Once more, Roberto and Mace sat together, this time facing Charles’ assistant, Steve. The young man appeared haggard with his hand-combed hair and his tie slightly askew.
Looking at the two of them, he apologized. “Sorry…things have been crazy around here since Charles’…uh…” He blew out a deep breath and looked away for a moment. Visibly gathering himself, he gazed at Roberto and shrugged. “Sorry.”
Roberto dropped his chin in a sign of understanding, and said, “Take your time. We realize this is difficult for you.”
Nodding, Steve agreed. “I was very fortunate to get this position. My dad always told me that many deals were made while playing golf, but,” he shrugged, “I don’t play golf. I work hard, don’t have much of a social life, and was able to devote all my time to Charles’ campaign. When he was elected, I was thrilled, but never expected to be hired as his assistant. I have a pre-law degree, but have to save money before I can go to law school. Charles giving me this job was a huge bonus to my plans.”
“You mentioned deals made while playing golf. Was Charles much of a golf player?”
“He played, although I don’t know how well. I know there were some charity tournaments that he would play in, just for the publicity and because he enjoyed giving back.”
Mace leaned forward, holding out his phone, showing one of the pictures taken from Douglas’ office. “Do you know if he had a professional or personal relationship with any of these men?”
Steve took the phone from his hand, staring at the picture intently, his brow furrowed. “Oh, yeah. Charles hated this picture and was furious that it showed up in the newspaper. One of the men in the picture was someone that he was investigating.”
“Can you tell us which one that was?”
Giving off a rude snort, Steve said, “It’s this asshole, right here.” He pointed to Richard. “That was the big case Charles had been working on. He had evidence that the group Richard is the head of has been laundering money through other businesses.”
“And were you privy to the results of his investigation?”
Nodding, Steve said, “As his assistant, I sat in on most of his meetings. I know that he and the State Police were closing in on Mr. Atkins. His main focus in the investigation was the laundering of money through the Crossover Building Company. In fact, the owner of that company is right here, standing between Richard and Charles.”
“And the other man?”
“This is the realtor that Charles’ wife works for,” he indicated, pointing to Jonathan Adams. “I’ve made dinner reservations for him and Eileen with Mr. Adams.”
“Have you been contacted by anyone, other than through official channels, about what you might know?”
Rolling his eyes, Steve replied, “Hell, I’ve practically been sleeping here in the office, just to get away from the press. I’ve worked with the other detectives from the State Police and have given them copies of all the notes that Charles had amassed.”
Mace asked, “Did you handle his appointments.” Seeing Steve nod, he then asked, “I’m sure you’ve been questioned as to Charles’ appointments that day. Do you have any idea why he did not list where he was going?”
Shaking his head, Steve said, “He was meticulous about keeping his schedule. He always said that as an elected official, he needed to be transparent.”
“Do you believe, for any reason, that he would have been open to bribery?”
At that question, Steve’s eyes opened wide and he shook his head emphatically. “I realize you didn’t know Charles, but you can believe me, he had more integrity than any man I’ve ever met. If he was meeting with someone and didn’t write it down in his appointment book, he would’ve had his reasons. My guess is that his reasons would have been that he was doing more investigating.”
A few minutes later, he and Roberto walked out of the building, climbing back into Roberto’s SUV. The detective looked at him, and asked, “What vibe did you get from the assistant?”
“Gotta tell you, he’s the most believable person we’ve talked to so far.”
Pulling out into traffic, Roberto nodded. “Agreed.” Just then, Roberto’s phone vibrated. Answering, he listened for a minute, before growling, “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Listening for another moment, he disconnected. Turning to him, he said, “The body of Thomas Perdue was just found. We need to swing by the morgue. One of my officers working on this case said he’s been identified as one of the men in the photograph David took. That means he could be our murderer. And, I want to see if he might be the one who went to David’s school.”
Mace sat at the table with his staff, reviewing the latest information that they had. “Thank God David did not have to identify Thomas’ body. We were able to make a positive ID using the picture from Sylvie’s phone.”
Rank said, “So, Thomas killed Charles and then had to be silenced.”
“That’d be my guess. We know Thomas had worked for the building company and he was currently on the payroll as an assistant for the NSEG.”
Blake, looking at his computer, said, “Thomas has had several large deposits in his checking account, going back over the last six months.”
Eyebrows lifting, he said, “And Charles Jefferson had been the State Attorney for six months. Whoever was out to get him, has been doing so since the beginning.”
“Richard Atkins?” Walker asked.
Nodding, he replied, “He’s my guess. He’s got the most to lose…the most money to spend…and the means to shove everything under the carpet.”
“So where does this leave us?” Josh asked. “If the State Police are closing in, what does that say about Sylvie and David’s safety?”
He scrubbed his hand over his face, feeling his heavy scruff and not remembering the last time he had shaved. Worry settled deep inside of him, thinking of how important Sylvie and David had become to him.
“The noose may be tightening around Richard’s neck, but that can just make him more reckless. He strikes me as a man who doesn’t like to leave any possible messiness. David is still the key witness to who the first man was that was talking to Charles.”
“But David wasn’t able to positively identify Richard as the other man,” Cobb objected.
Nodding, he agreed. “Yeah, but Richard doesn’t know that.”
20
Sylvie dreamed she was floating on the water, her body gently rocking. As consciousness slowly took hold, she realized her body really was moving, but not because of water. Instead, Mace’s warmth surrounded her as he nudged her legs apart from behind, sliding into her slick channel.
With one hand wrapped around her chest, his palm on her breast and fingers tweaking her nipples, Mace nuzzled Sylvie’s neck, delivering kisses along her shoulder. He knew his scruff would abrade her soft skin, but she didn’t seem to mind, shivering underneath him.
Sylvie slid one hand behind her, her fingers digging into Mace’s muscular ass, urging him on. Taking the hint, he thrust harder and faster, the friction sparking flames. She felt her inner core tighten and just as she was about to beg for more, his hand dipped over her mound. His thick forefinger found her clit and circled the taut bud, pressing gently.
That was the last her body needed to hurl her over the cliff, waves of ecstasy pulsating throughout her core. His name left her lips, albeit muffled, as she pressed her face into the pillow to keep her sounds quiet.
Feeling Sylvie’s body clench around his cock, her sex even slicker than before, Mace felt his resolve to hang on longer diminished. Increasing his pace, he thrust to the hilt and released into her waiting body. Soaked in sweat, his muscles squeezed tight, he continued to thrust until completely drained.
Holding her close as he slipped from her body, he knew he wanted her to stay in his life. Her…and David.
Just then, a knock on the door sounded, and David’s voice rang out. “Mom?”
Jerking up, Sylvie’s eyes opened wide as she stifled a gasp, whispering, “Oh my God, he got up b
efore you had a chance to leave!”
His voice equally soft, Mace assured, “The door is locked, babe.”
Leaning over to place a quick kiss on his lips, she smiled her thanks. To David, she called out, “I’ll be out in just a minute. You go ahead and get dressed and I’ll get breakfast started.” She breathed a sigh of relief as she heard his footsteps patter back down the hall and the creak of the stairs sounding. Flopping back on the bed, she allowed herself another moment to be engulfed in Mace’s his embrace.
He leaned over, latching onto her lips as he pulled her close. “Now, that’s the way I like to wake up.”
She lifted her hand, cupping his stubbled jaw, and smiled. “Me too.”
His face now serious, he said, “You and I need to talk soon.” Seeing her crinkled brow, he continued speaking as he smoothed the creased skin with his thumb. “We know this is going somewhere and we don’t have to define it right now, but David deserves to know that we’re together.”
She nodded slowly. “You’re right, he does. I just kept waiting for the right moment, but I don’t know that it will suddenly appear.” Climbing from the bed, she pulled on her robe. “He’s a smart boy, though. He’s already told me he’d like it if we were together.”
Jumping out of bed, Mace followed her into the bathroom, dealing with the condom. Stalking over to her, with a pretend glared on his face, he asked, “And when were you going to tell me this?”
Suddenly uncertain, Sylvie said, “I guess I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it.”
Wrapping his arms around her he lifted her chin with his knuckle, holding her gaze. “There’s no guesswork about it, babe. I’m crazy about you…and crazy about David. I say, let’s tell him soon.”
She sucked in her lips but was unable to keep the grin off her face.
“I’ll be out in a few minutes and he can see us having breakfast together.”
Nodding, she turned to walk out of the bathroom, shooting a wink at him over her shoulder. “Perhaps you’d best put on some pants first!” Laughing, she darted out of the room before he had a chance to retort.
Mace hurried into the compound, his phone already at his ear. “Going to put you on speaker, Roberto. We’re secure. Just me and my men.” The Keepers all stopped what they were doing, turning their attention his way.
“I wanted to let you know that Richard Atkins has now been indicted for money laundering. We’re using a lot of the evidence you gathered, showing the money links between NSEG and Crossover Building Company. Douglas Smiteson has also been indicted and it appears that he’s going to sing.”
He nodded, “Smart play. He was the weak link in the chain and I can see him rolling over on Richard.”
“What about the murder charges?” Rank asked.
Roberto replied, “Right now, Richard has lawyered up, probably figuring that money laundering will be a much less severe problem to deal with than murder-for-hire. But, we are putting the pressure on Douglas, since Thomas used to be an employee of his.”
“And Sylvie and David?”
“I know you hate to hear this, Mace, but we may still need them. We can provide protection—”
“No worries. I’ve got them,” he said quickly, ignoring the nods from his staff.
Laughing, Roberto said, “I figured you did. We’ll talk soon and, as always, thanks for your assistance.”
He smiled, the weight on his chest loosening some. Looking around at the grins on the Keeper’s faces, he said, “Good work. It’s not over yet, but maybe the end is in sight.” As the words left his mouth, he hoped that with the threat lifted he and Sylvie would be able to talk about where their relationship was going. I want them with me…but does she want the same thing? Would she be willing to move here?
“Go! Go!” David screamed, jumping up and down while clapping.
Sylvie laughed at his excitement, then shifted her gaze back out to the water. Sitting in lawn chairs, Babs on one side, Marge on the other, with Horace and David cheering to the side, she watched the impromptu competition.
“How often do they do this?” she asked.
Babs rolled her eyes and shrugged. “Fairly often. Mace likes to call it physical training, but every one of them were former military and competition runs high in them.”
“Is there a name for what they’re doing?”
Laughing, Babs said, “Well, it’s hardly an Olympic sport and I don’t think there are any set rules. It’s a mash-up of kayaking, basketball, polo, and wrestling, so maybe kayabaskepolorestling.”
Eyes wide, she was about to ask another question, when David looked over his shoulder at her. “I know the rules, mom. Mace taught me all about it. They have to try to get the ball into their nets while paddling their kayaks, and then shoot it through the hoop. He says the rules are that anything goes, so they can wrestle with each other trying to get the ball or knock each other over.”
“Do they even know what they’re doing?” she asked, as she observed the ten kayaks in the water below in what appeared to be some kind of epic battle with a couple of balls, nets, and paddles.
That morning was the first time that she had met all nine of the men that worked for Mace. It was obvious their camaraderie was genuine and she envied their tight bond. She chuckled at the memory of Babs complaining about the testosterone in the workplace. With all of the Keepers so handsome and athletic, the eye candy was almost overwhelming, but none of them held her attention. Only Mace. Whenever he turned his dark eyes toward her, the intensity of them almost burned, making her feel like she was the only woman in the world.
She continued to watch while laughter rang out over the waves and joking threats and shouts of cheating commenced. Unable to keep from laughing herself, she inwardly cheered as Mace managed to expertly maneuver his kayak between two of the others, snagging the ball and throwing it into the net. He lifted his arms into the air and, with a whoop, looked up the hill, his eyes locking onto hers. Smiling widely, she waved, thrilled to see him relaxed and happy.
Horace elbowed David, and said, “Keep on cheering for whoever you want to win!”
“That’s easy. I’ll always want Mace to win.”
Horace winked at her while clapping David on the back. Babs and Marge shared a smile with each other, before sharing their delight with her.
As the men paddled to the rocky shore, dragging their kayaks out of the water, the spectators moved to the outdoor tables. She and Marge pulled the covers off the food as Horace began pulling sodas and beers from the tub filled with ice. Babs greeted the others as they came up the path, falling into step next to Drew.
Sylvie turned, watching as Mace walked over the grassy knoll, water droplets sliding over his tanned muscles, appearing like a god rising from the sea. If they were alone, she would’ve traced each drop with her tongue, casting any other thoughts from her mind. Feeling a nudge, she jerked her head around, seeing Marge grin.
Mace brought up the rear, filling his lungs with fresh air, loving the warmth of well-used muscles. He looked up and saw David running toward him, a towel in his hands. Grinning his thanks, he took the towel and rubbed it over his thick hair before draping it over his shoulders.
“What did you think of the game?” he asked.
David looked up, his smile wide, and asked, “Will you teach me how to play?”
He placed his large hand on David’s shoulder as they continued walking toward the house. “Absolutely. But first we’ve got to teach you how to swim, how to kayak, and most importantly water safety. Once you’ve got that, then you can join us.”
David’s pace slowed and Mace looked down seeing the young boy pondering. Before he could ask what was wrong, David looked up and asked, “Do you think Mom and I can stay here? I really like it and I can tell Mom does too. She’s been a lot happier since we’ve been here and doesn’t have to go to her awful job anymore.”
Mace knelt down to David’s level, turning his smaller body to face his. “I’d like for you and your mom
to stay. She and I will need to talk about it but, no matter what happens, I’ll teach you how to play our game. So, don’t you worry. You go on and grab some food.”
Thinking he had just provided reassurance to David’s concerns, he was stunned when David threw himself at him, encircling his neck with his small arms. The hug was over almost as soon as it began, but his heart stuttered. He watched David run to the others, pushing his way into the line at the food table. Standing, he saw Sylvie staring at him, her hand pressed against her trembling lips as she blinked to keep the tears at bay.
Stalking over to her, he pulled her into his embrace and whispered in her ear, “It’s okay, babe. Just a little male bonding.” He thought those words would make her laugh, but instead he caught the sound of a slight sob. Guiding her away from the others for a moment, he lifted her chin and stared at her beautiful face.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s just that he’s never had a male to bond with. And I have to tell you, Mace, I can’t think of anyone in the world I’d rather him bond with than you.”
Humbled and unable to come up with an appropriate response, he let his kiss do the talking. Pulling her close, he moved his mouth over hers, his tongue plunging into her warmth. Reluctantly dragging his lips away from hers, he kissed her forehead. “Come on, babe. Let’s go get some food.”
Walking toward the tables, with her tucked tightly into his side, he caught the smiles headed his way and, with a light heart, returned them.
Sylvie stood at the top of the stairs, a gentle smile on her face as she listened to Mace telling stories of pirates, lighthouse keepers, and derring-do. She could not help but wonder about the man who was now in her life…and her son’s life. Hearing the story come to an end, she walked into David’s room. The expression on his face, as he gazed up at Mace, warmed her heart. Bending down to give him a good night kiss after Mace had left the room, she was surprised when David wrapped his arms around her neck and held her close.
Vote Then Read: Volume III Page 305