by Taylor Lee
Sam continued pacing, then finally stopped and faced Kate. “I do know that, all of that, Kate. And, yes, I do know that Mingan is capable of violence.” She sighed and added, “It’s just that if you could have seen Isabella’s body…I have a hard time believing that Mingan and his friends could have done that to Isabella. She was their friend, their fuck buddy. She was the one who was recruiting all the other girls to their gang.” Sam hesitated, then decided she could trust Kate. “There’s something else, Kate. Another sample of DNA was found in Isabella’s body. It doesn’t match any of the guys in Mingan’s gang.”
Sam paused, uncertain whether she should tell Kate their theory, but she needed to test it with someone outside of their team. “This is very confidential, Kate. I’m only telling you this because you have been as worried about this issue as I have been. We think that Isabella was the target of a prostitution gang. That they killed her the way that they did to convince other girls what would happen if they didn’t go along.”
Kate was obviously shocked. “Good God, Sam, you think that Mingan and his creeps are pimps? That they are targeting our girls and recruiting them as prostitutes?”
When Sam didn’t answer, Kate began to shake her head. “God, Sam, if that is so, it explains a lot. You know that I have been trying to get close to the girls in Mingan’s gang. To see if I could convince them to stay away from the drugs and the bad boys. But you and I both know that I haven’t made a dent. As for prostitution, no one could be more aware of the danger than I am. It’s as big a scourge on the reservations as drugs and alcohol are. I’m always alert for the signs. But I gotta admit that I never thought that Mingan and his guys were pimps!”
Kate shook her head, dismay shrouding her frowning face. Her frown deepened and she rubbed at her forehead as if to help her sort out the information Sam had dumped on her. “Now that I think about it, I’ve been getting more and more concerned about how ‘sexualized’ the girls in his gang are getting.”
Knowing that she had said more than she’d intended, Sam decided to pull back. “Honestly, Kate, I don’t think that Mingan and his guys are pimps. But I’m concerned about the possible involvement of prostitution in Isabella’s murder. I have a favor to ask. I know that all the girls in the gang are in school today. But would you be willing to invite them here tomorrow, Saturday, so we can talk with them? See if we can pick up any signs that they have been approached by pimps?”
“Of course, Sam. That’s a good idea. But maybe we should do it at my house. And, Chief, maybe it would be better if you just ‘dropped by.’ That way they wouldn’t think my invitation had anything to do with Isabella’s awful murder.”
“Good thinking, Kate. They’ll be more likely to come to your house than here.”
Kate asked thoughtfully, “Have you shared this idea with Jake? About talking to the girls? Will he want to be involved in our meeting?”
Sam shook her head. “No, I don’t think that would work. Jake would be much too intimidating. Besides, even though we are working together to solve Isabella’s murder, these are all Native girls we are talking about. I think it’s important that I work this angle.”
“You’re probably right, Sam. I’ll make it seem as though I’m reaching out to comfort them. Knowing how upset they all have to be at what happened to Isabella, they might actually listen to me for a change. But I won’t lecture them. If anything I’ll just try to get them to talk, to see if I get any sense that prostitution is involved.”
****
Three hours before Jake was scheduled to pick her up for the party, Kate landed at Sam’s house armed with supplies. Sam managed to laugh through her nervousness at the boxes of jewelry, make-up, and hair ornaments her would-be lady-in-waiting brought.
“Good God, Kate, how did you know how woefully empty my girly-girl supply chest is?” Glancing at the overflowing boxes and bags with interest, she confessed, “Believe it or not, I used to use a lot of these things. I’m a primper at heart. And heck, who can resist sparkly eye shadow? It just that once I became a militant feminist, then a police chief, I decided I needed to lighten up on the fancy stuff.”
Kate guffawed. “Honey, in case you don’t know, let me tell you, that amazing dress you bought that shows off your even more amazing body. Even if you wear a bag over your head, you will still be the most gorgeous woman at the party. But you aren’t going to wear a hood. Instead you’re going to let me turn you into the most beautiful woman Jake Justice has ever had on his arm.”
Sam couldn’t help but smile at Kate’s enthusiasm. She didn’t tell her friend that at least according to Jake, she already was the most beautiful woman he’d had on his arm. As for her body, according to the guy who should know, her ass was nothing short of sensational under any circumstances and was positively stunning when spanked. Grinning at her flushed face in the mirror, Sam admitted that the picture she’d sent him last night confirmed that her bare ass was pretty darn sensational, if she did say so herself.
Chapter 27
After rapping on Sam’s door, Jake was taken back when it opened and Will Fleming stood in the entryway. The swarthy man grinned at Jake’s surprise.
“Don’t worry, Commander. I haven’t made off with the police chief. It’s just that my wife and the chief have been holed up in Sam’s bedroom for three hours now. Kate called me. She said I’d be missing the sight of a lifetime if I didn’t see Samantha tonight. I hope you don’t mind my barging in. I guess there’s a voyeur in all of us especially when it comes to beautiful women. Trust me, when you see Sam you’ll know that Kate wasn’t kidding. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It’s not a sight I’ll soon forget.”
Jake managed to squelch a frown. Not wanting to show his possessive irritation about this arrogant man seeming annoyingly at home in Sam’s house and openly ogling his woman, Jake assumed a cool smile. When he’d met him in Sam’s office, Jake felt he knew Fleming, but now he couldn’t get a bead on him. The negative thoughts swirling in his head turned to dust when Sam’s bedroom door opened and she stood in the doorway.
Jake had been stunned by her haunting beauty since the first time he saw her. Looking at Sam now, he realized that he’d only seen her wearing her police chief attire, which consisted of work boots, cargo pants, a t-shirt, and a 9mm Glock. Or naked. Needless to say, both were magnificent. Staring at the vision in front of him, Jake was overcome with emotion. To say that she looked beautiful was akin to calling an erupting volcano a hiccup on the earth’s surface.
Her ankle-length, iridescent white sheathe dress could have been painted on her the way it revealed every hill and valley of her lovely body. Shot through with shards of gold, silver, and turquoise, the shimmering fabric came to life on her slender frame. Cunningly draped and cut low over her lush bosom, it revealed rather than hid her full, high breasts. Jake sucked in a ragged breath seeing the pointed tips pressing against the forgiving material. But it was the way the gown hugged her curvy hips and skimmed over her ass that had him fighting for air.
Focusing on her black hair woven with sparking turquoise, gold, and silver chains, he marveled at the shining mass twisted regally high on her head. Given his height, he’d always appreciated the fact that she was taller than most women, but her frankly sexy, daring high-heeled shoes added impressive inches to her height, bringing her close to his shoulder while emphasizing her long, slender legs.
Staring at her speechlessly for a moment her image blurred. Startled, Jake realized that the moisture welling in his eyes was clouding his vision. He shook his head to dispel the stunned tears and stepped toward her, reaching for her hand. It was then that he became aware of the expression on her beautiful face. He would have thought she was frightened if it weren’t for the excitement undergirding her shy smile.
Pulling her close to him, he tipped up her chin and said, “Samantha Kalani, you are a vision. You truly are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
Jake wasn’t surprised to see the moisture shining in her star
tling azure-hued eyes when Sam smiled up at him. In a tremulous voice she said, “Thank you, Jake. You…you also look wonderful.”
Kate bustled into the room from behind Sam and pinned an admiring glance on Jake’s hand-tailored suit. “The Chief is right about that, Commander Justice. You look good enough to eat.”
Will chimed in. “Make that almost good enough to accompany this gorgeous woman. Hope your barrels are well loaded, Commander. You’re gonna be hard pressed to keep all the hound dogs at bay.”
Jake fought an irrational urge to tell the man leering at Sam to put his fucking tongue back in his mouth. Then admitting that the asshole was right, he forced a tight smile on his lips. “Good advice, man. If anyone is likely to attract a pack of stampeding hound dogs, it is this beautiful woman…of mine.”
He opened the door to his Jag with a flourishing gesture and bent low before assisting her into the car. “God, Samantha, I never thought this car of mine would seem inadequate, but I swear the only mode of transportation worthy of you tonight would be a horse-drawn carriage.”
Sam glanced at Jake’s stunning profile, and gave in to her wonder. How was it possible that she was sitting next to this extraordinary man? For a guarded moment, she allowed herself to absorb his remarkable good looks and powerful presence. She’d been stunned when she first saw him coming toward her and reaching for her hand. Accustomed to the fitted trousers and tailored shirts that he wore on the job, accompanied by his hand-tooled boots and occasional Stetson, Sam was unprepared for his formal attire. She didn’t know enough about men’s high-end fashion to recognize who designed his artfully tailored jacket and trousers, or white, open-collared silk shirt. She only knew that she had never seen a more sophisticated or more handsome man. That he was with her took her breath away.
Looking out the window, she startled at the sight of the imposing mansion sitting high atop a rolling hill. As Jake expertly steered his agile car toward the twisting driveway, fear gripped her chest, making it hard to breathe. She should have been prepared for the ridiculous words that spilled from her lips, but even she was surprised.
“I…I really don’t know people like you, Jake.”
He laughed softly then squeezed her hand. “Hmm, whatever the hell that means, Sam.” Then as if hearing the nervousness in her halting voice, he added, “But I beg to disagree. You know me, Sam, you know Jude and Jared, and tonight you’ll meet Jorden. However, I will admit that all of us brothers are pussies compared to my truly formidable grandfather.” Hearing her gasp, Jake squeezed her hand harder. “I’m teasing you, sweetheart. And yes, I’m aware that you won’t know most of the people at the party tonight, and that has to be intimidating. But trust me, Sam, when you walk into the ballroom tonight it will be as though the heavens are showering us with their light. You, Samantha Kalani Delgado, are quite simply the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I admit that my brothers’ fiancées will provide some competition, but tonight, my lovely princess, the stage is yours.”
Unable to let go of her angst enough to appreciate his glowing tribute, Sam bit her lip to keep it from trembling. In a shaky voice she said, “Don’t misunderstand Jake, You and Jude and Jared, and, of course, Hailey and Sky, are great. But I’m talking about all those other people, the wealthy society men and women you and your family associate with—”
Before she could complete her sentence, Jake jerked the Jag to a halt, throwing a shower of dirt and gravel up behind them. Turning off the engine he reached across the transom and took hold of her shoulders. His voice was soft but firm. “Sam, let it go. I promise you, every misconception you have about ‘my people’ will be dispelled when you meet my grandfather, even though he can be intimidating as hell, and he’s a wealthy man. But he is also the, kindest man you will ever meet. He is everything my brothers and I could aspire to be. We’ve never aimed for anything higher because he truly stands at the pinnacle of honorable men.” A soft smile streaked across Jake’s face as he reached over and pinched her cheek. “However, suffice it to say that when he issues an order we all fight to be first to obey. For example, he told me not to bother coming to the party tonight unless I got off my ass and brought the beautiful woman everyone is raving about.” He chucked her under chin and said with a grin, “The woman that I’m crazy about.”
Easing her through the doorway into the glittering ballroom, Jake was struck by how fragile Sam seemed. Accustomed to the protective, body-shielding clothes she usually wore, her lovely slip of a dress underscored how slender, how delicate she was. He was overcome by an urge to capture her in his arms to protect her from the onslaught of people who had turned and were openly staring at them. Instead, he put his arm around her, letting his hand rest possessively on her hip. He pulled her next to him and drawled, “Prepare for stampeding hound dogs, Samantha. But don’t worry, I’ll beat them off with a stick.”
Fortunately, Jared, closely followed by Jude, broke away from the clearly interested crowd and strode toward them. Jared stared at Sam and emitted a low appreciative whistle. Nodding wide-eyed to Jake, he turned to Sam. “‘Holy fuck, Chief. I gotta admit you fill out a pair of cargo pants in a way I’ve never seen, but this dress? Hell, Chief. You’re fucking amazing!”
Jude closed in on them and shook his head with a grin. “Excuse my brother’s inarticulate but on-target assessment, Sam. But I gotta applaud him for trying. It would take me a few hundred years to tell you how beautiful you look, Samantha.”
Seeing the tall, distinguished man approaching them, accompanied by a beautiful redheaded woman, Sam realized that he must be Jorden, the oldest of the Justice brothers. Given his slate-gray eyes and more formal demeanor, he was the most like Jake. He flashed her a dazzling smile and held out his hand. “Good evening, Chief Delgado, I’m Jorden Justice.” He shook his head with a disbelieving look at Jake. “Your fame preceded you, Chief. I will confess it was hard to believe that all the things being said about you could possibly be true. Let me simply say that you surpass your rave reviews in every sense of the word.” He glanced over at Jake with a satisfied nod. “However, I would be lying if I didn’t say that the most gratifying sight I’ve seen tonight is my brother. I’ve never seen our circumspect, contained commander look like he does tonight. If I had to choose a word, it would be jubilant.” Tugging on the arm of the smiling redhead beside him, Jorden said, “May I introduce my fiancée, who, like you, Chief Delgado, has a name that speaks to her layered personality. Mac, meet Sam.”
Accepting Mac’s hand, Sam relaxed slightly when the other women gave it a little squeeze and winked at her. “Don’t worry, Sam. You truly can survive this. We all have,” she said with a laugh, glancing at Sky and Hailey who were rushing toward them. “But I agree with Jorden. Anyone who can make Jake look like he does tonight can obviously hold her own.” She smiled at Jake and said, “Jubilant is a good word but elated might be even better.”
Jake laughed. “Okay you two, enough.” He pulled Sam closer to him and said, “Although if I had to choose a word—or two, I would say, ‘in awe.’ ”
When Sky and Hailey rushed forward to greet her, Hailey gave her a quick kiss on her cheek and gushed, “Ooh, Sam, this dress! Where did you get it? I’ve never seen anything like it.” Within minutes, all of them were exclaiming over her dress and each other’s beautiful gowns, sharing the names of the shops and designers who created their gorgeous attire. In the excitement, Sam managed not to give into the rush of emotions threatening to overtake her, bolstered by Jake’s strong arm around her and his hand that never left her hip.
At that moment, Jake murmured, “Ah, here is my grandfather now.”
Sam looked over to see a tall, snow white-haired, craggy-faced gentleman approaching them. Although taller and somewhat fiercer looking, his noble, slightly bent bearing reminded Sam of her own grandfather. Nodding to each of the brothers, the elderly man took Mac’s hand in his and bent over to kiss it, whispering a private greeting to her. He did the same to Skylar and then to Hailey. He
nodded to Jake and then focused on her. Sam startled at the frown that creased his weathered brow. She clutched Jake’s arm when the old man’s eyes filled with tears. Her first thought was that he was angry or upset that she was an Indian, the only one she’d seen in the festive gathering. Jake’s tightening grip confirmed that he also was surprised by his grandfather’s tearful expression. He said in a clear voice, “Samantha, I’m pleased to introduce my grandfather, James Justice. We call him the Judge.”
To her surprise, the old man reached for her hand. Grasping it between both of his, he shook his head. When he spoke his voice was surprisingly strong. “Forgive me, Samantha. You took me by surprise. I never thought I would see a more beautiful, more elegant woman than Grace Lighthorse. But you, my dear, are a glorious reminder that her loveliness did not die when she did.”
Shocked at his reference to her mother and her death, Sam felt the tears welling up in her eyes. Gratified when Jake moved closer, holding her more tightly, she nodded to the old man and said as firmly as she could, “I wasn’t aware that you knew my mother, sir. But…uh…thank you. My mother was by far the most beautiful and bravest woman I’ve ever known.”
The Judge seemed to have gotten control of his emotional reaction to her and said firmly, “Yes she was, Samantha, as well as the most graceful. She truly epitomized her name.”
The tall man approaching them from the side of the room nodded to the Judge and spoke carefully. “That she did, Judge.”
Turning to Samantha, he said, “I always told your grandfather, Samantha, that but one example of his profound wisdom was giving your mother that auspicious name.” He bowed slightly to her and fastened her with his startling blue-eyed gaze. “We haven’t met, Samantha. My name is Mitchell Sterling.”