Redemption is Here (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 9) (48 page)

“It’s just Toni Michelle. I only have one name, you know, like Madonna or Cher.”

Awesome. They were probably good role models for the woman, since they liked going out in their skivvies too.

“We’re here to talk to you about Allen Payne,” she began. When the woman was having a moment of sexy Native overload, Elizabeth whistled.

It got her attention.

“Okay, let’s set the ground rules. When someone’s talking to you
, try and focus on them.”

“Sorry,” she offered, facing the woman. “I just really like sex and with a handsome man, it’s that much hotter.”

Elizabeth lifted a brow. “Tell me about your ex-boss, if you don’t mind.”

“Well, I worked for him as his secretary. I was already running my internet business out of my home, and it was going pretty well. I was specializing in flavored lubes and sexy clothes,” she began, and then winked at Callen. “You should try t
hem sometime.”

He simply smiled. Oh, they had plenty of sexy things going on
, in, and out of their bedroom.

“One day,
he found out I was selling sex accessories. So what does that bastard do?”

Her magnanimous mood was slipping fast.
“I have no clue, so why don’t you tell me?” Elizabeth asked.

“Allen got a little too frisky
for his own good. Hey, don’t get me wrong. With the right man, I don’t mind an ass slap or grab here and there. Want to try?” she directed it at Callen.

As if on cue, he slapped Elizabeth on the ass and tried not to laugh.

“I meant my ass, not hers,” Toni Michelle stated.

Elizabeth pointed at him but found it amusing. How could she not? He’d had a rough day,
so she’d cut him a mega break on this one.

“Continue,”
Elizabeth urged.

“I’d walk in and he’d slap my ass or ‘accidentally’ grab my boobs. Then, he called me into his office to work on paperwork and had his pants undone.”

“Were you dressed like that?” Elizabeth asked, pointing at her getup.

“No! I couldn’t work in heels this high!” she objected.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Ethan, who was leaning against a wall and checking out assless chaps.

“I finally had enough. I told him to stop
, and then got a lawyer. It never had to go to court, because it’s pretty clear what’s going on if your pants are around your ankles and your dick is sticking out.”

“Yeah, I hate when that happens
,” Elizabeth stated.

Ethan
choked on a laugh, and then tried to cover it with a cough.

“After he settled, I bought this buildin
g. I have some tenants upstairs and business is good. Sex is big money. People read those erotic books then want to try some shit out.”

Yeah, she liked
sex herself, thus the Blackhawk bun in her oven. “When’s the last time you saw him?”

Toni Michelle thought about it. “It was about a month ago. He came in
here late at night. It was right before I got ready to close up. He cornered me in the back by the rubber penises and handcuffs.”

There was a sentence which normal people didn't hear in their everyday conversation. When Elizabeth glanced up, Ethan and Callen had their handcuffs dangling from one finger. They were so lucky the woman was facing her and not them.

“What did you do?”

“Well, he
said he was looking for some masturbatory aids. Apparently, he was having a dry spell with the ladies and needed a little something to get his mojo back in gear.”

Yeah, that was good to know. She loved hearing all about a dead man’s lack of sex life. Maybe he should have been the one to keep his tongue and have his dick removed.

Toni Michelle continued, “I got his hand off my ass and directed him to that section. It was easy to do. You know how much men like touching it. That’s why God didn't give them boobs. They’d play with them all day.”

“Yeah, here I thought they’d just look off balance
with knockers,” she stated, laughing. The men were holding up sexy gear and grinning wickedly.

“No! It’s true.
When’s the last time you masturbated?” she asked, turning around to face Ethan and Callen.

The looks on their faces were priceless. It was moments like these which Elizabeth lived for. Only, this time it wasn’t her who said something crass.

“Yeah, when was the last time?” Elizabeth asked, getting even with them for their tomfoolery.

Callen was caught off guard. “Uh, over two year
s?” he stated.

Ethan shook his head. “I don’t and I don’t recall when,” he offered.

“Never?” Toni Michelle moved closer. “Really?”

While Blackhawk picked up a little leather bikini he glanced at Elizabeth. “I’m blessed with a wife who really enjoys sex,” he stated.

Of course Callen chimed in next.

“Mine’s a nympho.”

Elizabeth knew the entire interview was out of control. What did she think was going to happen when she brought them into that shop? “Well, if your wives find out that you’re discussing jerking off with a strange woman, you’re both going to be needing those masturbatory aids,” she declared.

As if on cue, Toni Michelle grabbed two cards off her counter. “Here you go! These are coupons for twenty five percent off
all getting off equipment.”

Elizabeth liked the woman. She was obviously good at business. It almost made her want to forgive her for hitting on Callen.

Almost.

“How about church? You wouldn’t happen to attend one,
would you?” she asked Toni Michelle.

She started laughing. “Hell no! I like
to spend my Sundays being worshiped. I mean, I was going to be a nun and all since it was my mother’s dying wish. Then one day, I had a dalliance with a man, and I decided to just go into sex instead.”

All three of them said it at the same time, “A nun?”

She looked at them. “Yeah, why?”

“You went from getting the calling to making a killing in sex?” asked Elizabeth.

“Yeah, so?”

It was just odd.

“You know, maybe you should loosen up and be more like their wives. You’re a bit frigid.”

She shook her head as the men grinned.

“Yeah,
I'm one big ice cube.”

~ Chapter Thirteen ~

           
Saint Mary’s

Pulling up to the cemetery, Doctors Magnus and Armstrong flashed their IDs before driving past the deputies standing guard. Once inside the cemetery, they noticed that the grounds crew was working on opening a plot for a funeral.

“It looks like the
Blackhawks cleared them to use the cemetery again,” stated Jax, glancing over.

Tony nodded. All morning, Jaxon had been relatively quiet, and it was making him nervous. “Yeah, they did,” he answered, and then blurted, “Are you okay?
I mean…are we okay?”

She
turned her head suddenly. “Of course we are! Why do you ask?”

He put the Denali in park. “You
feel distant, and I’m worried that maybe last night wasn’t all you were hoping for.”

That astounded her.
How could he possibly think that?

Jaxon took his face in her hands. “It was amazing, Tony. I’ve never experienced anything quite so wonderful in all my life. I’m sorry if I gave you that impression. I’m just one of those people who get
s wrapped up in things. When I’m focused on work, I’m trying to solve a problem.”

Immediately, he was relieved. Last night was amazing for him, but he’d never been one to ask
a date her opinion after the fact. Jaxon was the first and only woman who ever mattered enough.

“So, I did everything right?” he asked.

She leaned in to kiss him. It was sweet, soft, and gentle. Pulling away, she stared into his aqua eyes. “It was beyond right. It was perfect.”

His heart skipped in his chest. As he tucked a strand of her red hair behind her ear, he wanted to tell her what he’d discovered.
Buried deep in his soul, he found something which had been lost for so many years.

Tony Magnus
was in love.

While he’d never experienced it before in his life, he made the leap of faith that it was indeed what he was feeling
. Jaxon brought it out in him. With her, it flourished.

Instead of his growing emotions,
he refocused them on the task at hand. After all, she wanted to come to the cemetery for a specific reason. He thought he’d tease her a little bit. “I’ve never made out with a woman in a graveyard.”

It made her laugh.

“That’s funny, Tony, since I’ve never made out with a woman in one either,” she joked back.

He grinned because he was so grateful she had a sense of humor. In their line of work, if you couldn’t laugh, you burned out.

“What are we looking for?” he asked, reluctantly pulling away.

“When we were here, I felt off balance. We walked through some of the crypts
, and I got that feeling like I was missing something.”

“So
, you want to go crypt spelunking?” he asked, taking her hand in his. It wasn’t often he got to do something like that.

She stared down at their joined fingers. “Nothing like a happy couple exploring a place where dead bodies are left,” she said, laughing.

Once more, his heart flipped.

Happy couple.

It was music to his ears.

“Where do you want to start?” he asked.

Jaxon scanned the area. “We should probably hit up the crypts over there, so the work crews can get the grave done,” she offered. “We can do those later.”

“Am I looking for some
creep hiding out in them?” he teased.

She shoved him and laughed. “We were in a bunch of tombs, right?”

“Yeah, we must have wandered them all. Why?”

“There was one
which had me curious.”

He wasn’t getting it. Maybe he’d been in the lab too long and was losing his bone digging edg
e. “I need more, Jax, honey.”

“This one crypt had the place for the coffin built into the earth. All the other ones were on top of the ground. Why do you build a mausoleum, only to put the marble container in the ground?”

He was looking at her like she was a little shy of crazy.

“You think I’m nuts, don’t you?”

Tony stopped her. “No, I’m just not sure what to say. I didn't even notice that little detail.”

“Thank you,” she said, squeezing
his hand. “Maybe we should split up. We can cover more area that way,” Jaxon suggested.

Yeah, that didn't sit well with him.

“For the record, we have more male victims than female. I should be worried about letting you out of my sight.”

There was this proprietary sense welling up in him. Yet, it scared him to go with it. What they were building was tenuous at best. Already, he had a strike against them. He was almost a decade older than her, and he didn't want to come across like her father.

Then, he laughed.

“What?” she asked. It was her turn to stare at him.

“You don’t feel like calling me daddy, do you?”

Jaxon wasn’t sure if he was kidding or not.
The comment was so out of the blue. Yes, there was an age difference, but not one which was that big. He had to be busting her ass. “If I say no, can I reserve my right to still use it in bed?” she teased right back.

His heart fluttered. Ye
p, he was in love.

The woman before him got his sense of humor.

“We better get going,” he said, blushing. “If you need me, scream really loud or run really fast.”

“Okay, Daddy.”

He snorted as he walked away. When this was all over, he absolutely had to get her to stay with him. Jaxon Armstrong was perfect for him.

Absolutely perfect.

             
                  *     *     *

When he saw them
skulking around in his cemetery, he couldn’t believe it. They were so close to his secret place that it was causing him anxiety.

Before now, he didn't believe they’d ever find him
, and he felt safe.

Now, that wasn’t the case.