In the Black (15 page)

“He’s been around long enough to build a reputation for getting the job done. At any cost.”

She could read between the lines. Daniel had gotten on the wrong side of somebody powerful in the past. Somebody with a long memory and a long reach if the Guild knew his name.

“I’ve been told he’s the best man for the job.” Sam pressed onward. “And if you want the killer caught you need the best.”

Grendel’s voice dropped a notch, giving ground. “We’ll see if LeClair lives up to his reputation. No matter what happens, Captain, this isn’t the best way to start a career with the Guild.”

She glared at the screen, wishing she could reach through the dead space and strangle this jackhole. “Duly noted. I’ll keep you updated.” Her hand slammed down on the switch, releasing some of her rage as the link disconnected.

“Oh, fuck me.” She pressed her fingertips against her closed eyes, trying to push back the headache. “You’d think I’d planned it just to piss them off.”

* * *

Daniel stared at the small group of miners filling the chairs and tables in the ship’s landing bay. The thirty-odd men glared right back without remorse or fear.

He couldn’t blame them. Right now he was enemy number one. He was holding them back from their work and their pleasure, and he had no doubt that if they were told to walk over his crushed, bleeding body to get to the women and men of the
Belle,
they’d do it without hesitation.

His earpiece beeped. He reached up and tapped it.

“Danforth here. You able to talk?”

“Yeah.” Daniel strode to the far corner of the landing bay. “Go ahead.”

“Your instincts were right. Comet didn’t commit suicide.” The medical officer paused for a second. “You hear me?”

“I hear you. Keep going.”

“First, blood tests showed no drugs in her system. She had low alcohol content, no more than maybe a glass of wine, if even that much. But when I inspected her neck wound there was a lot more there than just a gash.”

Daniel studied his boots, ignoring the questing looks from the miners. “What was there?”

“Bruises. Her throat was crushed before her throat was slashed.” The doctor grunted. “Slash warped the skin. A lesser medic wouldn’t have seen it.” There was a note of pride in his voice.

“Good work. I’ll note it in the report.” Daniel wasn’t going to argue that any coroner worth his salt would have picked up on the clues, especially after being instructed to inspect the wound carefully. A little back-patting went a long way, more so on a rock like this. “Any luck getting prints off her skin?”

“No.” The positive tone disappeared. “Her throat was wiped clean before it was cut and I can’t find any distinct fingerprints on her skin. The bruising was consistent, as if he’d used an object like a baseball bat or a metal bar to crush her throat.” He paused. “Or she. Anyway, I’ll confirm that it’s murder for the records.”

“Thanks for your help. Get her ready for transport, if you don’t mind. I’d like to send her home as soon as possible.”

Danforth let out a hum of approval. “I’ll do my best to make her respectable before we put her into cryo storage. I won’t let her parents see her in such bad shape. We’ve got the report and the pictures. They don’t ever need to see those details on their daughter’s body.”

“Thank you. I’m sure they’d appreciate that.” Daniel flinched, thinking of the family waiting weeks to have a funeral. At least they would have a presentable body instead of a slashed, cut-up corpse.

“Marshal.” The security chief walked up, then handed over a computer tablet. “Here’s the statements I spoke to you about earlier. Like I said, no one noticed anything out of the ordinary—whatever passes for ordinary on a Mercy ship, that is.” He nodded toward the miners. “They all decided to pass on legal as long as there’s a union rep present during any one-on-one questioning. Swendson’s agreed, so we’ve got the union on board.”

“Thanks. I appreciate their cooperation.” Daniel wasn’t saying the words out of politeness. An angry union could make his job untenable and the last thing he needed was a riot or worse, a strike.

It didn’t hurt that the longer Daniel’s investigation went on, the fewer “visits” the men would get with their favorite courtesans. It was in everyone’s best interest to have this solved as quickly as possible.

Huckness glanced at the floor. “Got Kowalski in a holding cell waiting to see you. Picked him up at his quarters without any problem. He’s not yelping for a lawyer yet.” He smiled. “Lucky so far. Be a bitch if we had to wait for one to ride in on the next transport.”

Daniel nodded, trying not to show his relief. Few bases kept legal counsel on hand, preferring to bring in lawyers on a case-by-case basis as needed, sent in on the fastest ships available. It wasn’t the best system but everyone managed best they could. While Kowalski was totally within his rights to ask for a lawyer, he’d also have the foreman and union representative there to cover his ass.

He felt comfortable enough to pass on a lawyer. Either he was very smart or very stupid.

Or innocent.

“I’ll be by to see him soon enough. Just a few more things to clear up here.” He studied Huckness. The man’s record was impeccable. He was a veteran and he’d stayed clear of the
Belle
before all the ugliness started. “M.O. confirms it was murder. Anyone ringing the bell for you?”

The older man stood there for a minute before shaking his head. “No one yet and I know most of these fellows personally, known them for months and in some cases years. These are good men and women. Sure, they fight and they bitch and moan, but they know we all gotta hang together to make it through out here.” He waved a hand toward the group of men. “We only get a Mercy ship once every three months, a Charity ship once a month. I can’t see any of them screwing that up—they know the penalties for fucking around with a Mercy ship.” A smile tugged at his lips. “And the captain.”

Daniel tried to look as stoic as possible. “Captain Keller seems quite competent.”

Huckness grinned. “Quite. And then some.”

“Any idea why she ended up on a Mercy ship?” Daniel asked. “A vet like her could have written her own ticket anywhere.”

Huckness gave a non-committal shrug. “We all got ghosts, Marshal. Sometimes we need to ride out the worst before we can settle down, you know?”

“She was at the Hub,” Daniel offered.

The chief’s eyes widened. “No surprise there. A lot of fucked-up people came out of that from what I heard. If Keller’s just a little crazy I wouldn’t be surprised. Running a Mercy ship might be just what she needs to clear her head.” He chuckled. “A challenge for a good man, I’d say.”

Daniel didn’t say anything.

Huckness jabbed a thumb behind him. “If it’s okay with you I’ll get these boys back to work. The lockdown’s still, on so if you need to talk to anyone give me a call and I’ll drag them off the line or out of their beds.”

He nodded. It wasn’t a perfect solution but it’d have to do. The longer the miners were kept from their jobs, the more stress their fellow workers would be under, possibly leading to wide-scale fighting.

Improvisation was part of the game out here. Back at the big stations where the courts were with all the fancy lawyers, they could follow the law to the letter—out here you made do with what you had. As long as the job got done in the end and justice got served as best as it could, no one said anything.

“I’ll review their statements and be in touch if there’s anything tripping the alarms.” He tucked the tablet under his arm. “Thanks for the help. I’d have a hell of a time doing this by myself.”

Huckness smiled. “No problem. I want this cleared up pronto.” He tapped his chest. “Got me a discount I intend to cash in for a visit.” He poked Daniel with a thick index finger. “Don’t take too long. I’m not a young man anymore.”

Daniel couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “I’ll do my best.”

The veteran gave him a wink as he turned away. “Wouldn’t expect anything less.”

Chapter Six

Sam watched her monitor as the miners finally left the landing bay. The men trotted through the hatch and back into the tube like worker ants, racing to get back to their jobs. It was almost time for shift change and instead of bragging about their sexual exploits they’d be whining about being locked up—and not in a good, fun way.

She glanced at the communication console, waiting for Grendel to spring up like a jack-in-the-box and scream about lost income. The Guild might demand justice but they also wanted their cut and an unprofitable over-all run would have the
Belle
in dry-dock and her crew dispersed among other ships with Sam waiting for another slot to complete her contract.

A figure appeared on the landing bay camera, flitting so quickly across the screen that she thought for a second she’d seen one of the infamous ghosts every ship supposedly carried.

The marshal.

Daniel
, her inner voice corrected. After all, they were two professionals working to find out who murdered a young woman. There was nothing wrong with being on a first-name basis. It was almost expected.

He’d had time to interview the other members of the
Belle’s
crew. She’d probably be next if he needed a more in-depth examination.

She allowed herself a smirk.

Examination.

Heh-heh.

“Miss me?” The low, heated whisper across the back of her neck had her jumping out of her chair—or she would have, if the straps hadn’t held her safely in place.

Daniel floated into view beside her, smirking.

“Any progress?” Sam took a shallow breath, forcing herself to calm down.

“I found out Bianca despises everyone on this ship, including you.”

“This is my shocked face.” Sam stuck her tongue out of the side of her mouth. “I didn’t expect much else, seriously. She lost her lover and she’s going to blame someone, anyone in the line of fire.” She glanced at the monitors. “Can I release the
Belle
from lockdown?”

“Don’t see why not. Got the statements from the men and they’ve been released. I’ve interviewed the crew, for what that was worth. I’ve sealed Comet’s room and alarmed it.” He glanced at the screen. “Next shift of miners should put you back on track to at least make some sort of profit this trip.”

“From your lips to God’s ears. Thanks.” Sam cleared her throat. “Belle, please inform everyone we’re out of lockdown. Next round of visitors welcome, previous clients invited to rebook as soon as possible. Offer the reduced rates as per Grendel’s instructions and make sure everyone knows the Guild’s taking a hit on this to keep the customers happy.”

“Affirmative,” the ship answered.

“I have Kowalski waiting for me at the security area. Huckness says he didn’t have any trouble picking him up. The guy didn’t put up any resistance.” He glanced at the monitors. “You don’t seem to have much going on here now that you’re off lockdown. Like to come along?” Daniel asked.

She paused, caught between want and need. “Will it compromise the interview to have me present?”

“I don’t think so. And the Guild might appreciate having you there as their unofficial rep.” Daniel leaned in, lowering his voice to a purr. “Besides, it’s a good reason to get you off... this ship.”

She fought the dagger of need flashing down her spine.

Not yet. Not until this was all over. She’d waited this long. She could hold off until the murderer was caught.

Then she’d see if the good marshal could live up to his promises.

“Belle, I’m going on base. Please activate the link and call me if something comes up.”

Her damned fingers were shaking.

She picked up the link from the recharge station and slipped it into her ear. A low electronic beep signaled the activation.

“Affirmative, Captain.” She could have sworn there was a note of humor in Belle’s voice.

Sam slapped the harness release mechanism over her heart. A light shove and she floated up, twisting around to face Daniel. Another push against the roof and she pressed herself against the wall to try to ease past him. He’d have to move in order for her to pass without major physical contact.

He stayed still, blocking her exit.

“Move.” It was a command, not a request.

Daniel raised an eyebrow, their noses almost touching. His voice dropped to a low whisper. “Excuse me?”

Sam pressed her palms against the cool metal overhead. “This area isn’t big enough for two of us.” She forced calm into her voice despite the surging heat in her veins. “You need to move.”

“Okay.” He leaned forward, his nose brushing against hers. “How’s this?”

Her hands automatically flew down and landed on his chest. The heat radiating under the light shirt scorched her fingers as she tried to push him away, palms flat against him.

He didn’t move. His feet were tucked up behind him, anchored to the wall; both hands pressed to the wall over her head.

“Sam,” Daniel whispered, “Kiss me. Please.” There was a trace of whine and want in the words, a combination of curiosity and need.

“Why?” Her heart hammered in her chest.

“Because you want it. I want it. We’re two consenting adults and I know I won’t be able to walk straight for the rest of this trip unless I get a taste of you.” He paused. “Consider it a trial run for when we finish this job up. You know what’s going to happen when this is all over.”

The harsh honesty shocked her into silence.

“Would it be easier if I ordered you to?” he said.

“What?” She felt lightheaded.

“You’re a soldier. You know how to take orders.” He ran a finger along his lower lip. “Kiss me,” he demanded.

She blinked, unable to form a coherent thought.

“Afraid?” Daniel chuckled. “Surely a big, strong woman like yourself can handle a little kiss.” He smacked his lips together in a mockery of the act.

A mixture of anger and heat pushed her into a decision.

A single kiss and she’d find out if there was any compatibility or if this was a disaster waiting to happen. She’d still sleep with him but it’d be better if there was a spark, some sort of connection there.

She drew a staggered breath, seeing the longing in his face and wondering if he saw the same looking at her.

What harm could it do?

She moved in, pressing her mouth to his in a light, chaste kiss that would have the women a few rooms away hiding their faces in shame.

It was like tossing a grenade into a fueling station.

A wave of emotion leaped up, swamping her every thought; the mental dam she’d built up crumbled around her.

Sam was drowning and she didn’t care. She devoured his mouth greedily, grabbing at the incredible sensations. Her hands flew under his jacket and went up his back, tearing at the thin T-shirt with her nails.

Daniel’s arms went around her and pulled her closer, if that were possible. Her legs, free from gravity, twisted around his instinctively, anchoring her against him.

He was touching her. Someone was finally touching her and Lord it felt so good. She dropped her hands to the base of his spine and grabbed his belt with both hands.

He let out something between a groan and a sigh.

She yanked him against her, hard without any hint of gentleness. She could have sworn she heard an annoyed beep from Etts but ignored it.

The pounding in her ears increased as she rotated her hips, lost in the rush of sensations, long dormant, pouring to all points south.

For his part, Daniel was no slouch, keeping right up with her. His hands grabbed her shoulders, clawing at the well-worn leather to try to get a better grip. He pressed against her, his arousal pushing against her center with unerring aim. His hips bucked once, twice in response to her own frantic thrusting in an instinctive reaction. His almost-painful groan shot through her, tripping every circuit breaker in her mind.

It was more than enough.

Sam gasped into Daniel’s mouth as the explosion spiraled upward and outward at that single simple touch, burning her inside and out. The spiked pleasure ran over every nerve ending, slamming her senses with such force that for a second she thought she might faint.

She slumped in his embrace. His pulse hammered under her lips, his neck damp with sweat.

They hovered there for a minute in silence.

“Dang,” Daniel whispered. “You were pretty wired.” He moaned, shifting his hips with a painful grunt. “You weren’t the only one, damn it. Good thing we’re going to be in zero most of the way out of the ship. I’ll need the time to cool down.” He moved again and sighed. “I’m too old to come in my pants and I’m not going to jerk off here.”

Her eyes shot open, shock and embarrassment wiping out the brief rush of pleasure. She pulled her head up and shoved him away.

Sam felt the wall under her feet and pushed past him to swim into the wider part of the corridor.

“We have a suspect to interrogate.” Sam wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, his taste still burning. “Let’s go.”

Her fingers trembled as she glared at them, her body’s betrayal complete.

She couldn’t look at him, not yet.

Only a kiss.

It’d undone her like a rookie in her first firefight.

A mischievous voice at the back of her mind wondered what was going to happen when she let him do more.

She shook her head. “Let’s go.”

“Okay.” Daniel moved by, not touching her at all. “Next stop, security office.”

* * *

Daniel pulled himself along the corridor by the straps, resisting the urge to look back. If she followed, great. If not he expected a swift reprimand and banning from the ship, maybe a complaint to the Guild about him being improper with the captain.

It’d make the investigation a bit tougher but not impossible. He’d worked plenty of cases where he’d been disliked, even threatened by some or all of the parties involved. It was one of the reasons he was on long-range patrol rather than working a sweet soft desk job, something most marshals his age were aiming for. Do your time in the field and maneuver into a posting at a base or on a colony, your basic nine-to-five Monday-to-Friday job where you locked up the office and went home at the end of the day.

He wasn’t sure he’d ever want something like that. He was used to going up the down stairs and not caring who got in his way as long as justice was served.

But he’d never worked a case where he’d fallen for someone after one kiss.

He resisted the urge to touch his mouth, to try to capture that taste in his memory, seal it away for those long, lonely nights on patrol. Instead he grabbed another strap and pulled himself into the galley.

The way she’d fallen apart in his hands was, for lack of any other word, unbelievable. She’d been the worst choice for a Mercy captain, a woman with a need to touch and be touched in all the right ways. Being locked away on a ship with sex as the major export wasn’t only unhealthy, it had to be torturous.

His lips burned. It’d been decades since he’d come from the simple act of pressing against someone but he was at the edge right now—a brush of her hands below his belt and he’d have gone off like a rocket in his pants.

This wasn’t good.

He’d had his occasional flings, meaningless encounters with women who didn’t understand the demands of the job. Marshals didn’t tend to get married, not until they’d settled down somewhere and given up or been forced off patrolling. Maintaining a relationship took a lot of work, especially when a woman might not see a marshal for months while he worked the circuit. There weren’t a lot of women willing to make those compromises and those who did often ended up writing Dear John letters not long into the relationship.

It didn’t dissuade women from trying. There was a certain status assigned to UNS wives and there was always someone looking for a challenge.

Even when he’d explained his limitations there’d been a wink and a nod as another woman tried to be the one to take him down, change who he was and make him quit the Service for her.

Sexually, Daniel had never left one of them wanting. They may have cursed his name for refusing to leave the Service and take a security job on a base, but they never complained about him in bed.

He’d also never left their beds unsatisfied. While they weren’t Mercy women, the majority had been eager enough to let him enjoy himself.

But he’d never reacted to a simple kiss this way.

It wasn’t supposed to have been anything more than a tap on the lips, a prelude for things to come. Break the ice and then extend an invitation for dinner after the case was finished and a hopeful temporary hookup before he headed off on his belated vacation with pleasant memories and possibly a mental note to stay clear of the
Belle
depending on how Keller handled the liaison. Help her with whatever monsters had followed her out of the military and hopefully depart as a friend with benefits, the option open to repeat performances in the future if he ever crossed the
Belle’s
path again.

This had gone far beyond that.

She’d destroyed him with a single kiss. She’d peeled away his protective layers like a surgeon with a laser scalpel and fired up his engines something awful. She’d beaten him to the point of ecstasy with nothing more than her lips.

Daniel inhaled, feeling the burning in his blood only increase with the memory of that single kiss.

Sam Keller was a freaking force of nature.

He recalled her military service file. Unmarried, the occasional visit with approved courtesans during her tour of duty, but no one special in her life. No family, no friends, no one other than the crew of the
Belle
, and given her reaction to his kiss, he suspected she hadn’t been visiting Sean or Dane.

Something had happened to her. Something pushing her into denying the most basic of human needs and punishing herself by being around those who specialized in it.

He needed to know what.

He resisted the urge to reach down and tug at his too-tight jeans.

He needed to do something about that.

* * *

Sam scowled at the ship as she made her way through the corridors, keeping the marshal in sight. The kiss had been a mistake, a big mistake, and she couldn’t take it back.