Sweet Arrest (11 page)

Her hands sprung up to her ample hips, making his gaze zero in on her ass. A vision of him riding that round delight the night before flashed through his mind. His dick swelled.

"What do you mean, ‘this is it'?” she demanded. “Look at all these. They're treasure."

"But hardly worth killing for, baby.” He pulled her resisting into his arms and kissed her neck. “I'm sorry, A'isha, but there must be something more. Besides, you said yourself that the killer referred to papers, not books. If she meant these, surely she would have said the recipes?"

Her shoulders slumped. “You're right. Okay, where do we start?"

He moved around her into the room. “Do these racks come out or are they attached to the walls. If they aren't, we can move them into the kitchen and check the walls for any secret compartments.” He stomped in various places on the floor. “Might be a secret basement too."

She laughed. “Not so secret. It's down there. The entrance is through the other closet. It's all gross spiders, darkness and dust down there. My mother never used it. She said it was too unsanitary."

He snickered. “So it's safe to say she wouldn't use it to hide something she wanted no one to find?"

"Uh ... yeah!” She rolled her eyes, and he slapped her ass. Any excuse to get his hands on her. Suddenly, all he wanted to do was lay her out on the counter, and fill her with his rock hard erection.

"Connor, will you get your mind out of the gutter and help me with this?"

He looked up to find her dragging on one of the racks. Metal scraped on cement floor and made his teeth ache. Trying to speak while clenching his jaw was difficult. “What makes you think my mind was in the gutter?” The rack wasn't nearly as heavy as she let on.

"Because your eyes were riveted to my rear. Now keep your mind on your work. This is about you, too. I ... we ... have to figure this all out so you can get your job back."

He stopped dragging the rack and disengaged her fingers from it as well. Turning her to face him, he drew her close and guided her head to his shoulder. “You feel you're responsible for me getting suspended."

"Yes."

"I told you it's not your fault.” He tipped her head up and stared into those melted chocolate eyes. For a moment, he thought he could drown in them and never wished to be saved, but he shook the thought away. “This person we're looking for is entirely to blame. It's not your responsibility to solve this case. It's mine."

"Actually, it's Carl's now. He..."

"It's mine, A'isha.” Her soft mouth under his tasted right. “I will work it out, got it, woman?” He raised an eyebrow, and she gave a reluctant nod. “Good. Now back to work."

"Yes, general!"

He tried to swat her rear, but she ducked out of reach. He had to be satisfied to watch as she sauntered back into the store room. As she removed the books to the counter in the kitchen, handling each with tender care, she appeared thoughtful.

"I think you should call your sister and make up,” she announced.

Connor stiffened, compressed his lips and said nothing.

"Family is everything. I wish my mother was still here with me and that my brother wasn't thousands of miles away. Sometimes I wake up wondering if this is the day I'll get that call that tells me he's been injured or ... worse."

He nodded. “I can understand that. It's a real possibility, a rational fear. But Jill works as an accountant. She's young. Last time I checked, her pastime could cause a person to fall asleep just hearing about it.” He knew he was making dumb excuses that no one was guaranteed tomorrow, but for some immature, flashback from his preteen years, he had thought his sister would always be there for him. She'd chosen the wrong man and didn't believe him when he had brought it to her attention. Instead, she pushed him away, told him to forget she existed. That both pissed him off and other feelings he was not willing to explore too deeply.

Figuring A'isha would push about his sister, he was surprised when she turned the conversation. “So what about your parents?"

"Determined aren't we?” He shrugged. “Nothing much to tell there. Dad contracted cancer when he was seventy-two.” Pausing, he wondered how he thought he could be flippant about it. Sure, it had been a few years, but even now, the emotions roiled inside him, tightening his chest. He blew out a breath and glanced up at the ceiling. A'isha touched his arm. He pretended not to feel it. Clearing his throat, he continued. “He suffered long and hard. After he passed, Mom faded quickly. She joined him not five months later."

"Connor, I'm so sorry.” She drew him into her arms. He didn't resist. There was no sense hurting her feelings when she wanted to comfort him, but he did not like talking about his parents. She commiserated. “I didn't know my dad, so you were blessed, but my mother was perfect!” Her silly grin teased the ache in his chest away. “I miss her so much, I could scream it out, but I also smile, because she was ... the best. Eccentric, funny, an amazing cook, and my brother and I worshipped the ground she walked on."

Connor had never imagined anyone could burst into a speech of the perfection of a parent, with joy even, knowing they were talking about someone they had lost, wouldn't see again. Most men he knew would react like he did, hurt, but fight and hide it. The women would tear up. A'isha was different. He felt a little like calling her perfect herself. Maybe she was just like her mother. Something told him she wouldn't agree.

"How did she go?"

"Heart failure. It came on suddenly, but then when does anyone know ahead of time?” Tears filled her eyes. Connor guided her to a chair, sat down and tucked her onto his lap. He rubbed her back while she indulged in a little cry. Now that was more natural. But she bounced back quickly. “I had this dream last night. I'm not one of those people who get guidance from their dreams, but this one was special.” She shrugged. “Anyway, I felt like my mother was telling me it's okay. I don't have to feel guilty about losing the bakery."

"Any decisions on where to go from here?"

She glanced at the dusty tomes on the table. “I'm starting to like your cookbook idea."

"Good.” He flipped her off his lap and onto her feet. “Now, let's finish this. I'll get the other rack out, and you knock on the walls."

By lunchtime, they had found nothing. The store room was barren with all its supplies on the table or floor in the kitchen. Connor had stood on chairs to bang on the walls out of reach. Still nothing. His stomach growled, demanding they take a lunch break.

"I call a break,” Connor announced. “Over sandwiches or something we can think up a new strategy. That new deli down the street looks promising."

A'isha hesitated. “I'm not—"

"Going to pay.” He kissed her. “My treat. Let's go. I could eat a large animal—
raw
!"

She stood up from the dusty floor inside the closet and brushed her pants legs down. “Okay, I'm not going to argue with you. I'm starving myself.” As she passed the books, she ran a reverent hand over one and headed toward the sink.

Connor stood behind her, close, breathing in her scent while he waited his turn. While he considered nibbling her neck, another thought occurred to him. “We're looking for papers, which could be anywhere, but did you ever look through each of these books. The papers could be tucked between the pages."

She dismissed the idea with the wave of her hand. “Trust me. I've gone through every one, just enjoying my mother's unique style, the sometimes zany comments she put in with each recipe. I've turned all of those pages a hundred times over the last few years. Nothing's there other than the recipes."

He frowned. The books had seemed to be the perfect location. “Oh well. It was a thought.” He dried his hands on the towel she handed him while strolling over to the table. After tossing the towel on the table, he stretched his arms above his head, forcing the muscles on one side to expand and then the other. When he bent forward to arch his back, his glance fell on words, faded but visible at the bottom right corner of one of the books.

Sliding the two books aside, which were atop the one he was interested in, he took a closer look. They were words, just as he thought, a dedication of sorts. “For Selena,” he read and looked up. “Who is Selena?"

"What?” A'isha turned to face him.

"Selena.” He pointed to the book. “On the bottom of this particular book is written ‘To Selena.’ Any idea who she is?"

A'isha crinkled her nose and shuffled over to take a look. “No, I've never heard my mother mention her. Maybe she was an old friend of my mother's. I have some old papers of my mother's at my house. Maybe there'll be something in there about her."

Connor glared at her like she'd lost her mind. “You have papers that belonged to your mother, and you failed to mention that sooner than now?"

She laughed. “Sorry, grumpy hungry man.” She stroked his belly which did not alleviate his hunger a bit. “It's mostly bills and other paperwork for the bakery, the bill of sale, the license, et cetera. But I can look through it again to see if I find a reference to Selena. Okay, let's go before you have a cow."

I'm not going to have a cow,” he grumbled.

Soon they were ensconced at a table at the deli, and Connor wasted no time in ordering a hot brisket on sourdough with a side of potato salad and a large half and half. A'isha ordered a chicken quesadilla with fresh chips and homemade salsa on the side. Like him she had ordered a half and half.

"Okay, they claim the chips and salsa are fresh and delicious. I consider myself a connoisseur in that department, so they better be.” She laughed, but he knew she was serious.

"A'isha, what do you think about moving in with me?"

"Ah!” Her eyes went wide. “Where did that come from? Connor, we've only been seeing each other a short while, and under awful circumstances. That's not a good idea right now."

He twiddled with his drink, catching the condensation along the sides with his thumbs. “Not now exactly, but after this is cleared up.” He sighed. “I should be honest with you."

"You weren't before?"

"I was. It's just..."

"Just?"

"A few months ago, I almost lost my job because a female suspect filed a complaint, said that I had come on to her and insinuated she could get off my suspect list if she ... you know."

A'isha stared, but remained silent. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, whether she thought he was depraved or just a victim of a sadistic woman."

"Turns out that she was innocent, which made the whole incident unnecessary and vindictive."

"And you?” She picked up a chip from her bowl having been just set before her and dipped it into the salsa.

"Me? Yes, I was innocent too. She came on to me. I rejected her. She took it hard.” He shrugged. “I think my boss would have brushed the whole thing off and wouldn't have given a damn, except for the fact that his ex-wife and I..."

"Connor!"

"Had a short thing
before
they ever met,” he finished. “I am not a womanizer. I know that sounds bad, but I haven't had a lot of relationships, but what I have had is one mistake after another. And when I'm not choosing, they fall in my lap.” He raised an eyebrow at her, wondering if she remembered their first meeting, in the park, when she had stood in the middle of the path.

"If I recall, Romeo,
you
ran into
me
."

"Semantics."

"Anyway, I understand what you're saying, and I believe you when you say you've had bad breaks with women. I know all about that, the few I've had as well. But that doesn't mean we wouldn't be making a mistake if we rushed things.” She glanced around the restaurant, pausing to look out the window and then back at him. “I feel like we can have something pretty good, but there's so much between us and building it, we can't be sure."

"You're right. You're absolutely right.” He laced his fingers with hers. “However, let me warn you, A'isha. I see a beautiful woman that is more than I've ever imagined in sweetness and sexual appeal. I had nothing to do with finding you, but I am going to hold on to you now that you're here. I promise you that."

She blushed, stirring something inside him. He considered forgetting about the rest of the search and taking her back to his place to make love to her, and then just to hold her in his arms.

Before he could make the suggestion, she paled, having turned back to the picture window at the front of the restaurant. “Connor, there's someone out there watching us."

[Back to Table of Contents]

The woman had been there a moment before, but when A'isha turned to tell Connor, and they both spun around to look again, she was gone. “I swear, she was there, Connor.” A shiver caused goose bumps to pop out on her arms. “There was something about her. She was standing there on the other side of the street."

Connor scraped his chair back and took her hand to lead her outside. They searched the area, but everyone seemed to be going about their business, oblivious to Connor and A'isha. He took her hands in his. “What did she look like? What race?"

"African American. She was brown-skinned, tall and thin. Her hair was really long, and even though she was on the other side of the street by that van there"—she pointed out the one she meant—"I could still tell there was this evil look in her eyes. You think I'm crazy?"

"Of course not.” He shook his head and drew her close. “Remember, we're looking for a woman, the person who grabbed you. If she is looking for some important papers, we'd do better finding them and having something to bargain with, something to draw her to come to us."

A buzz in A'isha's pocket distracted her. She pulled out her cell and examined the caller ID. The screen flashed Private Caller. She rolled her eyes. Normally, she didn't answer such calls. If a person wanted to speak with her, they should show respect and be open. She answered anyway. “Hello?"

"Aisha."

Her heart slammed against her chest. She held the phone straight out and had to force herself to hold onto it and not drop it in the gutter. Teeth chattering too much, she couldn't speak.