Undercover in Six Inch Stilettos (9 page)

“Yeah, it’s in the state code book. I can look it up for you, if you want me to.”

“Aren’t you a funny man tonight? I don’t like these rules.”

“You don’t?” Jason murmured next to her ear as one of his hands trailed its way around to her breasts. Despite her best intentions, a tiny moan escaped her lips. Jason kissed his way across her neck to her other ear, where he proceeded to tease the lobe a little bit. There was no way she could suppress the second moan…or the third…especially when that little slippery pouf found its way down her abdomen to the apex of her thighs.

“Seems to me that you like the rules just fine.”

“You’re a real jerk, you know that, right?” she murmured against his lips.

“So you tell me on a regular basis. Yet, you keep hanging around.”

“What can I say, I’m a glutton for punishment, big bad cop man. You going to punish me?”

“Over and over again,” Jason whispered, his breath hot on her ear, even in the warm flow of the shower.

Cyndi slipped her arms around her husband’s neck as he backed her against the shower wall. Hot spray fell all around them as her lips found his. Steam swirled, obscuring the area around them, much like the fog in her brain as Jason did delicious things to her body. When the water ran icy cold against their hot bodies, her husband wrapped her in a towel and scooped her from the shower.

“I heard somewhere that all cops are pompous asses.” Cyndi smiled as she rubbed her hands across Jason’s tight crew cut. She loved the feel of the baby-soft fuzz when it was wet from the shower.

“People say that because they are jealous.”

“Why? Because you get to wear a badge and write tickets?”

“No.” Jason chuckled as he pulled the towel away from her body. “Because we have big guns!”

Later, as they lay in bed, Jason’s arms were wrapped around her as Cyndi listened to the soft sounds of her husband sleeping beside her.

How did he always manage to weaken her defenses with a single touch? Cyndi had girlfriends who claimed they hadn’t had sex in months, whereas she couldn’t imagine a few days going by without some sort of intimacy with Jason. He might have been a bit on the overprotective side—okay, he was safety crazy—but he was a good father, a great husband, and a fantastic lover. Cyndi was so satiated she fell asleep and slept until Harper woke her at half past seven. She had to wait a whole day to tell her friends about what had happened at the club.

Fortunately the day passed by in a flurry of errands, a play date for Harper, and Jason getting called in for overtime. By the time Harper was tucked in and Jason was off to work, Cyndi was worn out. She fell asleep on the sofa watching reruns of crime shows, but woke up a few minutes before three, like she usually did. She logged in to the group’s page, waiting for some signs of life from the other ladies.

Angela: Hey, Cyndi, are you there?

Cyndi: I am. Sorry I missed you all last night. Jason sort of wore me out.

Angela: I really wish I had your problems!

Diana: Hi, ladies!

Cyndi: Hey, Di! I feel like it has been weeks since we have talked.

Diana: LOL It’s only been a few days, Cyn!

Jessy: I’m here! Did I miss anything?

Angela: No, ma’am. We were just getting started. Cyndi was bragging about how she and the hubby were getting it on again last night.

Diana: Cyndi gets it more than all of us put together! Why do you think I work for a phone sex line? At least I can pretend I am getting some once in a while. Donnie is going through one of those middle-age phases.

Jessy: It’s so unfair that men reach their sexual peak twenty years before we do!

Angela: Except for Cyndi’s man…he is some kinda genetic anomaly!

Cyndi: LOL Y’all are just jealous!

Jessy: Damn straight I am!

Cyndi: Well, don’t be too jealous. I pay a price. Try living with a man who believes there is a tactically sound way to use the bathroom…

Angela: He’s not that bad…is he?

Cyndi: You would be surprised. LOL! I am used to it though. I know he worries about us.

Angela: And thus the reason he has no idea about your part-time gig as a dancer—or an amateur sleuth.

Cyndi: I wouldn’t go that far.

Angela: Does Jason know about the investigating you’ve been doing?

Cyndi: You know he doesn’t.

Angela: Then I say that makes you an amateur sleuth.

Cyndi: LOL Okay! I get it! I found something else on Friday.

Diana: Something to help find your friend?

Cyndi: I am not sure.

Jessy: Well, spill—what happened?

Cyndi: I might have found a possible murder weapon.

Diana: Your friend was murdered?

Cyndi: I have no idea.

Jessy: But you just said you found the murder weapon?

Cyndi: I said possible murder weapon.

Angela: What is it?

Cyndi: A tire iron.

Angela: You can find those anywhere, Cyn.

Cyndi: Not this particular one. It has since disappeared.

Diana: I am getting confused.

Jessy: Yeah, me too.

Cyndi: Let me back up. Remember the purse I found with Angela?

Diana: Yes.

Jessy: Uh huh.

Cyndi: Okay, well, when I went to work, I had to go in through the back. Company policy—if there is a line, employees enter by the alley. Roxy Feathers, one of the dancers, was back there, and when she heard me coming she freaked out and grabbed a tire iron to defend herself—said she found it by the back door. I thought I saw something on it, so I went back outside after my shift to take it home to Jason, and it was gone.

Jessy: Maybe someone happened by and took it to use?

Cyndi: I suppose it is possible, but not likely. The alley is off the beaten path.

Angela: Yeah, I was back there. No one would just stumble on it. They have to be heading there intentionally.

Diana: So what are you thinking, Cyn?

Cyndi: Well, I had another note on my car.

Diana: What?

Cyndi: It said stop asking questions.

Angela: So someone you work with killed the girl you used to work with?

Cyndi: I don’t think so.

Diana: A patron at the club, then?

Cyndi: That is what I was thinking. Someone who is there a lot and might have had a thing for her.

Diana: Don’t you think it’s time to tell Jason?

Cyndi: Tell him what? That I think one of the hundreds of men who frequent the club, which he doesn’t know I work at, might have killed one of the dancers—who is known to be a runaway—with a tire iron that I no longer know the location of?

Angela: When you put it like that, it does sound a little nutty.

Cyndi: Exactly.

Diana: Well, nutty or not, the guy seems to have his eye on you and that worries me.

Cyndi: Don’t worry. Jason taught me how to defend myself.

Diana: Did those lessons include fending off a tire iron-wielding psycho who appears to kidnap young runaway strippers?

Cyndi: LOL Of course, Di!

Angela: Did you get a chance to ask any more questions about Jade?

Cyndi: Not really, no one really wants to talk about it. Roxy tried to talk me into quitting though.

Jessy: Which one is Roxy?

Cyndi: The one with the man voice and never-ending supply of feather boas.

Jessy: Oh, right. I always confuse her with the one who likes to wear women’s underwear.

Diana: Such a colorful crew over there, Cyn.

Cyndi: They are a little odd, but they are mostly good people. Johnny has a brilliant mind, so what if he likes the feel of satin on his skin?

Jessy: I got no problems with that. To each his own. I am more curious as to why Roxy tried to get you to quit.

Cyndi: Not too sure. She has been supportive up until now—taught me most of what I know—except the dancing. Years of private lessons took care of that. I know Mom and Dad would be proud! LOL

Diana: Well, what are you going to do?

Cyndi: About what?

Diana: Are you going to quit?

Cyndi: Um, no. Why would I?

Angela: Things are getting a little strange, don’t you think? I mean, beyond the obvious.

Cyndi: Even if I wanted to, I can’t. Someone needs to keep an ear out about Jade. Obviously someone is trying to get my attention. If I leave now, we may never know the truth.

Diana: Or…we could turn the whole thing over to our cop husbands and let them look for her. That’s what they do you know, search for missing persons, solve crimes…

Cyndi: Someone needs to eat a chocolate bar or something…snippy much?

Diana: I’m just saying, this might be out of your league. What if the creep who keeps leaving notes on your car does something crazy, like, I don’t know, kidnaps and murders you?

Cyndi: You need to stop watching cop show reruns, Diana.

Diana: You need to stop play acting like you are Angela Lansbury. This isn’t “Murder, She Wrote,” you know. This is real life.

Cyndi: What’s eating you?

Angela: I think all she is trying to say, Cyn, is you are putting yourself at risk. Aren’t you worried about your safety? I mean, there was blood on that purse we found. I don’t think she broke a nail and then decided she didn’t feel like carrying her purse anymore.

Cyndi: I know, something happened to her. I gave Jason the purse. The lab identified her blood on it. I don’t know any more than they do at this point.

Jessy: Does Jason know about the notes?

Cyndi: Of course not.

Angela: Then they don’t know everything.

Diana: What if they have fingerprints on them? You should turn them in.

Cyndi: Why? No one has threatened me. All they did was tell me to stop asking questions. I intend to—for now.

Angela: Cyndi, I think it is time for Jason to know about your job.

Cyndi: Um…hell no.

Jessy: How long do you think you can keep it from him? When he finds out he is going to be pissed. I mean, really pissed.

Cyndi: That doesn’t even begin to describe what he will be. That’s why I am not telling him yet. Once I have enough money saved, I will quit.

Diana: Saved for what?

Cyndi: I figured I could get some money put aside for Christmas and maybe a few bucks for emergencies. I mean, we do okay, but it would be nice to have a little cushion, you know?

Diana: I guess I can’t argue with that. Most of my phone sex money goes into a savings account for Jackson’s college fund. The rest for a rainy day.

Angela: That’s why I keep working dispatch. I hope to have a good nest egg to carry us through should I ever be lucky enough to have a baby.