Jamie Hill Triple Threat (49 page)

"Back to the station," Brady muttered to him, then spoke into the phone when his boss answered. "Lieutenant, did the uniforms find Allen at his place?"

"He wasn't there. Patrol found no signs of a struggle, the place was neat and clean. They said it looked like his clothes were still there. Drawers were full and all that. There was an empty suitcase in the closet, and prescription medicines in the bathroom."

"So odds are, he didn't pick up and leave. He would have taken
something
."

"You concerned about him?"

"Yes, I am. D. Morrow just told us
Watts
and Allen deserved everything they got.
Watts
got a bullet in the head. To the best of my knowledge, Allen didn't get anything."

"That we know about. Yet."

"Exactly." Brady sighed.

"I'll send patrol over to his office. If he's not there, we should put out an all points."

"Sounds good. We'll be back shortly." He disconnected the call.

"Anything?" Costa asked.

"Forrest is putting out an APB on Allen."

Costa stared straight ahead. "The fucker is in trouble, isn't he?"

Brady nodded. "I think so."

* * * *

He spent the afternoon researching leads, but Brady found no clues to the whereabouts of Richard Allen. By five-thirty he'd done all he could. The man would either turn up, or he wouldn't. It was out of Brady's hands.

Gina was working so he went straight home, ate a light snack and changed clothes before he hit the weight machines. He'd barely finished a couple of reps when his phone rang. Winded, he hopped up quickly and answered it. "
Marshall
."

"You're out of breath. Please don't tell me I caught you in the middle of something. I mean, if you stopped to answer the phone…" Jack whistled.

"Shut up. I'm lifting weights. I
thought
this call might be important but I guess I was wrong."

"Big case?"

"It didn't start out so big. Stuff being ripped off from warehouses in
Riverside
. Now we've got a dead security guard, a dead CI, and a missing witness."

"Definitely getting bigger. I heard something about the drugs you uncovered in an import company shipment. You never could trust those fuckers, even back in the day. Crooked as my dick, every one of them."

"Thanks for the mental imagery. Yeah, I haven't quite figured these guys out, yet. The two biggest companies are owned by guys named Victor Moretti and Gianni Macchio."

"Those two old bastards still around? They were cagey way back when."

"Still are, even though both of them purportedly have Alzheimer's and no controlling interest in their companies anymore. I'll tell you one thing; the boys they left behind are pretty good at pointing fingers at each other, that's for fucking sure."

His doorbell rang, and Brady jumped. "Fuck. Someone's at the door. Grand Central Station here all of a sudden."

"I'll let you go.
Crystal
wanted me to invite you and your lady friend to dinner this weekend. Whatever night works for you two. Let me know."

"Oh, okay. Thanks." Brady thought about that.
Might not be a bad idea
. He'd love to introduce Gina to his friends. "I'll check with Gina and get back to you."

"Good.
Ciao
."

"Whatever, fuckwad." He pressed his phones off button and grinned as he went to the front door. Pulling it open, he was surprised to see Gina standing there. "Hey!"

"Hi there, sexy. What are you grinning about? Did you know I was coming over?"

"Nope, but that does make me smile." He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into the house, closing the door and locking it. Pressing her up against the door, he teased her lips with his before moving on to other areas of her face and neck. "My friend Jack just called. We always get all macho with each other on the phone. Lots of 'fuck that' talk."

"Mm," she bent her head to allow him access to her neck. "Sounds like a great guy. Can't wait to meet him."

"You'll have to wait, because I have something else in mind right now."

"Oh yeah?" She raised one leg and pressed her thigh into his crotch.

His erection bulged against her. "What are you doing here? I didn't think I was going to get lucky tonight. I'd just started working out before the phone rang."

"I got off early and wanted to surprise you. Working out sounds like fun. Can I play, too?"

He nuzzled her neck. "I don't know. We might get all sweaty."

"Then we'd just have to take a shower and get cleaned up. I'll risk it."

He smiled and reached for her hand. "Come on."

Brady led her to his home gym, where she immediately went to the weight machine. "I've wanted to try this."

He stepped up behind her. "Here, let me show you how…" He paused as Gina set the weight at a fairly high number. "I think that's too heavy, sweetheart."

"Oh yeah?" She sat and began lateral presses, pushing the weight forward with ease.

Brady watched and forced his jaw to remain closed. After twelve reps she stopped and took a breather. "I guess I don't need to show you how."

Gina smiled. "I've been around a few weight machines before. I think I can handle it."

He grinned and stepped onto the treadmill. "Go for it."

She continued lifting weights and he started walking, then jogging. With his peripheral vision he could see her smooth movements, and noticed a small circle of sweat form on her T-shirt just above her breasts.

He slowed back to a walk as his erection grew. Falling off the treadmill would
not
look good, so he struggled to keep focused.

She adjusted the bench and lay back on it, her knees bent so her feet touched the floor. He watched her bench press a decent size stack of weights with ease, her breasts rising and falling with the pressure of each lift.

Brady was done. He stopped the treadmill and stepped off. "Be right back." He grabbed a drink of water from the kitchen then went to his room and took a condom from his nightstand drawer.

She glanced at him as he returned. "Quitting already?"

"Not exactly." He straddled the weight bench so his legs touched hers. "Switching to another form of exercise."

"Oh, yeah?" Her eyes lit with interest.

"Watching you on this machine is a little more than I can take. Have to do something about that, right now." He reached for her shorts and panties.

She raised her hips so he could tug them down and maneuver them off her legs.

Brady shoved her T-shirt up and suckled one breast with vigor. She tasted salty and spicy at the same time, and his erection throbbed.

"Mm, more," Gina moaned.

He switched breasts, giving the second equal time. When he was satisfied but not nearly sated, he shoved his own shorts down and ripped open the foil packet he'd been palming.

She gazed at him hungrily, her eyes never leaving his body as he rolled on the condom. "A man who's prepared. I love that." She widened her legs, feet still on either side of the bench.

"If you love
that
…" He nudged his tip to her opening. "Then you're really going to love this." He slipped inside her tight channel and groaned when he discovered how wet she was. She was as aroused as he was. Mounting her on the black leather bench was sexy as hell, and he felt sure he wouldn't last long.

But hopefully, long enough
. He thrust in and out, planting his knee for better purchase. He wanted to close his eyes and sail away, but watching her was too exciting. Her breasts bobbed with each thrust. The look on her face was already one of pure bliss. When she grasped the handles above her head and held on tight, he knew she was close. "Come on, baby," he urged.

"Fuck!" She rolled her head from side to side. As her body tensed and released, Gina emitted a low groan of pleasure.

"Oh, yeah." He drove into her repeatedly until he was sure she was good and satisfied. When she gazed up at him with half-closed, lust filled eyes, he knew he was good to go. His body shuddered and spent, pulsing waves of pleasure tearing through him. He rode them for as long as he could then collapse onto her sweat-slicked form. "Fuck me," he muttered, exhausted.

"I think I just did." She ran a hand up his back and cradled his neck. "And as hot as this was, I'm getting a leg cramp like you wouldn't believe. Let's move to the bedroom and continue from there, please."

He looked at her and grinned, grinding one more thrust into her pelvis. "That
was
hot. Damn, you're gorgeous. I could watch your tits bounce around all night."

"Pig." She pushed him off her and sat up, smiling. "Come with me. We're going to see what I can make bounce on
you
."

Brady scrambled back, holding the rubber so it stayed in place until he got to the bathroom. "Right behind you."

She glanced over her shoulder and winked.

* * * *

Around ten-thirty they showered and ate leftover chicken standing in front of the sink. When they finally crawled back into bed, Brady extended his arms and she slid into them. She dragged the covers up to their necks. "Can you stay?" he whispered.

She yawned and nuzzled her face into his chest. "Yep. I don't have to be anywhere until tomorrow afternoon."

He kissed the top of her head. "I have to work at eight in the morning, you know."

She closed her eyes. "Then you'd better set your alarm for about six-thirty. That should be just enough time."

He cradled her tight. "I already did."

Eyes still closed, Gina smiled.

Chapter Six

Gina checked herself in the mirror, one more time, before Brady arrived. He'd told her to dress casual for the backyard picnic at Jack's house, but she wanted to make a good first impression on the man and his wife. They seemed like important people to Brady.

She'd chosen a turquoise blouse with a beaded neckline over black jeans. It looked good to her. The look in Brady's eyes when he saw her would be her best way to tell.

He arrived a few moments later, letting himself in and coming straight to the bedroom. "Hey gorgeous," he popped off then paused to check her out. He inhaled and released the breath before grinning like a fool. "Holy cow. You really are gorgeous. How do you do that?"

Still smiling, he folded her into his arms.

"Do what?" Shivers ran down her spine as he nibbled the spot behind her ear.

"Look more stunning each time I see you," Brady whispered.

"Scemo,"
she muttered, but relished the sweet talk all the same.

"I am a fool. A fool in love with you." He tipped her chin up and kissed her tenderly.

Gina's heart soared with happiness. She never, in a million years, expected to feel this way about a man, let alone a cop. "I love you too,
caro
. If you think I look okay, I'm ready."

He slid one hand around her waist and led her out. "You look fabulous. Jack and Crystal will go gaga over you." They left the apartment and climbed into the Explorer.

"Remind me about the kids, again." Gina fiddled with her bracelets nervously as they drove.

"Mark is the oldest, he's nine. A really great kid. He loves sports of all kinds. He plays football and baseball, with his folks right there to cheer him on. I think Jack even helps coach his little league team."

"Jack sounds like a really good dad."

"He is. He met Crystal and the boys working a case a couple of years ago. I think it was love at first sight for all of them. They had some rough patches, because the boys had just lost their dad. I know they all did family therapy. But I guess the guy was a drug dealer, and hadn't been much of a parent. Those boys are thriving with two people who obviously love them so much."

"The little one's name is Dave?"

"No, no, no. God, don't make that mistake. Dave was their old man's name.
Devon
is the seven year old."

"
Devon
, seven," Gina repeated, and discovered they rhymed.

Brady chuckled. "There you go. Easy way to remember. I have to admit,
Devon
is my favorite. He's the sweetest kid. He's been missing teeth from one spot or another since I met him. There's just something about the kid. He loves animals and science. He just got these black-framed glasses that make him look so cute. He's a little touchy about them, though, so watch that."

She nodded. "And the baby?"

"Cynthia. Cindy. She's a cute, chunky baby with red hair like her mama."