by R Weir
Mallard had heard enough. “Bronwen Pearson, you are under arrest. Put your hands on the table and spread your legs.” He went to reach for her, but she resisted.
“Oh, hell no,” she yelled. “You aren’t going to fuck me in the ass, like he did!”
With that she turned around and punched Mallard with a haymaker and he went down. She leaned down and pulled a small gun from an ankle holster and pointed it at Logan. Possibly the gun that killed Wilmar. Everyone in the room ducked down. Barry lunged on top of Mandy and hit the floor. Burton, Maddix and Kyle ran to the other side of the room. Logan yelled and was standing, uncertain what to do. He backed up and pleaded for his life as she stepped towards him.
“How could I have been so stupid,” she said. “To think you would ever love me. But you knew the right buttons to push me to a place I’d never been before. I killed and killed, and killed again for you, only to hope you’d see what we could be together. But now it’s clear I need to kill again. But first I’m going to make sure you don’t stick that cock of yours in anyone else to manipulate.”
With her gun she fired straight into his crotch. He dropped down clutching his groin, screaming. She walked over and aimed again. I didn’t have my gun, so I grabbed Mallard’s from his holster and pointed.
“Bronwen, stop or I’ll shoot,” I said.
She wasn’t listening, so I fired, one in the shoulder to stop her. She clutched at her collarbone, leaning forward, looking at her blood. She was so mad it didn’t seem to faze her. She turned around and aimed the gun again at me, about to fire.
“Bronwen, don’t or else!”
She didn’t care; rage had overtaken her. I wasn’t about to die and this time I went center mass, a direct shot to her chest, backing her up a few feet before she slumped to the ground, dead. I walked over and checked to be certain and slid the gun away. Logan was crying and moaning in pain on the ground. I had never killed a woman before and the shock of what happened would overwhelm me later, but for now I was mad as I stood over Logan.
“I should have let her kill you,” I said. “’Cause your pitiful life isn’t worth saving.”
I went to check on Mallard, Barry, and Mandy, pushing aside the horrible memories waiting to haunt me.
Chapter 61
I ended up staying an extra day on the West Coast with interviews and statements to be made. Once released I had to promise to return to testify, if it ever came to that. The shooting was justified, everyone in the room knew that, so I wasn’t in any trouble with the law. It didn’t make me feel any better, or help me sleep, but I was satisfied I’d done all I could for my client, which in the end is what mattered.
Before leaving town I needed to pay one more visit. As I stood in the living area, Lyndi walked down her staircase in a long evening dress, sparkling from sequins, plunging on the back to just above her hips and clinging to her chest enough to tease any man into wondering what was underneath. She was not dressed for me, but dressed for a night out. I stopped by to say hello and likely goodbye.
“Wow,” I said. “Someone is going to turn heads tonight.”
She reached the bottom stairs. In her hands she held her high heels, which she reached back to put on. Once done, we were eyeball to eyeball, as she kissed me softly not to mess up her makeup.
“Fundraiser tonight. At twenty-five hundred a plate, for a children’s charity. Going with a wealthy man, who is willing to pay for my company.”
“He is getting his money’s worth.”
She looked at my face, seeing the healing bruises and my arm in the sling.
“What the hell happened to you?”
“Long story. But in a nutshell, your ex-husband sent some men after me to get even for Vegas.”
“You look terrible. How did they end up looking?”
“One dead, the other I don’t know for certain. A pair of Russian men took him away.”
“Russian men. Didn’t you tell me about some Russians who were trying to kill you?”
I nodded. “Yes, those same men.”
“Why did they save you this time?”
“I’m not completely certain. Said they had been hired by an acquaintance to keep tabs on me. I never got an answer.”
“Nice to have friends in high places. I had heard about the situation at WANN on the news. They didn’t give your name but I wondered if you were involved.”
“I was. I’ve been tied up with the police. I’m sure you heard the gory details.”
“Yes, poor Logan. What will he do without his penis to think with?”
I laughed, which felt good. I had not laughed much this last week.
“With any luck they will castrate him and the boys in prison will fuck him as he fucked over others,” I said. “Too many died over his lustful ways.”
“I’ve said plenty about his twisted sexual habits, but when we were first together he was as good as I’ve ever had. I don’t know where he went off the rails. Maybe it was always there and came to the forefront when he became successful.”
“Better than me?” I asked.
“No. That is one twenty-four hours I will never forget.”
“Nor I. I’m sorry I may have put an end to him and his business. I know it will affect you financially.”
She put her hand on my face.
“Don’t worry about me. I have plenty of money and will have for some time. I don’t think I told you I had a lot of stock in WANN that he had paid me with over the years. After what you revealed about Logan, all the cyber theft going on and what you had planned for him in Vegas, I sold it all for top dollar. Good thing too, as their stock has taken quite a hit.”
“Would that be considered insider information?”
“Not at all. I was only being a smart businesswoman. Besides, the only insider information you gave me was you being inside me in a pleasurable way.”
Her hand went down to grab my right hand, squeezing it tightly.
“Will I ever see you again?” she said. “I know it would be tough to repeat that night in Vegas, but it would sure be fun to give it a try.”
“If there is a trial I will have to come back and testify. If the leeching lawyers don’t drain me of all of my bodily fluids, I’d be up for some more Lyndi time.”
“Good. Now go before I tear off this thousand-dollar dress and take you right here on the stairs.”
I took her hand, kissing it passionately, as if I was kissing another part of her body. Leaving a wonderful memory behind and a hope of another Silicon Valley trip sometime in the future.
Chapter 62
I was back home enjoying an evening stroll with April, on a warm early September night. She was doing better, walking nearly at full strength, with only a little bit of pain. Doctors said in a couple of weeks she could go on light duty again, with full time coming shortly after, if there were no complications. A job as a street cop was waiting for her, riding with a veteran trying to keep the peace from someplace other than behind a counter at the station. She was excited about the new opportunity.
We walked at a good pace, being quiet for now. She reached out her hand and grabbed my left gently. Though no longer still in a sling, my shoulder remained sore and on the mend. Her fingers and palm felt warm and inviting. We had grown close over this last month or so. I worried I’d do to her as I’d done with Melissa and hurt her, so I was cautious. Still, there was an attraction there that was hard to ignore. I clung to her hand, happy to have someone to touch.
“You are strangely quiet tonight,” I said.
“I know. I’m normally going a mile a minute. Miss Crude and Rude.”
“I’ve always liked that about you.”
“Been one of the guys most of my life. That is how I fit in.”
“You may talk like one, but you don’t look like one.”
She squeezed my hand a little harder, and carefully pulled me against her.
“You realize I’m almost completely healed. To the point where I can consider some
adult pleasure.”
“Really, what did you have in mind?”
“Keep it simple at first. Maybe a naked man sleeping in my bed and see what develops.”
“Is there a certain man you had in mind?”
“Well, normally I’m not all that picky. But yeah, there is one I wouldn’t mind getting a peek at. I’ve had this fantasy of what he looks like, but would prefer to see how it matches up to the real thing.”
I turned and kissed her. It was soft and passionate. There was a worry about what would happen deep down, but I’d regret it if I didn’t explore the options.”
“You know I’m not the best boyfriend,” I said. “My history has been poor when it comes to relationships.”
“I’ve not been the best girlfriend either in my lifetime. I’ve gone through men pretty quickly with nothing long-term to show for it. Sometimes it was me, other times it was them. Right now I’m looking to find a lover to fill a need. I don’t expect you to be a one-woman man, so long as you don’t expect me to be a one-man woman. What I expect, is that when you are with me, you are all into me and not someone else. What you do on your own time really doesn’t bother me.”
Had I struck pay dirt and found a woman who understood me? The person I was and the life I led? Only time will tell. For now, it seemed I had nothing to lose. As we continued our walk, this time our bodies brushing against each other, a black SUV pulled up beside us. I felt April tense up, when she saw Aleksi Platov step out the door. She was tough, though, and didn’t cower, expecting a confrontation. He walked over with a happy look on this face.
“I’m sorry for interrupting,” he said. “I see you are enjoying this pleasant late summer Colorado evening.”
“What do you want?” said April. She still didn’t trust him, even though I had explained how he had helped me.
“April, I’m happy to see you up and moving around. You are looking well.”
“Thank…you,” she answered, surprised at what she heard. “Yes, I should be a hundred percent pretty soon.”
“I wanted to stop by and say I’m sorry about Jasha shooting you. It is not in my nature to hurt women and I warned him against doing so. They are to be loved and cherished. Jasha let his emotions get the best of him. In our line of work that can be a hindrance. In this case it cost him his life.”
“Emotions can do that to you.”
“There is nothing for you and Jarvis to worry about from me. All water under the bridge, as they say.”
“Are you leaving town?” I asked.
He nodded.
“I have other matters to attend around the world. I’ve been here far too long.”
“So, your business here is finished?” I said. “Does that mean Cong is finished too?”
“Not to worry about him either. He will never bother you again.”
I was happy he would not be bothering me, which I was to assume meant he ended up buried next to Lok. But not before he spilled the information Aleksi and I was looking for.
“I hear you found the killer of your client?” stated Aleksi
“Happy to say we did. Everything you got from Cong helped us find out who it was. Unfortunately, I had to kill her.”
“Do not lose too much sleep over it. Justice sometimes works more swiftly when at the end of a gun. And your client got a big payoff, which I assume means you will as well.”
He seemed to be well informed of the situation. Money for Mandy, Barry, myself and even the King family.
“It was a nice check for all, cashed and deposited. Are you still tied to WANN Systems?”
“No. We have pulled all of our funding and ties to them. We have bailed from the sinking ship. They are about to collapse, as your friend in the FBI is digging in deep. We have many other avenues of revenue. We will survive.”
“I’m sure you will.”
Aleksi put out his hand and I shook it. He then took April’s hand and kissed it. He bid adieu and headed back to his car.
“You still never told me who hired you to watch over me?”
He turned back, looking my way.
“You never told me why you told Tony Bristol where the Feds took me?”
“Seemed like a good idea at the time. And I needed Tony’s help and that greased the wheel.”
“Then I’d say you have your answer, then. But keep in mind, if you ever hold a gun to my head again…”
With that he hopped in the car and drove away.
“That was spooky. Was he implying what I think he was?” asked April.
“I would say so. Sometimes fate works in mysterious ways.”
We continued our walk, when I turned to her.
“Now, where were we,” I said. “I believe there was some talk of getting naked and getting into bed or something like that.”
“Yes, I do believe that was the conversation.”
“If that is the case, we are heading in the wrong direction.”
She laughed and spun me the other way. We quickened the pace, and got back to her place in record time. Then slowed the pace down to enjoy the tease of the undressing. Being naked with her felt absolutely right as we spent the night together, only sleeping, our bare skin stimulating enough for our first night together.
Thanks for reading Dead Man Code. I hope you enjoyed it and would love if you would leave a review on Amazon to help an indie author.
And be sure to check out my other Jarvis Mann Detective novels, Blood Brothers, Twice as Fatal and Tracking a Shadow. Plus the short story The Case of the Missing Bubble Gum Card; all available on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019S6AQXW
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XTNTHWW
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MQHVKJA
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JGEZNSU
Jarvis will return soon in the short story The Case of the Invisible Souls, where he helps a homeless man find out why many of his brethren in the homeless community are disappearing, never to be seen again. And Front Range Butcher, as he tracks a serial killer who has resurfaced after more than twenty years.
If you want to reach out, please email me at:
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