Larkin's Landing_A Tombora Springs Mystery

by SK Wee

  “Morning, sweetheart.” Cal gave me a quick kiss and grabbed a cup of coffee. “What’s going on this morning? You looked like you were deep in thought.”

  “Mmm . . . thinking about how tempted I was to crawl back into bed with you. Not to sleep either.” I gave him my most sensuous leer to which he laughed at.

  “Didn’t you get enough last night, my lustful beauty?” Cal dragged me over to his lap and trapped me between his powerful thighs.

  “Never will I get enough of you, my sexy deputy.”

  “Unfortunately, I have to cut this short, I’m already running late for a meeting over in Salecia. Maybe later, though?” The man already had my blood pumping and now he was leaving.

  “We’ll see if I can fit you in later.” I sniffed as I got unwound from his hold. I knew without a doubt that I would be more than ready by the time he got back to me. I had to smile though when I noticed that he was more than ready to take things further also. He would have an uncomfortable ride to work.

  “Hmm . . . I think I’ll fit in just perfect, sweetheart.” He gave a heavy sigh as he stood to leave. The morning was a bit on the chilly side, and the fresh air might cool him down a little. I walked him out to his car thinking I could use the cool, fresh air also.

  “Hurry back to me, Cal. Please, stay safe.” There wasn’t much crime in the area but I still worried when he went off to work.

  When I went back into the kitchen, Mark was just coming down the stairs. “Morning, Mark. How’s the shoulder and wrist today?”

  “This cast is itching like crazy, I wish I could take it off. But otherwise, I’m doing great, much better than I have a right to. I thought I heard Cal down here, did he leave already?”

  “Yeah, he had an early meeting. How about your boyfriend? Where’s Karl?” I always teased Mark that my boyfriend was bigger and better than his. I think it made him feel more comfortable talking about his relationship. He had kept his love hidden away for so many years I could tell he wanted to talk about his love.

  “Karl didn’t stay the night. He is still working with Ruth to figure out the best way to bring our relationship out into the open. Their son is only six, and they want to make sure they handle everything right.” Mark sat down at the table. This had become our morning routine once Cal and Karl left for work. We would talk about anything and everything. I felt comfortable enough to tell him nearly all my secrets.

  “I’m just glad that Ruth supports his choices. As long as their son sees both of his parents happy, he’ll accept their relationship. Hey, as long as we have time, I made some alterations on Cal’s costume. Will you try it on, once more, to see how it looks?” Cal was quite a bit larger than Mark, but I should be able to get some idea of how it was going to fit on Cal.

  “Again? I swear I think you just want to embarrass me. I look awful in those tights and I can’t imagine that Cal is going to like them either.”

  “Oh, I’m quite sure he isn’t going to like them one bit, but I sure will enjoy the show. And don’t sell yourself short, Mark. You look darn sexy in those tights. I bet Karl wouldn’t mind seeing you wearing them. He wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off you! Hehe!” Mark had turned a lovely shade of red. He still wasn’t used to such talk, but he was smiling.

  “Okay, I’ll try it on. Tell me though, if Cal is going as Batman, are you going as Robin?”

  “I probably should have gone that route, but I wanted Batgirl. The only problem was being forced to order a girl’s size and I had to make some adjustments because the top half wasn’t designed for someone like me. I’ll try it on for you and you can tell me if it looks all right. I trust your judgment.” It was obvious when I first tried the costume on that it was designed for a flat-chested teenage girl. I added some touches but I was still afraid it wouldn’t look nice.

  Once we both got changed, I checked the Batman costume out closely. Mark did look very sexy in the suit. He was such a handsome man though not my type at all. “Hmm, hmm, Mark. It’s too bad you’re taken. Well, how do I look?”

  “I think if there was ever a chance that I would want a woman, you would be it. Wow, Tara! I don’t think you and Cal will ever make it to the party. He’ll never be able to keep his hands and other parts off you.” Mark sounded sincere and when I looked in the mirror, I had to admit that the costume was quite enticing. We still would have the capes, which would hide us from prying eyes.

  We both turned when we heard someone on the stairs. I held my breath hoping it wasn’t Cal coming back already. That would certainly ruin the surprise. But then we heard Karl’s call. “Cool, Mark! Let’s see what he thinks of Cal’s costume.” I stepped out the door to meet Karl. “Hi, Karl. Umm . . . Mark was helping me with a special project I’ve been working on.” I opened the door so he could enter the apartment and his eyes went straight to Mark.

  Blushing brightly, Mark sputtered, “I’m just trying it on so she could see how it will fit for Cal.”

  “Well if he looks even half as good as you do, I would say it was a very good choice.” Karl walked all the way around Mark, looking him up and down. I immediately knew that my presence was no longer wanted or needed.

  “Okay then,” I chuckled. “I’ll leave you two alone, just make sure I get that costume back in one piece, guys.” I wasn’t sure they heard me or not as I closed the door and went back to my apartment to change. I didn’t think I would see either of them the rest of the day. I went down to the restaurant kitchen to find something to eat when the phone rang. I checked the caller ID but it said unavailable, so when I answered, I figured it was a telemarketer and was prepared to hang up.

  “I’m looking for Tara Larkin, is this her?” The voice didn’t sound familiar but it wasn’t the typical recorded voice either.

  “Yes, this is Tara, what can I do for you?”

  “I have some questions relating to your father. It is in your best interests to help me find the answers. Your father has some large debts that need to be paid.”

  “I’m sorry, but I have no father,” I piped in and quickly hung up the phone. I had no idea who my father owed, but I was sure that it was someone that I did not want to know about. I felt a chill go down my spine just thinking about how despicable his business dealings were. I felt uneasy when I realized someone out there knew of his relationship with me. Would they hold me accountable for his debts? Though I didn’t want to burden Fee with these problems, I really needed to talk to her. She, of course, was there within minutes, along with her agent boyfriend. This was one time that I was grateful for his insight though. He had been investigating my father long before I even knew I had one. He might even know who had called and why.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Fee

  When I heard the fear in Tara’s voice, I rushed over to the Landing. Tara was one of the bravest people I knew, even though she wouldn’t ever consider herself so. The phone call she received must have come from one of Pastor Dale’s old criminal acquaintances. Logan might know something about that so I asked him to come along with me. He was basically healed from his gunshot wound but he wanted to spend as much time with me as he could as he did not know when we would find the time again. He was due to report back to work in a week and I was certainly going to miss him.

  We talked about the future, but I didn’t want to rush into anything just because of the baby. I knew without a doubt that Logan was the only man for me, but his work might cause issues down the road and I didn’t want him to have to choose. Having him close or even a phone call away was more than enough for me at this time and I knew that after the baby was born, he or she would become my world. Logan would still have a place but the baby would take center stage.

  My family was now in my corner. Even my father was softening around the edges a little. Karl’s current situation still mortified him, but I believe over time he might come to terms with it. Karl was his oldest and had always held a special place in his heart. I think he felt like Karl had somehow betrayed him. Both my mo
ther and I talked to him and though he was still hanging onto his anger, I could see that he was softening his stance on the whole gay love idea. Even Ruth had tried to smooth his ruffled feathers, which further surprised me. Who would have thought the rigid woman could house so much compassion? I was really wrong about her.

  As Tara put some fresh coffee on, I asked her to try to remember the exact words the man spoke. After she repeated the entire conversation, I turned to Logan, “Can you trace where that call came from? Isn’t there a way we can at least tell if it originated in Las Vegas or around here? I would hate for Tara to keep having to look over her shoulder.”

  “I don’t know what can be done. I can try to contact Nessa as she has some resources available. I still have my hands tied since I’m still on medical leave for another week.” Logan sent a quick text to Vanessa. He thought she was back in DC but wasn’t sure.

  As Logan waited to hear from Vanessa, I turned to Tara. “I noticed Karl’s truck outside. He must be upstairs, huh?”

  “Yes, he stopped by earlier while I was having Mark try on Cal’s costume. I think Karl liked how Mark looked in it. It’s been pretty quiet up there for a couple of hours.” I had to laugh at that. It was still hard to imagine my fanatically religious, uptight brother in such a relationship but I knew he was truly happy for the first time in his life.

  “Well, I guess I won’t go up to say hello, then.” I looked back at Logan when he received a text message and waited to see what he found out.

  “She will try to find out who called but doesn’t have access at the moment. Evidently, she is out in the field but will check it out later. She did mention that I should make sure Tara is safe though. I think she isn’t over her infatuation.” Logan smiled at Tara who looked totally confused. I had never mentioned to her that Vanessa found her attractive.

  “What infatuation? Vanessa has always been very nice to me. Even when I thought she was your wife.”

  “Hmm . . . yes she really liked you.” Logan didn’t try to mask the humor in his tone. “Unfortunately, you didn’t have a clue that she was trying to come on to you. I tried to tell her you would not be interested.” When I looked at Tara I could see the message sunk in. She really hadn’t a clue that Vanessa wanted much more than friendship.

  “Cal suits you much better, don’t you think?” I asked.

  “Ah . . . yeah. He has all the right parts and they suit me to a tee. I guess I’m just surprised that a beautiful, sophisticated lady like Vanessa would be interested in someone like me.”

  “Well, she seemed to think you had all the right parts for her.” Logan was laughing now. “I can’t believe you never caught on to her flirtation.”

  “I guess I was too busy trying to figure out what she saw in an ass like you, Logan.” Tara smiled sweetly at Logan. I knew that she liked him, but it wasn’t that long ago that she found him very suspicious.

  “Tara, have you eaten? Let’s see what I can get together for dinner. I bet the guys will be hungry if they ever come up for air. I know I’m starving, but I’m always hungry lately.” I smiled at them as I rubbed my expanding waistline. I was six months pregnant now and seemed to eat for even more than two. Logan got up also, he loved to help me cook. I decided we would stay with Tara until Cal came back so he would know there might be some danger. I hoped that it was some random call but felt it was more serious than that. The events of the last few months had taught me that things could get dangerous quite quickly and we should try to be prepared.

  By the time we got dinner ready, Mark and Karl had made their way downstairs. Both looked hungry, and Mark’s face turned red with embarrassment when he realized that we probably knew what they had been doing. Karl didn’t seem to mind at all as he flashed a contented grin at us. He seemed happy and relaxed.

  “Mark, you didn’t ruin the costume, did you? Where did you put it?” Tara looked from Mark to Karl.

  “Umm . . . I needed to wash it, Tara. I’ll get it back to you tomorrow. I’m sorry but I think it’s good as new.” Mark looked rather sheepish, and I don’t think anyone wanted to ask how he got it dirty to begin with. Karl had a satisfied smirk on his face, though.

  As I started to bring some of the dirty dishes into the kitchen, I noticed a set of car headlights outside the window. I turned on the back porch light and was relieved to see it was Cal. Once he got inside, I quickly found him a plate and sat back down with the others at the table. Tara told him about the phone call, and Logan went over what he knew of the remaining contacts who might have issues with the pastor.

  Logan didn’t add anything I didn’t already know, but I could tell knew more but was unwilling to divulge the information in front of the rest of us. I suggested that they go into the office to talk while we finished cleaning up. They both jumped at the idea, and Logan gave me his look of appreciation. He probably couldn’t think of a polite way to say, ‘leave us alone so we can talk business.’ Logan’s polite skills were definitely lacking.

  Tara and I started to clean while Karl and Mark went back upstairs. We talked about other things. Logan’s father and stepmother were coming to visit, and I was a little stressed out about that. It was my great idea to invite my parents over while they were in town and now I regretted that plan. It was going to be hard enough meeting Logan’s family without having my judgmental father glaring at them. Logan had nothing good to say about his stepmother, who was only three years older than he was.

  “I’m sure you’ll do just fine, Fee. You always seem to put everyone at ease. I sure don’t know what I would have done without you this past year. I know a few other people that feel the same way. Just be yourself, you don’t need to impress anyone.”

  “You’re right, of course. I just want all my baby’s grandparents to get along and I really don’t ever want to feel uncomfortable around any of them.” I decided to take Tara’s advice. For the first time in my life I truly felt comfortable in my own skin and if they thought I wasn’t good enough, well, it didn’t really matter what they thought.

  Logan was fairly quiet the rest of the evening and I knew better than to ask any questions. He would tell me what he could, and I needed to trust he was doing all he could to keep Tara safe. I had a feeling he had some idea about who the caller was and they certainly had ways to track these people.

  The following afternoon I met Leo and Tiffany Summerton, Logan’s father and stepmother. Leo was the prime example of a wealthy attorney while Tiffany fit the mold of the typical trophy wife. A stunning redheaded beauty who was at least three inches taller than me. She was dressed in a beautiful traveling suit though it looked like it just came from the cleaners. They drove up in a shiny, royal blue Mercedes, which they must have rented at the airport, and parked alongside my eight-year-old Suburu Outback. Not a good comparison at all, but I refused to feel outclassed.

  Leo had the lake home built many years ago but it had gone to his first wife in the divorce, and when she died a few years ago, the home went to Logan. He was Leo’s only son, though Tiffany had produced a daughter shortly after they were married. Logan’s half-sister, Crystal, was twelve and enrolled at a private boarding school in New York. Logan tried to keep in contact with her and stopped by there whenever he could.

  We had a small dinner that evening, and though Leo seemed warm and friendly, Tiffany was anything but. I could feel her condescending attitude throughout the whole evening but I simply smiled and sucked it up. Her treatment of Logan was the complete opposite as she tried to portray the mushy mom, which was ridiculous to watch. I was really beginning to dread the following day, which would include my parents into the mix.

  When we went to bed, Logan smiled and tried to hold in his laughter. “You are magnificent, absolutely magnificent. Without saying a single word, you made her look like a total fool. She came off looking vain and petty while you were nothing but gracious and welcoming. I don’t know what my father sees in the witch, but he even gave her some angry looks.” Logan wrapped his strong arms a
round me and held me close. I was beginning to realize how much I had come to care for this man. He was so different than anyone I had ever met and totally perfect for me.

  “Well, I was a little worried, but I took Tara’s advice and just stayed true to myself. I have to tell you that I’m not looking forward to tomorrow, but I am who I am. Even though I might appear calm, cool, and collected I really did feel some stress through the evening, and I could use one of your nice, relaxing massage treatments.” Even before I finished talking, Logan had my clothes off and was leading me to the bed. He worked the muscles right between my shoulder-blades so perfectly that it felt like heaven. Of course, what always came after the massage was pure bliss.

  As we lay catching our breath a little later, something registered in my memory. “Logan, your last name isn’t Tate, is it? Is your first name even Logan?” I knew he played the role of Logan Tate when I first met him, but I never wondered what his true identity was.

  “My legal name is Logan Summerton, but my mother took back her maiden name of Tate after the divorce. I actually could lay claim to either. Which one do you like better?” It seemed so strange to think of him other than Logan Tate. I was happy that he didn’t have a different first name.

  “I rather prefer Tate.”

  By the time I woke up the following morning, Logan was showered and working on breakfast. I was actually the last to wake up. I received a slight smirk from Tiffany, but Leo smiled warmly and told me to get all the rest I could before the baby because I wouldn’t get much afterward.

  “That’s so sweet, Leo. I must admit that I’m getting so excited about losing that sleep. With nearly three months to go, I don’t know how I’m going to wait.” During breakfast, Logan received a couple of texts. When I looked at him he didn’t seem worried so I assumed everything was still okay. He knew how concerned I was about Tara and I was sure that he would let me know if something was wrong.