Strangers

by Crystal V. Rhodes

  “We had a mutual acquaintance.”

  “Really? Other than Ray? Who?” Dana mentally reviewed the list of friends they might have in common and couldn’t think of anyone. His answer surprised her.

  “Mitchell Clayton, your late fiancé. I met him years ago in New York, through Ray. The three of us played golf together. Through the years he would call me when he came to New York and we’d get in some rounds of golf. I’m surprised Ray didn’t tell you that I knew Mitch.”

  “Mitch hasn’t been a topic of discussion between us in a long time,” Dana admitted. The relationship with her late fiancée had not been a good one.

  The shift in her mood made James sorry he had brought the subject up. As far as he could remember Mitch had only mentioned Dana Mansfield once in passing, and it was James’ understanding that the couple had been engaged for years. How the man could have resisted raving about a woman like this was beyond him. Her next words startled him out of his contemplation.

  “Have you ever been in love, James?” Dana’s tone was somber. “Have you ever been wounded by a relationship?” She had and had the scars to prove it.

  James sighed. The conversation was going in a direction that he’d rather not travel, but he answered honestly.

  “I was in love with my girlfriend and I loved our son, but I lost them both. It’s his nickname that I have tattooed on my arm.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Dana’s heart went out to him. “What happened?”

  “They were murdered.” Those words brought the usual pain.

  Dana was shocked by his admission and curious about the details, but she refrained from asking further questions. Instead, she reached across the table and placed her hands atop his. James cleared his throat to keep the emotions at bay as he threaded their fingers.

  “I did get married when I was in the Marines, but that didn’t last. It was good that we didn’t have kids. That helped us make a clean break. We really weren’t good for one another”

  “I’ve been married twice.” Dana’s words sounded more like a warning than a sharing of information. “It seems that when it comes to finding a good man I haven’t been very lucky.”

  James cocked his head. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe your luck will change.”

  Dana didn’t disagree. Who knew? Maybe Lady Luck might be right around the corner for them both.

  ****

  Under the cover of night, a dark clad figure moved effortlessly across the yard of the small house in Inglewood. His body wasn’t as lithe as it used to be when he was younger, but there was still grace in his movements. Reaching the back door he removed a penlight from the small cache of tools that he carried with him. The lock on the security door wasn’t as good as he thought it would be. Picking it took less than a minute. He wanted to laugh aloud at how easy it was. As for the door beyond that one, the lock on it was a joke.

  As he stood in the darkened kitchen getting his bearings, he listened for sounds, all the while wondering how the house’s occupant could have ignored the obvious when securing his home. A dog would have been a more effective safety measure than both of the locks. As it was he had breached the security and he now had all of the time in the world to execute his plan. By the time he left this house he would know if he had been wasting his time on a wild goose chase, or if he had hit the jackpot.

  CHAPTER 14

  “What have I done?” Dana thought as she covered her face with her hands.

  It was early morning and she had just awakened in bed next to James Starr. Not that it was a surprise to her. She had made love with him willingly and her body was still humming from their fervent encounter. Still it hadn’t been her intention for their evening to end up like this.

  Behind her James lay facing her sheet draped back. His head was propped on his hand. When she took a peek at him over her shoulder, his eyes were waiting.

  “Don’t even try to give me that this-wasn’t-supposed-to-happen line,” he warned her. “We’re two mature adults, with three marriages between us. We’re way past making excuses for our actions.”

  Dana couldn’t deny that making love to James was something that had been on her mind since their many conversations over the telephone late into the night. Their latent desire for each other had been in every word spoken. The truth was that those desires had simply turned into reality sooner than she had expected.

  “Regrets between us are useless,” James murmured as he placed a kiss in her hair. “The deed is done. Anyway, you’re a class act, lady, and I don’t think that you’re the type of woman who engages in one night stands. I know I’m not that type of man.”

  “I certainly hope not.” Dana’s body warmed at his touch, but she drew away. “I’ve got to think about this,” she told him. But James’ roaming hands wouldn’t cooperate and he scooted closer.

  “We both have a lot to think about,” he agreed as his fingertips mapped the length of her spine.

  Dana remembered how those fingers had dallied with such expertise between her parted thighs only a short while ago. The sweetest of nectar was beginning to flow at the mere thought of what James was capable of doing. Yet, once again she withdrew.

  “I feel cheap going to bed with a man I hardly know,” she confessed. She had been celibate for years. Maybe that was why she had been so vulnerable earlier.

  “I don’t think that you’re cheap at all,” James whispered. Once again, he moved closer to her and then placed a kiss between her shoulder blades.

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “Was it our love making that’s disturbing to you? Did I misinterpret what we just shared?” The heat of his hot breath singed her bare skin.

  “No, it wasn’t disturbing at all.”

  Dana had shuddered when his lips had devoured her inner core. Spasms of pleasure had rippled through her body leaving her withering helplessly.

  “Then what is it?” A single fingertip caressed the curve of her hip.

  Dana closed her eyes enjoying the sensations that his touch was causing. She needed to stop this. She turned to face him.

  The sheet fell from Dana’s upper torso exposing her naked breasts. James’ eyes darkened at the sight, but the distress that he saw in her face disturbed him.

  “Is it that you don’t care about me?” Unless she was one hell of an actress what they had experienced last night told James that she did.

  “Of course I do. I like you a lot.”

  “And the feeling is mutual.”

  Dana propped her head on her hand and looked into his compelling eyes. “But where can this lead? I’m in L.A. and you’ll be up here.”

  “You’re getting ahead of yourself. Right now we’re in the getting to know you stage. I say let’s take it one day at a time. Besides, I happen to know that Ray and your sister had a long distance relationship before they got married and that worked out fine.”

  There was no denying that. Added to that was the fact that Bev was ten years older than Ray and they had forged a love match that worked. She wanted what they had, but that didn’t stop the doubts.

  “I can’t give my heart away again and have it broken into pieces. It may not mend the next time.”

  “I understand. I feel the same way, but I’m willing to risk the possibility that mine may stay intact this time.” He tweaked a dark nipple. Dana jumped in response and pushed his hand away.

  “Stop that!”

  Drawing back, James flashed a knowing grim. “Are you sure?” He gave the other nipple a quick flick with the tip of his tongue. Dana gasped.

  “I say let’s agree to take this slow.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “I want you to concentrate on us.” James lowered her to the mattress and held her hands above her head. “Forget everything else except how we feel when we’re together.”

  Dana’s breath quickened. “I can do that.”

  His scorching tongue circled her navel. The heat radiated from his body to hers. Dana caressed his bulging biceps. Ye
s, she could easily do that.

  “I’m not the type of man who gives himself easily to any woman.” Parting her legs gently James hovered above her. “But there is something about you that I find hard to resist.”

  Inserting a finger, he found her wet and ready. With practiced agility he stoked her, alternating his efforts with his skillful tongue until the glowing embers grew hotter and hotter until Dana ignited.

  James’ gray eyes glowed like a cat’s in the dark as he watched the orgasm claim her. When she was able to speak, Dana paid him tribute.

  “You’re amazing.”

  James gave a dip of his head. “I’m glad that you liked it, but if you enjoyed that you’re going to love this.”

  Retrieving a condom from the nightstand, he handed it to her. Tearing the foil off she rolled it onto his manhood with such dexterity that his hardened member came close to release. James kissed her long and hard, as a reward for being so potently thorough. Combing his fingers tenderly through the curly triangle at the entrance of her womanhood, he entered her.

  James was a large man in every way. As Dana’s body received him, her eyes drifted shut as she enjoyed the sensation.

  “Look at me,” he asked gently.

  Dana complied. She had learned quickly that James liked to share the intimacy of love making. He cared that her pleasure equaled his own.

  He suckled as he thrust leisurely. Both moaned their pleasure.

  “Do you like that?” He asked increasing the intensity.

  “Yes!” Dana’s reply was loud and clear. “Oh, Yes!”

  He began to establish a rhythm that was sure to satisfy.

  Wrapping her legs around his body, she allowed the deepest of access as James took her for a ride that proved to be as thrilling as the one that he had taken her on earlier. When they reached their destination they exploded. Their shouts of pleasure proved to be equally as loud.

  ****

  “She’s grown,” Sin informed Ray when he noticed him glancing out of the houseboat window for the twentieth time. They were sitting in the kitchen of the luxurious vessel owned by Ray and his wife. They had just finished breakfast and Sin could see the concern on Ray’s face.

  “I’m aware that she knows what she’s doing,” Ray answered, although he didn’t sound too convincing.

  When they awakened earlier this morning they had discovered that not only wasn’t Dana on the boat, but she hadn’t slept in her bed.

  “You know the man better than I do.” Sin took a sip of his juice while Ray leveled him with a look.

  “So you say. It seems that you and James have a history.”

  “It’s like I told you, we talked. I think we’re cool now.”

  Ray nodded, glad that whatever it was that was causing the animosity between the two men had been settled. “I like James, but I don’t know about him messing with my sister-in-law. I’m trying to be cool about it.”

  “I don’t think that he would hurt her.” Sin was surprised at his own words. He had never had a positive thought about Starr before.

  “No, not physically, but Dana is vulnerable emotionally. She’s been hurt a lot in her love life and I don’t think that she could take any more heartache.”

  After his talk with Starr, Sin wondered if his former nemesis could take any more either. Starr hadn’t tried to hide the pain that he still carried over the death of his loved ones.

  “There not too many people in life who haven’t been hurt,” Sin ventured, “and since he’s human I’m sure that the same can be said for him. Maybe if the two of them get together they could heal each other’s pain.”

  “You’ve got a point.”

  They each returned to reading a section of the morning paper. Sin broke the comfortable silence.

  “What do you think is going to happen with that statement that Darnell and Thad issued?” Earlier they had watched news coverage of Carla reading the list of lost children.

  From years of being involved with the media as the agent of one of Hollywood’s top stars, Ray was brutally honest.

  “Oh, the news pundits will make some defensive denials at first about the kids having been ignored, and then they’ll rush to pretend that they are interested in finding them. Under normal circumstances, they’d spotlight one, two, maybe three over the next couple of weeks, until the furor dies down and then it would be back to business as usual. However, with the rewards that are being offered, the public will have a field day dragging kids into police stations trying to claim the money. Who knows, some of the kids might actually be found. It was clever of Darnell and Thad to add that monetary incentive.”

  Sin wanted to rail against his assessment, but sadly, Ray was right. Money talked. He could only be grateful that his daughter and niece had not been among those children who were routinely ignored.

  He was about to share that thought with Ray when the sight of Dana clamoring up the gangplank caught his attention.

  “Looks like she’s back.” Ray had seen her too.

  Leaving the kitchen, they went outside to meet her as she moved toward them. She was walking fast. James was behind her. Both men stood riveted as Dana drew closer.

  “Something’s up,” Sin noted as he saw the look on her face. “And it doesn’t look good.”

  CHAPTER 15

  Mrs. Mansfield,

  I know that you’re the agent for Darnell Cameron and that you are her aunt too. That’s why you was picked. I want to turn myself in to you for kidnapping her daughter and that other little girl. I’ll only turn myself in to you because you family and I think the police will kill me. Don’t bring them or I will kill myself.

  The note that Dana had handed Sin was encased in a plastic sandwich bag, courtesy of James Starr. It was signed with the name Andy Vega. Beneath his name was written a P.S. that read:

  Look for Jack Spencer too. I’ll tell you more when I see you.

  Sin looked up from the note. “Okay, he knows the name of the guy the FBI is holding? So does everybody else in the free world.”

  Dana nodded. “I know, but…”

  “But that means that this is some sort of hoax.” Ray was skeptical. “There’s got to be a million kooks out there who have confessed to this.”

  He was right. The crazies had been having a field day confessing to the kidnapping. Some people had even turned in their neighbors. Authorities in L.A. and on the Peninsula had been working overtime following all of the false leads.

  “What’s so special about this one?” Sin wondered. He was the one who had delivered the letter to Dana in the first place.

  After their meeting, Carla told Sin that she had inadvertently picked out a dozen unopened letters which were examples of the many supportive ones that had been coming to her office since the kidnapping was revealed. She had read so many of them that she thought that Dana and the families should see a few. Carla had given Sin a small bundle of letters addressed to both families, and a few addressed to Dana. Sin had remembered to give Dana her correspondence before she left on her date with James. Distracted by her plans for the evening she had absentmindedly stuck them in her purse. It was while she was at James’ place that she had remembered them and read a few. The letter that she was sharing with Sin and Ray had been different than the others.

  “You could be right about it being a hoax,” James addressed Ray. “But look at the date on the envelope.”

  Ray did as asked. He blew out a long breath. “It was written two days before Jack Spencer was taken in for questioning.”

  “Precisely!” It had been the date that had caught James’ attention when Carla had shown him the letter. “I’ve got a feeling that this is no joke.”

  “So we take this to the FBI,” Ray said matter-of-factly.

  His statement was met with silence. The look on the faces around him said more than any words. His eyes widened.

  “You’re kidding? I know that you’ve got to be kidding! We’ve got to call Agent Conway.”

  “I think
that this is worth checking out first,” James spoke up. It was Dana who had convinced him of that.

  After discovering its contents, she had wanted to fly straight to Los Angeles to talk to the man personally. Nothing that he could say to her would stop her from pursuing her foolish mission, even his threat to call the authorities. She had whirled on him.

  “Go ahead and call them. I’m going anyway.”

  Grabbing her car keys, she headed for the door. Stopping her, James gripped her by the shoulders so that they were face to face.

  “This is not a job for amateurs,” he had admonished. “If this guy really is involved, it’s up to the authorities to get him.”

  Dana had jerked away from him “I don’t doubt that, but if he’s not involved then they’ve wasted a lot of time.” She took a step back. “As a matter of fact it’s you who needs to go and see about this. You just signed a contract to track down all leads. I shouldn’t be the one headed out of the door to L.A.; it should be you.”

  James agreed to fly to L.A. and check out the stranger. If he was a crackpot there would be no need to go any further. He’d turn his name in to the authorities as one less nut to crack. However, there was one stipulation on which Dana had insisted.

  “I’m flying down there too. After all I do live in Los Angeles.” When he bristled, she added quickly, “My Uncle Gerald is flying back here today. He can fly us down there in no time.”

  That was the plan. James would follow up on the lead, and after he had spoken to this guy, Andy, he’d report to her either way. As they drove to the houseboat she asked him if he was “packing” and James laughed.

  “You’ve been watching too many detective shows.” Actually he was packing, but it was better that she didn’t know that.

  However, Ray Wilson was adamantly against pursuing the lead. “Have you people gone out of your minds? A federal offense has been committed here. This…this note,” he slapped it with his hand, “may be evidence. You can’t go looking for this person on your own.”