I rounded on him. “Don’t act all innocent. I know who you are and what you’ve been doing. So don’t bother pretending that you care.”
“What are you talking about? Of course I care. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”
“The jig is up. I figured it out. You’re the director’s little lap dog, and your job is to spy on me and report back to the director. Whose idea was it to sleep with me? Yours or his? You both make me sick. I want you to leave. And you can tell your best bud, the director, I’m not coming back to Watertown.”
“Merritt, you’re not making any sense. What are you talking about? I don’t even know the director. I met him briefly that one time at the party at his house.”
“You expect me to believe you?”
“Why wouldn’t you?”
“Just go back to Watertown. I’m not interested in anything you have to say.”
“Merritt, did you forget what we have? What we found together?”
I laughed and added a snarky, “Ha! You used me in the worst way. You made me fall in love with you. And I’m never going to forgive you. I don’t know how you can live with yourself.”
“Stop this. Please, tell me what I’m missing. I don’t understand any of this. I love you, Merritt. And I know you love me.”
I shook my head, fished my hand into my purse and unwrapped the napkin. Then I took the ring and placed it on my finger.
“What is that?” he demanded.
“That,” I stated, “is an engagement ring. I’m engaged to Daniel Krantz. So you can just move along.”
“When did this happen?”
“Tonight, and we’re very happy.”
“I thought you loved me.”
“How can I love someone who lies to me? Who sleeps with me to keep me contained and compliant? Who associates with murderers?”
“Murderers? I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about. If you’re in love with your ex-boyfriend, I get that. If that’s what you want…” He shrugged. “But please, help me to understand. I thought what we shared was real.”
“I thought so too. But it wasn’t. So just go.”
Israel grabbed me by my shoulders and yanked me down onto the couch, where he sat next to me. “Now, young lady, you are going to tell me what’s going on right now, or I’m going to put you over my lap and spank you.”
I choked. “You’re going to do what?” I pummeled him with my hands and tried to break free.
“You’re not getting away until you tell me what is wrong. I’m stronger than you. I’m prepared to stay all night. You know I have staying power. Now we’re either going to get to the bottom of this or I’m going to wallop that plump little bottom of yours.”
“You bastard,” I sputtered. “You wouldn’t dare. Let me go.”
“Okay, you asked for it.” He heaved me over his lap and began spanking.
“I’ll scream.”
Israel clamped his hand over my mouth and spanked me with his other hand. “Do your best.”
“Gurk, damn,” I seethed through his fingers.
“What did you say?”
“Bast,” I mumbled.
“Can I just say this hurts me more than it hurts you?”
I kicked and squirmed, but he held me firmly against his lap and continued spanking me. It started as a punishment and then turned into something else when he suggestively massaged my bottom to soothe the sting of each smack.
I was furious. I was also getting turned on. The bastard.
“And may I just say that dress is killer on you. I’m going to enjoy taking it off.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” I managed.
“What was that you said? That you love me? I couldn’t quite hear you. Louder, sweetheart.”
I kept up the struggle, but that seemed to excite him even more. I could tell by the way Mr. Yummy was making his presence known. My nipples tightened. When I got free, I was going to beat the bastard until he was black and blue. I was going to bite him, scratch him, then strangle him. I wanted him to turn me over and kiss me.
I let out a loud sob. A frustrated bleat, actually.
Sensing my distress, he turned me over and pressed me tenderly to his body until I went limp in his arms. “Merritt, sweetheart, have I hurt you? Please, don’t cry. I just needed to know what was wrong. I never meant to hurt you.” He kissed my eyes and tasted the salty tears. I hated, hated, hated him, and at the same time I wanted him more than ever. I was all over the place. When he moved his lips to kiss mine, I reached my arms around his neck and returned the kiss with abandon.
I hung on for dear life, crying and hiccupping.
“It’s all right. I’m here. Now tell me everything.”
And I did. From the way he reacted, I realized he was not involved. At the same time, he couldn’t believe what I was telling him.
“Did you actually see him kill Judge Braddock?”
“I walked in after it was over. There was blood all over him and all over the place. There was a bloody knife sticking out of her belly. She was pregnant, for God’s sake. He killed his own child.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Who else could have done it?”
“Did he admit it?”
“He says he’s innocent, that he loved her.”
“I’m not a criminal lawyer, but maybe he deserves the benefit of the doubt. And the fact that you’ve held back critical information makes you an accessory. Let me go and talk to him.”
“It’s too dangerous. If he killed once, he can kill again. He’d do anything to shut me up. He gave me a promotion I didn’t deserve, after all.”
“Well, he sounds like a very dangerous man.”
I punched his iron-tight stomach. “You think this is funny?”
“I’m not laughing. If he did this, then he needs to be punished.”
“That’s not going to happen. He has the power of the division behind him. He has powerful friends, even in the police force. They came to his office. I was there.”
“What happened when you were questioned?”
“He implied that he and I were…that I was his mistress, and that I was with him at the time of the murder.” Israel’s muscles tightened.
“He forced me to sign a false statement.”
“He forced you?”
“He made it clear I was to follow orders or else.”
“Or else what?”
“I didn’t want to find out. I knew what he was capable of. I didn’t want to end up like Savannah Braddock. I lied, Israel.”
“That’s bad, but you were under duress.” Israel thought for a moment. “Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to go back to Watertown and confront him. I’ll give him a chance to explain himself. I want you to write everything down the way you remember it. We’re going to have that ready in case something should happen to one of us. It’s our insurance policy.”
“You see, you do believe he’s dangerous.”
“I believe he could be. He might do anything to protect himself. When you accused him of murder, what did he say in his defense?”
“He just said he loved her and would never kill her. But he doesn’t give another explanation. He said he gave the police the files of some inmates who had a grudge against Savannah.”
“Round up the usual suspects, like in Casablanca.”
“Exactly.”
“Well, you’re not alone in this anymore. Do you have a dollar?”
“A dollar?”
“Yes. My legal fee. From now on, I represent you.” I got a dollar out of my wallet and handed it to him.
“And now, get it off your mind. We have better things to do.”
“I doubt you can get a hotel at this time of night. Why don’t you sleep here on the couch?”
“Your mother already invited me to stay the night. My things are in the guest room.”
“My mother? Does she know you’re not Jewish?”
“No, but I used the magic word.�
�
“And what is that?”
“Israel.”
I shook my head and smiled. “That won’t last long when she finds out you’re not really Jewish.”
“I had a good conversation with your dad.”
“What did you two talk about?”
“The Holy Roman Empire.”
I nodded. “Dad was a history teacher before he started selling insurance.”
“Right. He said, ‘Son, the first thing you have to know about the Holy Roman Empire is that it’s not holy, it’s not Roman, and it’s not an empire.’ Then he tried to sell me an insurance policy.”
“Jeesh. I’m sorry.”
“I like them.”
“Well, look. I’m pretty beat. Did my mom show you where the towels are?”
“She did. I’m all set.”
“Well, then, I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Oh, you’ll see me way before that.” Israel lifted me off the couch. “Show me the way to your bedroom.”
“You’re not sleeping in my room. Not with my parents in the house.”
“Your mother made it a point to say that they are heavy sleepers.”
“I don’t know what to say to that.”
“I’ve always imagined what it would be like to sleep with you in your childhood bedroom. Naughty and sexy.”
“Careful, Counselor, your halo is slipping.”
“Where is it?” he said, huffing and puffing, feigning exhaustion, while I felt weightless in his arms.
“Turn right here,” I instructed.
He carried me through the bedroom door and placed me on my bed.
Then he walked over and locked the door.
He came back to the bed and started to strip.
“Now take it off.”
“Take what off?”
“That ring. I’m not sleeping with you until you take off that poser’s ring.”
I fingered the ring. “I haven’t made up my mind yet.”
“Well, if you have, I intend to change it.”
I removed the ring and placed it on the nightstand. “We need to be very quiet. I don’t want my parents to hear.”
“I can do quiet. Can you? We’re going to take it nice and slow, baby.”
I shivered. There was much more to Israel Goodspeed than met the eye. I believed him. I believed in him. I believed in us.
He turned off the light and turned toward me, and I was more than ready for him.
Chapter Twenty-One
The next day we drove back to Watertown. It was a six-hour drive, and Israel followed me in his car. He didn’t want to waste time. He was going to come with me to my meeting with the director.
“But you’ve missed so much work already,” I protested.
“You’re much more important than work.”
I had a feeling Israel Goodspeed would have tanked his law school finals for me. He was not afraid of commitment or confrontation. And that is just what this early morning meeting with the director was going to be all about. Confronting the enemy.
Naturally, I was scared. But it felt good to have backup. Israel had alerted his brother, who offered to drive from Jacksonville for the meeting.
“Not necessary. I just want someone else to know about this, just in case,” he told his brother. His brother couldn’t believe what Israel told him. Despite his allegiance to the director, family loyalty prevailed. He was definitely on Israel’s side, which meant he was on my side.
We walked up to the director’s office. His secretary, who did not like me at all but couldn’t take her eyes off Israel, said, “The director is ready for you, Merritt.” She turned her attention to Israel. “His appointment is with Miss Saxe.” Glancing back at me, she asked, “Who is this man?”
“He’s my lawyer”—and my lover, I wanted to add—“Israel Goodspeed,” I said in my most hands-off voice.
“Any relation to Four?”
“He’s my brother.”
“Then you can go in.”
We walked into the lion’s den. The director was sitting in his chair. His coat was off, and his muscles were bulging out of his starched blue shirt. Next he would probably flex them. He was shooting daggers at Israel. But Israel was not intimidated. There was so much testosterone in the room, I thought it might implode.
“Miss Saxe.”
“Director.”
We started our usual verbal dance.
“Aren’t you Four’s brother? You came with Merritt to my holiday party. What are you doing here?”
“I’m Miss Saxe’s attorney. She has retained me to assist her during this difficult time.”
“What the hell have you gone and done, Merritt?” he brayed. “I’m very disappointed. I thought we had an agreement.”
I stepped back and bumped right into Israel. He placed a reassuring hand on my back to steady me.
“I am speaking for Miss Saxe at this meeting. As I said, I will be negotiating on her behalf.”
My legs were as shaky as a newborn fawn’s, and my stomach was tied in knots. Israel sensed that I needed to sit, led me to a seat, and took a seat beside me.
“First, I would like to inform you that Miss Saxe has written a detailed letter, a statement of sorts, outlining everything that took place on the morning of Savannah Braddock’s murder, so that in the event anything should happen to either Miss Saxe or myself, that letter would be sent to the Watertown police department and all of the state newspapers, and a copy would go to your wife.”
The director seethed. “Leave my wife out of this. You’re bluffing, Goodspeed. Merritt Saxe has already filed a sworn statement about her whereabouts on the morning of the murder. She was with me, at my house, working on a special project. If she were to change her story, she would be held in contempt.”
“And you would be accused of murder.”
“So we have a stand-off.”
Israel, as cool as a cucumber under pressure, shook his head. “I don’t think you understand all the ramifications of your situation, Director. Miss Saxe was under duress when she signed that statement. She is an employee of yours, and in her subordinate position, you exercised undue influence over her. You broke any number of laws with your actions. She would not be held accountable. But you would.”
“You can’t do this.”
“We can and we did.”
“Who else did you tell?” the director asked Israel but was looking directly at me.
“I told my brother.”
“I told Merritt I didn’t kill Savannah Braddock.”
“Yes, I know, you loved her. I don’t care if you did kill her. That is not my concern. My only concern is Miss Saxe. And from this moment forward, she is no longer accountable to you. You are not to meet with her in private without her lawyer—that would be me—present. You can talk about actual division business, but if your conversation goes beyond those parameters, we send the letter. If anything should happen to Miss Saxe, or me, the letter gets sent. Miss Saxe is free to leave this job, and you are not to contact her or threaten her or bully her. Is that understood?”
The director stood. “You think you scare me, boy? I can ruin you with one phone call to your boss. He and I go way back.”
“I’m sure you could, and I’m prepared to lose my job over this. What I’m not prepared to do is to have any harm, physical or mental, come to my client. Is that understood?”
The director bristled. He unfolded his body to its full height, but he didn’t tower over Israel.
“I’m sure if you had a knife or a rifle here, you’d give me a piece of your mind. My brother says you’re a crack shot. Your reputation as a hunter is legendary. So, yes, I know what you’re capable of. What people in this community don’t know, but what everyone in the division knows, is that you were having an affair with Savannah Braddock and that you were the father of her unborn child. I would hate to have to reveal to your wife what a man of your stature and position was really like. This meeting is over. Going f
orward, if you want to contact Miss Saxe, you will go through me.”
Israel offered his hand and helped me stand. I couldn’t talk. I looked at the director helplessly, and he glared at me.
“You’ll be sorry. This isn’t over,” he growled.
“Yes, I believe it is,” Israel said calmly as he led me out of the office.
We passed the secretary’s alcove, took the elevator down to the ground floor, and I was still shaking. He gathered me into his arms.
“I was useless in there. I couldn’t even manage to speak.”
“Merritt, you are the strongest woman I know. You had to go through this nightmare by yourself, and you held up like a trouper. Now, you’re not alone. You have me.”
“He was furious,” I said, which was unnecessary since it had been so obvious. “He’s not the type of man used to taking orders. You were fierce. Thank you.”
“Believe me, I was shaking inside.”
“I couldn’t tell, the way you blasted in there and took charge.”
“Take no prisoners.” He laughed. “Get it?”
I laughed with him. “Yes, I get it. The director has enough prisoners already. And one of them will probably go down for murder. Did you mean what you said, that you didn’t care whether or not he killed Savannah?”
“Yes. You are my first priority.”
“I’m not sure I can go back to work.”
Israel kissed me on the top of my head. “You are my brave girl. You can go back, and you will.”
“He promoted me, and I don’t deserve it.”
“Well, then, go back in there and prove that you’re more than just an alibi.”
“I’m afraid he might retaliate.”
“Well, I think we put the fear of God into him. He can rage all he wants. He’s powerless. And, if you’re worried, you’re going to be staying with me until this mess is cleared up.”
“What about my apartment?”
“I want you with me, Merritt. I’m terrified to let you out of my sight, but he’s not going to do anything at work. And at night, you’ll be with me, safe and sound.”
I hugged him. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’re never going to have to find out. So, back into the lion’s den you go, my angel, and here’s my address. I want you to come straight home to me after work.”
The Alibi Page 12