by D J Small
“To help you out, I make close to three—sometimes four—thousand a week. Using the lower end of the fee scale, take out thirty-five percent. Multiply that by twenty and you get the VC’s profit.”
Eliza was terrible at math, but she went along with it. “Okay, but I’ve seen how you live. It’s not like you’re hurting or anything.”
“I’m a freelancer, remember? The only person who gets to take money from me is Uncle Sam. I was using my income as an example,” Dax pointed out with a smile.
“Okay,” Eliza said. She rolled her eyes. “So you’re protesting an unfair pay scale, a typical story, but if I remember correctly, you’re thinking about joining Pleasure Inc., and Simon was in the middle of joining them too.”
“Yes,” Dax said after taking a sip of bourbon. “Because we needed more money, and we were planning to pilfer their clients.”
Eliza nodded in understanding. “That explains why someone would have it out for you.”
“Not someone,” Dax corrected. “Veronica.”
Eliza jerked her head back. “I’m sorry, what? Yeah, she’s an irritating pain in the ass, but she doesn’t seem to have a motive for wanting to kill Angelique and Simon, or go after you. It makes even less sense when you consider the fact you have nothing to do with Pleasure Inc.”
Dax pointed at her. “Exactly, but I’m about to tell you something interesting.”
He paused, and Eliza narrowed her eyes at his dramatics.
“You are no fun. Angelique and Veronica had an argument the week before she was killed about lowering the percentage that Veronica is taking out of the staff’s earnings. You see, unlike other firms, Veronica owns Pleasure Inc. outright. She’s some heiress, or whatever, that decided to open a firm. It’s not like she actually needs the money, but she has this stupid delusion where she thinks she can turn sex work into a fast food chain or something. Angelique wasn’t going to be a part of it. She quit the day of their argument and told Veronica that she was going to open her own firm.”
“Okay...” Eliza now saw a possible motive for Veronica killing Angelique, but one major question remained. “Why Simon?”
Dax shrugged. “I’m not certain. Veronica knew Angelique was close to us, but I don’t think she knew that we were going to join her in creating a firm. What I can tell you is that Angelique brought in some serious money for Pleasure Inc. If you think Veronica would let her get away without a fight, then you are sorely mistaken.”
Eliza leaned her hip against the island and folded her arms over her chest as she fell into a deep thought. Veronica hadn’t raised any flags when she and Billy had run a check on her. She was a vocal atheist, and because of her views, she had engaged in many arguments with religious trolls on social media. Another eye-catching fact about Veronica was her father, who was famed multi-billionaire Franklin Hillbrand. The man owned everything from airplanes to energy companies to a chain of grocery stores, so Dax was right about her not needing the money.
The only thing that had been off-putting about Veronica was that she was a cold and indifferent ball-buster, but nothing about the woman gave off the vibe that she could be a murderer. She had also been cooperative in providing Eliza and Billy with the information they had requested, and she had done it with very little complaint.
Eliza frowned. “Do you know how she got into your field?”
Dax stood up and walked to the refrigerator. “No. I know she had a few failed businesses before opening Pleasure Inc., but other than that I don’t know much about her.” He opened the freezer door and chuckled. “Angelique called her a spoiled brat with too much money.”
Eliza hummed as she began to formulate a plan to dig deeper into Veronica’s history.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Dax asked, “Dessert?” He held up a white container with a hopeful expression on his face.
“Sure,” Eliza answered, surprising them both.
“Wow,” Dax said as he let the freezer door close. “I was expecting more of a fight from you.”
Eliza smirked. “Well, who can say no to dessert?”
Dax chuckled. “And you would be a fool to say no to this dessert. The shop that makes this ice cream only makes small batches, and it is so damn delicious that they typically run out by four.” He went over to one of the cabinets, and Eliza’s eyebrow went up as he pulled down three bowls.
“Who’s the third bowl for?”
Dax glanced at her over his shoulder and remarked, “Detective, how rude of you to forget Officer Lin! He was helpful in getting me everything I needed for tonight’s dinner, so he gets a bowl.”
Of course he had been; Dax couldn’t leave the house. She shook her head. “You have to stop using the officers as your personal assistants. That’s not what they’re here for.”
Dax got a cup and moved to the faucet, turning it on and running his fingers under the water as it warmed up. “I’m not using them as my personal assistants. I insisted on doing everything myself, but you police types are unmoving when it comes to those you’re trying to protect.”
“Because we’re trying to save your life. Are you complaining?” Eliza questioned. She felt her lips twitch as she tried not to smile.
Dax held up his dry hand as he filled up the cup with hot water. “Not at all, Detective. I’m just saying this limited movement is going to grow old, and quite fast.”
Eliza understood his grievance, but restricting him to the house was a necessary evil. She watched Dax as he retrieved an ice-cream scoop from one of the kitchen drawers, dipped it into the cup, and began to scoop ice cream out of the container.
“I know you want to get back to living your life, Dax, and I’m going to do everything possible to make sure it happens sooner rather than later.”
“I know you will, Detective,” he said, flashing her a quick smile. “I’m just getting a little cabin fever.”
Dax put one more scoop into the first bowl, then called out, “Jian, come get some sugar.” He grinned at Eliza, and she rolled her eyes in mock irritation.
“Dax,” Officer Lin said as he walked back to the kitchen, “I am married, and in front of the detective?”
Dax waved off the remark before putting a spoon into the bowl. “Detective Miller has heard worse, and your adorable husband would tell you to accept the tease and take the delicious ice cream I’m offering you.”
Officer Lin chuckled and accepted the bowl. “If I get a fat ass, I’m blaming you.”
“No, you won’t. I’ll take your sexy ass to the gym to make sure you stay in shape.” Dax countered as he went back to scooping out ice cream. “Can you give the detective and I the first floor?”
“Sure thing. Gotta do a check upstairs anyway.” Officer Lin held up his bowl. “Thanks for dessert.”
Dax smiled at him. “Thank you for getting it, and everything else.”
Once Officer Lin had left the kitchen, Eliza pointed at Dax and whispered, “Stop flirting with the officers! Especially the married ones.”
The placating smile Dax gave her in response told Eliza he wasn’t going to do so.
“So, you’ve gotten to know him?”
“I have,” Dax said, the smile remaining on his face. “We’re cooped up in here for so many hours a day, how can I not?”
“Okay, you have a point,” Eliza said as she watched Dax put ice cream into the other two bowls.
He chuckled. “Don’t sound too thrilled about it, Detective.” When he was done and had placed spoons in the bowls, Dax put away the ice cream, then picked up the two dishes and gestured to the kitchen doorway with his head. “Let’s go in the den so I can learn everything about you.”
“We’re not doing that,” Eliza said with a disapproving grunt as she followed him out of the kitchen.
“Why not?” Dax asked as they walked to the den. “You know practically everything about me, but I don’t know a thing about you. I think it is only fair that you share a little.”
They entered the den, and Dax gave E
liza her bowl. She sat down on the couch that was against the right wall of the room, while he went over to the fireplace and flipped the switch that turned it on.
“I only know what I do know because I had to investigate you.”
Dax sat down on the other side of the couch and countered, “I also gave you some of that information.”
Eliza put some ice cream on her spoon and ate it. The smooth, creamy texture of the frozen strawberry treat filled her mouth. Dax had been right; the ice cream was amazing. “God, this is delicious,” Eliza said once she had swallowed.
“Told you.” Dax ate a spoonful of his own ice cream and moaned softly. A wicked smirk came to his face. “The best thing you will ever have in your mouth.”
Eliza pointed her spoon at him. “If you want to know anything about me, you will hold the comment that I know is sitting on the tip of your tongue to yourself.”
Dax swallowed dramatically and gave her a bright smile. “Comment has been held. Now, tell me more about the enigmatic Detective Miller.”
Eliza shook her head as she scooped more ice cream onto her spoon. She didn’t want to have this conversation with Dax. It toyed with the confusing emotions she was already battling, but Dax’s eagerness to know more about her made her cave, and for the moment, Eliza stopped fighting the feelings that confused her. “What do you want to know?” she asked. She ate some more ice cream, thinking it would give her some time before she had to answer whatever inappropriate question Dax planned to lob at her.
“What made you join the force?”
Amazed, Eliza stared at him wide-eyed. The question wasn’t crass; he had asked it with genuine interest, and now he patiently waited for her response. It took a few seconds for Eliza’s brain to catch up. “Wow, um...I wasn’t expecting that.”
“What? My question?”
Eliza nodded, and a mischievous smile tugged at the corners of Dax’s mouth. “Detective, I am capable of holding a polite conversation. If you are wanting a more stimulating discussion, say the word and I will give you it...and more.”
“And...there is the Dax I’ve come to know,” Eliza said, drawing out the first word and tilting her head back a little.
Dax chuckled. “I must admit, being inappropriate is like breathing for me. You have been warned.”
Eliza chuckled with him. “I’m sure I was warned several times before.” The two of them calmed down, and she ate some more ice cream before answering. “I joined because of my dad. He was a cop too.”
“Ah, the family business.”
Eliza nodded. “Sort of. I’m the only one of his kids that joined the force. When I was younger, I saw how tough the job was on him, but there were times where he would tell us about helping people, or giving some family peace, and the sincerity in his eyes was something I wanted to feel too. I wanted to help people like he did.”
“That’s a wonderful reason,” Dax said gently. “I know it’s not a glorious job, but what you officers and detectives do, it’s a big deal.” He stirred his ice cream. “How far did he go?”
Eliza drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. His response was another reason why she didn’t want to open up to Dax. He was easy to talk to, and the two of them seemed to fall into a comfortable exchange that had her forgetting her duty as an officer—as well as who Dax was. Which was something she couldn’t afford to do, but it was too late now that she had shared with him. “He made it to first-grade detective, and that’s where he stayed until he retired a few years back.”
“Wow, I thought he would have been higher up.” He ate some of his ice cream before he added, “It’s a little surprising.”
Eliza looked at him, tilting her head. “Why?”
Dax shrugged. “You’re intense about your job; so intense it’s a little scary. I thought if he were higher up on the chain it would explain why you’re so serious about it.”
“I’m serious about it because my job has some extreme consequences, Dax,” Eliza countered, a frown appearing on her face. “What I do is life or death; not just for me, but also for the people of this city.”
Dax cringed. “I know. I didn’t mean for that to come out like it did. You’re very career driven, that’s all I meant by it.” His eyes took on a serious expression. “I know the consequences of your job, Eliza.”
The intensity of his gaze caused her breathing to falter, and Eliza cleared her throat. “Well, my dad is the reason why I’m so career-driven.”
“Oh?”
Eliza nodded. “Yeah, he wants me to get higher than he did.” She smiled. “He’s a family guy. I don’t think he regrets the career sacrifices that he made to be there for us and Mom, but I think he wanted to get higher up in the chain, so I’m determined to get there for the both of us.”
A tender smile spread across Dax’s face. “You are an amazing daughter, and your dad sounds like an admirable man.”
Eliza returned the smile, and they held each other’s gaze a moment longer.
Dax was the one to break it when he turned to place his bowl on the table next to the couch. “You mentioned siblings; how many do you have?”
Eliza groaned and let her head fall back against the couch. “Too damn many.” Dax laughed at the comment, and she joined him. As their laughter subsided, she said, “I have four brothers and one sister.”
Dax’s eyes popped out of his head. “People still have that many children? Damn.”
Eliza grinned at his reaction and couldn’t help but to blow his mind a little more. “Oh, it gets better. I have seven nieces and nephews, and one on the way.” She chuckled. “And I don’t think we’re done yet.”
“Holy shit!” Dax shouted.
Eliza tried not to laugh, but she couldn’t hold it in.
“I mean, I know families were huge back in the day, but it’s almost unheard of now.” Dax shook his head. “Incredible.”
Eliza let her hand fall to the empty cushion between them. “Yeah, it’s a lot—we take up two rooms at my parents’ house for Sunday dinner—but I love them. I wouldn’t trade my family for anything in the world.”
The shocked expression remained on Dax’s face, and Eliza chuckled quietly to herself. The size of her family wasn’t a big deal for her; it was her life, and she had lived with it for thirty-two years. “What about you? What’s your family like?”
Dax smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Nothing like yours, however, that is a second-dinner question.”
Something had shifted in their conversation, but what it was, Eliza didn’t know. Dax’s demeanor remained light, and the smile was still on his face, but his tone seemed off, almost distant. She studied him for a moment, then decided to let it go for now.
Before she could continue the conversation, her cell phone started to ring. She grimaced and pulled it out of her pocket. “Sorry. I’m sure it’s Billy.”
Dax waved her off. “Don’t worry about it. Take your call, and I’ll put our bowls in the kitchen and put away dinner.” He collected their ice cream bowls and left the room right as she answered the call.
“Hey, Billy.”
“Miller, we got another murder. It’s a sex worker,” Billy said, not bothering to mince his words.
“Shit!” Eliza got up from the couch. “Do you have any details?”
Billy sighed in her ear. “You got to get over here. I don’t want to say too much over the phone.”
“Yeah, sure. Let me get the address.” Billy gave it to her, and she said, “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
She ended the call, and when she turned to leave the den, Eliza stopped short. Dax stood in the doorway, holding her coat. “Problem?”
Eliza continued to make her way out of the room and said, “I have to leave. Something has come up.”
“‘Something’?” Dax questioned as he handed Eliza her coat and let her by. He followed her into the foyer. “Something to do with your case regarding Angelique and Simon, or something else?”
Eliza frowned
as he helped her with her coat. Despite their rollercoaster of an evening, it had been an enjoyable one. For it to end this abruptly was a shame, and Eliza didn’t want to mar it with a dark cloud by telling Dax another sex worker had been killed.
“I’m not sure. Billy didn’t give me too many details,” she said as she slipped into her coat. The answer wasn’t a complete lie.
Dax hummed. “I see. In that case, you go and do what you have to, Superwoman, and be careful.”
Eliza turned around and gave him a small smile. A warm sensation formed in the pit of her stomach, but she did her best to ignore it. “Thank you for dinner.”
Dax took a gentle hold of her hand and lifted it to place a soft kiss on her knuckles, holding her gaze as he slowly lowered it. “Anytime, Eliza. Thank you for the company.”
The feeling in her stomach blossomed into something that felt like butterflies, and Eliza tensed up. She cleared her throat. “I have to go.” Not bothering to wait for a response, she rushed out of the house and hurried to her car. Once she was in it, she dropped her head on the steering wheel and groaned.
Her stupid feelings and Dax’s stupid personality were starting to have a bigger effect on her. She was possibly becoming attracted to him. Eliza groaned again. There were so many problems with that.
Exhaling a frustrated breath, she sat up and started her car. On the plus side, if this murder was connected to Angelique’s and Simon’s, it would absolve Dax, since he was in protective custody. The thought provided Eliza with slight relief.
9
Eliza stared at the townhouse down the street. An exhausted sigh escaped her, and the ball of dread taking up residence in her stomach worsened. Hours had passed since she had left Dax to go to the apartment of her and Billy’s latest victim, and now she was back with bad news. News that would undoubtedly have an effect on Dax. Hell, this victim had a big effect on her.