“That man sure has brass balls,” she crowed. “I’m almost sorry I couldn’t get to know him.”
Landry glared at her. Then the humor of the situation broke through his embarrassment and he smiled. “It was a bit surreal. The fries were good, though.”
Gage reached for Landry’s hand and gave his fingers a squeeze. “He was very convincing, you know.”
“You didn’t trust him.” Landry grabbed Gage’s hand, holding on tight.
“He doesn’t trust anyone,” Sancha said. “Neither of us do. It goes with the job. Keep your innocence, Landry, it suits you.”
“Is it innocence, or naïveté? I think I’d rather be streetwise.”
“That wouldn’t suit you,” Gage said. “You handled the situation today really well. You were brave. Getting out of here, thinking of the van… And from the sound of it, James never had any intention of you finding out about the jewels. It was his bad luck that you found him out.”
Landry took another two big swallows of wine. “Has he actually committed a crime? I mean, he stole the jewels from people who had already stolen them. He claimed his intention was always to give them back.”
“A prosecution would be difficult,” Gage admitted. “Theoretically, he acted in the best interests of his clients, and in his own, of course. But he should have told the authorities about what was going on, rather than try to handle it himself. He put a lot of people in danger through his actions.”
“What about the grandson?” Landry asked. “What will happen to him now?”
“It wouldn’t surprise me at all,” Gage said, “if it was James Ellery who advised Tad to seek help from us. I’d guess they have some kind of relationship. I can’t see why Tad would have helped him hide the jewels otherwise, and I don’t see him being motivated solely by money. He risked his life betraying the Yakuza and he has a lot more information outside of the jewel theft. I would imagine he’ll be offered protective custody and then witness protection.”
“That’s kind of sad,” Landry said. “If he and James are together, even if James is a snake, that’ll be it for them, won’t it?”
“Even James Ellery would have a hard time tracking Tad down in witness protection,” Sancha said. Landry and Gage exchanged a knowing look. “Though anything is possible, I suppose.”
Landry giggled. His glass was empty. He went to pour himself another, but Gage took the bottle away.
“That’s enough for you, young man.” Landry pouted. “Don’t give me that look,” Gage said.
“You’re not the boss of me.” Landry touched the chain around his neck. “Okay, you are but…”
“Do you want a monster headache when you have to work tomorrow?”
“S’pose not,” Landry admitted. “But at the moment it seems like a good idea to get completely, utterly drunk.”
Sancha’s phone rang. She got up then moved away to answer it.
“If you’re drunk, we won’t be able to play tonight,” Gage said, keeping his voice low.
Landry narrowed his eyes. “That’s bribery.”
“Is it working?”
“Depends. What are you going to do to me?”
“Tie you up then fuck you. A lot.”
“I’ll make myself a coffee.” Landry got up to go to the kitchen.
“Hold on a bit, Landry.” Sancha returned. “The patrolman at the front door of the shop called to say he has a package for you.”
“For me?” Landry realized it was a dumb question as soon as he said it.
“Yep. Hand delivered.”
“That sounds kind of suspicious in the circumstances, doesn’t it?” Landry turned to Gage, hoping he didn’t come across as paranoid.
“It does.” Gage frowned. “The uniform describe who handed it over?”
“A teenage kid. He kept hold of him,” Sancha said.
“Then we’d best go take a look.” Gage got up. “Not you, Landry.”
“Hey! It’s my package. I’m not staying here all alone while the two of you get to do all the fun stuff. And don’t tell me to do as I’m told.”
“Stubborn, isn’t he?” Sancha grinned.
“He’s a brat.” Gage sighed. “Fine. But I open the parcel, not you.”
“Why, you don’t think it’ll explode do you? Or be full of snakes?” Landry gulped. “You don’t…do you?”
“No, I don’t but it’s better I open it, just in case.”
“So it’s okay for you to be hurt but not me?”
“That’s the way it works.”
“There’s no point arguing with him, Landry,” Sancha said. “There are rocks in Yosemite less immoveable than him.”
“I’m beginning to realize that,” Landry muttered. “Stubborn, overprotective…” He caught Gage’s eye. “All right!”
“I suspect you won’t be sitting comfortably tomorrow, sweetie,” Sancha whispered in Landry’s ear.
Landry gaped. He had no idea Sancha know about Gage’s proclivities for BDSM.
“No secrets between partners.” She bumped hips with him. “And the chain is a bit of a giveaway, you know. That’s his St. Christopher, and I know what you wearing it means.”
Landry touched the pendant. “I suppose it is.”
“He’s never given one of those to anyone else. Gage takes care of everyone, often at his own expense. He’s gonna be uber-possessive about you, so you might as well get used to it. He’d never forgive himself if anything happened to you when he could have prevented it.”
“If you two have quite finished whispering about me,” Gage said. “Shall we go?”
They trooped back down to the store. Gage, who had fetched the mysterious parcel from his colleague out on the street, laid it on the cash desk. The outer wrapping was plain brown paper and Landry’s name was scrawled on the top. Gage removed the outer layer, wearing a pair of latex gloves. He handed the paper to a crime scene tech who was hovering nearby. “I’ll doubt you’ll find anything on it, but you should check it anyway,” he said. “You’ll need to get elimination prints from the teenager who delivered it.”
“What is it?” Sancha asked.
“A Japanese puzzle box,” Landry said, admiring the detailed marquetry of the wooden object before him.
“You’re gonna have to enlighten me,” Sancha said.
“They are really clever craftsmen-produced boxes, which take several steps to open, usually involving hidden, sliding panels, drawers, buttons… That kind of thing. Some are very simple and only have one or two steps, others have many more. Often, they don’t have instructions and you have to work out the secrets for yourself. This is quite a big one. We’ve had older ones in the store on occasion, but nothing this beautiful. It’s a work of art.”
“There’s a note,” Gage said. He pulled a slip of paper from beneath the box, holding it up so that Landry could read it without touching it.
“We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” Landry grabbed his phone. “I think that’s Shakespeare. Let me check.”
“It’s that fucking Brit, isn’t it?” Gage said, scowling.
“It’s from Hamlet,” Landry said. “Ophelia says it, but I doubt that’s relevant.”
“Cryptic. Why can’t people speak plain English?” Gage handed the box to the tech. “Can you give this a quick dusting?” She took it away and a few minutes later returned.
“It’s been wiped clean. No marks at all, not even a partial.”
Gage handed the box to Landry. “Do you think you can open it?”
“I can have a go.”
In the end it took Landry almost an hour to decipher the various levels of the puzzle box. Gage stayed with him the whole time, while Sancha went out to fetch coffee. She returned with three large cups and a box of donuts.
“Brain food.”
“I’ve done it,” Landry said, sliding the last section away to reveal the inner cavity. “There’s something in here.” He pulled out a black velvet pouch. It had some weight and something i
nside clinked when Landry jiggled it. He opened the pouch, upended it then shook the contents into Gage’s palm. “Holy crap.”
Flashes of light shone from the facets of multiple diamonds set into a heavy gold necklace. Landry did a quick count. “There are over fifty diamonds in this.”
“Fifty-two, they add up to a total weight of over a hundred carats,” Gage said. “It’s worth around eight million dollars.”
“It’s the piece that was stolen from the Tokyo exhibition,” Sancha said. “It’s a lot more beautiful in real life than in the pictures we’ve seen.”
“But why has James Ellery given it up?” Landry wondered, staring at the gems. “He doesn’t have a conscience, so it can’t be guilt.”
“An apology of sorts?” Gage suggested. “Is there anything else in the bag?”
“Another note. This one isn’t quite so cryptic,” Landry said, handing it to Gage.
“So the man does have a heart after all,” Gage said. “Tell your detective to take care of Tad. I knew those two had to be in some kind of relationship. You owe me five dollars, partner.”
“It’s kind of romantic,” Landry said.
“It’s one hell of a gesture,” Sancha added. “He’ll lose his commission for handing this over to us. The necklace will be held up in the evidence chain for months.” She gave Gage a five.
“I don’t understand,” Landry said. “He retrieved it—why wouldn’t he get paid?”
“The only way he can prove he found it is for him to hand it over in person.” Gage slipped the necklace back into the pouch. “Even if he was only on a five percent commission, he’s just given up four hundred thousand dollars, and I’d guess he was on a higher rate than that.”
“Wow.” Landry didn’t know what to say. He picked out a chocolate custard donut from the box Sancha had brought and took a huge bite.
“I still don’t like him,” Gage muttered.
Sancha and Landry shared a look then both dissolved into hysterics.
Chapter Seventeen
“Four weeks. It’s been four weeks. A whole month and I’m still not used to how stupid early you get up,” Landry complained.
“Sometimes there are advantages to getting up early,” Gage said, admiring the scene he had created. Landry, naked and fresh from the shower, was bent over the back of the couch, hands cuffed behind his back. His nipples were clamped and he was blindfolded. “You make the sweetest little whimpering noises.” Gage pressed close behind Landry, letting him know how hard Gage was. He reached around Landry’s body to flick the clamps. Landry moaned and shuddered. “I think I could make you come doing that.”
“Hurts so good.” Landry stuck his ass out. “Need you, Sir.”
Gage stroked Landry’s flanks then let his hands roam to Landry’s flat belly and hair-free groin. “So smooth.” Gage gripped Landry’s cock at the same moment he pushed into his body.
“Oh!”
“Good boy. I’ve got you.” Since they’d gotten tested, Gage had never tired of the novelty of having latex-free contact between him and Landry. “Made for me.” He moved slowly, the long smooth strokes building to something wilder and less controlled. Landry’s fingers curled into fists and he tugged at his bonds.
“Harder…please, Sir!”
Gage slowed even more and Landry sobbed.
“Who’s in charge, Landry?”
“You are, Sir!”
“That’s right, and what does that mean?”
“You decide how fast…you say how…” Landry’s voice hitched.
“I decide if you get to come.” Gage squeezed Landry’s rigid shaft. “It’s been too long since you spent some time in a cage. Since I have to work today, it’s the perfect opportunity to try the new one I bought for you.” At the thought of Landry locked in chastity, Gage could no longer contain himself. He pounded Landry’s ass so hard the couch moved several inches. Landry’s pleas for more reassured Gage that he wasn’t being too rough. He obliged, driving as deep as he could while fisting Landry’s cock. There wasn’t much rhythm or coordination involved but it had the desired effect. Landry came in hot spurts that coated Gage’s hand and a few seconds later, as if triggered by the scent of Landry’s release, Gage pumped his seed into Landry’s channel. “Fuck…” He thrust again, his orgasm continuing unabated. Limp, Landry sagged over the furniture, moaning. Gage pulled him upright and, once he’d slipped free of Landry’s body, turned him around for a sticky, messy hug and a demanding kiss. Landry leaned against him, humming his pleasure.
“We need another shower,” Gage said.
“’kay. And coffee. And waffles. Why do you have to work on a Sunday again?”
“I told you—Sancha and I are on rotation. If I had any choice I’d be here with you, you know that.” Gage walked Landry to the bathroom, managing not to knock into anything on the way. He washed his hands before removing Landry’s blindfold and cuffs. Landry gazed up at him.
“You’re all flushed.”
“Big shock. So are you. Clamps next.”
Landry pouted. “No fair.” Gage removed both clamps in tandem and Landry shrieked. “Oh, oh, oh…ow! Why does it hurt so much more when they come off than when they go on?” He rubbed at his chest.
“This set is quite tame. I have a pair that are much harsher than these.”
“I don’t think I want to meet those if it’s all the same to you, Sir.”
“We’ll see.” Gage squeezed into Landry’s shower alongside him. It wasn’t big enough for much fun but Gage enjoyed soaping Landry’s smooth skin and teasing him. He spent some quality time playing with Landry’s swollen nipples, making him squeal. Once they were done and Landry was dry, Gage fetched his new acquisition from the bedroom.
“What the ever-loving heck is that?” Landry eyed the device.
“Isn’t it great? It’s called a tailpipe chastity cock-lock.” Gage held out the black device. “It’s very flexible. Your cock goes in the tube, the bar sits nice and snug between your legs and the plug, once it’s in your ass, holds the chastity tube in place. Genius.”
Landry prodded the silicone. “Who thinks up the names for these things? Ooh, it’s squishy!”
“It’s designed to be worn for a long time.” Gage fitted the tube section over Landry’s flaccid cock before lubing the plug. He pushed the bulbous section into Landry’s well-stretched ass. “Perfect.”
“How long is long?”
“As long as I say.”
“It doesn’t have a lock,” Landry said, squirming.
“No, it doesn’t. I trust you not to take it off.”
Landry’s eyes grew big and round.
“What do you have planned for the day?”
“I… How do you expect me to concentrate? This thing is big. It’s pushing on my fun button and my dick is screaming at me because it can’t do what comes naturally.”
“You call your prostate your fun button?” Gage rubbed at his hair with a towel.
“Why not? Prostate is so…clinical.”
“I’ve known you a month and it’s the first time you’ve used it.”
“I’m full of surprises.” Landry waddled to the bedroom. “Oh God, this feels weird. The joining piece is rubbing between my legs…it’s…frustrating!”
“Good.” Gage dressed. There would be time to make waffles before he had to leave to meet Sancha and he knew Landry had some blueberries stashed in the fridge. “So…your plans?”
“I’m gonna sit and throw darts at your picture, or maybe sew one of those voodoo doll thingies so I can stick pins in you.”
“Uh huh.” Gage headed for the kitchen.
“It’s only fair I should get to torture you too.”
Gage smiled, gathering what he needed to make waffle batter. “I can fit in time during my day to think up new punishments for you, you know?”
Landry glared. “Fine. Mr. Lao is back tomorrow so I’m going to get some groceries for him and give his apartment a clean. Once that’s done, I int
end to spend the entire afternoon on the couch, watching anime and eating snacks. I can’t believe Mr. Lao extended his trip. He owes me some major vacation time.”
“The last few weeks haven’t been so bad though, have they?”
“No, much better since I stopped trying to manage on my own.” Once his friends had learned of Landry’s adventures, they had rallied round to help in the store. Prisha had covered for him at lunchtimes so that he could go out to eat, sometimes meeting up with Gage and Sancha at their favorite diner. It worked much better than trying to find a good time to close for an hour. His friend Petey from Scorch had come along to keep him company once he’d finished work and even Basim had shown up with treats and helped out with a few customers when the store got busy. The neighborhood had a strong community spirit and Landry had learned a new appreciation for people’s willingness to help out. He had done as Mr. Lao suggested and closed the store an hour earlier each night, which meant that he felt rested during the day. He had also Skyped with Mr. Lao, Gage sitting alongside him, so that he could explain what had been going on rather than keep worrying about what he was going to say. Mr. Lao had shown nothing but concern for Landry’s health and safety, berating him for not nagging him about fitting an alarm system, which he promised to do as soon as he got back. Gage had offered to put him in touch with someone who did regular work for the police and Mr. Lao had accepted. Gage and Mr. Lao had gotten on remarkably well, chatting away about Landry’s bad habits, his coffee addiction and the amount of sugar he consumed. Strangely, it wasn’t annoying but comforting.
“Accepting help is a good thing. From what I’ve heard, you’ve done people a lot of favors in the past. They’re all more than happy to help you out.” Gage cooked and they ate far too many waffles with whipped cream and blueberries. Landry sucked down two mugs of coffee.
“It’s good to have friends. How about you? Anything exciting lined up?”
“The paperwork on the Yakuza case is killing us. We’re prepping for a few more arrests thanks to information from Tad. For once, the other alphabets seem grateful for our help. Probably because we’re doing all the leg-work.”
The Lucky Cat Page 18