Chapter 3 #2
As soon as I walked in, the aroma hit me. During my writing sprints, often lasting for ten or twelve hours, I lived on coffee and Diet Coke. However, the difference in quality was well worth the drive.
That was my excuse for going several miles out of my way to just drop in. Once inside, I scanned the crowded location, hoping to see Alexia. My luck wasn’t that good. However, I had time to wait. What else did I have to do? As I stepped to the back of the line, I took a good hard look at my life.
A confirmed bachelor with difficult hours, my buddies called me a loner. My agent, when he wasn’t pushing me to meet my deadline, called me driven. Women called me an insufferable bore with playboy tendencies. Guilty as charged on all counts.
With millions in the bank, and several pieces of real estate in my portfolio along with powerful stocks, I had nothing to complain about. Although the old saying was applicable. Money didn’t buy happiness. Why the thought of discord? Because old cases haunted me to this day.
Hence my approval of the secretive organization created and nurtured by five poker buddies.
Some might call us vigilantes. When the system failed, we moved into action, eliminating the threat one way or another.
We worked to bring justice to victims who’d been ignored by law enforcement and the court systems. Unfortunately, our clandestine and highly successful operations within Raven Intel had brought little peace.
Maybe because I’d seen the worst of the worst during my illustrious career.
I’d had several partners over the years, including one who’d gone through the academy with me.
He’d lasted all of six months before bagging out.
My second had been more seasoned, a curmudgeon of a man who’d taught me the ropes before retiring.
The third? A woman. By far the most organized and on point.
And we’d hated each other.
Burnout was real, bureaucracy a pain in the ass.
With the creation of Raven Intel, we were our own bosses, breaking rules as necessary. Crossing every line. Risking our lives. But I’d had a lot of fun.
At least with several cases, justice had been served.
As I moved up in the line, my thoughts continually drifted from the Wells case to Alexia. Her touch had been enigmatic. The haunted look in her eyes that had briefly turned into fire. Hell, my cock was twitching all over again.
With only one person in front of me, I finally glanced at the menu, chuckling to myself about what my order would be.
“Can I help you?” the barista asked, already prepared to make a festive concoction.
“Coffee. Black. Strong.”
As expected, the girl looked at me as if an alien had just walked into the coffee shop demanding everyone strip off their clothing. No one ordered black coffee as a choice.
“You should try being more adventurous with your life. Imagine how spicy your books could be.”
The sensual timbre of the voice behind me cut through the loud din of other customers.
With a smile slowly crawling across my face, I turned toward the customer behind me.
Alexia was grinning, her eyebrows arched and the look was more mischievous than two days before.
She was dressed in another dark suit, and this time her long, curly hair was swept into a bun behind her head.
“Does that mean I should add in more creative romance scenes in my books?”
“I guess that depends on your audience. But let me suggest the Caramel Macchiato to spice up your world. I choose hot espresso with a double drizzle of caramel. Trust me.”
“Mmm… Often famous last words. Barista, I’ll have two, one for my friend.”
“You didn’t need to do that.”
“You can repay me if you’d like,” I told her as I pulled out my credit card.
Her eyes flashed. “What do you have in mind?”
“How about sitting with me while we drink our coffee?”
“I’d like that. I’m sorry I had to leave the other day. I had business to finish before I could head home. Duty calls.”
“Of course.” Nodding, I allowed myself a full gaze of her beauty, which of course she noticed. Yet there was no embarrassment on her face, just a sly smile.
“Here you go.” The barista slid the drinks in our direction and I grabbed both.
“Lead the way.”
Alexia found a spot in the back near the restrooms, passing three other empty tables. Why did I have a feeling she didn’t want to be seen? With me or in general?
As soon as we were settled in, she tipped her head toward the window overlooking the sidewalk.
“This is very good,” I admitted. “I’ll have to remember the order.”
“It’s my go-to drink when I’d had a tough day.”
“You have me curious. What do you do for work?”
She took another sip of her coffee before answering. “Alexia Martino, an attorney with Landers and Jacobson.”
“Oh, really?” The red flags had been raised for a reason. I’d heard of the firm she worked for. In a city of over sixteen thousand attorneys, Landers and Jacobson were considered a boutique firm, their lawyers representing victims of various crimes. A decent firm with little notoriety.
But said to be up and coming, so I heard. That was the extent of my knowledge and the information from years before.
“Yes, really.” I’d seen that look before. As if she’d encountered one too many people who’d questioned the possibility of her chosen profession.
“A couple of my best friends are attorneys. Since you know my background, you might be aware my longest lasting partner was a woman.”
“I’m aware.” Her eyes penetrated mine. Her appearance had little to do with the book I’d written. “Not a match made in heaven.”
“Why would you say that?”
She shook her head. “You don’t mince words in your books.”
“Remind me never to send her a copy.”
Alexia pursed her lips. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell a soul.”
Being around her was easy, maybe a little too much so. I was more relaxed than I’d been in a long time.
“You have me at a loss, a situation I don’t enjoy being in. Call it the perks of my former profession.” Her short answers also intrigued me. “I’m curious. You marked various passages in the book. Do you mind telling me why?”
“Maybe because I was checking to determine how truthful the parallel was to the actual case.”
“From what you’ve said, which has been minimal, it seems you know quite a bit about the actual case. Is there a new investigation involving the murders I’ve yet to be told about?”
Why was the sound of her laugh so bitter?
“You could say I know a great deal about the case from years ago, although reading your book, even though fifty percent fictional, was eye-opening. No one seems to care any longer about Samuel Wells or the victims’ families and the horrors they’ve been forced to endure through the years. ”
“An atrocity in the act of providing justice. That’s something I can easily admit. Does this interest in the case and the victims revolve around your claim Wells is set for execution?”
Alexia appeared uncomfortable. “As I mentioned before. What if the wrong man is being put to death?”
I sat back, still trying to ascertain her angle.
As an attorney, she knew better than to try to undermine a case, even a closed one.
There was no doubt the beautiful lady was highly intelligent and I sensed intuitive.
Then what was her angle? I was more than intrigued.
She was skilled in the art of tossing out crumbs one by one, knowing a man with a devious, creative mind would lap them up like crack cocaine.
“Let’s not mince words, Alexia. You sought me out for a reason.
While details regarding the victims, the methods the killer used, details about the case, the hunt, and the subsequent arrest were all altered, I penned words keeping the integrity of the investigation.
DNA was found. Various clues led up to the discovery of the killer’s identity.
There were difficulties in identification based on the elements in the Everglades.
However, at the end of the book as with the actual case, I made certain the evidence pointed to the correct killer. ”
Every time she allowed her heated gaze to fall ever so slowly from my face to my chest, it seemed as if she was undressing me with her eyes. It had been a long time since I’d had a woman do that so blatantly. How could a man not enjoy a blip in time of being appreciated?
Enough so I was thankful to be sitting behind a table. That’s how rock hard my cock had become.
“Yes, you used magnificent detective skills, some of the best I’ve encountered in my career.”
However stunning the woman’s exterior beauty, she was cunning, refusing to trust anyone including the FBI agent involved.
Did she believe I had bad intent in mind?
Or was she simply fishing for information?
If she really had read the book, any of my books, she’d know I stood behind my integrity in both professions.
I’d never do anything to undermine a case or the memories of the victims.
“Why don’t we cut to the chase, Alexia. If you have some evidence that Samuel Wells isn’t the Python Killer, then you need to provide this information to the police. Anything otherwise and you could lose your right to practice law.”
“Are you threatening me, Mr. Callahan?”
“I’m not in the habit of threatening anyone.” The game of cat and mouse, or maybe she was merely trying to determine if she could trust me, was becoming irritating. Even if it had also been a very long time since I’d enjoyed a simple cup of coffee with a woman.
“Ah, you’re a man who makes promises.” The playfulness was unexpected, which only served to keep me both interested and in casual discomfort.
I shifted across my seat in hopes of relieving the constant twitch in my dick. “When the situation calls for doing so. Or when I deem it acceptable.”
Her laugh was a joyful sound. “You’ve always been a formidable man.”