Locked in Temptation

by Brenda Jackson

  “Poisoned, perhaps? If you recall, someone tried to poison me and Detective Ingram with coffee at police headquarters.”

  “Yes, I remember. That’s what we figured it was—poison. But nothing showed up in the tox screens.”

  Randi knew there were poisons that could go undetected, some that didn’t show up for years. “What about his cell at that federal prison? Is it still empty?”

  “Yes, it’s still vacant and nothing has been touched.”

  Randi drew in a deep breath. “I plan to be in town for the next couple of weeks. I’d like to revisit the cell and look at the security footage. Maybe when I begin doing so Erickson will reach out to me, but don’t hold your breath.”

  She saw relief in the older man’s face. “Thank you, Dr. Fuller. Like I said, you’re our last hope.”

  * * *

  JOY HAD RETURNED to the office after visiting the crime scene again. She would admit that Lennox had raised some serious concerns. To demonstrate, once they arrived at the scene, Lennox had acted out how she thought that night had gone, tracing the steps Dr. Langley had made to her door with Joy and Acklin acting as the murderer on the other side, waiting for her to open the door. First she’d opened the door from her private office that led into the office lobby and then the door from the lobby into the complex’s corridor. She’d gotten shot in the complex’s corridor.

  According to the timeline, the two intruders would have to have been waiting for her when she opened the door to the corridor or soon thereafter. Then what? For one of them to be standing directly in front of her with a gun shoved in her chest close to her heart meant Dr. Langley hadn’t been given time to react.

  The three of them had reenacted several scenarios and only one gave them the results that made sense. It would mean they’d intended to target Dr. Langley. But why? It was a big leap to make, and Joy worried they were moving too fast with such an assumption. After all, there had been two burglaries that night, definitely by the same intruders. The way Dr. Fowler had been killed and how his body was found made sense with the theory that the robbers weren’t expecting him to be there and acted spontaneously. Applying the same theory to Dr. Langley, it didn’t make sense considering where she was shot and how close the person had stood to her.

  When Joy heard the buzzing of her phone, she pulled it from her pocket to check the text message.

  How about dinner tonight?

  She couldn’t help but smile at the same moment her heart began pounding in her chest. Why did receiving a message from Stonewall do that to her? Drawing in a deep breath, she texted back. Doubt I’ll leave here before eight.

  In her mind she could hear him click the keys as he texted back. No problem. Name the place.

  A smile curved her lips as she responded. You decide. Too tired to think.

  He texted back. Sounds like you need pampering.

  She decided against replying that she could definitely use a diversion after today, and instead asked, Will you do it? Pamper me tonight?

  A shiver ran through her body as she waited for his response. Pampering will be just the beginning.

  Oh my. Her breath caught at those words. Before she could calm herself, he texted, I will call you around eight.

  Joy texted, OK, then there was a knock at her door. “Come in.” Whitman Snow walked in, and she could immediately tell he was nervous about something.

  “Whit.”

  “Lieutenant Ingram.”

  When Whit stood there and didn’t say anything else, she asked, “Is there a reason for this visit?”

  He stared at the floor before looking back up and finally meeting her gaze. “I was expecting to be called to your office today for my termination papers. I’m sure your boyfriend told you what was said.”

  Joy met Whit’s gaze. “No, he didn’t, at least not in detail. However, I can only assume from his degree of anger that whatever you and Darrin said was unflattering.”

  Whit nodded. “Yes, it was. I won’t try to place all the blame on Darrin. I should have shut him up.”

  “Yes, you should have. But then, I know respect has to be earned, Whit. All I’m asking is for you guys to keep an open mind. I want to do my job well just like I’m sure you want to do yours well. And as long as you’re doing your job the way I expect, the way Chief Harkins and the mayor expect, the way the taxpayers expect, then there shouldn’t be any problems.”

  He nodded, turned to go, then paused and turned back. “I’m glad to know you got somebody,” he said quickly.

  When she lifted her brow, he said, “You know. A boyfriend.”

  Joy just stared at him for a moment. What was with everyone worrying about whether she had a boyfriend? As if he read the question in her eyes, he rushed on, “No matter how you look at it, Lieutenant, people who tend not to have lives expect others not to have them, as well. Same way with people who don’t have children. They don’t always understand the sacrifices by the people who do. I’m not married but I do have a daughter I try to see whenever I can.”

  She shrugged. “I understand you and the others have lives, and all of you can rest assured I have one, as well. That doesn’t mean I won’t be working late some nights, because I will if the assignment calls for it. Whatever it takes to work a case, I will do it and expect all of you to do the same. I think that’s only fair.”

  He nodded. “It is.” He paused before asking, “Are you going to write me up?”

  She knew he was eyeing a job with the FBI, and an unfavorable write-up wouldn’t look good. “No. It was not a conversation I overheard. But I will give you fair warning. If you deliberately make my job more difficult, you will be out of here in a flash. Do we understand each other?”

  She saw the look of relief on his face. “Yes, Lieutenant, we understand each other. Thanks for the advice, and I will do my job.”

  “And I will do mine.”

  He nodded and quickly left her office.

  * * *

  “WHY ARE YOU calling me, Oliver?” Anderson snapped. He was getting dressed to go out. He hoped to meet a woman and have a good time.

  “Dr. Langley’s obituary was in today’s paper.”

  “And?”

  “Her funeral is tomorrow.”

  Anderson slid the belt through the loop of his slacks, getting more annoyed. “So, is there a reason you’re telling me that?”

  “I guess not if you have to ask. The police still think she and the pharmacist were killed because of the robbery.”

  “There’s no reason they wouldn’t. My people knew what they had to do.”

  “And what if they’re able to find your people and—”

  “Will you cut it out? Things will be fine. With the two robberies and the other dead person, there’s no way anyone will figure out Kelly was the intended target.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  Anderson tried to hold his temper. Oliver was getting on his last nerve. Hadn’t he taken a cue from what happened to Kelly? When it came to whiners he had no problem getting rid of them. If it wouldn’t raise suspicions with the authorities, he would make sure Oliver had a short life span. “Look, I need to go. It might be best if we don’t communicate for a while.”

  “Yes, maybe that’s a good idea.”

  Anderson hung up without saying goodbye.

  * * *

  JOY HAD JUST received a text from Stonewall saying he intended to pamper her at his place, when there was another knock on her office door. “Come in.”

  She smiled when Taren walked in. As far a technical analysts went, Taren Corker was the best, simply invaluable. “I got your request, and I wanted to let you know I’m on it. Can we meet in the morning?”

  “Sure thing. Will nine work for you?”

  “Yes. I did want you to know I did a tota
l body analysis of those two killers captured on the medical complex’s security cam.”

  “And?”

  “Although race is still unknown, both were definitely male.”

  “What else?”

  “For the taller of the two men,” Taren said, “the density of his body weight puts him between the ages of twenty-six and thirty-two. He’s six-two and weighs around 153.”

  Taren provided stats on the second man. “I entered info on both men into the universal criminal database, and so far there hasn’t been a match.”

  “That means no priors for either of them?”

  “Either that or any arrests were made before law enforcement became so technologically advanced.” Taren checked her watch. “I was just about to leave. You want to join me at Mony’s?”

  She liked Taren, and more than once they’d left headquarters about the same time and ended up dining together. Taren was a widow whose husband, a national guardsman, had been killed a few years ago in the line of duty. As far as Joy knew, Taren had not dated since and spent her free time doing volunteer work at the National Guard Armory and other local charities.

  “No thanks. I’ve made other plans.”

  “I heard about your boyfriend,” Taren said, smiling broadly.

  Joy leaned back against her desk. She almost said that she didn’t have a boyfriend, but instead asked, “And just what did you hear?”

  “Not much other than he’s real possessive. Whit said that you introduced them last week and you and your boyfriend joined him for dinner.”

  That wasn’t how things went down, but if that was Whit’s story, Joy would let him stick with it. She looked at her watch. “I need to get out of here.”

  “It’s about time somebody put some fire under you to leave this place on time. Although I haven’t met your boyfriend, I like him already. He definitely sounds like a keeper.”

  A keeper.

  Taren’s words were still in Joy’s thoughts when she parked in front of Stonewall’s place. Was he a keeper? She would admit if she was in the market for a serious affair he would definitely top the list. He was a man who enjoyed taking care of a woman in the most indulgent ways. No man had ever swept her off her feet—literally—and into his arms. But he’d done just that when she had arrived exhausted at his house after a long night working a crime scene. He didn’t have a problem being in a kitchen and he’d even laundered her clothes. Yes, he would definitely be a keeper if a keeper was what she’d wanted. But it wasn’t. However, he wasn’t looking for a keeper, either. Stonewall didn’t believe in forever. Of that she was sure.

  She unbuckled the seat belt and got out the car. She had called before leaving the office to let him know she was on her way and had offered to stop and pick up anything he needed. He’d said in his ultrasexy voice that the only thing he needed was her. But she knew that no matter what he’d said, when the time came he would pamper her before taking care of any needs he might have. She’d discovered that was the Stonewall Courson way. And it was a way that she was liking a bit too much.

  She really wasn’t surprised when the main door to the building opened before she’d even reached it. He stood there, leaning in the doorway and watching her. Her stomach did flip-flops. The closer she got the more active her stomach became.

  “Sorry I’m late,” she said when she came to a stop in front of him. Not only did he look good in his jeans and shirt, but he smelled good, as well.

  “You’re here now and that’s what matters,” he said, taking her hand.

  At least he hadn’t swept her off her feet. She really wasn’t into such romantic stunts but would have to admit that when he’d done it before, it had been nice. With Stonewall, chivalry definitely was not dead.

  He pressed the button to the elevator and looked at her. “Today’s only Monday. Think you can make it to Friday, Lieutenant?”

  Had any other man asked her that, she might have taken offense. But this was Stonewall, the man who seemed to accept her and her intensity for her work. “I think so.”

  He reached out and brushed his hand against her cheek. “I know so. You are a very determined woman who can do anything you set your mind to doing.”

  Except balancing work and life...or so others thought. She merely considered it a career choice. She was not intentionally trying to show anyone up just because they had lives outside headquarters. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  “Anytime.”

  She studied him for a moment, thinking just how different he was from Omar and appreciating that he was. He tightened his hold on her hand as they stepped onto the elevator. The feel of her fingers encompassed in the warmth of his sent tingles up her spine.

  Joy sniffed the air. Was she imagining it or could she smell the food he’d cooked even from here? She decided not to ask. Didn’t have a chance to do so because he turned her in his arms, leaned down and captured her mouth with his. Using his tongue, he didn’t take long to urge her to begin moaning.

  A kiss from Stonewall had the ability to erase all tension from her body. Being held in his arms felt so good and right.

  He continued to kiss her and didn’t stop until the elevator did. When he pulled back, Joy looked up, and now she was the one to reach up to brush a hand against his bearded cheek. “Keep that up, Stonewall, and you’re going to make me forget just how tired and hungry I am. And don’t look at me that way.”

  He smiled. “What way?”

  “Like you intend to make me forget anyway.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. The sound echoed off the walls of the elevator as they stepped out. He tightened his hold on her hand. “No, I intend to feed you and pamper you.”

  While he opened the door, she drew in a deep breath, and once again the smell of food filled her nostrils. “Good. Feed me first.”

  “Was this one of those days that you skipped lunch?” he asked as they stepped inside.

  “Yes, I had to go back to the crime scene. The ME’s report made me reconsider a few things,” she said, removing her Glock.

  He lifted a brow. “Reconsider a few things like what?”

  She smiled over at him. “We’ll talk about it over dinner.”

  * * *

  NORM AUSTEN ENTERED the room where several men were already seated at the table. All eyes were on him, and he didn’t mind. These were powerful men who called themselves the Brotherhood. They had a lot to lose if he ever screwed up. His job was to convince them he wouldn’t. He understood their uneasiness. Last month, the FBI had busted a huge criminal cartel out West that included some of their counterparts on Capitol Hill in addition to well-known businessmen. Luckily none of their names had surfaced during the investigation, probably because they hid the dirt they were doing well. But he of all people knew how deep their ties to organized crime were.

  “Have a seat, Norm. We called this meeting for a reason.”

  Norm took a chair as he looked at the three men standing. They were bodyguards who served not only as part of a security detail but henchmen, as well. He doubted there was much these men wouldn’t do. But then, he also had his team of loyalists. Two were standing outside the door right now.

  “Then what’s the reason? I’m a busy man.” He’d discovered early not to let anyone—not even these men—intimidate him. They might think they were calling the shots, but they were wrong. In time they would realize that.

  Senator Patrick Holland was one of the wealthiest and most powerful men on Capitol Hill. He was well liked and highly respected. Few knew of the senator’s dark side. He dabbled in human trafficking, the sale of illegal drugs, prostitution and, most recently, his new baby—no pun intended—the surrogate farm.

  The other three men, Sherman Weathersby, Elijah Davenport and Roger Charles were all wealthy businessmen. Well respected. Yet tonight they we
re here with Holland to try to throw their weight around. He had news for them. It wouldn’t be happening. For the time being they were letting the senator be the spokesman. That was all well and good.

  The senator leaned close to the table. “Do you think I give a damn how busy you are? Have you forgotten who you work for?”

  Norm smiled. The four would realize soon enough he didn’t work for anyone but himself. As far as he was concerned, they were equal partners. But for tonight, he wouldn’t ruffle their feathers, especially since one of the bodyguards was flashing the gun he wore. Little did the man know that all he had to do was touch the face of his watch to send a silent signal to his men, and they would burst into the room and take everybody out. But the last thing Norm wanted tonight was to get any blood on his new suit.

  “I’m not about to debate who I work for, Senator. Like I said, I’m a busy man. The four of you make sure of it. A loss of my time is a loss of money for yourselves. I like staying on top of things and prefer not being called away. So, what’s this meeting about?”

  Senator Holland eased back in his chair, seeming a little more relaxed, less tense. “It’s about the surrogate farm. We’ve read the papers. That girl who escaped is the sister of a Hollywood celebrity.”

  “And?”

  Holland frowned, giving him a look that would have a lesser man trembling in his shoes. “And we want to know nothing is going to come back and bite us in the ass.”

  Norm had news for the senator and his three cronies. If it was ever discovered what they did behind closed doors, it wouldn’t come and bite them in the ass. It would bury them three hundred feet under the jail with the keys thrown away. “Nothing is going to come back and bite any of you. Trust me. Have I let you guys down yet? If you recall, thanks to me, Murphy Erickson is no longer a noose around your necks. Can you imagine what would have happened if it was discovered the four of you, along with other well-known men, were part of his operation?”

  “Alright, alright, you did take care of Erickson, and we appreciate it,” the senator said, rubbing the top of his head in agitation.

  “And may I also remind you that as of yet no one, not even the Feds, has figured out how I did it,” Norm said, smiling. He hadn’t shared the details with anyone except his closest men, who’d carried out his orders.