Strong, Sleek and Sinful

by Lorie O'Clare

  Checking his phone that he’d intentionally left in the car, he pushed the button to hear voice-mail messages. There were two new messages.

  “Flynn, this is Bealey,” the first message began.

  Officer Ron Bealey oversaw the Crime Analysis Department, his frazzled tone proof of the never-ending job he appeared to embrace. Bealey had been with the department long before Perry’s sister’s husband, David, joined the force.

  “We’ve torn down that hard drive you sent over. There are no chat archives from any program showing she spoke with anyone by the name of Peter. Give me a call in the morning. We’ll have the hard drive ready to ship back over. Sorry to offer a dead end, man,” Bealey added, and hung up.

  The automated voice asked whether Perry wanted to save or delete the message. He saved the message and listened as the second message began.

  “Perry, what are you doing, bro? It’s Noah. Call me back when you can.”

  The automated voice offered Perry his options. Glancing to see when the call came in and then what time it was now, he quickly dialed Noah Kayne’s number. It rang four times before a woman answered.

  “Is Noah there?” Perry asked.

  “Sure. Oh wait, you’re Perry,” she said, her soft voice suddenly sounding animated. “Noah, it’s Perry,” she called out. “He’ll be right here.”

  Perry didn’t wait a minute before his old FBI friend came on the line.

  “Screening your calls,” Noah teased when he came on the line.

  “Got to keep out the riffraff.” Perry accelerated onto the interstate and headed toward his neighborhood. His friend sounded relaxed, happy, and shooting the shit with him for a few minutes helped lighten Perry’s mood. By the time he pulled into his driveway, he was laughing over an old joke. “One of these days I’m going to show up on your doorstep and set that woman right about you.”

  “She’s head over heels for me, my friend. Nothing you can say will change her mind.”

  “I thought you said she was intelligent.” Perry laughed easily when Noah defended Rain to the point where he announced she’d agreed to marry him. “And this convinces me that she’s right in the head?” Perry envied Noah’s happiness, though, and it hit him as odd that he did. “Congrats, man. I’ll be looking for my invite.”

  “Invite, hell. You’re going to be my best man.”

  “Well, hell. I’m honored. And more than willing to give you away.”

  “The bride is given away, not the groom.”

  “Damn shame,” Perry said, and headed inside and to his refrigerator. Pulling out a beer, he treaded through his dark house to his den and computer. “I tell you what, though. We’ve got a mess down here that hopefully I’ll have cleared up before the wedding. Have you set the date?”

  “Rain hasn’t decided on a date yet. I’ll let you know when she tells me. Don’t be surprised if you and I get about a week’s notice. She seems to think that even though I’m the one who proposed, I might change my mind if I know the date too far in advance.”

  “Don’t ask me to explain women to you,” Perry said, snorting and then taking a long drink of his beer. Relaxing in his chair, he remembered the quick change in Kylie’s attitude when he made a show of trying to get inside the middle bedroom. It was like cornering a nervous cat. He swore if he’d pushed her a moment longer, she would have pounced. Although if she attacked, it would have been round two of the lovemaking. Damn if that woman didn’t get turned on when he got rough. Thinking about it now got his dick hard all over again. “I’ve got a little vixen right now who is doing her best to make my life hell.”

  “Sorry if she won’t put out. Can’t help you there,” Noah said, laughing. “But what is the mess you’ve got going on?”

  Like always, any time either of them got knee-deep in bullshit, talking it out with each other usually helped. It did for Perry at least. He knew his friend couldn’t always discuss cases in depth when he was buried up to his balls in them. But there had been a time or two over the years when he’d unloaded probably more than he should have on Perry.

  “Several teenage girls have come up missing. We had one the other day who appeared out of nowhere, raped and beaten damn near beyond recognition. She made it to the back of the grocery store before collapsing and dying. One of the employees there found her.”

  “Shit. You got leads?”

  “I got voice mail right before calling you back. They can’t find anything on her hard drive. Another girl who snuck out of her parents’ house to meet a guy and got intercepted by her father had been chatting with someone named Peter. I think he’s an online sexual predator right here in town. There’s a Web site that I found that had the girl we found today’s picture on it.”

  “One of the porn sites you mentioned?” Noah was all business now. “You wanted me to help you figure out how to locate where the Web sites originate, right?”

  “Yup. I got put on Kathleen Long’s case today, the girl we found behind the store. So hopefully I’ll get a bit more cooperation out of the department now.”

  “What’s the Web site that had her picture on it?”

  “Are you online now?” Perry moved his mouse, and his screen glowed to life in the dark den. Gulping down more beer, he quickly logged into his chat program and pulled up the Web site.

  “I’m logging in now,” Noah told him.

  Perry waited until he saw Noah appear on his buddy list and then sent the link to the Web site. At the same time, the site opened on the screen. The pictures were different than they’d been the last time Perry looked.

  “Damn it, she’s not there anymore.”

  “Big surprise, huh.”

  “No shit. But I saved the page. Hold on.” Perry went to the saved file and then sent it to Noah. “Two girls have disappeared over the past six months. Another would have disappeared if her father hadn’t followed her and prevented it. We know all of them were talking to a boy who went by ‘Peter.’ He claims to be their age, but always says he lives in a town nearby. He lures them out of the house and that’s the last we hear of them. I can’t prove yet Kathleen Long, or this Web site, is connected to the other two girls. But my hunch is that they are.”

  “Could be,” Noah said, sounding distracted. More than likely he was checking out the Web site. “What else do you got?”

  “Not much. My nieces have been talking to a woman who is working on a thesis,” he began.

  “Okay, and?” It didn’t take much for Noah to catch onto a vague line and know there was more to it.

  “I’ve spent a bit of time with her.” He wasn’t sure why he said that, and paused, regrouping. He didn’t know how to explain Kylie. “She’s interviewing teenagers so she can write this college paper, but she won’t show me the paper and then last night I caught her trying to meet someone in a dark parking lot.”

  “No shit?”

  “I intervened and the guy took off, but then she took off, too. She’s got all this surveillance equipment rigged up around her house, and a room that she has locked and won’t let me in to see what is in there.”

  “You think she is Peter?”

  “No. Oh, hell no. But I think she’s a cop chaser and she’s going to get her ass hurt if she tries playing detective, especially with a case like this.”

  Noah didn’t say anything. Perry worked around his thoughts, trying to put into words his gut reaction toward her.

  “Dani loves her to the point she even talked to Megan about her. And Dani doesn’t open up about her life to any of us.”

  “Dani is your niece, right?” Noah had met the girls briefly a few years ago, but Perry didn’t blame him for not being able to keep names straight.

  “Yeah. No student wires her home like Kylie has. The security system she’s installed is more sophisticated than most people can afford.”

  “Kylie Dover?” Noah asked.

  “Yeah. Why? Do you know her?” It never crossed Perry’s mind that Kylie could possibly be more than a novice dete
ctive out to get herself off on some warped obsession with chasing bad guys. Now that he thought about it, if she was connected with some agency it would explain a hell of a lot, except for the part about her intense secretiveness.

  “No. Not a Kylie Dover,” Noah said, sounding sincere enough to believe. “If she were an agent there would be no reason why she wouldn’t tell you.”

  “True.” He stared at his beer bottle and then shifted his attention to his computer screen. “So what can you tell me about this Web site?”

  “Rain is checking it out now. I don’t think she wants me drooling over all of the pictures.”

  A wounded female voice in the background made Perry smile, although he wasn’t amused. Kylie would tell him if she was FBI or a private detective. There wouldn’t be any reason why she wouldn’t. Noah was right.

  There was another reason she was protecting herself so thoroughly. Which meant that either she was a novice detective or whatever was in that bedroom had nothing to do with the case and she had another secret. It was becoming quite apparent he wasn’t going to let it drop until he knew the truth, which meant he needed to push the hot little blonde even harder. Fucking her harder sounded damn good as well.

  “Perry, it looks as if you’ve got quite a scene going on down there. I’ll do some checking and should be able to get you a physical address on this Web site’s ISP tomorrow. You’re right about it being based in Kansas City.”

  “I knew it. Send me the proof as soon as you’ve got it.”

  “Will do. And keep me posted on your new conquest.”

  “Conquest?”

  “Whatever, man. I haven’t been FBI all these years to not recognize the tone in your voice. If you haven’t fucked her already, you’re planning on doing it soon.”

  “Either way is none of your business.”

  “Okay, so you already have.” Noah laughed in Perry’s ear, undaunted by Perry biting his head off.

  Which was a mistake. Perry should know better after all these years. Chewing Noah’s ass got him going, and he was ready to spar. Perry leaned back in his chair, growling into the phone. Noah was one hell of a detective and always had been. The only way to keep information from him was to keep your mouth shut.

  Another thing about Noah, though: he was loyal to a fault.

  “If she were FBI, could you tell me?”

  “Sure. As long as she wasn’t working undercover.”

  Chapter 13

  Kylie got out of her car at the library when her phone rang. Glancing at the number, she groaned. There wasn’t any avoiding the call, but she sure didn’t want to take it. Placing her laptop case on top of her car, she took in the cars in the parking lot and who was walking on the sidewalks and coming and going from the library as she answered.

  “This is Donovan,” she said officially.

  “Donovan, I’m going to kick your ass,” John Athey yelled into the phone.

  “Take a number,” she said, and rolled her eyes. She really didn’t have time for this crap. “The cameras are on and running properly. I’m headed into the library to meet with some kids and learn if and who might be talking to Peter. Anything else you needed, Chief?”

  “Don’t fucking patronize me,” he hissed, sounding as though his blood pressure would go through the roof any minute. “I’ve gone through your file. Your level of insubordination won’t fly in this town, missy.”

  “Look through the file again. You’ll get your man. I always deliver.”

  “Many agents deliver,” he came back without a breath. “That security system is in your house for a goddamn reason. Don’t think I won’t pull someone else in on this case if you pull a stunt like that again. See how you like that on your permanent record.”

  “I could handle a vacation.” She hated threats, hated them more than anything. “You want me to go talk to these kids, or contact my travel agent?”

  “Don’t fuck with me,” he snarled.

  “Fine. Oh, and tomorrow night I’m going over to four of these teenage girls’ home for dinner. Their mom invited me,” she added, and then breathed in deeply. Getting pissed wouldn’t help her think clearly when she met the kids inside the library. “I see a golden opportunity to learn more about what’s on their home computers. These teenagers are going to become my best friends.”

  John didn’t say anything for a moment and Kylie rode out the silence, watching as the city bus slowed on the street and its doors opened.

  “Maybe we will wire you,” he said slowly.

  “Nope. I’m gathering data right now. Besides, I won’t be in the company of any perps. They’re all teenage girls.”

  “Who are these teenagers?”

  She rattled off their names, pretty sure she got them right.

  “Is the cop they’re related to planning on being there, too?”

  She scowled, frowning as she looked down at her fingernails. “Lieutenant Perry Flynn will probably be there.”

  “Then you have a possible suspect. Kylie, you know your track record is impeccable. Peter is a cop, or someone who works and has access to computers in the police department.”

  “I already know that.” The more time she spent talking to John, the more he got on her nerves. “And I’m still waiting for confirmation on whose computers were used down at the station. Is there a reason we don’t have that information yet?”

  “I’ll check with Paul and get back to you on that one.”

  When she looked up, Dani and a few other girls were gathered in the grass around the bus stop. Dani spotted her and waved, then beckoned to her friends. The group headed in Kylie’s direction.

  “The latest murder, Kathleen Long—there was a picture of her on a pornography Web site.”

  “What?” Kylie’s heart lodged in her throat as she quickly processed this information. “Peter has more of an agenda than simply stalking teenagers online and luring them into his trap of rape and murder.”

  “Can’t prove that Kathleen is connected to the Peter girls yet. But we can confirm that Web site is based out of Kansas City. Don’t get so close to Lieutenant Flynn that you lose perspective. There very well might be a reason why he’s trying to get close to you.”

  The lump in her throat damn near choked her. “I’ve got to go,” she whispered. “Company. And don’t worry. I never lose perspective.” She hung up before John could lecture her further, and stepped out of her car as the girls approached.

  “That dress is so to die for,” a thin blonde said who wore a very short leather miniskirt and halter top that barely covered her well-developed figure.

  Kylie glanced down at the figure-hugging dress she wore today. It wasn’t much longer than the blonde’s, although where the blonde wore black stockings and boots Kylie’s legs were bare. She looked up in time to catch Dani giving the blonde a scrutinizing glare.

  “Thank you,” Kylie said, smiling at the girl. “I’m Kylie, by the way.”

  “Nancy.” Instead of offering her hand, she turned to the girls around her. “Dani says you’re doing some really huge research paper on teenagers. I wish I got homework assignments like that.”

  “As if it would matter.” Dani adjusted her backpack on her shoulder. “You don’t do your homework now. We going to stand out here or go snag a computer or two?”

  “We should go over to the Java Cup,” the girl on the other side of Dani offered, whose hair had to be dyed black. It was long and glossy looking and raven black. She immediately shrugged as though her suggestion didn’t matter.

  “Is James working?” Dani poked the girl in the ribs.

  “How would I know?” The girl’s expression turned stubborn when she turned away from Dani and hugged herself. “But we can talk easier and they got computers there.”

  “I’m game, but I’m not walking.” Dani looked at Kylie expectantly.

  The other two girls followed suit.

  “What about your parents?” Kylie wasn’t going to take off with girls she barely knew. The last th
ing she would risk was parents getting pissed at her for driving their daughters places other than where they were supposed to be. “Don’t they think you’re at the library?”

  Dani rolled her eyes, already heading around Kylie to the passenger-side door. “Shotgun,” she announced. “And you’ve got to chill, Kylie. We’ve got cell phones. Mom doesn’t care where I am as long as I’m home when she gets off work.”

  “All I have to do is call and leave voice mail,” Nancy said, lining up behind Dani. “And Mandy’s parents never care where she is.”

  “They just work a lot.” Mandy, the black-haired girl, shrugged as if it didn’t matter to her.

  “Okay. I don’t want anyone yelling at me.”

  The Java Cup turned out to be only a block and a half away from the library, and by the time Kylie parked she decided they would have gotten there faster walking. The coffee shop itself was quaint, though. Kylie liked the atmosphere, with cork walls covered with posters, some of which looked like they’d been hanging there for years. When she saw the young people behind the counter, with their piercings and tattoos, her impression of the place dropped. It was a teenage hangout in disguise.

  “I never dreamed of drinking coffee at your age,” Kylie mused.

  “Whatever, like you are so much older than I am.” Dani rolled her eyes and breathed in the aroma of her drink. “I can’t start my day without a cup.”

  “Not me.” Mandy led the way to a doorway that entered into a smaller room where two computers and then several tables with decks of cards and magazines were scattered. “It’s Pepsi all the way, baby.”

  “Whatever happened to orange juice for breakfast?” Kylie took the chair next to the computer chair, letting the girls decide who would sit at the helm.

  “God, I told them you were cool.” Dani nudged Kylie. “Don’t embarrass me.”

  “I’ll try not to,” Kylie said dryly, giving Dani a look to say she should consider herself lucky to be hanging with Kylie.

  The look worked, surprisingly, when Dani grinned easily and nudged her way between her friends to take the seat in front of the monitor.