She rubbed her forehead feeling an impending migraine headache coming on. "There was a problem with the magazine and I'm in New York sorting it out." She lied.
"What kind of 'magazine problem’ warrants them to fly you off to New York without telling me? Danielle, I want you on the first flight back to Phoenix tonight. Do you hear me?"
"Excuse the fuck outta me, but last time I checked my daddy died years ago." The dam of months of pent up aggravation finally burst, and Danielle thrashed Gerard with her words.
Keeping the peace and trying to get along, she had been hiding her feelings. However, that time was past. It was about time Gerard knew how she really felt.
"Who do you think--" he began. She shot him down.
"I think I am Danielle Marie Labouleaux! That's who I am, and I have had enough of you thinking you own me. I am done Gerard. When I finally decide to return to Phoenix, I am moving out."
"Have you lost your mind? What! Are you having PMS or what? After all I've done for you! Do you think I'm going to sit here and let you talk to me like I'm some average Joe off the street? Who do you think you're talking to?" Gerard's voice was at a fevered pitch.
"I think I'm talking to a man who doesn't realize a good thing is walking out the door." She countered.
Gerard breathed hard into the phone. "Danielle, Danny look, we can't end things over the phone, Ok? Just fly back to Phoenix. We'll talk it out, and if you still want to end things, well, then there's not much I can do about that."
"I've still got a lot of work to do here so I'm not coming home at least for a few days."
"Really! You'd rather stay there working than try to find out and fix what's wrong with our relationship?"
"Yes, I would." She returned. "As far as I'm concerned there's nothing to talk about. I'll be there in a few days to pack my things, and I'm done." Wishing she had a corded phone so she could really slam down a receiver for dramatic effect, she had to opt for the anticlimactic push of the end button on her smartphone.
Closing her eyes she relaxed against the leather bench seat. For the first time in months she felt free like a huge boulder had been lifted off her shoulders.
In the press media room of the Dallas Field Office, the press conference was underway. SAIC Johnson expertly took the reins of the media briefing. The Agents investigating the case stood in front of the cameras behind Johnson along with the grieving Cavender family. Aiden reflected on what Danny said about him wanting to be the puppet master, and he couldn't help but feel his strings being tugged like Pinocchio.
The reporters were prepared with an arsenal of questions which Lucius expertly parried. He definitely didn't want to go into the particulars when it came to the viewing public. He did let the public know that there was a serial killer stalking prostitutes in the Dallas area. Though they did have Danny's forensic research the bureau had nothing concrete connecting the Dallas murder case with the others, and he didn't want to jump the gun before tangible facts were produced. He let the media outlets know that there was a substantial financial reward available for anyone who had information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator or perpetrators of Sherry's murder. The Cavender family had insisted on providing the reward from their own funds. Lucius truly believed this was futile. The working girls they had already interviewed acted like they would need the Jaws of Life to pry any information out of them. Something or someone had them running scared enough to remain silent. They provided a toll free number for any of the prostitutes in the area in fear for their lives to get help and anonymously give information. He doubted it would be used except for some crackpots giving false leads and wasting valuable time and resources.
Leaving the three ring circus behind, Stone made it back to the SUV where Danny was patiently waiting for the press conference to end.
"How did it all go?" She asked, typing away as she balanced her computer on her lap. After her call to Gerard she decided to occupy her mind with the case and leave her conversation with him behind her as best she could.
"You'll be pleased." He said with a smirk, exiting the parking structure and merging into traffic. "The puppet master was in rare form."
"Speaking of Luc, I am emailing him information regarding the parent companies of the clinics so he can have his people get started on that part of the investigation."
"You were able to get the name of the company?" He queried, amazed at what she could do in less than an hour.
"Not to the clinic in Dallas, but I was able to flirt my way into getting Intel on the location in Miami. I just told the leasing agent that I was looking into buying out the company's lease. The lease is held under the Knight Corporation." She paused for a moment. "And I told him if I were in the area I'd let him take me on a dinner date."
"So that's how your investigations work?" He ribbed. "Sexual favors for Intel? No wonder you're so effective."
"You are so lucky you're driving right now because I would punch you so hard." She shook her head with annoyance.
"Never stopped you before" He smiled broadly as she smacked him lightly in the arm.
"Are there any new developments since our meeting this morning?" She returned the conversation to its serious tone.
"Ramirez will be boarding the plane for Phoenix in the next couple hours, and I've got stakeout duty tonight at the clinic."
Cool, I'm coming with." she decided.
He shook his head adamantly. "No way, I told you before; no civvies allowed on stakeouts."
Danny folded her arms and pursed her lips. "Fine, then I'll be with Alejandro on the flight back to Phoenix."
"Danny--" he started. It would defeat the purpose of him protecting her if she went back to Phoenix.
"No, you don't get to 'Danny' me. You dragged me all the way to Dallas now you're gonna ditch me in some boring old hotel room? No, Stone. I don't think so. I'm either coming with you or I'm going back to my apartment."
She wasn't giving him much choice in the matter. "Fine Danny, fine."He cut a menacing look her way. "You'd better get some sleep cause if you fall asleep tonight I just might keep my promise and you might wake up with no clothes on at all."
She was so flabbergasted there was nothing she could say.
The black suburban had been parked outside the clinic for four hours. Agent Stone and Danielle were inside the large SUV waiting for any signs of life inside the brick and glass building that housed the clinic.
Even though he had given her a hard time about tagging along, he was glad for her company. He enjoyed their bantering and found her enjoyable to be around. He made her promise that if anything were to happen that she would remain inside the vehicle and even drive off without him if necessary.
He would rather have her with him than the alternative. Until he found out how her ex was connected to Sherry and the human trafficking aspect of this case, he believed she was safest with him. At some point he would have to tell her his suspicions about her fiancé, but until he had some substantial evidence he would keep her close.
Earlier in the evening the two of them had stopped off at Ella's Down Right Good Food. The best soul food in town, the sign had advertised. They got their dinners in takeout containers, knowing that they were possibly going to pull an all-nighter. He chose a medium rare burger and seasoned fries while Danny went with chicken tenders and a side of fried okra. Silently in the dark alley, now they were finally eating their now cold meals. The street light on the corner had its bulb busted out long ago, and it was hardly his idea of a romantic setting. He put in a Sade CD and set the volume to low. The faint light of the radio was all they had to see the outlines of each other's faces. Sade was a far cry from the music he typically listened to, but he had learned the power of her dulcet tones on women when he wanted to get them in a mellow mood. The thought had crossed his mind with Danny, and he couldn't deny his attraction to her any longer.
She had all but finished with the tenders when he looked at her for the first time in the soft gl
ow of the radio light. His fingers were itching to brush away that wayward lock of hair that was hanging right in front of her face. The ambient lighting of the truck made her eyes glimmer like luminous orbs. Her plump lips he was dying to taste, like a man starving to death.
"You got some sauce on your lips." He pointed to his own face indicating where the barbecue sauce was on her mouth.
"Oh, where's a napkin?" She asked as she rifled through the paper bag the dinners came in.
"I got something that will clean it off, hang on." He gently cradled her face in his hands and pulled her forward, licking her mouth with his tongue.
Taken by surprise, she pulled back and gave a stinging slap across his face. Staring at him with daggers in her eyes she grabbed his face and bit his bottom lip. The fullness of his lip stirred her, and she found herself lightly sucking on it as if wanting to draw blood to drink. He put his massive hand behind her head and pulled her closer, sampling the taste of her lips. Her bite ignited him and his testosterone level shot up in an instant. Now he was practically kneeling on the big SUV's bench seat passionately kissing her.
She gave him full access to her mouth and he let his tongue roam freely and mingle with the softness of hers. His other hand slid around her back pulling her soft body against his own. He growled while she whispered his name within the darkened confines of the Suburban. Passion taking control, Danny came up for air. Kissing his neck she reached up and nipped his ear lobe with her teeth.
"Damn girl, what are you a vampire? Keep biting me and you're gonna draw blood!" He whispered into her ear. Then he gave her a nibble on the neck. He tenderly kissed the nape of her neck working his way down to her throat.
"Aiden shut the hell up and just kiss me!" Danny demanded. His name rolling off her tongue was music to his ears. He complied with her order. Both were now lying across the bench seat with him on top, pressing all of his hard body and even harder manhood against her. A light shone into the fogged up windows of the vehicle.
"Excuse me folks. What's going on here?" Officer McEarney asked the two occupants who were now quickly returning themselves to an upright position.
Aiden rolled down the steamed up window and flashed his badge to the officer. "It's OK officer I'm an FBI Agent on a stakeout."
The grizzled cop rolled his eyes. "Uh huh, right! Well Agent, is your perphiding in her mouth?"
Danny slid back to the passenger side of the vehicle feeling like she should slide under it. Her face was now flushed with embarrassment. "Officer it's not what it looks like I swear!"
“Okay miss, why don't you humor me and step out of the vehicle and tell me what it is then?" The officer pointed to the door.
Aiden couldn't help himself as he started to chuckle.
"OK, Casanova, you get out too! And keep those hands where I can see ‘em!"
Aiden started to exit the vehicle still laughing and on the verge of tears said. "OK, OK officer." He opened the driver's side door now trying to stifle his laughter but not succeeding. "I swear she's not a prostitute." He managed to say between laughing fits.
"We're on a stakeout I swear!" He walked over to the hood of the car and assumed the position as Danny looked on in total mortification.
Officer McEarney took Aiden's badge, and on closer inspection plus a radio call to headquarters verifying the stakeout was for real, he finally was satisfied that he was indeed an FBI agent. He then took Danny aside and asked in earnest but with a knowing twinkle in his eye. "He's not hurting you ishe?"
“"Um, no officer, we just got carried away, sorry!" Danny cried.
"Well young lady you might want to reattach that bra and button up that shirt."
"What?" Danny yelled now feeling the back of her shirt and feeling the bra hooks unfastened.
On hearing the good cop's words, Aiden was now uncontrollably snickering as he watched a flustered Danny head back to the back seat of the SUV and slam the door behind her. The two men finished their business with Aiden looking back into the vehicle and giving Danny devilish winks. The officer patted him on the back with what she could only surmise as a "good going buddy" gesture that infuriated and embarrassed her even more. Officer McEarney went back to his squad car and soon left. Aiden strolled arrogantly back to the truck.
“I've never been so humiliated in all my life!" She yelled at him like she was scolding a dog.
Still chuckling he said "Nani, it’s OK! Look at it this way; we've given him a good story to tell his cop buddies! You know how they are!"
"Yes, damn it I do! I was a cop remember!" She was furious but he didn't seem to care.
He casually hopped over the front seat and joined her in the back seat.
"Baby c'mon it's OK. He only asked headquarters if I was legit for the stakeout. He promised he never mentioned your name. Your reputation is still stellar!" he said, as he tried to hold her.
Beating him on his chest she said. "How the hell did you get my bra unhooked without me knowing it, jackass?"
"Magic fingers sweetheart!" He raised his hand and waved his fingers in front of her face.
Danny grabbed his hand and bit the index finger hard this time meaning to hurt
"Ow! Geez, Nani easy!" He said and started chuckling again. Then he bit her bottom lip softly.
"Ow, damn it!" she cried
"Uh huh, you can take it but you prefer to dish it out don't ya!" He raised his eyebrow in a knowing fashion. There was no doubt she would be more than a handful in bed.
"Yes, I can take it, and I will dish it out!" She grabbed his arousal through his pants and started on his neck again. They were well on their way to second base until someone else came into view. A young dark-haired woman was standing at the door to the clinic.
An adrenalin rush springing him into action he scrambled back to the front of the SUV, grabbing his night vision camera. With just a button press the camera was rolling and filming what was going on. Also watching the scene as it unfolded, Danny was silent, probably holding her breath.
With her emaciated frame and jittery walk there was no doubt that the woman was a drug addict. You could see the desperation in her eyes as she looked up and down the block waiting for someone to answer the door. The short seedy skirt and low cut frazzled top she wore mayas well have been hanging on clothes hangers by the way they hung off her thin frame. Tottering back and forth on her plastic pumps, she absently scratched at her forearm like she was infested with fleas.
The same Latino medical assistant with the war paint on his arms appeared at the door still wearing his hospital scrubs. Looking up and down the block he stepped outside concealing something in his hand. Out of the medical office element he had the mannerisms of a common street thug with his shoulders hunched and his teeth bared like an animal. He was obviously berating the woman because she looked down at her feet like a scolded child. He seized her chin in his hand before striking her across the face.
Satisfied that she had gotten the message, the man forced a small packet into her hand before pushing her away and slapping her on the ass. Like a scared mouse she skittered away from him.
Her eyes glued to the scene unfurling before them, Danny whispered for Aiden's ears only, "Please tell me you're getting this."
"I've got it all, baby. Don't worry." A quiet fury settled into Aiden’s core. This woman was somebody's daughter, sister, or even mother. Yet this man was treating her like filth. "Smile, motherfucker, you're on candid camera." He snarled under his breath.
Since the woman appeared, his high tech camera hadn't left the front of the clinic.
With the woman gone, the brute took the time to roll a joint. Standing with his back to the brick wall of the clinic and his foot propped against it, he took a few tokes before a couple more women appeared. Their body language spoke volumes as to the fear they must be feeling. Like before, he reprimanded them and forced plastic packets in their hands before sending them on their way.
Another hour went by without any activity. Danny was back in t
he front seat beside Aiden. His fingers traced lazy circles along the dainty skin of her neck. Danny relaxed into his embrace and rotated her neck on her shoulders, enjoying the attention.
"Here we go again." Taking his hand off her neck, he pulled out the camera again.
This time the woman was a girl, probably high school age. The brute roughly seized a fist full of her long black hair until they were nose to nose. The girl pulled away, but he yanked harder, roughly tugging on her arm. The girl yelped, and he smacked her across the face.
"Aiden."Danny called, sounding like her heart was breaking.
"Baby, I know." He wanted to do nothing more than arrest the punk for battery. However, they were working a murder case, and if he brought the feds crashing down on the clinic that wouldn't help the women in the other areas. The only way to make any difference was to continue recording and shut down the entire operation.
Luckily for the girl, the brute released her, but not before tossing one of the packets on the ground and making her fetch it. She scrambled on her hands and knees for it before running away. Seemingly amused, the tough went back inside the clinic.
His evidence obtained, Aiden hoped he had gained enough to have the entire operation shut down soon. He backed the Suburban out of the alley slowly, leaving the headlights off until reaching the main thoroughfare. The previous mood understandably had cooled, and they headed back to the hotel. It was the wee hours of the morning, and he needed to get his evidence to Agent Johnson A.S.A.P.
However, he would not deliver it before getting a few hours shut eye. Danny was looking sad and weary herself. Seeing the events unfold before her eyes, she was looking like her dam was going to burst any second. Agent Stone backed the SUV into the parking spot in front of the adjoining rooms. What a difference a day made he thought to himself. The night before he was putting her to bed pondering what her hot body would feel like snuggled next to him. Now she looked like a little girl lost. He just wanted to hold her, to comfort her.
The Body Hunters Page 17