He headed out to apologize to Karen, only to discover she was gone. There was a note addressed to him. Karen wrote that she needed some time away from Tyler and that she had a date for tonight. She would be back at work in the morning. Tyler kicked the desk, shredded the note, and stomped back to his office.

  Tyler used his anger to question the rest of his employees. He found two who were possible suspects. To his shock, one was a long time trusted employee with a high security clearance. Tyler refused to accuse either one until he had a more objective person present. He planned to bring in both Caleb and Karen to listen as he questioned the pair a third time.

  Tyler’s evening was spent divided between reviewing Caleb’s notes on Nick and worrying about Karen’s date with Caleb. He found the notes more helpful than expected and set in motion another takeover. This one was meant to be a huge blow to Nick’s mob cohorts and would bring danger to Tyler, but it was necessary.

  Karen and Caleb were having a wonderful night. Neither mentioned Tyler. Caleb was very attentive and hung on every word Karen spoke. He pulled out her chair, poured her wine, and presented her with the name of an honest contractor. Karen was happier to receive that name than she would have been to get flowers. She felt Caleb took her seriously and believed in her abilities. A part of her wondered if Caleb was a better choice for her than Tyler, while another part reminded her of the love she held for Tyler. Life was more complicated than ever. She was no longer angry at Tyler. Karen understood how the scene he had walked in on must have looked. She actually liked the little spark of jealousy he had shown. It meant he did care. After several glasses of wine, Caleb started questioning Karen. He hoped she was tipsy enough to tell him some secrets. He had begun with, “How much of the business are you involved in? Are you allowed to see all the accounts or does Tyler just use you to look after clients’ needs?”

  Karen was confused by the questions. She held her liquor well. She asked, “Why would you ask such intrusive questions about Tyler’s business? Are you using this date to get information out of me? If that’s the case, I’m calling a cab and going home.”

  Caleb quickly backed off saying, “No, no, no. I’m just curious as to whether you are being used to your highest potential. I find you extremely intelligent and I wondered if Tyler knows what a gem he has.”

  Karen settled down and replied, “As a personal assistant, I am involved in the contracts and other paper work. I sit in on client meetings and conferences. Tyler values my opinions on people and deals. I don’t get into the finances. I’m not an accountant. I do think Tyler could give me a little more power, but I’m fine for now.”

  Caleb realized he wasn’t going to get Karen to spill any secrets. He was sure she didn’t know about the barely legal deals Tyler was sometimes involved in. Caleb needed to find another way to bring Tyler down. Maybe he could use Karen in a different way. He had to be sure she trusted him and call in some tough guys for help, but it was time for desperate measures.

  Chapter 7

  Caleb was relieved when Tyler asked him to sit in on the questioning of his two suspects. If one of them was Caleb’s inside man, he would be able to steer Tyler away from him. Karen joined the two men in the conference room where they awaited the first suspect. There was a huge amount of tension in the air. Tyler was worried about what Karen had done on her date with Caleb. Caleb was afraid that one of the suspects would be his inside man and that the man would panic upon seeing him in the room. If his man thought they had been discovered, he might spill the beans before Caleb could speak. Karen felt guilty over her date with Caleb and feared Tyler was angry.

  The first man interviewed was a new hire. He was smart, but cautious. He was also not Caleb’s man. Karen and Caleb both suggested questions that Tyler hadn’t thought of. They all realized rather quickly that this man was not the one they were looking for. The second man never showed. He hadn’t come into work. Phone calls went unanswered. Tyler sent a security team to his address. It was unlocked and empty. This was obviously their man. Tyler called the police once again and set them on the trail of his former employee. He was extremely upset to discover that the culprit was his head of sales. He had known the man for years and could never have imagined him as a murderer.

  Caleb was as shocked as Tyler. His man had fled. Caleb thought a hired killer would have more guts than that. There was one other possible explanati
on. The powerful men backing Caleb became nervous and either pulled out their man or killed him to keep him from talking. If that was the case, then Caleb needed to watch his back. He was expendable, too.

  Tyler’s corporation was having a fundraiser that night. To thank Caleb for his help, Tyler invited him to the party. Karen was to be Tyler’s hostess. She would stand by his side as a date and help run the auctioning of the donated items. All the money was to go to the children’s hospital. Tyler enjoyed giving back to the community. He felt it made up for the bad things he had done in his younger years. It was time to let go of all their worries, and have a night of fun and festivities.

  The men dressed in tuxes and looked handsome and stately. Karen’s low cut, figure hugging red dress made her look spectacular. The event was turning out to be a huge success. A large crowd of very rich people attended. The liquor flowed and the food was plentiful. Karen presided over the auction and brought in huge bids, raising more money for the hospital than anyone had expected.

  The threesome decided to celebrate the success by finishing off the leftover champagne. All three became extremely drunk. When the hook at the neck of Karen’s dress broke and her breasts spilled out, she was too inebriated to care. Tyler laughed drunkenly and helped her finish removing the dress. She stood in the middle of the dance floor in only a thong and silver stilettos. Caleb cranked up the music and Karen started to dance. The men stripped to their underwear and joined in. As a slow song came on, the men sandwiched Karen between them. She rubbed her erect nipples against Caleb’s firm chest and her tight ass against Tyler’s engorged manhood. The rest of everyone’s clothing seemed to fall away. Tyler entered Karen from the back, while Caleb caressed her nipples and her dampened nub. Karen came hard and heavy as did Tyler. Her legs gave way and the men lifted her over to a covered bench. She was spread eagled and ready for more. Tyler poured champagne down her body and both men licked her clean. Karen was writhing in need when Tyler knelt between her legs and used his tongue to soothe her aching center. Caleb rubbed his penis back and forth between Karen’s breasts. As she cried out with a climax. Caleb pushed his engorged, pulsating member into her mouth, allowing her to drink his cream. The trio stumbled half-dressed to their limos and were taken home.