Dungeon Building (9 page)

Damn Logan for doing this to her. He might think she enjoyed the embarrassment, but she didn’t.

“Open it,” Marsha said. “I’m dying to see what’s inside.”

Evelyn took a pair of scissors out of her top drawer. “I’m going to open it, but I’m not going to share until I see if it’s appropriate for everyone to see.”

“Spoilsport,” Marsha retorted, but she was laughing.

Evelyn cut into the tape, noticing as she did that there was no return address on the package. She checked the postmark. It was yesterday here in town.

When the adhesive was free, she opened the outer box and found what she’d expected, a shoebox inside. She opened the lid. Crumpled newspaper filled the top. She moved it aside to find a ceramic frog nestled in the middle.

“Do you collect frogs?” Marsha asked her.

“No,” Evelyn replied. She lifted the frog from the box. Under it was an envelope. The good citizen in her said she should call Logan. The newspaper editor told her to see what was inside.

“Let me,” Marsha said. She reached for the envelope.

“Don’t touch it,” Evelyn said. “Fingerprints.”

“Oh bull,” Marsha said, but she pulled her hand back. “You picked up the frog.”

“Yeah, I guess I did. Open it.”

Marsha tore the end off the white packet. She extracted a sheet of printer paper. On it were typed the words,
I want what’s mine. Tell your lover that when you give him this.

“What the hell does that mean?” Marsha asked.

“Beats me,” Evelyn said. She put the box on her desk and pulled out her cell phone. Logan answered on the first ring.

“Don’t think you can sweet-talk your way out of this,” he said as a greeting, his tone telling her he was royally pissed.

“You need to get down here,” she ordered.

“Be right there.” The phone went dead, and she thanked the stars above that Logan hadn’t asked why. He wasn’t one to waste time on things like that. She was sure her tone of voice let him know something strange was up.

He came through the door moments later, with Steve Penn right behind him.

Evelyn frowned when she saw the other cop. He must have seen her because he said, “I was on my way down here to speak to you, Evelyn, about the story, when I saw Hendricks parking his truck.”

Something told her it was a lie, but she didn’t push the issue.

“I just got this in the mail,” she said as she pointed to the carton. She turned in time to see Marsha stuffing the note in her pocket. “I have no clue what it is.”

She and Marsha locked gazes. Marsha shook her head ever so slightly. Evelyn did the same. They would keep the letter to themselves.

“That belongs to Madeline Rusin,” Logan said.

Evelyn frowned. “Are you sure? It doesn’t fit the decor of her house.”

“She bought it on their trip to China last fall,” Penn said. “It’s supposed to bring good luck, or something like that. It was in the inventory of items taken from their home.”

“It failed in its duties,” Marsha said.

“Obviously,” Penn replied. “We’re going to have to take this, since it’s stolen property.”

“Anything else in there?” Logan asked her.

Before Evelyn could reply, Marsha said, “Evie didn’t take anything out of the box, except the frog.”

“You touched it?” Penn asked, as if she’d shot someone’s grandmother.

“Yes, I did. It was addressed to me.” She glared at him. “I didn’t know what it was. I’ve been expecting a package.”

Evelyn switched her gaze to Logan. His face was blank, and something told her he knew about the note.

“We’ll take it all,” he finally said.

Evelyn shrugged. “I don’t want to keep stolen goods.”

Penn muttered something about messing up evidence before he exited the building. While he was gone, silence reigned in the newsroom. Evelyn sat down at her desk, and Marsha quickly left the room.

“What’s he doing here?” she asked.

“He was behind me on the street and saw me make a U-turn. When we were outside, he said he thought I was coming to a call, and decided to tag along. He thinks you know something about the mayor’s burglary, and he’s been watching me.”

Logan glared at her. “Give me whatever else was in the box,” he said, as if he were keeping his anger in check.

“I…”

“Hand it over, Evelyn.” He held out his hand. “If you’ve messed with evidence, I don’t think—”

“I did it.” Marsha interrupted as she offered him the envelope. Evelyn hadn’t even heard her come back in the room. It didn’t take her long to figure out what the longtime reporter was doing—making a copy of the note.

He took it from her just as Penn came back inside. He had a bag in his hand, and he was now wearing gloves. “What’s that?”

“I found it at the bottom of the box,” Logan said. “And don’t hound me about handling it without gloves. We’re not going to find fingerprints on any of this stuff, just like we didn’t find any at the mayor’s house.”

That was news to Evelyn. She glanced at Marsha, who shook her head. It was news to her too.

Logan read the letter out loud.

“Small-town bullshit,” Penn said. He stepped in front of Evelyn’s desk. “You get anything else like this, you call me, not your boyfriend. You got that?”

“I hear you, Captain,” she replied. It was better than saying yes, since she had no intention of following his order. “You know, before you blame this on small-town bullshit, you should remember that, going as far back as Jack the Ripper, criminals have been sending items, and letters, to newspaper editors.”

And then, with a flash, she remembered the “gifts” Logan was going to send her way, all of them delivered to the office.

Dread coiled in her stomach. The arrival of this package meant Penn would be stalking the office to see what else she received. She looked over at Logan. He was not happy. Potential embarrassment was nothing next to having Penn try to confiscate a box that contained a dildo or a bullwhip.

“I mean what I said.” Penn stepped in front of her, blocking her view of Logan. “You give whatever you get to me.”

“I don’t have to give you anything, Captain,” she responded. “As far as I’m concerned, if it’s addressed to me, I can do as I please with it.”

“And I can arrest you for receiving stolen property,” he retorted.

“Go ahead,” she said. “The newspaper has a very good lawyer on retainer.”

Evelyn glanced over Penn’s shoulder to where Logan stood. He looked proud, and it made her smile.

“You think this is a game?” Penn asked.

“No, I don’t. But I’m not going to let you bully me. If I receive something else, I’ll discuss it with my attorney and decide what to do.”

For a moment, she thought he was going to say something. But he didn’t. He grabbed the bag with the frog before he marched toward the door.

“Don’t piss him off,” Logan said. “He’s hot to solve this case, even if he has to step on your toes to do it.”

“Bring it on,” Evelyn said, well aware that pissing off a police captain was not a good idea. “I won’t be submissive where my job is concerned.”

The look he gave her showed he agreed with her.

* * * *

Logan had just stepped out of the shower when his cell phone rang. When he saw Penn’s number, he thought about not answering. But doing things like that could be detrimental to his career.

“All hands on deck,” Penn said without a greeting. “There’s a big party at the lake involving underage drinking. We need to break it up now.”

“Awful early to be such an out-of-control party,” he’d said to his supervisor. “It’s not even seven.”

“They’ve been doing it all day,” Penn had responded. “The fishermen camped around them have finally had enough.”

So Logan called Evelyn to beg off. He could tell she was disappointed, and so was he. “This doesn’t get you off the hook for this afternoon,” he said. “Your ass will be mine when we get back from our trip tomorrow.”

Logan had spoken to Mattson earlier in the day. The bed would be ready on time, Tucker had assured him. He just needed to take a few measurements to make sure everything would be just right. The breast vise was already boxed up, as were the other items that didn’t have to be made to order.

Tucker had sent him photos of some of his finished products, and Logan had been pleased with what he’d seen. He couldn’t wait to see Inky’s face tomorrow when they headed toward the river.

Now that all the drunks were in jail, it was time to go home, get some rest, and be ready for the spending spree. He had just locked up his desk in the community room where they all worked when Penn came into the room. Several other officers were milling about, talking about the arrests.

“Logan, we need to talk about your girlfriend,” Penn said.

“What about her?” Logan responded.

Penn sat on the edge of his desk, and indicated Logan should sit too. After he was in his chair, Logan said, “If you think you’re going to be able to control her, you’re wrong. She was serious about calling her lawyer.”

“Convince her to call us the minute she gets a package from the intruder.”

“She already did that,” Logan said.

“Not before she went through it,” Penn said. Logan could tell he was pissed. “Listen, she might get information that could be useful to us. Probe her for it.”

That was the second time he’d had someone tell him to do that. It didn’t bother Logan when Jesse did it. But with Penn, it pissed him off. “We have a pact not to talk about work. My relationship with Evelyn is private, and I won’t drag business into it.”

“I’m just saying, if you’re gonna fuck the fat chick, use it to your advantage.”

Logan counted to ten. It was something his mother had taught him when he was younger, since he had a tendency to fly off the handle when he was pissed.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that,” Logan finally said through clenched teeth.

“Don’t get pissed. Just do as I say.” Penn glared at him. “Pump her for information while you’re dipping your wick. Might as well get something out of it.”

Logan launched himself over the desk, and his fist would have connected with Penn’s chin if Josh and their youngest officer, Mick, hadn’t grabbed him and held him back.

“Now it’s my turn to say I’ll pretend something didn’t happen,” Penn said. “You ever try to hit me again, you’re gone.”

“You can count on it happening if you ever say anything rude about Evelyn again,” Logan said. The younger officers were standing between the two men. Logan waited for Penn to say something else, but he didn’t. Instead he picked up his briefcase and headed for the door. After he’d left, Logan glared at the doorway.

The room was silent, and he glanced at the other two officers. He could tell that neither of them knew what to say, but he also knew this little incident would be all over town tomorrow. The officers wouldn’t talk outside the office, but there were two civilian dispatchers who were some of the biggest gossips in town. If he told them to stay silent, it would just make things worse.

“I’m going home,” he said. He glared at the two women as he headed for the outer door. Both of them looked sheepish. His truck was parked near the sally port, and he banged out the door, startling Jesse, who was on the other side.

“What the hell?” the chief asked.

“Long night,” Logan said as a way of explanation. He knew the chief would hear about what just happened, but he didn’t want to say anything right now. He was too pissed, and would probably say something he would regret. It was best to let it play out through the grapevine and talk about it when he was calmer.

He climbed into his truck and headed home. As he neared, he dialed Evelyn using his hands-free device.

“Hello,” she said, sleepily. Knowing she was lying in her big bed made his dick stir.

“What are you wearing?”

She giggled, and it made his dick hard.

“Not a damn thing,” she responded.

“You went to bed naked? You’re a nasty little slut.”

“Only for you,” she whispered. The soft, sultry tone of her voice made him want to reconsider going home. It wouldn’t take him long to get there. He could be inside her within the next twenty minutes.

But he had a few things he wanted to shop for while he was home, items for the dungeon. Plus he wanted her fresh for the trip, and what would come after.

“Spread your legs.” He heard a rustling noise and imagined her pushing the sheets aside.

“Put your hand on your pussy.” She was breathing deeply now, and his hard dick pulsed.

“Stroke it and tell me what you want me to do to you.”

“I want you to fuck me,” she told him. “Stick it in me hard.”

“Like I did the other night?”

“Yes.” The hitch in her breath was perfect.

“Come right now.”

“Oh fuck!” she screamed.

“Pinch your clit.” She whimpered, and he knew she’d followed his direction. Logan put his hand between his legs. He should have waited until he was home to do this. Then he could have jerked off too.

“That’s my girl,” he said, knowing the words were not ones she enjoyed. She was going to have to get used to hearing them, though. She didn’t speak, but he could hear rustling sounds in the background.

“What are you doing?”

“Hunting for a vibrator,” she answered.

“Oh no, you don’t. That spot’s reserved for me. Get yourself off one more time with your fingers. Then I’ll see you tomorrow.” He was about to disconnect but thought of one more thing. “You’re mine, aren’t you, Inky?”

Logan imagined the scene, moonlight flooding into the room from the huge windows in her bedroom, illuminating the bed where she was with her legs spread, hips jerking and bucking as she played with herself.

“Answer me.”

“Yes, Logan, I’m yours.”

Practice self-control, he reminded himself. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“That was so good.” Her soft moan seemed to caress his ear. “Thanks for thinking of me.”

“I’m always thinking of you, Inky,” he said, and found that he meant it.

“Logan, is everything okay?”

“Fine.” He was damned if he would tell her about what Penn said. “Remember what I said, one more time, with no electronics. I’ll see you in the morning.”