More Than A Four Letter Word (20 page)

"I had a busy
day. I ate lunch with my best friend Alison. Then I ran a bunch of
errands, nothing important."

Julian waited
for Clarissa to tell him about her meeting with Lawrence Tate; he
must fall under the category of an errand of little importance. He
continued watching the video and his gut clenched as he watched
Clarissa kiss Lawrence good-bye. He gives a sigh of relief; she
didn't meet him for a secret rendezvous. He closed his eyes
thanking whatever god brought Clarissa into his life.

Then his
possessiveness reared its ugly head. While he may be happy that
nothing transpired between Clarissa and her ex-fiancé, she has no
business hanging out with an ex-lover. "Clarissa I miss you baby, I
didn't know how hard this trip would be without you. I think the
next time you visit your family in Orlando, Micah, and I are coming
with you."

"I miss you and
Micah too. There's nothing I like better than to show off the two
new men in my life to my family."

"I'm a
possessive man Clarissa. I take care of what belongs to me, and you
certainly fit that category. I'm sorry that I didn't clarify our
relationship. You're mine. When I get back into town, we'll have an
in depth conversation about what that means."

Clarissa
couldn't believe her ears, what in the hell is Julian's problem. "I
can't wait for that discussion. Obviously, I neglected to give you
my rules for our relationship. I agreed to be in your life, but I
didn't agree to become a possession like your car. Now I don't know
what put you in a foul mood, and I don't care. I'm going to enjoy
what is left of my visit with my family, and I guess I'll see you
when you get back into town."

Before Julian
could get a word in edgewise, he didn't hear anything except the
dial tone. "Brat!" "He contemplated calling her back but changed
his mind. Suddenly, he laughed out loud. The one thing he loved
about Clarissa is her unwillingness to be a doormat. His woman is
sexy and sassy, and he wouldn't change a thing about her. He
assuredly would spell out the boundaries of their relationship, and
if she gives him any sass, he's going to paddle her ass.

***

Chapter 15

Randle feels as if he were wasting his time
wallowing in Chicago on the chance that Clarissa Marks may have
unmasked his and Gaylan's duplicitous actions against the EPA. The
police questioned him regarding Lacey's death, but as the fiancé,
questioning him is a natural course of action for the police to
take. They didn't find any evidence of Lacey's murder, so he is
already in the clear. Why in the hell did he let Gaylan convince
him that they were in danger of discovery?

He should have disappeared as soon as the
heat died down about Lacey. Gaylan's his lover, but she's certainly
not the love of his life. At this point in the game, she's more at
risk than he is, he's a wealthy man and could retire on an island
and enjoy the spoils of his ill-gotten gains.

The one thing he hasn't planned on is this
attraction to Clarissa. She definitely isn't the little virginal
bookworm from high school. She has grown into a sexy woman, and he
would welcome the opportunity to fuck the boss's woman. He's been
watching Clarissa's work patterns, and she has a tendency to work
late, much later than the other employees. Her lover is out of town
this week, and he's willing to bet that sweet Clarissa would be
working late tonight.

***

Before leaving the hotel, Julian called
Clarissa. He planned to hole up with her for the next couple of
days; they weren't going to leave the bedroom until he gets his
fill of her. Micah is being spoiled rotten by his aunt and uncle.
Good thing he's coming home soon he missed his son, and this is the
last business trip for a long while. He makes it to the gate to
catch his plane back to Chicago when his phone rings. He looks down
at the caller ID, its Harland calling.

"Is there a reason for this call,
Harland?"

"Great news Julian! Clarissa is like a
bloodhound. She gathered the information needed to clear up the
investigation of Lacey Hamilton's team. Based on the information
Clarissa emailed me, we identified the lab technician who falsified
test results for a couple of manufacturing companies in Missouri.
The emissions and runoffs from these companies did a lot of damage
to several of the smaller communities in Missouri.

The lab tech's name is Gaylan Norcross; she
has been picked up for questioning. She handed in her two-week
notice on Monday. From the looks of things, she planned a one-way
trip to Switzerland. I betting this isn't her first rodeo, and she
has been falsifying testing records for years. From all accounts
Ms. Norcross seems to be cooperating, who knows she may even
implicate her lover Randle McHale."

"So you still don't have enough to arrest
McHale?"

"The police didn't find any evidence of foul
play in Lacey Hamilton's death. The only thing we know for sure is
that he is Ms. Hamilton's fiancé and Ms. Norcross's lover. I have a
feeling he's involved up to his teeth. Don't let him out of your
sight Julian. By the way, do you think Clarissa would be interested
in moving to Washington? She would make one hell of an agent."

"Not going to happen. If you offer her a
position in Washington, I'm going to put you out of your
misery."

Harland laughed. "Oh! You mean to tell me
that you've finally come to your senses and decided to settle
down."

"Damn straight! I'm going to bind her with
all the laws of God and man. I may even keep her barefoot and
pregnant."

"Wow! You have it bad. I don't peg Clarissa
as a pushover. I have a feeling that not everything will go your
way. Hold on to her Jules, she's an extremely intriguing woman. Too
bad I didn't see her first."

"You never would have stood a chance. Keep me
posted on the EPA case; I'll make sure my guys don't lose sight of
McHale." Julian placed a call to Ivan, just because there was no
evidence against McHale that didn't make him guiltless. One good
thing Clarissa hasn't been approached by McHale since the dinner
date. "Ivan I want you to double up on McHale."

"Anything else Julian?"

One good thing, Clarissa isn't scheduled to
come back to work until next week. She's safe at home, and he
wouldn't have to worry about her. It's foolish of him to take a
trip while McHale is under investigation. He wouldn't be satisfied
until he's with Clarissa. "Just make sure your men don't let McHale
out of their sight."

"Sure thing boss, have a safe trip."

***

Julian's plane wouldn't arrive until later
that evening, so Clarissa decided to stop by her office for a few
hours. It's already after five o'clock, so she didn't expect to run
into anyone. Harland informed her earlier today that thanks to her,
the EPA found the lab technician who falsified testing results for
several manufacturing companies.

Clarissa has a niggling feeling that some of
the pieces to the puzzle were still missing. She put her purse on
the desk and logged onto her computer. What if Lacey Hamilton's
death is somehow related to the lab technician and Lacey's fiancé
Michael? What did Ali say that the husband is always the
culprit?

Clarissa surfed through Lacey's virtual files
hoping to find something that she missed. Her stomach grumbled
letting her know that she missed lunch today. She goes to the break
room to grab a snack and a fruit drink. She plans to eat steaks
with Julian tonight so this snack would have to tie her over. When
she re-entered the hallway, the lights were a little dimmer, which
isn't unusual for this time day.

She came back into her office and resumed her
search of Lacey's files when she comes across several JPEG files
containing photos from a Christmas Party. Some of the photos were
labeled, but most of them were not. The next file contained photos
from Lacey's engagement party. "Well, there should be a picture of
Michael in here. The next photo stunned Clarissa the caption read
"Me and Michael".

Lacey was an older woman in her late thirties
or early forties. She had shoulder length red hair and startling
blue eyes. The man standing next to her grinning at the cameraman
gave Clarissa the chills. Lacey's fiancé was none other than Randle
McHale.

***

Julian decided to stop by the office on the
way to Clarissa's condo; he's expecting an urgent contract in the
mail. Since he did not intend to come back to the office until next
week, he might as well handle it now. He walked by the security
desk when he placed a call to Clarissa.

"Hey baby has your plane landed yet?"

"Yeah, it landed about forty-five minutes
ago. I'm picking up a key contract at the office then I'm coming
straight home. Damn I missed you baby."

"I'm here too! You won't believe this, but I
just uncovered something else regarding the EPA case. My friend
Randle is the fiancé of Lacey Hamilton, the scientist who died in a
car crash. I wonder if Harland knows about this. I find it strange
that he showed up in Chicago?"

Julian rushed to the elevator bank only to
find that the elevators were shut off. He turned to the security
guard and yelled. "Why are the elevators shut down?" The guard
seemed nervous, but he could care less.

"Sir all of the elevators are shut down after
hours except the freight elevator."

"Clarissa!"

"Julian, what the heck is going on?"

"Baby I'm on the way up and I want you to
stay in your office until I arrive. Don't let anyone in?

Clarissa heard the urgency in his voice.
Something's wrong, and he isn't telling her why he's all freaked
out. "Okay Julian, I'll wait here for you."

Julian punched the up button, and it took
forever for the elevator to come. The security guard stood there as
if he were waiting for instructions. "Send security to the 20th
floor now."

***

Clarissa heard the door open; it's too soon
for it to be Julian. She called 911 on her phone and left the line
open. "Who's there?"

Randle stepped into Clarissa’s office,
shutting the door behind him. “I see that you're working late, how
advantageous for me.”

“
How did you get through the
security door, never mind it's not important right now, but you
need to leave. I'm tired, and I want to go home.”

“
You’re too tired to give an
old friend a little bit of your time." Randle crowded her back
against the wall. There’s nothing he would like better than to get
a taste of Clarissa’s sweetness. “Have I told you that you're one
sexy bitch? You wouldn't believe the fantasies I've had about
fucking your ass."

Clarissa didn’t like being crowded. Randle is
looking for trouble, and she could tell by the look in his eyes
that he means to do her harm. "Randle, why did you kill Lacey? Or
should I say Michael." She caught him by surprise; pushing against
his chest making him stumble.

“
I always thought you were
too smart for your own good." Randle laughed at Clarissa's attempts
to escape him.

"Why did you murder her? What could Lacey
have possibly known that warranted her death?"

"That stupid bitch couldn't leave well enough
alone, so she had to die. She was getting too close to figuring out
that my lover and I had falsified records at the EPA. She just
wouldn't let it go, so I rigged her car."

“
So, I guess you plan on
killing me too." Clarissa tired to break for the door again only to
have Randle pull her back.

“
You're not leaving until I
get what you owe me. I've wanted to get inside your panties every
since the party at the boss's house when you teased me.

Clarissa is scared; she has never seen Randle
behave this way before. “It's over Randle. I called 911, and they
recorded everything you just said." There would be no reasoning
with this crazy person.

“
By the time the police get
here, my cock will have already breached your sweet pussy, and
you'll be dead."

Clarissa struggle to free herself from
Lawrence’s embrace “Let me go!”

He slammed her into the wall and ripped her
blouse open, shoving a leg between hers. He grabbed her bra trying
to expose her breasts. “I can make you want it bitch. I'm going to
fuck you until you beg for mercy then I'm going to choke the life
out of you."

“
I won’t let you do this to
me.” Clarissa bit his lip when he tried to kiss her.

Randle slapped Clarissa face, knocking her
off balance. “How are you going to stop me?”

Clarissa scratched his face and fought him
with everything in her being, but she isn't a match for him. She
wouldn’t make it easy for him to rape her. Randle tripped her and
landed on top of her; holding both of her hands above with one of
his hands while he trying to pull down her pants. “Stop fighting
me, this is going to be so good.”

Randle loosened his hold on her hands, which
gives her the opportunity to go for his eyes, she hears his
piercing screams and abruptly she's released. She quickly crawls
across the room towards the door. One of her shoes is missing, and
she takes the other one off, opens her office door, and runs down
the hall. Clarissa hoped that she would come across a security
officer. Clarissa is looking behind her when she runs into
someone.

“
Clarissa what in the hell
is going on?”

“
Oh Julian, I'm so glad to
see you!”

Julian took in her appearance and knew
immediately that she has been attacked by Randle. “Where is he?”
Before Clarissa could tell Julian what happened, Randle approaches
them. Julian jumped Randle knocking him onto the floor; his fists
used Lawrence’s face as a punching bag. “Men who attack women
deserve what they get.”