Pole Dance (26 page)

"We don't typically advise people of a problem until the family is notified--" Ram began.

"Has something happened to Pam?" Cait repeated as her heart began hammering in earnest. Jake moved around the side of the of the breakfast bar to pull her front to his side. "I didn't see her much since she worked nights and I worked all the time--"

"When was the last time you saw her?" Ram asked as he shimmied his notebook out of his pocket.

"I don't know…maybe the end of last month sometime?" she replied softly glancing at Jake. "I'm sorry that I can't be more specific. Our schedules really didn't mesh and unless she didn't pay her rent on time I didn't have any dealings with her to speak of--"

"Could you let me into her apartment, say tomorrow morning? It'd have to be early, but I need to gain access." Ram wanted to follow the protocol in every situation but by the distressed look on Caitlin's face, he knew he was just going to have to let her know in order to gain access into the dead girl's apartment.

Ram slid his eyes to Jake with a brief nod.

"Darlin', Pam's body was found a couple of nights ago. She had been murdered." Jake's voice was a whisper at her ear. He felt her body begin to shake with every word he spoke and he tightened his arms around her pulling her to his front. "Ram's looking into everything he can to try and find the killer responsible. But he needs your help to get into her apartment, yeah?"

Caitlin was frozen, eyes wide as her heart struggled to cope with her tenant's death. Jake turned her around in his arms and tucked her head against his chest. While Jake's focus was on comforting his girl, Ram looked over the information on Pam's application.

"There's a blank space where it asks for Emergency Contact," Ram said. "Do you know if she had any family, Cait?"

Dropping her cheek back to Jake's t-shirt, Caitlin thought. "I'm not sure. I can check the info on her rental agreement to see if one's listed but I think she mentioned something once about a sister in Missouri."

"That'd be a big help," Ram said making another note in the small notebook. "Thanks for the treat and the coffee, but I best get back to it."

Unraveling herself from Jake's arms, Caitlin offered to fill a travel mug if he wanted to take coffee to go.

"Thanks, but no. I'm going to go home and try and catch some shut eye. I'll see you tomorrow, Cait."

Jake followed Ram to the door and watched as the Chief pulled his boots back on. They were both quiet as Jake walked with him out to his car.

"Only gonna say this once, Jake, 'cause I know it's none of my concern," Ram began softly in the crisp night air. "You let her go and she'd be snapped up in less than an hour. Fuck, that brownie thing almost had me dropping to one knee and asking her to marry me on the spot. Hope you know what you got, buddy."

Jake looked Ram in the eye as he shoved his hands deep into his pockets. "Got it covered, Ram. Know I'm lucky."

Ram put a hand on Jake's shoulder. "Not lucky, buddy. Deserving."

Jake shuffled his feet as Ram's hand dropped.

"Let me know, Ram, if you need anything else, yeah?"

"Will do, Buddy. Thanks again for the files."

Not much was said in the space made by Ram's leaving although Caitlin and Jake worked in unison as they cleaned the kitchen together and set it to rights. When the dishwasher was finally humming through its beginning cycles and the last countertop was wiped down, Jake grabbed Cait's hand to lead her upstairs.

"What a day, Darlin'" Jake said as he sat at the end of his bed watching Caitlin digging through her overnight case. "You okay?"

"Mmm-hmm," he heard but she never raised her eyes as she answered still pawing through the small case. "I think I forgot my pajamas."

Jake moved to his dresser and pulled out a clean t-shirt before tossing it to her. "That gonna be enough for you?"

"Should be, baby, thanks," she threw over her shoulder as she moved to the bathroom.

It was later, their hearts slowing after their session that was more loving than energetic, more sweet than grasping when they began to talk.

"You gonna have to cancel what you got scheduled for tomorrow morning?" Jake asked the top of her head nestled on his chest as his arm traced random patterns on her back.

"Yeah, probably," she replied on a yawn. "I should probably call Maya and see if we can trade shifts," she continued as she reached for her cell phone that was recharging on the nightstand. Maya seemed to take Caitlin's request in stride and was willing to do the trade. As soon as the call was finished, Caitlin turned off the light on her side of the bed and scooted across its wide expanse until her back was against Jake's front. She felt Jake's arm snake around her waist and pull her even closer.

"I got guys coming to take the bed away at around eight and the new bed will be delivered by nine, yeah?" He glanced at the clock. "So what time do we need to get up?"

"Uhm, seven or so?" Caitlin felt her body relax as she began to drift off, snuggled in Jake's arms.

"Darlin'?" she heard him whisper.

"Mmm-hmm?"

"Almost lost my girl today."

"I almost lost my girl today over a fuckin' bed," Jake continued against her shoulder.

He heard a one note chuckle before her sleepy voice said, "You're right about that."

"Don't wanna lose my girl." There were a few beats of silence.

"Don't wanna lose my girl over stupid shit, especially not stupid shit that I've done, yeah?" Jake used his chin to move her hair away from her shoulder and she felt his lips in the sensitive spot where her neck joined it.

"Mmm-hmm."

"Very experienced in doing stupid shit," Jake began to rain soft kisses on that tender stretch of skin. "Can almost guarantee that I'll fuck up at some time in the future."

His lips paused their movement before hearing a derisive snort. "Almost a certainty."

"So, Darlin', when I
do
end up doin' the stupid shit and fuckin' things up royally need to know that we'll be able to work it through
before
we start talkin' about quittin', yeah?" Jake felt how tense his body had become just with his admission and his request. Her answer was important to him and even his body recognized it.

"Agreed," she mumbled, reaching her hand around to pat his thigh. Jake let out a sigh of relief and felt his body relax before he heard another yawn.

He was almost asleep when he felt her jerk.

"Jake?"

"Yeah, Darlin'," he mumbled, feeling her hair stir as he spoke.

"Does it ever bother you?" she whispered into the dark of the room.

"Bother me?"

"'Bout me not…err…'bout me not knowing what to do and stuff?"

It was late and Jake was tired. But he knew what she was trying, in her own way, to say.

"You mean about you and me, pretty girl?"

There was silence, which he was learning was her way of saying yes without having to say a thing.

"Babe."

There was more silence as Jake searched to find the right words to speak to his girl.

"The fact that I'm your first at a lot of the physical things we do makes me feel ten feet tall. Am not gonna lie, Darlin'. Because you may not be my first physically, but you're the first one that has captured my heart." Jake admitted. "That gonna be enough for you?"

He felt her nod as she wiggled her hips against him.

"You done, baby?" She asked like he was the one keeping them up with his chatter.

"Night, gorgeous," he replied and dropped a kiss to the top of her head.

"Night, Jake."

*.*.*.*.*

Layton Jamison was on his fourth scotch before he finally had the courage to make the call, despite receiving the information earlier in the evening. Just thinking about what was going on, without his knowledge, and by an unknown someone had him pissed off and not a little scared.

His mind had gone round and round trying to figure out if the information had been requested by one of his competitors, one of his so-called friends because there was no way in hell the report had been generated by a new credit card or purchase.

He slugged back the remaining portion of his drink and picked up the phone.

"Stu? I've got a problem," he started. "Received an email today that someone has pulled my credit report."

"So, what do you want me to do about it? It's your fucking report, Jamison, and has absolutely fuck-all to do with me."

"We can't afford to have anyone nosing around, especially not now. What if they find something, Stu? What if they're on to us? We can't allow them to--"

"Shut the fuck up and listen, you stupid prick. Nobody knows nothing and they won't as long as you keep your trap shut."

"I don't think I can do this, Stu, I really don't. I think I need to get out." Layton hated the whining tone that seemed to creep into his voice every time had to speak with Stu, but he couldn't help it.

"Get out? What makes you think you
can
get out, you ignorant fuck? You're in this as deep as I am, if not more. You'll get out when I say you can and not a moment sooner. Now, pull your thumb out of your flabby, white ass and get on with what we discussed last week. Can you do that, Jamison? Or am I gonna have to do something to get you motivated? Huh?"

"I don't know, Stu, I mean if they're onto me--"

"How's that fine piece of ass you call a daughter, Jamison. She still going to school like a good girl?"

"Why do you need to know about my daughter?" Layton's voice got softer and he could feel the beads of sweat that started to run down his face and between his shoulder blades.

"Heard tell she's legal now. Might have to get me some of that just to make sure you stay with the program. Understand me?"

"No, Stu, not my daughter. Please not my daughter." Layton could hear the pleading note in his voice. "I'll stay with the program, just stay away from Renee, okay?"

"Just stay with the plan and everything will be fine."

"Ah, okay, Stu," Layton said before realizing he was talking over a dial tone.

He shakily wiped the sweat off his forehead before picking up the decanter and refilling his glass. He crossed the floor of his study and shakily lowered himself into the leather desk chair before covering his face with his hands as he realized that he was under the thumb of a sick bastard…with no way out.

Chapter Twelve

Ram pushed the button for apartment #1 again after receiving no response in his first two attempts to gain entry into Caitlin's apartment building. He checked his watch but it was only 7.15am and he remembered that they had never set a firm time to meet when they spoke yesterday evening. Ram deliberated calling Jake since he didn't have Caitlin's number but was not willing to assume more of a connection when Jake seemed unwilling to discuss it. Although, from their closeness in the kitchen, Ram didn't think he was far off the mark at seeing a couple in the first throes of love.