by Sue Brown
He ran through their conversation again although he got distracted when he thought about Cal kissing him, and his dick twitched to point out that it too was a big thing that needed attention. He wrapped his hand around his shaft and gave it a tug. It leaked pre-come by way of thanks, which he spread over the head. Josh fucked his hand, wishing it was Cal touching him, Cal driving into him, Cal’s eyes staring down at him—Charlie!
Fuck! Josh came in a tumble of anger, lust and confusion, angry with himself for wanting two men, angry with himself for caring. His desire for both men was like a knot in his chest. He was Josh fucking Cooper; what did it matter if he wanted two men at once? Except it was Charlie and Cal and it mattered. Josh rolled over onto his stomach, grimacing at the wet patch beneath him. He wasn’t keen on the come and sweat aftermath of screwing.
“You’re fucked,” he muttered into the pillow.
“I know!” Josh answered himself.
Josh, Landry and Gil presented themselves back at Threadneedle Street at 8.00 a.m. to resume the search for Jonathan Michaels. They met the team in Jesse’s office. Josh glanced at Cal who smiled then looked away. Jesse sighed. So it was business as usual.
After a perfunctory enquiry to make sure Josh was fit to resume his duties, Jesse started the meeting with a grim face. “Philip Barton is missing.”
“What the hell?” Gil said.
Jesse frowned, obviously annoyed. “I emailed Josh this morning.”
“Sorry,” Josh mumbled when all eyes turned on him. He hadn’t logged on, not wanting to encounter Charlie. He couldn’t face Charlie after a night with Cal. “When did he go missing?”
“Last night,” Jesse replied. “His wife reported him missing when he didn’t return from work.”
“Anyone checked the Thames?” Gil said, only partially joking, but Jesse took him seriously.
“I’ve alerted the Thames police and coastguard. His car is missing.”
“So the same MO as Michaels.” Josh pulled out one of his notebooks. “Do you have the police report, details of his movements and description of the car?”
“I’ll send them to you.”
“Josh and I will go and visit Mrs. Barton after the meeting,” Cal said.
Gil shook his head. “Josh stays with either Landry or me at all times.”
The roll of happiness in Josh’s stomach at Cal’s suggestion took a sudden nosedive at the thought of the twins sticking to him like glue. He may have entertained the idea of a threesome with them, but he did not want them acting as handsome cock-blockers. Josh had a brief thought of the twins dressed as giant condoms.
Cal grunted. “Landry can drive.”
“Rick and I will go to Barton and Wharlow. Let’s hope they’re more cooperative now one of the partners is missing. Gil, you and Dave need to talk to Melissa Michaels again. See if she remembers anything else, especially about Barton.” Jesse looked around the table. “I don’t need to remind you it’s been almost four weeks since Jonathan Michaels went missing. The chance of finding him alive is decreasing rapidly.”
“If he’s the victim,” Josh pointed out.
“If he’s the victim,” Jesse repeated. “The money is still missing and the SFO’s getting impatient. Dominic and Darryl are still working on that. Good thing, they’re still that side of the Atlantic because they’ve pissed everyone off this side. I swear I heard one of my team organizing a hit on Darryl.”
“I’ll help arrange it,” Josh promised.
Landry snorted coarsely. “Darryl doesn’t understand the concept of sleep. He once had the entire team work for fifty hours straight trying to track down a client’s missing Chihuahua because it was wearing a diamond collar. He’s like a fucking terrier when he’s working.”
“I don’t think terrier was the word Beth used after one of their conversations,” Jesse said.
“I’ll bet it wasn’t,” Josh replied.
They left Jesse’s office to find more coffee because Josh insisted he wasn’t going anywhere before he’d topped up his caffeine level. Cal rolled his eyes and led Josh to the coffee machine. Gil and Landry took their own drinks and stood on the other side of the room, deep in conversation, leaving Josh alone with Cal.
Cal handed Josh an espresso. “Should taste like sludge.”
Josh took a sip and sighed happily. “Yeah. Perfect.”
“I don’t know how you can drink it like that.”
“I’m a New Yorker. I have a cast iron stomach.” Josh drained the tiny cup and held out his hand for another one.
“You’re going to get an ulcer.” Cal gave the warning over the sound of the whooshing machine.
“Meh. So does Jesse know your cover is blown?”
Cal jumped and cursed as he spilled hot water over his fingers. “Fuck!”
Without thinking, Josh took Cal by the hand and led him to the sink, holding his fingers under a stream of cold water.
“Thanks, Mom.”
Josh noticed Cal pronounced it the American way. “You’re welcome,” he said with a large dose of sarcasm in his tone. “And the answer?”
Cal looked at him blankly. “The answer?”
“About the fact we know you’re Callum David Ross, the head honcho, the big cheese, the—”
“I get the picture.”
Josh raised an eyebrow, wondering if he was going to have to tickle the answer out of him, or knee the man in the balls. Either way would work.
“I told Jesse,” Cal finally admitted.
“So what happens now you’re not pretending to be part of his team? Are you leading my team?”
Cal snorted. “I’d have an easier time herding cats.” He turned off the tap and held out his fingers for inspection. “Okay, Mom?”
Josh inspected the skin. It was pink but no blisters. He resisted the urge to kiss Cal’s fingers better. “Okay. But what’s gonna happen now?”
“Nothing. We keep working as we are. Dominic wants this wrapped up as quickly as possible. He’s got a job for you back home in the New Year.”
“And if we don’t find Jonathan? Because so far there’s no trace of him and our lead suspect is dead.”
“And someone tried to kill you, don’t forget.”
Josh shuddered. “I’m not likely to.” He’d been shot at before, and one guy had tried to gut him with a filleting knife. “Being tied up and laid out for the fishes is not my idea of a good time.”
Cal’s eyes darkened and he ran a damp finger along Josh’s cheek bone. “I would have hated to lose you.”
“Never happen,” Josh assured him. “I’m indestructible.”
“I believe that about you, but I’ve still got to look after you.”
“Yes, sir.” Josh saluted him and Cal half-laughed, half-snorted.
“You never take anything seriously, do you?”
“Not much. Now gimme another coffee because we’ve got three minutes before Landry starts nagging to go.”
“Three minutes?”
“Two minutes, fifty seconds.” Josh held out his hand.
Cal stared at him but when Josh just went “Tick-tock” he made another espresso and handed it over, this time without mishap.
Exactly two minutes and fifty seconds later, Landry came over and said, “Ready to go?”
“How the hell did you know he was going to do that?” Cal turned to Jesse.
“Josh’s anal about timings,” Landry said. “He knows how long it takes for me to drink coffee and talk to Gil. You should know that.”
Cal nodded thoughtfully. “I should know that.”
“You’re not around much, are you?” Josh suggested.
From his glance Cal picked up the edge in Josh’s tone. “Obviously not enough.”
Landry gave each of them a What the hell? look, but he didn’t say anything beyond “I’ll meet you in the parking lot.” He turned on his heel, leaving behind an uncomfortable silence.
Josh finished his espresso and washed the cup in the small sink next to the
coffee machine. Cal did the same, still silent. Josh got the feeling Cal was thinking about something, rather than waiting for him to talk.
As they headed to the elevators down to the parking lot, Jesse stopped them. “Dirk Brenner is going to meet you there.”
Josh pulled a sour face. “It didn’t take him long to stick his snout in.”
“He said the same about us.” Jesse shared the sour expression. “It is his case. Don’t be surprised if he makes a fuss about you being there.”
“I can handle Mr. Brenner,” Cal said.
Jesse snorted. “I’m sure Brenner would be delighted if you ‘handled’ him, but no promises you can’t keep.”
Josh growled under his breath at the implication, stopping abruptly when Jesse looked at him.
“Josh?”
“Nothing.”
Cal better not fucking handle Brenner in front of him. It didn’t help that, from the amused expression on Cal’s face, he guessed exactly what was trolling through Josh’s mind.
“You’d better get a move on,” Jesse said. “The traffic was a nightmare this morning.” He looked tired, dark smudges under his eyes even more pronounced than when they’d first met.
“Is everything okay?” Josh asked.
Jesse rubbed his eyes. “I didn’t get much sleep last night. One of my agents in Colombia is MIA. I spent last night trying to track him down.”
Josh remembered that Jesse had a whole other role outside of this mission. “No luck?”
Jesse shook his head. “The chances are he’s dead.”
Before Josh could ask another question he felt a hand on his back.
“We’ll let you get on with it,” Cal said. “We’ll be back later.”
“Keep in touch.”
Jesse left them and headed towards his office. Cal and Josh stepped into the elevator and Cal said quietly, “Jesse was held hostage by a gang running drugs and guns for nearly a year.”
“I checked him out,” Josh said.
“I thought you might.”
“And the boyfriend? Jesse has photos of someone in the office. Him and a grey-haired man, and a dog. They look like a happy family.”
“Dan is a good man but they went through some hard times. I think Norman had a big hand in getting them back together.”
Josh frowned. “Norman? Is he an ex?”
Cal grinned at him. “Norman’s their dog.”
“I thought we handled some shit, but Jesse’s hardcore,” Josh said, shaking in his head in admiration. “They trained you here didn’t they? Did you do this work?”
Cal nodded. “For three years, but I knew I didn’t want to do it indefinitely. I didn’t want to end up like Jesse. Don’t tell him that. He’s damn lucky he’s still alive.”
“So you set up the security firm instead? Why the hell in Seattle and not over here?”
Cal answered as the elevator doors opened. “After I left the agency Jesse’s boss set me up with a job in Seattle. I lived there for five years and then decided I wanted my own company. I thought there were more opportunities in America than here.”
They reached the SUV and Josh paused before he opened the door. “Why did we never meet you?”
Cal smirked. “I got asked to work back here for an assignment. CDR was doing well with Dominic at the helm. It didn’t need me.”
“But why no photos of you anywhere?”
“I was working undercover. There are very few photos of me in existence.”
“Not even with a boyfriend?”
“What boyfriend?” Cal said lightly.
“Are you two gonna get in the car or just stand there?” Landry grumbled.
Josh stared at Cal as they got into the vehicle. “You’ve never had a boyfriend?”
“Why’s that so strange?” Cal sounded a little defensive. “I’ve never stayed in one place long enough to put down roots.”
“Dude, I can’t believe a guy like you doesn’t have men all over him?”
Cal smirked at Josh’s exclamation. “I didn’t say I didn’t have hook ups. Besides, you’ve never had a boyfriend.”
Josh scowled at him. “How do you know that? Did Dominic tell you?”
“You did.”
Landry slammed on the brakes and they both shot forward, the seat belts straining to keep them in place. “Sorry, not used to your intersections,” he apologized.
Josh cursed him out and settled back, musing on Cal’s words. “When did I tell you about my love-life?” Josh never forgot anything people said to him, and he certainly hadn’t discussed his love-life with Cal.
“Think about it, Josh.” Cal waggled his eyebrows. “You’ve got the eidetic memory.”
Josh grumbled and closed his eyes. If he had to he would remember every word, every conversation he’d had since he started working at CDR. There had to be a moment he’d let something slip.
“Josh, wake the fuck up,” Landry barked.
Josh sat up, blinking owlishly. The seat next to him was conspicuously empty. “I’m awake. I was concentrating. What the fuck? Where’s Cal?”
To his credit, Landry knew about Josh’s zen mode and didn’t call him on it. “He’s talking to that fraud dude.” He leant on the open door and picked at something stuck between his teeth.
“Why did he leave me here?” Josh peered out of the tinted windows, looking for Cal.
“He said he’d smooth Brenner’s feathers or some such shit.”
Josh bristled at the idea. “We’re supposed to be working together.”
“The dude’s got a point, Josh. Brenner hates your guts.”
“He doesn’t hate me. He wants me to fuck him.”
“Same thing.”
Josh was about to scoff at that, then he shut up. Landry had a point. He got out of the SUV and stretched, feeling the pleasurable effects of a night of intense fucking. He shivered at the thought of Cal slowly driving him to climax with each twist and pull of his body.
Landry looked at him oddly. “Are you okay?”
“Fine, fine. Let’s go see what they’re plotting.” Josh maneuvered around Landry’s bulk and waited impatiently for him to shut the door.
Brierley House was the stereotypical English country house. Real old rather than mock old, surrounded by large trees and formal gardens. Josh’s mother would have died and gone to heaven to be standing here. She made him watch Downton Abbey with her. Not that he minded. They both enjoyed the ‘scenery’.
Except that wasn’t what attracted Josh’s attention now. Police vehicles filled the driveway of Philip Barton’s house, and officers stood guard in front of the imposing wooden front doors, moving to stand in Josh and Landry’s way as they approached.
Josh surveyed the scene and turned to Landry. “There are a lot of cops here for one missing financier.”
Landry grunted, presumably in agreement.
“If you’re the press no one is ready to make a statement yet,” the older officer said gruffly as they got closer. There was a light drizzle and droplets of water were caught in the man’s mustache.
Josh thought he was cute in a Daddy Bear way but he wasn’t impressed at being mistaken for a reporter. “Do we look like the press?”
The coppers took a long time to answer—too long—and Josh was working up to being offended when the front door opened and Cal appeared.
“They’re with me,” he said and, to Josh’s annoyance and relief, the police officers stood to one side. He stalked past them and into the foyer of the residence. The hallway was large and an ornate staircase curved around to left. Art liberally decorated the walls and Josh was surprised to see contemporary artists rather than portraits and landscapes. The inside wasn’t much warmer than the outside and Josh shivered for real this time.
“Come with me,” Cal said. “It’s warmer in the drawing room.”
Drawing room? This wasn’t a fucking art class.
“Where’s Brenner?” Josh couldn’t see any sign of the detective. Of course, that was al
ways a plus.
Cal pressed his lips together so tightly they almost vanished. “He’s talking to Mrs. Barton. They discovered Philip Barton’s body about an hour ago. Jesse called me just as we arrived.” He lowered his voice as if he was trying not to be overheard.
“You should’ve woken me up.” Josh snapped.
“I thought you weren’t asleep.”
Jesse scowled at Cal and Landry intervened. “Where’s the body?”
“He hanged himself in one of the barns. A policeman found him when they searched the property.”
Josh rubbed his eyes, feeling weary all over. He hated dealing with the aftermath of suicides. He had left his Catholic upbringing behind long ago, but the thought still made his immortal soul cower. “It’s definitely suicide?”
“Looks like it, but they won’t confirm until the autopsy. The medical examiner is on his way.”
“Are they going to let us near the scene?” Josh asked
“Yeah. Briefly. Jesse arranged it. Let me get Brenner.” Of course Cal noticed Josh’s twitch of disgust. “Play nice.”
“Never gonna happen.”
“He’s just as happy you’re here,” Cal assured him.
“I’ll get him. Where is he?” Landry seemed anxious to get away from the crackling tension.
Cal pointed to a room. Josh barely noticed him go, totally focused on Cal, who didn’t take his eyes away from Josh as he said, “You don’t have to be jealous.”
“I’m not! I’m annoyed because you’re shutting me out again.” The second the words were out Josh snapped his mouth shut. He sounded like a jealous bitch and, from the smug expression on Cal’s face, that’s exactly how he took it. He bristled at Cal’s knowing expression. “We’re supposed to be working together.”
Cal bent forward, and Josh couldn’t help the shiver as Cal’s warm breath skimmed his ear. “You and me—we work very well together.”
He was so close, if Josh turned his head, they’d be kissing but of course the moment had to be ruined.
“How domestic,” Brenner drawled.
Chapter 10
Saturday, 26th November
Cal took his time to straighten up. Josh refused to blush, or look embarrassed. Although he did make a mental note to string Cal up by his balls when the opportunity arose.