by J. D. Faver
“Happy to oblige, Officer,” she said. “Lissa, bring some refreshments.”
Lissa bit her lip and fled the room.
“She’s very good with Trey, but totally useless otherwise.” Her voice dropped in timbre. “No common sense.”
“I see.” Oz leaned toward her. “Tell me, Mrs. Jobe, Is Mr. Jobe still in Canada?”
She blinked and straightened her posture. “No, why do you ask?”
“I was just checking on his whereabouts. You said that he didn’t mind your extra-marital relationships as long as you were discreet. Is that right?”
She cleared her throat and glanced around. “That’s right, but not so loud. He’s in the study.”
“Did your husband know about your relationship with Randal Knox?”
“Not specifically. Discretion, you know.”
“How about Jason Best? Does he know about you and Jason?”
Laurel cleared her throat again. “Yes, he knows.”
“How did he find out, if you don’t mind my asking?” Oz tilted his head and smiled. “I mean, if you were discreet, how did he find out?”
“Jason was careless. He’s madly in love with me.” She smiled, more to herself than Oz. “Silly boy.”
“But Mr. Jobe isn’t the jealous type?”
“Exactly. He has his relationships and I have mine.”
“And the two of you have a relationship together?”
“Of course,” she said. “We have a child and the arts and charity work and...”
“I see,” he said, though he didn’t.
Lissa pushed a cart into the room. It contained a small bar set up with alcohol, soft drinks and bottled water.
“You shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble,” he said.
She gave him a look that spoke volumes about the trouble she was expected to go to. “What will you have, sir?”
He pointed to the bottles she’d put on ice. “Water,” he said. “I’m on duty.”
Lissa handed him a bottle of water and looked at Laurel. “Will that be all, Mrs. Jobe?”
Laurel dismissed her with a nod. “Now, where were we?”
Oz watched her responses closely. “You were telling me about all the things you and Mr. Jobe do together.”
“Ah, yes. We chair several charity events together and we travel a lot.”
“Does Lissa stay behind with the baby when you travel?”
“Not often. We usually take little Trey with us.”
“And Lissa, too.”
“Of course.” A laugh tripped out of her mouth as though caring for one’s own child was unheard of.
“My dear?”
Oz turned to see a man he immediately recognized as Hobart Jobe standing in the archway. He stood up. The man’s presence demanded that.
“Who have we here?” He smiled at Oz, moving slowly but with a certain grace. His voice was like velvet, deep and rich.
Oz introduced himself and produced his credentials.
“One of New York City’s finest,” Jobe said. “To what do we owe this honor?” He was a tall, slender man with a receding hairline and once auburn hair. He extended his manicured hand.
“It is I who am honored to meet you, sir.” Oz shook the proffered hand, noting that it was limp. “A friend of one of your employees was killed.”
“Our employee?” he looked at his wife questioningly.
“Lissa’s boyfriend was drowned in the park,” she said.
“Oh, my. How did it happen?” Jobe sat beside his wife, his arm circling the back of the sofa, but not touching her. “Was he swimming?” He gestured for Oz to return to his seat.
“He was bludgeoned to death and dumped in the lake.”
“Oh!” Laurel sat up straight. “I thought it was an accident.”
“Who was Lissa’s boyfriend?” Jobe turned to Laurel. “Was he anybody we know?”
Oz nodded. “Actually, sir, you might know him. Randal Knox was employed by the Golden Coast Spa.”
Hobart frowned and shook his head. “I don’t think we know him, do we?”
“He was your wife’s personal trainer at one time.” Oz watched the couple interact without words. Jobe was aware of the relationship Laurel had with her personal trainers. His open expression became veiled as he attempted to assess whether Oz was aware of it. “I can’t place him, at the moment.” His countenance remained warily blank.
“No matter, sir,” Oz said. “Mrs. Jobe was just telling me about the last time she saw the deceased.”
Laurel gave him a thinly disguised glare. “Well, let me see. I can’t recall exactly. It must have been sometime last week. I saw him in passing when I was on the way out.”
“That’s all the questions for now. I have to follow up with Miss Montgomery on a couple of things.” Oz stood and offered his hand once more to Mr. Jobe, then followed in the direction Lissa had gone, locating her in the kitchen. She was slouched on a bar stool pulled up to the granite counter top.
“You do more than just take of little Hobart Jobe the third, don’t you?” he asked.
“Not if you look at my job description,” she said, a sarcastic edge to her voice.
“Can you think of anyone with a reason to want Randal dead? Did he have any enemies that you know of?”
“Randy could be a completely egotistical ass. None of the other spa employees liked him. He was arrogant and he let everyone know that he thought he was better than they were.” She leaned her head on her arms. “But I can’t think of anyone who would go so far as to kill him.”
“How about you? When he tried to choke you, weren’t you angry?”
She raised her head, staring at Oz round-eyed. She shook her head emphatically. “No, I was scared. I was at home with my dad when it happened. I’d gone out with Randy to grab a bite and when he took me home, I said the wrong thing and he just went off on me.” Her lower lip quivered.
“Do you remember what you said that set him off?”
“Not exactly,” she said. “I mentioned that Mrs. Jobe and Jason spent a lot of time together and that she bought him things and he went crazy.”
“Then what happened?”
“My dad ran out and told Randy that he’d called the cops and that he’d better never lay a hand on me again.” She sniffled and dabbed at her eyes with a paper towel. “Randy just laughed, but he left and then my dad made me file a complaint.”
“When was the last time you saw him?”
“It was last week at the spa. You should ask Jason. He was there.”
#
Micki was waiting on the porch when Oz pulled into the driveway. He’d called to tell her he was on his way. She was still troubled over the meeting with her mother earlier. She was irritated with Oz for making her stay with his parents. She glowered her displeasure.
Oz grinned, softening her resolve to stay angry. He lowered the window. “Want to go for a ride?”
She bounded down the steps and slid in beside him. “I’m so going to kill you Oz. If you think I can stay here while both our moms make me crazy, you are sadly misinformed.”
“Aren’t you going to ask where we’re going?”
Micki did a full eye roll at him. “Where are we going?”
“To the park. Aren’t you going to ask why?”
“Why?” She tried to quell the grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.
“I’m going to take you for a boat ride.” He reached over to wrap his fingers around the back of her neck and tickle her. When she squirmed, his hand roamed over her breasts. “Oh, what have we got here? Concealed weapons?”
“Stop,” she said. “I’m mad at you.”
“There’s some good stuff here.” Ignoring her protests, he slipped his fingers under her shirt.
“Stop. My boyfriend is a cop. He doesn’t like it when I let strange men feel me up.”
“Sounds like a stellar guy.” Oz grinned at her.
“He’s big and mean and very ugly.”
“Ugly
?”
“He’s so ugly he could freeze you with a single glance so you better keep your paws to yourself, Buster.”
“I’ll remember that.”
Micki caught his hand as he withdrew it and laced her fingers with his. Oz pressed his lips against her hand. The look he gave her clutched at her heart.
She slid closer, lifting her face for a kiss and was promptly rewarded. His mouth on hers brought a rush of lust roiling up from her nether regions. She pushed back and slid to her side of the car. “You better put this car in reverse because I’m sure your mom and Candy are watching us from the windows.”
“Don’t tempt me,” he said. “I could have your shirt off with one hand.”
“Go now,” she ordered. “And tell me what’s crawled under your skin since this morning.”
Oz shot her a sidelong glance. He started the car and drove to the corner. “Earlier today I spent time with a married couple who think they have it all, but the wife claims they have an open marriage. I just couldn’t imagine being okay with you and...and...” He turned the wheel and headed for the park.
Micki smiled at him across the width of the car. “Don’t worry, Oz. I’ve always been a one man woman.”
He cast a doubtful glance back at her. “But you’re not ready to commit to anything official?”
Whoa! Where did that come from? Micki couldn’t find the words to say what he wanted to hear, yet she couldn’t bear to disappoint him. “We have some things to work out between us, Oz. You know that.”
“But, we’re okay?”
She smiled and stroked her hand up and down his arm. “We’re fine. Don’t worry about me and don’t worry about our relationship.”
He reached over and gave her thigh a squeeze. “I lost you once when I wasn’t expecting it and I don’t want to make the same mistake twice. You’d let me know if there was something wrong, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes, Oz.” Micki considered a moment. “I just wasn’t ready for, you know?”
“The box.” He flicked his dark gaze over her again.
“Yeah.”
When they arrived at the park he took her hand and strode across the grass to the boat dock. He rented a row boat and helped her inside.
Micki gripped the sides of the boat as Oz shoved off and began to row, “You learned something about the body in the lake?”
He smiled at her and continued rowing.
“C’mon, Oz,” she said. “What’s going on?”
Oz rowed to the approximate spot the scullers had made their discovery of Randal Knox’ floating head. He rested the oars in the boat and looked around.
“Somebody would have a big set to dump a body here in broad daylight,” he said. “It had to have been at night.”
“Okay, I can see that.”
“The boats used by the custodial crew are locked up in the boat barn after work, but the head of Park Maintenance said that kids sometimes swim around to the water entrance to liberate a boat, but that they’ve always returned them.” Oz fitted the oars back into the oarlocks and resumed rowing.
“You’re telling me that just about anyone could have access to the boats?” Micki leaned forward, trying to break into the semi-trance Oz had drifted into.
“Yeah, anyone could have stolen a row boat and used that to dump the body, except they didn’t have access to the motor boat. It has a kill switch. The key has an electronic chip and if it isn’t inserted into the ignition the boat won’t start.” Oz stared down into the murky water. “If I were going to dump a body and had access to a boat, I’d go over there, where the cattails and brush are growing so thick.”
“Maybe the killer isn’t as smart as you,” she said.
“Or maybe he had to dump it in a hurry.”
“Is that why you brought me out here?” She gazed at him, sensing that something else was on his mind.
Oz rested the oars again. “Not really.” He gave her that gut twisting look that spoke of the heartbreak he’d suffered at her hands. “I thought we should talk.”
Micki’s tongue flicked over her lips as her insides roiled in fear of what he would say. “In the middle of the lake?”
“I figured we wouldn’t be interrupted.” He gave her a half-smile. “If your cell phone rings I’m going to throw it in the water.”
She reached in her pocket and muted the offensive instrument. “Alrighty then.”
He took a deep breath and then plunged in. “Micki, I’m glad you gave me a second chance. I was miserable without you. It was like I was in a coma after you dumped me.”
“I’m sorry, Oz.”
“Don’t apologize to me, baby. I’m trying to apologize to you. I was angry, but I wasn’t thinking about why you did it. I’m sorry if I made you feel like you were in a box. I’m sorry I took things for granted and made all the decisions. Most of all, I’m sorry I assumed that you want the same things out of life that I do.”
She felt tears stinging her eyes.
“Aw, Micki, don’t cry. I’m trying to tell you something here.”
She grinned at his discomfort, her tears making twin rivulets down her cheeks.
“Aw, Jeez,” he said. “Come here.” He opened his arms as she started leaning toward him with the boat tipping crazily.
Micki did a less than graceful crab-like crawl into Oz’ arms as he pulled her toward him. For the next half hour she reclined against his chest while they talked. They talked about the reason she’d broken up with him and while she couldn’t describe her feelings in any tangible terms, she hoped he could understand how stifled she’d felt.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded, her head pressed into his shoulder.
“With me?”
“I’m great with you, Oz.” She bit her lip. “Are you okay with me?”
“Almost.” He reached in his pocket and drew out the ring box he’d tried to give her the night he’d proposed. “I got this for you, but you never looked at it. It’s just a piece of jewelry without the promise that goes with it.”
Her gut twisted. “Promise?”
He pressed his lips into the top of her hair. “You know, where you promise to love, honor and obey my every command.”
She jerked her head, twisting toward him suddenly. The boat rocked in counterpoint.
“I’m kidding,” he said in response to her gasp.
“Oz, I...”
“Shut up and relax while I say what I gotta say.” He turned her shoulders so that she reclined against him once more.
“I gotta know if you love me, Micki. I think so, but is it the kind that lasts a lifetime?”
She nestled back into the shelter of his arms and wrapped her fingers around his wrist. “I can’t picture my life without you. I can’t imagine that I would ever be with anyone else.” She took a deep breath and blew it out. “But I can’t become my mother...or yours.”
“Lord, I hope not!” He squeezed her. “Can you become my fiancée?”
A tightness in her chest caused her throat to constrict. “You said it was a promise?” she rasped out.
“I would like you to promise yourself to me, someday. Whenever you’re ready. However long it takes.”
Micki nodded and her voice came out thin and reedy. “I can do that.”
Oz took the ring out of the box and she held out her hand as he slid it on her finger. “I love you, Micki. I’m good with someday.”
“I love you everyday, Oz.” She turned her face to his for a kiss.
Oz stroked her throat as he gently kissed her lips, his fingers tracing a line down into the vee of her shirt and grazing the top of her breasts.
She pulled back, laughing. “How come I always get a grope when you kiss me?”
Oz grinned and gave her another squeeze. “You just happen to be a very lucky woman.”
#
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
When he’d rowed them back to the dock and handed her out of the boat, Micki gave Oz a proper kiss to celebrate th
eir engagement. He hadn’t stopped grinning since he’d put the ring on her finger. His joy was contagious.
She knew she would have to hold her ground to keep from slipping back into the mire of their previous relationship, but she was willing to make it work with him.
“I need to pick up my cameras. Gus is supposed to have them repaired. Could you run me by his shop?”
“Sure.” He gave her a hug and swung her around before setting her feet on the ground.
When Gus saw Micki, he raised a hand in greeting. “I figured you’d be here today.” He inclined his head toward Oz. “Who’s this? Your bodyguard?”
Micki laughed. “Usually. Gus this is Oz, my b...” She turned to Oz with her mouth open.
Oz stood with his brows raised.
“My fiancé,” she finished.