Jorden: The McCade Dragon –Erotic Paranormal Romance (14 page)

“Found this in the bottom of the drawer. Well, under the drawer. You told us to look for something out of the ordinary, and I saw this program once where the bad guys would hide things in plain sight under their desk drawers.” Dalton wanted to ask the rookie if he did all his police work from drama shows, but decided that he had enough truth today and only opened the file. “I believe it’s about your family.”

There were pictures of his entire family, including Emma and Jasmine. Two blurry pictures of their mom, as well as a couple dozen of Gavin. On the back of each one was some notes, patterns that whoever wrote it had picked up. Dalton was reading how he stopped by the bakery every Wednesday morning and flirted for two minutes with the woman behind the counter, then got his tea and moved on. Kenton arrived at his office at eight-thirty and sat in his office for ten minutes just playing a game on his computer.

Dalton looked at his watch and picked up his phone. He needed the contact that a phone call could give him, for some reason. When Kenton answered his phone with some irritation, Dalton asked him if he was losing.

“Losing what?” Dalton looked at the note and told him the name of the game. “Sort of. How did you know I was…? Is my office bugged?”

“No. But you’ve been studied. In four minutes you’re going to turn off your game, reboot your computer, and put on your jacket for the day. Once you have opened your doors, your day begins.” Kenton sounded worried when he asked him who had told him that. “I’m standing in the middle of Glass’s office with two dead bodies. My officers, one of them, found this file on all of us. Even Mom.”

“They’re watching us?” Dalton said they had been. “I see. And this means that we can more than likely expect more of the same until all of us are with our mates.”

“I would assume so. Not only that, but I think it’ll get worse as it goes on. The last person to join us, she’ll be.... I don’t even know what to think she’ll have to endure to become one of our mates.” Dalton didn’t want to think about finding a mate. It wasn’t that he didn’t want one, but he was sort of thinking he’d like to find her on his own. Not because some dragon had deemed her to be his. “Kenton, we need to have a family meeting. Soon.”

“I agree. I just heard from Vance. He’s going to be on some kind of sabbatical for a few weeks. I think he needs to rest up some too.” Dalton said nothing, knowing that that his brother had lied to Kenton for some reason. “How about we all meet here tonight? I think that Gavin and Mom are working on their thing at my house with Emma, and I think that Jorden leaves in a few weeks too, so he’s trying to get ready for his show.”

“I’ll be there. Can I bring anything? Empty container for left overs? Maybe a cooler or two for desserts to take home?” They both laughed, and he looked at his men when he realized he’d been on the phone for too long. “I have to go. If things get cleared up here sooner, I’ll give you a call and we can get together for a quick meeting before.”

By the time he was ready to call it a day they’d found more files on other women, and he forwarded them on to Vance. He figured he’d have the best chance of finding them and keeping them safe. There was also a long list of people who owed money to Wilburn, as well as a diary of sorts about Richard. Wilburn hadn’t cared for his brother much, it seemed. Dalton also found a thumb drive, which he plugged into his computer at his home instead of at work. He had no idea why, but he thought it might be something no one at work needed to hear about.

“Hello. I’m not sure which officer found this, but I have to say that I’m surprised that you took the time to play this.” There was no view of the man talking, but the camera focused on a dead Wilburn. “Before we get going much further, I should like for you to go and find Kenton McCade—he’s a physician of some high standards—or even one of the others. They talk to one another, so whoever you find is good. I should like for you to pause here for you to find them.”

Dalton thought about going to get his brothers, but decided that there might be something on there to give him some idea as to who this person was. He had no doubt that he’d been the murderer, but there might have been more. Some of which he might not want his family to see or hear.

“Well, good. Welcome. I’m not going to bore you with my name. Suffice it to say, I’m not one of your friends. In fact, it would be easy to say that I’m your worst enemy. That being said, I want you to know that I’m going to get all the pieces of the
demi parvure
that you search for. And yes, that would include the two that you already have. And when I do get them, and there is no doubt that I will, I will sell them to the highest bidder and be richer than I am at present.”

Dalton started making notes. Not at what the man was saying, but any key words he could pick out, like how he pronounced certain words such as
richer
and
am
. He’d already figured out that the man was intelligent, well-educated, and wealthy. He would also bet that he worked alone and had no second man, no one to betray him or to know anything about him other than what he needed him to. Dalton thought this man was going to be very dangerous.

“I have my eye on two more of the pieces. So many believe there are only five, but I know there are six. The necklace, being too heavy for a woman, had been broken down and made into two of the most beautiful torques ever seen. Then when that too became too cumbersome, they were made into a single one. The dragons are chasing one another around the arm. I also know that they each have a gem in their mouth. One a blue diamond, the other a rare blue opal.” Dalton leaned back in his seat as the man continued. “Yes, I know a great deal about each piece. I would go so far as to say that someone I am related to might have had a hand in their design.

“But I digress. The woman that has the earrings, explain to her that her son will live a great deal longer if she were just to let me kill her. I know, I know, you’re thinking me cold. Well, you’d be correct. But I’m also willing to kill a woman to get just what I want. The other woman, she too will die at my scalpel.” Dalton paused in his writing again to replay that last line.
She too will die at my scalpel
.

Not knife. Scalpel. Dalton continued the recording on the drive until the end. The man talked about his plans, how much money he was going to ask for the pieces, then he went on to say how he wouldn’t kill the men, not the McCades, unless he had to.

“What do I care if there is another generation of your family? So long as the other person, my buyer, has no idea that he’s bought something that will never come to fruition.” Dalton thought the man had already planned to kill them all anyway. He’d think it more fun to know that someone was shit out of luck about the dragon coming to life. “One more thing I should tell you about. The woman who will bring you the next piece, the hair combs? She’s sadly dead.”

Dalton pulled the drive out and sat there for several minutes. He was glad now that he’d found it and not anyone else. Nor had he added it to the inventory that they’d logged from the house. This was something that no one but his family needed to know about. He looked at the drive again, wondering about the man who had recorded it.

There had been nothing to show his face. No hands nor any part of the man had been shown at all. He was meticulous in his words. The camera or whatever device he’d used hadn’t been found at the scene. So far there had been no prints found, other than those of the two men and the housekeeper who had found them. Nothing, so far as he could see, was missing. Who was this man?

Vance. He had to get this to him and let him look it over. Grabbing up his jacket and gun, Dalton moved out of his office, reaching for his brother at the same time.

I’m at the airport now. Not the commercial one, but on the base. I’ll have them allow you in.
Dalton thought about that for all of a second until Vance laughed.
No one will shoot you so long as you cooperate with them. Which means, if you’re armed, you hand it over nicely
.

Sure. And will I get it back
? Vance said if he was a good boy.
I don’t care for you at the moment
.

Driving to the base, Dalton thought of something else. He needed to talk to Kenton or Jorden. Perhaps the dragon knew if someone had been killed as yet. Making a mental note of all the things he needed to do, Dalton thought that whoever this guy was, he had fucked with the wrong family.

Chapter 12

Grady tried his best not to get upset. But the man he’d been working with for over an hour wasn’t listening to him. Nor would he stop clicking the fucking mouse when whatever he wanted done wasn’t moving fast enough. Then when the computer seized up for the fourth time in an hour, the man looked at him.

“You’re not doing a very good job at making this work correctly. I have told you several times that it’s running slowly, and you said that it wasn’t that. Well? What the hell is it if it’s not the computer?” It was on the tip of Grady’s tongue to say it was all on him, but he only took the mouse from the man and put it on the table behind him. “And how do you suppose I make this thing work? By using my mind?”

“No. What I want is for you to be patient, as I have said to you several times now. You cannot keep opening the same page over and over and not expect it to clog up your computer. As it is right now, you have....” Grady counted the open tabs, and before he was finished, six more opened. “You have twenty-nine of the same page open. The same graphics are running on each of them, as well as the chat person is there. All twenty-nine of them waiting to help you with your order.”

“You must have done that. I only wanted the one page open. And if you say differently, I’m going to call your boss. You’re a rude man, has anyone told you that before?” Grady said nothing but did stand up. Enough was enough, he thought. “And where do you think you’re going? I have paid for you to come here and fix my computer. I will not be happy if you leave me here stranded.”

“Mr. Williams, I have done all that I can. I have shown you several times what you need to do. If you just close out all but one of those programs, you’ll see that things work better.” He noticed that while he’d been talking to the man, four more pages had popped up. “In a moment your computer is going to seize up again, and then you’ll need to reboot. I’m sorry I can’t help you, but you have a nice day.”

He was out the door and on the sidewalk before he let out the breath he’d been holding. Mr. Williams was lonely; he knew that was his only reason for calling the company that Grady worked for. And the old man would request him, even waiting for a day or two until he could work him in. As he got into his truck, his cell phone was ringing and he saw it was work.

“Mr. Williams just called in. He’s not happy with you. He said that he might not request you any more if you keep that up.” Grady told him good. “I need for you to go over to the university and see what is up with their server. I’d go, but I have this meeting at home to attend.”

Doug Norton always had something to attend or something that needed his attention. The man spent less time at work than the cleaning crew did that came in once a week. And when Grady had asked him for a raise, something to show that all his hard work was paying off, he’d told him that things were tight and that he was barely making it any more.

So being Grady, he’d looked into the man’s finances as well as the business. The company was doing poorly, but he thought it was because Doug was taking all the profits. Grady had found that not only did he have a nice speed boat with all the trimmings, but he had three cars in his name, a house here and one in England where his wife was from, and all his children went to private schools. No, the business wasn’t failing, it was being robbed.

“I need to ask you for a raise.” He heard Doug groan, something he did a lot lately. “I’ve been working for you for the last six years, and I’d like to have a cost of living raise. I deserve it.”

“Yes, you do. All the people who work for me do. But I can’t swing it. Not now. I have things coming up…taxes to pay. You have no idea what it’s like to have a business of your own and what it costs to run it.” The idea that he’d been tossing around in his head surfaced while Doug went on about this and that. “You understand, don’t you, buddy? I just can’t swing it, not now anyway.”

“Then I’m sorry, but I have to quit. I have two weeks of pay coming for vacation, and you can keep that instead of me giving you two weeks’ notice.” Doug started sputtering then and Grady felt great, like something heavy had been lifted from his chest. “I’ll come in now and turn in my beeper and jacket. Since I paid for my shirts and tools, those are mine to keep. If you’re not there, please instruct Dana to give me—”

“Hold on there. You can’t leave me. You’re my best worker.” Grady didn’t tell him that he was his only worker, as the others were as lazy as their boss and all related to him. He didn’t think a single one of them knew a hard drive from a thumb drive. “I tell you what, Grady, I’ll swing some extra cash your way. I can manage about twenty-five more a week, but that’s about it. I’m cutting it close every month now.”

“Then this should help you out. I’m done, Doug. I can’t work for a man who has no respect for what I can give to the job.” Doug was talking thirty then thirty-five more a week when Grady cut him off. “I’m at the offices now. I’ll just turn my things in and be on my way.”

“You can’t do that to me. Damn it, Grady, what the hell is up your ass? You’re just overworked, I think. You take a couple of days off—I’ll even pay you for them—and you think this over. Then when you have, I’ll sit down with you and we can talk about a raise. All right?”

Grady smiled at Dana as he closed his phone. “I’m done.” She asked him if he’d hit the university. “No, I mean I’m done with this job. I’m turning in the beeper and name badge. If you don’t mind, I’d like a receipt for them.”

“You’re quitting? Now?” He said that he had quit, he’d told Doug. “But you can’t quit. Who will do these jobs? Christ, the shit is about to hit the fan, Grady, and you’re fucking it up.”

“I don’t care. A receipt please. Or I can call my brother, Dalton, in to witness that I gave my things to you.” She jerked the things out of his hand and wrote out a receipt. When he looked at what she’d written, he laughed. “Fucktard Grady McCade turned in one beeper and one name badge that belongs to the company.”

Before she made a copy of it for her records, he wrote on the bottom the date, time, and that he was giving his two weeks of vacation for his notice. Then he signed that as well. The phone was ringing while he stood there, and she said she wasn’t answering it. They both knew it was Doug.

Going out to his truck again, he left the property before he had to pull over and turn off his engine. He’d just quit his job. It sucked, paid badly, but it was his job. An income. Not that he needed to work, but he didn’t touch his savings account at all. And he wouldn’t now, not if he could help it. He realized he was in front of the business district and made his way there.

Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he looked at the number of missed calls. Doug had called him a total of fourteen times and had left three messages since he’d talked to him. Grady was glad now that he’d muted his phone when he’d gone to Mr. Williams’s house earlier. Tossing the phone into the truck, he made his way to Winder Avenue where he owned one of the many buildings.

Doug just called here. Congratulations.
He grinned at Jorden’s comment.
You should have quit long ago.

I know that now. Christ, I feel both terrified and elated at the same time. I’m here looking over buildings now. I’m going to run Doug and his shitty business out of town.
Jorden laughed.
But seriously, what did he say to you? Did he try and tell you what a fool I am?

He didn’t actually talk to me, but Jasmine. And so you know, I don’t think he’ll call here again.
Grady asked what she’d told him.
Well, if he ever gets his balls out of the mental vise that she put him in, I’m pretty sure he’ll figure out that none of us are going to be talking you into going back to work for him. I think she might have told him of a couple of places that he could shove his need for you to come and talk to him that I wasn’t aware that a human might have. She also ‘warned’ him not to call any of the rest of us. If he does, I’m thinking that I’ll need to have a really good show so I can bail Jasmine out of jail.

I’ll help you.
He entered the building and looked around.
I’m going to open my new business in the district. Help Emma and Jasmine with their project. I have enough capital, so I should be able to sell computers, not just fix them.

Good. If you need any funding, Emma and Jasmine have set up this Loan to Work place that you can apply for grants as well as government low interest loans to get help.
He said he’d think on it.
Well, I’m in the middle of painting this…I have a project that I’m working on here, so I have to get going.

After closing the connection, Grady looked at what he was going to have to do to get up and running. The place had been a shoe store once, and then later it had been a small engine repair place as well. He noticed that a lot of the shelving as well as a counter had been left behind. And he found an office that he loved.

Your lordship, she is coming.
Grady stood perfectly still when the voice spoke to him. He knew it was in his mind, but it made him no less terrified.
She has…the piece that she has, I cannot tell what it is. She will not tell me either.

Stubborn, is she?
Caelin said that she was most stubborn.
And since I can suddenly hear you, I’m assuming that she’s my mate. Coming here to be with me.

I didn’t know it until you answered me. I tried the others first…Vance was my first pick, and I thought that he was perhaps ignoring me. But then I tried Dalton and Lewis, with the same results.
Grady wasn’t sure how he felt about being his last pick, but said nothing.
She has the piece in her possession, but she will not put it on. Should she do that, I would be able to speak to the both of you at the same time. As I have said, she is very stubborn.

I thought that they had to wear whatever piece was given to them in order for this to work.
Caelin said he’d thought that as well.
So, she’s different then. I wonder why?

I don’t know her name. Nor if she is alone in her journey here.
Grady asked him if she was coming here
. Yes, she wishes to get this finished, she said, so that I will leave her alone. I think she believes she only has to hand it over to the family and that will be the end of things. And as she will not let me into her mind by wearing the piece, then I can only tell her what I know and where to go.

Grady was beginning to like this woman a great deal. She was thwarting things for the dragon, and if she could do that, perhaps she would be able to survive the people trying to find her. He asked Caelin if anyone was trying to harm her.

I know not, my lord. I only know that she has woken the piece up, but nothing more. And as you know, only the female can do that. She has it still, but that is all I know.
Grady laughed again.
It is most infuriating to have her not answer my questions, sir. She should know that I am most persistent and let me help her when I can.

I think she’s going to be your greatest pain in the ass, and I for one am glad for it. You need to have your life shaken up once in a while.
Caelin asked him if he was happy that he’d had his shaken.
Yes. I think I am. I’m afraid, but I’m excited too. I can make this work for me.

If anyone can make this work, it shall be you, my lord.
Grady started to ask why he was calling him that and decided it was fine. So long as no one else did it. As he sat there, thinking about what he was going to do, he thought of the woman.

Grady would have to make changes in his life. First and foremost, the house he’d been given. While he did stay there, saying that he lived there would have been grossly overstated. It was a place that he slept in a couple of times a week. He wanted to get it ready for her, perhaps do some of the things around the house that he’d been thinking about. It was time, Grady thought, to become a man of worth.

~~~

He moved along the buildings, careful where he stepped. A man in his position was not one to have scuffed shoes nor a smudged suit. He had a great many things to do after this, and he wasn’t going to be happy with this woman if she did not do as he wished. He had no idea why they had to be so stupid when it was obvious they were caught by a man such as himself.

The door in front of him opened suddenly and he had to step back from the vile odor coming from the man there. It was tempting to pull out his weapon and end his miserable life, but there wasn’t enough time today. The man did not know how lucky he was.

When he spotted her again, he moved in that direction. She was sly, he’d give her that. Going in and out of the market like she was, it was difficult to keep tabs on her. But today had to be the day; he had information on another piece of the demi set.

Standing in the spot where he’d seen her again, he had to turn in a full circle to get his bearings. Twice now she had eluded him, and he was getting upset with the cat and mouse games she was playing. When he saw her again, he picked up his pace to end this.

Fredrick prided himself on a great many things. He wasn’t perfect, but few knew that. Taking a right instead of a left, he knew, would cut her off and put him in the position to kill her and take her piece. As soon as he turned into the empty alley, he realized his mistake. She had taken another avenue.

The buyer he had lined up was one that he’d been talking to for months now. As soon as he was able to show him the goods—what a horrid name for something so expensive—he was going to be getting a sizable deposit from him. Fredrick didn’t need the money, but he knew that he could always have more. And that was something he wanted. If he couldn’t have it all, he wanted more.