Another Notch in the Beltway (20 page)

“He let himself in?”

“Yes, the door was unlocked, and I had the music on pretty loud. He claims he rang the bell and that I didn't hear it. Tried the door, it was unlocked, so he came in.”

“Mind if we look around upstairs?”

“Not at all.” She vaguely wondered if she should call Connor or tell them to get a warrant, but for the life of her she couldn't imagine what he was looking for.

“Would you come up with me and go through exactly what happened?”

“Sure,” she replied and led him up the stairs. MP followed.

“You stopped seeing Irving in favor of Finnegan?” the cop asked.

“No. Mr. Finnegan and I are working on a project. We recently became involved. I'd stopped dating Mr. Irving about a month before, but he kept calling to ask me out. I should have told him it was over, but I thought he'd get the hint and stop asking.”

“Yeah, that should have been a hint. About when was that?”

“Wednesday four, five weeks ago maybe?” She looked at MP for confirmation.

He nodded.

“Take me through it. Where he stood, how he acted…”

“Um, Michael Patrick and I were dancing and he'd come up the steps. He yelled something like ‘I should have known.' I asked Michael Patrick to give us a few minutes. John was extremely angry. I'd never seen any real emotion out of him before and was surprised.”

“Did he scare you?” the cop followed up.

“No. The couch was between us, and he was gripping it so tightly his knuckles were white. I said I was sorry and he yelled back something to the effect that I was only sorry that I got caught here with MP. Then ‘Love Stinks' came on my computer; that's where the music was playing. I thought it was ironic and went to turn it off. John yelled ‘leave it' and left. He closed the front door with such force the sidelights rattled.”

“He came in by himself and went out by himself.”

“Yes.”

“Could he have left or hidden something?”

“Maybe when he came in and we didn't even know he was here, but he left in too big of a hurry.”

“You never found anything unusual or something of his he left behind?”

“No, but I don't utilize all the rooms in the house all the time so if he hid something, it could still be hidden but if he left something here in my office, I have no idea what it could be.”

“Where was he standing when he was holding onto the couch?”

Lenore thought for a second. “Not quite to the center, a little to the right.”

After snapping on some gloves, the officer ran a hand over the top of the couch. Then crouched on the floor and ran his hand under it. He asked for MP's help to pick up the couch. The two men moved it a good three feet. There was nothing on the floor under the piece of furniture, not even a dust bunny.

The cop started taking the cushions off the couch. After rooting around for several minutes, he came up with something that looked like a watch battery.

“What is it?” Lenore asked when he held it up.

“If I'm not mistaken, it's a listening device.”

“A bug?” MP and Lenore said together.

The cop gave a small chuckle. “Yes.”

“Why would anyone want to bug my office?” She knew, of course, and she felt MP's hand rub her back. He knew, too.

“What are you two working on?”

“We're writing a book together,” MP offered.

“What kind of book?”

“A contemporary romance.”

The officer raised an eyebrow at MP, then, as if a light bulb went off, asked, “Are you MP Finnegan?”

“Yes,” he said with a small smile.

“My wife has read all your books, had me read the article in
The Times
the other week. I'm sorry about your son. I have a boy the same age.”

“Thank you,” Michael Patrick said softly.

The officer was quiet for a minute.

“Could he have been spying for that tabloid rag? What was it?
The Sentinel
?”

“I suppose anything is possible,” she said quietly, MP continuing to move his hand up and down her back, calming her.

“You're LaSandra Lacy?”

“I am. That's my pen name.”

“Wife loves your work, too. Can't wait for your new book to come out.”

“I'll give you a few books to take home for her,” Lenore offered, glad the officer was off on his own train of thought.

“That would be great. Could you sign them?”

“Yes.” She gave him what she hoped was a warm, friendly smile. She went to a drawer where she kept a few extra copies of her books and pulled out three.

“You know Irving could have been following you to get pictures for the rag. Exploit your personal relationship. Kind of adds up,” the cop again.

“Maybe,” MP agreed.

Lenore sighed in relief.

“What's your wife's name?” she asked.

“Janice.”

Lenore wrote the inscription and handed it to the officer.

Janice: Thanks for being a loyal reader. All the best of everything. LaSandra Lacy.

“This is terrific. I'll be a hit tonight.”

MP offered the expected chuckle.

“Do you think there are bugs anywhere else in my house?” Lenore asked.

“We'll have a sweep done. Also check and see if we can figure out where the device was transmitting. Sometimes it's to a recorder placed outside a building so the perp can come and retrieve tapes and put in new ones. More often these days they're programmed to a computer. Range depends on the sophistication of the bug.”

Both MP and Lenore nodded.

“Can I see Maria now? She won't have any legal problems because of this, will she?” Lenore followed up.

“It looks like self-defense to me, especially since we found the bug.”

Thank God, she thought.

“I'll see if they're done with her.”

They were, and Maria was more angry than shaken. She promised Lenore she'd be back at the normal time next week. The women embraced and Maria went home to tell her family the harrowing tale.

The crime scene people were finishing up in the kitchen and office.

“Got a place to stay tonight?” the cop asked. “We won't be done here for a while and can't check for bugs until tomorrow.”

“We can stay at a hotel,” MP said and gave the cops his cell number. Lenore did the same. Then went to pack a small overnight bag.

****

Lenore and MP decided to check out of his hotel and limit talking in the car to the innocuous. Lenore had suggested one or both places could be bugged, and while JI was dead, there could be someone else out there listening.

Once checked into their room at the Hyatt Princeton, Lenore flopped down on the bed and sighed.

“Now what?” she asked.

MP plopped down next to her and pulled her close to him.

She rested her head on his chest and burrowed in closer. He offered comfort, warmth, a feeling of safety. Every time he touched her didn't have to lead to sex. But if she kept thinking about it, it would.

“You said you wanted to call Connor Walker.”

“Yes, but he's a lawyer, and I have to be careful as to what I say. Keeping the photos could be considered obstruction of justice or something. But I don't want to go right to Morris either. I certainly don't trust him and Maxwell.”

“I can see why. Call Walker and let him know about what happened at the house, the fact that there was a bug, and that JI was following you before his demise.”

“I can't believe he's dead. That he attacked Maria. He was such a passionless person, right down to his gray car.”

“I thought the same thing when I saw the car. But maybe that's how he did what he did. Under the radar, nonthreatening, never calling attention to himself.”

“You're right. A person in his position wouldn't want the spotlight on him. I always thought it was because he was a computer nerd.”

MP laced his hand through hers as it lay on his chest.

“I can't believe it,” she said again. “And I'm ashamed to say this, but I don't care that he's dead, other than it involved my housekeeper and my house.”

“You don't have to mourn for a man who was obviously up to no good and may have sought to do you harm, Lenore.”

Reluctantly she sat up. “I need to call Connor, and I need to call Nathan.”

Lenore told Walker the entire story, except for the pictures.

“How do you know this isn't someone from a crazy tabloid trying to get dirt on you and Finnegan?”

“Because I do.”

“What are you not telling me?”

“You're a lawyer.”

“Damn it, Lenore,” Connor said with unusual ferocity. It made her jump. “Your personal safety may be in question; Nate's, too, for that matter. I don't give a rat's ass about Morris and the senator, but there's that potential as well. What are you not telling me?” he all but demanded this time.

“Listen closely. Morris thinks they were followed from D.C. They were, or I was followed from my house and from the hotel to your office, leading someone to them.”

“You know this?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, before I forget: Is your son photogenic?” asked Walker pointedly.

“Yes.”

“I'll need a few good shots for the employee newsletter. We're featuring our interns this month.”

“Okay, but back to the topic at hand. The cop believes that JI was involved in the
Sentinel
piece. His wife reads both MP and Lacy.”

“Lucky break.”

“I gave him several autographed books to take home.”

“Good thinking.”

“On occasion.”

He chuckled. “You think I should clue the boys in?”

“Not that I want to, but I think one of them has the resources to deal with it.”

“I'll take your word for it.”

“Let me know what happens. Call my cell. I'm at the Hyatt in Princeton. But don't tell anyone.”

“Wouldn't dream of it.”

“Attorney-client privilege.”

“Exactly.”

Next she called her son and told him a similar tale and concluded, “I wanted you to be aware of what happened here. If you think someone's following you, you might be right.”

“Got it, Mom. I'll deal with it. It's not exactly as if I'm hanging out with the Maxwells.”

Then she remembered that he should have gotten back his results from the tests he took to see if he was a suitable match for Jack Maxwell's bone marrow transplant and asked him about it.

“I'm not as good a match as the senator hoped I'd be. But I'm the best match so far. I might be his only option. They're going to talk to him and let me know.”

“You okay with all this?” Lenore asked, picking up something in his voice.

“Yeah, it's sad that this stuff happens. Jack's a prick, but I'd never wish him ill or dead.”

“I know, honey. I'm sorry.”

“Mom, it's not your fault.” Then changing the subject, he asked, “We still on for Friday?”

“You bet. I'm looking forward to it. We'll talk some more then.”

“I love you, Mom. Be careful.”

“You too, Nate. I love you.” She felt tears stinging her eyes. Where did they come from? Why was she such a watering pot?

MP came up behind her and rubbed her shoulders. “Relax,” he whispered in her ear.

She arched into him.

“Your muscles are tight. Lie down. I'll rub your back. Wait.” He pulled her sweater over her head.

“That feels heavenly,” she purred as he massaged her back and shoulders. “Don't stop.”

He kissed her back, then drew his tongue down her spine. She shivered. He continued to taunt and tantalize. Lenore started to turn over. “Stay where you are, lass.” MP undid her bra clasp and slipped it off her. Rubbing the imprint the band made around her rib cage, then lower, slowly removing her pants and panties.

“No fair. I'll play, but you need to be undressed, too,” Lenore said.

“Hmm,” he nuzzled her neck. “Is that a request?”

“At the moment. I could issue something stronger if the need arises,” she laughed. “I see it's already arisen.” Her voice was laced with amusement as he rubbed against her teasingly.

“Since you asked so nicely, I'll comply with your request.”

MP disrobed and rejoined her on the bed, coming up behind her.

“Up on your knees and hold the headboard.”

She looked at him suspiciously over her shoulder.

“No, love. Nothing that squirmy,” he said, reading her mind.

She laughed and did as he asked.

He moved her hair to the side and kissed her neck, then down her back as he caressed her bottom.

She enjoyed the feel of his lips and tongue on her back. Goose bumps rose on her skin and she gasped as his fingers found their way to her vagina and clitoris.

Reaching back with one hand, she attempted to touch what she wanted, but he would have none of it and put her hand back on the headboard.

“You'll have what you desire very soon.”

She could feel him sliding between her buttocks and pushed into him.

MP positioned her hips so he could enter her more fully. “Stay still for a moment,” he said.

She did and felt him slide into her slowly. As her muscles tightened around him, drawing him deeper, he groaned with undisguised satisfaction.

When he was fully seated in her, she used the headboard for leverage to push into him. To her surprise, he let her control the pace. His thumb circled her clitoris and aroused her further. As she began the freefall into orgasm, her pace quickened, and her muscles clamped and held him tight. He let out a growl before they both crashed to the bottom.

Michael Patrick helped her stretch out, then lay down and pulled her on top of him.

“Feel better,
a chuisle
?”

“I feel drugged.”

“Good. I'd like you addicted.”