Chapter 9
Inside the car, James was busy fuming. “I told you that was a stupid idea.” His partner cast him a disdainful look.
“And I told you that it didn't matter if they saw us. We were just getting the lie of the land. I'm going to say it again, there is something decidedly hinky going on.”
“Hinky? Do you hear yourself, R.? All we are supposed to be doing is speaking to regulars at Club Paradise. This Desmond is a regular so that is why we were supposed to track him down. Just to see if he recognized our guys or knew if anyone had the misfortune to run into them. Nothing else.”
R.W. scrunched up the now empty takeaway coffee cup and threw it angrily into the footwell, despite knowing that litter and the state of the car's interior was a pet peeve of James'.
James clenched the steering wheel even tighter, his knuckles now showing white.
He set his jaw, then abruptly changed lanes to pull into an empty car park.
James didn't even look to see what the lot belonged to, opting instead to stare at his partner in disbelief. “Oh, come on!” he said, exasperated.
“Come on? Really? Come on? We get this Desmond guy's name from the bouncer as one of the regulars, find out from another of the regulars where he works, and as soon as we enter the store, he and his buddy take off through the back like the hounds of hell are after them.
No car, no license, so once we do manage to track down his address, no thanks to his employer, we find he has moved out, just like that.
Not to mention his buddy has done a flit.
Then we find out he's actually still moving his stuff out, no thanks to the over-protective roommate we'd spoken to earlier.
We follow the guys taking his stuff, to that building.
That expensive as fuck building there's no way he could afford.
He's getting the money for a place like that somewhere, or someone in there is hiding him in there for some reason.
Given the way they've both ran, it's highly suspicious.
Maybe they're selling drugs at the club and under cover of that shop.
Maybe that's why his boss was being uncooperative.”
“Or just maybe it was time for them both to get off work and they were avoiding having to deal with two more customers.
Maybe they both moved because a third friend had an apartment share he needed to fill and they jumped on it.
Look, let's just speak to him about our actual case, huh? The one with the two guys going around the state, raping guys they befriend at clubs, remember that one?”
“Fine, whatever. But I'm telling you now, James, if anything else suspicious comes up, I'm reporting it.”
“You do that. Somebody else can investigate it, unless it has bearing on our rape case. I know we're the FBI, but this isn't TV. We do the job we're assigned, and anything else concrete, relating to another case, we pass along.”
R.W. gave a curt nod and tried to make peace by picking up his discarded cup and placing it in the plastic bag sandwiched between them.
James gave a muffled curse as he turned the key in the ignition and backed out of the space.
“Yeah, I know. I hate not being able to find and solve the world's problems at the drop of a hat too. We're also both tired and cranky, having been up way longer than necessary.”
“Yeah, I could sleep,” R.W. admitted. “Maybe you're right, maybe we should've just gone in and spoken to him.”
“Ya think?” James snorted.
“Sleep, then let's go try to catch him at work again,” R.W. suggested.
“Sounds like a plan.”
Jared was still sound asleep when Steve slid back into bed, maneuvering him back into his arms comfortable.
“Mmm, where'd go?” Jared mumbled.
“Shhh, it’s just me. I had to check on something.
” He dropped a kiss onto the top of Jared's head.
He luxuriated in the feel of holding him in his bed, in his arms.His cock filled at the thought of some day soon, being able to claim him in this very bed.
He reached a hand under the covers, readjusting himself.
Sleep eluded him as other thoughts filled his mind.
Who were those guys and what do they want? Hopefully Tim'll come up with something. He held his mate tighter. No matter who they are, they won't be allowed to hurt anyone in the pack. Especially you.
Realizing that sleep was going to be impossible, he turned off the alarm so that it wouldn't wake Desmond up.
He can sleep in all he wants, doesn't have to be to work until two,he thought.
He remained in bed awhile longer, until his restlessness threatened to disturb Jared's sleep and he once more snuck out of bed.
Deciding he might as well finish his laundry, he took the clothes out of the dryer and began washing a load of towels and jeans.
Folding the clothes he'd taken out, he left them neatly stacked in the basket, all to aware that he risked waking Jared if he went into the bedroom to put them away.
The TV was out for the same reason. He sighed.
Might as well get some work done. He poured himself a glass of juice and at at his table, opening his laptop.
So, they want to expand the bakery and open an eat in section.
Let's see how we might accommodate that.
He dug into work, flicking through files and getting up to grab a piece of paper and a pen, jotting down notes and ideas.
“There you are.”
He glanced up, blinking as he became aware that much more time had passed than he'd thought. “Morning. Sleep all right?”
“Yeah. Just wondered where you'd gone off to. I remembered you getting up and talking to someone, so thought maybe you'd gone.”
“Nah, just my brother. Him and my dad wanted to talk some pack business with me.”
“Oh.” Jared gestured at the laptop. “Is that what you're doing now?”
“Yeah. The bakery down the street rents space from the pack and they want to expand. Trying to see what we can work out. I'm going to meet with the coven's Prince to to see if we can reach a deal.”
“Coven? Like, witches?” Jared paled.
“No, it's a vampire coven.”
“Wait, what? A vampire bakery?”
Steve chuckled at the look of incredulity of Jared's expression. “Yes, A Bite of Heaven is a vampire owned bakery, and, at least according to my my dad, make the best danishes in all of New York. Must admit they make a pretty mean bear claw.”
“But, aren't bakeries open during the day?”
“Yeah, they open at six in the morning and close at six at night.
Though if my dad stops by earlier, they let him have some of whatever they've got coming out of the oven before opening.” Understanding flooded his face.
“Oh, the daylight thing. Myth, sort of. They do have to avoid prolonged exposure or they don't feel particularly well, but they don't just puff into dust from a bit of sunshine.”
“Oh.”
“I'm sure Mom will put all this stuff into the guide she's putting together. Don't worry about it. How about we go out for breakfast?”
Jared perked up. “That sounds good! Oh, but I need fresh clothes.”
“How about we stop by your apartment and you can grab some. You can invite Desmond along if you like.”
“Okay! Sounds good.”
“Just let me change and then we'll go.”
“Sure thing.”
Steve went into the bedroom to change. Note to self, have him bring spare clothes over. And get him a toothbrush and stuff. I should find out what his preferred brand of toothpaste is while I'm at it. And detergent for when his clothes get washed here. He could feel his wolf approving his decision.
“Oh my God, the apartment is fab! But man, was it stuffy! The air con doesn't seem to be working.” Desmond hadn't stopped talking since the moment they'd stopped by the apartment.
“I'll get on to maintenance when we get back,” Steve promised.
“Thank you, so much! Though I was a little put out with how high handed it felt, the way you guys showed up and just started packing my stuff!
Talk about getting steamrollered! But then your dad told me it was the Council's fault that it went down this way, and I couldn't stay mad. I mean, got to do what those guys say, right?”
Steve looked around. Where's the waitress with our food? Relief flooded him as he spotted her heading towards them, her tray laden with their order. Thank the gods.
“Blueberry pancakes a la mode?”
“That's me,” Desmond chirped. She placed the plate in front of him.
“Chocolate chip pancakes?”
“Here,” Jared said, a sound of glee entering his voice as he looked at the face on top of his pancakes the cook had made using whipped cream.
“This'll be yours then,” she said, batting her eyelashes at Steve. The smile fell off of Jared's face, replaced quickly with a glare aimed at the waitress.
“That looks delicious, baby,” he said. “I'm tempted to snatch a piece of that bacon.”
“Oh, no,” Steve said, “Order your own side of bacon, sweetheart.”
“That everything?” she asked, looking disappointed.
“More coffee, please,” Desmond asked.
“Be right back,” she promised.
“So,” Desmond said, “What else is on the agenda for today?
I'm off today but Jared works this afternoon.
We gonna finish unpacking and stuff? I mean, I won't I can help you with your stuff since you've got way more than me.
I pretty much just had the stuff in my room, you had an apartment full.
I can finish unpacking my crap once you've gone to work.”
“Sounds like plan,” Jared agreed.
“It's very stuffy in there. You got any fans we can borrow until the air con is fixed?” Desmond flicked his eyes over towards Steve as he spoke.
“Can stop and get some on the way home. I'll let them know that needs to be fixed pronto. Hopefully it's nothing much and it'll be working by tomorrow at the latest.”
“Awesome.”
The conversation was interrupted by the waitress bringing their requested coffee refill. She filled the cups and left.
“You're meeting with the co- I mean, bakery, later today right?” Jared asked Steve.
“Yeah, around six, after they close. What time you get off?”