Blood Money (Bad Money #1)

by Ali Parker

  Was she a good Samaritan? Just there to help while he bled to death? Did Adam know her? Did he seek her out?

  "That's ridiculous," Jon mumbled. His mom reached over and popped him, as a few people around them turned to look back at him. "Sorry."

  He glanced toward his mother and shrugged, his thoughts making their way out for all to hear. Jon focused on the choir, trying to keep himself locked in the present. His desire to know what this woman looked like tugged him away again. His partner on the force said she was gorgeous, a looker for sure.

  That didn't matter, but it wouldn't hurt anything either. He hadn't paid much attention to anyone for the last few years. Climbing to the top of the ladder at the police station was all that mattered. He bled his lust out in the gym, working his body to fatigue day in and day out.

  Whether or not the girl was attractive was irrelevant. He needed to find his brother's killer and she was either it, or knew something about it. Something inside of him purred at the truth of his thoughts.

  "Do you want to come to the house and have lunch with me?" Jon's mother reached for the umbrella, taking it from him as they walked to the car. He bumped his head on it a few times before taking it back and grumbling at her.

  "I can't. I have to meet Seth." He stopped by her car and reached out to touch her arm. "Mom, I need to talk to you about something."

  "Is it Adam again? That boy never stops getting in trouble. He has to know that God is saddened by his actions."

  "I don't know about all that, but he was in a shooting last night."

  "Oh no. Did he kill someone?" His mother lifted her hand to her face, her eyes wide, fingers over her thin lips.

  "No mom. Someone was shooting at him. I think he got wrapped up in drugs and owed someone money."

  "Was he hit?" She paled visibly. "Is he in the hospital?"

  "He didn't make it, mom." Jon reached out and touched her arm as she wavered. "Let me take you home."

  "No. I'm going to be fine. I just need to process this. I knew he was due punishment for his actions. I just kept praying that God would give him another chance."

  "Mom, I'm pretty sure that God doesn't punish people by offing them. This was just some really bad guys looking for their money."

  "Of course God does. Your brother got what was coming to him. If he just would have repented." The first sign of tears was welcomed. Jon reached out and hugged her, not willing to fight about it.

  She and her condemning Jesus were half the reason his brother ran away from home so early. He could never do right, never measure up. The God his mother knew was nothing like the one Jon studied in the Bible as a boy or debated with the guys on the force about. She had it all wrong, but no one would tell her that. It would be a waste of time and breath.

  "I love you. I'll call you later. You sure you're going to be okay?"

  "My baby died a long time ago, Jon. I haven't seen Adam in three or four years." She wiped the tears from her eyes. "He's in a better place for sure, at least I hope he is."

  "I'm sure he is, mom. Call if you need me." Jon turned and swallowed his response to her words. He didn't stop by or call much because she had turned her faith into a weapon, a sword that sliced deep and took no prisoners.

  It wasn't Adam he was worried about ending up in heaven and knowing God. It was his mom.

  "So, how did it go?" Seth leaned back in the booth they sat in, his soda in his hand, a pensive look on his face.

  "Much better than I thought it would. I guess I expected her to lose her shit or act like she cared a little."

  "Your sixty-something-year-old mother didn't care that your baby brother got murdered last night?" Seth raised his eyebrow and snorted. "That's fucked up, dude."

  "She's a little off sometimes. I think it will hit her later." Jon picked up the menu as the waitress approached, the girl thin and far too young to be sporting such little clothing.

  "Hi boys. What can I get you?"

  "I'll have a burger, plain and dry. Side of ketchup and fries." Seth smiled up at the girl, Jon giving him a look to tell him to cut that shit out. He was eying her like she was something to bend over the nearest counter.

  "I'll have a turkey sandwich. Hold the mayo and I'll take a cup of soup. Whatever you guys recommend is fine." Jon lifted the menu without looking at her. The weight of her stare pressed against him, but he ignored her until she sighed softly and walked off.

  "What the fuck, dude? That girl totally wanted to spread it for you."

  "Seth. Come on, man. I'm not interested in boning some sixteen-year-old chick who's probably high on meth in a diner in the shitty side of town."

  "You think she's on drugs?"

  "Did you see how thin she was? That wasn't normal 'take care of your body' thin. She's on something."

  "Shit. That's nasty."

  "Give me the file on the girl involved in Adam's death and stay out of my sex life. It's none of your damn business." He smiled and reached for the file a little too fast.

  Seth jerked it back and laughed before handing it over. "Get ready for this. She's as hot as hell. No thin druggie here. She's got thick curves and long black hair."

  "Shut the fuck up." Jon took the file and opened it, moving the girl’s picture to the back before really giving it attention. He wanted to see what her history was, wanted to know her before assigning any features to her.

  "Okay buddy. I'm just saying. You might want to pop an ass or two before you go prancing in there." Seth tapped his fingers on the table. "I'm thinking about stopping by to ask her a few questions this week before you come onto the case."

  Jon looked up and shook his head. "No. This is my case. You're here only because we're assigned to one another. Let her go this week without anything from us. I want her to be calm and collected when I pop in next Sunday and bust up her world."

  "Good luck buddy."

  "Have you seen her?"

  "Yeah, the night at the police station. She was pale and shaken, covered in dirt and blood and I still got a hard on. I'm serious about how hot she is."

  "When this is over and she's in jail, you can go stick your dick through the bars and give her a good time." Jon smiled and looked back down. "Oh wait... it wouldn't reach her. Never mind."

  Seth reached over and swatted at him, Jon moving back and laughing as the waitress stopped by and delivered their food. She leaned over toward Jon, her shirt opening to show the creamy white tops of her small breasts, copper hair draped around her thin shoulders.

  "You need anything else?"

  "Nope." Jon looked away from her, pulling out the history page of the girl’s file.

  "He's gay, pretty girl. No worries though. You're beautiful. Just find someone else to spend your energy on." Seth smirked as Jon looked up at him.

  "Oh. I'm so sorry. I didn't know." The girl giggled.

  "It's all right. I was wondering when my boyfriend here was going to speak up. He's so jealous all the time." Jon nodded toward Seth as his friend's face colored pink. The girl laughed again and walked off.

  "Fuck you," Seth barked, picking up his burger.

  "Not my type, baby, but thanks for the offer." Jon reached over and stole a fry before reading a little out loud. "All right, so Miss Kate Jarret is twenty-seven years old. Black hair and brown eyes. Five foot, five inches. Weighs about a hundred and thirty pounds."

  "Hot."

  "She's been to jail three times, twice for drugs and once for attempted manslaughter. In halfway houses and foster homes for most of her later teenage years. Marked as aggressive, violent and highly trained in defense techniques."

  "Oh my God. Can you imagine her trying to kick your ass and you end up fucking from the passion?" Seth took a big bite of his burger, groaning loudly.

  "Come on, dude. Get your head out of the gutter and stop making those sounds. You almost made me lose my appetite." Jon put the page down and pulled his plate closer, looking to his left as he stirred his soup and continued to read up on her. "She's a piece of
work. I wouldn't be at all surprised if she was the hitman. She was linked to Billy Turner, who was one of the biggest drug lords in this city a few years back."

  "Not anymore."

  "Yeah. Thanks to you." Jon looked up and smirked. "I still don't know how you knew where to find that mother fucker. You had to have someone on the inside helping you."

  "I'll never tell."

  Jon moved the papers around, pushing them into the center of the table with his free hand until he got to her picture. He picked it up as his stomach tightened. "Damn... she is beautiful."

  "I told you. Look at that pouty look on her mouth and those eyes." Seth groaned and set his burger down. "Her look says, 'fuck me until you’re too tired to move and then I'll finish milking your cock for both of us'."

  "I don't know. I think the look is more than that. Looks like a cry for love. For someone to come and rescue her." Jon put the picture down, pulling a few other pages over it so he didn't have to see her again just yet. "Probably a ploy. Women like her know how to use everything they have, including their sexuality to get men to do anything, just for the promise of a night with them."

  "I understand that totally. I would do just about anything to have her beneath me."

  Jon grumbled, leaning over to blow at his soup. Something whispered across his senses that his response would be very similar to Seth's if he wasn't careful.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Kate

  One Week Later

  The smoky air was tainted with violet hues from the strobe lights that swirled above the floor, their only purpose to offer coverage for the less than attractive folk. It was the simple technique of diversion and Kate knew that her revenues rested on people's ability to get drunk, get sweaty and get laid. They were more than ready and able to twist reality just enough that most people ended the night checking off all three boxes.

  The sea of bodies from the dance floor meshed together, creating a large living organism of sorts, the passion and feeling oozing off it and beckoning all that passed by to come and live a little. A smirk touched Kate's lips as a handsome boy with hair the color of night reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her against his strong body as he smiled down at her.

  "I've been waiting all night for you," he whispered against her hair.

  "You must be mistaken. We don't know each other." She leaned back and touched his lips before he could speak again. She needed to check in with Marcus to ensure that he had all he needed for the busy night ahead of them. "Shhhh... go have fun with someone you have a chance with."

  Jeffery was behind the bar, throwing a bottle in the air as several people cheered him on. His smile was infectious, his eyes full of life. He had taken a hit off of Marcus's latest shipment, and where she should be angry, she was a bit more jealous due to her inability to find time to slip into the hazy world of the high provided.

  Drugs were part of the deal and where she mostly kept her nose clean, Marcus and his boys didn't. Crime was a well-worn coat, comforting and quick to fulfill needs. The drugs were only sold on the south side of town and she didn't stand for any of them dealing in her club. He caught her eye and winked, his long blond hair making him seem far too feminine in her opinion.

  She turned and put her hands on her hips, her eyes moving across the floor. The cops hadn't bothered her much over the last week outside of the normal warning that they were watching her closely. They always had and always would. The labs had come back on Adam, and her weapon was deemed not having been the murder weapon, so she was clear until more discovery took place.

  Energy rushed through the air as the latest techno song filled the club. Hands shot up as the patrons bounced and jumped. The acoustics in the club were spot on, the light furry black material on the walls absorbing the negative and expounding the positive back into the waiting ether. If only she could melt into the crowd and forget everything.

  Turning and moving toward the bar, she stopped beside a large group of girls who were ogling over Jeffery. He turned his attention to her, a quirky smile lifting his lips.

  "Hey." Her eyes moved to make a quick count of the bottles behind him before turning her attention fully on him. "I just wanted to make sure you had what you needed for the evening."

  He nodded. "We're good, but you might want to ask Marcus if we need anything for later. He was taking inventory in the back."

  "Ahhh... I was wondering where he slipped off to."

  "You look good tonight." Jeffery leaned against the bar and laughed as she rolled her eyes.

  "I'm not giving you a raise."

  "How about a date?"

  "Nope. Get busy and stop dicking around." She winked and turned to walk to the back of the club. She opened the large black door at the back of the room, her key one of three she had made. Too much money sitting just beyond the reach of greedy hands. She moved in, listening for the door to lock behind her before walking toward the sound of Marcus humming something.

  His usual attire consisted of black slacks, shiny black shoes and a black shirt of some sort. Tonight was no different. He turned and looked over his shoulder, a smile brushing across his lips.

  "Boss?"

  "Do you have everything you need for tonight? Saturdays are nuts, as I know you know."

  "Are you offering me something, Katie?" He set his clipboard down and walked toward her, stopping in front of her and reaching out to touch the side of her face.

  She laughed sardonically. "No, you'll know when I'm offering. Answer my question. I have too much to do for your bantering tonight."

  "How about after work? Close the club at three and get high with me? It's been a while."

  She moved around the room, touching various boxes. "Only liquor in here, right? You know I don't want that shit in my house."

  "I know, boss." He reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward him. He slipped an arm around her and looked down, his gaze growing dark. "You need a release. Let's smoke a little and fuck like rabbits. Let me take care of you."

  She pressed her hands to his strong chest and looked up at him, the dark teardrop tattoos on his right cheek making him scary as hell to most, but she knew the guy underneath them. He bent down and brushed his lips across hers, his large hand cupping her butt as he pulled her closer.

  "You need it. Let me give it to you." He kissed her again, his face smooth and smelling of aftershave. She slid her hands along his face and leaned into the kiss. He could fuck like no one she had ever met, his body big and built for fighting or hard sex. She kissed him once more and moved back, licking at the sweet taste of peppermint he left on her lips.

  "Yeah. I need to forget who I am for the night."

  "I like who you are, Katie."

  "It's Kate. You don't forget who I am." She glanced over her shoulder. "Lust and drugs... that's all I've got to give. You sure you want it?"

  He smiled, a deep laugh leaving him. "I couldn't handle much more from you. That alone is overwhelming."

  "Good. Let's keep it that way." She turned and moved back down the hall, her body aching for the night to end so his promises could begin. It had been a few months since she'd given herself over to him last. Namely because they had been too busy, but even more so because she hadn't wanted him to leave after the last time they slept together. She wanted him to stay and sleep next to her, cook breakfast and shit.

  She shuddered at the thought of falling in love with someone that couldn't reciprocate it. No way. She would have to watch herself more closely.

  Loving someone was the easiest way to lose them. They would leave, or death would come knocking.

  It always did.

  The rest of the evening went off without a hitch, the crowd staying until the last call for alcohol came over the speakers. Kate stood near the front door, her arm pressed against the cool glass as she peered out. The streets were almost as busy as the club, the patrons stoked about Mardi Gras coming up that following week.

  "Only three more days until the all night e
vent. You excited?" Beth moved up beside her, crossing her arms over her chest. The blond middle-aged woman had joined them just before Christmas, her accounting and organizational skills masterful. Kate couldn't count the number of times Beth had saved her money by adjusting their schedules or consolidating their liquor orders.

  "Excited? Fuck no. This place is a mad house. Look at it." She moved back to give the other woman room to look out into the streets through the tinted glass.

  "People love a party. I'm not surprised at all."

  "I am. It's Saturday. Mardi Gras isn't even until Tuesday."

  "Yeah, but we're in the heart of New Orleans, Kate. People are coming from all over the world to see this thing."

  "It's a drunk orgy. I wouldn't pay to fly somewhere and stay in a hotel to smell vomit and be desensitized by titties." Kate laughed and turned as Marcus walked up.

  "Someone say titties?"

  Kate laughed again as Beth swatted at him. "I'm out. You guys are so vulgar."

  "I was being sensitive to your lovely ears." Marcus winked at the portly woman before turning to Kate. Beth turned and walked away quickly, her business casual clothes mildly out of place.

  "It's almost closing time. You can go if you want and I'll shut everything down." Marcus smiled.

  Kate turned to face her partner in all things club related.

  "You go on up and take a shower. I want you relaxed when I get there." Marcus nodded toward the front door, motioning for her to go.

  "I thought you were bringing something to relax me." Kate lifted her eyebrow.

  He smiled and reached for her, dropping his hand as if realizing they were in the middle of everyone's view. "You'll not have a care in the world when I'm done with you. Go on. Seriously. You'll have this place to yourself for the first part of the week. Don't forget I'm going to New York for a quick business trip."

  "I hate it when you go up there. Those thugs are ruthless."