Missing - Page 1

 

Glossary of Italian phrases

Ciao - Bye

Bella – Beautiful

tutto quello che dovete sapere è che lei è dolce e bella lei è mia - that all he needed to know was that you are sweet and beautiful and mine

Mia cara – my dear

Mio figlio – my son

Mia cara, stai bene – My dear, are you okay

 mi scusi – excuse me

grazie al cielo – thank goodness

cara - dear

vieni qui e baciami - Come here and kiss me

Voglio portarti a letto – I want to take you to bed

Sei il mio universe - You are my universe Jess

Non posso vivere senza te - I can’t live without you

Chapter 1

“Chelsea did Gorman leave anything for me?” Jessica Oats inquired when she walked back into the office late Friday afternoon.

Chelsea, a blonde woman in her early twenties, seated behind the reception desk of Gorman Private Investigations, didn’t look up, nor did she pause in her typing. Her bright red nails flying over the keys, she said, “Mr Gorman came in before looking for you.”

Jess waited, expecting more. When it didn’t come, she said, “And, did he leave anything?” Her green eyes flashed, signalling her irritation. 

Chelsea Glenn, whose eyes bore a habitual, hard, discontented look that robbed her even featured face of any prettiness, glanced at Jess and then shifted her gaze back to the computer screen. She had been with the company for six months and as the receptionist, it was her job to assist the seven investigators who worked there, including Jess, in any way she could. But when it came to Jess, the assistance was never given willingly. At length Chelsea said, “Mr Gorman came in, asked if you were back yet, then he left. He had a folder in his hand, but he didn’t leave it. Satisfied?”

Jess bit back a scathing reply, knowing that showing her frustration was only going to afford Chelsea a sense of satisfaction. She was well aware that Chelsea disliked her and that she delighted in making Jess’s life as difficult as she could. The dislike between them was mutual, but Jess would have preferred to operate on a live and let live basis. Chelsea however, was the kind of woman who made no effort to get along with anyone female. She saw every woman in one way, as competition and was dismissive and obstructive, unless it suited her. It was a completely different story when it came to a man. Chelsea fell over herself to charm every man she met.  She never showed her claws around them, and she spent most of her time in their company, flirting no matter who they were, and that included their boss.

Jess didn’t operate like that, even though she was more than well equipped to do so. With long, curly, red hair and green eyes, she had a fair skin that gave her a delicate appearance, an erroneous assumption she was quick to disprove through her actions. Her face teamed with a lithe, toned body, that had curves in all the right places, and she could turn heads without even trying.  So she could have played the flirtatious female card with ease. However she preferred to be direct with people, both men and women. At twenty nine and having worked in a predominately male environment all her working life, she had learnt to treat everyone as an equal and demanded the same treatment from them in return. She refused to resort to what she saw as contemptible methods to achieve that. Possessing a strong moral code she would never have been able to live with herself if she did. Instead she worked hard, and treated people with respect which meant, in the main, that’s how she was treated by others. 

Frowning at the younger woman, her tone curt, Jess said, “Thank you. I’ll go and look for him,” and turning she walked away intending to leave the office. However, before she could reach the door, John Gorman himself entered through the main doors leading outside. 

In his early fifties, Gorman had dark hair that was grey at the temples, as was the three-day growth he always wore. He was an attractive man, but with his mouth drawn up in a constant smirk he often got people’s backs up before he even spoke. However if anyone took the time to look closer, as Jess had done not long after she’d started working for him, they’d see it was all a front and that his soft brown eyes belied his arrogant expression and hinted at the true nature of the man. He was not someone on whom, a suit sat well and he often opted for suit pants worn with a more casual shirt, untucked and open at the collar.

“Jess,” he said, “just who I was looking for. I have a little job for you. Well maybe not so little, it will probably occupy you for a while,” and, as he handed her a folder before turning and heading back out of the office, he added, “I thought it was just up your alley, seeing how much you like finding missing persons.” 

Jessica was speechless.

However the smug smile on Chelsea’s face pulled her out of her shock. She glared at the other woman and turned around to say something to her boss, but he was gone. Damn it, she thought and letting her fiery temper, that well and truly matched her red hair, get the better of her, she stormed over to her own desk. She couldn’t believe her boss had given her a missing persons case. He was well aware how much she hated those cases. Most detectives did. They entailed many long hours of arduous, boring work, often with little or no result. Even though such cases made up a reasonable proportion of the agency’s work, they were usually the domain of the new recruits, those still gaining skills, which Jess certainly was not. As a former police officer she was better qualified than most private investigators who’d been in the job for years, let alone the newbies. 

Jess had left the police force when her former partner had been shot and killed on the job. It was a difficult time for her. She’d worked with Adam Johnston for two years, and they were friends as well as partners on the job. She blamed herself for allowing the fatal inccident to happen, even though she’d officially been cleared of any wrong doing. But believing it reflected on her ability to do the job, she’d resigned. However, loving investigative work, she’d sought out a position that would allow her to do something along the same lines. Private investigation seemed a logical choice, and she’d joined Gorman’s firm soon after resigning and had been with the company for the last five years. 

Her boss knew all of this, so she was at a loss as to why he’d given her this case. Over the years they’d developed a good working relationship based on mutual respect, or so she thought. She didn’t understand what he was thinking.

Furious, and without even looking at the case, Jess decided she wouldn’t do it. She’d had the day from hell already and now she was going home. Not caring what happened to the file she tossed it on her desk and turned to leave. She’d take this up with her boss on Monday. But once again she was stopped before she could get out the door. This time a cry of dismay from Chelsea had her turning back. Jess stepped back and followed the direction of the other woman’s gaze and saw that the file had hit a half full cup of cold coffee and carried it to the floor. Coffee was spilt over the edge of the desk, over the file and the carpet. She sighed and moved back towards her desk, intending to clean up the mess she’d made. She picked up the wet file and shook the worst of the liquid off it. Chelsea said in a superior tone, “and it sounded like such an important case too.”

Jess looked up at her and, seeing the self-satisfied smile on the other woman’s face, she snapped. Standing again she mimicked the expression Chelsea herself often wore. Her smile, sickly sweet and completely false she said “Make sure you get that cleaned up before Mr Gorman sees it.” Then spinning around, the file still in her hand, she walked out. She could feel the glare from Chelsea boring into her back, but she didn’t care.

Once outside, Jess’s smile soon faded. This case was the perfect end to her day. Earlier, after months of trying, she’d finally caught out a malingering employee working at a relative’s house that was under construction, only to have him see her and disappear over a back fence before she could collect the evidence needed. She knew she wouldn’t get another chance; the client would not be happy. Then to make matters worse an investigation into drug use at a private school led to her having to tell the principal his own son was the dealer. The news did not go down well. Talk about shooting the messenger.

 

Chapter 2

Jess took deep breaths as she made her way to the car park, trying to control her temper. Her brief triumph over Chelsea had done little to diminish the anger she felt. She hoped the ride home would calm her down. Riding her Harley generally cleared her mind. Her bike was her favoured possession. She had bought it just before she changed jobs, and found that it worked well for her current position. It aided her mobility and was unexpected, so she was often able to get closer to a target or location than some of her colleagues could. She took great pride in the shiny black and chrome bike and kept it polished and serviced. While not at work it meant freedom to her in a way a car didn’t. She didn’t get the same feeling of escapism from driving that she did from riding. She loved having control over so much power. It was intoxicating.

As she did up the strap on her helmet and then stuffed the file in a specially fitted locked compartment under the seat, she thought if the ride didn’t help improve her mood, maybe her flat mate would be home and willing to share a bottle of wine and a meal with her. 

Ren Jackson, an artist, who had started out a friend of a friend, had at first leased the unused studio space in her warehouse apartment to work in. But more recently, following a split with his long time girlfriend, he’d asked if he could rent a bedroom as well. As he was there most of the time anyway and they got on well, she’d agreed and he’d moved in. 

The arrangement suited them both with neither getting in the other’s way. Ren was home during the day and often out at night. Jess was the opposite. But in the time they had spent together, they’d become good friends. It would never be more than that though-, there were no romantic feelings on either side and they both knew it, so they were able to relax in each other’s company without any complications. They were more like brother and sister than anything else. Jess was not sure if he’d ever be a renowned artist, but he managed to make a living from it and she liked his works and was happy for him to hang them on the many empty walls through-out her apartment. 

The ride home only took ten minutes and Jess was feeling little better when she arrived. Worse still, as she took off her helmet and looked at the empty space next to her, she realised Ren probably wasn’t home, although she couldn’t be sure of that from the lack of his car alone. Ren was in the habit of loaning his car to his friends, including her, when needed.  So an empty car space did not necessarily indicate and empty apartment, however it did increase the probability. She sighed and getting off her bike, she walked up the stairs to her front door. 

Jess loved her apartment. It was spread over two floors not including the garage. It covered the whole of a small warehouse in an inner city suburb. The building sat on the corner of two narrow lanes. The space had high ceilings and large windows. The residential area consisted of two bedrooms, an office for her when she was working from home, an open plan kitchen, living and meals area, two bathrooms and a large balcony off the living area. In addition there was the studio space Ren used that took up most of the upper floor and had its own entrance and staircase on the other side of the building from her front door. There were two small rooms on that level, one which Jess used for storage and another that contained a bathroom. Below the residential floor, in a semi belowground space was the garage. From the garage to one side of the wide garage door, there was a stair case leading to a landing outside the front door. This entrance to the garage was blocked by a door set half way up the flight of stairs, in line with the large roller door. Another staircase came up from street level and joined the landing on the opposite side. Once in the door of the apartment there was a small entry space before another short flight of stairs lead up to the first floor.

 

Chapter 3

Jess knew her assumption that Ren was out was correct as soon as she stepped in the door. She could always tell if someone was in the apartment. This belief was confirmed when she saw his note sitting in the middle of the kitchen island bench. Tossing the now wrinkled and dry missing persons file onto the bench, she picked up the note. It told her Ren had gone to stay in the country for a few days. Great, thought Jess, her day just kept getting better. She moved over to the fridge and opening it, she looked at the bottle of wine that she had intended to drink with her flatmate. She didn’t want to drink alone and then noticing the distinct lack of food the fridge contained, she made up her mind to go out.  Grabbing the wine she closed the fridge and picking up her keys and purse she headed for the door. But as her hand closed over the knob, her landline rang. She paused, and turned back, tossing up whether to answer it. And as she stood there she realised she hadn’t checked her messages. Figuring that one more wouldn’t matter, she decided to let the machine get it and walked out the door.

Outside, Jess turned to the left and headed on foot for the family owned Italian restaurant on the corner of the lane her apartment was situated on.  Jess had got to know the large family who owned and ran it in the five years since she’d bought her apartment, and was always sure of a welcome and more often than not, someone to share a meal and a joke with. Just the sort of distraction she needed at the moment.

As she walked along Jess noticed a red Porsche parked in the lane. She knew it hadn’t been there when she arrived moments before.  Her police training meant that she noticed things even when she didn’t mean to and in the industrial area around her apartment, not known for high end cars, this was an unusual occurrence. She looked at the driver but he had his head down looking at something in his lap. She shrugged, figuring he was lost, and continued down the street.

Still dressed in t-shirt and jeans and her leather jacket, with her hair in a long plait, Jess wished she’d taken the time to change as soon as she stepped inside the restaurant. She knew her hosts wouldn’t care, but against the more elegant attire of the other Tiamo diners, she felt a bit grungy. The oversight didn’t improve her mood any and she sighed.

The owner, Tony, a tall but rotund man in his fifties, gave her a warm greeting. He and his wife Anna were first generation immigrants from Italy and lived above the restaurant. Only the youngest of their five sons still lived there with them. All the other boys had married or just moved out. Tony had a booming voice and despite his age, still had jet black hair. “Jessica” he said in his thick Italian accent, “you have ignored us too long.”

Jess smiled. “Hi Tony, sorry I haven’t been in, work has kept me very busy. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me and squeeze me in for dinner?  Please?”

Tony threw up his hands “ah you make me sound like a hard man. You know we’ll always find room for you, even if it’s in the kitchen with us.”

“I love eating with you guys” Jess said smiling. And she did, it made her feel like part of the family.

Tony smiled and patted her cheek “I know you do, but tonight there is no need. We are not busy and Marco has just come in. Come, you’ll sit out front in peace and I’ll get my wayward son to join you. He hasn’t eaten either and it looks like you need some quiet and some charming company, and if there is one thing my good for nothing son is, it’s charming.”

Jess smiled at Tony’s derisive description of his eldest son, she knew it was just affectionate teasing and that there was no real censure behind it. Marco was a very successful lawyer, he just wouldn’t accede to his parent’s wishes to marry and settle down. But as soon as Tony turned away her smile faded and she frowned as she followed him her table. She was worried. If it was that obvious how she was feeling, she’d have to try harder to hide it. In her work it wasn’t good to be so easy to read.

 

Chapter 4

Tony disappeared into the kitchen and Jess smiled as she heard his raised voice spilling out rapid Italian. Within seconds, Tony’s tall first born son Marco appeared and headed over to where she was sitting. She watched him approach with the usual wonder. Dressed in the guise of a business man, in a white shirt and dark pants, he moved with a fluid grace and at the age of thirty one, he was an incredible male specimen. Tall, dark and lean, he was the romantic image of every woman’s idea of an exotic Italian man but unfortunately he had a reputation to match. He changed his women like most people changed their socks. As he took a seat opposite her he said “thank god you came in, you saved me from an evening of lectures.”

Jess laughed. “Marco, Marco, Marco” she said “what have you done now?”        

He grinned, his dark good looks only improved by the smug expression. “Nothing new” he said “I’m just still not married and worse yet, I have no kids.” Then leaning towards her and lowering his tone he said “you ready yet to help me out with that?”

Jess rolled her eyes, “Marco one of these days I’ll take you up on that, then where will you be?”

He tilted his head to the side and considered her for so long, she blushed. With a smile, his brown eyes soft and dark, he said “I think I’d be very happy.”

Jess looked away. She liked Marco, in fact more than liked if she was honest and it wasn’t the first time he’d said such things but she never knew whether he was serious or if it was a line he used all the time. She suspected it was the latter. At no time had he tried to take it any further, not that she wanted him to, she had no interest in being just another distraction for him. She had more self respect than that, no matter how good looking he was.

 But as was often the case when he’d got her attention like that, he changed the subject and the mood reverted to normal. While they ate the wonderful pasta and meat dishes his mother Anna had prepared, they talked. At times he still looked at her with such intensity that it felt like he was trying to read her thoughts but now the conversation wasn’t personal, she could ignore it. His consideration didn’t offend her, but often, it disconcerted her a little, which she suspected was his aim. So she did her best not to show it.

“You look tired tonight Jess” he said as they lingered over a coffee at the end of the meal.

She smiled “I’ll cope.”

“I don’t doubt it” he said and as he finished his drink he said “come on I’ll walk you home.”

“Trying to get rid of me?” Jess teased as she got to her feet.

“Never” Marco said “but if you fall asleep at the table, how will that make me look?” he added giving her a wink.

Jess laughed. “Just let me thank your parents” she said.

“I’ll wait out front. The longer I don’t have to go back in there, the better.”

Still chuckling Jess thanked her hosts and refusing to accept their generosity, she insisted on paying for her meal. She knew they didn’t like it, but they’d had this conversation before. She’d told them she would no longer come in if they didn’t let her pay and she meant it, so they’d conceded. However it didn’t stop them trying not to take it. Tonight their excuse was that she was keeping Marco company but she wouldn’t hear of it. “Tony, as I’ve told you before, if you don’t let me pay for my meal, I’ll have to go somewhere else. I don’t want to do that, but I need to pay my way.”

Tony sighed and taking the money she held out said “okay Jess, I let you pay.”

“Thank you” Jess said and leaning over she kissed his cheek, “night Tony.”

“Ciao Jess” he said “come back soon.”

Jess held up her hand and pushed through the door.

Marco was leaning against the brick wall when she came out. It was too dark to see his expression but she did see the flash of his teeth as she approached and knew he was smiling. As she reached him he pushed off the wall and fitted an arm around her shoulders. His touch sent a jolt of electricity through her, but she forced herself not to react. She didn’t know what he was up to. They turned the corner into the lane and all of a sudden he began to laugh. Jess stopped. “What?” she said turning to face him even though she couldn’t see much in the low light.

“You’re well suited to your job Jess” he said “you have nerves of steel.”

Realising he’d been baiting her, she smiled “and don’t you forget it” she said.

“I can see I’m going to have to try harder.”

“To do what?” she said.

“To get a reaction” he teased.

She sighed. “Or you could just stop.”

“No, I don’t think so. It’s way too much fun” he said still chuckling as they made their way along the lane.  

He didn’t touch her now and Jess couldn’t help the tug of disappointment she felt, even though she knew it was how it had to be.

As they passed the spot in the lane the Porsche had been parked, she noticed, without paying much attention, that it was gone now.

They reached her door and she turned to face him. The light from the outside light that came on when it became dark fell on his face. “Thanks for keeping me company Marco” she said. Then deciding to play him at his own game and take him by surprise for a change, she leaned forward and kissed him.

It was meant to be a light, teasing caress, but as Marco responded, it went way beyond that. The immediate intenseness took her by surprise and while she was still able to, she eased back. She looked at Marco and smiled at his stunned expression. It seemed that, while she got more than she bargained for, she’d also accomplished her aim and had thrown him off balance. Before he could gather his thoughts to say anything, she said, “night” and letting herself in, she shut the door leaving him alone on the door stop.

Standing just inside the door, she touched her lips with her fingers. She could still feel the warmth of his lips against them. Then turning her head as she heard him move slowly away from the door, she wondered if kissing him had been such a good idea.

Chapter 5

After a second Jess pushed off the wall and remembering the call she hadn’t answered on her way out, she went into her office to check her messages. As she sometimes worked from home, she’d had a separate line installed in her office which only she used. She had two messages. The first wasn’t unexpected. It was some friends confirming dinner plans for the next night. The final message however had Jess frowning. A male voice, that didn’t identify itself said “some mysteries are better left unsolved, leave this one alone.”

What mystery? She thought. And who was he? The voice was not familiar. There was also the question of how he got her home number? It was a private number so not listed anywhere and she only gave it to her friends and work. She frowned as she considered the possibility that it was a prank call. There didn’t seem much point to it if it was. It wasn’t like they’d be able to witness their effect by leaving a message, which was generally the aim of such calls. A wrong number was her next thought, but that didn’t make sense either. They’d have heard her message before they left theirs. Weird, she thought. But too tired to worry about it anymore that night, she turned off the lights and went to bed.
 

Chapter 6

Saturday proved to be fine and warm. Jess pottered around at home doing some housework and then set out to do some shopping to stock her fridge for the week. One of the benefits of living close to the city was that things were close by, like the fresh food market that was within walking distance of her apartment. As she strolled along in the sunshine, under a clear blue sky, uninterrupted by clouds, all the aggravation of the day before was forgotten. It felt good to be alive and with little wind and the temperature not too high it was a perfect day for a ride. She knew now what she’d be doing that afternoon. 

In no hurry, at the market, she strolled around and picked up fresh fruit and vegetables, some meat and cheese, a dip and lastly some bread. Then her arms loaded, she headed back home. After putting most of her supplies away, she had just started her lunch of bread, cheese and some grapes, out on her balcony when there was a knock on her door. The balcony on the first floor formed a square in one corner of the building and was accessed from her open plan living area to the left of the kitchen. It over-looked the front of the building and one side. On the floor above the open area had not been built over, leaving the rectangular shaped building looking like a child’s building exercise where they had forgotten to add the last block. Hearing the knock she frowned and got up to see who it was. If it wasn’t someone she wanted to speak to, she’d just pretend she wasn’t there. But looking down over the railing at the dark haired man at her door, she smiled and walked inside. This was the first time he’d ever shown up at her door and she couldn’t help but wonder if that had something to do with the way they’d parted last night. She pulled open the door, “Marco” she said “twice in two days, people will start to talk.”

He grinned “well invite me in before they see me then.” Today he was dressed in jeans and a light weight red top with buttons down to the middle of his chest. All but the bottom two buttons were undone. The top was untucked and while not tight, hugged his toned form. 

Jess laughed and stepped back. He walked past her and as she turned around from closing the door, it was his turn to take her by surprise. Lowering his head, he kissed her.

Marco was a very good kisser Jess was fast finding and she liked kissing him. So despite being unsure of his intentions, she responded. But as he stepped back, she raised a questioning eyebrow at him.

He grinned “just checking.”

“What?” she asked with a smile “that I brushed my teeth this morning?”

He laughed. “That I remembered it correctly.”

“You did look a bit dazed last night” she teased.

“Yeah well you surprised me.”

“And here I was thinking you were one of those guys who was always ready for anything.”

“Some things you are never prepared for” he said looking at her with that intent gaze that disconcerted her.

She looked away, refusing to let him get to her. She led the way back up the stairs to the living area. Over her shoulder she said, “I was just having lunch, nothing exciting but seeing you’re here, you might as well join me.”

“Thanks” Marco said as he followed her “I am a bit hungry.”

Jess caught his teasing tone and while it made her pause for a second, she didn’t stop. She knew he was flirting with her and that he wasn’t talking about food. She could almost feel that he was grinning.          

They continued through the living area and kitchen and out onto the balcony. Jess stopped and grabbed another plate, some cold meat and the dip from the fridge and a glass on the way.

Marco sat down opposite her and indicating the board containing the food, she said “help yourself.” She had taken a jug of orange juice out with her earlier and now she poured him a glass.

 Sitting back after handing him the drink, she said “so to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

He shrugged “I just thought I’d see if you were free for dinner.”

She didn’t show her surprise. Instead she smiled at him, “sorry, I have plans.”

“A date?” he asked with a smile.

“None of your business Marco” she laughed.

He grinned and changed the subject “what are you working on at the moment?”

She frowned as she recalled the file still lying unopened on the kitchen island. “Nothing, until Monday” she said.

“Good idea, you looked like you’d had enough last night.”

She nodded “yesterday wasn’t a good day.”

“You look better now though” he said “must be my influence.”

She laughed. “Yes, that must be it.”

He grinned.

Jess shook her head and after they’d eaten began collecting the remnants of lunch to carry them into the kitchen. Marco helped her put things away and as they finished she turned to him and said in a teasing tone “you going then?”

“You trying to get rid of me now Jess” he said with a smile.

“Not necessarily” she said “but I’m going for a ride. It’s too good a day to waste. So you’re either coming too or you’re leaving.”

“I don’t have my bike here” he said grinning.

“Well you’re not riding mine” she said “so if you’re coming, you’re going pillion.”

“You’re a hard woman Jess, but I guess I can live with that, just this once” he said, his smile widening.

Jess teased “well if it’s going to be too difficult, you taking a back seat to a woman, you can always head home. I know what you chauvinistic Italian men are like.”

“Oi” he said in mild censure but his smile didn’t dim and he added, “I’m quite happy to follow your lead.”

She laughed. “I’ll remind you of that statement one day” she said and pulling her boots and jacket on, she picked up her keys and led the way down to the garage. She started her bike and threw Marco a spare helmet she kept in a cupboard next to the bike. She strapped her own helmet on before sitting on the bike. Looking over at Marco she gestured with her head for him to get on behind her and lowered the face guard of her helmet. Then kicking the stand up, she roared out of the garage pushing a button on her keys to close the door behind her.

 

Chapter 7

Marco’s arms were wrapped tight around her waist as she headed out of town and Jess could feel the warmth of his body all down her back, despite the fact that she was wearing a leather jacket. His powerful thighs flanked hers, his legs so much longer, that his knees where nearly in line with her own. He was an experienced rider, so she knew it was not fear that had him holding her so close. She smiled to herself, whether he was just trying to unsettle her or he wanted to hold her, either way she enjoyed the enforced close proximity. 

About an hour later, she pulled up outside a bakery in a small town at the foot of some hills. It was a pretty spot, a popular weekend location for lunch. She turned off the bike and pulled off her helmet. Marco had released her but was still seated close behind her.

“You getting off?” she said as he took off his helmet. She was unable to move with any ease until he did.

He grinned “maybe I like it here.”

She shrugged and then with one lithe move, she lifted her leg over the handle bars of the bike and got off to stand next to him. She gave him a smug smile.

He laughed “nice to know you’re so flexible” he said.

Jess rolled her eyes and carrying her helmet, walked away from him towards the building. She could hear Marco chuckling as he followed her. Ordering a coffee each and sat in the sun at an outside table.

“So tell me something I don’t know about you?” Marco teased.

“I don’t like offal” she said with a grin.

“Who does?” Marco said “and not what I meant.”

“No?” she teased “what did you mean?”

“Tell me something you do like and not food” he said grinning.

“I like old movies.”

“Well I was hoping you’d say me, but okay. Maybe we can watch one together sometime.”

“Maybe” she said.

“Tell me something else” he said.

“I think it’s your turn” Jess said.

“What do you want to know” he said with a grin.

“What do you want to tell me?”

“Everything” he teased, fixing her with that intense stare.

She looked away and steered the conversation to safer ground. “Which brother do you get along with best?”

“Dom” Marco said without hesitation “we’re alike in a lot of ways.”

“How so?”

“The way we think.”

“I notice he changes his woman as regularly as you do.”

Marco grinned “he did, until he met Sarah. Now he only has eyes for her.”

Jess just looked at him for a minute. She noticed he didn’t deny her accusation and looking away she wondered if he was capable of such a change.

“Okay back to you” Marco said “Do you have a sister? TJ is still single you know.”

“He’s what, seventeen?” Jess said shocked. “He hasn’t even finished school.”

“So” Marco said “I was dating way younger than that.”

“That I can believe” Jess said. “Now enough of this, time to go. I’m going out tonight.”

Marco finished his coffee and standing he said “you didn’t answer my question”

“No” she said.               

“No you don’t have a sister?”

“No I didn’t answer your question” Jess said walking away.

“So you owe me one fact about you. I ended up telling you something instead of the other way around” Marco said following her.

“Bad luck” she said

“You don’t play fair.”

“There you go, we’re all square now” Jess said without looking at him.

Marco laughed.

 

Chapter 8

The ride back to town was pleasant and pulling up in her garage again in the late afternoon, Jess was feeling refreshed and relaxed. She put away Marco’s helmet again and left hers resting on her bike before they headed back up to her door. There she unlocked the door to her apartment but sensing he intended to follow her in, she barred his entry by bracing her hands on either side of the door frame. She said “okay time for you to go, I have to get ready for tonight.” But Marco just smiled and too late she saw her mistake. He advanced towards her and with her arms raised, he had free reign to invade her personal space. “Not yet” he said as he placed his hands on her hips. Then resting his body against hers, he lowered his head and kissed her. Unlike earlier, this time, there was no teasing from either of them. Straight away the contact was hot and demanding and Jess’s arms dropped from the door frame, her hands coming to rest on his biceps.

After a minute she sighed against his mouth and breaking the contact, she moved back and looked at him.

His gaze on her lips, he smiled and said “must do something about that.”

“I don’t think so” she said stepping further back, a smile played around her mouth.

“I could change your mind” he said with a grin stepping towards her again

“No you don’t” she warned with a smile as she pushed him back out the door. No matter how much she enjoyed kissing him, she wasn’t going to let it go any further.

Marco sighed “soon” he said with a grin.

“Not if I’ve got anything to do with it” she said.

But he just chuckled as he walked back down the steps to the street. “We’ll see” he said without looking at her. Arrogance underlined his words, and holding up a hand, he walked down the lane towards the restaurant.
 

Chapter 9

That evening, as arranged, Jess had dinner with some friends. She was catching up with a group of people she had known since high school. Some were couples, but others were single and those included in each sub-group had changed over time. At present there were two guys and one woman besides herself in the single club along with three couples. As usual when they all got together, there was a lot of laughter and reminiscing and as Jess made her way home she was still chuckling as she thought about some of the comments.

She’d taken a taxi and with the street her lane ran off, full of restaurants and bars and a popular spot at night, she’d learn early on, on a Friday or Saturday night, to get dropped off a little further down the road rather than sit and wait in the traffic. It was a waste of money and she could walk the distance quicker than they could drive it. However when she reached her lane the smile dropped from her face as she saw the red Porsche sitting opposite her apartment. She knew there was more than one red Porsche in town, but two in her street, in two days, was too much for their not to be a connection. She didn’t believe in coincidences.

As she walked towards it she noted the number plate. The car was parked on the other side of the road and it was too dark to see the driver if there was one. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up as she turned her back on it to unlock her door, but she didn’t hurry. She forced herself to move at a steady pace but her senses were on alert. However within minutes she was unlocking her door and stepping inside. She shut the door and locked it, then leant her back against it and breathed a sigh of relief. Her heart was pumping hard. Pushing off the door she went straight to her laptop and sent a friend in the police force an email asking them to check out the license plate of the Porsche. Then sitting back her mind started working, weird phone message and luxury cars that kept turning up. Two strange events in as many days, was there a connection? She pressed the button and listened to the message again but it gave her no new information. She yawned and deciding to leave it until the morning, she went to bed.

As she crawled under the covers a short time later and turned out the light, it was not mystery phone calls or reappearing cars that filled her thoughts, it was Marco. She wondered how long it would be before she saw him again, if she saw him again and whether she’d get to kiss him. Sighing she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

 

Chapter 10

The next morning Jess ate her breakfast on her balcony and read the paper in the sun but as she went back into the kitchen for a second cup of coffee her gaze hit the file on the island bench. With a sigh, knowing she should at least look at it, she carried it outside with her mug of coffee.

The missing person was a young woman, Natalie Bowman. She was aged twenty three and had moved from a small country town to live and work in the city six months before. She was reported missing by her parents after she’d failed to call them one Sunday as she did each week. When they couldn’t reach her in the next two days, they called the police. The police checked her apartment and her work place, but there was no sign of her and nothing seemed amiss. She didn’t seem to know many people in town besides those she worked with and none of them had seen her. But they weren’t particularly worried either. The owner of import/export business, where she worked in administration, said she’d asked for some time off work and it was assumed she’d gone away. The police hit a dead end and while it wasn’t stated in the report, it was intimated that it was their belief that she had disappeared on her own, possibly wanting to break free from the parent’s control. They assumed she would return when she was due back at work. But her parents didn’t believe this. They knew nothing about her taking time off and when the police investigation stalled they sought further help from Gorman’s agency.

Jess looked down at the photo included in the file. It was a candid shot, depicting a happy, attractive young woman who was holding her blonde hair off her face with one hand. She had bright blue eyes and a lovely smile. Her face was devoid of make-up and judging by the helmet she was holding in the other hand she had just got off a horse. Jess tried to imagine this young woman alone in the city. She couldn’t help but wonder why she would leave her home town and move to a place she didn’t appear to know anyone? Was whatever it was behind her disappearance?
 

Chapter 11

Lost contemplating the contents of the file Jess lifted her head as her door bell rang. She looked at her watch and was surprised to see she had been reading for over an hour. Putting down the file and walking over to look over the edge of the balcony she smiled as she saw who it was. “You again?” she called down.

On hearing her voice Marco looked up and grinned, “yep” he said. “You going to let me in?”

Jess leant her elbows on the railing and teased “I’m thinking about it.”

He laughed, and holding up the bags he was carrying he said “I’ve brought lunch this time.”

She chuckled and straightened, “okay, but only because I’m hungry.” Then stepping back she made her way down to the door. Seconds later she was looking at him across her threshold. “Is that your mother’s cooking?” she asked.  

“Who else?” he said, a grin creasing his face “so do I get to come in?”

“I guess so” she said and stepped back.

“Finally” Marco teased and stepped inside.

Jess laughed and after closing the door led the way up to the kitchen.

Marco put the bags down and Jess pulled out some plates. “What’s on the menu?” she asked as she pulled out some cutlery, her eyes on what she was doing.

Marco didn’t reply and when she looked up she saw he was standing close to her. He turned her around to face him and said “you” before bringing his mouth down hard on hers.

Jess became lost in the caress before she knew what was happening and as Marco crowded her against the bench she raised her arms and placed them around his neck. Afterwards she wasn’t sure how far it would have gone had things not got in the way. But with his hard body leaning against hers, she wasn’t sure she would have been capable of stopping it.  However when the fork in her left hand stabbed into his neck, Marco groaned and pulled back. “A tap on the shoulder would have worked” he joked.

Jess laughed and pushing him away she apologised “sorry.” Then reaching up to look at the back of his neck she said “are you okay?”

“I knew you were dangerous, but I didn’t figure on physical injuries” Marco teased as he rubbed his neck.

“Yeah well maybe you should consider that before you take me by surprise again” she shot back with a smile as she returned to what she was doing and served the hot food and picked up the plates.

Marco laughed and grabbing the cutlery she’d put down he said “I think for everyone’s safety, I’d better be in charge of these.”

She rolled her eyes at him and walked out onto the balcony.

Marco followed her and took the same chair he’d occupied the day before.

She could feel him watching her as she closed the missing person’s file and moved it aside.

“Sorry, were you working?” he said, his voice serious now.

“I was just reading through it ready for tomorrow” she said with a shrug, “no big deal.”

He nodded, “okay, good. How was your date last night?”

Jess looked up at him and grinned “I never said it was a date.”

“So it wasn’t?” Marco said “good.”

“I didn’t say that either, but why is it good?” Jess asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I’d hate for him to be jealous, when you go out with me tonight” he teased.

“I didn’t realise we’d discussed going out” Jess said.

“We haven’t” Marco said giving her that intense stare, “not with words anyway.”

She laughed and shook her head as she looked away.

“I’m serious though Jess” he said, his tone no longer teasing.”I know it’s short notice but I have an event to go to for work and I need a date.”

Jess just looked at him and sighed. “I should have known. What am I, the last resort?”

He laughed. “No you were my first choice.”

“And yet you leave it until now to ask?”

“Well I was just going to take someone else from my office. Not a date, just someone to go with, but they’ve pulled out. She’s sick it seems.”

“How inconsiderate of her” Jess teased.

“I know” he said with a grin.

“And now you’re in a hole?”

“Care to dig me out?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I don’t own a shovel.”

He grinned. Then added, “it’s a dinner, so you’ll be fed.”

“Gee you make it sound so exciting” she said, her words dripping with sarcasm but she was still smiling.

“I won’t leave your side all night.”

“If that’s supposed to be an incentive, it’s not working” she teased

He laughed and when she still hesitated he added “I’ll owe you one.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“You’re not very decisive are you” he said with a grin.

“No, what I’m not is impulsive.”

He laughed again and they ate in silence for a while.

As they finished, Jess sat back replete and said “your mum is an amazing cook. Thank her for me please.”

Marco winked at her “sure, as long as your answer about tonight is yes.”

Jess shook her head at him “that’s blackmail.”

“You bet ya” Marco said looking unrepentant.

She laughed and conceded. “Okay, where are we going?”

“The casino” Marco said. “Wear a dress.”

“What if I don’t own a dress?”

“Go buy one.”

“Are you always so demanding?”

“When I want something” he said, his eyes looking directly at hers. “Or someone” he added after a pause.

Jess felt her breath evaporate, but trying not to show him the effect he was having she smiled and said “I’ll see what I can do.”

He grinned. “Good.”

Marco helped her clean up and then said “I’d better let you go find that dress I guess.”

“What happens if I can’t find one?”

“Then you’d be undressed, hmm I like that even better. We’d just stay here in that case” he said with a wicked grin.

Jess laughed. “Not happening” she said and pushed him towards the stairs “now get out.”

Marco just chuckled and jogged down the internal stairs, “see you soon.”

“What time?” Jess called out from the top.

“Six” he said and he walked out and shut the door.

 

Chapter 12

Later that night, showered, her red hair hanging loose and cascading down her back, her makeup done, Jess pulled on a soft, black dress and stepped into black high heels. She was only joking with Marco earlier and while she didn’t own many, she did own a couple of dresses. The one she chose was plain to look at on the hanger but when she put it on, it was a whole different story. Its cut was simple, with a halter neck, leaving most of her back bare and the hem hitting her leg just above her knee. But without being tight, the material hung in such a way that it hugged her body giving more than a hint at the curves underneath. She knew she looked good in it.

This belief was confirmed when she opened the door to Marco a little later. As she watched his eyes skim over her she saw his surprise and his approval. She grinned and pulling the door shut she said “okay let’s go.”

Marco shook his head and a slow grin spread across his face. “You look amazing Jess.”

“Thanks” she said and taking in his attire of black pants and jacket and a white shirt with a silvery tie she said “you don’t look too bad either. Now are we going?”

“Yep okay” he said sounding a little distracted and grabbing her hand he led her down to his car.

“I’m glad you didn’t bring your bike after making me wear this” she said flicking her dress after he’d taken his seat behind the wheel.”

“I’m just glad I made you wear that” Marco said giving her a smouldering look.

“Drive” she said pointing out the windscreen.

He laughed, “yes, ma’am.”

The dinner was a fund raiser and was accompanied by an auction of everything from overnight accommodation packages to a new car. And later a band played music for dancing. Marco’s legal firm filled two tables out of about fifty. He was an attentive host, and as per his promise, he rarely left her side. The food was good and watching the auction items being snapped up was exciting. So despite not knowing anyone else Jess enjoyed herself. Then as soon as the band started playing, Marco asked her to dance.

“I don’t dance” she said.

“You don’t know how to dance?” Marco said his look one of astonishment.

She laughed. “No I can dance, I just don’t like to, big difference.”

“Maybe you just haven’t found the right partner” he said.

“And that would be you?” she teased.

“You’ll never know until you try” he said with a grin.

“Or we could just not bother” she said smiling.

“Come on” he coaxed “one song, if you hate it, we’ll stop.”

“You’re not going to leave this alone, are you?”

“No” he said grinning.

“Why?”

He leant over and whispered in her ear “because, I’ll get to be close to you without doing something that will get us arrested.”

She rolled her eyes but then laughed. “Okay” she said “one dance.”

He stood up and holding out his hand helped her to her feet. Then as a slow song started he led her onto the floor. He pulled her into his arms, his hand coming up to sit on her bare back rather than staying on her waist. She shivered.

They began to move slowly to the music and he whispered “okay?”

As much as she hated dancing as a rule, Jess had to admit it felt good to be held by Marco, his body brushing against hers. “Okay” she said.

He smiled and said “you smell so good.”

“Thank you” she said with a smile.
As the song finished a minute or so later he said “you want to sit down?”

“Depends on the song, if it’s another slow one, I guess I could stand another, but anything else and you’ll have to find another partner.”

“Not tonight” he said.

She looked at him, not sure what to make of that. He sounded as if he meant it, but she didn’t know. It could all be just a line.

However before she could decide the next song started and as it was indeed a slow one Marco pulled her back into his arms. And she enjoyed her time there despite her concerns. But soon the tempo picked up and they moved back to the table.

Towards the end of the evening she left the ballroom in search of the ladies room. As she was checking her make-up on the way back out, the woman who came to stand beside her, met her eyes in the mirror and said with a smile “I see now why Marco, suddenly couldn’t bring me.”

“Sorry” Jess said looking at the slim, dark haired woman she’d seen sitting at the next table. She knew she worked for the same company as Marco, he’d pointed out all his colleagues when they’d first arrived.

“Marco and I were coming together until yesterday evening,” she said her smile widening “my husband hates these things and refuses to come. So Marco and I have had the same arrangement for a while. But this time, all of a sudden I’m coming with our senior partner and Marco’s bringing a date.”

“Oh” Jess said surprised and trying to decide whether to be amused or irritated at Marco’s underhand manoeuvrers, she added, “I’m sorry you were mucked around.”

The woman smiled, “it’s fine, our senior partner is a sweet heart. He’s elderly and a widow and hates coming out alone, so it worked out well. I’m happy for Marco too. You are the first woman he’s ever brought to a work event, you know.”

“Oh” Jess said again and wanting to fill the awkward silence and cover her surprise, she put out her hand “I’m Jess.”

“I know, you’ve been a hot topic of conversation at our table” and as Jess blushed she laughed, “don’t worry about it, it was all good. I’m Kim” she said. Then closing her bag she added “we’d better get back out there. “

Jess smiled and followed her out.

 

Chapter 13

As Marco drove her home later Jess said “I like the people you work with.”

“They liked you too” he said glancing at her.

“Kim had some interesting things to say” she said.

Marco’s eyes flicked over to look at her again, she could see the anxiety in their depths and she grinned. “She didn’t look very sick” she said, letting him know she knew what he’d done.

Marco gave her a sheepish grin, “she recovered quickly” he said.

“Hmm, so it seems” Jess said with a laugh.

“But you had a good night?” he asked.

“I did” she said “thank you.”

He nodded “thanks for coming.”

It was just after eleven when they reached her place. Marco got out. She unlocked the door and turned to say goodnight, but the words didn’t even make it out of her mouth. As Jess turned she spotted the red Porsche out of the corner of her eye. It was parked a little further down the road and feeling uneasy she grabbed Marco and pulled him inside.

Surprised Marco looked down at her as she slammed the door shut. “All you had to do was ask” he teased “I’d have come in.”

She gave him a withering look. “Something’s not right” she said.

“What?” he said with a frown, the levity gone from his tone.

“That’s the third time I’ve seen the same Porsche outside my place this weekend.”

“Maybe they live around here somewhere” Marco suggested.

“Yeah maybe” Jess said “but somehow I doubt it. No one who lives around here drives a car like that.”

“You think they’re watching you?”

“That’s the feeling I get. But who does surveillance in a Porsche?”

Marco smiled “someone with good taste.”

Despite herself she laughed and some of the tension she was feeling ebbed away. “I’m probably making too much of it” she said “sorry.”

“I could stay the night, if you’re worried” he said with a grin as he pulled her into his arms.

“Ah, I don’t think so. I was a cop remember. I can look after myself.”

“You could look after me then” he said before he kissed her.
 

Chapter 14

In a similar way to earlier that day, without her intending it to, things spun got out of control. The kiss became frantic and without breaking the contact, Marco moved her backwards so she was sitting on the wooden stairs. He put one knee between her legs on the step below her and his hand slid along her thigh, pushing the hem of her dress up.

Jess shivered and she lay back, drawing him with her. She rested her head on a step, not even feeling the hard tread across her back, as Marco lay over her. His hand was on her hip now as his mouth fed on hers.

He hadn’t put his jacket back on after getting out of the car and Jess could feel how heated his skin was beneath his shirt. It fascinated her and she pulled his shirt up until it untucked at the back and she slid her hand over his bare skin.

Marco groaned against her mouth.

Then all of a sudden there was a loud knock at her door and everything stopped. Jess couldn’t believe how much it hurt to have the exchange stopped like that but she wasn’t all that sorry either. It had gone too far already.

Marco’s head snapped up and he turned around to look at the door, before turning back to look down at her.

Jess knew he was asking her if she knew who it might be. She didn’t and she told him so by shaking her head. He got to his feet and pulled her up. Then standing in front of her, he yanked the door open.

Jess didn’t know what she expected to see as she looked around him but whatever it was, it wasn’t what they found, nothing. Marco stepped outside and Jess followed him. Neither of them could see any movement and as Jess looked to the left she saw that the Porsche was gone too.

“What the hell is going on?” she said.

Marco just looked at her and shrugged “kids maybe” he said.

Jess threw her hands in the air and moved back inside to sit on the internal stairs, “there are as many kids in this neighbourhood as Porsche’s” she said.

He smiled. “You have a better idea?” he asked, stepping inside again and closing the door.

“No” she said.

He slid his hands into his pockets “I really can stay if you want me to.”

And as she threw him a look, he grinned and said “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“And after what happened a few minutes ago, how long do you think that will last?”

He just continued to grin.

Jess got to her feet “I’ll be fine, thanks Marco.”

“You know one day we’ll have to finish what we start” he said.

“Yeah well if you didn’t start it, there’d be nothing to finish.”

He laughed “I’m not doing it all by myself you know.”

“I’m not sleeping with you Marco.”

“That’s not the message you were sending me a minute ago.”

She smiled “you caught me at a weak moment.”

“And this afternoon?” he asked with a grin, referring to the conflagration of emotion that occurred in the kitchen.

“So I have a lot of weak moments” she said “shoot me. But I’m on guard now.”

He laughed and reaching out to touch her face he said “why are you fighting this, you know it’s going to happen. You want it as much as I do.”

“I’m not interested in being another of your women Marco.”

His gaze slipping down to rest on her lips, as his fingers caressed her jaw he titled his head to the side and said “what if you were the only one?”

“Yeah right” she said moving her head so his hand dropped away. His touch wasn’t making it easy to say no.

He slid his hands into his pockets and his eyes lifted to meet hers. He smiled. “You don’t trust me” he said “that’s okay. I’ll just have to prove myself to you.”

“Don’t try too hard” she said “now get out of here, it’s late.”

His smile widened. “Sure you’re going to be okay?” he said as she opened the door to let him out.

She nodded. “I’ll be fine. I’ll sleep with my gun under my pillow” she joked.

He laughed and leaning down he gave her a quick kiss before she could argue. He then jogged down the stairs to his car and with a wave, he drove away.

 

Chapter 15

That night Jess didn’t sleep well. She tossed and turned as her mind kept going over the odd occurrences of the weekend and it hit her that they had all started when she was handed the missing persons case. In fact that could be said to be the first event in the series. That meant John Gorman may know something about what was going on as he was the one that had given her the file without explanation. So with a direction now in which to look to start unravelling this mystery, Jess relaxed.

But with her mind cleared of one disturbing issue it was soon filled with another, Marco. What was she going to do about him? She didn’t want to get involved with him. She knew it would lead to heart break for her because she liked him more than she should and despite his parent’s urging, he had been running from commitment the whole time she’d known him. She didn’t flatter herself into believing she could change him. But as he’d proved twice already that day, he only had to touch her and all her resolve disappeared. And he didn’t seem about to give up any time soon either. She was sure it was just the challenge of the chase that kept him coming back though. If she could hold out long enough, he’d lose interest and move on. He may want her, but she didn’t think it went any deeper than that so he’d get over it soon enough. If she gave into her desire, as soon as she slept with him, she knew he’d be gone anyway. But when he started to kiss her, she just couldn’t help herself. She forgot her misgivings and just revelled in the feelings he sent coursing through her.

So the only solution then was to stay away from him, but she didn’t seem able to do that either. Despite knowing it was self destructive, she kept letting him in. Even now she couldn’t wait to see him again. She knew if he knocked on her door, she’d open it. She wanted him to kiss her and make her forget everything, even self preservation. All of a sudden she understood the dangerous attraction drug addicts faced and the vicious cycle they must get caught in. She sighed and rolling over once more she tried to ignore the ache she felt. She should never have kissed him, she knew that now. She’d set him a challenge with that action and he was not a man to back down from that. Also before they’d kissed, when she didn’t know what it was like to touch him and have him touch her, she could ignore her own feelings. But now her emotions refused to be set aside. Now they clamoured to be attended to. They demanded their due consideration and denying them was killing her. It was the early hours of the morning before she finally drifted off to sleep.

 

Chapter 16

The next morning, lack of sleep made Jess short tempered. Chelsea copped it first when she made the mistake of complaining about Jess walking out and leaving her to clean up the spilled coffee on Friday. “I’m not paid to be a maid you know” she said as Jess sat down at her desk.

“Good morning to you too” Jess said without looking at her as she opened her mail.

“Next time, you clean up your own mess” she continued as if Jess hadn’t spoken.

Looking up Jess said “yeah well next time keep your smart arse comments to yourself” and standing she sent her chair careening into the wall behind her. Then picking up the file that had started her bad mood, she stormed into her boss’s office to get some answers, leaving a seething Chelsea to just stare after her.

Jess didn’t knock and stepping into Gorman’s office she slammed the door shut after her.

John Gorman looked up and with an attitude of unruffled patience; he laid down his pen and crossed his arms. “Yes Jess?” he said.

Jess slapped the file down in front of him “you want to explain this?” she yelled.

“Please” he said with a smile.

Jess took a deep breath in an attempt to keep her temper in check. “Please” she said in a more even tone.

John Gorman flipped open the file “I thought it was pretty self explanatory.”

Jess ground her teeth, “why did you give it to me?” she asked, emphasising each word.

“It’s a job” he said “that’s what you’re employed to do.”

Jess’s green eyes flashed. “That’s not what I mean and you know it. Please stop being obstructive, I’m not in the mood.”

He sat back and smiled “I can see that. Can I ask why?”

“Because” she said “ever since you gave me that stupid case weird things have been happening.”

Gorman sat forward looking interested. “What sort of things?”

“Odd phone calls, the same car turning up in my street on a number of occasions, someone knocking on my door late at night and then disappearing.”

“What makes you think they are all connected, let alone connected to this case?”

“Because I don’t believe in coincidences” she said and glaring at him she added “so tell me what you know.”

He sat back and began swinging his chair back and forth. She’d seen him do this many times when he was thinking. She waited.

All of a sudden he stopped and leaning his forearms on the desk he looked at her and said “Sorry Jess, I gave you the case as a kind of test. I wanted to see what would happen.”

“Oh great, it’s always nice to be a subject in an experiment, especially when you don’t know about it” she growled.

He laughed. “I couldn’t tell you. How would we know then if you were seeing things because you were looking for them or because they were really there? This way if something stuck out to you, there was no way it was due to anything except your superior observation skills. I knew if there was something odd happening, you’d spot it.”

Leaving his debateable reasoning for now and ignoring his blatant flattery, she turned to the why. “What made you think there might be something to spot?”

“This isn’t the first time I’ve assigned this case. Two rookies have left in the last two weeks after being assigned that same case. One of them I had high hopes for, but neither would say why. I think something about it spooked them.”

“But how would anyone know you’d reassigned it, let alone given it to me?”

“That’s the thing that worries me most. That information must have been passed on from someone who works here.”

“So who knew about it?”

“Everyone” he said “I mentioned it at the staff meeting you missed on Friday morning.”

“That narrows it down to anyone who works here, terrific” she said with sarcasm.

“Except you and me”

“Not necessarily” Jess said trying to be accurate. “Someone who was at the meeting could have told me, what was said.”

“I doubt you’d have spent the weekend freaking yourself out” he said with a grin.

“I was not freaked out” Jess corrected, insulted by the assumption. “I was irritated.”

He smiled, “okay well that still rules you out as far as I’m concerned and I’m not about to give you the case and then turn around and try and scare you off it.”

“Well you could, but then why not just let it sit unsolved in the cabinet.”

“Exactly” he said.

Jess was thoughtful for a minute. She hesitated to say what she was thinking because it could be that the reason she came to mind, was because she doesn’t like the woman, but still she couldn’t help but wonder. Eventually she said “What about Chelsea?”

“Oh, I don’t think so” Mr Gorman said.

“Why” Jess asked her anger pricked again “because she flirts with you and pretends to be so ingenuous. Come on. Don’t tell me you buy that act?”

“I think you’re being a bit hard on her” Gorman said with a frown.

“Of course you do” Jess said laying her head back on the chair, wanting to curl up and go to sleep.

“What does that mean?” he asked, his frown deepening.

Lifting her head and looking at him she said “nothing. I just wish you could see how she acts when there are no men around.” She shrugged.

He was still frowning as he watched her.

“So what now?” she said changing the subject. She had nothing really to base her accusation of Chelsea on, except that she was two faced so she decided to leave it.

“Now we have to do something to find the leak and try and close this case” he said closing the file again. I think solving either one will probably lead to the resolution of the other.”

“So you want me to continue working the case?”

“Yes. But take precautions and stay alert. In the mean time I’ll do something about the problem this end.”

Jess nodded and getting to her feet she said “okay, but thanks to your secret plotting, I didn’t get much sleep last night, so I’ll follow up a few things here and then I’m going home. I’ll start on this properly tomorrow.”

He smiled. “Good idea, with that short fuse of yours you’re liable to shoot someone if they so much as get in your way.”

“Don’t tempt me Gorman” she barked and reaching out she snatched up the file and walked out. But hearing him chuckle, she ground her teeth together and slammed the door.

 

Chapter 17

Jess worked at her desk doing the necessary paper work on the two cases that had ended so badly on Friday and just after lunch she headed home.

That evening she was watching TV when the door bell rang. After going back to bed to catch up on some sleep she’d gone for a run and was now feeling relaxed and in a better frame of mind. Ren had returned from the country in the late afternoon and after cooking them both dinner, he’d gone out to catch up with some friends.

Jess frowned and muting the TV she walked to the door. After the events on the night before she was feeling a little wary, but checking that the cricket bat she kept in a large urn with some umbrellas was within reach she opened the door.

When she saw the tall man on her doorstep her hand dropped away from the bat and pulling the door open wider, she crossed her arms. “Weren’t you ever told, it’s polite to call before you pay a visit?” she said.

Marco smiled and leant his shoulder against the door frame, “only if you’re unsure of your welcome.”

Jess rolled her eyes, “maybe you shouldn’t feel so certain. I was serious when I said I wasn’t sleeping with you.”

He straightened and his expression solemn he said “I know and I was serious when I told you I’d prove to you that you could trust me. So let me come in and I’ll do that. I won’t touch you. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to.”

Jess looked away. How could she tell him that the problem was that she did want him to touch her?  After a second she sighed and forcing a smile she stepped back “just remember, you set the conditions.”

He grinned and said “no problem as he walked past her.

Jess had just pulled on a white singlet and some grey tracksuit pants after showering following her run. She had no make-up on and her hair was still tied up. So as she led the way into the living room she felt a little self-conscious, but not wanting to tip him off about her feelings for him by making a big deal about her appearance, she didn’t worry about doing anything about it. Indicating with her hand for him to take a seat in a chair nearby she curled her legs up under her on the couch.

But Marco waited until she’d sat down and then moved over to sit next to her. He wasn’t touching her but he was close enough that she could feel the heat emanating from him. Jess sighed and said “so what brings you by?”

“You” he said, a smile spreading across his face.

Jess sighed again and looked away. So much for talking she thought. She took a deep breath and picking up the remote she said “I was watching this, you mind?”

“No” he said and she could feel his eyes were still on her.

Jess turned the sound back on and tried to concentrate on the documentary but with him watching her, it was very difficult.

During an ad break she couldn’t stop her eyes from moving to look at him and as she did her gaze was caught and held by his. She couldn’t look away. “Kiss me Jess” he said in a soft voice.

She shook her head even though everything in her wanted to say yes.

“I won’t touch you, I promise.”

“That’s going to make kissing mighty hard then” she joked but her expression was serious.

He smiled “other than with my lips” he said.

“You think you can do that?”

“If I have to” he said.

“Okay hands behind your head.”

“Yes officer” he teased as he laced his fingers together behind his head.

“Don’t tempt me Marco” she teased “I’ve still got my cuffs.”

He laughed. “Kinky.”

“Shut up” she said and brought her mouth down on his.

It was a heated kiss and true to his word Marco didn’t touch her. However the same could not be said for Jess. With free reign of his toned upper body she couldn’t stop her hands exploring every square inch of it.

Marco groaned as she moved back and he lowered his arms. “When you test a person you don’t do it by halves do you?”

She laughed and moved out of range. “they were your conditions.”

“So have I proven myself to you?”

“One test of will does not mean you are trustworthy.”

He didn’t seem too perturbed, she noticed, as he said, “I’ll just have to try harder then.”

“Why?” she said “why not just give up.”

“Because when I want something, I’m willing to work for it. Nothing worth having ever comes easy.”

“And what about after you’ve had me?”

“Jess, don’t cheapen it” he said with a frown.

“I’m not. I’m just stating the obvious. You want me because I refuse to comply, after I do, you’ll want something else. That’s how you work.”

His frown deepened. “I probably deserved that and if I tell you that’s not how it is with you, you won’t believe me, right?”

“Correct” she said, although truth be told, the more she talked to him the more she wasn’t completely sure of her assumptions about him. She didn’t tell him that though.

“Why?” he said.

She looked at him for a moment, “tell me this” she said “how many women have said no to you in the past?”

He smiled, “not many.”

“When was the last one?” she said.

He thought for a minute.

“See you can’t remember” she said “how do you know this isn’t just because I’m proving to be a challenge?”

“That’s not it” he said frowning again.

“But how do you know, you said yourself it’s not something you can remember dealing with.”

He shrugged, “I just do. I can’t explain it. I guess you’re going to have to trust me.”

“And there lies the problem” she said.

“Right” he said getting to his feet and walking out of the room.

That surprised Jess and disappointment settled deep within her. She knew he’d walk away sometime but it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. She got to her feet and followed him to the front door. As he opened the door she felt the need to apologise. She didn’t want them to part on bad terms “I’m sorry Marco” she said “see you round.”

He turned around and looked at her, a smile lighting up his face, “this isn’t over Jess” he said. “I’m going to show you, that I want more from you than just a fling and if that means taking a new tack, then that’s what I’ll do.” As he finished speaking he jogged down the outside stairs.

“What does that mean?” Jess asked feeling a little concerned.

“You’ll see” he said and holding up a hand he continued down the lane in the direction of Tiamo’s.

 

Chapter 18

For the next two days, Jess worked on the missing person’s case. She travelled to the country to interview the parents of the missing girl but they could give her little new information. They knew of no men their daughter was seeing or indeed any friends she spent her time in town with. She hadn’t mentioned anyone to them except those she worked with. When Jess asked them why Natalie had moved to the city, Natalie’s mother was moved to tears. Her husband putting his arm around his wife explained that they’d been against it. They’d tried to dissuade their daughter about moving but she was determined. 

“She wanted to know more about life she said, than what she could find in a small country town” Mr Bowman said.

Having pulled herself together Mrs Bowman added “Natalie was always looking for excitement. She saw mystery and conspiracies where none existed. But I understood her wanting to experience the world and we thought in town at least she wouldn’t be far away. We thought she’d be safe.” Mrs Bowman looked away.

 “We set down some conditions though” Mr Bowman said “She had to find a job and a place to live before she went and that she was to call home every week.”

“Did she object to that? Calling home I mean” Jess asked.

“Not at all” Mrs Bowman said. “She loved to tell us what she’d been up to. Not that it was much really. I think she enjoyed the calls as much as we did because she didn’t have many people to talk to in town.”

Jess nodded and asked “who were her particular friends here? Was it possible someone back her was involved or knew something?”

“I don’t think so” Mr Bowman said. “All her friends are those she’s grown up with. They are good kids and we know all their parents.”

“What was Natalie like when she lived here? Was she popular?”

 “I know it sounds like a cliché but Natalie truly was quiet and well liked” her father said.

 Jess knew that this wasn’t necessarily the case. That a parent doesn’t always know what’s really going on in their child’s life, but she didn’t say that to Mr and Mrs Bowman.

However Jess got the much the same story from her friends. Her parents had given Jess five names, one of which was a young man, Scott Cambridge who Natalie had been dating on and off since she was eighteen, but none of those she contacted had seen her since her last visit back there a month ago or been in contact with her. 

Scott a well built dark haired young man wearing jeans, shirt and cowboy hat admitted he’d visited her once in the city a couple of months after she left but they’d argued about where she was living. He didn’t like the area and he’d ended up coming back early. He’d only seen her since then with other friends when she’d been back at home. 

Jess asked a girl friend, a Selina Mason if she thought Scott was upset about Natalie leaving. But Selina a pretty red head and told her no. “Scott only went to see Natalie because he had started seeing Kara. He thought he should tell her face to face.”

Back in town Jess attempted to reinterview Natalie’s boss, a Simon Mason, but after a number of attempts, she was still unsuccessful. She’d called and she’d gone to the import business in person, but with no luck. She had managed to talk to the woman Natalie was closest to at her work, another admin. But it appeared that even they weren’t that close and Jess got the feeling the young woman didn’t want to talk to her. But it seemed from what Jess could get out of her, that Natalie had few other friends. It was the other woman’s understanding that Natalie went to work, went home and that was it. She didn’t go out of a night or much on the weekend, or not that she said. Indeed it seemed the only other place Natalie went was to go back to her home town to visit her parents from time to time. 

Jess also visited Natalie’s apartment having obtained a letter from her parents to gain admittance. But the tiny apartment offered very few clues except for telling Jess how Natalie occupied herself in her spare time. Instead of going out, it seemed she was an avid reader. There were books everywhere, on chairs, on the floor, on shelves, on her bed side table, even on the kitchen bench. They were all mysteries Jess noted as she looked at the titles. The building her apartment was situated in was no help either. Nobody knew each other. In fact most of the other tenants didn’t even recognise Natalie’s photo.

So with a random event unlikely to be the cause of her disappearance due to the scare tactics being employed, and with old friends as good as ruled out, not least because of the distance from the city. Not to mention Natalie’s lack of a social life in town excluding casual acquaintances, and her work place a dead end Jess was left with nowhere to look. 

All the while Jess had been investigating she had kept her eyes and ears open for any more odd occurrences but she didn’t spot anything. There were no more phone calls or re-appearing cars. She’d got some info on the Porsche from her friend in the police force, but it didn’t tell her much. The Porsche was a rental car and had been returned on the Monday. The address the rental company had been given proved to be false and the driver had paid in cash so there was no credit card to trace.

 

Chapter 19

Jess had seen nothing of Marco in that time and assumed, despite his words to the contrary, he’d found someone who wasn’t such hard work to spend his time with. The thought depressed her but she told herself it was better she’d found out before she’d caved into his demands. It didn’t make it hurt any less however.

That evening her phone rang as she sat watching TV. Ren was again out for the evening. She picked it up and said “hello.”

“I told you to leave it alone” the male voice said “now I’m warning you. Stop looking for her.”

“Who is this?” she asked but she was talking to a dead line. She frowned and hung up. Ever since Gorman had told her about why he’d given her the case Jess had set up a system to record her calls. She’d take a recording of this one to work in the morning and let Gorman listen to it. Her hand was still on the phone when it rang again. Wary she picked it up, “hello” she said.

“Hey Jess” the familiar male voice said.

“Marco” she said unable to keep the surprise out of her voice.

He laughed “thought I’d forgotten you, hey?” he said. “I’m just letting you know I intend to pay you a visit.”

“When?” she asked

“Now” he said as she heard her door bell ring. She could hear Marco laughing on the other end.

“Very funny” she admonished.

“Hurry up” he said and severed the connection.

Jess took a deep breath and walked down the stairs to open the door.

“Hi” he said, smiling.

He looked devastating in dark suit pants and a white shirt. “Hi” she said.

“Do I get to come in?”

“Same conditions as before?”

“Okay” he said without hesitation.

They sat down in the living room. Once again he sat close, but without actually touching her.

“I’m not going to ask why you’re here” she said remembering where that got her the last time.

He threw back his head and laughed. “Okay, I’ll tell you then. I’m here to invite you out tomorrow night and just so we’re clear, it’s a date I’m talking about, not a work thing and no hidden agenda, just you and me getting to know each other.  I want you to be able to trust me so everything is going to be out in the open from now on.”

Jess’s eyebrows rose, “right” she said buying some time as she tried to work out how to answer.     

“There are no expectations” he added in a serious voice “I’m not going to seduce you. It’s just a chance for us to spend some time together and see whether this could go anywhere.”

“Why are you doing this?” she said with a frown. “I’m sure you could easily find someone more willing to spend your time with.”

“I know you don’t believe it yet, but I’m not interested in willing. I’m interested in you.”

“Even if nothing physical happens between us?” she asked.

He grinned “of course I’m hoping you’ll change your mind about that when you feel you can trust me, but yes even if that doesn’t happen. I like you Jess, as a person, not just as a beautiful face and incredible body.”

Jess blushed and looked away.

He chuckled.

“I don’t get you” she said turning back to look at him, “isn’t this what you’ve been fighting the whole time I’ve known you?”

He shrugged. “I guess it just took the right person.”

She shook her head and looked away. She didn’t know what to think anymore. He sounded sincere, but she wasn’t sure this wasn’t just another line. However she knew there was only one way to find out. So even though it may be playing with fire she took a deep breath and looking him in the eye again she said “okay, but no ambushes.”

He smiled and nodded “done.” Then sitting back, laying his arms long the back of the couch and crossing his legs, so his right ankle rested on his left knee he said “now do I get a drink or are you going to kick me out?”

She laughed. “I guess I can manage a drink” and getting up she said “come on we’ll sit on the balcony.”

He got to his feet and followed her into the kitchen. Pouring them a glass of wine Jess led the way outside. It was a clear, mild night with millions of stars visible.

Marco sipped his drink and said, “where’s your roommate these days?”

“He’s around. He was away on the weekend and tonight, he’s out at an art show of a friend.”

“So, has there ever been anything between you two?”

“No” Jess said “he’s like a brother.”

“Does he feel the same way?”

She shrugged. ”I guess so” I’ve never asked him.”

He nodded and then looked away. His fingers playing with the stem of his glass, he sounded thoughtful as he said “not that I know him well, but I like Ren.”

She smiled “I’ll be sure to tell him.”

Marco looked over at her and smiled.

The light from the kitchen spilled out on the space illuminating the table and them but with no other lighting, the darkness surrounding them made it feel like they were cut off from the rest of the world. His gaze locked on hers. “I want to kiss you” he whispered.

Jess shivered. “Not a good idea.”

“For who?” he said leaning towards her.

“For me” she said, unable to be anything but honest.

“I won’t hurt you Jess” he said.

Jess sighed and closed her eyes. When he said things like that he was almost impossible to resist. More than anything she wanted to believe him. She opened her eyes again and looked straight into his. Then hoping she wouldn’t one day regret letting him get to her, she leaned towards him and met his mouth with hers. She felt him sigh against her mouth and then deepen the kiss but as per their agreement, he didn’t touch her otherwise.

When he moved back a few minutes later, he smiled and said “that felt pretty good to me. Of course it could have been a whole lot better if you hadn’t tied my hands.”

“Don’t push it” she said.

He laughed. “Okay, but can we change our deal for tomorrow night? If I promise not to let things get out of hand, will you let me hold you?”

“I’ll think about it” she said with a smile.

“Good enough” he said and finishing the wine in his glass he said “I’ll get going.”

She walked him to the door.

“See you around seven” he said after she’d opened the door.

She nodded and unable to help herself, before he could turn away she leaned in and kissed him. It was a quick but heated exchange and as she moved back he grinned “thank you” he said.

She smiled, “my pleasure.”

“And mine” he said with a wink. Then jogging down the stairs he climbed into his sports car and roared away.

Lost in her thoughts, Jess stood on the door step for a minute watching Marco move out of sight. As she did, she saw a car she had noticed parked in the lane earlier pull away from the curb and follow Marco out into the street. Her thoughts consumed by the dinner they’d share the following night she smiled and turning, she walked back inside.

Chapter 20

Ren arrived back just before Jess was going to bed. At thirty five years of age, he was a tall and lanky man with a mop of curly brown hair and brown eyes and was like no artist Jess had ever heard of. For a start he didn’t struggle to make ends meet, he made a good living from his art. Admittedly the bulk of his income didn’t come from the work his heart lay in, his original paintings, but he’d found a way through graphic art to make money and still have an artistic outlet. His other work, some of which hung in a small gallery in the city, sold too but just not as frequently.

He also disproved every other stereotype she’d conjured up about people in his profession. When she’d first rented him the studio she assumed he’d appear dressed in paint splattered jeans and have stuff scattered everywhere. But he wasn’t like that at all. He dressed well and was always well groomed, even when he was working. And this flowed over into the way he lived. The studio and his room in her apartment were always ordered and clean. In addition he was discrete and respectful and never invaded her privacy. He was the perfect tenant. “Hey” he said dropping his keys on the bench and shrugging out of his jacket, to hang it on the back of a chair.

Folding his tall body into a chair to one side of where she was sitting, he said “you have a visitor?”

“What makes you ask that?” Jess said with a frown, worried her emotions were written all over her face.

“Well unless you’ve suddenly developed a drinking problem, where you drink out of two glasses at once” he said pointing to the glasses on the sink “then it’s the obvious solution.”

Jess followed the direction he indicated and turning back to look at him she said with a smile “you want to come work with me?”

Ren laughed. “No thanks.”

“With observation skills like yours you’d do well.”

“Yeah, but I’m not sure I’d like what I see.”

“Good point” she said, “it’s not always pretty.” Then after a pause she added “Marco dropped by earlier.”

“Marco Santini? From Tiamo’s?” Ren said his eyebrows lifting.

She and Ren had eaten together at Tiamo’s often so Jess knew he’d met the whole family. “Why so surprised?” she said with a frown.

“Be careful Jess, you know what he’s like.”

Jess’s frown deepened. She didn’t like Ren’s reminder that Marco had a reputation for being a player. “There is nothing to be careful of at present” she lied “but don’t worry, I intend to be.”

“How long has he been hanging around?”

“You know I’ve known him for years” Jess said deliberately misunderstanding him.

Ren just looked at her.

She sighed. “We hung out on the weekend.”

“I’m not going to tell you what to do. But I don’t want to see you get hurt. Just be sure you can trust him before you get in too deep.”

Jess got to her feet and snapped “thanks for the advice, but I’m a big girl Ren. I’m going to go to bed, night.”

“Night” he said in a quiet voice and Jess walked out of the room.

After Marco’s visit that night Jess had been feeling more confident about him, but now with Ren voicing his doubts, she was back to square one. She got into bed and sighing she closed her eyes and hoped sleep would come.